He Xiu made a slightly awkward look as she stared at everyone; noticing their serious expressions, she sighed before explaining.
"Well, you see, the thing about those Shaolin’s being a threat is just a rumor spread by Eldest Senior brother, I'm not sure what he's trying to achieve by sending out such news, and I am a bit unclear of the actual details, but I'll do say what I know."
Feng Yu and the others narrowed their eyes as they heard those words but said nothing as they waited for her to finish. As expected, He Xiu prepared to continue speaking, but before she could say anything, the voice of Liao Xinyan sounded once more.
"Little Xiu, it's fine; I'll enlighten everyone; it's also about time I told you a bit more of what's actually going on with this time’s exchange."
Feng Yu and the others looked at Liao Xinyan again, noticing that he had a few measurement tools and odd trinkets floating around him as he walked over.
He Xiu made a polite bow as she replied, "As you wish, Eldest Senior Brother."
After settling himself, Liao Xinyan then stared at Feng Yu's party and spoke, "It's like this, those from the Desert Shaolin Temple are aiding us in setting a trap for a specific target, someone that the master has warned all high level about from the Crypt Sorcerers. I've already spoken with the Pill Pavilion's lead, so they too know of the exact details and have sent a strong arm for aid. As for the rest, they are here on their own accord, whether it before their own agendas or to simply carry out normal trade. Naturally, any Black Dunes forces aren't trusted, including one of the master's pasts enemy's faction, being the Burning Totem Palace. Those from the Bandit Faction are also with their own plots; it isn't unlikely that they as well as the Burning Totem Place would team up with the Crypt Sorcerers. Truth be told, we already know exactly what they’re after…"
He Xiu was a bit stunned by this, as she didn't know that it would have been so complicated; she gave Liao Xinyan a good look but said nothing, keeping her current thoughts to herself.
When Feng Yu heard this, he thought for a moment before he replied, "Hmm, then what your saying is that you're all prepared to use this exchange to fight a war with the Crypt Sorcerers, Bandit Union, and Burning Totem Palace?"
"A war? Huhu... no-no, we aren’t hosting a war, but something much simpler. As for what it is, you'll see it when the time comes... for now, we should really get started with those measurements."
Liao Xinyan said with a light laugh, his eyes having a trace of mystery that Feng Yu couldn't quite understand. He stared at him, thinking once more before his eyes flashed with realization as he spoke one last time.
"I'm curious about one more thing."
Liao Xinyan, who had prepared to start the measurements, looked at Feng Yu curiously before he answered, "Oh, sure, go right ahead."
Feng Yu stared him straight in the eyes as a cool wind blew, brushing his hair to the side as he spoke with a voice that drifted with the breeze.
"That master of yours, and Old Yang, where are they exactly?"
When Dai Lin heard Feng Yu's words, his eyes flickered with lightning, as did the Lang Kuang and the others, who had sharp glints; He Xiu had a blinked of surprise on her face as she stared at Liao Xinyan in shock.
Liao Xinyan had a hint of surprise on his face when he heard Feng Yu's question, but not long after, his lips curved in with a wide smile as he chuckled before giving a simple answer.
"Who knows?"
The nightly winds continued to blow stronger as if stirred by his response, adding an odd mood to the Weaver's Enclave's now silent night scenery.
Chapter 304
A Dark Night
The silence faded quickly, and everyone though having different thoughts decided to temporarily not pursue the matter. Feng Yu had a pensive expression as he stared at Liao Xinyan who now inspected Dai Lin and the others.
'I really want to see what the high levels of this place are truly plotting.'
Feng Yu pondered to himself with a bright glint in his red pupils. He decided to no longer think of the topic, zoning in on the current scene to observe Liao Xinyan's means.
"Great, that should be enough; since you all want a similar kind of mask, it will save me a lot of effort, since I'll only need to do some small tweaks to the designs. Now then, let's get around to the measurements, stand still and don't move."
