Supreme Emperor of Mist

"Expert Yi," Qin Lan greets the half-step Bone expert as soon as he politely addressed Qin Lan upon arrival. At the same time, he did not forget to make a hand sign to the others to lower their tense atmosphere around him.

"I'll properly apologize to everyone after this." Expert Yi cupped his hands together as he speaks. 

Soon, a piece of white jade slip is taken out and delivered to Qin Lan's hand.

"His highness is waiting to speak with you," Expert Yi added.

"Thank you for delivering this in person. Second sister Qin Chan, please attend to Expert Yi while I speak with high highness," Qin Lan tightened the fist holding the jade slip as he speaks.

As for arranging Qin Chan to entertain Expert Yi, it was done according to the etiquette between an elder and a junior. Furthermore, it would affect the soldier's discipline if Qin Lan failed to behave accordingly.

"Your highness," Qin Lan injected some Spiritual Energy into the white jade slip to activates the long-range communication device.

"Brother Qin. I need a favor from you." Sun Wu Jian's words went straight into the topic as soon as they speak. It shows how grave the concern is based on the mood behind every word he said.

"Please let me know what I can do for you," Qin Lan returned to his seat as he replied. In the meantime, his eyes are looking at Qin Chan as he sees how his sister accommodates Expert Yi.

In her hand was a sheepskin bottle filled with water and a bowl with piping hot beef steak. They were cooked to perfection a little while ago.

"From what my senior brother told me, you've fought against one of their bandit leaders that using this particular martial art too. One of my experts is injured on his dominant right arm. His fighting strength has now dropped to the eighth-level. The damage caused by receiving that blow is still harming him as we speak."

"I wonder... If brother Qin has a solution for this?" Sun Wu Jian's tone changed at the end of his speech as he asked for Qin Lan's help.

"I can help. But it can only be done by visiting the expert in person." Qin Lan's reply is straightforward. But only those with experience can understand the risk behind his words.

Even the most inexperienced officer of an army knew what situation they're in right now. All of them are now considered a few steps inside a warzone.

From the point of view of an outstanding strategist, this is the best opportunity to deliver a killing blow.

And the point behind Qin Lan's word is not about his skills as a pharmacist, but whether he's can arrive at the middle convoy safely.

"What if..." Sun Wu Jian understands the concern behind Qin Lan's word. After hesitating for a few seconds, he was going to continue, but Qin Lan immediately interrupted.

"Your highness." Qin Lan said.

"Brother Qin, please speak." Sun Wu Jian stops his sentence midway.

"Let's treat it like the Qin Faction is not a part of your punitive forces." Qin Lan chuckled.

"Huh?" Qin Lan's words confused Sun Wu Jian. He tried to communicate with Qin Lan to clarify this matter further but receive no reply in return until...

"Your highness, Alchemist Qin... Had left." Expert Yi replied after the white jade slip is returned to him.

"Did he say anything else?" Sun Wu Jian asked. He kept thinking about what Qin Lan had said before cutting off their communication.

"Yes. Alchemist Qin said that he's planning to bring his wife over to the Golden Carp Waterfall for sightseeing." Expert Yi repeats what Qin Lan has said before he left with everyone else. Even the roasted Raging Flame Bull is left on the spot when they left.

"Golden Carp Waterfall... Middle Convoy... Sightseeing..." Sun Wu Jian closed his eyes as he put Qin Lan's words together.

"Treat the Qin Faction, not as a part of my punitive force..."

"I've got it!" Sun Wu Jian suddenly slapped the table in front of him as he chuckled.

"Wang Xun," he called.

"Yes, your highness." the eighth-level subordinate quickly answers Sun Wu Jian.

"Deliver my order to Expert Xie. He will lead a force of two hundred soldiers towards the Golden Carp Waterfall to capture a group of suspected bandit sympathizers. Make sure he kills nobody on this mission." Sun Wu Jian's order confused Wang Xun as he cannot guess what's in his liege's mind.

...

"What? His highness wants brother Xie to lead two hundred troops out even with that injury? And what's with the order to not kill anyone?" Expert Shun angrily responded to Wang Xun's order.

