Chapter 0722: Incriminating
Chapter 0722: Incriminating
Unable to find a suitable dao technique within the Dark Sea Thoroughfare, his newly earned merits could not be spent. He could only leave now.
It was much easier to get out than go in - it felt as though he was being pushed out.
Even before he left, he could vaguely hear the Burning Skies Barracks in an uproar, with many heated voices ringing out.
Perhaps no one knew that Wu Yu was in the Dark Sea Thoroughfare, or they would have followed him in.
As Wu Yu walked out of the Dark Sea Thoroughfare and headed towards the Yuan Dark Squad, many eyes were on him.
It was pretty easy for Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm cultivators to spot Wu Yu.
At this time, they were gathered in groups of twos and threes, discussing. They hurriedly clammed up as Wu Yu passed.
He could hear a few pieces of information.
The most important of which was that Duan Yi had returned. He had learned that the truth had been leaked, and was currently waiting at the Yuan Dark Squad for Wu Yu to return.
He was a new dark north general, and had come from the provincial guard to boot. For now, he had yet to win the full support of the dark north soldiers, which was why they would not hold back in discussing his affairs.
From their conversation, Wu Yu could piece together that the news had already spread through the entirety of Burning Skies Barracks and was moving like wildfire beyond that.
With a thing like Message Talismans, any sensational news could speed through the Dark North Capital in a flash.
Before this, news of the Dark North Emperor Beast appearing in the Level 5 Zone in the Alternate World and the sealing of Minister Yin's granddaughter, Yin Ying, within Cryogenesis had been making the rounds in the Dark North Capital.
They had just been lamenting the suffering of this youthful lady, when the truth had come to light.
Which was: the Dark North Emperor Beast had appeared in the Level 5 Zone because Duan Yi had lured it over, trying to kill Wu Yu. The motive was because of Princess You Xue, and he had worked together with Yin Xuan, Gong Shenjun, and a few others.
Many of the elites of the Dark North Capital had been named.
It was rumored that the evidence was overwhelming, and even the Li Heavenly Province's provincial lord had come to the Dark North Capital.
Wu Yu smiled. This sort of thing had gotten more exaggerated in the retelling, as people began to add to it. It would only get more overblown.
But on the whole, his goal - a devastating psychological blow to Duan Yi, Yin Xuan, Gong Shenjun, and the others - had been fulfilled.
Duan Yi's performance in the Li Heavenly Province had been astounding, and he was an upstanding gentleman. This time around, he had come to the Dark Sea Army with much fanfare, and his goal was definitely not just to be a mere dark north general. He was gunning for the position of dark sea general, and even dark sky general, or the Dark Sea Army General. Of course, if he could win Princess You Xue's heart and become a member of the royal family, then he might even become the Dark Sea Army General before he turned 100!
Perhaps this was Duan Yi's true ambition.
Which was why Princess You Xue was too important to him.
He could not afford to slip up.
Before Wu Yu appeared, he knew that Princess You Xue was predisposed towards him, at least more so than towards Yin Xuan. Compared to him, Yin Xuan paled in both potential and diligence.
However, this ugly news had shattered Duan Yi's heroic reputation, painting him as a petty plotter.
Let alone Yin Xuan. Anyone who could give their sister up so heartlessly was worse than a beast.
Wu Yu had helped take some revenge for Yin Ying. He did not need to physically beat up Duan Yi and the others - sometimes, the emotional beating was even more satisfying. This would have a significant effect on Duan Yi's future progression.
He could only imagine how furious Duan Yi was while he waited for him.
Exactly because of this, the nearer Wu Yu got, the more dark north soldiers followed him. They were probably excited to watch the show.
Many people in the Burning Skies Barracks had probably already gone to the Yuan Dark Squad.
"Wu Yu actually dares to go back?!"
"I wager that the Dark North General will definitely tear him a new one in kind. Whether this is the truth or not - he won't admit it, and can’t even rebut it...."
"Shh!" When Wu Yu reached Yuan Dark Squad, he immediately felt an overpowering killing intent. There were more than 1,000 people gathered here, and many were sitting around on rooftops, watching.
He walked through the doors, and the murderous Duan Yi was waiting right in front of him. He even had a few chiliarchs and a few dozen centurions with him. Black Skeleton, in Wu Yu's chain of command, was amongst their number. Naturally, the expression on his face was repulsive and depressed.
Wu Yu's arrival was met with a flurry of reactions.
Duan Yi had just returned from the Yin Residence. The matter of Yin Ying had yet to be concluded, but his father was personally dealing with it. They had not ironed out the details of how the crime would be paid for, but the Li Heavenly Provincial Lord would definitely lose a huge sum.
It was his misfortune for not having as powerful a background as Gong Shenjun and the others.
In any case, his misdemeanors had cost him a sound scolding from his father. The Li Heavenly Provincial Lord probably had to grovel and beg to appease the anger of the people at the Yin Residence, so that they too would not be shamed.
