Chapter One Hundred Eighteen: Dai Zong

"How could this happen?"
“How could this happen!”
“Search for them! Go and find them for me. Even if it means digging three feet into the ground, I want them found!”
Yunzhou, on the official road, two or thirty horse-drawn carriages were blocking the center. In front of the carriages was a group of fierce-looking black-armored cavalry, and at the center of the cavalry stood a stunning woman clad in a white fox cloak, her delicate face adorned with frost.
The convoy belongs to Su Wen.
The elite cavalry belongs to the Song family.
After Meng Fanyin forcibly drove them away from Anping City with a heart oath, Song Yue quickly pursued Su Wen, who had left Anping City the previous day, based on the intelligence previously provided by Yifeng Guard and the four major sects.
She cannot slaughter the common people of Anping, but she can always seek revenge on Su Wen, the main culprit, right?
Of course she can; Meng Fanyin has no reason or excuse to stop her.
Su Wen left Anping just yesterday, accompanied by a large group from the Golden Sword Sect and the Qilin Gang. With the vast expanse of Yunzhou territory, it wouldn't be difficult to catch up to his convoy before he leaves Yunzhou, and Song Yue indeed accomplished that.
But she only caught up with the convoy, while Su Wen's men were nowhere to be seen.
On the official road, there were two to three dozen horse-drawn carriages just blocking the way, some containing various items and even gold and silver, but there was not a single person in sight.
There was no sign of Su Wen, nor of his subordinates, as if they had vanished into thin air.
He dropped the supplies, discarded the gold and silver, and ran off light-heartedly?
At first, Song Yue thought so too.
But...
“小姐，我们查探过了，方圆百里都不见那伙人的踪迹！”
“发现了翼风卫与四宗探哨的尸体，无一幸免，全部被杀。”
“A portion of the scattered horses has been found, but it seems the other party deliberately let them loose; only the horses, no people.”
“According to the testimonies of passersby, these horse-drawn carts had been blocking the road for over an hour.”
"Messages from various provinces and counties have reported that there is no sighting of those people, nor any suspicious individuals passing through the checkpoints."
Several household guards returned and reported the results of their search and investigation.
Nowhere to be found!
Su Wen and his group seemed to have evaporated into thin air; in a radius of a hundred miles, there was no trace of them. Inquiring through magical communication with the nearby counties and factions yielded no clues or special findings.
"How is that possible!"
Song Yue held the whip, her delicate face showing a fierce determination: “That group of rebels has two to three hundred people. Even if they abandon their carts and supplies to move quickly and stealthily, it’s impossible for them to vanish without a trace. Find them! Search again, and I want you to look in every place where people might be hiding—mountain paths, waterways, county towns, and villages. Dig three feet into the ground if you have to!”
"Yes!!!"
Upon hearing this, the group of family guards did not dare to say much and immediately turned their horses around and sped away.
"Miss!"
Only the two Dao servants at the early stage of the postnatal realm stepped forward, hesitatingly speaking, "I'm afraid we won't be able to find it."
"How is that possible!"
Song Yue turned around, her eyes cold as ice: "Two or three hundred of them, can they sprout wings and fly away?"
"This... "
The two Dao servants exchanged a glance, unsure how to explain, and could only say, "We do not know either, but that Su thief has an unknown background and likely has some extraordinary means. Otherwise, it wouldn't be the case that there isn't a trace of him within a hundred miles. As for now, we should return to the state capital and report this matter to the family head and the eldest young master. We absolutely must not rashly pursue him any further."
“I don’t care what background or methods he has!”
Song Yue roared, his expression twisted: “If I don’t bring back his head to honor my younger brother, I will never return to see my father and elder brother!”
"This... "
Hearing this, the two attendants were also helpless. The tragic death of the young master, along with the blow from Meng Fanyin, had disturbed their young lady’s mind, leaving her without the calm and wisdom she once had.
However, they could not just leave in a huff; they could only stay by Song Yue's side, aimlessly searching for Su Wen's whereabouts.
But how could that possibly be found?
……
Time rewinds to not long ago.
In the inn, behind the kitchen.
The backyard is filled with filth, reeking of blood. In the middle of the yard stands a large locust tree, beneath which hang two people. One of them has a pale face and no beard, dressed in a black scarf and blue clothing, appears to be in his twenties, resembling a literary student.
The other person had a broad face and square lips, with a tall and slender figure. Though he was thirty and in the prime of life, he appeared to have weathered many hardships, much like an old horse that knows the way.
The two were hanging under a large locust tree, surrounded by a group of people dressed in white headbands and white clothing, resembling those in mourning attire.
This group of people is under the locust tree; some are chopping wood, some are making a fire, and others are sharpening knives, creating an atmosphere like they're about to slaughter pigs and cattle.
However, there are no cattle or sheep in the courtyard, and not a single chicken or duck in sight. What could they possibly be planning to slaughter with such commotion?
“Hehehe, a piece of high-quality cured meat with rich flavor, and a delicate, tender scholar in fine clothes. It’s worth the forum master putting in the effort, and he even used a stick of white lotus incense!”
“This person is a practitioner of the arts, able to move with incredible speed, faster than a fine steed, stating that he raced all the way from Yun Prefecture, attracting countless gazes. However, no one could catch up, only watching helplessly as he escaped.”
“If it weren't for the messages from other incense altars, our altar master is also quite clever. We have set up a trap here for him; otherwise, it would really be difficult to catch him.”
“Why say so much? Let's hurry up and kill him, skin him clean, and after the altar master offers him to the Great Bright King, we can also share in the profits.”
"Yes, yes, yes..."
After a while of casual chatting, everyone stood up with their knives and walked towards the two hanging under the tree.
Just at that moment, suddenly...
"Swoosh!"
A beam of starlight descended from the sky, falling directly into the courtyard, landing right in front of the two.
"Yes?"
A sudden turn of events startled everyone present, and before they could react, they saw the starlight disperse, revealing a figure. Dressed in a blue silk robe and holding an oiled paper umbrella, he looked like a refined scholar with an air of elegance.
"This... "
"Who are you?"
Looking at the unfamiliar man in a blue shirt descending from the sky, everyone was even more astonished and retreated in unison, not daring to scatter directly, fearing that excessive movement would make them targets.
Su Wen looked at them for a moment, then withdrew his gaze, turning around. With a swing of the folded oil-paper umbrella in his hand, the sudden breeze, sharp as a knife, howled past, instantly cutting the ropes that bound the two people hanging there.
"Not good!"
“It's that person helping!”
“Quick, report to the altar master!”
Seeing this scene, the group in white scarves and white clothing didn't think twice and immediately turned to flee outside the courtyard, not daring to confront Su Wen at all.
当真小心谨慎。
Unfortunately……
"Buzz!"
虚空颤动，金光纵横，若灵蛇飞将而出，向众人噬咬而去。
金光之后，又有两骑飞纵，领着百人十队汹汹杀出，将这小小的院落瞬间站满，再向院外杀去。
Beside Su Wen, Qiao Dao Qing stepped forward, helped the two unconscious individuals up, and after a brief examination said, "The methods of the evil sect are not too harmful."
Having said that, he brought his two fingers together like a sword and pointed them out.
"Hmm..."
The man with a wide mouth and square face, tall and thin, slowly regained consciousness, looked at the crowd, then at Su Wen, and hurriedly propped himself up: "Dai Zong... I've met my brother!"
"Please sit up."
Su Wen reached out to help him up: "What happened?"