Chapter 673 - 418: Dark Forest (2)

Fan Hongjiao slammed her hand on the small table beside her, her chest puffing up, and said, "Master shouldn’t compromise with them. Why do we need their agreement to put forward a candidate?"

Wu Shidao and Wang Yue exchanged a glance, both a bit troubled by Fan Hongjiao’s fiery temper. She was the only one on Yunfu Peak who dared to question even the master’s decisions.

Wang Yue chimed in, "Zhu Shizhong was killed by their scheming. Master means that there’s no point in endless bickering, so we might as well choose someone both sides agree on to stabilize the situation."

Fan Hongjiao glanced at Wang Yue and said, "Are you sure Zhu Shizhong was killed by them?"

Wang Yue, hearing this, turned his head to look at Duan Rong for some reason, and said, "This is certain."

Fan Hongjiao said, "Then why are we discussing with them at all!?"

Wu Shidao looked at Fan Hongjiao and said, "Senior Sister Fan, let’s not be hasty. This is the master’s decision. In the current situation, as long as we stabilize our position, the position of the next sect leader is almost secured for Yunfu Peak. As long as they don’t push us too far, there’s no need for a major conflict."

Fan Hongjiao replied, "Killing Zhu Shizhong isn’t pushing us too far?"

Wu Shidao said, "Didn’t we also kill Grand Protector Xue Wen?"

Fan Hongjiao rolled her eyes at Wu Shidao and said, "Wasn’t that your doing? Didn’t Master praise you for being so thorough? They have no concrete evidence and can’t blame us."

Wu Shidao said, "No concrete evidence, but they can guess."

Finally, Fan Hongjiao sat there quietly, and only then did Wu Shidao turn to Wang Yue, saying, "Junior Brother Wang Yue, why don’t you detail the situation over there for us?"

Wang Yue then recounted the events before and after in the Divine Cloud Prefecture.

Duan Rong could tell that, aside from Wu Shidao, who listened intently, both Fan Hongjiao and Lu Geng were gradually becoming distracted as they listened.

After Wang Yue finished, Wu Shidao nodded lightly.

At this moment, Wang Yue turned to Duan Rong, smiling, "Little junior brother, your name resounds like thunder in the Divine Cloud Prefecture! Duan Thunder God! Star Gatherer!"

Fan Hongjiao’s lazy gaze instantly lit up, asking, "What Duan Thunder God? Star Gatherer? Junior Brother Wang Yue, what are you talking about?"

Regarding the conclusion of the Zhu Shizhong case, the Divine Cloud Prefecture only sent one document to Zhu He. Zhu He, due to his busyness, had not informed them, and for the past month, they were training on the mountain, unaware of the details.

Wang Yue then smiled, retelling how Duan Rong, a month ago in the Divine Cloud Prefecture, summoned heavenly lightning, proving that Zhu Shizhong died by murder.

After listening to Wang Yue’s story, Fan Hongjiao, Wu Shidao, and Lu Geng all looked at Duan Rong with astonished expressions.

Lu Geng’s expression was rather exaggerated at the moment, saying, "Summoned heavenly lightning? Duan Thunder God?! Wang Yue, are you telling us a fairy tale?"

Wang Yue replied, "On the surface, Zhu Shizhong appeared to have died from a lightning strike! That was also the opponent’s cunning part; they almost got away with it. If it weren’t for the little junior brother’s extraordinary intellect, discovering that some craftsmen tampered with the cool room’s roof to lure down the lightning, killing Zhu Shizhong, this matter could have indeed been covered up."

Seeing Wang Yue speak so assuredly, Lu Geng finally believed he wasn’t just spouting nonsense.

As it turns out, as soon as Duan Rong arrived on Yunfu Peak, Master gave him two bottles of bone marrow ash from a Primordial Beast, not without reason! Initially, Lu Geng felt a bit envious, but now he realized it was completely deserved by Duan Rong.

Confirming that Zhu Shizhong was murdered is significant for the current strategic maneuvering within the Divine Cloud Prefecture. Once it is confirmed Zhu Shizhong was murdered, the murderer becomes apparent.

