Chapter 99: Hanz Clan Estate
With every word from Carl Murphy, Lordi Payne's expression grew grimmer. He'd assumed the task to Hanz Clan Estate was a routine mission, suitable for Sixth Layer Qi Refinement cultivators. In a rash bid to deflect Ruru Rosa's suspicions, he'd volunteered to take Kim Simona's place without a second thought. Now, the truth unraveled: this wasn't just a task—it was a deadly abyss, swallowing squads whole.
And the situation was even worse than he thought. Five elite battle squads had registered for this same Outer Sect task. The implications were dire. At the Hanz Clan Estate, the Thorn squad wouldn't just face the death estate's hidden perils—ancient traps, wards, and whatever slaughtered its inhabitants—but also the treachery of their own sect comrades. The other four squads, packed with elite Ninth and Eighth Layer cultivators, demon beast battle pets, and legendary Dao weapons, were as likely to stab them in the back as to compete for the Hanz Clan Estate's treasures.
A darker thought gnawed at him: what if betrayal lurked within the Thorn Squad itself? A traitor turning on them at a critical moment could spell doom, and with the demonic sect's opportunistic nature, he couldn't rule the thought out.
Resigned to his fate but desperate for any edge, Lordi Payne steadied his voice. "Senior Brother Murphy, before Senior Brother Hughie Wing fell into his coma, did he say anything about how he was so gravely wounded at the Hanz Clan Estate?"
Carl shook his head, his expression grim. "Hughie Wing was a mess—half-dead, his mind shattered. He muttered a few incoherent words before collapsing. The medicine cultivators examined him and found his spirit soul deeply shaken, as if something had torn into it. They gave him a Soul-Calming Pill to stabilize him, but that means he'll sleep for a month. If we wait for him to wake, the other battle squads on this task will seize the advantage."
BRO! What the fuck!
Lordi Payne cursed under his breath. So they were going on the task blind. The task's opacity was suffocating. He stole a glance at Ruru Rosa, seated nearby, her face an icy mask. His mind raced, calculating. "Whatever the others' strength, at least she's not a threat. Her Eighth Layer Qi Refinement Stage cultivation outranks me, but her combat skills are weak."
If the situation in Hanz Clan Estate turned ugly, Lordi Payne was confident his Blood Spectre Footwork Art would let him outpace Ruru Rosa with ease, leaving her behind in a flash.
——
A few days later, at high noon, the sun hung bright over a serene valley cradling a natural reservoir, its glassy surface reflecting the sky. The water was hemmed by rugged mountains, their slopes cloaked in a breathtaking grove of cherry trees, their pink blossoms swaying gently in the breeze, painting the air with delicate petals. The scene was a tranquil haven, the soft rustle of leaves and distant trickle of a landslide-dammed river weaving an almost dreamlike calm.
Whoosh!