Chapter 570: How Could It Be Him

“Going down from here will take us into the city.”

Qiao Xixi was surprised that there was actually a secret passage inside the tree.

By the time Yun Ji returned to the ground, Qiao Yi and the others had arrived one after another.

Yun Ji looked at them. “If too many of us go in at once, it will definitely arouse suspicion. Two of you will come inside with us, and the rest can just wait out here.”

Qiao Yi nodded. “Then I’ll go with you. Xixi, you and the cubs wait outside.”

Qiao Xixi checked the time with Xiao Yao. It was five hours until midnight. With guidance, Yun Ji and the others should be able to find the host. “Okay,” she agreed.

She walked up to Yun Ji and handed him the wisp of black mist she held in her palm. “Yun Ji, your main mission this time isn’t to find Sunxiao and the others.”

Yun Ji raised an eyebrow and cast a glance at Xiao Yao. He had heard everything it said to Qiao Xixi earlier, but he hadn’t had the time to ask about Xiao Yao’s identity. “Then what are we supposed to do?”

“Everything we’re going through right now is the work of something called the ‘Mastermind.’ However, this ‘Mastermind’ doesn’t have a physical body; it must attach itself to a person or an object as a host. This wisp of black mist can guide you to it.”

Yun Ji reached out and took the black mist. “And then?”

Qiao Xixi frowned in conflict. She took out a watch she had exchanged from her space and pointed at the numbers on the dial.

“When this hand points here, the ‘Mastermind’s’ energy will be at its weakest. If we can attack it during this window, its energy will drain rapidly.

“But when this longer hand points here, it will recover its energy. At that point, you must avoid its attacks at all costs.”

Yun Ji’s Qian Mous looked deeply at the watch. “Were Sunxiao and the others taken by this ‘Mastermind’?”

Qiao Xixi nodded. “Yes. I don’t know what method it used, but the fact that it could capture Sunxiao and the others so easily means our conventional strength will likely struggle to deal it a heavy blow. Therefore, you must strike when it’s at its weakest.”

Yun Ji gave a slight nod, but just as he was about to take the watch, Qiao Xixi grabbed his hand.

“Maybe I should go with you,” she said. She figured that she was likely the one the enemy wanted to capture the most right now; if she was there, she could distract it.

Yun Ji squeezed her hand in return, but his words were a refusal. “Wait here with peace of mind. We’ll be out soon.”

Qiao Xixi wanted to say more, but Qiao Yi chimed in. “Don’t worry, Xixi. If things go south, we’ll leave immediately.”

“You guys must be careful. If you’re not back by twelve-thirty, I’m going in to find you.”

The two men nodded slightly. Ultimately, Yun Ji took Yun Qiong and Lei Lie and entered the tree hollow.

As soon as they left, Sunxuan walked over. “Let’s find a place to settle down first.”

There would definitely be guards patrolling the back gate, so staying here would make them easy targets for discovery. Qiao Xixi nodded and led the cubs up the back mountain.

She wondered, “Xiao Yao, do you think Yun Ji and the fathers will be alright?”

“Host, while that thing is indeed powerful, you shouldn’t underestimate the strength of our beastmen either. Yun Ji and the others are top-tier powerhouses on the Beast World Continent. If they notice something amiss, they can definitely protect themselves.”

Qiao Xixi’s mind was solely on Yun Ji and the others, so she didn’t notice anything wrong with Xiao Yao’s words. “Mhm.”

Zhi Yan and the others found a small cave on the mountain, just big enough to accommodate Qiao Xixi and the cubs. Not long after she led the cubs inside, Sunxuan walked in holding a large chunk of raw meat.

“They hunted this on the mountain. Eat up.”

Qiao Xixi didn’t eat raw meat. The cubs originally did, but after being raised by Qiao Xixi for so long, they were now somewhat repelled by it too. Still, Qiao Xixi accepted it gratefully. “Okay.”

The cave was too small, and it felt a bit crowded when Sunxuan came in. After giving the meat to Qiao Xixi and the cubs, he backed out.

Once Qiao Xixi confirmed he was gone, she stored the raw meat away and took out some dried meat to distribute to the cubs.

The cubs didn’t refuse this time. They could clearly feel the somber atmosphere. Perhaps a massive battle awaited them in the near future; they had to eat their fill and prepare for the fight!

Qiao Xixi shared the same mindset. She ate the dried meat while mentally keeping track of the time. Before she knew it, midnight was approaching. She glanced at the time. It was already past eleven o’clock and almost midnight. She wondered if Yun Ji and the others had found the host yet.

Meanwhile, Yun Ji and his group had followed the black mist’s guidance to the exterior of the palace in the inner city.

Without hesitation, the black mist darted through the gap in the heavy wooden doors.

Yun Ji and his companions glanced at the guards stationed outside and exchanged a look. Before the two guards could react, two masses of black mist suddenly flew toward their faces. Before they could even register what the things were, their necks snapped, and they completely lost all signs of life.

Qiao Yi stepped forward and efficiently dragged their corpses into a hidden, hard-to-spot dark corner.

Yun Ji had already spread his wings and flown into the courtyard. Qiao Yi took a swift running start, leaped onto the courtyard wall, and landed steadily inside.

The black mist drifted to the doors of the inner hall. The doors were left ajar. Through the crack, they saw a familiar figure sitting on the main seat of the inner hall.

Upon seeing the person’s face clearly, their pupils shrank.

The wisp of black mist drifted inside and hovered directly above the head of the person in the main seat, no longer moving.

“Kunlin? How could it be him?” Qiao Yi was utterly astonished. Qiao Xixi had mentioned that Kunlin disappeared while they were back in Tiger Beast City. How could he possibly appear in this place?

Yun Ji took out the watch and checked the time. “Wait a bit longer. We’ll go in the moment the time is right.”

As soon as he spoke, a burst of footsteps rang out from behind them. The group’s figures quickly vanished into the darkness. No sooner had they hidden than a squad of patrolling beastmen soldiers walked over. The leading beastman glanced at the hall doors in confusion.

“Where are the guards stationed outside the doors?”

A soldier behind him shook his head. “Maybe they were called away to run an errand.”

The leader walked up to the doors and peered through the crack to check the situation inside. Seeing Kunlin resting his eyes without any signs of trouble, he finally led his men away.

Yun Ji watched the hands on the watch. One minute left. The hands ticked by rapidly. By the time they returned to the outside of the hall doors, it was exactly midnight.

Qiao Yi pushed open the heavy wooden doors and charged inside.

The moment he entered, Kunlin’s eyes snapped open. His pitch-black, emotionless eyes fell upon them.

“More bargaining chips delivering themselves to my door.”

The corners of Kunlin’s lips curled up. Two streaks of dark halos burst from his eyes, shooting straight toward Yun Ji.