Chapter 15: The Crisis Arrives

  "Be able to refine good things, first keep it a secret, wait until I've refined it before telling you. Foolish, chubby, don't go pick it now! Must wait until it blooms! The efficacy of the medicine is only 10% when it's in bud form! Must wait until it fully blooms!" Zhuge Mingyue hastily stopped Wan Qi Chen's actions.

  Wan Xi Zhen stopped and scratched his head with a embarrassed smile. He really didn't know when the flowers bloomed to pick them.

  "Let's camp here for the night. This seven-colored Linglong hasn't fully bloomed yet, I estimate it should be ready by tonight, let's wait here for a night, otherwise if we get eaten by some ferocious beast it would be a pity." Zhuge Mingyue made the decision. Wan Qi Chen and Xue Zihao had no objections and both agreed.

  Wan Zichen tied the rope at the top of the mountain, and the three slid into the valley to set up a tent. Then Xue Zi Hao and Wan Zichen slid down the foot of the mountain, hugged some dry firewood back, lit a bonfire, and settled down.

  "What a great place!" Xue Zihao shot another arrow, killing a smaller beast. These beasts seemed to have come here to eat the medicinal herbs, and there were still many fierce beasts in the first half of the night, but in the second half of the night, they clearly decreased significantly. Apparently, the beasts had smelled the bloody smell, and their instincts told them that this side was dangerous, so they didn't come again.

  That night, Xue Zihao and Wan Qichen took turns keeping watch, while Zhuge Mingyue slept soundly.

  But this evening was not peaceful for some others.

  ……

  "What? You're saying a B-level fugitive has entered the Longshan Mountains?" The principal of White Feather Academy was sleeping soundly, but after being woken up and hearing this news, he broke out in cold sweat. One hundred and seventy-eight new students were currently training in the Longshan Mountains, and in front of a truly experienced fugitive with rich combat experience, these young people's fighting abilities were no stronger than those of unarmed children. If something went wrong, White Feather Academy's reputation, built up over hundreds of years, would be ruined. The other party was a B-level fugitive, after all - how many lives had they taken? Could such an evil person be expected to show mercy when encountering the academy's students?

  "Yes, yes, now it's not just the city guards, even the city lord's mansion guards and several family guards have been dispatched." The principal of education, who was running in a hurry with a big sweat on his head, said breathlessly.

  "What kind of person is a Class B fugitive, and is he alone? When did he enter the Longshan Mountains? What's his purpose? Is he hiding here or does he have another goal?" The principal, having seen many things, quickly forced himself to calm down and asked several key questions in one breath.

  "There's only one." The principal's words made the president slightly relieved, but the next sentence made the president's heart hang again. "The purpose is not very clear, only knowing that it was originally a lively bandit on the border, named Luo Xiao, who had done many cases in recent years and had been wanted nationwide. This time, I don't know why he fled to our Cangfeng City, and on the way, he even robbed the county magistrate's hometown visiting team. It is said... it is said that he also raped and killed the county magistrate's daughter." When saying this, the principal's voice unconsciously lowered a bit.

  "Ah……” The principal's face changed in an instant. Having been wanted for many years and evading capture, it was clear that this notorious outlaw was not only extremely powerful but also extremely cunning. During his escape, he even dared to rob the county governor's convoy, killing the governor's daughter, revealing a ruthless and brutal side to his nature. The principal's heart skipped a beat as he thought of the new students who had just entered the mountains.

  "Principal, principal, something's wrong!" Another young teacher rushed in, looking extremely anxious.

  "What's wrong?" The principal suddenly stood up, his heart sinking rapidly, had something gone wrong?

  "Just received news, the bandit Luo Xiao has entered our Cang Feng City in Xun Long Mountain Range and clashed with the city lord's guards and the Pang family." The young instructor said breathlessly.

  "What was the result?" The principal asked anxiously.

  "That fleeing bandit was injured and escaped into the mountains, but the City Lord's Mansion Guard's Si Nan Hua and the Pang family's Pang Wu Qing were also wounded by him."

  The principal's face turned pale, and his breathing became rapid. Si Nan Hua and Pang Yuan Qing both graduated from Bai Yu Academy, so the principal naturally had some understanding of their abilities. These two people had already reached the level of high-ranking swordsmen when they graduated, and after a few years, their strength should have increased significantly. The fact that they couldn't even capture Luo Xiao and got injured instead shows that this fugitive at least has the strength of a high-ranking swordsman, or maybe even a Grand Swordsman.

  The only fortunate thing is that this thug was also injured, and the threat has been slightly reduced.

  But a group of new students who had just passed the assessment, even if they were geniuses, how strong could their abilities be? More importantly, their actual combat experience was almost zero. What would happen when they encountered such powerful and experienced outlaws with cruel means? The principal didn't dare to think about it anymore.

  "Principal, what should we do?" The Dean of Studies asked cautiously, observing the principal's changing expression.

