In a shop on the commercial street.
Ye Cangtian told everyone to stay and rest, while he left alone to explore ahead.
He needed to scout the size of the entire commercial street, how many stone patrol squads were there, and the number of various factions.
After leaving the shop, he put on his silver mask.
The entire commercial street was very quiet, only the footsteps of the stone patrol squads could be heard from time to time.
Although he didn't see anyone, as he moved through the streets, he could feel countless eyes watching him from the shadows.
Clearly, many forces were already hidden in the darkness here.
Ye Cangtian pretended not to see, and continued to wander the streets, investigating the situation.
Soon, another stone patrol squad passed by, and he took the opportunity to hide in a nearby inn.
After the stone patrol squad left, as Ye Cangtian was about to come out, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps from upstairs in the inn.
"There are people upstairs?" Ye Cangtian was stunned for a moment, and didn't rush to leave, quietly walking further inside.
At this moment, a stumbling woman in black appeared in his sight, fleeing.
Upon seeing her, Ye Cangtian couldn't help but be surprised. It was Gu Yue?
However, he quickly saw that there was someone behind Gu Yue, who caught up in just a breath and blocked her path.
It was a middle-aged man wearing purple noble attire, with a somewhat lewd appearance and a lecherous expression. He reeked of alcohol and said teasingly, "Little girl, you can't escape my grasp, so don't bother struggling!"
Gu Yue snorted, gritted her teeth, and swung her sword.
The middle-aged man easily dodged and kicked at her.
Already no match for him, and previously seriously injured, Gu Yue could not dodge this time. She was kicked flying into a corner, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
Her short sword slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground, kicked aside by the middle-aged man.
"Now you can't resist, right? Just enjoy the last moments, I believe it will be very pleasant, won't it?"
The middle-aged man, with a smile all over his face, leered at Gu Yue. Although she was injured and her clothes were stained with blood, making her look disheveled.
But he had to admit, this woman had a certain allure, making him rub his hands in excitement as he was about to eagerly step forward.
However, at this moment, the middle-aged man seemed to sense something and suddenly turned around, "Who's there?"
The next moment, Ye Cangtian, wearing the silver mask, walked out.
The middle-aged man's pupils contracted, and he said sternly, "So it's someone from the Dark Association! This is a private matter of my Bright Hall, it has nothing to do with you, I advise you to leave!"
"Nothing to do with me?"
Ye Cangtian chuckled, then glanced at Gu Yue, who was leaning against the wall, unable to resist, and said with a smile, "I'm sorry, she's my woman, how can it have nothing to do with me?"
"How could she possibly be from your Dark Association? Impossible!"
The middle-aged man's expression turned grim. He had inquired long ago that this assassin named Gu Yue was once from the Heavenly Net assassin organization, and was now just a traitor wanted by Heavenly Net.
He simply thought this fellow from the Dark Association was deliberately picking a fight!
Of course, if the other party was just an ordinary member of the Dark Association, he wouldn't pay him any mind, and could even kill him without consequence.
But this person wore a silver mask, clearly a Xuan-level deacon of the Dark Association, likely with strength not inferior to his own.
Ye Cangtian then walked forward coldly, saying with suppressed anger, "People from the Bright Hall are truly arrogant. Are you intending to start a war with our Dark Association?"
"You!" The middle-aged man was momentarily speechless.
Although their Bright Hall was powerful and not afraid of the Dark Association, a full-blown war between them was not ideal at this time. It should only happen when they entered the City Lord's mansion to seize treasures.
But now that the other party wanted to take Gu Yue, he absolutely would not agree. He had been coveting this woman for two whole days.
The middle-aged man snorted and said coldly, "She's just a traitor of Heavenly Net! Not one of your Dark Association, so I won't let you take her!"
"Then let's try!"
As Ye Cangtian uttered these words, he had already moved.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man from the Bright Hall snorted and waved his hand to meet him.
"Boom!"
The powerful force made both of them stagger back a few steps.
The middle-aged man was somewhat shocked. In the Bright Hall, especially among all the purple-robed bishops, he was considered to have considerable strength. Yet, in this initial exchange, he hadn't gained any advantage.
This Xuan-level deacon from the Dark Association was very strong!
On the other side, Ye Cangtian retreated to Gu Yue's side, pulled her up, and fled outwards.
As they reached the inn's entrance, Ye Cangtian took out a bronze mask from his body, glancing left and right at the street, and said, "Put this on and follow me!"
Gu Yue's face was pale, and she hesitated. She didn't know why he was saving her, nor did she know who he was.
But after a moment of hesitation, she still took the mask, her eyes filled with suspicion as she looked at the man in the silver mask, her brow furrowed slightly.
This voice sounded somewhat familiar!
The moment the two passed through the street, the middle-aged man from the Bright Hall chased after them. Just as he was about to continue the pursuit, he heard footsteps approaching.
A squad of stone figures was coming.
"Fake!"
The middle-aged man cursed angrily and finally gave up the idea of pursuing them.
The reason he gave up was partly due to the passing stone patrol squad, and partly because he genuinely worried that Gu Yue might indeed be from the Dark Association.
The Bright Hall placed great importance on this ruin, so to avoid disrupting their plans, it was currently not suitable for them to engage in conflict with the Dark Association!
...
A moment later, in a shop a few hundred meters away.
The two finally stopped. Ye Cangtian glanced outside and then breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that guy didn't chase after us!"
As soon as he turned around, he saw a short sword pointed at his neck.
Gu Yue stared at him coldly, "Who exactly are you? Why did you save me?"
"..."
Ye Cangtian was speechless, and chuckled awkwardly, "We're old acquaintances, isn't it a bit inappropriate to point that thing at me all the time?"
Gu Yue's eyelashes fluttered, and she was clearly stunned for a moment. This tone was so familiar.
The next moment, she saw him reach out and remove the silver mask, revealing a familiar face looking at her with a helpless smile.
Ye Cangtian!
"How is it you?"
Gu Yue couldn't believe it. She never expected to meet him in this place, and even more so, for him to save her.
Ye Cangtian shrugged, smiling brightly, "I told you we have a lot of fate, didn't I? We meet again! You owe me a life now, how do you plan to repay it?"
"I..."
Gu Yue was about to speak when she closed her eyes and fainted to the ground.
Ye Cangtian was dumbfounded, and said with a wry smile, "You don't have to pretend to faint just because you don't want to repay it, do you?"
However, he soon realized something was wrong. Gu Yue's face was terrifyingly pale, especially her lips, which were completely bloodless.
He quickly helped her lie down on the open ground and then realized that she had too many injuries, and they were quite severe.