Chapter 459 - Return Of The 'Missing' Elder...

Along with the end of the alchemy competition, Xuan Hao had met back up with the other elders together with Qing Yi.

The moment that the elders from the Alchemy Hall had seen Qing Yi, all of them had come forward to congratulate Qing Yi on getting second place and at the same time ask her about some of the potions, she had made during the alchemy trial with excitement.

Among all of the elders outside of Xuan Hao himself. Only Gong Bo and Chi Hu acted like an elder should, as the rest of them kept asking Qing Yi about the alchemy competition. Acting like a group of excited children…

"Qing Yi, can you demonstrate the alchemy technique you used during the fourth test!?"

"Qing Yi, what potion did you make during the-"

"Qing Yi-"

Looking at current state of his disciple being bombarded with question by the elders from the Alchemy Hall, Xuan Hao feared that if things continued, Qing Yi would end up collapsing from exhaustion.

Mainly because a few of them had even started to ask her for a demonstration on the alchemy technique she had learned during the fourth test and Qing Yi had ended up relenting to the curious elders, as she had begun to use it for the elders to see!

Even if he also wanted to learn more about the alchemy , there was no way he could allow Qing Yi to continue like this in her current state.

"Enough! You can ask her tomorrow! After she got a proper rest!"

Seeing the exhausted look on his disciple's face, Xuan Hao decided to step forward to stop the elders from asking any more questions.

After all, Qing Yi had just finished a competition that lasted for an entire day and even if she wanted to answer the Alchemy Hall Elders questions for longer, both her body and mind were completely exhausted at this point and wouldn't allow her to do so.

Not to mention she had just exhausted what little qi she had managed to recover over the last fifteen minutes demonstrating the nameless alchemy technique for the elders to see…

""…""

Stopping the barrage of questions the moment they heard Xuan Hao's voice, the elders quickly discovered just how exhausted the current Qing Yi was, as all of them smiled apologetically towards Qing Yi.

"Now, with that out of the way. Let's get back to the manor before it gets any darker outside."

Seeing everyone quiet down, Xuan Hao informed them about this before taking Qing Yi out of the spectator room before making his way back towards the manor.

Gong Bo and Chi Hu soon followed Xuan Hao and Qing Yi back towards the manor, as the rest of the elders were left behind.

…

"Hah… Let's get out here…"

With one of the elders taking the lead, the rest of the elders soon left the spectator room and made their way back towards the manor like Xuan Hao and the others.

"Elder Tian…? Is that you? What are you doing out here?! W-what on earth happened for you to end up like that?!"

However, the moment they left the place where the alchemy competition was hosted, they were shocked to find a familiar figure coming out from a nearby dark alleyway with torn clothes and a half dead expression.

"Ah…? Y-you guys! How could leave me like that!? Do you even know what I had to go through during the time all of you were just sitting in there!?"

Seeing that it was indeed a fellow elder that had come out from the dark alleyway looking like some dead animal the cat had dragged home from god knows where, the other elders quickly rushed over to examine him and ask about what happened for him to end up like that.

However, no matter how they asked, the half dead elder refused to answer any of their questions on how he had ended up like that, so in the end the elders could only push it aside for now as they all made their way back towards the manor together.

…

At the same time that Xuan Hao, Qing Yi, and the rest of the elders from the Flying Sword Sect had made their way back towards the manor that had been reserved for them during the alchemy competition. Two figures had met up just outside the capital of the Iron Sky Kingdom, one short and one tall, both covered by a dark robe that seemingly merged together with the darkness of the night, while their faces were covered by a large hood. Preventing anyone from seeing the faces hidden beneath them.

just outside the capital of the Iron Sky Kingdom, as they talked to each other in low voices to avoid anyone who happened to pass by from hearing them.

"Are you really sure what you just said is true!?"

"Yes, I'm one hundred percent certain!"

As the two figures talked to each other in low voices to avoid any of the miners passing by from hearing them, the tall one of the two figures asked in a serious voice before shorter one responded in a confident tone to the question asked.

"Hah… Looks like we will only have one opportunity to act when the target leaves the capital and is about to leave. After that, we might not get another opportunity again before it's too late."

"Y-you mean we are going to do it here!? What if-"

"Don't worry about it, we will only proceed when the target is outside the city and its formation. By the point that the lord notices anything happening outside, we will already be gone…"

Calming down the other party, the tall one of the two hidden figures proceed to explain this in a confident tone.

But… To escape from someone like that was easier said than done…

For him to claim that he would be able to get away from the capital of the Iron Sky Kingdom before Yi Min managed to respond, was more than enough to tell how strong he was… Or maybe he was just someone seeking death!

After all, a Domain Lord at the level of Yi Min, could easily cover hundreds of miles around her with her divine sense whenever she noticed something happening. Not to mention she could also use the formation around the capital to further enhance her divine sense. Allowing her divine sense to momentarily reach an even higher level!

"But… How are we going to escape?"

The shorter of the two hidden figures also knew about this and couldn't help himself from asking. After all, it was a matter of life and death for him…

"Still not convinced when I tell you not to worry about it? Do you think I would willingly send all of us to our death and perish with the target?"

"…"                                                                 

Seeing the expression of his companion under the large hood he was wearing, the tall one of the two of them could not help frowning.

His companion very clearly believed that he would indeed sent them in to die with their target!

"Hah… We will talk about this tomorrow! For now, return to the others and make sure they are ready tomorrow morning, I will keep an eye on the target inside the city and will contact you when the target is about to leave!"

Sighing a bit to himself as he realised that he would not be able to convince his companion that he was not just sending him and others in to die, the taller one among the two quickly sent his companion back to inform the others that they would act tomorrow when the target was most likely be leaving the city now that the alchemy competition had officially come to an end…

"Yes, Sir!"

Giving a quick formal bow before leaving, the short one of the hidden figures very clearly knew that they would not be talking over how they would be escaping before they had already launched an attack!

Not to mention, his leader had actually told him they would talk it over tomorrow, while at the same time telling him that they were going to act tomorrow morning. Not to mention his leader was going to be keeping an eye on the target this entire time inside the capital itself…

With one person beginning to resolve himself for death as he left towards somewhere hidden where the others were hiding, the tall figure remained in the same place before narrowing his eyes while staring at the figure of his companion slowly disappearing in the distance, as a small amount of killing intent began leaking out.

"Looks like they have already begun noticing that there is no way out for them… However, as long as they don't get any ideas of leaving before tomorrow, everything will be fine…"

Muttering this to himself as he watched the figure of the short man who he had just talked with disappear in the distance, the tall figure turned around to face a large gate leading into the capital before slowly making his way over towards said gate.

At the very least, he had to make sure everything went according to plan, or he would likely not be able to get out alive…