novelraw Chapter 971: An Alliance In The Making
Chapter 971: An Alliance In The Making
Madam Cold Fang genuinely did not know what expression to make after hearing Han Yu’s words.
After a while she sighed.
"Looks like you were doing quite well even without me."
Han Yu smiled.
"It is still nowhere near enough."
His expression became serious.
"The Blood Sect is too big."
"The Luan Merchant Union is growing."
"Qing Luan is capable."
"But if I really want to oppose the sect someday..."
He shook his head.
"It is still insufficient."
Madam Cold Fang quietly agreed.
Even with all his achievements, the distance remained enormous.
Still... For the first time she actually felt some hope.
The young man before her had built all this while inside the enemy camp itself.
Perhaps...
Just perhaps...
He really could do it.
The two continued speaking for a long time after that. Han Yu took out several communication tools from his storage ring. They were custom pieces connected to Qing Luan’s network.
He explained how to use them, what codes to avoid, and which emergency signals existed.
Madam Cold Fang accepted them with interest. She had expected merchant contacts. She had not expected an actual hidden communication system.
"You prepared all this already?" she asked.
Han Yu nodded.
"Paranoia is a good teacher."
She accepted that answer.
Eventually their conversation shifted again.
The mission.
Han Yu still had to return.
Lady Rot Rose expected a report.
The Blood Sect expected results.
Han Yu looked toward the ruined battlefield.
"So..." He rubbed his forehead. "How exactly do I explain all this?"
Madam Cold Fang looked around.
Then spoke calmly.
"That part is easy."
Han Yu looked over.
"I will erase every trace related to me."
She continued.
"You simply say you encountered a strange creature conducting rituals."
"Palm Hand Lu was involved."
"You fought."
"The ritual completed."
"The entity appeared."
"Many witnessed the Eternal Smiling Ancestor."
She pointed toward the distant settlements.
"That alone is proof."
Han Yu nodded slowly.
It would work.
Especially with Palm Hand Lu dead.
The blame had somewhere to go.
"I will do that."
Inside though... Han Yu fully intended to complain.
Extensively.
This mission was insane.
Absolutely insane.
He almost died several times.
Without Madam Cold Fang he would genuinely have been finished.
Han Yu sighed internally.
Thankfully...
He had prepared.
Over the past decade he had accumulated enough resources.
Enough wealth.
Enough materials.
He had already created several Undying Life Charm anchors in reserve while the active one was hidden carefully. Only one could be active at one time after all.
As such, even if he died, he would revive there.
It was exactly why Han Yu dared take risks now.
Though thinking about it... He still preferred not dying.
Dying hurt.
Very much.
He had no intention of making it a hobby.
Madam Cold Fang looked at him strangely.
"What are you thinking?"
Han Yu coughed.
"Nothing important."
In reality he was calculating how much compensation he could squeeze from Lady Rot Rose after surviving this disaster.
Because this mission definitely deserved hazard pay.
The discussion finally came to an end.
The alliance had been established, plans laid out, contacts exchanged and secrets shared. Han Yu had arrived at the North Eastern Frontier expecting to investigate strange corpses and perhaps hunt down some hidden killer.
Instead he had uncovered an ancient enemy of the Blood Sect, a forgotten race, a sealed deity, hidden clans and somehow gained a Dao Treading realm ally.
Even now it felt unreal.
Madam Cold Fang stood atop the tree covered hill slope, her black robes fluttering lightly in the wind. The battlefield around them still bore traces of the recent battle, though many of them were already disappearing.
"I’ll remove the remaining traces." Madam Cold Fang spoke.
Han Yu nodded.
Thankfully most evidence already favored him.
The Freezing Abyss Glacial Art had been used extensively through the battle. The frozen remains, the lingering Frost Qi, the shattered ritual sites and destroyed formations all carried his technique’s signature. Even if someone investigated deeply, they would think it was simply another ice cultivator.
Madam Cold Fang’s traces would be buried beneath it.
The woman raised her hand and icy mist spread into the surroundings.
Snow began drifting.
Footprints disappeared.
Broken ice changed.
Residual Qi dissolved.
Even the remains of battle started becoming unrecognizable.
Han Yu quietly watched.
’Dao Treading realm... terrifying as always.’ He thought.
Meanwhile he turned toward Chitterfang through their connection.
"Begin cleanup." Han Yu stated knowing that the rats will be able to do it quick.
"Understood master!" Chitterfang squeaked proudly. "Children! Clean everything! Even the shiny pebbles!"
Han Yu had no idea why the rat emphasized shiny pebbles. A moment later thousands of rodents burst out from everywhere. They streamed through the forest, into caves, beneath rubble and through collapsed structures.
Even now Han Yu found it absurd.
The rat army had grown terrifyingly efficient.
After giving the order, Han Yu departed and headed back toward Palm Hand Lu’s hidden mansion.
There was still business left.
Very important business.
Loot.
Palm Hand Lu was dead. His people were dead. And wealth without an owner was merely waiting for a new owner. Han Yu firmly believed abandoning wealth was immoral.
A few hours later he arrived at the hidden estate.
The barrier had already been broken earlier and the place was silent now. Corpses still remained scattered around. Han Yu ignored them and entered directly. His first target was obvious.
The Thunderclap Cannons.
The three weapons remained where their operators had died.
Han Yu walked up to the nearest one and inspected it carefully.
The cannon was almost two meters long and made from dark grey metal etched with fine lightning patterns. Several formation plates lined its surface and the muzzle resembled an opened beast maw.
He scanned it with Spirit Sense.
"Hm..."
The internal formations were incomplete.
Crude.
Damaged in places.
Han Yu quickly realized these were not the real thing. Madam Cold Fang had said Thunderclap Cannons could threaten Dao Shell realm cultivators.
These ones clearly could not.
Still...
They were impressive.