The sudden appearance of the Ghost-Faced Emissary was like a massive block of ice hurled into the boiling oil cauldron of Ghost Gate Canyon. The heaven-soaring killing intent was instantly extinguished, replaced by a deathly silence and an atmosphere tense to the absolute extreme.
Upon seeing that familiar demon mask, the lackeys of the Myriad Snake Cave involuntarily shuddered, their eyes revealing clear terror and reverence. This man, within the internal hierarchy of the Black Dragon Stronghold, was an incredibly unique existence. He did not belong to any faction; he took orders directly from the mysterious Cave Master, specializing in executing the most secretive and ruthless missions. His status was even higher than the two Vice Cave Masters, Xa Vuong and Huyet Luyen.
Huyet Luyen stared at the Ghost-Faced Emissary, his gaunt face twitching incessantly. His smugness and arrogance had completely vanished, replaced by profound anger and wariness.
"Ghost-Faced Emissary!" he ground out. "I am in charge of the mission here. What is the meaning of your sudden appearance?"
The masked man didn't even deign to look at him. His gaze, piercing through the empty eye sockets of the mask, was glued to the black iron token in the hand of the "Young Miss", Tran Kien.
"You," the masked man spoke in a deep, gravelly voice. "Are you 'His' person?"
Ly Tin, Trinh Cong, and Lam Vy were all stunned. They completely failed to understand what was happening. Why did Tran Kien possess a token of the Black Dragon Stronghold? Who was "He"? It seemed this chessboard had welcomed a third player, an even more mysterious power.
Tran Kien, standing in the eye of the storm, showed no signs of panic. He knew this was the solitary chance at survival upon which he had gambled his life.
He did not answer the Ghost-Faced Emissary's question. He merely gave a faint, enigmatic, and profound smile, then spoke in the clear, pristine voice of the "Young Miss." Yet, within that voice lay a coldness completely incongruous with his frail exterior.
"Lord Emissary, your arrival is truly timely. Had you been but a moment later, I fear 'His' grand scheme would have been ruined."
He neither admitted nor denied it. He used an ambiguous statement to plunge the opposition deeper into suspicion.
"Ruined his grand scheme?" The Ghost-Faced Emissary narrowed his eyes.
"Is that not the case?" Tran Kien shot a glance at Huyet Luyen, his eyes brimming with mockery. "I acted on 'His' orders, going through great lengths to lure a big fish like the Young Lady of the Duke Dingguo Estate into the net. Everything had been arranged perfectly. We only needed to wait until we reached the Azure Capital to complete the mission, unknown to ghosts and unseen by gods. Yet, this Vice Cave Master here," he pointed at Huyet Luyen, "for the sake of his own selfish desires, wishing to usurp the Lac Viet bloodline to cultivate a demonic art, blatantly led his men to intercept us. He nearly exposed everything. Tell me, Lord Emissary, is this not ruining a grand scheme?"
Every word from Tran Kien was like a sharp dagger, stabbing directly into the darkest depths of Huyet Luyen's heart, whilst simultaneously planting a seed of colossal doubt within the Ghost-Faced Emissary.
"You... you are lying!" Huyet Luyen trembled all over from sheer fury. "It's obvious that you are the enemies!"
"Enemies?" Tran Kien let out a cold laugh, a smile dripping with contempt. He raised the token. "Then what is this? Do you think I just picked it up off the ground? Huyet Luyen, to conceal your own crimes, you dare slander 'His' person? Can you bear the consequences of this responsibility?"
A flawless act! A stratagem of sowing discord executed with unparalleled mastery! Tran Kien used his identity as the "Young Miss", combined with the scavenged token, to transform himself from a prey into another "secret emissary", orchestrating an internal conflict right before the enemies' eyes.
Ly Tin and Trinh Cong, standing behind him, broke out in a cold sweat listening to this. Only now did they truly comprehend just how terrifying this youth's scheming mind was.
The Ghost-Faced Emissary fell silent. He was no fool. He looked at the token, then at Tran Kien's unusually calm demeanor. He began to believe it. The mission to capture the Young Lady of the Duke Dingguo Estate alive was issued by Marquis Vinh An. But the extraction of the Lac Viet bloodline was an even more clandestine mission known only to a few at the very top. This brat Huyet Luyen, driven by greed, might very well have acted on his own.
"Huyet Luyen," the Ghost-Faced Emissary turned, his voice now as cold as ice. "How do you explain this?"
"I..." Huyet Luyen choked. He had no way to explain. He couldn't say he was merely following Marquis Vinh An's orders. "Lord Emissary, do not believe the words of that little wench! She is deceiving you!"
"Deceiving?" Tran Kien laughed again. "Very well. Let us see who the real deceiver is. General Ly," he suddenly ordered Ly Tin, "apprehend that steward and the maidservant for me!"
Ly Tin froze for a split second, then instantly understood his intent. He swung his sword, resting the blade against the necks of Trinh Cong and Lam Vy. Trinh Cong and Lam Vy cooperated flawlessly, immediately putting on terrified, trembling expressions.
"Do you see, Lord Emissary?" Tran Kien said. "These people are from the Duke Dingguo Estate. Keeping them alive will only bring trouble. It would be better to kill them all and only bring 'me', the true Young Lady, back to the Azure Capital. It would be clean and leave no traces. But this Vice Cave Master here insists on keeping everyone. Tell me, does he not harbor ulterior motives?"
This move was unspeakably vicious! Not only did it pour oil on the fire, but it also directly pushed Huyet Luyen into a corner where he could not possibly deny the accusations.
"You... you cunning little wench!!!" Huyet Luyen completely lost his reason. He knew that no matter what he said, the Ghost-Faced Emissary wouldn't believe him. The humiliation and rage had reached their zenith. "I don't care who you are! Today, all of you must die!"
His patience had run dry. With a furious roar, black mist erupted from his body. Yet, he did not attack Tran Kien. Instead, he lunged directly at the Ghost-Faced Emissary! He needed to eliminate this greatest threat first!
The Ghost-Faced Emissary snorted coldly. "You don't know your own limits!"
The two experts of the Black Dragon Stronghold, manipulated by Tran Kien's flawless setup, engaged in a mutual slaughter right in the middle of the canyon.
And that was the exact moment Tran Kien had been waiting for.
The instant the chaotic melee erupted, he didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second.
"GO!!!"
He dropped the "Young Miss" voice, bellowing in a deep, booming tone. He didn't run. He drew the dull black saber, channeling all his Primordial Qi, and slashed out a blade strike imbued with his Saber Intent—Thousand Hammerings, Hundred Refinements!
But his target was not the enemy.
It was the massive boulder blocking their retreat!
BOOM!!!
An earth-shattering explosion rang out. The colossal boulder, struck by Tran Kien's full-powered saber strike, shattered into countless fragments, carving out a path of survival.
"Go, quickly!"
Ly Tin and Trinh Cong had already reacted, immediately escorting Lam Vy through the newly opened path. Tran Kien brought up the rear.
He didn't forget to turn his head back, looking at the chaotic battlefield with a cold smirk.
In this game of chess, there were no winners.
There was only the prey, leisurely escaping the cage, leaving behind a chaotic battlefield where the hunters butchered one another.