The Return of Stars to the Jianghu

Chapter 184 The advance team returns to the Death Swamp camp

Three days later, at dawn, a tense yet expectant atmosphere filled the camp. All eyes were focused on the camp entrance, their hearts filled with worry and anticipation for the advance team.

From the first rays of dawn, they waited here until dusk, when the sun gradually set and night fell, still holding their ground, hoping to catch a glimpse of the advance team. However, as time ticked by, the entrance to the camp remained deserted.

"Go back and rest. The members for the next expedition team have been chosen, and they will set off tomorrow morning. Once they enter the mountains, we will bring them back, whether they are dead or alive." After saying this to everyone, Yun Youzi turned and returned to his tent.

Lin Hai, Li Chao, and Shi Qingfeng silently followed the crowd away, asking no questions, each harboring their own anxieties. Yun Youzi did not reveal who the acquaintance they were waiting for was, which only intensified their unease.

As night deepened, the three men lay on their simple beds in the tent, their minds churning with turmoil. Lin Hai tossed and turned, unable to sleep, his thoughts drifting to Ghost Mountain, the legendary place where the Time-Space Ghosts were said to be suppressed. He pondered, "Is Ghost Mountain truly only for suppressing Time-Space Ghosts? A combination of resentment and power? Existing in the world as a ghost, often seen within teleportation channels. There must be more to it than meets the eye." But his master had passed away early, and many questions remained unanswered.

Li Chao opened his eyes wide in the darkness, his thoughts drifting to the Netherworld Pearl mentioned by Yun Youzi, and the secret techniques and magical treasures of those ancient cultivators. He had been in this world for forty years, experiencing countless hardships and dangers, until he met the man named Wen Bin, and he realized that what he knew was merely the tip of the iceberg. Even though he already knew many things that most kings and generals of this world could not know in their entire lives.

At this thought, Li Chao couldn't help but think of his master from his youth, the man named Song Changxin. An old man skilled in poisons and hidden weapons, and whose lightness skill was unparalleled. He was a respected senior in Li Chao's heart, his guide.

Shi Qingfeng silently planned tomorrow's actions. He knew that as a member of the team, he had to remain calm and vigilant, ready to deal with any unexpected situations. More than the dangers and opportunities of Ghost Mountain, he was concerned about the safety of the Wu Kingdom, thousands of miles away. For most of his life, from birth until now, the Wu Kingdom had been embroiled in war. He had experienced too many ceasefires, the longest being no more than ten years. He didn't know how long this current ceasefire would last, and he sincerely hoped it would last a little longer, much longer.

Nothing happened all night.

As dawn broke, the first rays of sunlight pierced through the thin mist, gently bathing every corner of the campsite. The tents in the morning light appeared exceptionally tranquil, and the chirping of birds gradually rose, ushering in a new day.

A group of people were slowly making their way towards the camp from the distant Ghost Mountain; they were the advance team, who had returned a day and a night late. The group's steps seemed heavy, as if they had endured extraordinary hardships.

A faint smell of blood drifted on the wind from afar, and the clothes of several team members were stained with blood. Shi Qingfeng, Lin Hai, and Li Chao came out upon hearing the sound, their hearts filled with a sense of foreboding.

The three of them quickly stepped forward, their hearts filled with a sense of foreboding. The leader of the advance team, an experienced old cultivator, managed a weak smile upon seeing them, but that smile was full of exhaustion and helplessness.

When Lin Hai saw the old cultivator leading the group, he was taken aback at first, then clasped his hands and said, "Master." This person was none other than Zhou Hong, the former leader of the Red-Clothed Sect.

Just as Lin Hai clasped his hands in greeting, Li Chao also bowed to the person at the end of the line. The person at the end of the line was none other than Song Changxin, one of the elders of the Tang Clan.

Shi Qingfeng walked to the middle of the line and looked at a young man lying on a stretcher. This man looked exactly like the one he had met in his youth, except that he was now covered in blood; Shi Qingfeng himself had a full head of white hair, while the man in front of him was still as young as he had been sixty years ago.

"Alright, let's go back to the camp first. We can talk about anything after they've rested." Yun Youzi walked over and said to the crowd that had gathered.

The advance team returned severely wounded, and the other expedition team that had been arranged earlier was suspended under Yun Youzi's orders.

"Come find me tonight." Team leader Zhou Hong patted Lin Hai on the shoulder, his voice carrying a hint of heaviness.

"Let's go to my room." Song Changxin, at the back of the line, pointed in a direction to Li Chao, a hint of concern in his eyes.

Shi Qingfeng, the old man who had always maintained an air of otherworldly wisdom, now appeared with dim eyes, seemingly just an ordinary old man. He silently followed the advance team into the physicians' tent.