Liao Xinyan said as he stared at Dai Lin and the others with a deep look in his eyes, Dai Lin, and the others said nothing as they stood in an orderly manner and faced his direction.
Within moments, Liao Xinyan had finally shown a change, a small amount of energy formed around his figure, controlling the measuring instruments that floated by his side.
These instruments flew around the faces of Dai Lin and the others before flying back to Liao Xinyan, who with a wave of his hand pocketed them into his storage ring.
With a smile on his face, he looked at them once again and spoke in a cool tone, "All done, I'll be off now; they shall be ready for the Grand Exchange in the next two days."
Following his words, his figure flickered and vanished once again, leaving everyone to look at his previous position with an odd smile.
"Che! This guy likes to show off his high-speed movement skill," Lang Kuang murmured with a tinge of discontent.
"So what, he's still stronger than all us of combined, the strong has a right to their choices," Tuzi Baoli said as she rebutted Lang Kuang. Not bothering to add anything, Lang Kuang shook his head in reply to her words.
He Xiu, who had remained silent for a while looked at everyone before speaking, "Okay, I think this should be enough for today; everyone takes this chance to rest up; I'll be taking care of a small matter before meeting with you all in the next two days."
Feng Yu, hearing this looked at her and nodded before he replied, "Fine with me, do what you have to do, Miss Xiu."
He Xiu giggled at Feng Yu's form of address as she replied, "Hey, you can just call me by my name you know, I don't bite, anyways... take care for now."
As she was in a hurry, she didn't spend too long conversing but hurried off the moment she finished her words.
Feng Yu thought nothing of her words, but sadly for him, another was greatly provoked. Miren Fei had an alarmed expression after hearing He Xiu's tease, but that soon quickly faded as her eyes showed a serious look.
At this time, the group had started to diverge into separate areas, Leon now had his arms crossed over as he went over to a bench and said down. After a while, he opened them revealing a look of understanding as he thought to himself.
'That energy he used, it wasn't this world's Essence Power, nor anything comparable to Force Energy, that was a kind of power used only by those enlightened on the path of Craftsmanship, Crafting Will. Heh, that father of mine would be fascinated if he learnt that people with such attainments were still within this realm... then again, I suppose it shouldn't be that unlike, after all...'
As Leon thought to here, his eyes flashed as if recalling a distant age, many eras ago. Myria, seemed to have similar thoughts, she peeked at Leon from a side while eating a fruit larger than her body.
One the side, Toram had an eager look on his face, when Tira saw it, she gave him a curious look before she teased, "Dear, you should see your face, it's like those young cub-lings of your kind, looks like your eager to see your mask."
"Haha, maybe so,"
Toram, who preferred to keep a rough image, had a slight blush as he scratched his mane filled chin with a slightly awkward look. Tiana looked at this with a slightly mischievous smile as if plotting to write down this moment, aiming to use it at the right time.
While everyone conversed, Miren Fei had suddenly creeped by Feng Yu's side, her voice sounding in his ear, "Young Master, are you going to rest now?"
Feng Yu, who had been thinking silently had a sudden jolt as he didn't notice when she arrived nearby, seeing her suggestive dress and smelling the charming fragrance that wafted from her direction. He urged his emotions into
control as he spoke hurriedly, "Yes, that's right, we only have a short time to prepare, so I'll go cultivate for now."
Despite hearing Feng Yu's words, Miren Fei didn't seem as if she was going to easily back down, she stared at him with beautiful eyes as if trying to mark her face into his soul before she showed her most beautiful smile and replied, "Of course, I shall join you at the side young master."
Feng Yu hearing those words, gulped, he knew from her words she wasn't going to stepped back, he sighed while thinking about his past encounter with the Golden Goddess, then his connection to the Dragon Heiress.
'It looks like I won't have an easy life...'
Feng Yu thought as he calmed his mood, putting on a straightforward look as he replied, "Sure."
After finishing his words, Feng Yu then took a step towards an accessible area to cultivate; he feared that he wouldn't be able to do so with peace of mind if it were anywhere else.
