Second Young Master Lu

Hongji Restaurant truly deserved to be Tianmu Mountain Lu Clan's established shop for gathering information. By nightfall, relevant news came pouring in one piece after another.

The upheaval had occurred last night. The Zhou Clan had mobilized in force, dispatching thirteen cultivators, including two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the clan and five high-level Qi Refining cultivators...

It was said to be related to the Zhou Clan's legitimate daughter, Seventh Mistress. Rumors claimed that Lord Xingde had forcibly abducted Seventh Mistress Zhou, though the Zhou Clan denied it...

At noon today, the Zhou Clan had entered the Taoyuan Mountain Range and forcibly searched the mountains. This had reportedly sparked no small number of disputes. They had even fought Mo Honghua, the person with the highest cultivation in the Taoyuan Mountain Range. Mo Honghua willingly conceded defeat, and so the Taoyuan Mountain Range had been thrown open for the Zhou Clan to search...

It was said that when they fought, an Elder of the Qingyu Sect had happened to pass by and watched the entire affair...

By evening, the Zhou Clan was still searching the Taoyuan Mountain Range...

It was already midnight, yet the Zhou Clan was still surrounding the mountains...

Wei Hongqing pondered. "It seems the Zhou Clan is certain that Lord Xingde is still in Taoyuan. They must have found a clue. I'll have them keep investigating..."

By dawn, fresh news arrived. The Zhou Clan had indeed tracked their clue into Taoyuan, and that clue was very likely on Seventh Mistress Zhou herself.

A Tianmu Mountain officer who had come in to report said in a low voice, "Though the Zhou Clan has kept denying it, we still found out that it truly is connected to Seventh Mistress Zhou. There is no doubt that Lord Xingde abducted her. The Zhou Clan placed something on Seventh Mistress Zhou that can be used to trace her whereabouts."

Wei Hongqing asked, "What thing?"

The officer replied, "The Qingyu Sect excels at the Divine Strike Technique. They have a method of gods and ghosts that hides little ghosts within objects. Whoever carries such an object can be sensed at any time. Though the sensing is not precise, one can detect the general area. Tianmu Mountain once tried to exchange a pill formula for this method, but they refused. Thus, everyone suspects this may have been a trap set by the Zhou Clan to capture Lord Xingde... Boss, what does the higher-ups mean by this? Taoyuan is not the Qingyu Sect's territory alone, much less a place where the Zhou Clan can act with utter abandon. They simply aren't putting Tianmu Mountain in their eyes!"

Wei Hongqing said, "Don't overthink it. Just find out whatever news there is."

Having gathered information to this point, Liu Xiaolou had more or less formed his own judgment of the situation. He said to Wei Hongqing, "Brother Wei, thank you."

Wei Hongqing sighed. "Xiaolou, I still hope you'll be more cautious and think things through."

Liu Xiaolou nodded. "I know."

Just as he was about to take his leave, someone barged in from outside, sat down carelessly, glanced at Liu Xiaolou, and said to Wei Hongqing, "Old Wei, what are you planning?"

This man was dressed extravagantly, with fair, tender skin. He looked to be only around twenty, remarkably young.

Wei Hongqing smiled. "Second Young Master Lu, let me introduce you. This is my good brother, Liu Xiaolou. Xiaolou, this is Second Young Master Lu. His elder brother is Lu Yuanlang, third-ranked among Tianmu Mountain's inner disciples."

Liu Xiaolou froze for a moment, then slowly cupped his hands. "So it is Second Young Master Lu. A pleasure to meet you!"

Second Young Master Lu smiled. "We've met before, haven't we? Aren't you Seventh Mistress Zhou's nephew?"

Wei Hongqing was stunned. "What nephew?"

The corners of Second Young Master Lu's lips curved in a smile that was not quite a smile. "I saw him at the Zhou family manor that day. He went to visit relatives and mooch off them, yet even mistook someone else for family. Hahaha... Don't tell me you didn't know, Old Wei? Fine, then let's pretend you don't... I heard you've been having people inquire into the Zhou Clan's pursuit of that Rogue Cultivator. What's the story there?"

Wei Hongqing said, "We merely happened to hear this news and did not know the full details, so I had people ask around. We have no plans. It is also part of Wei's duty."

Second Young Master Lu stared into Wei Hongqing's eyes, then glanced at Liu Xiaolou before shaking his head with a smile. "Old Wei, that's not very proper of you. Hiding this from me?"

Wei Hongqing said, "Second Young Master, you overstate it. The Zhou Clan is, after all, a great Qingyu Sect clan. I am merely a small restaurant officer—how would I dare make any reckless plans? We truly are only gathering information in case the sect asks about it."