His return did not mean that the matter was resolved, only that the Yin Residence also did not want this matter to blow up. It would besmirch the Yin Residence's reputation as well, because Yin Xuan was also involved.
He had not expected that his sigh of relief upon returning to the Burning Skies Barracks would be cut short by the “truth” already spreading everywhere. He could not even shut it down, because the news had already spread to other barracks and even throughout the whole Dark North Capital.
Right now, no one even knew where the news had come from.
This made Duan Yi panic.
He very clearly recalled that the Stygian Nightmare Army's Nightmarish Sky General Yin Ding had personally warned and threatened Wu Yu not to speak of this matter.
Under such circumstances, Wu Yu could not possibly leak the news.
But why had he done it? Hadn't he promised it himself before? Was he so bold to dare to offend so many?
He felt that Wu Yu had gone crazy, even suicidal. He could only search for Wu Yu's whereabouts. He had just come to the Yuan Dark Squad and heard that Wu Yu had gone to the Dark Sea Thoroughfare.
When their eyes met, Duan Yi's anger shot through the roof. He immediately cried, "Dark North Soldier Wu Yu, your impertinence knows no bounds! You dare to fabricate baseless so-called truths to slander a dark north general? Insubordinate and unruly, with no heed for military order! You are not fit to be a dark north soldier under me, Duan Yi! Because you committed the heinous crime of inciting military disorder, I sentence you to death! As per military rule!"
He knew that he had to quickly kill Wu Yu to leave no witnesses. This was the best way for him to begin rebuilding his authority. As long as Wu Yu died, they would not feel that he had been trumped by Wu Yu.
His life was what swung the balance.
As for the rumors that were spreading, he would not need to care about them. Victors wrote history, while the dead were voiceless.
Besides, he had used words like "baseless," "slander," and "military disorder” to incriminate Wu Yu. If Wu Yu was indeed lying, this would be acceptable. After all, these rumors had no proof for now, and everyone was waiting for evidence to surface.
Wu Yu reacted quickly. With a laugh, he said, "Military order - that I understand. But there's one thing I don't understand. A mighty dark north general is actually trying his best to murder a humble dark north soldier. Today, you have not only failed, but you've also hurt an innocent. After the truth was revealed, your anger got the better of you, and you're trying to find an excuse to kill me. And military order is that excuse! Duan Yi, isn't it simply that you think I am standing in the way of you and the Princess' good books? Let me assure you that there is absolutely nothing between the Princess and I. Overlook this, and stop using these shameless tricks against me. All good?"
Brazen, provoking, and all with a mocking laugh, although there was a world of difference between their statuses, and even their ability was worlds apart. One was a ninth tier Primordial Spirit Transformation Realm cultivator, the other a ninth tier Violent Kingdom of the Inner Sea cultivator. A full realm apart.
Yet in this open fight, Wu Yu was not on the back foot at all. At least verbally, he had completely bested his opponent, putting Duan Yi in an embarrassing position.
The more Wu Yu demonstrated his fearlessness, the more Duan Yi was sure that Wu Yu would not dare to act like that if he didn't have a guarantee that he would not die. He was not only offending Duan Yi, but also the Yin Residence, the Li Heavenly Province, and the Master of Justice's house.
But it was too unbearable to be humiliated like this before all these onlookers!
"Don't talk nonsense. The Dark Sea Army does not acquit criminals because of their glib tongue. A dark north soldier daring to argue against me is a serious offense in itself! Chiliarchs, with me! Take down Wu Yu!"
He knew that he could not let Wu Yu speak on. The more he spoke, the more Duan Yi would lose out.
He would not only attack, but would get his chiliarchs to join him. This would disguise his personal quarrel a little.
The chiliarchs obeyed, and together with Duan Yi, the five or six of them moved, creating a huge commotion.
At this time, they felt that Wu Yu would have some way to escape, which was why he was so bold. If he did not, then he would truly be an idiot like no other.
Duan Yi could definitely kill him at this time. Besides, the crimes that he had pinned on Wu Yu could also be accepted.
As they chased, Wu Yu laughed loudly, saying, "I'll take a nap first. Let's see if you can catch me. Do you all know why the Dark North Emperor Beast could not catch me?"
He fell backwards, and a cloud appeared behind him. Wu Yu landed on the puffy cloud just as Duan Yi and the others reached him.
Wu Yu reclined, his legs casually crossed. The Somersault Cloud flew up into the air.
His speed was truly terrifying.
When the Dark North Emperor Beast had appeared in Alternate World, Wu Yu had frozen in fear. If he had used the Somersault Cloud’s first tier to escape immediately, he might have been able to escape, and might even have been able to bring Yin Ying along.
Given the speed of the Somersault Cloud now, he did not even need to warp jump, and Duan Yi was already left behind. The chiliarchs were completely shaken off.
Everyone believed the rumors now....
Duan Yi could not catch Wu Yu!