Chapter 391 - 283: Hu Lan’s Answer, a Thunderbolt from a Clear Sky

Chapter 391: Chapter 283: Hu Lan’s Answer, a Thunderbolt from a Clear Sky

It was like being tossed by monstrous waves on the open sea.

Although it was sudden, Tang Wen and Xia Qingge reacted quickly.

Not only did they stand firm, but the blade in Tang Wen’s hand was already unsheathed.

A faint, ruby-red light began to glow in Xia Qingge’s phoenix-like eyes.

Her fists were clasped behind her back. The white robes she still wore billowed in the fierce wind, her dark hair flowing like a cloud, but her expression was as profound and steadfast as a Martial Arts Grandmaster!

’This woman is so unbelievably regal!’

Tang Wen caught a glimpse of her from the corner of his eye and couldn’t help but be momentarily distracted.

The large boat was flung to its highest point and was about to begin its descent.

Hu Qi summoned a gale, lifting the massive hull and sending it soaring through the air.

SWOOSH!

The sound of a thick projectile from a Siege Crossbow tore through the air.

A pillar of water as thick as a water tank shot toward the boat’s hull.

The water jet was sharp; if it hit, the boat would surely be torn to pieces.

Hu Niannian, who had just returned to her normal size, waved her hand and a Wind Blade shattered the water pillar.

The boat flew higher and higher, soon disappearing into the clouds.

Tang Wen watched the lake surface recede below, his astonishment plain on his face.

’A Fifth-Grade White Tiger is this terrifying?!’

But Xia Qingge spoke up in time. "Sister Qi, just abandon the empty boats. You don’t need to carry them."

Hearing this, the upward momentum of four of the boats abruptly halted. Then, pulled by gravity, they plummeted downward.

The grave expression on Hu Qi’s face eased considerably.

"Sister Qi! You truly live up to your title as a Peak of Fifth Grade!" Tang Wen gave her a thumbs-up.

"Hmph! As if I needed you to tell me."

Hu Qi bit out each word, showing no appreciation for the compliment.

But the snow-white tail hanging behind her swayed gently a few times of its own accord.

Like a cat that had just been given a dried fish treat.

BOOM!

The boats fell from the sky and crashed into the water, their masts snapping into several pieces and their planks shattering.

The lake’s surface churned with waves for a moment.

Then all was calm again.

Tang Wen and the others heard the commotion but paid it no mind, continuing to fly straight ahead.

The lake was vast. There was no telling how long it would take to fly all the way across.

Tang Wen made a quick decision and had the two White Tigers fly diagonally toward the shore with the boats.

Hu Niannian and Hu Qi took turns creating the supportive winds, and after a good while, they finally saw the shore.

The two White Tigers had expended a great deal of energy. The ’king’ marking on their foreheads was deeply furrowed.

Tang Wen carefully sensed their surroundings for a moment, then said, "The danger is gone. We can land in the water now."

The two White Tigers didn’t hesitate.

They controlled the remaining nine large boats, slowly lowering them into the water.

SPLASH!

The bows of the boats sent up waves.

Tang Wen and Xia Qingge casually blasted away the splashing water.

"What was that thing just now?"

Tang Wen asked in a low voice.

Hu Qi, adjusting her breathing and closing her eyes in Meditation, answered casually, "A big snake with a horn on its head."

Tang Wen was startled. "A snake with a horn? Isn’t that a Flood Dragon?"

"A Python Flood Dragon at most. It only acts tough in the water!"

Hu Niannian took a few Blood Marrow Pills from Tang Wen’s Void Stone, and she and Hu Qi each took two.

The two White Tigers’ stamina recovered with incredible speed, returning to their peak condition.

Tang Wen steadied his own breathing and cautiously looked out.

The thick fog had not dispersed.

He couldn’t see anything clearly on the lake’s surface.

He had no choice but to close his eyes, extend his Spiritual Power to envelop the surroundings, and remain on high alert.

’White Tigers in the mountains, Flood Dragons in the lake.’

’One is more monstrous than the next.’

Tang Wen, who already had a strong sense of impending crisis, once again felt the urge to go back into seclusion and train bitterly.

The sky was gradually brightening, but the cold winter fog, instead of dissipating, grew even thicker.

The two White Tigers had recovered.

Tang Wen breathed a sigh of relief. "My original plan was to watch over these nine boats from the lake. But now, we don’t know when that Flood Dragon might come after us. It’s just not safe."

Hu Qi was displeased with his worry. "What’s there to be afraid of! We’re near the shore now, and it’s two against one. If it really dares to follow us, I’ll just toss the boats onto the bank and teach it a proper lesson!"

Tang Wen ignored her blustering.

To him, it sounded like a child in a fight saying, ’Just you wait after school!’ It was just a desperate attempt to save face.

He placated Hu Qi, "It’s better to avoid trouble. This place is too close to the Boat Gang’s docks. Don’t forget our objective—we’re here to transport goods. Besides, that Python Flood Dragon couldn’t beat the two of you in the middle of the lake! It definitely won’t dare to come here on its own."

