Liu Xiaolou suddenly understood. So he had failed to find this Second Young Master Lu before because the man had been looking for him as well. The other party had followed him all the way to Taoyuan, yet he had not noticed a thing. His cultivation was still far too shallow; he urgently needed to improve it.
Second Young Master Lu was only at the Qi Refining third layer. The one capable of tracking him must have been the steward at his side. That steward's cultivation was surely not low.
After pondering for a moment, Liu Xiaolou quietly backed away. He left his hiding place from another direction, found a tree, and dug a hole beneath it to bury his spirit stones, formation plate, formation manual, Sect Master token, and other important items. Then he circled around and returned by the mountain road, muttering as he walked, "Guarding it so tightly—how am I supposed to get in? How am I supposed to make a fortune?"
Just as he was muttering, two people suddenly sprang out before him, flanking him from left and right.
Liu Xiaolou was greatly startled. He opened his mouth to call for help, only to have a long sword pressed against his chest. He did not dare shout again. Focusing his gaze, he saw that the sword-wielding man was precisely the steward from Hongji Restaurant who had been gathering information, while the one beside him, arms folded and sneering, was Second Young Master Lu.
The steward searched him from head to toe, then handed the Three Xuan Sword and several dozen taels of silver to Second Young Master Lu, signaling that Liu Xiaolou carried nothing else. Second Young Master Lu then chuckled. "Liu Xiaolou, have you come all the way here to visit relatives?"
Liu Xiaolou said in alarm, "What do you mean by this, Second Young Master? I am Brother Wei's friend. We are one of our own, one of our own."
Second Young Master Lu tilted his head and studied Liu Xiaolou for a moment. "Truly one of our own?"
Liu Xiaolou nodded like a chicken pecking rice. "Absolutely one of our own!"
Second Young Master Lu burst out laughing and pushed aside the steward's sword. He patted Liu Xiaolou on the shoulder. "Since you are one of our own, then things are easy."
Still shaken, Liu Xiaolou watched the steward sheath his sword and forced a smile. "What a coincidence, meeting Second Young Master here. A pleasure, a pleasure... Oh, and this brother as well—we met several times at the restaurant before, haha..."
Second Young Master Lu grabbed Liu Xiaolou by the collar and dragged him behind a nearby tree. "Let us talk over here... brother Liu, after you arrived at Hongji Restaurant today, you kept begging Wei Hongqing to help investigate the Zhou clan. What exactly was the reason? You are a relative of the Zhou clan, so this is truly strange."
Liu Xiaolou hesitated. "Second Young Master, you jest. It was not I who wished to investigate. Brother Wei heard such news and wanted to understand the truth, so he arranged for people to look into it. I merely happened to be there..."
Second Young Master Lu frowned. "Looks like you are not one of our own after all."
With a flick of the steward's wrist, the long sword instantly appeared at Liu Xiaolou's throat. His hand was swift as lightning; Liu Xiaolou had not even seen how he drew the sword. Silver-mercury-like sword radiance flickered from its tip. His cultivation was at least Qi Refining Level 5.
Liu Xiaolou hurriedly begged, "Don't! Brother, let us talk this over properly."
Second Young Master Lu said, "You are the one who refuses to speak properly. You cannot blame Steward Zhang for getting angry. Steward Zhang's cultivation is profound—I cannot stop him either. I will count to three. Once three passes, you will lose an ear. Three..."
Liu Xiaolou hastily said, "I'll talk! Lord Xingde of Xingde Mountain eloped with my cousin, and the Zhou clan is hunting them down."
Second Young Master Lu and Steward Zhang exchanged a glance. "So it truly was an elopement?" he murmured, then asked, "Since you already knew, why were you still investigating? What mystery is there?"
Liu Xiaolou gritted his teeth and suddenly lowered his voice. "I wonder whether Second Young Master and Steward Zhang have the courage to make a fortune with me?"
Second Young Master Lu's eyes flickered. "Speak."
Liu Xiaolou said, "The Taoyuan Mountain Range is now watched very tightly by the Zhou clan. The main road cannot be used to enter the mountains. As for taking the small paths, I do not know what devilish method they use, but I always feel as though someone is watching me..."
Second Young Master Lu sneered. "The Qingyu Sect's Form Snatching Art. You are a member of the Zhou clan, yet you do not know?"
Liu Xiaolou suddenly understood. "So it is called the Form Snatching Art. It truly is wicked..."
