266: Chapter 266 Meeting, Solo Journey

Cao Yong's voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire courtyard.

"Yes!"

Dozens of Cabinet elites responded in unison, their voices shaking the clouds.

They were all death-sworn soldiers cultivated under Cao Yong's command, knowing only obedience, not life or death.

Moments later, dozens of pitch-black steeds filed out from the back door of the Cao Estate, blending into the boundless night like ghosts.

The capital's towering city gates slowly opened a crack amidst the dull sounds of the axles, as if a giant beast had opened its gloomy maw.

The city guards were as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to even breathe heavily, and could only watch helplessly as this group of banes roared out.

Their horse hooves were all wrapped in thick cotton cloth, stepping on the bluestone slabs to produce only a dull sound, which was swallowed by the howling night wind in an instant.

Cao Yong sat upright on horseback, his face as pale as paper.

Behind him, dozens of Cabinet elites closely followed.

These people were all death-sworn soldiers meticulously selected by the Cabinet, instilled with the belief of absolute obedience since childhood.

Leaving the city, the group galloped all the way along the official road.

The trees on both sides cast mottled shadows under the moonlight, resembling gnarled ghosts and monsters with bared claws, making wailing sounds in the night wind.

The night wind grew increasingly desolate and sharp, scraping across everyone's cheeks like the edge of a blade.

Cao Yong's expression remained as calm as water, but deep within those eyes, a dense murderous intent was hidden.

An unknown nobody who popped up from nowhere dared to court death by provoking him, went so far as to kill his subordinates consecutively, and now even brazenly challenged him to a duel.

Tonight, he would definitely tear that hiding rat into tens of thousands of pieces to vent the hatred in his heart.

With the shattering sound of hooves, the group turned into streams of black lightning in the night, heading straight for the Ten-Li Slope outside the city.

About half an hour later, the group arrived at the Ten-Li Slope outside the city.

The terrain here was undulating, overgrown with withered grass half a person tall.

In the past, this used to be an ancient battlefield, with countless withered bones buried underground.

Whenever it rained continuously, will-o'-the-wisps would flicker, and the sounds of ghosts crying and wolves howling were endless.

Ordinary people avoided this place like the plague, and even in broad daylight, few people ever set foot here.

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse; the chilly moonlight poured over this desolate hillside, adding a touch of grim and desolate aura.

Cao Yong pulled on the reins, and the steed let out a low neigh, halting its steps.

The dozens of elites behind him also pulled on their horses in unison, their movements uniform, without making a single bit of unnecessary sound.

The surroundings were utterly silent, save for the withered grass swaying in the night wind, making a rustling sound like countless wronged souls whispering.

The leading commander in black flipped off his horse, hand pressing against his saber hilt, looking around vigilantly.

However, as far as the eye could see, there was nothing.

Besides the sound of the wind and the waves of grass, there was no sign of life whatsoever.

"My lord, there is nothing unusual here." The commander in black came before Cao Yong's horse and bowed to report.

His brows furrowed slightly, a trace of doubt faintly rising in his heart.

The note clearly appointed this place, why was there not a single shadow of a person to be seen?

Could this simply be a prank to lure the tiger away from its mountain?

Or perhaps, the other party had already set up an ambush and was hiding in the dark, waiting for an opportunity to strike?

Cao Yong ignored the commander's report; he still sat upright on horseback, his gaze looking forward gloomily.

That was a clearing illuminated by moonlight, where several dead ancient trees stood lonely like dead giants, stretching their withered arms toward the vault of heaven.

The corners of Cao Yong's mouth hooked into a grim, chilling sneer.

"Since you went through such painstaking efforts to lure this servant to this barren wilderness, why bother hiding your head and showing your tail?"

Cao Yong spoke indifferently. His voice was not loud, but enwrapped by his True Qi, it clearly spread across the entire hillside.

The sound waves reverberated in the night sky, rattling the surrounding withered grass into rustling sounds.

As soon as his words fell, the originally weak night wind suddenly turned desolate and fierce.

The wind howled like ghosts crying and wolves howling, whipping up withered grass all over the sky and spinning it in mid-air.

Under the chilly moonlight, who knows when, beneath those few dead trees, a slender figure had quietly appeared.

That person wore a black long robe, topped with a bamboo hat, standing with hands behind his back.

Most of his figure was hidden in the shadows of the ancient trees, seeming to merge into one with the boundless night.

He just stood quietly there like a statue that had existed since ancient times, or perhaps like a wisp of ghost that could dissipate at any time.

"When did he appear?!"

The commander in black constricted his pupils sharply, his palm fiercely gripping the saber hilt.

Monstrous waves surged in his heart, and his back was instantly soaked in cold sweat.

With his cultivation, he hadn't even the slightest perception of when this person had appeared.

If not for Cao Yong pointing it out, he wouldn't even have known that a person was standing ahead.

This kind of silent concealment method was simply unheard of and unseen.

If this person were to launch a sneak attack from the shadows, he probably wouldn't even know how he died.

The dozens of elites behind him also successively drew their weapons, treating it as facing a formidable enemy.

The icy saber light flickered with chilling coldness under the moonlight, weaving into an airtight web of blades.

Cao Yong's slender eyes narrowed slightly, pulling a morbid smile on his pale cheeks.

"A bit interesting, I didn't expect it to actually be just you alone."

"All of you step back."

Seeing that the other party was alone and his aura was not very obvious, Cao Yong was visibly much more relaxed.

Accompanied by a slight wave of his hand, he signaled his subordinates behind him to retreat.

"My lord, this person is bizarre, this subordinate is willing to take the vanguard for you!" The commander in black said in a deep voice.

"This servant said, step back." Cao Yong's voice turned a few degrees colder, exuding unquestionable majesty.

"This level of confrontation is not something you can meddle in. Staying here will only get in the way."

The commander in black felt a chill in his heart and dared not say more; he hurriedly waved his hand to signal everyone to retreat dozens of zhang.

They tethered their mounts to tree trunks in the distance, forming a semi-encircling posture to seal off this clearing.

Dozens of icy eyes stared fixedly at that figure, ready to deal with sudden situations at any time.

Cao Yong fluttered down from his horse, his figure flashing to appear on the distant plain.

The bright red brocade robe fluttered loudly in the night wind, resembling a burning flame, appearing exceptionally dazzling in this chilly night.

Every step he took, the True Qi around his body grew a fraction stronger.

An invisible pressure centered on him spread out in all directions.

The withered grass on the ground snapped one after another under this pressure, turning into powder and drifting away with the wind.

Cao Yong stopped his steps ten zhang away from the bamboo-hatted man.

For a Innate Realm powerhouse, this distance was merely a foot away, reachable in an instant.

He slightly lifted his chin, his gaze staring at the figure ahead like a viper, attempting to see through the other party's reality.

However, that person seemed to be shrouded in a layer of mist around his body, and when perception probed over, nothing could be probed out at all.

"Speak, which faction sent you?"