Chapter 1684 - Sowing Discord
Imitating the High Commander’s voice and enunciation, Zhang Xuan looked at the commander and said, “There’s something that I want you to relay to Bei Xin for me!”
“High Commander, feel free to relay your orders!”
“Come closer. This matter mustn’t be made known to anyone else…” Zhang Xuan said gravely.
“Yes, High Commander…”
The commander was perplexed as to why Zhang Xuan could not use zhenqi telepathy to talk to him discreetly, but he still chose to lean his head closer in anyway. As a show of deference to the High Commander, he kept his head lowered respectfully.
They were in the depths of the Otherworldly Demonic Tribe’s main camp. The thought that anyone would be so audacious as to impersonate the High Commander was so ludicrous that it did not even cross his mind.
“It’s like this…” With a suppressed voice, Zhang Xuan began speaking.
But on the third word, a cold flash of light sliced through the air.
The commander instantaneously sensed danger, but before he could do anything, the world was already spinning around him. His head had been lopped off his neck.
It was a completely unexpected strike, and the killing blow was made using the Half-Ancient Sage Infernal Blacksaber. Even though the commander was at the Sempiternal realm, he still ended up falling victim to Zhang Xuan.
Of course, part of the reason was that the commander was only at Sempiternal realm primary stage. If he had been any more powerful, things would not have been so simple.
Zhang Xuan swiftly threw the commander’s corpse into his storage ring and erased all traces of the assassination. Following which, he warped his muscles and bones to assume the appearance of the dead commander.
The assassination had occurred in the middle of the camp, where there were many Otherworldly Demon soldiers running about. However, as Zhang Xuan had made sure to seal the surrounding space before making a move, the act did not catch anyone’s attention.
After putting on the commander’s armor and helmet, he began striding over to the huge tent before him.
Just as he reached the entrance, two guards raised their spears and blocked his passageway.
“Audacious! I have come here in representation of our High Commander! Go and report my arrival!” Zhang Xuan placed his hands behind his back and spoke authoritatively.
One of the guards hesitated for a moment before turning around to enter the tent. A moment later, he beckoned with his hand. “Please enter!”
With a haughty harrumph, Zhang Xuan strutted into the tent.
Similar to the tent that he was in before, there were over a dozen Sempiternal realm cultivators sitting all around. The Otherworldly Demon sitting at the center had an aura that did not pale in comparison to the High Commander in the other tent. Most likely, he was the High Commander of Sovereign Chen Xing’s faction, Bei Xin.
Noticing Zhang Xuan’s arrival, Bei Xin shot a glance over and asked coldly, “Has Wu Shu agreed to my terms?”
“Our High Commander has agreed to the terms. However, there are several details that he hopes to discuss with you!” Zhang Xuan nodded in response.
“A wise decision from your High Commander! It seems like Wu Shu isn’t as obstinate as the others make him out to be!” Bei Xin did not think that the other party had acceded to his demands, and he burst into hearty laughter. “Where does he want to discuss the matter?”
“As this matter concerns the alliance of both of our factions, there’s a need to take things carefully. Thus, he suggests the meeting to be at the narrow valley in between the two tents. If you don’t have any objections to the matter, please head there an hour from now. Our High Commander will be waiting for you there!” Zhang Xuan reported.
While he was making his way over earlier, he had noticed that there was a narrow valley around.
“Alright. Tell Wu Shu that I’ll be there!” Bei Xin nodded.
“Farewell!” Zhang Xuan lowered his head and backed out of the room.
As soon as Zhang Xuan left, the commanders in the tent anxiously got to their feet and clasped their fists.
“High Commander, Wu Shu is known to be a scheming fellow. I fear that he might be up to no good!”
“Indeed. I find it hard to believe that he would accept our terms. Most likely, he’s intending to ambush us to force us to comply with their terms!”
The commanders exclaimed worriedly.
“If they think that such trivial schemes will work against me, they are too naive! Besides, this is the will of the two Sovereigns, and all of you will be in the vicinity too. He won’t do anything that would compromise the success of the alliance!” Bei Xin harrumphed coldly.
He whipped out a spear and brandished it forcefully, tearing open a dimension rift in its trajectory.
“However, we should still be prepared in case they attempt to pull anything funny. Later on, I want you all to scout the area around the valley. If you notice any anomalies, report them to me immediately!” Bei Xin said.
“Yes, High Commander!” the crowd replied resoundingly.
…
After leaving Bei Xin’s tent, Zhang Xuan returned in the direction that he had come from, and it did not take long for him to arrive at the other huge tent.
“Reporting to the High Commander, I have just relayed your words to Bei Xin, but he…” With an awkward look on his face, Zhang Xuan lowered his gaze with a conflicted look on his face, seemingly unsure whether he should continue or not.
