Why do the disciples of the Yuling Sect become hostile and resort to violence upon encountering someone from Xuan State? Lan Shange and his comrades with bushy bearded faces quietly felt a bit embarrassed, for they likely knew why, realizing that the hostile reaction had been sparked by the "good deeds" they had committed before.

Previously, these three had been the targets of their pursuit and had managed to escape; after searching everywhere without success, they thought they would never encounter them again – yet here they were, clashing with others. Shouldn't one choose fights they could actually win? Losing their temper this way could only lead to their own destruction; what on earth were these three thinking?

A group of them acted as if nothing had happened and no one revealed that the trouble had originated from their actions, subsequently involving other people from Xuan State.

Since the others had already spoken to this extent, continuing to argue would just look foolish; they did not press the two to join them anymore, as it wasn't like they were indispensable.

"Therefore, the two of you are free to choose as you please." Lan Shange, the bushy-bearded man, clasped his hands in salutation, then waved to his comrades, and led his group away.

Everyone to their own path under the sky, without disturbing each other.

Once they had left, Shi Chun immediately dropped his stance and hopped back up onto the dirt mound, crouching down to observe the direction in which the group had departed.

Wu Jinliang quickly searched the bodies for any valuables, then picked up three swords from the ground and also sprang to the dirt mound, raising the swords, "I'll go make the identification plaques."

Similar tasks had been plentiful in their past, so many details went without saying as he knew exactly what needed to be done next.

It wasn't that the pair didn't want to follow that group, but at present, they simply couldn't; once the people from Xuan State wanted to check the plaques on their bracelets to verify identities, their cover would immediately be blown.

The main issue was that the plaques on the hand weren't easily changed; the bracelets were tied in a manner that made them impossible to pull off without severing the hand. Moreover, the material of the bracelet was not ordinary – beyond the strength of their cultivation to tear, and resistant to their weapons as well.

Since they had encountered the Yuling Sect group unexpectedly and had to act on the fly, learning about another sect called Youxia Mountain in the process, there had been no time to fabricate anything.

Thus, the best strategy to join the group from Xuan State was to let them know unambiguously that the pair had no intention of joining them, first establishing a point of effort for later.

Shi Chun glanced back and warned, "The last time you made an indenture it was too crude; if I hadn't handled it on the spot, it wouldn't have passed muster. Don't make such sloppy work again; it's too easy to slip up."

Wu Jinliang responded, "There were so many characters on that indenture, and I couldn't ask anyone else to write it for me. Given my level of handwriting, making it realistic is hard enough."

Shi Chun asked, "This sword isn't easy to cut either, right?"

Wu Jinliang chuckled, "Both our knives were forged by me – have you had any problems using them? I didn't waste my time learning with the blacksmiths of Zhixu City. I have my ways. Besides…" He pointed at the sword guard with his pinky, "The decorations here probably aren't that hard; if it comes to it, I can pry this off to make do."

Shi Chun remarked, "Leave markers on the path."

"You do the same," Wu Jinliang said as he turned and ran off, following lower ground to avoid making noises that could alert the previous group.

Shi Chun lay observing for a while, and once he saw the people from Xuan State rise and leave, he too swiftly slipped away, stealthily tracking them …

In the training field, Elder Fei Zhengong of the Yuling Sect and two disciples stood up slowly, their gaze towards the mirror heavy with concern.

After waiting half the night, it was finally their turn for broadcast, but the image in the mirror only showed two complete corpses and nearby severed limbs.

An elder from another sect sighed lightly at the sight, realizing their fears had materialized, probably the work of those two from Wu Kang Mountain.

This time, the broadcast involved not only the three injured disciples but also two who had gone missing.

Consequently, the next segment immediately followed showing two more exposed corpses in the wilderness.

This meant that all the participants from the Yuling Sect had been annihilated.

The crowd inside the training field mostly showed no reaction; with images changing every fifty seconds, they had grown numb from watching, indifferent to events that did not concern individuals of particular prominence.

Even if the clothes on the bodies looked familiar, no one recalled them belonging to the Yuling Sect disciples who confronted Shi Chun, unless they already recognized the Yuling Sect's uniforms.

The sight of corpses had simply become too common.

Yet, there were unrelated observers who remembered, including the chief in the best viewing spot, gifted with an exceptional memory. Not only did he recognize the clothes, but he also identified the dead as the ones who had previously confronted Shi Chun.

Looking around, he noticed that the dozens of domain masters present earlier had scattered, leaving only two newcomers who had no context for what had occurred earlier; they were merely there to sit and watch.

Without queries from the two domain masters, the chief remained silent in his corner.

On the viewing platform reserved by Young Master Nan, the crowd had thinned out; with the world in the mirror nearing dusk and losing appeal, Young Master Nan was gone, and Lan Qiaoyan and her daughter had left earlier, leaving only the cleaning staff to clear up after the elite patrons.

Only the personnel from various sects still relevant to the field maintained their vigil, with even Feng Chi enveloped in his cloak and seated in meditation. This represented the state of many from the sects, alternately monitoring the mirror and resting in meditation.

Suddenly, Elder Ke was awakened by a disciple beside him, as three strangers approached. Before he could rise to inquire, the leader of the newcomers introduced himself, "I am Elder Fei Zhengong of the Yuling Sect."

