“They did not leave? They stayed?”
Xiang Lanxuan, who had been pacing beneath the trees at the mountain’s edge, suddenly turned her head and asked.
The attendant said, “Yes, I asked. It was Wan Liqiu’s female disciple, Qin Fujun, who kept them as guests. She said she wanted to fulfil the duties of a host. She said during the competition, competitors should not run around everywhere. Now that the grand meeting has ended, she wants to show Tanhu Lang and the others the scenery of Kunling Mountain.”
Xiang Lanxuan frowned. “It seems this woman is still relentlessly investigating the Meteor Hall matter.”
The attendant said, “Yes, it should be for this matter.”
“I fear she has invited the wolf into the house.” Xiang Lanxuan scoffed.
After pacing back and forth for a while, she instructed again, “Arrange for people to go and monitor them. Remember, keep a tight watch. Previously, so many people from Kunling Mountain surrounded and intercepted him yet could not catch him. It is clear that fellow is not ordinarily slippery. He is not easy to watch. A thorough arrangement is needed.”
“Yes.” The attendant took the order and left.
Past noon, the glazed tiles on the great hall of Kunling Mountain’s sect gate shone brilliantly in the sunlight.
Elder Huan, who rarely showed his face, arrived unhurriedly. After entering the hall, he discovered that inside the hall there was only Sect Leader Zhao Dengzi. It was clear at a glance that they had private words to say.
Privately, they did not exchange excessive courtesies. After mutual salutations, Elder Huan asked, “What is the matter?”
Zhao Dengzi said, “Now it can basically be confirmed. The person that Great Walker Xiang was watching in the Dingyin District previously was that Tanhu Lang.”
Elder Huan said, “How do you explain this?”
Zhao Dengzi said, “All the personnel near that Tanhu Lang’s residence have been replaced by people from the Daye Division. They borrowed our Kunling Mountain clothing and all disguised themselves as Kunling Mountain disciples. Elder Wan’s closed-door disciple, that is, Junior Sister Qin Fujun, is now mixed together with that Tanhu Lang. Great Walker Xiang requires Junior Sister Qin to report Tanhu Lang’s movements daily. Once any abnormality is discovered, she must also promptly inform her.”
Elder Huan was shocked and doubtful. “What do these fellows want, lingering at my Kunling Mountain?”
Zhao Dengzi said, “I cannot figure it out. I fear only the parties involved know clearly. One point has already been verified. That Tanhu Lang originally did not want to stay. It was Junior Sister Qin who repeatedly urged him to stay, insisting on fulfilling the duties of a host, which made them stay. By the time I discovered it, it was already too late. Hosting a few guests is something she can decide after all. I also had not expected it could make Great Walker Xiang treat it so seriously. Once the Daye Division intervened, we also could not easily expel the guests.”
Elder Huan said in a deep voice, “What is that girl playing at?”
Zhao Dengzi said, “I fear she still wants to investigate the Meteor Hall matter.”
“Nonsense. Was this not already concluded? Was this not already turned over? Why does she dare to oppose the sect’s decision?”
Elder Huan was very angry.
Regarding this, Zhao Dengzi did not speak. He also could not easily elevate this matter to the height of opposing the sect’s decision. Even less could he say that he himself had once gone back on his word and hinted to Qin Fujun that she could investigate secretly.
At this time, Qin Fujun also felt that she had been drawn into something she should not be involved in. The Daye Division’s intervention made her monitor Yu Qing and the others’ every move.
If she still could not sense that something was wrong, then there was a problem with her brain.
Especially when she discovered that the Kunling Mountain disciples around her had all been replaced by unfamiliar faces, and they showed no respect for her seniority, this made her secretly feel an approaching storm.
The following days passed one by one. During the day, Qin Fujun took the guests to enjoy the mountains and waters. But once night fell, the guests were very strange. They closed their doors and windows early, immersing themselves in darkness, saying it was daily cultivation.
Xiang Zhen was somewhat puzzled. He had lived together with Yu Qing for some days. How did he not know previously that this Brother Zhang had this habit of daily routine?
He always tried knocking on the door, wanting to chat with Yu Qing, but was rejected by Yu Qing.
How could Yu Qing not know what the other wanted? That fellow had said who knew how many times that he just wanted to fight him once, wanting to experience his sword intent.
Later Yu Qing lost his temper, warning him not to come knocking again, saying he feared it would affect cultivation and cause deviation.
This was indeed a great taboo of cultivation. Thus, Xiang Zhen became too embarrassed to disturb him again at night, and was gradually adjusted into the habit of cultivating at night.
