Chapter 206 Day Three · Reconnaissance
The voice was very close, but it seemed muffled. With a little coldness and bitterness, it sounded in Li Tianlan’s ears. It was supposed to be crisp and sexy, but the tone was as chill as the wind in hell.
Li Tianlan abruptly turned his head.
Less than ten meters behind him, a sexy, plump and graceful figure stood there quietly, looking at him calmly.
A trace of astonishment flashed through Li Tianlan’s eyes.
The woman in front of him could be regarded as a wonderful woman in all aspects. She was about 1.7 meters tall, plump and well-proportioned. The tight white suit clung to her body, making her soft breasts, slender waist, and tilted buttocks display incisively and vividly. The skirt was so short that her white, delicate, slim legs were exposed in the morning sun. It seemed to twinkle with an intoxicating and soft luster. She was wearing a pair of high heels that were nearly ten centimeters, making her legs look more straight and attractive.
This was a woman who appeared to be about twenty-six or seven years old. Her fine facial features were lightly powdered, giving her amazing charm. The gentle wind stirred some of her long hair, so the woman naturally reached out to straighten her hair. A charming and soft smile crept over her lips.
Li Tianlan could not describe the woman as sexy or something else for the time being. Because in her attractive attire and enchanting smile, she was always arrogant and even saintly.
This was a woman who was no stranger to Li Tianlan.
He had seen her sharpness and aggressiveness, her weakness and painstaking effort, her helplessness and persistence. And this morning, he saw her charm and pride.
Li Tianlan didn’t pay much attention to her before. He had seen her only a few times before, and he had always felt that everything he saw about her was just superficial. No matter how she behaved, there seemed to be only numbness and silence in her eyes, as if that were her essence.
“Du...”
Li Tianlan opened his mouth but forgot her specific name for the time being. He could only vaguely say, “Senior Du?”
“My name is Du Hanyin.”
The woman laughed softly, and her cold voice grew tender. Li Tianlan had to say that there was something unique about her temperament. The coexistence of arrogance and charm would easily inspire a man’s desire to conquer. However, he was now almost immune to it. He was not lofty. Nevertheless, his condition now seemed to be as tragic as Li Baitian said. In terms of women, his starting point was really too high. He possessed Qin Weibai and stripped the clothes of the little princess of the Wang family of Beihai. Moreover, he had an exceedingly beautiful fiancée by his side now. Although Du Hanyin was also a real beauty, she wasn’t to his taste.
Du Hanyin.
Li Tianlan nodded. He did not pay much attention to this senior who stayed at the Sky Academy. His more vivid impression of her was made during the entrance maneuver. When he was escaping from the pursuit of Liu Xiuwei, the former deputy director of the teaching department of the Sky Academy, Du Hanyin succeeded in inflicting heavy losses on Li Baitian with a small team that was not so good. Furthermore, she tied with Wang Yuetong in the first Actual Combat Lesson.
Du Hanyin seemed to be greatly valued by the Enchantress from the Wang family of Beihai. Wang Yuetong and her partners, including Li Baitian, gave up investigating and affixing the responsibility for the sneak attack in the entrance maneuver because of the Enchantress’s intervention.
He had no other impression of her.
Moreover, Qin Weibai specially prepared for him a list of key teachers and students of the Sky Academy, while Du Hanyin’s name didn’t appear on it. So although they were classmates in a sense, Li Tianlan had no deep impression of her.
He never thought that Du Hanyin would know Phoenix Pavilion.
Li Tianlan was instinctively alert to such an unknown force. Jiang Shangyu wanted to kill him back then, and his biggest motive was because of someone in Phoenix Pavilion. Li Tianlan did not know what relationship he had with that person, but at least in the heart of Jiang Shangyu, the person thought she was related to Li Tianlan, and at least there was a good chance they would have some connections in the future.
And the reminder of the Dongcheng Clan, especially the awkward reminder, seemed to explain the problem.
Especially when he talked with Qin Weibai about Phoenix Pavilion, Qin Weibai’s look was obviously not quite right.
All these showed that Phoenix Pavilion was definitely not simple.
Was Phoenix Pavilion the secret input of Kunlun City in East Island this time?
The killing intent of Jiang Shangyu, the warning from Gongsun Qi, the embarrassment of the Dongcheng Clan, as well as Wang Zhaoliang’s reminder.
All of these seemed traceable, but Li Tianlan always felt that some crucial clues were missing.
He pondered, looking at Du Hanyin in front of him gently, and whispered, “You know Phoenix Pavilion, senior?”
