newbobooks Chapter 414 The Dark River is on the move, the Umbrella Ghost & the Undertaker!
Chapter 414 The Dark River is on the move, the Umbrella Ghost & the Undertaker!
Upon receiving information about Medicine King Valley, Yi Bu immediately summoned Luo Qingying and Luo Guhong, two outstanding second-generation disciples, to the sect to receive orders.
One of them was on duty in Tianqi City, and the other had just returned from Luzhou. Hearing that their master had given the order, they dared not delay. In less than an hour, they both stood outside the sect's main hall to wait.
"Senior Brothers Qingying and Guhong, Master has ordered you two to come to the hall and await further instructions!"
A junior disciple walked out of the hall and bowed to the two of them.
The two exchanged a glance and quickly stepped into the main hall, which was brightly lit. Ib was already sitting in the main seat, waiting for them.
"Qingying and Guhong, you two have done a good job these days. Among the second-generation disciples, only the two of you can be considered outstanding. I have summoned you here today because I have something to tell you, and it is on the orders of His Majesty the Emperor!"
Upon hearing that Yi Bu said it was an imperial decree, Luo Qingying and Luo Guhong exchanged bewildered glances. In terms of both character and martial arts skills, they were far inferior to Luo Qingyang.
Although they were both disciples of the Shadow Sect, Yi Bu did not treat them well and had never been involved in any missions related to the royal family.
It was only because Luo Qingyang left the sect and went to the desert that they were chosen from among the short ones.
"If Master gives you an order, just give the instructions. We will do our best and will certainly not let Master down!"
Luo Qingying preemptively expressed her loyalty to Luo Guhong, earning him a roll of his eyes.
Ignoring his words, Yi Bu took out the white silk handkerchief that Ji Ruofeng had just given him from his bosom and said:
"These days, the imperial court needs to collect some yin-nourishing and yang-tonifying medicines from the common people, but unfortunately, the only place in the entire Northern Li region that is the best place to go is Medicine King Valley."
Moreover, good medicine must be paired with good doctors. Xin Baicao is renowned throughout the land, and His Majesty has specifically ordered our Shadow Sect to bring the Medicine King Xin Baicao to Tianqi before the 19th of this month, no matter what. This matter... I entrust it to the two of you!"
Luo Qingying and Luo Guhong found the matter increasingly suspicious, but given Yi Bu's temper, they dared not say a word and could only stand up, clasp their hands in agreement.
"Disciple obeys. Master, please rest assured, we will do our utmost to bring back the Medicine King!"
Yi Bu was quite satisfied with their reactions, but he didn't retract the hand holding the handkerchief. Instead, he looked at his two junior disciples with interest and said:
“Words may sound nice, but that doesn’t guarantee the task can be accomplished. It’s not that I don’t believe in your abilities, but this matter is of utmost importance. His Majesty has repeatedly warned us that nothing should go wrong, so…”
At this point, Ib paused, then clutched the handkerchief in his hand and tossed it to Luo Qingying:
"I intend to provide you with some assistance. After all, Medicine King Valley is not an ordinary place. In case your strength is insufficient, it will be good to have someone to help you."
Luo Qingying took the handkerchief and quickly memorized the location, path, and sketch of Medicine King Valley written on it.
After listening to Yi Bu's words, Luo Qingying looked up and asked cautiously:
"The help Master mentioned, could it be... Hawkeye?"
Ib sighed, a hint of exasperation in his voice.
"Foolish! Hawkeye is the royal guard's most elite guard. The Ye family traitors already suffered losses when they came to the palace to steal the bride last time. How could we lend him to you so easily?"
Luo Qingying blushed and lowered her head, not daring to say another word.
Seeing his senior brother being scolded, Luo Guhong secretly rejoiced, thinking to himself, "Serves you right for stealing the limelight! You deserve to be scolded by Master! In terms of martial arts and character, how can you compare to me? You only joined the Shadow Sect a few years earlier than me. If we succeed this time, I will definitely surpass you!"
Ib didn't notice the rivalry between his two disciples, and continued, "..."
"The people of the Dark River seem to have a lot of free time lately. There are two truly outstanding and reliable guys among them. I issued an order two days ago to have them prepare. You will set off immediately tomorrow."
"Once you cross the Yangtze River, the people from the Dark River will meet you in Ezhou. Do not make any mistakes on this journey; if anything goes wrong, you will be punished according to family law!"
Upon hearing this, Luo Qingying and Luo Guhong immediately bowed and clasped their hands in greeting, saying solemnly, "Disciples obey!"
Anhe was originally the name of an underground river located at the junction of Yuzhou and Ezhou.
It is said that this river is usually invisible, and its shadow can only be faintly seen in the deepest night under the dim moonlight.
Follow the river upstream, and you will find a place that resembles a demon's lair, where the most terrifying assassin of our time resides.
Therefore, the name "Dark River" comes from this.
About sixty years ago, a group of notorious assassins emerged in this area.
They are invisible yet omnipresent;
They rule the underworld of Beili with the sharpest swords, the most unpredictable moves, and the deepest-rooted fear.
But life is unpredictable, and even assassins need to survive, which requires something to rely on.
Gradually, the leaders of the Dark River, who were also the heads of various clans, either died in pursuit or were killed, some chose to retire from the underworld, and some slowly infiltrated the court and eventually became parasites under the Shadow Sect.
Yi Shuihan, the founder of the Shadow Sect, was a close friend of Emperor Tianwu Xiao Yi, but after several generations, he gradually lost his former glory.
The Shadow Clan sounds impressive and powerful, but it's nothing more than a front man for the Northern Li royal family; once the dirty work is done, it can be discarded.
In order to get rid of this awkward identity, Shadow Sect began to build its own network and system in the martial arts world, and those terrifying assassins were the best choice!
Thus, the patriarch of a certain Dark River clan entered into a pact with the Shadow Sect, agreeing to both need and be wary of each other.
This is the secret of the Dark River in the world of Shaobai.
……
The next day.
Before dawn, Luo Qingying and Luo Guhong, dressed in black, left Tianqi City and headed straight for Ezhou.
Ezhou, Jiangxia.
As the Shadow Sect disciples set off, Dark River also received a hand order sent by Yi Bu three days earlier.
"What dirty work is it this time?"
Su Changhe, acting nonchalantly, reached out to snatch the note from Su Muyu's hand, but Su Muyu dodged it with a turn of her head.
"It's not about killing someone, it's about finding someone."
Su Muyu still had that cold and aloof look, her jawline as sharp as if it had been carved with a knife.
"Huh?! No, buddy... Has that old bastard Ib lost his mind? We're assassins, not porters. What's he thinking, sending the two of us to find someone?"
"Who are you looking for? His long-lost disciple Luo Qingyang, or his betrothed son-in-law Ye Dingzhi? Damn it, do you really think we're porters? Go to hell!"
Su Changhe twirled the knife in his hand while cursing under his breath.
After reading the note, Su Muyu simply uttered six words:
"Medicine King Valley, Spicy Herbs".
……