"Maintain strict guard. Be it the Turkic people or the other prisoners, anyone who dares to make a rash move is to be killed without question."
Lin Shirong ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
His men chorused in reply, quickly clearing away the three Turkic corpses.
"Are you thinking I killed them to silence them? Or that I’m a spy planted in the Court by the Turkic people?"
Lin Shirong asked, turning to the wary Chu Lingguang.
"I did at first. But then I realized, if you were a spy trying to silence someone, you wouldn’t have done it in front of me. I want to know why you did it."
Chu Lingguang asked, confused.
"The Turkic people are relentlessly treacherous. They’ve always wanted to overthrow the Great Yuan, even inciting the Demon Sect to seize this Profound Iron Ore mine. The men I just killed, regardless of whether they were Turkic nobility or not, were doomed the moment you brought them into this tent."
"This is an order from the Court. Take a look."
Lin Shirong took a written directive from the Court out of a cabinet.
Chu Lingguang took it and read. The contents were simple, just one sentence: Any Turkic person showing the slightest irregularity was to be executed on the spot.
’Isn’t the Court trying to root out the spy? If we kill them all without asking a single question, how are we supposed to find the mole? Unless...’
Chu Lingguang thought that perhaps the Court already knew who the spy was.
"Brother, when we work for the Court, there’s only one thing to remember: do the jobs the Court gives us, and do them well. Only then will you have a future and be able to enter Yuanchu Mountain for cultivation. Don’t ask about things the Court forbids, and certainly don’t waste your thoughts on matters the Court doesn’t want you to ponder."
Lin Shirong said meaningfully.
"Thank you for the reminder, Lin. I’ll remember that."
With the Court’s directive in hand, Chu Lingguang decided not to worry about any potential schemes. The ones who died were Turkic people anyway. Compared to finding the spy, he cared more about helping Guo Wei capture Xie Xiaohuan.
He knew that Xie Xiaohuan was the source of Guo Wei’s deep-seated obsession.
"The Turkic people imprisoned at Wolf Valley Pass are all Andre’s personal guards. Every one of them has been harshly interrogated; the Court already knows anything that could be questioned out of them. If you run into a situation like this again, just handle it yourself. In any case, none of them are getting out of here alive."
Lin Shirong said nonchalantly.
"Alright."
Chu Lingguang left Lin Shirong’s tent. Ever since arriving at Wolf Valley Pass, although he was the Vice Commander, Lin Shirong controlled everything, major or minor.
Although there were various issues, Chu Lingguang had never considered opposing Lin Shirong, because Lin Shirong hadn’t acted against him. As for the deaths of the Turkic people, since it was an order from the Court, he decided to let it go.
’Xie Xiaohuan!’
’Is it my master who wants to kill him, or is it me?’
Back in his own tent, Chu Lingguang couldn’t help but ask himself this.
The scene of him meeting Xie Xiaohuan in the Aika Tribe surfaced in his mind. That day, he, Guo Wei, and Hei Hu had charged menacingly into Turkic territory. They had intended to act as Officials and arrest the wanted traitor, Xie Xiaohuan.
But as it turned out, Xie Xiaohuan had a large following.
Even with Guo Wei’s True Martial Realm cultivation, though he could have captured Xie Xiaohuan, he wouldn’t have been able to escort Chu Lingguang and Hei Hu safely back to the Great Yuan. In the end, they had to abandon the attempt.
The three of them were then hunted by Xie Xiaohuan’s men.
That time, Xie Xiaohuan had made fools of all three of them. They had narrowly escaped death and only just managed to get back to the Great Yuan.
The matter of Xie Xiaohuan was no longer just a personal feud between him and Guo Wei. Chu Lingguang was also nursing a deep-seated frustration. Before, when his power was lacking, this feeling hadn’t been so intense. But now that his strength surpassed even Guo Wei’s, the fact that he was clearly capable but couldn’t bring Xie Xiaohuan to justice made the feeling of helplessness grow ever stronger.
This was especially true now. Just when he thought he had found a key Turkic figure who could lead him to the spy in the Court and maybe even to Xie Xiaohuan, Lin Shirong had snuffed out his hope with a single stroke.
’Back when my junior brother first had his accident, Master went into Turkic territory alone and still made it out in one piece. With my current power, even if I were surrounded by hundreds of Andre’s elites, I could slaughter my way out. I could kill every last one of them.’
’I haven’t seen my master in a year.’
’If I could bring him Xie Xiaohuan’s head, he would be overjoyed. It would also let me vent my own frustrations and cleanse my world a little.’
Chu Lingguang muttered to himself.
’Have I become obsessed? I’m clearly stationed at Wolf Valley Pass, yet all I think about is going to Turkic territory to kill Xie Xiaohuan. My junior brother is safe now, Master has been honored as a Grandmaster, and I’ve become a Vice Commander. What more could I be dissatisfied with?’
But on second thought, Chu Lingguang felt something was wrong.
He opened the map of his Mental Realm.
Of the three hundred sixty-three responses, thirty-nine were now awakened, allowing him to form a Qi Vortex Power in the palms of his hands.
Chu Lingguang spread his hands, and a vortex of power materialized in each palm.
Within the two vortexes, he seemed to see Samba, Jier Khan, Guer Khan, Iscoha, and the others.
Finally, two figures solidified within the vortexes: one was Xie Xiaohuan, and the other was the Little Prince who had almost taken his life.
"I understand now."
Chu Lingguang dissipated the vortexes in his palms, his fists clenching involuntarily. In that instant, he finally understood why he was so obsessed with killing Xie Xiaohuan.
It wasn’t just because of Guo Wei. It was because the Turkic people had tried every method possible to kill him, even using forces from the Celestial Fragrance Pavilion to assassinate him Within the Great Yuan Territory.
Back when he lacked the strength, he had sworn he wouldn’t rest until he got revenge.
Now that he was strong enough, he was stuck guarding Wolf Valley Pass, watching Xie Xiaohuan and his cronies live free and unpunished. It would be a miracle if he didn’t feel suffocated.