Chapter 12: Battle of Wits

Chapter 12: Battle of Wits

Pang Jian blankly shook his head. "I don't know."

When the Eye of Imprint changed, he searched the crowd for the one receiving the information. Unexpectedly, the bronze pendant his father left him had become scorching hot.

Not wanting to reveal his secret, Pang Jian could only feign ignorance.

However, Shangguan Qin was not willing to let the matter drop. "You don't know? The Blood Moon Sect's Eye of Imprint wouldn't have just randomly selected someone like you."

"Enough!" Zhou Qingchen interrupted. He coughed lightly before solemnly asking, "Pang Jian, did you see anything else?"

"Anything else?" Pang Jian pondered seriously, then said, "After the vine-like entities killed the Blood Moon Sect cultivators and devoured their bodies, it retreated into the fissures. It should do the same after it's done with the members of Shangguan Clan."

The expressions on everybody's faces turned grim.

"Is that all?" Zhou Qingchen questioned with a heavy heart.

"The next scene I saw after that was you leading the way there," Pang Jian replied.

With that, the blanks were all filled in. Everything else that Pang Jian had witnessed through the Eye of Imprint, Zhou Qingchen had personally experienced.

The young master of the Zhou Clan recalled how Pang Jian was unaffected by the demonic sound emanating from the stone pile. Now, with the special favor shown by the Eye of Imprint, he speculated that there had to be some profound mystery about Pang Jian that he either could not discern or that could not be logically explained.

As everyone was in deep thought, Pang Jian addressed Shangguan Qin, "It should be safe to go back now. You can go collect the belongings of the deceased."

Shangguan Qin's previously alluring face was filled with panic and helplessness. She had yet to recover from the shock. In a cold tone, she said, "I don't believe a single word coming from your mouth!"

Her prejudice against Pang Jian ran deep. All she could think of was capturing him by any means necessary and prying open the secrets hidden within his heart.

Pang Jian seemed oblivious to her prejudice as he replied, "I'm willing to return and help you retrieve the belongings of the members of the Shangguan Clan."

The hatred in Shangguan Qin's eyes did not diminish. Through gritted teeth, she bit out, "You're so kind."

"We can go together," Pang Jian suggested.

Shangguan Qin hesitated, a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, before she said coldly, "I don't believe you."

Pang Jian glanced at the crowd. "What about the rest of you? If you don't believe me, you can join me to go take a closer look."

Zhou Qingchen was surprised. Just as he was about to express his desire to join Pang Jian, he noticed Ning Yao opening her mouth to speak. Thus, he chose to remain silent.

"I'll accompany you," Ning Yao volunteered. Seeing everyone's surprise, she calmly explained, "I believe Pang Jian, but it might still be dangerous, so it would be more prudent for me to accompany him."

"Ning Yao, the situation there is still unclear. It might not be the best idea for you to go," Ning Yuanshan said worriedly.

"Don't worry. If Pang Jian dares to go, why should I be afraid?"

Ning Yao rode her warhorse and approached Pang Jian. She then patted her horse's head and whispered a few words into its ear.

Straightening her slightly protruding chest, she declared, "I'll ride on your horse."

Without waiting for Pang Jian's response, she leaped up, gracefully landing behind Pang Jian. Between Ning Yao and Pang Jian was the bamboo basket on his back, conveniently serving as a barrier that prevented them from getting too close.

***

Meanwhile, Pang Jian rode stiffly. Ning Yao's hands were still on his waist, thrumming with spiritual power.

He feared she would lose control and blast his internal organs to pieces. All through the ride, he remained tense, and his forehead was drenched in sweat.

Once they were far out of sight, Pang Jian heard Ning Yao's cold voice near his ear. "Pang Jian. Remember, the money you accepted was from the Ning Clan, not Zhou Qingchen. When danger arises, you should tell me first so we can leave with you! You took our Ning Clan's money and ride our Ning Clan's warhorse, but the first person you told was Zhou Qingchen!"

Ning Yao pinched the flesh on Pang Jian's waist, causing him to inhale sharply. Pang Jian grimaced in pain, fearing that Ning Yao's fingers would release a burst of spiritual power and kill him instantly.

Fortunately, Ning Yao only pinched him. Though he was in excruciating pain, he knew that Ning Yao was just trying to teach him a lesson and not actually trying to kill him.

Pang Jian said in a low voice, "The gray ape was my friend. When I made that clear, Zhou Qingchen tried his best to protect it for me. Meanwhile, you and your uncle said nothing."

"It's your friend, not mine. What does it have to do with me?" Ning Yao coldly chuckled.

Pang Jian chose to remain silent.

Not long after, the warhorse arrived at the brutal scene.

A thick, pungent smell of blood permeated the area in front of them. After Pang Jian stopped, he caught sight of a large skeleton.

The skeleton belonged to Luo Meng. His flesh and organs were gone, and his bones were soaked in blood. Even his eyeballs had been devoured. The hollow eye sockets looked as though they were filled with despair.

The vine-like entities only devoured the flesh of the dead. The belongings of Luo Meng and the other members of the Shangguan Clan were left untouched and scattered around the skeletons.

Ning Yao pinched her nose, shoved Pang Jian, and ordered in a disgusted tone, "Go and help Shangguan Qin retrieve their belongings."

She liked to be clean, and the bloodstained items were simply too disgusting for her. With Pang Jian present, she saw no reason to handle them personally.

"Alright." Pang Jian had already expected this. Dismounting, he collected the items, disregarding the bloodstains as he bound them together with hemp rope.

Ning Yao did not dismount. Instead, she kept a watchful eye on Pang Jian as she studied the skeletal remains and the Formless Sailboat.

She suspected Pang Jian had a hidden motive for returning and doubted he was helping Shangguan Qin out of goodwill.

"I plan to look around in the Formless Sailboat," Pang Jian suddenly said.

This statement confirmed Ning Yao's suspicions. She pretended to ask in surprise, "The Formless Sailboat? Everyone who went to explore it just now died. Are you sure you want to go?"

Pang Jian nodded. "They died because the Eye of Imprint needed fresh blood. It was a blood sacrifice. Now that the Eye of Imprint has exploded, it's safe inside the sailboat's cabin."

After he finished speaking, he turned toward the Formless Sailboat.

"I'll go have a look," Ning Yao declared as she dismounted. Swiftly leaping over the fissures on the ground and heading toward the Blood Moon Sect's Formless Sailboat, she ordered, "You remain here. If there's any strange movement outside, you must inform me immediately!"

Pang Jian frowned. "Alright."

Ning Yao turned her head to see Pang Jian looking despondent. This further convinced her that the Blood Moon Sect had left behind treasures on the Formless Sailboat. Pang Jian likely learned about them through the Eye of Imprint, which was why he insisted on coming back.

"Despite his young age, he's wildly ambitious," Ning Yao muttered to herself. It seemed that this taciturn young man was not so simple after all.