He gave a bitter smile. "I am a distant relative so far removed that we would need eight bamboo poles to reach each other. How would I know such methods? Then there truly are Qingyu Sect experts stationed in the mountains?"
Second Young Master Lu said, "Naturally. Otherwise, how could a mere Zhou clan have the ability to blockade the mountain range?"
Liu Xiaolou shook his head. "It seems I cannot get in. But I heard that the Taoyuan Mountain Range is not solely Qingyu Sect territory; it is also governed by Tianmu Mountain. If people from Tianmu Mountain wished to enter, the Zhou clan would likely find it inconvenient to stop them. The reason I sought out Brother Wei was to ask him to take me into the mountains. Unfortunately, Brother Wei refused, saying he feared it would provoke conflict between the two great sects. I wonder whether Second Young Master and Steward Zhang can take me into the mountains?"
Second Young Master Lu said, "First tell me what you intend to do inside."
Liu Xiaolou said, "To be honest, a few days ago, my cousin summoned me to Zhou Manor. She gave me a chest and told me to take it into Taoyuan Mountain and bury it somewhere hidden. I followed her orders. I had planned to return and report the location once it was buried, thereby completing my task. But who would have thought... I was delayed by something for two days, and when I tried to return, I could no longer get back."
Second Young Master Lu asked, "You are a distant relative she mistook for someone else. Could she truly trust you?"
Liu Xiaolou said, "She was trying to flee the Zhou clan! In the entire Zhou clan, who else could she trust?"
Second Young Master Lu fell silent for a moment, then asked, "What was in that chest?"
Liu Xiaolou spread his hands. "I do not know what it was. The chest was locked with a large padlock. But I have been thinking about it all day. Since my cousin was preparing to elope, the chest must have contained her private savings. She is the Zhou clan's legitimate daughter—could there possibly be few good things inside?"
Steward Zhang suddenly said from the side, "No wonder those two fled into this place. So they intended to retrieve treasure?"
Liu Xiaolou said, "That must be it! Perhaps my cousin was even waiting for me to enter the mountains and tell them where the chest was. But how could I possibly get in?"
Steward Zhang shook his head. "So you intended to swallow this wealth for yourself? What a fine nephew you are!"
Liu Xiaolou sighed. "Taoyuan is surrounded so tightly that not even water can pass through. How difficult would it be for my cousin to escape? She cannot even get out. What use would the goods be to them even if they retrieved them? Better to leave them to me, her nephew. At least in the future, I can offer them a little incense and burn them paper... The hiding place is not especially concealed. With them searching the mountains like this, I fear Qingyu Sect people may discover it. Would that not make it all come to nothing?"
Second Young Master Lu strongly agreed. "Not only that. If your cousin is found by the Zhou clan and gives you up, it will not be easy to retrieve the goods afterward."
Liu Xiaolou said, "Second Young Master is right. That is exactly what worries me. When that time comes, the person the Zhou clan wants to capture will be me. Second Young Master, can you take me into the mountains? If this succeeds, I will split the profits equally with you... No, I will take only thirty percent!"
Second Young Master Lu smiled. "Follow me. We are entering the mountains!"
Second Young Master Lu led the way, Steward Zhang brought up the rear, and Liu Xiaolou was sandwiched between them. They left the small path and proceeded openly along the main road into the mountains. Upon reaching the checkpoint established by the Zhou clan, Second Young Master Lu frowned and shouted, "Where did you people come from? How dare you set up a checkpoint here and block the mountain road?"
The other party blocked their way. "The Dongting Lake Zhou clan is hunting household traitors. Unrelated persons are forbidden from entering!"
One of them had seen Second Young Master Lu before and hurriedly said, "Second Young Master, our Zhou family is conducting business here. We ask that Second Young Master be accommodating."
Second Young Master Lu sneered. "Since when did Taoyuan become the Zhou clan's Earthly Disk? Why has Tianmu Mountain heard nothing of it?"
He displayed a token hanging from his waist. In the darkness of night, the token emitted a faint silver glow.
Steward Zhang shouted from the side, "The Lu Clan of Tianmu Mountain is entering the mountains on business. Unrelated persons, step aside! This is Second Young Master Lu, younger brother by blood to Lu Yuanlang, Tianmu Mountain's Third Senior Brother of the inner sect. Open your dog eyes and look carefully!"
The Zhou clan members all recognized that token. For a moment, they hesitated, watching helplessly as Second Young Master Lu, Steward Zhang, and Liu Xiaolou strode inward and entered Taoyuan.
Before you continue