Miren Fei, gripped her fists when she saw this, but the light in her eyes didn't change in the slightest; it seemed that she was determined to strive her utmost in these times.
Noticing Miren Fei and Feng Yu leave, none of the others said anything, as if by tactic understanding, they pretended not to see the situation.
On the other hand, Dai Lin didn't seem to hear their conversation; his thoughts were on a separate matter. He sat while recalling the five-colored orb from his storage ring, staring at it with a thoughtful look on his face as he contemplated it secrets in silence.
∞ ∞ ∞
Within a long hallway that led towards a bright door, He Xiu walked hurriedly with a complex look on her face as her cheeks were painted in a dissatisfied manner.
'Hmph! Those bastards, what do they take me for? Was Senior Brother Hai in on this too? Why didn't he tell me of these details?'
He Xiu inwardly complained as she recalled Liao Xinyan's words said to Feng Yu's party. She felt annoyed that no one said anything to her about the details of the Grand Exchange.
With such thoughts boiling in her mind, it didn't take long for her to arrive at the door, passing through it before entering a wide-open room with many different unique cloth and items neatly arranged.
Looking beyond them, on a warm and comfy looking cushion, Liao Xinyan now sat with a bundle of threads, materials, and items neatly arranged in front of him. He was currently overlooking a few details he had jotted down on a piece of paper until he noticed He Xiu's arrival.
Suddenly, the corners of his lips rose upward into a smile as he spoke while looking at her.
"Little Xiu, you seem a bit upset; tell me, what's wrong?"
He Xiu snorted at those words before she spoke her mind, "Eldest Senior Brother, I don't see why none of you didn't tell me of any details regarding this matter; what really happened to master? Where did Senior Yang go? Were both Senior Brother Hai and Senior Brother Tao pretending to have no knowledge of the actual situation? I really don't see why you've all taken me for granted!"
Looking at He Xiu complain while huffing and puffing like a small child, Liao Xinyan felt like laughing, but as he saw the seriousness on her face, he decided to hold himself back and answer her worries.
"Little Xiu, it's not that I take you for granted, but it’s merely an instruction received from master."
"What?" He Xiu said in surprise.
"That's right, master didn't want you knowing of these details for another reason," Liao Xinyan said in a cool tone.
He Xiu hesitated for a bit before looking straight at him and asking, "What kind of reason?"
Liao Xinyan sighed before putting down the paper in his hand, taking on a more serious manner as he stared at her and replied.
"Originally, I wanted to wait until we dealt with tomorrow's situation, as after it was finished, all would have been explained to you. However, since you've pursued it for yourself, I suppose master can't blame me for telling you. Listen closely, there's something you should know about your heritage..."
He Xiu felt a bit anxious, but hopeful at the same time as she gripped her fists tightly and spoke, "What heritage?"
"The heritage of your father... and the duty sworn to your blood."
Liao Xinyan said as he stared at her deeply, the lights from the floating candles in the room illuminating both of their figures as a cool wind blew, taking his next words spoken directly to her ears as it completely changed her world.
∞ ∞ ∞
As the night loomed over the desert, those within the Oasis could feel a surge of tension. The very air itself carrying a tinge of heaviness, as if foreshadowing a dark event.
Because of this, there weren't many who now lingered the streets of the usually bustling Oasis, only sightings of few persons moving back and forth with hurried steps.
At this very moment, within a dark alleyway, a group of familiar silhouettes in cloaks had gathered at its very end. Looking more carefully at their features, one would notice that each of these individuals had dark cloth wrapped around their visible portions of their bodies, including their faces, giving them an appearance much like mummies.
One character that stood out from the others wore lighter colored cloth around his flesh, his eyes shining in an ominous light as he stared at the opposing end of the alleyway as if waiting for someone.
