Late at night, Tongfu Restaurant began closing for the night.
Zhao Yun's doppelganger, who had been watching from the shadows, also saw Shopkeeper Tong return to the rear courtyard.
After waiting another hour, all was silent.
Using the Legendary-level Breath Concealment Art, Zhao Yun silently slipped into the rear courtyard of Tongfu Restaurant.
The rear courtyard of Tongfu Restaurant was quiet. There were three rooms there; the ones on either side were likely where the staff lived.
The room in the middle was likely Shopkeeper Tong's.
After Zhao Yun entered the rear courtyard, he used the doppelgangers' shared Myriad Things Space ability to bring Chen Fan's doppelganger to his side as well.
Meanwhile, Chen Ze's consciousness remained focused on the movements of the two doppelgangers at all times.
Zhao Yun and Chen Fan exchanged a glance. Their minds were in perfect accord as they followed the plan they had prepared long ago.
Chen Fan's doppelganger took the Short Blade Chen Ze had given him and slowly pried open the middle room's door.
Zhao Yun's doppelganger stood guard beside him.
The two quietly entered the room. Since they were using the Breath Concealment Art, their presence was completely erased, and they did not alert the person inside.
After entering the room, they confirmed the person's location and slowly approached.
Both had already prepared the Ignition Art, waiting only to get close enough to subdue Shopkeeper Tong in one stroke.
As they drew closer and closer to the bed, their minds moved as one, and they simultaneously hurled two Fireballs at Shopkeeper Tong.
Shopkeeper Tong was completely unprepared.
Bang! Bang!
The two Fireballs had already struck their target.
The firelight cast by the Fireballs confirmed beyond doubt that the target was Shopkeeper Tong.
Shopkeeper Tong, struck by two Fireballs in his sleep, jolted awake and let out a pained scream.
One Fireball had struck his right hand, and another his abdomen. He was already half-crippled.
"Who are you people?" Shopkeeper Tong shouted through the pain.
Though Shopkeeper Tong was half-crippled, he had not yet reached the point of surrendering without a fight.
Seeing this, Zhao Yun's and Chen Fan's doppelgangers activated the Ignition Art again, hurling two Fireballs straight at Shopkeeper Tong's face.
Having experienced the Fireballs' power, Shopkeeper Tong did not dare let his guard down. He unleashed his full cultivation, bringing out every life-saving measure he had to block them with all his might.
He managed to block the two Fireballs, but several more came flying at him in rapid succession.
Shopkeeper Tong cried out in alarm. Knowing he could not stop them, he turned to flee.
But the incoming Fireballs still struck him in the back.
Shopkeeper Tong staggered and fell face-first to the ground.
He no longer had the strength to stand. In a hoarse voice, he roared, "Who exactly sent you?"
Receiving no response, Zhao Yun's doppelganger rushed forward and knocked Shopkeeper Tong unconscious with a chop to the neck.
The explosions of the Fireballs and Shopkeeper Tong's pained cries had long since alerted the occupants of the two neighboring rooms.
In an instant, the rear courtyard of Tongfu Restaurant was brightly lit.
"Go," Chen Fan's doppelganger murmured.
Zhao Yun's doppelganger nodded.
The two took Shopkeeper Tong into the Myriad Things Space. When they appeared again, they were already inside Chen Ze's residence.
This had all been planned in advance. Once they succeeded, they would take Shopkeeper Tong into the Myriad Things Space. It would cost no more than 1 Point.
The disturbance at Tongfu Restaurant also alerted the Patrol Team of the City Lord's Mansion.
When the staff of Tongfu Restaurant followed the sounds into Shopkeeper Tong's room, they saw only scorched marks everywhere. Shopkeeper Tong himself had vanished without a trace.
After the Patrol Team from the City Lord's Mansion arrived, they likewise found no traces.
The Patrol Team swiftly sealed off the scene, while someone had already returned to the City Lord's Mansion to report the matter.
Anyone who dared act without authorization in Wannan City had already violated Wannan City's rules.
What was more, the shopkeeper of Tongfu Restaurant had now disappeared. This was no small matter, and the City Lord naturally had to inspect it personally.
Because his residence was close to the City Lord's Mansion, Chen Ze could hear every movement of the troops gathering outside with crystal clarity.
But it no longer mattered. No one would ever guess that Shopkeeper Tong was now inside Chen Ze's residence.
Chen Ze summoned Zhao Yun and Chen Fan from the Myriad Things Space. The two were still holding up the unconscious Shopkeeper Tong.
