Leng Qiuyue was pleasantly surprised that she had been assigned to join the secret experiential mission to the Red Death Valley.
Shi Guanyin had said to her, "The Heavenly Fragrance Heralds need some help for a recon mission to the Red Death Valley. I am assigning you to join this mission."
She had replied bitterly, "Master, I know that you do not want me to see Senior Brother Lu and that is why you are arranging for me to leave the clan for the time being."
Shi Guanyin returned a weak smile, "Qiuyue, you are wrong. Your Senior Brother Lu Qingyun will be in this mission as well."
She was startled as she thought, "Don't tell me that my master no longer wants to stop me from seeing him?"
Shi Guanyin pretended to say wryly, "Since you don't wish to accept this mission…oh well, I just have to tell Senior Brother Lu…"
"No wait, Master!" she had panicky said with a soft smile. "I…Your Qiuyue, is willing to accept this mission!"
Shi Guanyin smiled, "So you are not angry with me anymore? Do you know how hard I have fought to get you into this mission?" That was a blatant lie of course and she had only said that because she knew that Leng Qiuyue was still upset with her. She had wanted to alleviate the situation a little. After all, she was particularly fond of Leng Qiuyue.
She gasped softly, "Master, please forgive my actions earlier." Then she lit a faint smile, "And thank you!"
Shi Guanyin muttered to herself, "Qiuyue, be extra vigilant for this mission. If I have a choice, I won't allow you to go…" It was because she had overheard the Fragrance Herald Shen Yufeng detailing how three golden celestials of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa had lost their lives…
Right now, she was in the hall with Lu Qingyun and Lie Xingyuan.
Lie Xingyuan was of course not part of the recon party but as she was a personal attendant of Lu Qingyun, she was allowed to accompany him until he had reached the Red Death Valley.
"Senior Sister Qiuyue." Lie Xingyuan greeted her.
Leng Qiuyue smiled as she greeted shyly, "Senior Brother Qingyun, Junior Sister Xingyuan."
Lu Qingyun smiled awkwardly when he had seen her, "Junior Sister Qiuyue."
Leng Qiuyue simply looked at him with a faint smile but said nothing.
Lie Xingyuan was thinking, "It is well known that our icy senior sister here will never smile at anyone….only when she is with senior brother, she is smiling…"
Lu Qingyun said, "We are a little early. So let's wait for the Heavenly Fragrance Heralds to arrive first."
Leng Qiuyue nodded shyly before she said in a low voice, "Senior brother, you are so impressive during the martial tournament."
Lu Qingyun began to smile with great awkwardness. It was because he had the most dismay performance among all the core protégés and he had thought that he was a joke. Although he had won the tournament but it was only because Leng Qiuyue had conceded to him.
Therefore he was extremely embarrassed to say that he had really done well.
Even Lie Xingyuan was rolling her eyes as was saying in her heart, "I think that it is not his performance that is impressive but his looks are impressive to you…"
Lie Xingyuan was actually wrong when she had thought that Leng Qiuyue was attracted to Lu Qingyun's good looks. There were no lack of handsome suitors for Leng Qiuyue but none had ever caught her eyes.
The main reason why Leng Qiuyue and so many others were attracted to Lu Qingyun was because he seemed to be carrying a great destiny with him and it was this special destiny that had first caught her attention. Although she did not know what was Lu Qingyun's future destiny but he seemed to be someone who was destined to be a great cultivator in the future.
Women sometimes tend to have a sharper intuition in this sort of thing. Although it may not be all. Take for example, Qiuxiang Huan.
It was not long before Shen Yufeng, Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye had all arrived.
As this was the first time that Leng Qiuyue had seen Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye close-up, she was startled that they were the most unusual twin that she had ever seen. One had raven color hair while the other had silver color hair.
Lu Qingyun was quite surprised that there was only the three of them. He thought, "What about the other four? They are not coming?"
Perhaps Lu Qingyun was too easy to read and Shen Yufeng gave him a smile before saying, "The others have their own missions as well."
"Oh…" Lu Qingyun muttered. It was no wonder that Feng Xiaoxiao and Tang Xuefeng were not at the second briefing. Instead he was being introduced to Zhao Xingye and Zhao Riyue.
Everyone quickly exchanged greeting and were quickly introduced to one another.
When that was done, Shen Yufeng said to everyone. "As this is a recon mission, we don't want the party to be too big lest it may attract unnecessary attention. As for me, I won't be joining your party directly but will follow you from a distance to keep an eye."
She paused to look at everyone slowly before saying, "Once we have reached the Red Death Valley, Zhao Xingye will lead the recon party inside while Zhao Riyue, Lie Xingyuan and I will remain outside. At all times Zhao Riyue will maintain communication with me so that we can rush to your aid at a moment notice."
Then she looked at Lu Qingyun, Leng Qiuyue and Zhao Xingye. "The three of you have the most dangerous mission. Remember that you are only there to recon and not to fight unnecessary."
"So, are there any questions?" she added.
Leng Qiuyue had felt the solemn mood and she had realized that this mission was not as straightforward as it seemed to be. So she asked, "I've been to the Red Death Valley once. Although it is considered to be one of the more dangerous places outside New Empyrean City but as long as we don't go too deep, there shouldn't be any problem right?"
Shen Yufeng replied with a soft sigh, "You are wrong. You are to recon as deeply as you are able to unless Zhao Xingye gives the order to call off the recon mission."
Leng Qingyue and Lu Qingyun were both looking at each other with a somewhat startled look. As deeply as possible? This would only increase the risk of meeting the more powerful desolate beasts that were in the Red Death Valley!
Between Lu Qingyun, Leng Qingyue and Lie Xingyuan, only Lu Qingyun knew why they were entering the deep territories of the desolate beasts.
Shen Yufeng said solemnly, "The three of you must look out for one another and be on the move as much as possible."
Leng Qiuyue asked curiously, "Since this is a recon mission, what are we looking for?"
Shen Yufeng replied, "Nothing. Just follow Zhao Xingye's lead. If she is alive then she will be able to take all of you out. Your mission is to protect her as much as possible."
Leng Qiuyue had a most perplexed look on her countenance. This mission was too weird for her liking. She got a feeling that Lu Qingyun had known about the mission details because he did not have any reaction from the conversations.
After Lie Xingyuan had heard Shen Yufeng detailing the recon mission, her heart was beginning to grow a little fearful for Lu Qingyun. She thought with a fearful heart, "This seems like a most unusual mission. What is this mission really about? If Supremacy Yufeng were to join in the recon mission then won't this mission be much easier? After all, a sixth realm expert can get the party out of many difficult situations. And why not send this Zhao Riyue enter the Red Death Valley with them and instead she is staying put outside the Red Death Valley? Surely it is not because I need someone to take care of my safety?"
Both Leng Qiuyue and Lie Xingyuan were not dense and they could sense that there was something amiss for this mission.
Lu Qingyun suddenly said, "I think I can just go in with Maiden Zhao Xingye. What do you think?" He was a little afraid that this mission may endanger Leng Qiuyue…
Leng Qiuyue was gasping as she protested, "No, I want to be part of the main recon party."
Shen Yufeng replied firmly, "No, three is the minimum as well as the maximum. The third person has to be there to cover the blind spot of the second person. If there is nothing else, you may set off now."