"I am puzzled as well, but that's his highness' order. Depart now and return as soon as possible." Wang Xun added before cutting off the communication between them.

"Brother Xie, let me complete this mission on behalf of you!" Expert Shun turned around and faced Expert Xie as he speaks.

"Don't be a fool... How can you adjusted his highness' order as you like? I'm not as weak as you thought. Just let me go. It will be finished like a breeze of wind blew past us." Expert Xie struggled to get down from the reclining chair he's on.

"Damn it!" Expert Shun angrily swept all the dishes off the table as there was no place for him to vent his anger.

"Brother Xie, make sure you come back. Just - Just promise me this!" Expert Shun added.

"Now - Now... Don't assume that I'm going there to dig my grave. I'll go and return in a flash." Expert Xie chuckled as he replied to Expert Shun. But from the way he's struggled to get on the horse, it is evident that the injury on his right arm is not light.

It was a dull atmosphere along their way towards the Golden Carp Waterfall fifteen miles away from the sixth milestone checkpoint.

...

...

"Wind Kicker Team, make sure you remember to mark the direction as you move forward!" Yi Feng said as his team of six, including himself, separates into three groups. Their movement speed was the fastest amongst the few in Qin Faction.

"Who the hell are you... Urgh!" a smaller group of bandits spotted their movement. Unfortunately, they're quickly silenced by another group of men dressed in black before they managed to alert the others.

**Pointing...**

**Waving...**

**Fist bump.**

Three signals conveyed using their hands were all they need to communicate. Led by Han Xue, the six vanished from the spot after stripping the clothing off from the dead bandits.

About fifteen minutes later, Qin Lan and Hu Jia rode their horses through in leisure as they're undisturbed by the bloodstain left on the shrubs and trees. Followed behind the two are the others from the Qin Faction, such as Qin Chan, Qin Qin, Qin Huang, Lu Yi, Lu Qing Yun, and Huo Zunjie.

The nicely built carts are no longer seen following them like it was stored somewhere else to keep their hand free as they move forward.

Fifteen miles was not a short distance. As it would affect Expert Xie's wound if they picked up their pace, it takes them close to four hours to arrive at the Golden Carp Waterfall.

Sword and spears are immediately wielded when the two hundred soldiers led by Expert Xie arrived at the location.

"Get ready for battle!" the officer that accompanied Expert Xie by his side ordered as he pulled his sword out. The strength of an eighth-level Flesh Refining Layer was put on display as a warning to those intended to charge at them the moment the battle started.

"Lower your weapon." out of sudden, Expert Yi said.

"Convoy leader!" the officer hesitated to submit to this order. But the following word from Expert Xie soon convinced him to lower his weapon.

"Alchemist Qin." the half-step Bone Cultivator nodded at one of the bandits that stepped forward.

"Expert Xie, it seems that my bandit group was incomparable to your men in battle. May I suggest that we're to be taken back to the middle convoy by force?" Qin Lan said.

As he finished his words, all the people from Qin Faction, who was in disguise using the clothing stolen from the bandits they've killed along the way.

The treatment to get rid of the corrosive Spiritual Energy immediately begin as Qin Lan went to Expert Xie's side.

"Looks like the bandit leader Expert Xie faced is much stronger than the one I fought." Qin Lan fed a Vein Unblocking Pill to the half-step Bone Cultivator by inserting close to twenty acupuncture needles along his right arm.

"I wonder if Alchemist Qin knew anything about the origin of the demonic art they're using?" Expert Xie asked as he stares at how the bloody Spiritual Energy evaporating through the acupuncture needle as the medium.

"It's likely an inheritance they found in this Flame Demon Mountain." Qin Lan replied.

Suddenly, there was some movement around them.

"Yao Beast!" Lu Qing Yun screamed as her spiritual sense is tingling nonstop. She couldn't believe that the Yao Beast can approach them so quietly without alerting her spiritual sense.

'Yao Beast? One that can escape from Qing Yun's sense, nonetheless?' Qin Lan curiously looks around him as he notices something from the bloody spiritual energy.

"Everyone, get ready to battle." Qin Lan said. At the same time, he did not forget to add another sentence to taunt his enemies.

"Gou Ye! Come out!" Qin Lan said.