My Journey to Immortality Begins with Hunting-Chapter 061 – Chaos

“He won? Li Yuan actually won!” The proprietress beamed with delight, trembling with excitement as she gripped Yan Yu’s hand. Her eyes glistened like shimmering pools as she gazed at the victorious youth on the stage.

She’d chosen to back Li Yuan when his prospects looked bleak, hoping for a future protector. And now, she wouldn’t have to wait long at all. Li Yuan was about to move into the heart of Silver Creek and become a true inner disciple, a higher status that would grant him far greater influence.

“He won...he really won,” she murmured, overjoyed.

Down below, the crowd from the black market cheered and applauded.

“Nice one! Well done, Young Master Li!”

“You see that? Senior Li’s disciple is something else!”

“I told you he’d pull it off, but you wouldn’t believe me!”

Meanwhile, those from the taverns and brothels, who were keen to save face for Senior Wu, kept silent.

Still, this was a satisfying outcome. The duel had been settled amicably, without any real bad blood on display.

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“Ah...the younger generation is truly formidable,” the Dark Visage Elder remarked from the VIP seats by the stage.

Wu Lian, who had hoped his disciple Zhao Zimu would win, looked decidedly unhappy.

Deputy Sect Master Yu Chaojin’s expression was equally sour, but he said nothing at first. Instead, he eyed the Sect Master, Tie Sha—seated in the middle—and admitted quietly, “I’ve lost.”

At that, Yu Chaojin suddenly frowned, his eyes sharp and watchful as he stared intently at Tie Sha...or whoever was pretending to be him.

Yu Chaojin knew Tie Sha well. The man sitting there felt off. A suspicion began to take root in his mind.

The imposter made no effort to hide it. He smiled and said, “You might have lost the bet, but the sect as a whole has won big.”

Those words nearly blew Yu Chaojin out of his seat. The Dark Visage Elder, Wu Lian, and the others all turned serious. Only then did they notice many elders and top disciples weren’t here at all.

Yu Chaojin fixed his gaze on Tie Sha. “Who are you?”

The imposter scooted closer and pulled a sealed letter from his robes, handing it to Yu Chaojin. Frowning, he tore it open. The first line read—

"Old Yu, we’re from the same sect. Don’t hold a grudge. Sure, be angry, but don’t let it get in the way. I’ll punish myself with three cups of wine once this is over."

Yu Chaojin immediately recognized Tie Sha’s handwriting and tone. Reading on, his face fell, but soon a spark of excitement flickered across it. As much as he hated to admit it, he finally grasped Tie Sha’s plan.

Tie Sha had made a big show of this duel at Moon Creek Heights. He’d also hyped up his rivalry and public wager with Yu Chaojin, knowing full well the Wei and Sun families would be watching closely.

Meanwhile, he had pretended to be in seclusion while secretly gathering forces. This duel was a perfect distraction. Everyone believed Tie Sha was here, so no one suspected a sudden strike on the Wei Family estate.

Add to that the assistance of Old Ding, a retired master who’d been hidden away by Tie Sha; hardly anyone outside the Blood Blade Sect’s upper ranks even knew Old Ding existed.

Tie Sha’s letter asked Yu Chaojin to guard Silver Creek and maintain order. The Wei Family was no small force, so there’d surely be retaliation and chaos.

Tie Sha would lead the elite strike force to decapitate the Wei Family’s leadership, leaving Yu Chaojin to handle defense. In its own way, that showed a certain level of trust.

Holding the letter, Yu Chaojin felt deeply aggrieved. He couldn’t help recalling Tie Sha’s uncouth habit of picking his nose in public. Yet if the Blood Blade Sect truly destroyed their long-time enemies, they’d seize the Wei Family’s domain, which meant a bigger pie for everyone. Yu Chaojin himself stood to gain from that. And at this point, there was no turning back.

BOOM! All at once, Yu Chaojin slammed his hand on the armrest beside him, then passed the letter to Wu Lian, the Dark Visage Elder, and several others. Their expressions grew grim as they read.

Yu Chaojin barked, “Everyone, return to your posts and keep a tight grip on your territory. The Wei Family surely has spies. Don’t let them stir up trouble. I’ll lead a team to guard the gates...”

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He began issuing commands in rapid succession.

“Old Lu, rush to the black market and inform Li Yu about what’s happening here. Let him be on guard.

“Old Wang...

“Monkey...

