Chapter 120: A Difficult Decision

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Ziyan flicked her finger and shot a gust of wind through his throat. A stream of blood sprayed out. Xu Ziyan’s face turned pale instantly. This was her second time killing someone up close after killing the Village Chief. Suppressing the churning in her chest and stomach, Xu Ziyan swept a cold gaze over the sailors and merchants, saying,

“Does anyone else have something to say?”

Everyone shut their mouths tightly, looking at Xu Ziyan with fear. They had thought a young girl would be more soft-hearted, but she turned out to be even more ruthless. Who would dare to utter another word? Even Xu Mei, Xu Lan, and Xu Meiruo behind her widened their eyes in shock as they stared at Xu Ziyan. Xu Ziyan secretly steadied her breathing, and a hint of color returned to her cheeks. She coldly scanned the people opposite her and said,

“No one has anything to say? Then listen to me! Do you know what you are now? You are captives! Do you understand? As captives, you should know your place! Don’t test my patience. I won’t hesitate to kill you all and throw you into the river!”

The remaining merchants and sailors on the opposite side all changed their expressions, their eyes narrowing with fear. The gazes of Xu Lin and the other male disciples also shifted, revealing a mix of awe and reverence. Meanwhile, the female disciples, such as Xu Mei, looked stunned and troubled. However, Xu Ziyan paid no attention to their reactions. All she cared about was ensuring the safety of her ten people and getting them away from there.

Xu Ziyan scanned the merchants and sailors and realized there were no high-level experts among them. The sailors all had cultivation levels below the Postnatal Fifth Layer. Xu Ziyan pondered briefly and thought to herself with a bitter smile, “If they had cultivation levels above the fifth layer, who would work as sailors?” The merchants also had only Houtian-level cultivation, and not very high at that—the highest was around the Tenth Level of Houtian. However, a few guards stood out with relatively higher cultivation levels.

Xu Ziyan gathered everyone from two cabins together. After a quick assessment, she noted that there were about six guards left. Four of them were at the Twelfth Level of Houtian, and two were at the First Level of Qi Refining Stage. Xu Ziyan frowned. A voice inside her told her that these six could not be left alive, especially the two guards at the First Level of Qi Refining Stage. If they decided to escape, it would be much easier for them.

Xu Ziyan slightly lowered her eyelids and waved her hand toward the six guards. Xu Qi, Xu Lin, and Xu Tianlang rushed forward violently. In an instant, the six guards lay on the ground, lifeless. The smell of blood filled Xu Ziyan’s nostrils, and the churning in her chest and stomach grew stronger. Her face turned even paler. A bitter thought crossed her mind:

“It’s only because this ship is mostly filled with ordinary people that us rookie bandits managed to pull off this robbery so quickly! If the cultivators on the mainland found out that someone at the Foundation Building Stage was leading a group of Qi Refining Stage cultivators to rob a ship of ordinary people, I wonder if they’d be so shocked their eyeballs would pop out.”

“Who’s in charge here now?” Xu Ziyan took a slow breath, suppressing the turmoil in her chest and stomach, and asked coldly.

The three remaining merchants glanced at each other. One of them cautiously stepped forward and said in a low voice,

“It’s me, Female Immortal. What are your orders?”

Xu Ziyan looked him up and down. He was extremely plump, with a broad forehead and a large, fleshy face. Even when he wasn’t smiling, his eyes had a cheerful curve, making him look somewhat foolish. However, Xu Ziyan wasn’t fooled by his appearance. How could a merchant be stupid? As soon as she saw him, four words flashed in her mind: “Foolish face, crafty heart!”

“Name?” Xu Ziyan asked coldly.

“Wang Laoshi, Female Immortal!” the man said with a simple-minded tone.

“From now on, this ship belongs to us. We’ll let you go once we reach our destination. But until then, you’d better behave. Otherwise, you know what will happen! Understood?” Xu Ziyan’s eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

“Y-yes, understood!” Everyone nodded repeatedly like chicks pecking at rice.

“Raise the anchor and set sail now!” Xu Ziyan’s sharp gaze softened as she spoke calmly.

“Yes! Yes! Female Immortal, we’ll raise the anchor and set sail immediately!” Wang Laoshi hurriedly nodded and said, “Female Immortal, where are we heading?”

“West, downstream.”

“Yes!” Wang Laoshi gave Xu Ziyan and the others a simple-minded smile, then turned to the sailors and shouted, “Why are you still standing there? Get to work! Do you want to die?”

The sailors scrambled out the door in a panic. Four of them ran to the side of the ship and worked together to pull up the iron anchor. Xu Lan descended from the air using Sword Flight and shook her head slightly at Xu Ziyan, indicating that no one had escaped and no outsiders had noticed their actions.