“No, I don’t. But I heard that it is related to Kunlun City.”
Du Hanyin shook her head, and her delicate eyebrows raised, as if she was hesitating.
“From whom?”
Li Tianlan asked straightforwardly. Kunlun City was established 20 years ago, but few people knew that Phoenix Pavilion was related to it. This was not a normal phenomenon at all.
“Enemies.”
Du Hanyin’s tone was weird, and there was a trace of killing intent in the air. She could see that Li Tianlan was serious now, but in the end, she sighed, “I know Phoenix Pavilion, but I just heard someone mention it. I don’t know much more than you do, Young Governor.”
Li Tianlan frowned and directly asked, “Can you tell me more about it, senior?”
Du Hanyin did not speak, nor did she approach him. She had been standing in the same place, keeping a delicate distance from Li Tianlan. They seemed to be chatting with each other, but there was something of a confrontation.
The senior, who was a stunner both in appearance and temperament, was clearly dressed up today. She had spoken softly before, and her attitude was humble. But at this moment, after a momentary hesitation, Li Tianlan was evidently aware of the change in her eyes. It was something similar to scrutiny. She gazed at him, the Young Master of Sigh City, as if to determine something.
Li Tianlan waited quietly, without uttering a word. He was quiet without any edge and aura, restrained to the extreme.
“About six months ago.”
Du Hanyin finally opened her mouth, and her clear voice became somewhat dry. “I was attacked when I was performing a mission in the northwest of Zhongzhou State. I fled nearly three hundred miles before I escaped. The main reason was that the pursuers wanted to capture me alive and thus never cast any fatal strike to me. They were two experts at the peak of the Fire-flaming Realm and were affiliated with a core subordinate body of Kunlun City. When I was seriously injured, they mentioned Phoenix Pavilion.”
Du Hanyin suddenly paused. After a serious recollection, she slowly said, “What they said was: Since you’re so good at waiting on men, we might as well send you to Phoenix Pavilion. I’m sure many people would be interested in having sex with Miss Du.”
Li Tianlan raised his eyebrows sharply.
Waiting on men? Phoenix Pavilion?
His inner thoughts surged. As he looked at Du Hanyin’s graceful figure in a white suit before him, his eyes instinctively became a bit weird.
“Don’t look at me like this.”
Du Hanyin suddenly smiled charmingly and sweetly, but her eyes, which had always seemed numb, were sad. “I’m really good at waiting on men. I guess I have a gift for it? Oh... I had nine men in over a year at the Sky Academy. From the first to the last one, none of the men who used me said that I am not good at it.”
Her pink tongue gently licked her delicate red lips, and she was ogling at Li Tianlan, with a kind of sadness and despair that was almost on the verge of madness. It was the pain and sorrow that her newly healed scar was uncovered. Impressive madness could be seen from her calmness.
Du Hanyin looked into Li Tianlan’s eyes and smiled sweetly. “Junior, would you like to have sex with me? You can do whatever you want.”
Li Tianlan’s expression did not change at all, but his eyes became deeper.
It was a pair of eyes as deep as the starry sky and the abyss, with immense and silent power.
In these eyes, Du Hanyin saw neither lust nor contempt.
Only calmness.
“You must have a hard time, senior.”
Li Tianlan suddenly said.
Du Hanyin bit her lower lip tightly and stubbornly looked at Li Tianlan, without uttering a word.
She had thought that her soul and body had long been numb and the images of humiliation that had been a nightmare had long since faded away, but in front of the young man with a pair of deep eyes, Du Hanyin was surprised to find herself trembling. All the humiliation and despair of the past spread crazily to every corner of her body, and her sight grew blurred. She just clenched her trembling fists, bit her lower lip, and struggled to maintain her calmness, pride as well as her most hated charm.
Li Tianlan took out a cigarette and lit it, absorbed in thought.
At this moment, he suddenly thought of himself.
Not the present self, but the one before he entered the secular world.
At that time, he was also a Young Master, the Young Master of the Li family.
He took a drag on the cigarette and laughed at himself.
Those who had not struggled in desperation would not understand the helplessness and stubbornness of trying to fight even though they were desperate. They would not feel the madness and resentment after seeing some hope either.
The road of life was never smooth. Advancing and retreating on the rugged road, stumbling, falling, getting injured, and bleeding were unavoidable. Some people may give up everything in the process of moving forward, but as long as they were still holding on, they must have a reason to hold on to the end.
Li Tianlan was like this.
The same was true for Du Hanyin.
“The Du family in the northwest...”