“Iron Sword...”

Though he and Tie Sha normally butted heads, Yu Chaojin was still the deputy sect master. Under pressure, he showed the poise of a seasoned general, dispatching everyone in an orderly manner.

Just as Yu Chaojin stood to leave, a thunderous blast ripped through the air. Far off in the distance, flames leapt skyward, dyeing a patch of the sky blood-red. The wind kicked up in the streets and alleyways, swirling dust and debris.

Yu Chaojin’s brows knitted together. “A demonic beast!” he growled.

Yu Chaojin didn’t need to think twice to guess that the Wei Family, in a desperate bid for revenge, had unleashed the demonic beasts they’d kept in captivity.

“They’ve gone mad...really lost their minds,” he muttered, quickly directing his people to defend the ward entrance.

Around Moon Creek Heights, the crowd had no idea what was happening. All they saw were the high-ranking members of the Blood Blade Sect leaping to their feet and dispersing in every direction, as if mobilizing troops. The explosion in the distance and the crimson glow in the sky rattled onlookers, sparking a creeping sense of panic.

People began to flee, prompting others to follow suit, and order swiftly collapsed. Though the Blood Blade Sect’s men tried to maintain control, their reassurances did little to stem the rising tide of fear.

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From the dueling platform, Li Yuan had already noticed something unusual in the VIP area. Jumping off the stage, he dashed upstairs to the third floor of Moon Creek Heights, grabbed Yan Yu’s hand, and said urgently, “We’re going home now.”

By this time, the crowd was swirling in chaos. Li Yuan, Yan Yu, the proprietress, and her two bodyguards managed to make it downstairs ahead of the worst of it.

Looking back, they saw the stairwell jammed with terrified people.

“What’s going on, Husband?”

“Let’s just get home,” Li Yuan said tersely.

Out on the street, piercing screams rang out from somewhere in the distance, shouts of “Murder!” and “There’s a killer in the crowd!”

Li Yuan didn’t pause to check. He pulled Yan Yu away, carefully avoiding the swelling masses.

A quick survey told him the main road was already blocked by a panicked crowd. So he veered off onto a side path leading away from town, heading into a quieter, more remote area.

The proprietress stopped one of her bodyguards from going to investigate and hurried after Li Yuan, lifting the hem of her skirt to keep pace.

“Young Master Li, this doesn’t lead home...” one bodyguard muttered.

“If we stick to the main road, we’ll end up trampled—or get a blade in the back,” Li Yuan replied.

“But...isn’t this Silver Creek? How could everything go to pieces like this? Maybe we should hole up in the tavern?” the other bodyguard ventured.

“Shut it,” the proprietress snapped, shutting the bodyguard down on the spot.

Far off, they heard crashing, along with screams of terror. When Li Yuan glanced back, he saw a house in flames, beginning to collapse. Whatever was happening in town, it wasn’t good.

They made their way into a small forest that separated Silver Creek from Little Ink Village, green and lush with spring growth.

Li Yuan climbed a tall tree, carrying Yan Yu on his back. He set her on a wide, sturdy branch before the proprietress, breathless from running, called out, “Can you lift me up, too?”

He cast her a quick look. Even now she was tall and shapely, face flushed beneath lightly-applied makeup, her thin spring clothes damp with perspiration and clinging to her figure.

Still, mindful that she was both his wife’s friend and a sort of business partner, he hoisted her up without another word. He settled her beside Yan Yu, then found his own spot on a branch, scanning the distance.

The two bodyguards climbed the tree on their own. Together, the five of them waited in tense silence.

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Time crept toward midday when a grumbling stomach, nobody could tell whose, broke the quiet. The proprietress fished out a small makeup compact. Yan Yu produced a little pouch of fruit, just four pieces altogether. She kept one, handed another to the proprietress, and passed the remaining two to Li Yuan.

All the while, shouts and intermittent flashes of fire pulsed from the direction of Silver Creek. Stragglers occasionally appeared, slipping through the woods as they fled.

Night eventually fell. By the time it was close to the second watch, the forest had grown eerily still.

Li Yuan finally led them down from the tree and motioned to the bodyguards.

Together they headed toward Little Ink Village until they reached the Qian Family residence. There were enough rooms there that offering space to five extra people was no trouble at all.

Li Yuan and Yan Yu took one room; the proprietress another; the two bodyguards shared a third. After a much-needed meal, they all retired for the night.