As expected, a series of footsteps soon after sounded, followed by the appearance of two groups, the first being the nearby Bandit Town's Desert Hunter Unit, led by a rough and coarse-looking man. Like any other Desert Hunter, he was dressed in dark martial robes with waist binders, his head having short hair, a skull patterned bandana, and two fang-like daggers on his waist.
As for the second party, it was none other than those of the Burning Totem Palace. Their lead was a woman with red hair, dressed in a red cloth with bindings at her waists. Her torso also naked except for the strand of cloth wrapped around her breasts, filled with many distinctive marks, and an odd totem necklace hung around her neck.
As the cloaked man saw the arrival of the two parties, he didn't even wait as he promptly spoke, "Desert Hunter Mu Leng, Burning Palace Lord Su Jian, you’re both late; if it were not for the rumors about you too, I wouldn't have bothered to make contact with either of your parties."
Su Jian had a fiery temper, she couldn't help but frown as she glared at the man and replied, "Hmph! Melcraze, even if you are a Crypt Sorcerer, you should know your place when speaking to someone of my status. You have yet to truly advance to the ranks of that fabled Entoph."
Mu Leng said nothing as he chuckled slightly, it seemed that the words of Melcraze hadn't affected him in the slightest.
Melcraze stared at Su Jian with cold eyes. Still, as he didn't want to waste another moment, he got the point, "Enough, I called you here to notify you of the situation, in two days we will begin as planned, you know the target, the core of this objective is only to acquire it. Those others have already been filled in, so make sure your parties perform as we've planned..."
Su Jian didn't like his tone but she said nothing, Mu Leng on the other hand, stared at Melcraze with a puzzled look before he spoke, "What of the reinforcements? Is Crypt Sorcerer Entoph no longer assuming personal command."
As if he heard something he didn't like, Melcraze stared at Mu Leng and replied, "Entoph will show if needed, but for now, I am the leader of this mission, is that clear?"
Both Su Jian and Mu Leng stared at Melcraze with deep looks for a while before they replied, "Fine."
Melcraze gave them a good look before waving his hand, the moment this happened, he along with each of his followers became wrapped up by a black cloth which soon after unfurled itself before vanishing.
Once this happened, the scene before Su Jian and Mu Leng was an empty one as he had left with his followers towards an unknown location.
"Such a bastard..." Su Jian muttered before turning around and leaving with her group.
Mu Leng didn't pay her any mind, his eyes flickered as he stared at the night sky while thinking to
himself, 'Huhu... the Redlands, truly a fitting a name… for a soon to be blood soaked sands.’
As if the moon could feel his mood, its color turned a tinge red, having a bloody flavor that loomed over the silent desert of the Redlands.
Chapter 305
The Grand Exchange
The days passed quickly, and the date of the Oasis's Grand Exchange had finally arrived. The street was even more crowded than the norm as voices sounded everywhere, filling the town with an even livelier atmosphere.
Of course, despite the festive air, hidden within it was a dark undercurrent rearing to let loose its waves. The various parties with their own hidden intentions quickly made their way to the Weaver's House among the masses of all influences.
As they moved, a crowd of onlookers and vendors couldn't help but gulp as they stared at a few strange faces mixed within the cluster of forces.
On one side, there was a peculiar duo with pale white skin, having pale looking skin with eye shadows and pitch-black eyes. One of them being tall and one short, as both wore what seemed like grim reaper robes as their bodies stuck tightly together.
Next, there was a large man with a bald head, scars on his bare chest that rippled with massive muscles, and chains hanging loose from his arms as they dragged across the ground, making rattling noises. He had sharp-looking eyes and sported a simple torn-up trouser with calabashes strapped to his waists, each with a unique marking.
Finally, two remaining unknown parties were of a well-dressed middle-aged man who rode on a carriage pulled by various slaves. While the other was of a small group of women, each sporting a witch-like hat with black staffs in their hands.
When the locals and vendors saw these persons, some couldn't help but exclaim as if they saw a great disaster.
Dual Sword God: Book 7: The Crimson Devil of the Redlands Page 14