b.l.o.o.d.y, violent, that's the pitiful number of vocabulary Lan Caier could come up with to describe this scene. She just didn't know how to against what she saw.

All those mercenaries with their heads sliced clean off, it's both incredible and horrific at the same time. This was truly beyond what she can take.

Dao Nu on the other hand was less effected, just less, not fine. Although he knew the other “Lord” was a very capable being, but this… he never expected something of this calibre.

This translation is only hosted on bcatranslation

“Wait, Dao Nu, is your master hiding an extremely powerful guard in the shadows?” Lan Caier suddenly came down with this idea.

She had long found it strange that someone as prestigious as Feng Shen would come to Da Xia with merely a housekeeper and a personal attendant. If there's a guard hiding in the shadows, everything would make sense then, for before, and for the carnage before their eyes right now.

“That's right, it's the shadow guard! The blame is on me, I forgot about that because I was too anxious last night.”

This translation is only hosted on bcatranslation

Dao Nu was really thankful for the big girl in coming up with this excuse for him. However, it's not entirely wrong to say it this way in a certain sense. There's indeed a shadow guard, but it's not around his lord's side, but inside of him.

“Wait a second, do you hear something?” Lan Caier had wanted to ask for more details when her ears picked up the sounds of galloping horses.

Further down the road, about a dozen or so soldiers were currently heading their way at breakneck speed. The most notable figure had to be the thickly bearded person in front. Dark red caped, his very existence represented the glorious flag of Da Xia.

Hueee~ As the horses came to a hard stop, their hooves raised a splatter of mud in the process.

“Who is it in front?! How dare you people commit murder on the road.” The soldiers behind the leading one swiftly drew their weapons like a well oiled machine.

Just as the situation reached critical state, one of the soldiers from the pack dismounted, “Caier, how come you are here?”

At first Lan Caier couldn't recognize this soldier with the bow behind his back, but to know her name, it must be someone she knew. That's when her jaws dropped!

“Au……”

She never could've expected to encounter Ye Haung Yu in the Northwestern Plains, plus as a soldier?

“I'm your brother Ye Huang.” Afraid the Caier would say something unnecessary, the disguised woman quickly grabbed onto the girl's shoulder.

Sure enough, that winking and firm grip worked and the big girl quickly shut her mouth.

As a child of a general, she too understands the issues involved here. Da Xia doesn't permit a woman to join the army as a soldier, meaning if her auntie here were to be exposed, it would be treason, a crime guilty of the death penalty.

“Ye Huang, you know these two?” The majestic man riding at the forefront can only be Nie Feng Hang, the infamous General Wolf Tiger.

Speaking about this, it's all quite coincidental. They had only left the Wolf Tiger Army's base camp when they came across the slaughtered scene of the Northwestern Caravan.

As the local authority here, there's no way they can just ignore this. Through careful observation and tracking, the group eventually found their way over to the Black Valley.

“General, this is the eldest daughter of General Lan Ying Wu, and the big man beside her is the personal guard of the Phoenix Lord of North Qing. Caier, this here is my superior, General Nie Feng Hang, also known as General Wolf Tiger.”

Back when Feng Shen gifted her with the seventh rank Dan pill while she was injured, Ye Huang Yu has had the opportunity to meet Dao Nu and his lord. As such, she's very clear on their relations.h.i.+p being very good, which also comes to mind as to why Lan Caier would be here of all places.

The Northwestern Plains of Da Xia were very desolate and far away from the capital. For that reason, the letter Ling Yue left behind for her mother was still on the road being delivered, hence the reason why there's an informational gap.

Following the brief introduction and a quick explanation, Lan Caier had roughly explained everything from yest.u.r.day night, which also directly sent this mother here into a very tight bind.

If not for Nie Feng Hang's presence, she would've definitely ran into the Black Valley by now.

“If that's the case, then these people are responsible for murdering the merchants of the caravan, and they too were killed by the shadow guard tasked with protecting the Phoenix Lord?” Sharp in his eyes, the general can tell the method of killing were very bizarre here. What's more, based on those cuts, he can discern it's likely done by the same person.

What kind of shadow guard would have such skill? This is no laughing matter, especially when the person is lurking inside the premise of Da Xia.

Noticing the frown in the general's face and how he was constantly investigating the markings, Dao Nu's heart grew increasingly worried like a hand had gripped him by the heart. He's worried, worried that the man would notice something strange and figure out the truth.

“General, my sister is still trapped inside the Black Valley. I hope you can help me bring her back.” Lan Caier could care less about whatever danger to Da Xia or whatever secret Dao Nu had, she only cares about Ling Yue and that's the only thing she will care about in this moment.

For that reason, General Wolf Tiger had become her last saving grace so there's no way she will let go.

“General, I'm willing to enter the Black Valley,” Ye Huang Yu was also very impatient.

According to the big girl, her daughter had entered the valley for the entire night. She understands Ling Yue was a smart and witty person, but alone in unfamiliar territory, any mother would be worried sick.

“What is the relations.h.i.+p between that girl and you?” Nie Feng Hang had never seen his subordinate act so out of character, making it all the more suspicious.

“She is my foster sister. Before General Lan recognized her, Ling Yue had always lived with me in my home. She and I grew up together.” Quick in her response, the woman makes up some nonsense while also being truthful in some way.

“Even so, we cannot just rush into the Black Valley. I want you all to know that the depths of the Black Valley is a forbidden ground strictly prohibited by the three great school and nine sects. Even His Majesty the King cannot easily disobey that order. Also, I heard the inner ground is a seal used to suppress a great evil from ancient times, we can't just barge in there carelessly.” Rubbing his temple, the general also appears to be troubled by the situation.

The three great schools and nine sects?

While Lan Caier remains confused by the explanation, Ye Huang Yu was very well acquainted with those names because Marquis Wu had specifically explained it to her before.

In short, the “three great schools and nine sects” refers to the greatest factions making up this world's balance of power.