Several days later, at night.
The rear gate of Fang Manor.
A mass of Dark Cloud came from nowhere, blotting out the moonlight.
In the gloom, the rear gate slowly opened, and a figure slipped out.
The figure looked left and right. After confirming that no one had noticed him, he immediately hunched over and moved along the corners of the alley. Then, with a sudden flash, he darted into a commoner's house.
"Heh heh... Old Fu, you finally came!"
An oil lamp burned inside the room. A tall, masked brawny man was staring at Steward Fu with a cold laugh.
"I've done everything you told me to do. Where is my grandson?"
Steward Fu's expression was stiff.
If his beloved little grandson had not been taken hostage, he would never have betrayed his master.
"Hmph. Did you find out where that man went during the time he disappeared? And where he hid his gold and silver?"
The masked man questioned him.
"How would I know? That man has always been cautious." Steward Fu sighed. "I've entered his room several times, but found nothing at all... Hurry and return my grandson to me. This old man is leaving!"
Although he did not know Fang Xi's origins, he could tell that everything the other man used was exquisite and that his food and drink were exceptionally refined. He knew the man had to come from no ordinary background—perhaps he was even the young master of some wealthy Aristocratic Clan!
Having betrayed such a master, Old Fu only wanted to flee for his life!
"Our agreement was that you had to find useful information first."
The masked man cursed. "You're utterly useless. No wonder you nearly starved to death back then!"
"Yes... I never thought that, back then, when you and A Fu were nearly starved to death by the roadside, I would save you, only for you to betray me."
A voice suddenly came from outside the window.
"What?"
Old Fu and the masked man both stared at the window in astonishment.
Bang!
The door suddenly opened, and Fang Xi swaggered inside.
"Die!"
In the next instant, the masked man's body sprang high into the air. His lower leg came crashing down like a massive battle-ax splitting open a mountain!
He reacted quickly. The moment he discovered someone was there, he immediately chose to strike!
"As expected, Red Snake Leg!"
Fang Xi laughed heartily and struck out with one palm.
His palm moved later yet arrived first, like a wall catching the masked man's descending leg from above to below.
Bang!
As palm and leg shadows collided, the masked man smashed through a window and was sent flying outside.
"What a fine White Cloud Palm!"
A hoarse voice drifted over. Fang Xi chased to the window, only to see the figure fleeing rapidly and vanishing around the corner in the blink of an eye.
Fang Xi did not pursue him. He turned around and looked at Old Fu, whose face was shifting between red and green.
"Master, this old servant has wronged you!"
Old Fu suddenly fell to his knees, tears and snot streaming down his face. "It's all that damned masked man's fault. He kidnapped my grandson and forced me to work for him..."
"Old Fu, of course I know. You were doing perfectly well as my steward. If you hadn't been threatened, why would you have betrayed me?"
Fang Xi said, "But betrayal is betrayal. Once disloyal, never to be used again. Go in peace."
"What?"
Old Fu abruptly raised his head, his expression filled with horror.
He had never imagined that his usually smiling, easygoing master could have such a cold side!
However, he had no time to say anything more, because a pitch-black palm had quietly pressed down on top of his head.
A layer of Black Qi covered Old Fu's face. He fell to the ground and twisted a few times before becoming a corpse...
"I can understand you betraying me for your grandson, but that doesn't mean I have to forgive you... I'm only responsible for sending you to the underworld. Forgiving you is the King of Hell's business."
Fang Xi withdrew his palm and turned to leave.
In truth, he had another reason for killing A Fu.
After betraying him, the man had merely listened to a few words from the masked man before changing the way he addressed Fang Xi from "Master" to "that man." From this alone, it was clear that even if he had been forced into rebellion, he might still have harbored some resentment!
Judging from his ability to handle affairs, he may even have come from a scholarly household. Serving as my steward really was beneath him...
Scholars are proud and arrogant. How could they willingly serve as slaves? Because they think too much, they're good at weighing gains and losses. "Most faithless are scholars"—truly, those words ring true!
Fang Xi returned to the estate and promptly forgot about Old Fu.
As for the man's grandson, he left him to fend for himself. A mere ant like that would not cause the slightest ripple in his heart.
The next day.
Yue Gui and the other maids stood in a row, each watching their nose and mind, not daring to make the slightest unnecessary movement.
A few of the more timid ones even had trembling calves.
That was because Fang Xi had summoned a broker that day and sold off all the maids and servants who had usually been close to Steward Fu.
"Master, spare me! Master, please spare me!"