"Wake him up."
"Yes."
Zhao Yun went outside, fetched a basin of cold water, and splashed it over Shopkeeper Tong's face.
The shock of the cold water instantly woke the unconscious Shopkeeper Tong.
Though Shopkeeper Tong's mind was still muddled after waking, he had already seen a familiar face before him.
"Why is it you?"
The moment he saw that face, Shopkeeper Tong seemed to understand many things at once.
"Weren't you the one who kept trying to capture me? Now that I've captured you instead, what do you have to say?" Chen Ze looked at Shopkeeper Tong mockingly.
"Wu Li and Zhang Tai are both dead?"
Chen Ze nodded.
Shopkeeper Tong stared at Chen Ze in horror. He had never imagined that Chen Ze, at the Qi Refining Second Layer, had actually killed his two Qi Refining Sixth Layer subordinates.
Shopkeeper Tong wanted to resist, but his body was already restrained by two people.
He looked at the two men holding him. One had his face concealed, while the other possessed an exceptionally heroic bearing.
Moreover, despite his Qi Refining Seventh Layer cultivation, he could not see through either of their realms.
Shopkeeper Tong was greatly alarmed. Could these two both be in the Foundation Establishment Realm? Yet they did not seem like it. He had seen Foundation Establishment cultivators before, but the two before him were far too young.
Still, whether they had reached Foundation Establishment was no longer important. He could not resist anyway.
Shopkeeper Tong gave a disdainful smile. "I never expected you to find such powerful helpers. But I still advise you to release me as soon as possible.
"If I disappear, the City Lord's Mansion and the Lineage behind me will definitely search for me with all their strength.
"You made such a huge commotion tonight. You won't be able to escape Wannan City."
Chen Ze smiled and said, "Who told you I was going to run? Wannan City is perfectly safe right now. I'd rather stay here."
Shopkeeper Tong looked at Chen Ze doubtfully. "Aren't you afraid of the City Lord's Mansion investigating you?"
"What is there to fear? And who knows that I was the one who captured you?"
Shopkeeper Tong had been unconscious when he was taken away. He had no idea how he had ended up here.
He had thought that Chen Ze would surely leave traces by bringing him here.
Ignoring Shopkeeper Tong's confusion, Chen Ze continued, "Enough. I won't waste any more breath on you. You should know why I brought you here.
"Since you once intended to harm others, you should have long been prepared for someone to turn the tables and kill you instead.
"Tell me where your Mine is, and which Lineage you cooperated with.
"Explain everything clearly, and I'll give you a quick death."
After Chen Ze finished speaking, Shopkeeper Tong was even more confused. How did he know everything?
But now was not the time for confusion. Chen Ze wanted the Mine's location and information on the Lineage he had worked with. That was his bargaining chip.
Shopkeeper Tong said, "Impossible. Promise to release me first, then I'll tell you."
Chen Ze laughed. "Heh. Aren't you thinking too highly of yourself? At a time like this, how could I possibly let you go? Let you go so you can come back and take revenge on me?"
Shopkeeper Tong could also see that there would be no peaceful end to this today. "No, you can't kill me. I have many Spirit Stones. I can give them all to you. I only ask that you spare my life."
"Spirit Stones? How many?"
Shopkeeper Tong hesitated. "One thousand."
Chen Ze shook his head. "Heh. Do you think I'd believe that? Forget it. Talking to you this much has been a waste of breath."
After speaking, Chen Ze looked at Zhao Yun's and Chen Fan's doppelgangers. "You two watch him. I'll be back soon."
Then Chen Ze closed his eyes, and his consciousness entered the Myriad Things Space.
He had long ago seen a spell in the Myriad Things Shop, but he had not needed it at the time, so he had not exchanged for it.
Now was precisely the time to use it.
After entering the Myriad Things Shop, Chen Ze did not look at the shopping interface. Instead, he directly said to the Green-robed Woman, "Exchange a Soul Searching Technique for me."
"Exchanging one Soul Searching Technique will consume 30 Points. Confirm exchange?" the Green-robed Woman said coolly.
"Confirm."
A spell manual then appeared before Chen Ze, and 30 Points were deducted.
Holding the Soul Searching Technique, Chen Ze did not linger.
He went straight to the Automated Training Room and tossed the Soul Searching Technique to the Phantom cultivating automatically.
A moment later, a new spell appeared under the spell section of Chen Ze's system interface: Soul Searching Technique (Beginner) 1/100.
Before you continue