These words were mainly to give the two White Tigers a way to back down gracefully.

This great lake had countless underwater channels; who could say for sure how many Fifth Grade Python Flood Dragons there were?

What if the Python Flood Dragons here were as numerous as the White Tigers of the White Tiger Tribe?

If that was the case, Tang Wen and his group were just meat waiting to be eaten.

The two White Tigers snorted.

Tang Wen quickly changed the subject. "From what I can see, these nine boats are all half-full. The sky is about to brighten. Before the fog lifts at noon, we should find a hidden spot on the shore and move all the supplies from the boats."

"Fine! We’ll do as you say."

Hu Qi said drily.

Sensing her awkwardness, Tang Wen quickly soothed her. "We’re not here to pick fights. Since we know there’s a Fifth Grade Exotic Beast here, we can figure out their details and numbers later and organize a hunt. White Tigers can advance or retreat at will. These little snakes are no match for you."

After some coaxing, he finally managed to smooth the ruffled fur of the two big white cats.

Hu Qi reluctantly got to work.

Hu Niannian flew up into the air to find a suitable location.

She flew south for a while and saw a grove of dead trees.

In the grove, a pack of hyenas was resting under the trees.

Without a word, Hu Niannian manipulated a fierce wind to descend upon them, wiping out most of the pack in one fell swoop.

Over a hundred hyenas all lost their lives.

Many of them had died directly from the sheer terror of her tiger’s might!

They began to move the supplies from the large boats into the grove.

Once everything was transferred, Tang Wen finally let out a huge sigh of relief.

Although the two White Tigers were formidable, the Python Flood Dragon had the home-field advantage.

If it couldn’t win, it could just dive into the lake, leaving the White Tigers with no way to pursue it.

Even if they could churn up the lake with wind, they wouldn’t be able to harm it in the slightest.

The two White Tigers knew this as well but were unwilling to admit it.

Tang Wen understood. After all, they were proud White Tigers. Didn’t they have a reputation to uphold?

Hu Niannian took two fully loaded Void Stones and flew off in the direction of the camp.

It was a long way from here to Flame Camp.

A round trip for her would take at least half a day.

Tang Wen and Xia Qingge looked at the slaughtered hyenas, unable to stand the stench on the ground.

The two of them took action together.

Tang Wen used his Shadow Concealed Blade technique to launch Flying Locust Stones.

The stones, glowing with flames, slammed into the hyena carcasses.

BANG.

The extreme heat incinerated the bodies into charcoal.

Xia Qingge’s method was even simpler. With a casual wave of her hand, blossoms of fire appeared.

They landed on the hyena corpses and burst into flame. Just as it looked like the fire would spread to the dead trees nearby, she waved her long sleeve again, scattering the flames into a sky full of sparks.

In no time, the foul stench was gone.

Replaced by the charred and fragrant smell of roasting meat.

Hu Qi stood guard in the air.

Tang Wen finally had a moment to take out the Unity Mirror. He reached into his robes to grab it.

Just then, he heard Xia Qingge urge him, "There are so many supplies here, it’s not safe to leave them out. Why don’t you use that Blinding Technique from yesterday again and cover them up."

’Makes sense.’

His Spiritual Power enveloped the grove, precisely separating the boxes and sacks of supplies from the trees before blanketing them.

Expert-level Concealment Skill.

SHWIIING!

The mountain of supplies vanished without a trace.

Along with them, Tang Wen disappeared as well.

The dozen or so large boats that had suddenly vanished last night had been hidden by Tang Wen.

Experiencing it for the second time, Xia Qingge was still quite amazed.

But when she realized she wasn’t inside the area of effect, she immediately became displeased.

She carefully extended her own Spiritual Power to probe the area.

She suddenly detected the hidden grain and iron ingots. "So your technique can’t evade Spiritual Power detection?"

The invisible Tang Wen retorted irritably, "It’s a miracle I could hide so much stuff in the first place."

"True. If you concentrated on a single spot, the concealment effect should be stronger."

"Aren’t you a smart one." Tang Wen pursed his lips, glanced at her, and finally took out the Unity Mirror from his robes.

The Unity Mirror was his Magical Treasure for summoning his "biggest backer, Saintess Hu Lan."

It was something he could absolutely never let out of his sight.

He activated the mirror’s surface, where he had previously asked about Xia Qingge’s strange illness.

Hu Lan had already replied.

The mirror’s surface was covered in dense, flamboyant script, as if written in a hurry.

[Unexplained heartache? The pain gets worse the stronger she gets?]

[From your description, I have a rough idea of what her problem is.]

[Please remember, this answer contains a great secret that also concerns the interests of my tribe. It must not be shared with outsiders.]

[First of all, this female leader of your camp, she must be from a faraway land, correct?]

Although it was a question, the tone was certain!

CRACK!

It was as if a thunderbolt had cracked in a clear sky, a flash of lightning streaking through his mind!

Suddenly, Tang Wen connected many different dots.