And Yu Qing had also made up his mind. He absolutely could not let Xiang Zhen know his identity. Once this matter was finished, he would immediately shake off this clingy fellow and run away. In this lifetime, they should never meet again. It was annoyingly bothersome.
Let alone outsiders, even Bai Lixin was similarly puzzled. She had spent even longer with the three senior brothers, and knew the three of them never had this habit of having to cultivate at night.
This time, Yu Qing personally told her face to face, do not ask too many questions. Just follow and do as they do.
Bai Lixin vaguely felt there was some problem within, but did not know what the problem was. She could only follow instructions.
The moon in the night sky changed from full to crescent day by day.
They stayed for almost ten full days. Finally at night, mountain fog rose.
After observing for a long time through the half-open window using the Observation Word Technique, Yu Qing quietly and gently closed the window. He softly opened the door and left the room, waking up Nan Zhu and the other two from the other rooms.
Seeing the three people’s sneaky, tiptoeing movements, Bai Lixin could not help asking, “What are you doing?”
Yu Qing did not say what they were doing. He reminded in a low voice, “Outside the garden it looks quiet, but in reality many guards are scattered about. Remember, later follow our movement route closely. Do not run around randomly.”
Nan Zhu nodded, speaking even more exaggeratedly, “That’s right. Follow me closely. Do not take a single wrong step.”
Bai Lixin nodded with shock and doubt. Seeing they had all brought their weapons, she also quickly took her bow and arrows and carried them on her back.
Yu Qing took the lead. He chose Nan Zhu’s room. After slightly prying open the window and observing for a while, he opened the window and lightly jumped out.
The other three followed one after another. Mu Aotie, who was last, conveniently closed the window.
The group sneakily arrived all the way at the base of the garden wall. They leaned against the wall base and crouched quietly.
Yu Qing raised his hand to signal everyone to be quiet. Using the Observation Word Technique, he observed carefully. After truly confirming, he made another hand gesture. He climbed over the wall first. The others immediately followed. Thus they quickly escaped into the mountain forest outside the wall.
Along the way, they frequently stopped and started, turning east and turning west. Mu Aotie was already accustomed to this.
Bai Lixin’s face was full of shock and doubt. She realised they were going to do something inside Kunling Mountain. But this was the central core area of the Kunling Mountain sect. It was heavily guarded. Was this not seeking death by running around wildly like this?
But looking at these fellows’ manner, they also seemed extremely methodical. Could it be that they had grasped the map or some sentry situation?
Her arm had also fallen into Nan Zhu’s hand. She was already being held by Nan Zhu.
Although she felt uncomfortable all over from being held, at this moment her heart was in her mouth. She did not dare to be wilful, and obediently followed beside Nan Zhu.
Not long after the group left the garden, two figures darted over, quickly finding the position where Yu Qing and the others had slipped into the mountain forest.
The two crouched on the ground and fumbled for a while. One person hooked up a strand of hidden thread laid outside the garden with his finger. The other person picked up a section of marked withered branch from the ground.
That section of withered branch was originally supporting the taut hidden line. Now the withered branch had fallen. The taut line had also loosened. The effect transmitted to the other end, drawing the two people here.
One person, according to the directly facing position, ran to the base of the courtyard wall to inspect. Very soon he returned, saying in a low voice to his accomplice, “It is a person. There are footprints beneath the wall. It looks like someone came out from inside.”
The accomplice was greatly shocked. “There are our people taking turns watching all around. If someone came out, how could we not see?”
The former looked around, then pointed at a large tree. “It should be that the tree and the terrain’s cutting angle just happened to block our line of sight.”
The accomplice was shocked and doubtful. “How is it possible? How could they just happen to choose such a good angle?”
The former said, “The device just fell. The people just left. We can still track them.”
Having made up their minds, the two quickly groped their way towards the depths of the mountain forest.
Deep inside the elegant guest courtyard, two figures quickly walked one after another beneath the lantern of an eaves. They were precisely Xiang Lanxuan’s trusted attendant and the person responsible for watching Yu Qing’s side.
The attendant shouted towards the pitch-black room, “Great Walker.”
Coming to find her at this time, naturally there was urgent business. Very soon the door opened. Xiang Lanxuan, wearing a loose casual garment, appeared at the doorway. Her posture seemed somewhat languid. She asked, “What is the matter?”
The attendant said, “On Zhang Zhichen’s side, our people suspect he has already left the courtyard. They suspect he is already gone. They specially came to ask whether to enter and search to confirm.”