Deep Dream opened her mouth softly and looked at Du Hanyin. Her tone was complicated. “You are the Miss of the Du family?”
Du Hanyin nodded but shook her head later. She said in a self-deprecating way, “There are no such things as the northwest Du family and the Miss. I’m merely a ghost.”
Li Tianlan glanced at Deep Dream. In the face of Du Hanyin, he had nothing to hide. He asked straightforwardly, “What happened to the Du family?”
Deep Dream cast a glance at Du Hanyin. While the latter was silent, she shook her head and said, “The northwest Du family was originally a first-line wealthy family in Zhongzhou State. And it was even stronger than normal wealthy families. It was deeply rooted and influential in the northwest of Zhongzhou State. Back then, Du Yuanshan, the head of the Du family, was one of the few experts in the Half-step Invincible Realm in Zhongzhou State. However, since Du Yuanshan failed to compete with Jiang Shan from the Jiang family for the position of General of Nine Regions, the Du family began to decline. First, there was internal discord, and then Du Yuanshan was assassinated. The Du family was also wiped out by the joint effort of the Prince Group and Special Warfare Group in utter confusion.”
There were no ups and downs in the voice of Deep Dream. It just blandly told the story she knew. “There may be some stories behind the scene, but for these, Sigh City is not very concerned and has not investigated it.”
The collapse of the Du family was very spectacular, and the entire Zhongzhou State was in an uproar. Although Deep Dream didn’t pay much attention to these, it did not mean that she was stupid. She was too lazy to think about these before, but now Li Tianlan became her Young Governor and began to come into contact with the Du family. On second thought, she could probably guess something, too, though she was not so sure. “The Du family was destroyed more than three years ago. Du Yuanshan was assassinated earlier. He was also one of the top ten experts in Zhongzhou State. He was very close to the Academics and was one of their super masters. At that time, rumor had it that after he failed to compete with Jiang Shan for the position of General of Nine Regions, the Academics planned to transfer him to Huating to replace Zhuang Huayang as the principal of the Sky Academy, but...”
Before she could finish, Li Tianlan had already known what she meant.
The Academics was now arguably a group standing on the commanding height of Zhongzhou State.
However, this was not the case three years ago. That should be the most sensitive period in which the Academics went for the commanding height. The general trend of Zhongzhou State was controlled by the Prince Group back then. The most prominent authority of Zhongzhou State was facing the alternation from the old to the new. Was the fall of the Du family a significant move made jointly by the Prince Group and Special Warfare Group when the former was about to quit from the commanding height of the power?
If the entire northwestern region of Zhongzhou State was involved, then this action was indeed not small.
Li Tianlan sneered, and his eyes were cold.
The Prince Group, a leviathan in Zhongzhou State, was really accompanied by blood both when it climbed up and quit from the commanding height.
The destruction of the Du family undoubtedly fulfilled the Jiang family in the northern Beijiang, the family of Jiang Shangyu, but Li Tianlan could not understand why the Academics did not stop all these at that time. The Academics was extremely weak in the Special Warfare System. Du Yuanshan was an expert in the Half-step Invincible Realm and was definitely one of the most important figures of the Academics. The Du family was also a family with a deep foundation. How could it be destroyed that easily? Even if Du Yuanshan was assassinated, the Academics should protect the Du family.
For Li Tianlan, this was definitely not a historical issue, because he was now the Young Governor of Sigh City. However, he had temporarily joined the Academics and would be the representative of the Academics in the Special Warfare System. Inevitably, the encounter of the Du family made Li Tianlan puzzled and want to know the attitude of the Academics toward him at the crucial moment.
During the period when the Du family was destroyed, Li Huacheng, the leader of the Academics, was about to take the final step, but Li Tianlan did not believe that the Academics was fully occupied at that time.
“What was the attitude of the Academics at the time?”
Li Tianlan asked Du Hanyin as he looked at her. It was impossible for Deep Dream, a person as carefree as an individual immortal, to know the answer to such a question. As the person involved, Du Hanyin should know this better.
“What attitude could it have?”
Du Hanyin answered coldly, “The Prince Group and Special Warfare Group took action at the same time, and other groups also gained benefits. During that sensitive period, how could the Academics have a clear attitude? Young Governor, do you have an engagement with the Dongcheng Clan? Mrs. Dongcheng Bai Qingqian was able to become the governor of Qinzhou back then because the Giant Group also reaped benefits!”
