During this cold season, the lake should have already frozen over. But at the bottom of the lake there was a small array that was extracting geothermal heat upwards, maintaining a suitable temperature for the lake’s waters. There were even several breeds of water lotuses that were planted in the lake. Although they didn’t bloom, their leaves were still a vibrant green. In this cold season, such a green was truly a luxurious color.
In the waterside pavilion, there were two expensively dressed high-class men that were sitting down, facing each other.
They wore mink furs, silk-lined jackets, thick moccasins, and there was a golden purple stove heating them. In front of these two was an exquisite sandalwood table lined with meticulously crafted desserts and a jar of vintage wine. Even in this cold season, there were rare litchi grapes on the table.
All of these were a demonstration of the owner’s wealth.
Of these two people, one was the current Seven Profound Envoy of Sky Fortune Kingdom, Ouyang Dihua, and the other was the Head of the Allied Trade Association’s Zhang Family, Zhang Guanyu’s father, Zhang Fengxian.
After Zhang Guanyu had been crippled, Zhang Fengxian had taken Lin Ming as his enemy.
However, Lin Ming’s strength was simply too powerful, and his status was entrenched in the populace. He also had the support of the Seven Profound Martial House and the Crown Prince. Zhang Fengxian knew well that with just his own influence and power, it was simply impossible for him to deal with Lin Ming.
Ouyang gazed at the scenery outside the pavilion as he silently drank a glass of wine. He quietly said, “Has there been any news?”
Zhang Fengxian sighed. He shook his head and said, “The Southern Wilderness is 100,000 miles wide. The terrain within is complex; there are forests, jungles, swamps, mountains, grasslands, and all sorts of ghost-like vicious beasts. There are countless large and small tribes. To look for a single person with just a portrait alone is like looking for a needle in a haystack.”
A month and a half ago, Lin Ming and Huo Gong had gone missing in the Southern Wilderness. The two Heavenly Wind Eagles that were with them had also disappeared. After hearing this news, Ouyang Dihua was somewhat perturbed, he began to investigate it. But although he had a high status, the amount of manpower at his disposal was actually very limited; therefore he had used the power of the Allied Trade Association to conduct an investigation in secret.
In Ouyang Dihua’s eyes, for Huo Gong who was a half-step into the Houtian realm to kill Lin Ming, it should be guaranteed as long as there wasn’t an accident.
When Huo Gong had gone missing, Ouyang Dihua had thought that maybe it was Qin Ziya who had been moving in the shadows. But half a month ago, Qin Ziya had come back, oblivious to the matter of Lin Ming’s disappearance.
Seeing that Qin Ziya didn’t know anything of what was going on, Ouyang Dihua felt his heart drop into his stomach. He had deduced that Lin Ming had absolutely died. But the question was, where did Huo Gong go?
Did he die in some accident in the Southern Wilderness? Or was it that after killing Lin Ming, he had found some amazing secret on his body and fled with it?
Ouyang Dihua didn’t worry about these two possibilities. What he most worried about was that Lin Ming had not died, and was like a venomous serpent that was waiting to ambush him. If that was the case, then he would be in danger. Lin Ming’s growth was simply fearful. In a few years, perhaps Lin Ming’s strength would exceed his own!
Seeing Ouyang Dihua look so unsettled and unsure, Zhang Fengxian tentatively said, “Mister Ouyang, I’ve discussed before that maybe if we act on Lin Ming’s family then we can force him out. If he doesn’t come out, then that proves that he has already died. What does Mister Ouyang think?”
Zhang Fengxian also wanted to ruin Lin Ming’s family. Otherwise, it would be difficult to resolve the hatred that was in his heart.
But what he didn’t know, was that while he and Ouyang Dihua were talking, a creeping invisible enchantment had already fallen upon them, enveloping them within its grip, and completely isolating them from the outside world…