Success in One Stroke

Jiang Yunhe had never expected Song Ankang to come out again. In his view, after he had warned Song Ankang about the Earthworm Beast's strength and danger, and since he had already taken over the matter, Song Ankang should not have been so reckless.

But Jiang Yunhe could never have imagined that Song Ankang was no longer a Muscle Tempering Realm martial artist at the Outer Forging Second Layer, but an Inner Refinement Third Layer martial artist whose overall combat power was not much inferior to his own.

Thus, with absolute confidence in himself, Song Ankang was not afraid that the Earthworm Beast would attack him. Instead, he feared that it would not come to ambush him.

This time, Little Green Hair followed after him with longing eyes, clearly wanting to go out with him.

Seeing Little Green Hair's anxious appearance, and thinking that it had not left the small courtyard for several days, Song Ankang decided to bring it along. Moreover, while underground, Little Green Hair's ability to sense the Earthworm Beast surpassed his own.

The small courtyard's floors were paved with Qinggang Stone, so there was no need to worry about the Earthworm Beast burrowing inside. Qiushi's safety was well assured.

One man and one beast left the small courtyard and quietly prowled through Chaoyun Manor, searching for the Earthworm Beast's whereabouts. The night was dark and the wind howled—perfect for the Earthworm Beast to launch a surprise attack and devour people.

Since moving about at night was far too dangerous, Song Ankang had not allowed Wang Bangzheng to lead people in searching for the Earthworm Beast after dark. He had also ordered all the tenant farmers not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

The tenant farmers' homes in Chaoyun Manor were all built from Qinggang Stone, with thick layers of Qinggang Stone beneath the ground as well. The Earthworm Beast could barely burrow through them, so their safety was reasonably assured.

At this moment, the only lively places were the processing workshop and atop the stockade walls. Under Song Ankang's death order, large numbers of tenant farmers had been sent around the walls to inspect their foundations and search for loopholes.

One section of the stockade wall was brightly lit and guarded by several hundred people. The Earthworm Beast would never dare attack rashly, so safety there was still guaranteed.

From outside Chaoyun Manor came the occasional roars of wild beasts. The beasts of the night could unleash even greater strength in darkness, and no tenant farmer or villager dared casually venture out after nightfall.

As one of those wild beasts, the Earthworm Beast likewise preferred to move beneath the cover of night. The two tenant farmers devoured in Chaoyun Manor had both left their homes at night.

Song Ankang carefully made his way through one secluded corner after another in Chaoyun Manor. These were all places where the Earthworm Beast was likely to strike.

Little Green Hair bounced about excitedly, occasionally burrowing underground and revealing only its flat head, its green fur swaying in the air.

Seeing how lively it was, Song Ankang smiled faintly and told it not to make too much of a fuss, lest Jiang Yunhe discover them.

To support his own cultivation during this period, Song Ankang had not given Little Green Hair many medicinal herbs. As a result, its growth had been slow, nowhere near as fast as when it had secretly eaten medicinal herbs before.

Fortunately, Qiushi's cooking was exceptionally delicious and had completely captivated Little Green Hair. It had become so immersed in fine food that even its cultivation had been somewhat delayed.

Chaoyun Manor was utterly silent at night. Song Ankang searched round after round, and before he knew it, several hours had passed, yet he had found nothing.

Because Song Ankang had deliberately concealed himself, Jiang Yunhe had not discovered his trail. After all, Song Ankang's spiritual power and perception both exceeded Jiang Yunhe's.

With the aid of the Heaven Concealing Earth Absorbing Art, if Song Ankang deliberately hid himself, Jiang Yunhe would find it difficult to detect him.

"Ying ying ying..."

As the sky began to brighten faintly, Song Ankang, still having found nothing, wondered whether the Earthworm Beast had not come out tonight. With that thought, he prepared to return and get a good rest, then come out again tomorrow night as bait.

But at that moment, Little Green Hair seemed to discover something. Crying out, it rushed toward a patch of Red Wheat.

Could something be happening?

Song Ankang's eyes lit up, and he hurried after it. The Treading Snow Without a Trace footwork art surged beneath his feet, multiplying his speed several times over. In the blink of an eye, he caught up with Little Green Hair and reached the depths of the Red Wheat patch, where he saw a figure he had not expected.

"Manor Lord, why are you here?"

It was not Jiang Yunhe, but Chaoyun Manor's steward, Wang Yuliang. At that moment, he was carrying a steel fork as he walked through the Red Wheat, weariness written across his face.

If Song Ankang had guessed correctly, then aside from himself and Jiang Yunhe, Wang Yuliang had also been using himself as bait that night to lure out the Earthworm Beast.

Song Ankang frowned. "Steward Wang, you are here as well. If I remember correctly, you are only at the Outer Forging Fourth Layer. How could you deal with the Earthworm Beast? You are simply throwing your life away."

"Manor Lord, you are only an Outer Forging Second Layer martial artist as well, are you not?" Wang Yuliang actually retorted directly. "A wealthy man's son does not sit beneath crumbling walls, much less someone as important to Chaoyun Manor as you. How can you risk yourself over a mere Earthworm Beast? The rest of us can die without regret, but you absolutely cannot suffer the slightest harm. Please return immediately, Manor Lord, and promise that you will never take such risks again."

"Uh..."

Looking at Wang Yuliang, who stood toe-to-toe with him and wore a face full of concern, Song Ankang fell silent for a moment before smiling. "I have an Earth Badger as a pet beast. Its strength is not much weaker than the Earthworm Beast's, and it is likewise skilled at fighting underground. With my support, even if we cannot kill that Earthworm Beast, escaping will be as easy as turning a hand over."

"So this is a thrill without danger for me, but for Steward Wang, it is a narrow escape from death. Even if someone must return, it should be Steward Wang. Besides, as Chaoyun Manor's lord, if I do not even dare take this little risk, how can I sit firmly in the position of manor lord?"

"Although the Earth Badger is strong, you cannot command it as easily as an arm or a finger." Wang Yuliang immediately pointed out the flaw. "Just like earlier, the Earth Badger left your side because of me. If the Earthworm Beast had suddenly launched an attack at that moment, how would you have protected your life?"

"The lives and fate of all Chaoyun Manor now rest in your hands, Manor Lord. More than a thousand tenant farmers depend on you. Please think of everyone and ensure your own safety."

A smile touched Song Ankang's lips as he looked at the eloquent Wang Yuliang. "Steward Wang, do you think the Earth Badger left me just now because of you?"

Wang Yuliang froze, somewhat unable to understand what Song Ankang meant. If Little Green Hair had not suddenly left Song Ankang after discovering him, then what had caused it to leave Song Ankang so abruptly?

"The Earth Badger is clever and quick-witted. How could it suddenly act like that merely because it discovered Steward Wang?"

A glint flashed through Song Ankang's eyes. The Mysterious Iron Sword flew from its sheath with a clang, stabbing viciously toward a spot at Wang Yuliang's side.

"Squeak, squeak..."

Before Wang Yuliang could react to what had happened, he heard piercing squeaks from deep underground beside him. They were unmistakably the screams of the Earthworm Beast.