In front of other people, they did not casually expose Yu Qing’s identity here.
Upon hearing it was this matter, Xiang Lanxuan, who had been in a drowsy state, instantly became alert. Her eyes flashed with cold light. “What do you mean by suspecting he has already left the courtyard? So many people watching a courtyard. Did you not say that even if a fly entered or left, it could not escape your eyes?”
The attendant said awkwardly, “We do not know how they just happened to cut into a dead angle. Fortunately, knowing that fellow is slippery, just in case we also adopted a clumsy method and set up trigger restrictions on the outside. Otherwise, we might not even have discovered that someone entered or left. Now we also cannot confirm whether Zhang Zhichen left, but we can confirm that someone indeed entered and left that courtyard.”
Xiang Lanxuan said, “Since trigger restrictions were set up, when the restriction was triggered, did you not immediately follow?”
This was the key. They were watching Yu Qing and the others not to stop them from leaving, but to know what Yu Qing and the others were going to do.
The leader responsible for watching said with a guilty conscience, “Great Walker, our people immediately went to pursue them. However, what is strange is that not only did the pursuers not discover any traces, but even the hidden eyes and ears scattered in that mountain did not see any figures leaving. So we also do not dare to confirm that someone definitely left. Perhaps someone really did enter.”
“Someone entered?” Xiang Lanxuan let out a cold laugh. She directly strode out, pushing the two people aside with one hand, and walked towards the courtyard. “Precisely because that fellow has the ability to slip around right under people’s eyelids, I told you to guard him strictly. Now the restriction has been triggered, yet you can still suspect it was an outsider who entered. What are your brains thinking?”
Once these words left her mouth, the attendant and the leader responsible for watching suddenly realised. The possibility that the target had left was the greatest.
Xiang Lanxuan looked around. Seeing the hazy fog in the mountains beneath the moon, she again let out a cold laugh. “Fog has risen. No wonder they chose today.”
The attendant followed and asked, “Great Walker, what should we do now?”
“What should we do? They slipped away from right under your eyelids and you did not even see them. Do you still expect to be able to track him?” After Xiang Lanxuan finished speaking, she swung her large sleeve. Her person already soared into the air, like a fairy beneath the night curtain, drifting away gracefully.
The attendant flashed to the rooftop to look. He discovered the Great Walker’s direction was precisely the target’s residence. He immediately flew to pursue her.
Xiang Lanxuan, descending from the sky, directly landed in the courtyard where Yu Qing and the others lived. Her person drifted past every house like a clear breeze. Seeing a house, she would swing her large sleeve. The forceful wind directly broke the windows and opened the doors. The courtyard was filled with clanging sounds.
“What person?”
Qin Fujun let out a fierce shout and flew out from inside the house. Xiang Zhen was also startled and came out.
Seeing Xiang Lanxuan standing on the treetop looking around, Qin Fujun’s heart tightened. She was somewhat at a loss, not knowing what this person meant by running here to make trouble in the middle of the night.
“Just you two? Are the others all dead asleep?” Xiang Lanxuan’s tone was cold, looking down from above with contempt. This bearing was truly the imposing manner of a Daye Division Great Walker. “What are you still dazing for? Hurry up and search.”
The attendant who arrived afterwards, hearing the sound, immediately flew towards the various small buildings.
Only at this time did Qin Fujun realise something. She also quickly flew towards the place where Yu Qing and the others lived.
Only Xiang Zhen looked around in all directions, at a loss.
The result was obvious. The people had gone and the building was empty. There were no figures in any of the small buildings.
After the attendant returned, he reported to the person on the treetop, “Great Walker, the people are indeed gone.”
“Gone. Where could they go?” Xiang Lanxuan, standing on the treetop with her clothes fluttering in the wind, frowned and muttered to herself. Suddenly she turned her head. Her bright, shining eyes looked towards the direction of Spirit Valley. Her figure instantly soared into the air and flew away.
The attendant strained his eyes to look into the distance. He saw the figure flying over the high mountains in the moonlight. This time he truly did not know where the Great Walker was going, and it was also inconvenient to pursue further.
He simply waited here. In case Yu Qing and the others returned, he could also promptly know.
Qin Fujun suddenly flashed and flew away.
She was also pondering why Yu Qing and the others had suddenly disappeared. Although she did not know what had happened, she felt that Great Walker Xiang certainly knew something. Thus she also flew away, quickly pursuing in that direction.
Xiang Zhen was silent for a moment, then also flashed and pursued them.