As the trio walked outside, Han Yi immediately tried to smack Xie Lang on the head, but he dodged it.
"Try that again and I'll break your jaw," Xie Lang snapped, anger flaring in his eyes. He knew he had made a mistake—but he would never let anyone treat him like a child being scolded. He'd rip their skull open before allowing that.
"You slipped and gave Ya Fen something. Now I'm sure he'll stick his nose in our business, which means he'll send someone to spy on us," Han Yi said sharply.
Zeng Shiyang chimed in, "You've ruined the mission and gave secret information to people who live off selling it."
Xie Lang turned to him with a glare. "First of all, I didn't ruin the mission. It was already over the moment he told us the twins went with the Jiang Clan. That alone meant we couldn't go after them. There might be someone too powerful there, or we'd be getting too close to Jiang territory. Second, sure, I slipped and said 'bastards'—but that can easily be interpreted as me cursing the twins, not the clan. So unless we expose more, it doesn't confirm anything. You two are overreacting."
He stepped closer to Han Yi, his tone cold. "And don't ever raise your hand against me again. Try it, and I'll break your damn spine."
Han Yi didn't flinch. She couldn't care less about his threat. She had already beaten him before and knew she could do it again if it came to that. Both she and Xie Lang were disciples of powerful Rank 2 cultivators, each with their own secrets and skills.
"We're leaving for the mine," she said flatly. "This mission failed, but we still got valuable information. The Yan twins have apparently joined the Jiang Clan—most likely bribed and bought. That might be the reason of their betrayal."
She turned and started walking. Xie Lang stood still for a moment, then followed. Zeng Shiyang trailed behind them, uncaring about the close brush with a fight. The trio walked slowly out of Cloudrest, above the drifting clouds—and just as they expected, someone had already begun to follow them.
Elsewhere, in a carriage farther down the road, two brothers sat—both with black hair and blue eyes. The carriage was quiet. Though part of a larger convoy, theirs was isolated. These were the Yan twins.
Their hair and eyes had changed again.
The technique they used was called Veilshift Veins—a pseudo-disguise method that altered their eye and hair color much like a chameleon shifts its skin. It didn't change their facial features, voice, or aura, but it was better than nothing.
"Brother, do you really think it's a good plan to betray the Institute so boldly and join their enemies just for a chance at that thing?" Yan Hei asked suddenly.
Yan Bai laughed. "Aw, come on. Don't you trust your brother? When have I ever made a plan that endangered our lives?"
Yan Hei gave him a flat stare. "More times than I can count."
"Hahahaha! Don't worry—I've got backup plans if things go south. But we really need that demonic core. And if anything smells even a little bit wrong, we're getting out of there."
Yan Hei sighed. "Fine. You always drag me into these messes."
"I'm just bringing my little brother along, what's so bad about that?"
"You were born a few minutes earlier than me. Who the hell are you calling 'little brother'?"
Yan Bai smirked. "Anyway, crazy, isn't it? I didn't expect we'd find a Crimson Rubie in that mine. That's a clear sign of demonic infection. And yeah, it's dangerous to betray the Institute for it, but remember—demonic sects always crave demonic beasts, regardless of rank. That alone tells you how valuable it is."
"But we're really gambling," he continued. "If the Jiang Clan's reason for attacking the Institute is tied to this, then we're risking a lot. An entire clan with Rank 2 cultivators—plus the Institute if they find out. And if the Empire catches wind of it… we're as good as dead. Not even mid-sized sects dare take demonic beasts for themselves. They'd rather destroy them than risk being accused of rebellion."
Yan Hei nodded grimly. "Exactly. We need to be very careful. The only reason we were even hired by the Jiang was because they were hiring anyone, and we lied about having grudges against the Institute."
The twins continued to talk quietly, the road ahead long, the weight of their decisions heavy on their backs.
Somewhere deep in a forest, a figure moved at high speed. Every step he took shook the ground and left cracks in the earth. Lightning flickered violently around his body, wrapping him in a storm of power. Bone armor clung to his form, leaving only openings for his nose and eyes.
It was Lin Shu.
He was heading back toward the mine, immensely satisfied with his newfound speed and strength. A grin formed beneath his helmet.
If I fought Han Yi now… I might've won the tournament.
A flicker of ambition lit in his eyes.
I wonder how much stronger I'll become once I complete the second stage of the Thunderforge Physique. Unfortunately, I'll need some precious materials for that… and with my current wealth, it's out of reach.
As the terrain around him began to grow familiar, he realized he was getting close to the mine.
I should make it look like I've been running for my life this whole time…
He came to a halt. With a soft hiss, his bone armor fell away, crumbling into smoke and vanishing. Then, without hesitation, he began injuring himself—cutting his skin, bruising his arms and chest, even giving himself a black eye. Afterward, he deliberately aged the wounds slightly, dulling the redness and swelling so they wouldn't look too fresh.
This should do.
He continued walking toward the mine, his pace slower now. Eventually, he reached its entrance.
