Shadow Blade? Wu Yuan's gaze turned to the white-robed elderly man, his mind quickly analyzing the identities of the five individuals before him.
The red-robed middle-aged man with two short spears on his back was the strongest. At least, through Wu Yuan's soul sense, he posed the greatest threat a lethal one!
After spending more than a year on Cloudhill, Wu Yuan's mastery of his soul had grown, and he could now wield it with increased dexterity. He had also gained a general understanding of how soul sense worked.
Normally speaking, opponents who were two or three grades weaker than him, such as second-rate Adepts and ordinary first-rate Adepts, would give Wu Yuan a slight sense of danger, but they could essentially be ignored.
Those one grade weaker, such as the top 200 first-rate Adepts in the Human Rankings, or average Savant experts, would give him a vaguely dangerous sensation.
As for a lethal threat? These experts were at the level of the top ten in the Human Rankings!
Next was the white-robed elderly man. Although the threat he posed was slightly weaker, it also carried a hint of lethal danger, not much weaker than the red-robed middle-aged man.
As for the black-clad woman with twin blades? She was even weaker. Based on Wu Yuan's estimations, her strength was on par with Wang Xiaohe, placing her somewhere around the 50s on the Jiang Continent Human Rankings.
Although they might seem relatively weak from Wu Yuans analysis, such a combination of individuals was extremely terrifying. Two likely top ten Human Rankings experts traveling together? Below the Grandmaster level, they were nearly invincible.
Even the formidable Cloudstride Sect would find it hard to mobilize such an elite team despite having over twenty Savant experts among their ranks.
And these experts appear to be followers of the black-robed young man? Wu Yuan frowned. Through his soul sense, the black-robed youth's strength was not too shabby, but his threat level was only comparable to Chen Tangru. He could barely be considered a Savant expert. Yet, he had somehow managed to command two top ten experts from the Human Rankings? What a joke!
Those in the top ten of the Human Rankings generally possessed incredible skill and physical constitution, possibly even possessing the potential of a Grandmaster. They might submit to a Grandmaster, but to submit to the son of a Grandmaster? Their pride simply wouldn't allow it. At least, according to the intel Wu Yuan had, there didn't seem to be any young man in the vast Jiang Continent capable of such a feat.
The last of them, a black-robed middle-aged man, seemed to be the weakest. His status also appeared the lowest among the five. However, Wu Yuan's sharp eyes picked up on something peculiar about this individual. Why would a first-rate Adept involve himself if they were after him, especially considering the strength he had displayed? To throw his life away?
However, the greatest concern Wu Yuan had was: how did this group of Savant experts track him down? He had taken great care not to leave any traces on his journey, and had sprinted a full 600 li! In theory, they shouldn't have been able to trace his whereabouts. At least, not in fewer than two days after Wang Xiaohes death.
Still, Wu Yuan remained calm. He was far from powerless, and wasn't afraid of a bunch of Savant experts. Even if they were Grandmasters, it made no difference. Wu Yuan would stand his ground and fight!
As his mind churned, Wu Yuan's gaze scanned the distant forest. His senses had picked up a unique, barely perceptible aura.
"Kid, Uncle Jin is asking you a question." The woman in black, who looked about 40, spoke with a frigid tone, "If you wish to have an intact corpse, answer honestly."
"So what if I am? And what if I'm not?" Wu Yuan replied calmly.
The old man in the white robe smiled, "Hehe, if that's not the case, could you enlighten me as to why you murdered Wang Xiaohe?"
"For money. What's so unusual about that?" Wu Yuan said with indifference. "His head is worth five million silver taels."
The expressions of the group involuntarily shifted. The young man in black robes leading the group glared at him with such fury that he seemed ready to spit fire from his eyes. Just for money? However, the old man in white motioned for the young man in black to remain calm.
Evidently, their purpose for pursuing Wu Yuan had changed after they communicated on the way here. Hence they did not immediately engage Wu Yuan in battle.
"So, are you a Savant expert from the Pleiades Guild?" The old man in white asked quietly, "To my knowledge, of all the underground organizations, only the Pleiades Guild has a bounty on General Wang Xiaohe."
"So what if I am?" Wu Yuan asked indifferently. He wasn't surprised they'd figured out he was from the Pleiades Guild. To successfully assassinate a Savant expert, he would at least have to be from a second-rate underground organization. The Pleiades Guild and Ninedeaths Circle were the most likely culprits.
