"Boss! Feather God Palace has carried our annihilation bombs away!"
Peony's shout ripped Wang Jixuan out of his meditation.
The thing he feared had indeed happened.
"How many did they find?"
"Two!"
"Can you determine precisely where they took them?"
"Uh... not yet."
Peony hurriedly reported, "They seem to be studying the annihilation bombs... but their method is crude — they're trying to pry one open. It could detonate any moment!"
Wang Jixuan frowned slightly.
He glanced up and saw the white cloud still racing onward.
It had flown already an incalculable number of li and still had not reached the place where the Sword God Palace lay.
It seemed they were heading northwest.
Could he not simply slice open the heavens and go there in an instant?
Wang, the Daoist, pondered a moment, then used his hands to push the cloud and turn so that he faced the Jiuling Sword Venerable.
'At least I have a new patron now,' he thought inwardly.
"Master," Wang Jixuan asked softly, "I have a question."
"Mm?" The Jiuling Sword Venerable reacted immediately.
The instant he opened his eyes, a subtle, profound sword-essence that surrounded him withdrew as if in concealment.
The venerable gave a faint, almost mechanical smile.
"Speak."
"Is Feather God Palace our enemy?"
"Yes."
The Jiuling Sword Venerable answered plainly.