649: New Target

New Target

3As the man walked away, there was a quiet breath as those eyes turned away and left. No longer hiding, Ming Yue looked at her palm where a red token lay. 

"The Butcher of An Le, was it? That's another one off the list", she muttered. 

Putting the token away, she took out something else, a small piece of white jade. The jade that allowed her to speak with Ying Yi from the Azure Wind Kingdom. 

Putting it up to her face, she injected some of her energy before speaking into it. 

"The Butcher of An Le is dead, who else is there?" 

Leaving behind a message, she put the jade away before taking a look around the area. Lingering for just a moment, she vanished, flying off to another part of the country. Looking down from above, she watched the scenery blur as she flew, quietly thinking to herself. 

"It's been... a few months, hasn't it?" she thought to herself.

Xue Yue soon answered her. 

"Almost six months at this point, you'd think that there'd be fewer people trying to get to the Misty Blood Tomb."

"Well, we stopped killing all of the weak ones. With the information coming from the Azure Wind Kingdom, we can just go after the stronger ones. Grandpa Meng can deal with the rest of them", Ming Yue replied. 

"We've definitely collected quite a bit of resources though. There's bound to be a few things for us to use."

"Mm, we should go through it at some point. Most of it will probably be sold anyways."

"Still, it looked like there were a few interesting things, no?"

Ming Yue suddenly slowed as she stopped above Luan City, ending her little conversation with Xue Yue. Looking at it, she floated above, staring at the bright lights for a brief moment. Then the young woman descended, quietly entering the courtyard of the teashop. 

Walking up the stairs, she heard a pair of doors open to which Rou'er came out, rubbing her eyes. 

"Big sister, you're back. There's some food in your room though it might be cold now. If you want to warm it up, you know where to go."

Saying her piece, the girl yawned before going back in. But then she stopped just as she reached for her door and turned back around. 

"I forgot, there's a letter for you as well. It's from Heaven's Gate, Mother put it right next to your food."

After saying her piece, she went back into her room, closing the door behind her. 

The young cultivator chuckled before going to her room, seeing several dishes on her table, All of them had been closed with another plate. Hei Yue and Xiao Yin were nowhere to be found, most likely out patrolling or hunting. 

Sitting down, she uncovered everything and began to eat in peace. As for the letter, she noticed it in an instant and picked it up.

It was a simple folded piece of paper with her name written on it along with the words, Heaven's Gate, underneath it. Opening it up, she began to read it. 

There wasn't too much written inside, mostly details about Hongyu and how she had been faring. 

Her eyes softened up as she read through the message

"Mm, so she's doing well there. They're still trying to figure out her origins but at least the Elders are helping her too. She spends quite a lot of her time with Elder Xiang, she must want to learn about the Sword Dao from him." 

Ming Yue chuckled, reading with a smile before putting it away.

This was how she spent her days, coming back in the dead of the night to recover while spending the rest of the day hunting. With her cultivation, she didn't need to eat but doing this made her feel better. 

In the midst of all this killing, she had a place to return to. 

Just as she finished the last bit of her food, there was a hum coming from the white jade. Taking it out, she listened in to see what Ying Yi had to say. His voice came out, it wasn't loud, closer to a whisper in fact. 

"So you've killed the Butcher of An Le? You truly are an incredible warrior but things are far from over. After the death of Yingba, the remaining members of the Fourteen Evils had grown quiet. But we've just gained news that except for two, the rest are moving together. I'm currently on a mission to track their movement and it seems that they're headed here, most likely to investigate. That's five members and they're being led by Zhi Jinguo, the Witch. They should be reaching the border of Red Lotus Country within the week. Please let me know when you plan on attacking them." 

And that was the end of the message. 

Ming Yue looked at the jade before putting it away. 

"Zhi Jinguo, the Witch... She's the most eccentric and cold-hearted of them all", she thought, "She'll do anything if it furthers her research."

But for someone like the Witch, her intentions have always been hidden. No one knows what knowledge she thirsts for. Some say it is for eternal youth, others say power, and there have been those who believe that she just enjoys conducting these torturous experiments. 

As mysterious as she was, a following had grown around her. Those that wished to follow her steps, understand her and see where her research leads. That was what made her so dangerous, she wasn't alone. 

"She's coming along with five of the Fourteen Evils. Six of them along with their followers most likely. It won't be like before but killing all of them without anyone escaping is going to be difficult."

Pondering this information for a little longer, she took out the white jade and spoke into it, responding to Ying Yi.

After doing so, Ming Yue stood up and picked up the empty dishes, bringing them down to the kitchen and washing them clean. Afterward, she left the tea shop, walking through the emptying streets as the light of the sun slowly emerged. 

Walking through the city, she stopped by the brothel, entering through the back and greeting the manager along with the girls. 

Once inside, both Xiao Yin and Hei Yue ran up to her, happily nuzzling into her embrace. 

"Alright you two, have there been any problems?" 

She looked at them before looking up at the manager who shook her head.

"Anyone knows to cause trouble here now. These two have caused quite a bit of pain for those who try anything on my girls."

The old woman responded with a smile. The others even chimed in with their own comments. 

"Right, right, didn't they tear off some drunk's clothes? He was practically naked by the time he ran out!" 

"I know, that was so funny to watch! He had to go cover himself with those little strips! It barely covered anything!"

Seeing their smiles, Ming Yue felt a bit warm. 

"I'm going to have to bring them with me for a bit. Will all of you be fine?" she asked. 

"Hah! Don't worry about us! With or without them, we'll still drive any bastard out!" 

Following the manager's remark, the other women all responded in kind. 

"We'll be fine! Just do what you have to do! As long as you come back safe and sound!" they all said. 

She smiled in response, bidding farewell as she brought both the fox and the owl out of the brothel. 

"Alright, you two, we're going to head out for a little bit. I'm sure being stuck inside the brothel is getting a bit boring for the both of you." 

Both beasts yipped and chirped in response, they were both energetic and excited. Together, they left Luan City, heading straight for the next target. 

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