Chapter 346: Lan Yu

"Didn't find the person?"

Seeing Lan Feng's expression, Ye Yuan immediately sensed something was wrong.

"Well... Master, you'd better ask him."

As he spoke, a figure appeared before Ye Yuan. Who else could it be but Pang Wannian?

Only now he was covered in wounds, his face like a tabby cat, clearly having had a rough few days.

The moment Pang Wannian saw Ye Yuan, a mix of emotions surged within him, and tears streamed down his face.

But there was little time for reminiscing. Ye Yuan said, "Brother Pang, make it short. Lan Bao might have already returned to the Lan tribe. We don't have much time! Where are Elder Mei and the other fellow disciples?"

Pang Wannian was startled and quickly said, "Elder Mei and the others were taken to the Central Royal City that very night. The Lan tribe said they would sell them as slaves there! Because I was missing an arm, they thought I was unsightly and left me in the tribe. Oh, and the tribe chief personally escorted them!"

Ye Yuan frowned. This unexpected turn completely disrupted his plans.

"How did the Lan tribe act so quickly? They couldn't have known I was coming to rescue them, could they?" Ye Yuan wondered.

"It has nothing to do with you, Master. It was the chief's decision! The passage between the two realms has been opened, and he had to report to Lord Wind Emperor immediately. So he took some of the tribe's experts and your fellow disciples and set off that very night for the Central Royal City," Lan Feng explained.

"The chief?"

"Yes! The chief is the strongest in the Lan tribe, the only Soul Sea realm expert! Our tribe's mission is to guard the passage between the two realms, so he dared not delay and had to report to His Majesty the Wind Emperor at once."

Ye Yuan felt helpless. Plans really couldn't keep up with changes.

He thought he could catch the Lan tribe off guard and rescue his fellow disciples, but who knew this would happen?

Thus, his plan to double back was completely thwarted.

Ye Yuan sighed and said, "This is no place to stay. Since Elder Mei and Senior Brother Mo have been taken to the Central Royal City, we need to make new plans."

Before Ye Yuan finished speaking, the sound of horns came from the Lan tribe in the distance!

"Not good, Lan Bao is fast! He must have discovered Lan Feng's betrayal and is chasing us now. Let's go!" Ye Yuan said.

Lan Bao's strength far exceeded Lan Feng's, and even with Ye Yuan's recent breakthrough, he was still no match for Lan Bao.

Engaging in a direct confrontation now would not be wise.

In the distance, sand and dust rose as the Lan tribe headed straight toward Ye Yuan!

Seeing this, Pang Wannian panicked and said, "Junior Brother Ye, what should we do now? Flee toward the Central Royal City?"

Ye Yuan shook his head and said, "No, we head toward the fourth-level gale zone! Lan Feng, you and Brother Pang enter the spatial artifact first!"

With that, he put the two into the spatial artifact, tapped his toes, and executed the Illusory Void Break, turning into a wisp of smoke as he dashed deeper into the gale.

...

A quarter of an hour later, Lan Bao, along with Lan Hu and others, arrived at the spot where Ye Yuan had been.

Lan Bao spat fiercely and said gloomily, "I never imagined Lan Feng would really betray us! Why!"

Lan Hu remained silent, but another person beside Lan Bao said, "Lan Bao, there's something I'm not sure if I should say."

This man was named Lan Yu, also a fifth-level Sea Transformation expert like Lan Bao.

With the chief and the tribe's experts gone, he and Lan Bao were the strongest in the tribe.

"Oh? Lan Yu, between brothers, what can't you say?"

Lan Yu nodded and said, "When I saw Lan Feng earlier, I felt something was off, but it wasn't obvious, so I didn't pay much attention. Now it seems he really might be..."

Lan Bao's face darkened. "Really what?"

"He seemed... to be under someone's control! Thinking back, his eyes were a bit vacant, lacking the spirit he used to have. Because he said he was injured by that kid from Boundless Sect, I didn't think much of it," Lan Yu said.

"You mean he's been branded with a slave mark!" Lan Bao was both shocked and furious.

Lan Yu nodded and said, "Only that can explain why he would act so abnormally!"

"Impossible! That kid just broke through to Crystal Coagulation. How could he brand Lan Feng with a slave mark?" Lan Bao roared at Lan Yu.

But the more he roared, the more he felt his own心虚.

Lan Bao, Lan Hu, Lan Feng, and Lan Yun were cousins, having grown up together with deep bonds.

Now hearing that Lan Feng had been branded with a slave mark, how could he not be furious?

Lan Yu said nothing, knowing that Lan Bao had already believed it in his heart.

In fact, when he saw Lan Feng, he hadn't thought of it either.

Although he had heard from Lan Bao that Ye Yuan was very cunning, in Lan Yu's impression, Ye Yuan was only a Liquid Realm martial artist. How could he brand a martial artist two major realms higher?

It was too absurd!

But now, it was the only plausible explanation!

"Boom!"

Lan Bao knelt on one knee and punched the ground, sending sand flying!

"Ye Yuan, if I catch you, I'll skin you alive and pull your tendons!" Lan Bao gritted his teeth.

Lan Yu patted Lan Bao on the shoulder and sighed, "Alright, this isn't the time for that! Lan Feng's aura disappears here. I suspect they might be carrying a spatial artifact. I asked the guards; Lan Feng came out alone. That one-armed slave must be hidden in the spatial artifact!"

Clearly, Lan Yu was resourceful, likely serving as the tribe's strategist. Otherwise, the chief wouldn't have trusted him with the tribe.

In comparison, although Lan Bao was strong in combat, he was clearly inferior in strategy.

Hearing Lan Yu's words, Lan Bao snapped to attention and quickly said, "Right! The top priority now is to catch that kid! I'll tear him into pieces! He must know his fellow disciples have been taken to the Central Royal City. I'll lead the pursuit in that direction!"

With that, Lan Bao led his men toward the Central Royal City.

"Wait!" Lan Yu said.

"Huh? What?" Lan Bao asked, puzzled.

Lan Yu said, "I've never met this Ye Yuan, but from what you've said, he must be clever and resourceful. What we can think of, he can too. If we chase toward the Central Royal City, we might fall right into his trap!"

"You mean... he went into the fourth-level gale zone?" Lan Bao asked in surprise.

Lan Yu nodded and said, "I'm eighty percent sure! At a time like this, a smart person wouldn't head toward the royal city. That would be no different from walking to one's death! I'll go back and get a Wind Vulture, but you'll have to track him alone."