Chapter 46

"Six intact Cloud Brocade Carriages, along with a batch of supplies loaded on them, are parked in a valley..."

Shang Xia spoke lightly, as if it were a trivial matter.

However, upon hearing this, Shang Quan, Ji Sheng, and Tang Youqian each felt a surge of excitement.

But seeing the speaker's attitude, which seemed to regard the matter as unworthy of attention, the two patrol team leaders, apart from the smiling Shang Quan, had the impulse to beat him up.

Each of the six Cloud Brocade Carriages, conservatively estimated, carried supplies worth at least a thousand silver coins.

Moreover, the Cloud Brocade Carriages, which could carry eight times their own volume, were extremely difficult to make and were themselves very valuable.

This time, the convoy of thirty to forty Cloud Brocade Carriages sent to Tongyou Peak was almost half destroyed during the attack, with most of the supplies inside also damaged.

After the patrol riders came to the rescue, only eleven intact Cloud Brocade Carriages were salvaged, and the loss and damage of supplies exceeded two-thirds, leading to a shortage of supplies on the entire Tongyou Peak.

At least until the entire Tongyou Path was cleared and secured, and the next batch of supplies from Tongyou Academy arrived, everyone had to endure.

In this context, these six fully loaded Cloud Brocade Carriages became even more precious.

Not only did finding these six carriages amount to one-sixth of the entire convoy, but the supplies they carried would greatly alleviate the current shortage.

Just returning these six Cloud Brocade Carriages to Tongyou Peak would be a significant achievement for the patrol team.

At this moment, the third patrol team had also arrived.

When Shang Xia reported the news to this team, he once again became the focus, enduring the curious gazes of the others.

Fortunately, after the previous two times, Shang Xia had become more accustomed to it, managing to maintain a calm demeanor, which earned him a higher regard from the others.

After a discussion between Shang Quan and the three team leaders, the three teams were divided into two groups. Shang Quan led the members of the three teams to escort Shang Xia and the other thirteen C-wing students back to Tongyou Peak.

As for the team leaders Ji Sheng, Tang Youqian, and Yu Shenglong, along with Jiang Changyu and Ju Xing, they headed to the sealed valley where the six Cloud Brocade Carriages were located.

Originally, only the three team leaders were to go, but Jiang Changyu and Ju Xing insisted on joining, for the reason that they had suffered repeated blows from a certain person and feared that staying with that person would leave them with psychological scars.

On the way back to Tongyou Peak, Shang Xia asked Shang Quan about the casualties after the convoy was attacked.

"Yuan Zilu fought to the death, and if it weren't for him holding off two martial realm experts, the entire convoy might have been wiped out. He held on until the patrol riders arrived."

At this point, Shang Quan sighed slightly and said, "Although he survived, according to the diagnosis of the two alchemists on Tongyou Peak, his essence was severely damaged, and it will take at least three to five years to recover."

Shang Xia nodded and asked, "What about the others?"

Shang Quan replied, "It is said that two upper dormitory students were also seriously injured, but they will recover in one to two months. As for the other fifteen inner dormitory students, eight died and seven were injured!"

Despite being prepared, Shang Xia was still stunned by the extent of the casualties.

"What about the patrol riders? I heard from other classmates that after the seven-colored cloud smoke was lit, they arrived very late! And after we first entered the Tongyou Path, we didn't encounter them for several days!"

However, Shang Xia's question seemed to make Shang Quan cautious.

He looked around to ensure no one was paying attention, then whispered, "Liu Jitang left Tongyou Peak and, before leaving, withdrew a batch of elite forces, including several elite patrol teams, leaving Tongyou Peak's defenses weakened. To prevent the Cangling martial cultivators from taking advantage, more forces were concentrated on Tongyou Peak, reducing the frequency of patrols on the Tongyou Path."

Shang Xia was shocked, almost exclaiming aloud.

Fortunately, Shang Quan had anticipated this and quickly signaled him to be quiet.

Shang Xia lowered his voice, but could not hide his unease, "How is that possible? When he left Tongyou Peak, did he not notify other mountain masters to take over? Does he not fear that the Cangling martial cultivators would take advantage and break through Tongyou Peak, destroying the academy's twenty years of hard work?"

Shang Quan smiled bitterly, "Tongyou Peak has stood in the borderlands for nearly twenty years. His departure was extremely secretive, and no one knew about it beforehand. Perhaps he was also hoping that no one would notice Tongyou Peak's weakness before he returned."

"How long has he been gone? What is the situation on Tongyou Peak now?" Shang Xia asked, somewhat apprehensively.

