Martial Universe: The Eyes That Determine the Fate

Chapter 14 Guiding the Way, Rumors

Someone suddenly remembered what had happened earlier, frowned, and muttered in a low voice, "Do you guys remember? Before that official made his move, he said we were blocking his way to the east."

Upon hearing this, the people around him stopped what they were doing and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"East? That's not right. Our Black Dragon Village is clearly in the western mountains, it has nothing to do with the east."

"Yes! Such a powerful person, with extraordinary abilities, how come they can't even tell which way is which? It's really baffling."

"I don't understand. Maybe they're from out of town and just arrived in this area, so they can't tell east from west."

"No wonder they suddenly got into a conflict with us; they must have gotten the directions wrong. Really..."

A group of people whispered amongst themselves, their minds filled with doubt. They felt that this powerful figure possessed extraordinary strength, yet his ability to find his way around was somewhat strange and comical.

Just as everyone was chatting enthusiastically, a figure suddenly walked slowly up the stone steps and reappeared in front of everyone.

It was Li Yi, who had just left not long ago.

In an instant, all the henchmen fell silent, their faces drained of color, their hair stood on end, and they froze on the spot, too terrified to even breathe. The words they had been whispering just moments before were still on their lips, but now no one dared to utter another word. They all lowered their heads, helpless and filled with extreme fear.

No one expected Li Yi to return. Could it be that his private conversation was overheard and he's back to settle scores?

After a moment of deathly silence, a slightly more skilled and bolder minor leader steeled himself, stepped forward tremblingly, bowed deeply, and said in a trembling voice, "M-Sir, you...you've returned? Is there anything else you need?"

Li Yi's expression was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger. He said indifferently, "Nothing else, just came back to pick up some things."

"I have very little money left, only a few dozen copper coins. The journey is long, so I need to prepare some money and supplies."

Everyone was stunned upon hearing this, never expecting that such a powerful figure would be short of travel expenses and have to turn back to get money.

The junior leader quickly realized what was going on and respectfully said, "I see. Please follow me, sir. Our Black Dragon Stronghold has a treasury containing gold, silver, and a considerable amount of Yang Yuan Stones for cultivation, as well as some Yang Yuan Pills. Please feel free to take as you wish, sir."

Li Yi nodded slightly, without declining.

The leader quickly led the way, respectfully guiding Li Yi towards the secret room where Black Dragon Village temporarily stored its valuables. The other henchmen stood far to the side, not daring to approach, only daring to watch from afar, their hearts still pounding with anxiety.

Soon they arrived at the door of the secret chamber. Pushing open the stone door, they found chests of gold and silver coins, rows of wooden boxes containing lustrous Yang Yuan stones, and several boxes containing Yang Yuan pills.

Li Yi didn't stand on ceremony. He casually picked out several heavy bags of gold and silver, and also selected dozens of high-quality Yang Yuan stones. He pocketed all the Yang Yuan pills.

After taking the items, Li Yi stepped out of the secret room.

Just as he stepped out of the stone gate, the junior leader behind him hesitated for a long time, gritted his teeth, and finally mustered up his courage to step forward and call out to him in a low voice, "Sir, please wait."

Li Yi paused, turned to the side, looked at him, and asked, "Is there anything else?"

The junior leader's heart tightened. He suppressed his unease, bowed, and cautiously said, "I just heard that you are heading east, sir. If I may be so bold as to say something..."

He pointed to a secluded mountain path in the distance and said earnestly, "Sir, to the east of here lies a desolate, uninhabited burial ground with no way to go. If you are heading to the main road to the east, you should detour through this mountain path and follow the ridge. That is the proper way to travel east."

The surrounding henchmen held their breath, afraid that their leader's words might displease Li Yi, yet they also secretly felt they should remind him, lest this powerful figure really go astray and wander into the desolate mountains.

Upon hearing this, Li Yi's eyes flickered slightly. He looked at him quietly for a moment, neither getting angry nor saying anything more, but simply nodding slightly.

"understood."

Seeing that he wasn't angry, the foreman breathed a sigh of relief and quickly and carefully explained the intersections and landmarks along the way, afraid that he might not have explained things clearly enough and delay his journey.

Li Yi listened quietly, noted down the route, and didn't linger any longer. He glanced at the crowd but didn't look at them again. Following the mountain path pointed out by the leader, he set off towards the true east.

The group of henchmen watched him leave until he was completely out of sight before they dared to secretly breathe a sigh of relief, exchange glances, and feel a mix of emotions.

This powerful individual with double pupils possessed unfathomable strength and a cold, taciturn nature. However, he was not unapproachable; he showed no airs when given directions, making him truly enigmatic.

The two days passed in the blink of an eye.

The news that Yan Kuo, the leader of Black Dragon Stronghold, and Wu Sha, the second-in-command, had both died spread like a thunderbolt throughout Qingyang Town, shaking all the forces, large and small, in the town.

Black Dragon Stronghold had dominated the surrounding mountains for many years, and its two leaders were both at the Heavenly Origin Realm. They were already considered powerful figures in the vicinity of Qingyang Town, and ordinary forces were unwilling to provoke them easily. No one expected that both Heavenly Origin Realm experts would perish, and even the stronghold would disband.

Those Black Dragon Village henchmen who had miraculously survived scattered and returned to various places around Qingyang Town, spreading the news of what they had seen and heard that day.

Rumors spread like wildfire, growing ever wider and wider.

However, what is most concerning is not the destruction of Black Dragon Village, but the way it was destroyed.

One man, all alone, fought his way from the foot of the mountain to the summit. Two or three hundred henchmen were either dead, fled, or scattered. The once-great Black Dragon Stronghold vanished from the map overnight.

That person was just a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy in the mid-stage of the Earthly Realm.

The news spread like wildfire, and soon the entire town of Qingyang was abuzz with discussion about it.

"Have you heard? Black Dragon Stronghold has been wiped out!"

"Who did it? The Lei family? The Xie family? Or was it the Lin family?"

"Neither. It was one person, a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy, who fought his way from the foot of the mountain to the top all by himself. Both leaders of the Heavenly Origin Realm are dead."

"Bullshit. Heavenly Origin Realm? Two of them? Fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys? Do you think I'm a three-year-old?"

"I'd be a dog if I lied to you! My cousin works at Black Dragon Stronghold, he saw it with his own eyes! That boy looked about fifteen or sixteen, as cold as ice. His cultivation was only at the mid-Earth Origin stage!"

"Mid-stage Earthly Realm? Fighting two mid-stage Heavenly Realm cultivators? Can you at least make your story believable?"

"I knew you wouldn't believe me. Let me ask you this: have you ever seen purple eyes? The kind with two pupils?"

"...Are you drunk?"

"That's called double pupils! My cousin said so. The boy glared at us, and the gang leader froze, unable to move! Then a halberd shot out from his eyes, and the gang leader's head flew off!"

"...You're getting more and more outrageous."

"I know you don't believe me, but it's true! All the brothers from Black Dragon Stronghold have run away, and the news is spreading everywhere!"

"Do you know his name?"