Meanwhile, the disheveled white-robed youth, who had fled back in a sorry state, rushed into a green tent.
A pink-clad maiden emerged from the tent. Seeing his disheveled appearance, she couldn't help but ask, "Yixiao, why did it take you so long to buy some food and drinks? Where is Hai Gan? What happened? Hmm? You used my Bi Ling Sword?!"
Hai Yixiao broke into a sweat. "I apologize, Mianyi. I didn't want to use your Bi Ling Sword. I thought that as long as I carried the Bi Ling Sword, no one would dare provoke our Hai family, and we could avoid unnecessary trouble. But who would have thought... a mad old man came and attacked us without a word. Hai Gan, he... Hai Gan..."
A middle-aged man's voice echoed from within the tent, "What happened to Gan'er?!"
Six people emerged from inside: a green-robed middle-aged man, a peony-pink clad maiden, and four blue-robed family disciples.
The middle-aged man was Hai Dongyang, the patriarch of the Hai family in the Northern Desert. Beside him was his second daughter, Hai Mi'er.
Hai Dongyang rushed to Hai Yixiao's side, gripping his shoulders, and asked anxiously, "How is Gan'er?"
Hai Yixiao lowered his head and looked up at him. "Hai Gan... is dead."
"No!...! " Hai Dongyang cried out to the heavens.
Seeing him close his eyes, he took a deep breath before opening them again. "Gan'er is dead. Why are you still here?"
"What?" Hai Yixiao was stunned by the question.
Hai Dongyang suddenly slapped him! A tooth flew out of Hai Yixiao's mouth!
Hai Dongyang roared, "I'm asking you, why didn't you bring him back?! Why did you only care about saving yourself?!"
Hai Yixiao retorted with reddened eyes, "That mad old man is a master. Hai Gan's fate was sealed. What could I, at the late stage of Great Heavenly Cycle, do?! Hai Gan's life is a life, but is mine not a life? I am your biological son!"
"Slap!" Hai Dongyang didn't hesitate to deliver a second blow! "Beast!"
He intended to strike a third time, but was stopped by Hai Mianyi and Hai Mi'er simultaneously. "Father, please show mercy!..."
Hai Dongyang threw them off, but relented. He pointed at Hai Yixiao and said with bitter disappointment, "You are indeed my biological son, but Gan'er is the only son of your uncle. How can I face your uncle?! Tell him that I took your son out for training, and he accidentally died?!"
Hai Yixiao's face was numb from the blows, his head spinning. He didn't clearly hear what Hai Dongyang said. Supported by Hai Mianyi and Hai Mi'er, he slowly stood up.
Hai Dongyang, having collected his thoughts, asked, "Do you know who did this?"
Hai Yixiao quickly offered, "I don't know, but the mad old man seemed to be with two slaves. They surely haven't gone far!"
Hai Dongyang picked up his great saber and slammed it onto the ground! "Everyone, move out!"
...
After a while, Hai Dongyang and his eight companions arrived at the roadside inn. They found Hai Gan lying in a dried pool of blood amber, untouched. The inn was still there, but the waiter had packed up early and left.
After examining the wounds and the dishes on the wooden beams, Hai Dongyang sighed, "Only a true master could have done this."
Even a master could not stop Hai Dongyang's revenge. After ordering four disciples to bury Hai Gan's body on the spot, the eight of them set off again.
Hai Dongyang tracked them based on the fresh and old footprints on the ground. After sifting through layers of footprints, he determined the direction of the mad old man and his companions:
"This way, hurry and follow!"
Soon, Hai Dongyang and his eight companions caught up to the mad old man not far away, along with Ao Zihua and Ming Zhitian, who were bound by chains around their necks.
Hearing the commotion behind them, the eight approaching rapidly through the swirling dust, the mad old man did not turn around. His sharp ears immediately recognized the sound. "Hmm?"
He stopped, and Ao Zihua and Ming Zhitian turned to look at the newcomers. One of them they recognized – the white-robed youth who had fled for his life.
Ming Zhitian thought to himself, "This is going to be interesting."
Hai Dongyang pointed at the mad old man and asked Hai Yixiao, "Is it them?"
Hai Yixiao nodded frantically, too excited to speak coherently. "It... it is that old man!"
Hai Dongyang's voice boomed, "Sir, please stop!"