From one of the watchtowers, a lookout spotted him and shouted. Four guards rushed out, weapons drawn.
"Stop right there!"
Lin Shu raised a hand and threw his student emblem toward them. The guards caught it, examined it, and hesitated before nodding. He was quickly escorted inside. After answering a series of questions, they brought him straight to the vice dean's tent.
Inside, the Vice Dean, Lu Heng, stood up when he saw him.
"We thought you were dead. That's what Yan Qing reported," he said flatly. "But I guess you made it. Now, I want to hear your side of the story—and why it took you so long to come back."
Lin Shu nodded and recounted the entire tale.
Of course, he left out his detour to Cloudrest.
He told them about the battle, the chaos, and how he had to jump into the raging river to escape. He spoke of how Jiang clansmen hunted him for days before he finally lost them. He also mentioned hearing someone refer to a mysterious figure as "Young Master."
"I see," Lu Heng muttered, stroking his beard. "I assume you don't know that boy's name?"
Lin Shu shook his head.
"Yan Qing didn't know either. In any case, the mission is considered a failure. Without information on that 'Young Master,' there's little we can act on. Still… surviving such an encounter is worthy of reward. You'll be given a day or two to rest. After that, you'll receive a new mission—we still need manpower."
Lin Shu bowed slightly and left.
Inside the tent, Lu Heng sat back in thought.
Too bad… he mused. If that young master belonged to the Jiang Clan's main family, we could've used him. A hostage against the clan. Maybe even leverage to blackmail his father or master into spying for us. Threaten the boy's life—gain some control. But it is what it is. I'll make sure our intelligence is tighter next time. No more surprises.
Elsewhere, Han Yi, Zeng Shiyang, and Xie Lang were running through the wilderness. Their destination was unclear—they kept changing paths, taking seemingly random roads, twisting and doubling back as if trying to shake off a pursuer.
Unbeknownst to them, a group of three individuals was silently tailing them from the shadows.
"I think they know they're being followed," one whispered. "But they can't pinpoint our location, so they're just trying to lose us."
"Well, too bad," another replied. "The chief gave us this mission personally. Said it was of great importance. We're not backing off."
"Can't we just… attack them and force them to hand over whatever it is we need?"
The first speaker turned to him with a glare. "Are you stupid? You think they're nobodies? If the chief himself told us to follow them, then they're either powerful or important. We're spies, not fighters. Why the hell would we blow our cover by engaging them? I swear, rookies like you drive me insane."
The third member sighed. "Let's just keep following them until we get what we came for."
But then—suddenly—a voice came from above, calm and cold:
"I think we're far enough now… for me to kill you."
"What?!"
They looked up—just in time to see a fist wreathed in wind crashing down.
In a blink, one of them was struck in the skull and slammed into the ground, instantly knocked out.
"SHIT!" shouted the second, turning to run—only to be caught mid-stride by a brutal kick to the gut. He flew through the forest, crashing through several trees before finally coming to a stop in a heap, unconscious.
Not too far away, the trio came to a halt.
"What was that?" Han Yi muttered, narrowing her eyes toward the distant sounds.
"None of our business," Zeng Shiyang replied coolly. "I suggest we leave. Now."
Without waiting for agreement, he began moving. Xie Lang, unusually, agreed without complaint and followed closely behind. Han Yi didn't need convincing—her instincts told her Zeng Shiyang was right. They disappeared into the forest without looking back.
Back at the scene, the three spies lay ruined. Two were unconscious. The third found himself choking, his throat crushed in the grip of their attacker.
It was Tao Mu—the man Vice Dean Lu Heng had secretly assigned to watch over the trio.
Tao Mu had been aware of the pursuit for some time but had waited until they were far enough from Cloudrest to deal with it cleanly. He already knew which organization the spies belonged to. He had seen where Han Yi, Xie Lang, and Zeng Shiyang had gone.
I could just kill them… but doing so would raise suspicions. That organization would definitely investigate why their spies died. It'd be a headache if other clans caught wind of this and decided to take advantage of the chaos to weaken us—or worse, seize our territory.
He tightened his grip slightly, watching the man's face contort in panic.
"I'll ask once," Tao Mu said coldly. "What are you doing following my students?"
The spy struggled for breath, eyes darting in panic. If I say we were spying, he'll kill me—but I don't have another excuse!
"Not talking?" Tao Mu murmured—and snapped one of the man's fingers.
The spy screamed in agony.
"I guess you're assassins, sent to kill our students."
"N-No! Wait, sir, please—we're just informants! We were ordered to follow them, that's all! I swear I don't know the reason—we were just told to track them!"
Tao Mu narrowed his eyes, calculating the risks.
If I kill them… the organization will retaliate. But if I let them go, they'll report back and maybe embolden others to do the same.
Damned either way.
"…To hell with it," Tao Mu muttered. "Both choices end the same way."
He looked the man dead in the eyes.
"Let this be a warning to your organization. Anyone who dares spy on us… will be slaughtered."