“Speak!” High Commander Wu Shu ordered.
“He said that… you aren’t worthy of being his opponent at all. If you dare challenge him to a duel, he’ll have you pummeled till you are on your knees, begging for mercy!” Zhang Xuan lowered his head fearfully as he spoke with a quivering tone.
“He thinks that I’ll beg him for mercy? That arrogant b*stard! Very well, let’s see how powerful he is to dare utter such words!”
Huala!
Wu Shu slammed his fist on the table and rose to his feet. As if a manifestation of his rage, a devastating hurricane seemed to be brewing around him.
An inferno of fury could be seen burning in the depths of his eyes.
“He says that if you have guts, he will face you in the narrow valley in between the two tents an hour from now…” Zhang Xuan continued speaking fearfully.
“Hah! It seems like there’s no end to Bei Xin’s arrogance. Let’s see if he has the strength to back up his words then!” Wu Shu flicked the golden saber in his grasp, and a choking sound echoed from the surrounding air.
A commander in the tent stood up and exclaimed, “High Commander! I fear that Bei Xin might have some ploy in mind to utter such arrogant words!”
“I concur, High Commander. I think that there’s a good chance that it’s a trap!” Another commander stood up and remarked in agitation.
“Un. I have challenged that fellow to a fight before, but he ended up backing down at the last moment. It’s unlikely that he has the guts to challenge me to a proper duel. Most likely, he’s up to something. He Mu and Gui Li, I want the two of you to keep a close watch over the valley. If you notice anything, report it to me right away!” Wu Shu commanded.
“Yes!”
“Yes!”
Two commanders stood up and left the tent.
“I am familiar with the area around the valley. Allow me to accompany them for the scouting mission!” Zhang Xuan clasped his fist.
“Go on!” Wu Shu waved his hand.
Zhang Xuan quickly turned around, left the tent, and shouted to the two commanders who had just left, “Wait for me. I am familiar with the terrain around the valley, so allow me to bring you over!”
The two commanders nodded. The three of them swiftly concealed their auras and headed forward.
It did not take them long to arrive at a valley.
“I think it would be best for us to split up and cover an area each. This way, we’ll be able to cover each other’s blind spots and alarm one another as soon as something happens!” Zhang Xuan suggested.
Feeling that what Zhang Xuan said made sense, they swiftly scattered to find a hiding spot each. However, before they could even find a place to conceal themselves, their bodies suddenly jolted before slumping lifelessly to the ground.
One had the Dragonbone Divine Spear pierced through his heart while the head of the other had been severed by the Infernal Blacksaber.
After slaying the duo, Zhang Xuan swiftly took their corpses and cleaned up the area. After which, he morphed into Bei Xin’s appearance and dashed right toward High Commander Wu Shu’s tent.
Before arriving in the tent, he suddenly began laughing maniacally.
“Wu Shu, just say if you are afraid to face me. Don’t you think it’s cowardly of you to plant your men in the area to assault me?”
Hula!
After saying those words, he tossed the three corpses toward the tent before turning around and fleeing as fast as he could.
By the time Wu Shu rushed out of the tent, Zhang Xuan had already fled to a remote corner and hidden within a spatial barrier. Wu Shu looked at the three corpses dumped before his tent—they were Su Mu, Gui Li, and Li Jia, the three commanders whom he had just dispatched to scout the valley. Immediately realizing what had happened, he nearly exploded on the spot.
They had already formed an alliance with one another, but Bei Xin still dared to kill his subordinate so blatantly. This was intolerable!
“Bei Xin! If I don’t kill you, I shan’t be known as Wu Shu!” With a furious roar, Wu Shu dashed right for Bei Xin’s tent.
At the same time, the commanders behind him were also burning with rage after witnessing the deaths of their comrades. They quickly followed behind Wu Shu.
In the opposite tent, Bei Xin and his commanders were still trying to figure out the motive behind Wu Shu’s offer to talk when a heavy pressure suddenly descended upon them from above. Following which, an overwhelming saber qi sliced through the air and split the tent in two.
Hu hu hu!
Bei Xin swiftly flew into the air to get a closer look at the assailant when he saw Wu Shu with his golden saber. His eyebrows shot up, and he roared furiously, “Wu Shu, have you gone mad? What are you trying to pull here?”
Did the other party not agree to his terms? Why would the other party suddenly rush over with a look that seemed as if he was going to murder someone?
“Stop putting on an act! You sure are formidable, aren’t you? Why don’t you prove your worth to me once and for all?” Wu Shu could not even be bothered to waste his time with words anymore.
He raised his golden saber and sent another barrage of saber qi toward Bei Xin.