“Not to mention... the Academics gained something as well. Although the Du family was destroyed, in recent years, they had been running the northwest, giving up the right to speak in the northwest Special Warfare System. Therefore, they had gained more in other areas. Several months ago, Governor Bai went from Guandong to Qinzhou, and Qinzhou Province also fell into her hands. Hehe, the rise and fall of wealthy families? “In the eyes of those big shots, they’re just pure transactions.”
The rise and fall of wealthy families were nothing but transactions.
Under the general trend, wealthy families were nothing more than chess pieces.
Li Tianlan’s eyes were clear and bright. He looked at Du Hanyin in front of him and asked, “Do you hate them?”
Obviously, the destruction of the Du family also ruined the life of Du Hanyin. As the daughter of a wealthy family, she was supposed to enjoy a high status in the Sky Academy. But what did she become? In just over a year, she had nine men.
In desperation, women tended to face greater humiliation than men.
“What do you think?”
Du Hanyin said blandly, “I was one of the strongest in the Sky Academy last year. And I was one of the top ten experts of the young generation too. My brother, my fiancé and I wanted to win the top prize in the Sky Academy and revive the Du family’s reputation, but what happened? My fiancé killed my brother for his future. I possessed the Wind Vein, but he destroyed me. Thus, my strength fell from the Fire-flaming Realm to the Ice-condensing Realm. I performed 12 missions, failed 8 times, and got negative credits at one point. In order to get dozens of credits a month, I had to take the initiative to seduce some powerful men. If you were me, would you hate them?”
“So you came to me today...”
Li Tianlan smiled and said, “You want to avenge yourself by the hand of Sigh City?”
He was not surprised by Du Hanyin’s choice. This choice may not be good, but as long as she wanted to revenge, this was her only choice.
Du Hanyin’s own hatred was still easy to handle. Her fiancé, who had betrayed her, no matter how strong he was, was a sophomore and would not achieve much for the time being. The hatred of the Du family, however, resulted from Kunlun City and the Prince Group. From this point of view, Li Tianlan had the same goal as hers. It was well-reasoned that Du Hanyin came to him after his identity got exposed and he became the Young Master of Sigh City.
At the very least, in the entire Zhongzhou State, he had an irreconcilable vendetta against Kunlun City. And in the future, he was the only person who might have the strength, the power, and the potential to revenge himself.
Although the Enchantress of the Wang family of Beihai valued Du Hanyin, it was mostly out of personal sympathy. It was impossible for the Wang family of Beihai, a leviathan, to fight Kunlun City for Du Hanyin, not to mention that the Wang family of Beihai and Kunlun City were secretly planning on something now. Even if there was nothing fishy about them, Du Hanyin herself was not worth the Wang family of Beihai’s while.
“I want to join Sigh City, follow you by your side, and hone my Martial Arts.”
Du Hanyin looked straight at Li Tianlan. “As for revenge, we have the same enemy.”
“Indeed.”
Li Tianlan nodded. “But why should I promise you? I have grievances against Kunlun City, but it does not mean that I want to draw everyone who harbors grievances against Kunlun City to Sigh City. “Whether I am the Young Governor or Li Tianlan, now I’m on the weak side. If I take you in, I have to take risks. Therefore, although it sounds unpleasing to the ear, I must say that I shall not keep useless people by my side, either for self-protection or my revenge in the future.”
“I have my value.”
Du Hanyin was not embarrassed or flustered, and her clear voice was calm and confident.
Li Tianlan raised his eyebrows, keeping his composure.
“First of all, my identity. Although the Du family was destroyed, there are still some uncles who are willing to help me. They can’t do anything in the Sky Academy, but out of the Sky Academy, they are valuable assets. Especially if I can join Sigh City, the effect of this kind of network will be more obvious. The Du family’s power is concentrated in the northwest. If you want to establish your own foundation in the northwest after graduation, Young Master, the connections I have can make a big difference.”
Du Hanyin’s voice grew calmer. She looked at Li Tianlan carefully and continued, “As long as you behave amazingly, it’s possible for you to form a group yourself in the future.”
Li Tianlan remained the same facial expression and was thinking seriously.
Forming a group was something too far off for him. He had never thought about that. He hesitated even where to establish his foundation.
At present, the foundation of East Emperor Palace was naturally in Huating, but Huating was unlikely to be Li Tianlan’s backyard any time soon. If there was the convergence of the general trend inside Zhongzhou State, then Huating was naturally the focus of attention of the major groups. As Samsara Palace drifted away from him, he could not control Huating alone with the help of Sigh City. On this matter, the Academics even held a vague attitude. If he could set up a foundation in Huating and seek development in the game of various forces, that would be the best situation.
