"Why are you the only ones back? Where is everyone else?"
Zhuxia rushed back, but when he saw only five cultivators on the returning ship, his heart sank.
"Senior Zhuxia, it's just us."
"The others... they all died in battle."
The cultivator on the ship lowered his head, his expression grim.
"What about Ji Zhang, Chunying, and Matsuo?"
Zhuxia asked after a stunned moment.
"The three seniors... also died for the Sect."
Hearing this, Zhuxia stared blankly for a long moment before asking, "Hong Er, tell me, how did they die?"
Hong Er looked up and answered, "Lord Ji Zhang and Lady Chunying were both acting alone. We didn't witness their fights, so we're not sure about the specifics. Senior Matsuo was killed by a mechanism he accidentally triggered while pursuing Zhao Lin."
Zhuxia staggered back two steps and glanced at the Chenghua Sect's magnificent vessel. A sense of powerlessness washed over him. Without another word, he waved for the guards to set sail.