The three remaining merchants and the sailors, seeing a seemingly delicate girl like Xu Lan capable of Sword Flight, grew even more fearful. Although they were working, their eyes were filled with terror, and they frequently stole glances at Xu Ziyan standing in the middle of the deck.

Xu Ziyan looked toward Xu Qi. After all, Xu Qi had once been appointed as the team leader by the family, so Xu Ziyan still showed him due respect. She said softly,

“Senior Brother Xu Qi, apart from the sailors, lock up the three merchants and the other family members and servants in the cargo hold. Assign someone to keep an eye on them.”

“Alright!” Xu Qi nodded. Just as he was about to move, Wang Laoshi, who had been cautiously standing to the side, shuffled forward with a simple-minded smile and said carefully,

“Female Immortal, please let me stay! This ship is mine—well, it’s yours now!” Seeing Xu Ziyan frown slightly, Wang Laoshi quickly added with his simple-minded smile,

“I know this ship very well. I can stay here and help you, Female Immortal. You are an Immortal—how can you bother with trivial matters? If you need anything, just give the order, and I’ll take care of it right away!”

Xu Ziyan hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the Xu Clan disciples around her. Finally, she nodded gently and said,

“Very well. Make sure you do your best!”

“Yes, Female Immortal! I will do my best!” After a pause, Wang Laoshi added with a flattering smile, “Female Immortal, where are you headed?”

Xu Ziyan’s gaze sharpened, and she said coldly, “That’s not something you should ask. Your job is to follow orders and handle tasks properly, not to inquire about things you shouldn’t know.”

“Understood, I understand!” Wang Laoshi immediately replied with a servile bow. He tiptoed to the side, his mind racing:

“These people are all Immortal Cultivators. They probably aren’t interested in my goods. If they can all use Sword Flight, why did they rob my ship? Could they have some hidden troubles? Hmm? Why do they look familiar?”

※※※

Xu Haoliang stood at the fork in the road where Xu Ziyan and the merchant group had parted ways. He was accompanied by fifty elite clan members, his brows furrowed deeply. Behind him stood the Punishment Hall Master, Xu Haocang.

“What do you think?” Xu Haoliang asked quietly.

Xu Haocang also frowned deeply, looking down the two separate paths. Finally, he said in a low voice, “Ninth Brother, do you think Qier and the others might have chosen this road leading to the Western Region?”

“Do you think Qier would make such a decision?” Xu Haoliang’s frown deepened.

“What would you decide if you were in their position?” Xu Haocang asked slowly.

“I would take the western road. The other directions are dead ends—they’d be crushed by the forces of the various clans and sects. But they’re not me. They’re just a group of kids who’ve never been away from home or experienced fleeing for their lives.”

“But if they take the western road, that means they’re heading to the Endless Forest. That’s almost no different from seeking death!” Xu Haocang’s tone was filled with hesitation.

“But if they don’t change course here to go to the Endless Forest, they’ll never have another chance. This is the only road leading to the Endless Forest. Staying here or taking other directions would lead to a quick death. But if they head west toward the Endless Forest, they’ll at least live a little longer.” Xu Haoliang sighed softly.

“But I don’t think Qier would make such a risky decision,” Xu Haocang said, shaking his head.

“But…” Xu Haoliang paused, then said, “Fifth Brother, don’t forget—there’s also a Xu Ziyan in that group.” As he said this, a complex expression crossed Xu Haoliang’s face. Even he couldn’t quite figure out how he felt about Xu Ziyan now.

“Yan’er? Would she make such a decision? No! Her combat skills might be strong, but she’s still just a girl. I don’t think she would make such a desperate, life-or-death decision.” Xu Haocang shook his head firmly, disbelief written all over his face.

“With so many forces searching for them and still no sign, I think there’s only one explanation—the only explanation—which is that they’ve headed west toward the Endless Forest.” Xu Haoliang’s expression grew more resolute.

“Then… what do you think we should do, Ninth Brother? You’re the Team Leader for this mission,” Xu Haocang said quietly, looking at Xu Haoliang.

Xu Haoliang was also hesitant. He feared his judgment might be wrong, which would put his son right in the center of conflicting forces and inevitable death. In the end, he didn’t dare take too big a risk. He said softly to Xu Haocang,

“Fifth Brother, take the clan members and stay here. Search in all directions nearby and navigate around these forces. As long as you don’t provoke them, they won’t come looking for trouble with you. Send a few people back to the clan to deliver a message. Inform Eldest Brother about the situation here and ask if he can request my father or his father to come out of seclusion and head here. Otherwise, even if you find Qier and Tianlang, with your level of strength, you probably won’t be able to escort them back.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll go to the Endless Forest alone and search for them along the way.”