Li Tianlan’s vision could not be confined to Huating, but the current question was where he should go except for Huating.
Taoist Xuan Xuanzi advised him to go to Wuyue, and Great Master Wuwei, the grandmaster of metaphysics, suggested him to go to Jiangzhe, but these places were the territory of the Southeast Group. If he acted rashly, he would face attacks from the Wang family of Beihai.
As for the northeast, as the Young Governor of Sigh City, he could not fight for anything with Sigh City.
The southwest was occupied by the Prince Group.
The south had been the focus of the Special Warfare Group’s expansion in recent years.
As for the northwest, from the point of view of the Special Warfare System, it could almost be regarded as the base camp of Kunlun City. But if he took the big picture, the Academics was no less powerful. Using the political power of the Academics in the northwest to defeat Kunlun City in the Special Warfare System was easier to obtain the support of the Academics. It was indeed a good choice. But that meant he had to launch a frontal attack against Kunlun City, in which what he needed most was the strength.
If Li Tianlan could reach the peak of the Thunder-shocking Realm after studying at the Sky Academy for three years, he would not hesitate to go to the northwest. But he himself knew that it was unrealistic for him to reach the peak of the Thunder-shocking Realm in three years.
Li Tianlan shook his head. Currently, his speed of upgrading his strength had completely affected his future path. He did not want to dwell on this problem for the time being, but Du Hanyin’s statement did confirm her value.
The northwest may not mean much to the Wang family of Beihai, but it did mean a lot to him.
“Go on.”
He lowered his eyelids and said calmly.
“My body.”
Du Hanyin’s sexy voice revealed ineffable cruelty and decisiveness. “I consider myself pretty enough. Moreover, I’m not only good at serving but also seducing men. I would give anything for revenge. If you wish, I would like to set up a Phoenix Pavilion for you, Young Master.”
Phoenix Pavilion...
Li Tianlan hadn’t figured out the situation of this organization so far, but according to the clue provided by Du Hanyin, he knew some of the functions of Phoenix Pavilion. No matter how mysterious the organization was, at least one of its functions was to serve men.
If that was all, Li Tianlan didn’t think that this organization could pose a threat to him in the battle of Changdao.
He kept silent, waiting for Du Hanyin to continue.
“And my combat capability.”
Du Hanyin gently reached out, and on her slender and tender fingers, a flame suddenly appeared with a subtle glow. However, the nearby air twisted with a loud thud. The temperature was surprisingly high. In the twisted air, Du Hanyin’s body seemed to have become blurred.
The fire gradually expanded, and at this moment, Du Hanyin was as dazzling as a phoenix reborn in the fire. She was revealing a powerful aura that even Li Tianlan was somewhat shocked.
Deep Dream’s facial expression slightly changed, and she asked in disbelief, “Has your Wind Vein been restored after it was destroyed?”
“It can’t be considered a recovery but mutation, because this Wind Vein is stronger than before.”
Du Hanyin slowly said.
Li Tianlan breathed deeply, and his eyes gradually became serious.
“I used to be in the Fire-flaming Realm. Although my strength once fell to the Ice-condensing Realm, it also returned to the peak as the Wind Vein mutated. Give me more time, Young Master. I won’t lose to anyone.”
In the firelight, Du Hanyin’s eyes were clear and bright, and all the numbness was fading away.
That was her value.
“Tribulation may be very interested in her, Young Master.”
Deep Dream said in a grave tone. Tribulation was the only super assassin who possessed Dual Wind Veins in the Dark World. He would certainly study the mutation of the Wind Vein.
Li Tianlan said insipidly after remaining silent for a long time, “You are valued by the Enchantress from the Wang family of Beihai. I don’t like it. I hope you show your attitude in this battle of Changdao.”
Du Hanyin’s expression changed, and finally, she said with a nod, “I see.”
The phone rang suddenly.
Deep Dream took out the phone and answered it. After a few words, she frowned and then hung up.
“Young Master, both Military Counselor and Gongsun Qi signed a reconnaissance order. They hoped that Sigh City could send elites to reconnoiter other forces around the No. 3 defensive zone. The Wang family of Beihai and Kunlun City also received the same order.”
Deep Dream looked at Li Tianlan and asked, “Who shall we send?”
After the reconnaissance, the final battle was imminent.
Li Tianlan’s pupils contracted slightly.
He stood up in the sun and said, “I’ll go.”
He glanced at Du Hanyin, narrowed his eyes, and said, “You go with me.”