Elder Ke was taken aback but instantly grasped the situation – these were from the same sect as the three individuals who confronted Shi Chun.

He hadn't even known about the Yuling Sect until others from Sheng Province informed him, multiple sects at that, his ears nearly worn out from their persistent information.

Elder Ke stood up, returned the courtesy, and introduced himself, "Wu Kang Mountain Elder, Ke Yizong."

"Turns out it's Elder Ke." Fei Zhengong slightly bowed with a mocking smile and said, "I'd like to ask, does my Yuling Sect have some grievance with your esteemed sect? Why did your disciples go so far as to intercept and not only severely wound ours, but also finish them off?"

Had they killed him? Elder Ke looked bewilderedly towards his disciples on either side, inquiring with his eyes.

There was also a hint of blame: why hadn't they woken him when they had Shi Chun and others' reflections.

The two disciples were equally taken aback, both shook their heads indicating they had not seen it.

That being the case, Elder Ke immediately counter-questioned, "You're Elder Fei, right? Did you personally witness my disciples killing yours?"

Fei Zhengong responded, "The scene where your disciples intercepted mine is known by everyone present; when the scene with my disciple resumed, he was already dead..."

Before he could finish, Elder Ke directly interrupted, pressuring him, "Did you, Elder Fei, personally see my disciples do the killing?"

He seized on this point and insisted on evidence being presented by the other.

Fei Zhengong was rendered speechless by his questioning, and since he couldn't resort to violence here, he coldly snorted, swung his sleeves, and left, clearly indicating his disciples hadn't died in vain and that they should just wait.

Elder Ke immediately responded sarcastically, "No need to see you off!"

To be a local sect in Shengzhou was one thing; they would inevitably run into each other, but for a sect from the far-off Ying State to come and make accusations? Did Wukang Mountain have no shame with so many Shengzhou Sects watching?

And really, was Wukang Mountain's Royal Court background so feeble?

Bowing to Life Continent Domain Master Wei Mo was only because they were on his turf, but for an unknown sect from Ying State to come causes trouble was simply absurd.

Moreover, with all the killing depicted in the reflections, no clan usually confronted others directly based on it; why were they special when it came to Wukang Mountain? Perhaps they thought Wukang Mountain was an easy target.

Thinking that even the Domain Master had come knocking, he felt infuriated yet again.

"Yuling Sect, come collect your dead!"

As the armored warrior called this out in the middle of the training ground, the field was abuzz again, everyone whispering if it was indeed that Yuling Sect...

The night had not yet fallen, and within the vast temporary camp, flickering Sandal Gold Flame Energy provided light.

Shi Chun lay low behind a large boulder in a dip, surveying the massive scale of the camp. Judging by the numbers, there were at least seven or eight thousand people, probably the gathering of troops led by Su Yuan Sect, representing Xuan State.

He glanced in the direction the people with the bluish brush-bearded had returned to.

He dared not act rashly and approach since he had seen that sentries were switched out covertly around the camp.

As dusk deepened, he suddenly heard a rustling sound from behind. Turning back, he saw Wu Jinliang had sneaked back.

Wu Jinliang grinned, first peeked over to check the camp, then climbed up and sat behind the rock, putting down his big saber and rolling up his sleeves, revealing a chain on his wrist, originally with only one tag, now had a tag at both ends.

He explained, "I had no tools on hand. It was too hard to forge the chain properly, so I just made a makeshift tag for now. I'll teach you, when they want to look, you press down on the real one and show them the fake one at the back."

Saying that, he casually tossed a freshly made tag to Shi Chun.

The tag, not even half a finger long, read one side: "Xuan State Youxia Mountain One" and the other side: "Wang Sheng."

Wu Jinliang chuckled, "I picked a good name, right? Full of might, an omen of certain victory, far better styled than your 'Shi Chun.'"

Shi Chun immediately snatched his wrist to check.

One side read: "Xuan State Youxia Mountain Two."

The other side read: "Gao Qiang."

Not to comment on the appropriateness of the name, knowing he could only be number two, Shi Chun didn't argue. He compared the fake tag with the real one on the bracelet; the regularity of the font, and the color discrepancy between the tags were too obvious upon comparison, revealing it's a fake.

However, Shi Chun was quite satisfied with this level of forgery, "Not bad, it'll suffice."

He said this as he began hanging it on his own bracelet.

Their standard for forgery was always low, much like their moral standards.

They understood that no matter how realistic the forgery, it wouldn't withstand close examination or actual verification; it need only be passable.

Seeing him struggle to hang the tag single-handedly, Wu Jinliang stepped in to assist, meanwhile reminding, "The people of Xuan State probably stay together at the Royal Mountain; there might be those among them who recognize someone from Youxia Mountain. Isn't our own attire too dubious, impersonating Youxia Mountain while dressed in Wukang Mountain garments?"

"I'd like to change as well, but can we find clothes that fit you? If the clothes don't fit right, anyone can tell they're fakes, necessitating a thorough check of the bracelet and tags." Shi Chun scoffed dismissively and then casually remarked, "Forget it, it doesn't matter, if someone really suspects, just eliminate them and it's done."

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