Second Young Master Lu's smile vanished, and his face turned cold. "Old Wei, I came here with the best of intentions. I thought that if you had any difficulties, I could help you, and if there were benefits to be had, I could give you a little lift. Yet you use these words to fob me off? What? Do you really think the Yan Clan is such a good backer?"

Wei Hongqing said solemnly, "Second Young Master, if there is anything else, please give your orders. Wei will do his utmost to assist. But the Zhou Clan's actions currently seem unrelated to Tianmu Mountain, much less is there any benefit to speak of..."

Before he could finish, Second Young Master Lu flicked his sleeve and turned to leave. As he walked away, he threw back one sentence: "A fellow born of rogue cultivation who cannot tell good from bad. Watch yourself!"

Silence filled the private room. After a long while, Wei Hongqing had the officer who had been gathering information summoned in and asked, "How did Lu the Second know?"

The officer lowered his head. "Reporting to Boss, Second Young Master happened to be drinking in the restaurant. Seeing us coming and going so frequently, he came over to ask. His status is noble, and we did not dare conceal it."

Wei Hongqing stared fixedly at the officer, speechless for a long while.

After waiting a moment, the officer asked, "Boss, is there anything else? If not, this one will take his leave and continue gathering information."

Wei Hongqing drew a deep breath and waved him away. After the officer left, he drained the wine in his cup in one gulp, then turned to Liu Xiaolou with a smile. "Xiaolou, forgive the spectacle. Great sects and great schools are simply like this."

Liu Xiaolou asked, "This fellow doesn't get along with Brother Wei?"

Wei Hongqing shook his head. "A foppish young master at the Qi Refining third layer. He relies on his elder brother's influence and is always setting himself against us... By the way, you have met?"

Liu Xiaolou said, "We have indeed met. At the time, I thought he was the Zhou Clan's Second Young Master. I never expected him to be from the Lu Family."

"You didn't suffer any losses then, did you?"

"Not really. He wanted to whip me, but didn't manage it. His cultivation is mediocre, but his temper is anything but small."

Wei Hongqing patted Liu Xiaolou on the shoulder, signaling that he understood. "When I gain a firm foothold in the future, I will certainly help you vent this anger."

Liu Xiaolou smiled. "Brother Wei, there's no need for us to be angry with him. For now, we will endure humiliation and bear heavy burdens. When the day comes that you soar into the sky, such petty people will not be worth mentioning."

After bidding farewell to Wei Hongqing, Liu Xiaolou came out and inspected the private rooms one by one, but found no sign of Second Young Master Lu. He set the matter aside for the moment, left Tianmen Market, and hurried toward the Taoyuan Mountain Range.

The journey of over a hundred li took him until midnight. Upon reaching Taoyuan's outskirts, Liu Xiaolou slowed his pace and first watched from beside the main road into the mountains. Sure enough, several people were guarding the road. He guessed they were from the Zhou Clan.

With this road impassable, he chose another secluded trail. After going less than two li, he suddenly felt prickling needles stabbing his back, as though a pair of eyes were watching him.

Liu Xiaolou did not dare venture deeper. He found an opportunity nearby to catch two wild rabbits, tied them with straw rope and hung them at his waist, then hummed a little tune as he withdrew from the mountain path. Only then did the feeling of being watched gradually fade.

What kind of ghostly trick was that? Could it be the Qingyu Sect's Divine Strike Technique? It was truly sinister!

Liu Xiaolou was quite familiar with the terrain. He immediately chose a hiding place unlikely to be noticed and slipped inside to rack his brains. He could not understand the prickling sensation on his back just now, and naturally could not find a good way to enter the mountains.

Being unable to enter the mountains was naturally bad news, but the Zhou Clan still surrounding the mountains was good news. It showed that Lord Xingde and Seventh Mistress Zhou had yet to be found and were temporarily safe.

As he pondered, he saw two figures silently pass by his hiding place, likewise creeping about on tiptoe like ghosts and thieves.

Could some friends from the road also have come to join the excitement?

Using the moonlight, Liu Xiaolou looked carefully and discovered that the two figures were quite familiar. One was the Hongji Restaurant officer who had been gathering information, and the other was Second Young Master Lu.

The two wandered around nearby for a moment, then returned to Liu Xiaolou's hiding place. Only several zhang away from him, they began discussing matters in low voices.

"Second Young Master, it was definitely here. I don't know how he disappeared?"

"You're sure you didn't see wrong?"

"Without a doubt. He was here the last time I saw him."

"Where is he, then?"

"I don't know..."

"You lost track of a Rogue Cultivator with such meager cultivation? You truly are useless!"