Objectively speaking, Wu Guang could have stayed in the sect for a day or so more. Especially considering his latest accomplishment. He was even entitled, at least by Elder Mo's pre-mission assurance, to request anything as a reward. Still, either because of the advice he had received from Chen Jiahao or because of his instincts, he decided to leave right away. He did not even wait for the meeting to end or try to gather any information. So when he did what he had to, he immediately left.

Speaking of instincts, Wu Guang was not sure why he felt danger from the Hallmaster, or to be exact the Core Elder responsible for all of the five halls of the Sect. Anyway, the feeling was there, and such a strong alarm was something no cultivator should ignore.

Maybe because of the latter Wu Guang concealed his aura and presence as soon as he was a few miles away and applied all of his knowledge to mislead any possible followers. No, he was not followed, at least now, of that he was sure... But who knows if someone would decide to track him now that he was alone?

His first destination was the ruins that he had visited along Yuan Taotu. Wu Guang never forgot about the oath he gave to Kass Shaa'r, and he intended to comply with it now. After all, a Saint beast equivalent to a Warrior Lord cultivator was not a bad ally to have even in peacetime, what to say during this impending war.

Moving stealthily and carefully did make him use nine hours in comparison to the four he would normally use for this distance, even so, he was not running any sort of schedule and could allow himself these extra hours.

As expected, the ruins remained unchanged. Entering the main building, or to be exact the only standing one, Wu Guang found that no one had visited the place during the last months. Or at least it appeared so, as the broken items and rubble he and Yuan Taotu had randomly thrown around to imitate a ransacking of the secret rooms they had discovered.

Kass Shaa'r should note the arrival of Wu Guang, or at least sense that someone had entered the ruins, and so would appear sooner or later. Granted, Wu Guang could search for him himself, but he decided to first spend a day to consolidate, and even improve, his current aura.

This meant using his special means to infuse more of his true, original, soul power into his aura. On Black Island, he only did it to a level that however amazing could be still explained. Plus, he had advanced a level two days ago. Knowing that he would meet the Headmaster and council, he decided against making any noticeable changes to his strength. But now, being mostly free from control by any one, he could try and test his real limits.

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Any cultivation that required deep concentration, and especially the one that affected one's aura or senses had a reason to be considered a closed-door matter. After all, the cultivator would have no real manner to sense anything that happened more than a few feet from him or her. Still, Wu Guang had not such an issue, as he counted with the support of Chun Hua. Granted, she had no way to actually interfere with anyone, and depended only on her basic senses, but... She was free from any restraint caused by solid objects and could very quickly circle her several-mile area using the void.

Before beginning, Wu Guang had indeed asked her to do so. And so when she contacted him using their connection, he quickly stopped what he was doing and listened to her words earnestly.

"Three humans are coming by the road you used"

"Can you identify any one of them?" Wu Guang did not hope for an affirmative answer as Chun Hua only knew the people he did, still, this was at least a possibility to understand if they were really hostile.

"No, but they have weapons and are moving very slowly"

"I see, try and approach enough to listen to them. I will relocate slightly"

"Okay"

The lowest level of cultivation required to sense anything hidden in the void was the Earth realm, and such an expert couldn't be present in that group. After all, if they had such strength... Why they would move carefully? Any Warrior Lord cultivator was one of the dozen, surely less than 20, or so strongest people on the plane.

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Even though he was not sure if these people would be hostile to him, Wu Guang still chose to relocate and prepare an ambush. Albeit the ruins were very damaged and only had a single standing building, that did not mean he could not find someplace to hide amongst the rubble. And he did so, deciding to hide in what remained of the building nearest to the road, and per se the path these three would arrive from.

After concealing his presence with several spells, Wu Guang slowly expanded his senses. For the last weeks, he had been using his aura to disguise them, but it would be easy for any Soul realm cultivator to sense an expanded aura... Considering the impossibility of a Warrior Realm cultivator, Wu Guang's best strategy would be to sense them normally, with his Earth-realm consciousness serving as the method. The senses would be like an open beacon for anyone of similar strength, but cultivators from the Yellow Realm? They could not even hope to sense them now that he had perfected his control over the consciousness.

Still, to make sure, he did not forget to throw a disguise spell over it, similar to the one he had used while approaching the 'Inverted Tower' escapees.

"They are not using their voice to communicate, so I can not hear anything. But being close allowed me to sense their strength. All of them are Soul realm cultivators. The lead, a woman, is using her aura to scout ahead while the other two are covering her sides and rear" Chun Hua informed.

"Understood, they should be entering my senses area in a few moments. Could you check if they don't have anyone behind?"

"There was no one before, but I will move and then remain three miles from you towards this direction to make sure"

"Thank you"

"No need for words. The leader's body will suffice as material gratitude"

"If they are hostile and can not be reasoned with, I will make sure to remember that"

"Agreed"

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Only a few minutes passed until Wu Guang's senses embraced the approaching trio. "Mmm, Chun Hua was right. Three Soul realm cultivators. Two 1st level and one 2nd level of the realm. Most probably the one in front, and slightly stronger, is the woman Chun Hua mentioned".

