Seeing Xiao Xun approach, dragging his feet, impatience flashed in his eyes. "Where have all those Demon Beasts gone? They’ve vanished before I even had the chance to demonstrate my formidable strength."
"Just now, three Cultivators emerged from the City Lord Mansion, and it was they who ordered the Demon Beasts to retreat." The Cultivator had been not far from Song Yan Ning and her companions at the time. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that so many Demon Beasts could cleanly retreat at just a human’s command.
"What?" A look of disbelief flickered across Xiao Xun’s eyes. He knew who had just come out of the City Lord Mansion but he did not believe that they had such capability.
Regaining his composure, he asked in a cold voice, "Is this true?"
"Indeed... indeed," the Cultivator affirmed vigorously with a nod.
With a cold snort, Xiao Xun turned and walked back to the City Lord Mansion. Now that the Demon Beasts had retreated, he couldn’t possibly lead people into Wanshou Forest; that would be akin to seeking death. No matter how strong he was, he was no match for tens of thousands of Demon Beasts.
Surprised to see Xiao Xun return so quickly, the City Lord asked, "Why have you come back?"
"The Demon Beasts have already left Yunlan City," Xiao Xun replied. Still, he did not believe that Song Yan Ning and her two companions had such ability.
Both the City Lord and Steward Liu were taken aback.
"What happened?" the City Lord asked urgently. It was impossible for the Demon Beasts to leave Yunlan City amicably.
"A Cultivator said it was those three who took the Demon Beasts away," Xiao Xun reported unwillingly, still carrying a sense of disbelief.
"They actually have such great power?" The City Lord shook his head in disbelief, filled with regret. If only he had known they possessed such power, he would’ve befriended them at all costs.
"City Lord, I’ll take my leave now," Housekeeper Liu said as he clasped his hands in salute and withdrew. He had made up his mind to leave Yunlan City and wander the world.
"Father, I suspect that the beast tide in Yunlan City is somehow related to those three people," Xiao Xun speculated.
"How so?" asked the City Lord, turning to look at Xiao Xun.
"For hundreds of years, our Yunlan City has coexisted peacefully with Wanshou Forest. Yet, as soon as those three appeared, there was unrest in the forest. How could it be such a coincidence?" The more Xiao Xun spoke, the more convinced he was that his guess was correct.
The City Lord pondered for a moment, "That makes sense."
"Father, we can’t let them off so easily," Xiao Xun said fiercely. Whether or not Song Yan Ning and her companions were behind this Demon Beast tide, he would destroy them; he deeply regretted not taking action earlier.
"Do you have a plan?" asked the City Lord.
"Let’s issue a wanted notice first, publicizing their crimes to the world. There will naturally be people who will go after those three, unless they never come out of Wanshou Forest."
The City Lord thought for a moment and then nodded in agreement, "You handle this matter."
"Yes!" Xiao Xun agreed, thrilled. He was determined to make Song Yan Ning and her companions the target of widespread enmity and ensure they had no place to rest in death.
Led by Demon Beasts, Song Yan Ning and her two companions arrived deep within Wanshou Forest.
"Would you like me to go and inform the lords that you are here?" asked the Demon Beast that brought them.
Song Yan Ning shook her head, "I’ll go in myself."
As she reached the entrance of the cave, she took a deep breath and stepped inside. She felt that the person within might very well be her relative, but she was also afraid that she might have guessed wrong.