Just as Wu Yuan had read the five-star missions of the Pleiades Guild and knew there was a bounty on his head, it came as no surprise that the Great Jin Empire, which occupied three territories in the Jiang Continent, had sent their spies to infiltrate the Pleiades Guild.
Therefore, it was only natural that the empire would be aware of the Pleiades Guild's bounty on Wang Xiaohe. Bounties required an upfront payment. Hence, unless the target was someone of great importance like Wu Yuan, very few employers would issue bounties across multiple organizations simultaneously. The cost would be exorbitant!
"If your only concern is money, I may have a way out for you," the white-robed elderly man softly spoke. "Hand over your Pleiades Guild's identity badge and state your identity within the Guild. If so, we might consider sparing you!"
All eyes were on Wu Yuan.
"Haha!" Wu Yuan suddenly laughed, fixing the elderly man with a sardonic grin. "Old man, do you take me for a fool, or are you the fool?"
"If I hand over the identity badge, you could impersonate me and claim the reward at the Pleiades Guild. And the moment I surrender the badge, you'll probably kill me on the spot." Wu Yuan scoffed. "You planned this well."
The white-robed elderly man's expression remained unchanged. This was indeed their scheme. Wang Xiaohe was dead, and there was no point wallowing in sorrow. Their best course of action was to extract every remaining ounce of utility, with the most significant being the bounty from the Pleiades Guild.
Money had the power to move even gods. Five million taels was no mere pocket change even for a prince, a fortune ample for diverse uses. It was also common knowledge that an emperor needed wealth and treasures in hand to tempt and bind the experts under his control.
The Pleiades Guild only recognized identity badges, not people. Hence they wanted Wu Yuan dead, and the Pleiades Guild badge in his hands. However, the Pleiades Guild badge wasnt as sturdy as it appeared - a Savant expert could easily destroy it if so desired. That was why they preferred to coax the token out of Wu Yuan first.
"You!" Wu Yuan suddenly pointed his saber at the young man in black robes, a smirk playing on his lips, "If I am not mistaken, you must be Jin Rensu, the ninth prince of Great Jin!
In a heartbeat, the expressions of the woman in black and the middle-aged man in black robes subtly shifted. They didn't expect their opponent to point out the identity of the ninth prince directly.
The youth in black robes merely furrowed his brow, remaining silent. The elderly man in white and the middle-aged man in red didn't bat an eye.
"It seems my assumption was correct. Wu Yuan calmly stated, "I was just wondering who could make such a group of experts obey their command.
The present Emperor Jin had over twenty princes. Yet, only three princes truly stood out, earning the favor and respect of various factions: the eldest prince, the third prince, and the ninth prince. The ninth prince was the sole son of the current Empress, a legitimate heir!
These three royal princes each commanded an enormous army. Among them, the ninth prince had ruled over the three territories in the Jiang Continent for the past six years. He was the officially recognized highest authority of Great Jin within the Jiang Continent, tasked with executing the eastward expansion strategy of the empire. Even the three Great Grandmasters were, in name, subject to his orders.
As the Great Jin Empire's mortal enemy, the Cloudstride Sect was well-informed about the ninth prince. Although Wu Yuan didn't pay it much attention, he'd caught a glimpse once when he visited the Finance Hall. Nevertheless, with his exceptional memory, he retained most of what he saw.
When the black-robed youth referred to Wang Xiaohe as "Senior Brother Wang" and demonstrated his ability to command a group of experts, Wu Yuan finally confirmed the youth's identity as the ninth prince. Both he and Wang Xiaohe were disciples under the tutelage of Grandmaster Sun Dongning.
"You are rather perceptive," the black-robed youth said with a cold expression. "I am indeed the ninth prince of the Great Jin."
"Ninth Prince, you are quite forthcoming," Wu Yuan said nonchalantly. "Alright, I won't hide it from you either. Indeed, I am Shadow Blade."
So what if he revealed his identity? If they want a fight, then bring it on!
Moreover, Wu Yuan had taken on the task to assassinate Wang Xiaohe using Shadow Blades identity, and the Pleiades Guild was aware of it. As long as the Great Jin Empire performed an investigation, it was only a matter of time before they realized Thousand Mountains and Shadow Blade were one and the same.
"Really?" The black-robed youth's eyes narrowed slightly, and the gazes of the others also changed. They naturally doubted whether Wu Yuan was telling the truth. But at this point in time, there was no reason for him to impersonate the identity of Shadow Blade.
"Shadow Blade? If you truly are Shadow Blade," the elderly man in white robes murmured, "I shall not deceive you. You do indeed have a path to survival."