A group of disciples trekked through a labyrinthine maze of corridors and courtyards, their destination shrouded in mystery. Finally, after what seemed like hours of walking, they arrived at a massive hall with four towering entrances, each guarded by fierce-looking statues of mythical beasts. As they stepped inside, they beheld a sight that left them awestruck - a round stone platform, at least 10 metres in diameter, stood in the centre of the hall. As they approached, the hushed conversations of several of their peers could be heard.
Suddenly, the leader of the arriving group caught their attention, his gaze locking onto Zhu. "Brother Zhu, you are as fast as ever, even completing the mission given by Young Master Mingluan," Mu Lan announced, as he and his companions entered the hall.
"It is my duty to complete the mission so that I can protect my fellow disciples," Zhu replied, his voice ringing with a strange laugh.
Upon hearing the peculiar laughter from Zhu, Mu Lan seemed to understand something that the others did not. With a quiet chuckle, he joined in with his fellow disciple.
After a while, the east gate of the hall creaked open, and a man leading a group of disciples entered. It was none other than Xoung He, who had provided information about all the events to Yue Mingluan earlier.
As he glanced around the hall, his eyes fell upon Zhu and Mu Lan, deep in conversation. He guessed something was up and sighed in relief, but also felt a twinge of happiness as he saw the strange smile on their faces. 'So, I'm not the only one,' he thought to himself.
Zhu noticed Xoung He's arrival and greeted him with a bow. "Xoung He, it's good to see you. Have you completed your mission?"
"Yes, I have," Xoung He replied. "I have brought all the Elite disciples from the east side."
Mu Lan interjected, "Now, only Young Master Mingluan's group is left."
The air was filled with a sense of anticipation as the three disciples exchanged a knowing look, waiting for the arrival of the final group.
"Ah, I didn't expect we had fallen into that so-called 'senior's' trap. Who would have known that he was from the opposite faction and just pretending to be our elder?" said one of the disciples.
"He even slandered and used the name of Senior Yue Jang. If I ever meet him again, I'll cut him to pieces," another disciple added fiercely.
"Don't worry, after Young Master Mingluan arrives, we can start our revenge on that so-called senior," a third disciple said.
"In the orb, it's showing that the Young Master Mingluan group will reach here in a few minutes," Zhu said, glancing at the orb.
Hearing the discussion of their fellow disciples, Xoung He, Mu Lan, and Zhu felt a sense of confusion. They knew something that others did not, and they were mostly worried about the schemes of the so-called senior. They did not understand what was going on.
After Wang Chen dealt with the Zhu in the South, he traveled to the West and subjected Mu Lan to the same torturous treatment. Then, he journeyed to the East and did the same to Xoung He.
The three disciples were left bewildered by Wang Chen's actions. Why would the so-called senior allow them to gather in one place? It made no sense, for if they were all in one place, it would not be to Wang Chen's advantage. He couldn't kill them head-on, and instead, he would be hunted by them.
"Look, Young Master Mingluan is approaching," a disciple exclaimed, pointing to the northern entrance gate. The other disciples who had been chatting turned to see him enter the vast hall.
As he strode into the hall, the disciples bowed and showed their respect. Not because they actually revered Yue Mingluan, but because he was the golden ticket to the Yue family's fortune. With a grandfather as the Great Elder and a brother like Yue Jang, everyone knew that licking Yue Mingluan's boots was a surefire way to reap the rewards of the family's influence. Everyone wanted to be like a loyal dog, always by Yue Mingluan's side, hoping for a scrap from his table.
Yue Mingluan spoke in confusion, "Why did you guys gather in this specific place? I didn't mention anything about it."
He had only instructed them to gather the disciples, but had not specified the meeting spot. His initial plan was to first gather all the disciples from the north side, then proceed to the west side to meet them, and combine the gathered disciples to move towards the south and then the west side. However, when he reached the west side, he noticed that the orb showed red dots appearing in the west, east, and north sides, all moving towards a specific location. Curiosity piqued, Yue Mingluan decided to follow the trail, leading him to this spot.
"Ah, Young Master Mingluan, I apologize for the confusion. When I gathered all the disciples, I realized that we had not decided on a specific meeting spot. As luck would have it, we stumbled upon this area which happened to be conveniently located for everyone. Brother Mu Lan arrived shortly after and joined us here. It was a fortunate coincidence, I must say." Zhu explained with a sheepish smile, hoping to convince Yue Mingluan that it was all just a matter of chance.
Although Yue Mingluan had a nagging feeling that something was amiss, he ultimately decided to trust Zhu's explanation and focus on the fact that all the disciples were gathered in one place, which was a good sign for the mission at hand.
"Our next step is to take down the enemy and make our escape," Yue Mingluan announced as he pointed to the location of the red dot in the orb. However, when he glanced at his fellow disciples, he noticed that something was amiss. "Zhu, Mu Lan, and Xoung He, where are the other disciples who went with you to gather the others? They seem to be missing."
"..."
"..."
The three disciples exchanged glances, but they remained silent, refusing to answer Yue Mingluan's question. This only served to fuel his anger.
Yue Mingluan's anger boiled over as he confronted Zhu, My Lan, and Xoung He. "Why are you three not speaking? I demand to know where your fellow brothers are!"
Despite his outburst, they remained silent and exchanged nervous glances. The other disciples started to take notice, and one stepped forward, and addressed Yue Mingluan, "Young Master Mingluan, we saw those three disciples when they arrived to gather us, but they were alone. We did not see any other disciples with them."
The other disciples nodded in agreement, murmuring their confirmation. Yue Mingluan's suspicions were now confirmed, and he knew that something was amiss.
Yue Mingluan's eyes narrowed as he questioned again, his voice laced with impatience, "Then where are they?"
Suddenly, the sound of clapping filled the room as a figure entered through the door.
"I know where they are," the newcomer said with a sly grin.
[A/N: Dear readers, I'd love to hear your feedback on the pacing of the story. Do you feel it's too slow or just right? Please let me know in the comments below. If you have any suggestions or ideas to make the story more interesting, feel free to share them as well.]
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