Twenty minutes later, the trio had approached his position. With only a hundred or so feet separating them, he could spring up the ambush at any moment. Even if considering only his normal cultivation, he held a slight advantage. Adding all of his abilities and throwing surprise into the mix, they simply would have no chance.

Still, Wu Guang did not attack.

His initial concealment allowed him to escape the auras that swept around, but they did not protect him from being seen or heard.

So he stopped breathing while silently adding a muffling spell to his previous measures.

There was a reason behind his current inaction. Chun Hua had just a moment ago notified him that another person was moving towards here. The new arrival was equally cautious and slow but did not seem to be following the trio. In Chun Hua's opinion, which Wu Guang shared as the trio had stopped as if waiting for someone, they all were here for something.

"Who are these three? And from where they came?" Wu Guang pondered while waiting for the new development. And indeed, Soul realm cultivators were not that rare, but considering the situation that the island faced, Wu Guang doubted that three core combatants would be sent out. At least if they had no important task. And if they were not from the island, then the task had to be even more important.

Something that hopefully, he could find out about when the approaching cultivator arrived. His senses had already locked on him, and he knew that this new arrival was a peak Spirit realm cultivator.

Deciding to find anything he could before acting, Wu Guang remained still. The trio had not communicated either by voice or qi transmission until now, but surely they would at least say something when this new one arrived?

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Gu Tao did not like what he was about to do. Still, he had already committed to it and so had to look it through the end.

He had served the Boundary Hill City guard for more than thirty years. Starting as a trainee and slowly working both his cultivation and status until now, the Vice-Commander of the entire city guard. During his early years, the situation was good, with the Lord working earnestly to improve, or at least maintain, the city. It was by his orders that every guard had access to however basic, but free, resources and expert training. In fact, this was the main reason why he, someone with absolutely no talent and refused by the 'Three Hills Sect' managed to climb so high, becoming a peak Spirit realm cultivator. It was nothing stellar, and it had taken him more than 20 years, but the result was there.

The current city lord, who occupied the position after the previous one died with no official heirs was nothing of that sort. He was not so bad, but his family had simply unsatiable appetites. Granted, the head administrator worked tirelessly to at least change something for the better, but... How could one expect the treasury to fill up if everyone involved in the process was from the same, Wei, family?

Even so, Gu Tao could simply ignore this. His status as the vice-commander granted him a more-or-less decent income, and the salary for the guards was something that even Lord Wei was sure to pay in time. The overall situation also allowed for some small transactions that had been filling up the pockets of the guards.

But!

A war was about to begin, and the City Lord had no better idea but to leave the guards to defend it while moving all of his family behind the north wall, and into the supposedly safe zone of the Wildlands.

Most residents were also allowed to leave, but the guards were supposed to defend the city and even more, fight against any invaders as part of some kind of shitty alliance pact with the 'Three Hills Sect'!

Personally, he had nothing against the sect, but he was not intending to die fighting against some kind of army. Especially not one coming from the mythical Eagle Kingdom.

And so when one of the shady contacts that had been giving him part of that 'unexpected' bonus to his salary mentioned that there was an opportunity to avoid fighting and even be rewarded for it... Gu Tao did not even think twice before saying yes.

Right now he was regretting that quick decision, still, he could not back down. Not now, when he was already less than a mile from the supposed meeting place.

The location was his suggestion, as he knew that even though these ruins were used by the Sect sometimes as a training zone, they stood empty. Especially at the moment with not a single traveler or cultivator around because of the nearing, if not already started, war.

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"Vice-Commander of the Boundary Hill City, Gu Tao, I presume?" A woman, most probably the commander of the trio asked.

"Yes, it is me. Slimy Tong said that you are interested in... knowing more about the city" Gu Tao had been a guard for a long time, and he knew that any shady deal had to be confirmed before actually proceeding to it.

"Indeed"

"Remuneration?" And especially the part of what he would get.

"Yes, a thousand gold coins in exchange for the map, numbers, and a few questions as agreed"

"Mmm"

"And after you organize us a tour, you can be sure that no one of our... companions will bother you during any unexpected event"

"But what about my position?"

"...If everything goes well, you will be assigned a similar or higher one. With the obvious benefits" This time the woman paused for a bit before answering. Wu Guang could only listen, and she seemed to be well adept at concealing emotions. Still, a bit of ice seeped into her response, which meant she did not like the questioning.

"Mmm, then I suppose you got the gold with you?"

"Indeed"

"Then..."

"We don't need to scam you. Red, pass him the money" A few seconds later, Wu Guang sensed as one of the 1st level Soul realm cultivators moved. Afterward, something akin to a heavy purse exchanged hands, and the one that called himself Gu Tao gasped.

Well, how could he not? Even with his position, his honest salary was only about three gold per fortnight. Wu Guang did not know about his honesty, which he doubted as he was about to sell out his city, but even if he stole and extorted from every corner... A thousand gold coins was a fortune that a guard, even commander, would have never seen or held.