  "You numbskull, are you still asking me what to do? Immediately dispatch all the personnel and bring back all the students for me. Not a single one can be missing! If anyone is short of even a hair on their head, I'll flay your skin!" The principal almost bellowed.

  After they all went out, the principal hesitated for a moment and changed his clothes to rush towards Xunlong Mountain Range.

  Soon, all the teachers of White Feather Academy gathered at the entrance of the mountain range. The major families in the city, including wealthy merchants and aristocratic families, also sent their own masters to wait here. Among these families, some had children who were training in the mountains, so they cooperated with the academy's actions without reservation. After gathering everyone, they divided into regions and advanced into the mountain range separately.

  At the same time, the city guard also laid out manpower in the Xunlong Mountains to search for B-level fugitive Luo Xiao.

  In the pitch-black night, outside the quiet Longwang Mountains, a piece of noise was heard, countless people were searching in the forest, and their cries echoed far away in the mountains. Those birds and beasts that had long been accustomed to the quietness of the forest were frightened and fled in all directions, and the forest became chaotic.

  Under intense search efforts, the trainees were brought back one after another.

  "One hundred and thirty-four, one hundred and thirty-five..." The team leader coordinated the actions of all parties while counting the number of people, and his tense mood gradually relaxed.

  "There they are again, five of them!" A sharp-eyed young teacher pointed at the entrance of the mountain range, excitedly shouting.

  As he watched more and more students return, the principal's long-suspended heart finally put down, and the people from various large families and wealthy households around him also showed a relaxed expression.

  Baiyu Academy, the City Lord's Guard, various large families, the City Defense Army, plus the troops that had previously entered the forest to hunt down Luo Jiao, at this time, there were at least several hundred experts gathered on the outskirts of Xunlong Mountain Range. With them coming and going, even if it wasn't a trap, those bandits wouldn't have had any opportunity to attack anyone. If he didn't show up, that would be fine, but as soon as he did, he would be attacked by all sides. Even if he had incredible abilities, he would definitely die without a place to bury his body.

  "How is it, how many students have not returned?" the principal asked. Now in a good mood, Principal-sama has regained his usual calm and composed demeanor.

  "Just three more." The team leader counted again.

  "Which three? Take stock immediately!" The principal said decisively.

  The names reported to him soon furrowed the principal's brow. It was actually Zhuge Mingyue, Wan Qichen and Xue Zihao! Zhuge Mingyue, although her identity is not glorious, but she is after all a member of the Zhuge family. If something happens during training in the academy, he cannot shirk responsibility. Wan Qichen is also very troublesome, one of the three major families of Cangfeng City, and the son of the master of the Wan family. It's likely that he will be the next head of the Wan family. Headache, it's really a headache! If these two people really get into trouble, his position as principal is over!

  "Get a few senior class teachers and the Wan family members to come with me into the mountains to find someone!" The principal made an immediate decision, "Others, escort the students back to the city."

  ……

  Inside the Longshan Mountains, a team of about ten people was making their way through the dense undergrowth, carefully searching every inch of the way. Judging from their clothing and the standard-issue swords in their hands, they were clearly members of the City Guard of Cangfeng City. They had almost left the outer reaches of the Longshan Mountains behind and were gradually entering the interior of the mountain range. Ahead of them, there was barely any sign of a road.

  "Captain, look quickly, there's a piece of torn clothing here!" a soldier exclaimed with joy.

  "Hmm, it was on that notorious outlaw's body. I didn't think he was so cunning, leading us in such a big circle, and finally escaping into the depths of the mountain range." The leader of the city guard said.

  "Captain, shall we continue the pursuit?" The soldier looked at the dense forest and listened to the occasional roar of beasts, asking with a bit of fear.

  "Come on, why not chase him? He's already injured and can't run far. We have over a dozen people here, can't we take him down? This is our chance to get promoted and rich! Brothers, let's get pumped up!" The officer rallied his spirits, waving his arm, with a fierce glint in his eyes.

  "Yes!" The soldiers shouted in unison, straightened their waists and followed the officer to continue advancing deeper into the mountains.

  ……

  On the other end of the outer reaches of the Dragon Mountain Range, in a polluted swamp, a figure quietly emerged from the water's surface, spitting out a mouthful of reeds, taking several deep breaths, and crawling up to the shore with its entire body covered in mud. It then moved forward, creeping towards a hazy mountain shadow in the distance, heading in the direction where Zhuge Mingyue and others were at the Stone Peak.

  Digression

  Those who can throw it into the monthly ticket are gods. Public texts should not be thrown into the monthly ticket, right? The two gods who threw it in, tell me how did you do it?

  By the way, the level of wanted criminals: E-level is the worst, followed by D slightly stronger, then C, B, A. The wanted criminal who is even more powerful and brutal than A is S. The legendary, never caught super-wanted criminal is SSS!