Shang Quan forced a smile, "According to the time outside the borderlands, he has been gone for at least ten days. Don't worry, after news of your attack reached the academy, Ji Wenhong rushed to Tongyou Peak to take charge, and the situation is currently stable."

Shang Xia's heart eased, but he still sensed the worry in his uncle's voice. He thought for a moment and asked, "But has the news of Liu Jitang's departure leaked?"

Shang Quan smiled bitterly, "Ji Wenhong's arrival from the academy has made it unnecessary to hide the news of Liu Jitang's departure. However, the news of Liu Jitang's departure seems to have leaked before Ji Wenhong arrived."

There must be a mole!

Without Shang Quan needing to say it, Shang Xia understood his meaning.

But Shang Xia still had a question, "Why didn't the Cangling martial cultivators take action before Ji Wenhong arrived and launch a strong attack on Tongyou Peak?"

Shang Quan said, "I don't know the exact situation, but perhaps the Cangling martial cultivators were not entirely sure about the authenticity of the news of Liu Jitang's departure, suspecting it might be a trap. They may have tried to probe the situation, thus missing the opportunity."

Shang Xia nodded thoughtfully, finding his uncle's guess plausible.

The Fengyan tribe's bold move to penetrate deep into the rear of Tongyou Peak might have been to probe the situation there.

Fortunately, Tongyou Peak's response was swift.

Upon discovering that Deputy Mountain Master Liu Jitang, who was in charge of Tongyou Peak, had disappeared, the news was immediately sent back to Tongyou Peak. Deputy Mountain Master Ji Wenhong, who was in charge of the academy's security, immediately entered the borderlands to take charge, stabilizing the situation.

Thinking about this, Shang Xia felt much more relaxed, "So the situation on Tongyou Peak has eased, no wonder the patrol riders are active again on the Tongyou Path."

However, before Shang Xia could finish speaking, Shang Quan whispered in his ear, "The situation is not optimistic. According to Uncle Ke, these days Ji Wenhong has been taking turns with the Four Ling Mountain people, and few martial cultivators on Tongyou Peak who have reached the third level of the martial realm leave, always ready to respond."

Shang Xia was shocked and looked at Shang Quan, as if not believing what he said.

Shang Quan could only smile bitterly.

Shang Xia still refused to believe it, saying, "Although Liu Jitang withdrew some of Tongyou Peak's elite forces, Ji Wenhong, known as the first deputy mountain master of Tongyou Academy, is considered the second-best expert in Tongyou City after Dean Kou, and his strength surpasses Liu Jitang. The Four Ling Mountain people must have some reservations, right?"

Shang Quan could only smile bitterly, "If it weren't for the concern over Ji Wenhong, the Four Ling Mountain people would have attacked Tongyou Peak long ago. There must be something we don't know. These days, every time I see Uncle Ke, I can tell he is exhausted, and there are things he won't tell me or allow me to ask."

At this moment, perhaps moved by Shang Quan's words, Shang Xia suddenly recalled the fragmented conversation he overheard among the Fengyan tribe martial cultivators in the valley. He quickly asked in a low voice, "Uncle Quan, have you heard any news about Dean Kou and my grandfather recently?"

Shang Quan looked at him strangely, thought for a moment, and said, "No! What's wrong?"

Shang Xia shook his head, "Nothing, I hope it's just my imagination. But after we return to Tongyou Peak, I want to see Grandpa Wu as soon as possible."

Shang Quan looked at him suspiciously, but seeing that he was not speaking further, he nodded, "Alright, I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

After about a day's journey, led by Shang Quan, the group of two or thirty people finally saw the towering peak that served as Tongyou Academy's base in the borderlands—Tongyou Peak!

No wonder Yuan Zilu had told Shang Xia to just follow the highest peak to find Tongyou Peak.

Only by seeing the peak in person could one understand that Yuan Zilu was not exaggerating.

The C-wing students, including Shang Xia, were all seeing the peak for the first time, but when they caught their first glimpse of the towering peak from a distance, they all recognized it as Tongyou Peak.

Before the C-wing students arrived, the news of their rescue had already reached Tongyou Peak.

Therefore, when they arrived at the foot of Tongyou Peak, they saw many people welcoming them, including many familiar faces.

"Hey, Huang Zihua, I heard that all the C-wing students were wiped out and taken captive by the Cangling martial cultivators?"

A voice, half teasing and half concerned, came from the crowd.

"Bullshit captives!"

Huang Zihua immediately swore, and with a shake of the bag he was carrying, three heads rolled out, shocking the outer dormitory students who had come for training.

Huang Zihua shouted, "See that? These are the three Cangling martial cultivators we killed together. We're here to claim our rewards!"