This situation then mirrors the Grand Protector Xue Wen’s murder.

In terms of positioning, it’s a give and take, balancing things out!

If Zhu Shizhong’s murder couldn’t be confirmed, it would be considered a natural disaster, unrelated to them!

Therefore, the strategic situation would shift entirely.

If we liken it to a game of chess, Duan Rong placed a crucial move! With this move, the situation changed at once!

Lu Geng’s gaze towards Duan Rong shifted repeatedly.

This young junior brother truly defies common sense!

Fan Hongjiao laughed with genuine delight and said, "Little junior brother, you have this kind of skill! Someday, strike some lightning for your senior sister to see. I’ve got a few enemies myself; perhaps you could think of a way to strike them with lightning for me!?"

Duan Rong laughed and said, "Sure! Just point, and I’ll strike!"

Fan Hongjiao laughed even more joyfully, finding Duan Rong more and more pleasing to the eye.

Seeing that the discussion had reached its conclusion, Wu Shidao was about to disperse them when Fan Hongjiao immediately interrupted him, saying, "One more thing."

Wu Shidao looked at Fan Hongjiao with a questioning gaze.

Fan Hongjiao said, "Since Wang Yue is back, we should make a trip to the underworld’s Dark Forest."

Wu Shidao said, "Didn’t Wang Yue just go there before he left? Why go again so soon?"

Fan Hongjiao replied, "We have everyone now, let’s take the little junior brother there. If we wait, it’d be another month!"

Wu Shidao glanced at Duan Rong, pondered, and said, "Alright then. Taking the little junior brother there early for training is a good idea."

Upon hearing ’Dark Forest’ from Fan Hongjiao’s mouth, Duan Rong knew exactly what place they were talking about.

During the three years as a registered disciple, he explored various sect books in the Outer Court of the Scripture Repository and was very informed about this.

The Taiyi Sect chose Changling Mountain as their sect location precisely because of an ancient Divine Demon Ruins beneath it.

The Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi of this world had originally dissipated, and Martial Artists reaching True Qi Realm Great Perfection were unlikely to progress further.

But tens of thousands of years ago, after the discovery of the underground Divine Demon Ruins, Primordial Qi reappeared in specific regions, and ancient texts that were considered useless were re-explored and restored, paving the way for a new path of cultivation for Martial Artists, handed down through generations.

The Divine Demon Ruins lay dormant underground for countless ages! Once discovered, contemporary heroes sought and explored them, slowly uncovering many mysterious ruins.

The Heavenly Dao Laws within the Divine Demon Ruins differ from those of this world, allowing Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to reemerge there.

In other words, the Heavenly Dao Laws of this world may have been damaged or altered for some reason, leading to their degradation and dissipation of the once-abundant Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi.

However, the Divine Demon Ruins retained their original Heavenly Dao Laws due to the protection of the residual Divine Demon Power, thus allowing Heaven and Earth Primordial Qi to still arise within.

This means that the Divine Demon Ruins’ Heavenly Dao Laws were preserved by the remaining Divine Demon Power, preventing them from falling into decline.

Because the Heavenly Dao Laws in the Divine Demon Ruins differ profoundly from those in this world, they cause the surrounding area to become a vast spatially distorted underworld known as the Dark Forest.

The Dark Forest contains many exotic species, including Primordial Beasts.

Upon hearing, Wang Yue instantly slumped into his chair and said, "I’ve just come back, and now it’s off to the Dark Forest? Can’t I rest for a couple of days?"

"Rest for what?" Fan Hongjiao gave him a sideways look and asked, "Are you so exhausted because of that little enchantress in the Flame Moon Building of Divine Cloud Prefecture?"

Wang Yue’s face turned bright red, "No way!"

Wu Shidao asked, "When do we go?"

Fan Hongjiao responded, "Bring out the Geomancy Map and let’s study it to set a location, then we can head down!"

Wu Shidao nodded, knowing Fan Hongjiao was the eager type, once she decided on something, she acted on it immediately without any procrastination or hesitation.

Wu Shidao then got up, preparing to head to his room to retrieve the Geomancy Map of the Dark Forest that they had spent many years gradually perfecting.