One maid wailed and begged, but Fang Xi's expression did not change in the slightest. He merely stirred the tea in his cup.
Maidservants had no personal freedom. Once sold again, their next master might not be as kind as Fang Xi. They might even be sold directly into the lowest-grade brothels!
The scene was tragic enough that even Bai He, standing nearby, could not bear it. Yet she did not dare say a word.
Because she knew very clearly that if she dared to say one more word, Fang Xi would sell her off along with the others.
"Thank you, Master Fang. Here is the sale money."
The broker looked at Fang Xi with a grin so wide that his teeth showed. This was a major customer.
He respectfully offered a packet of silver.
"Forget it. Keep the money for tea."
Fang Xi rose and looked toward Yue Gui. "From now on, this manor's steward won't be A Fu anymore. It will be you. Remember that?"
"Yes!"
All the maids and servants hurriedly bowed.
After settling the affairs of the estate, Fang Xi changed into ordinary clothes and leisurely walked out of the house.
Although the masked man from the previous night had been an expert at the Three Changes of Qi and Blood, Fang Xi could have easily captured him if he had used his trump cards.
He had held back only to cast a long line and catch a bigger fish.
Besides, how could ordinary people defend against a cultivator's methods? That was the advantage of striking from a higher dimension.
"The tracking methods available right now are probably limited to assuming that I sprinkled some kind of scented powder, or using animals and people to monitor and follow me all the way..."
"After escaping, that masked man will most likely destroy all his clothes. He might even wash off a layer of skin..."
Fang Xi wandered through the streets. Suddenly, he turned into a corner and pulled a jade bottle from his robes.
After removing the stopper, a snow-white jade bee flew out.
This was a Spirit Seeking Bee, naturally extremely sensitive to Spiritual Energy. Spirit farmers generally used them to find nodes of spiritual power in their fields or pollinate spirit flowers.
The previous night, when Fang Xi had exchanged blows with the masked man, he had sent a thread of his own magical power into him.
Magical power was Spiritual Energy that had been refined and tempered.
"Go!"
Fang Xi formed hand seals and pointed at the Spirit Seeking Bee.
Buzz, buzz!
The snow-white bee took flight, circled him three times, then wobbled its way onto the main street.
Fang Xi immediately followed behind it.
He overtook countless pedestrians one after another. After crossing several streets, the Spirit Seeking Bee stopped beside a courtyard wall.
Fang Xi went around to the front gate and looked up.
The four large words "Red Snake Martial Arts School" leaped into view.
"Could it really be someone from the Red Snake Martial Arts School?"
Fang Xi muttered, rubbing his chin. "It's not impossible..."
However, after waiting for a moment, the Spirit Seeking Bee circled once, then suddenly flew in another direction.
Fang Xi thought, There may be something to this, and continued after it.
After winding through seven turns and eight bends, he arrived at the edge of a lake as green as jade.
There seemed to be lotus flowers in the lake, but the season had passed. The lotuses were gone, leaving only withered, shriveled Lotus Pods.
There was no need to ask around. Fang Xi was familiar with this place himself.
"Yuan He Mountain?"
After confirming it once more, Fang Xi recalled the Spirit Seeking Bee and curled his lips. "I never thought... I hadn't even decided whether to provoke you, yet you came to provoke me first?"
"You even framed the Red Snake Martial Arts School..."
If Fang Xi had followed the trail all the way last night, he would most likely have found the Red Snake Martial Arts School directly.
Lu She and She Lei both held grudges against him. Any normal person would naturally assume that they had made another move!
No one would think of any connection to Yuan He Mountain!
"This scheme is vicious. It probably can't be separated from that Qiao Wuchang."
Recalling the assessment in the intelligence report, Fang Xi immediately identified his target.
No matter how many schemes the other party had, they were futile before absolute strength!
Fang Xi went to Yuan He Mountain's main entrance, found a seat at a tea stall, and slowly considered what he should do in the future.
I'll wait for now. With the newly purchased Taisui Meat, I should be able to break through to the True Force realm. I'll have more confidence then...
Just as Fang Xi was about to leave—
Rumble!
The main entrance of Yuan He Mountain's branch swung wide open. A large group of people emerged in grand procession, mounted on fine steeds and heading out of the city.
At the head of the group was a young Martial Artist with a heroic bearing. Beside him, slightly behind by two horse-lengths, rode a beautiful woman. Both left a deep impression.
"Aren't those Commander Linghu and Steward Chun?"
Someone at the tea stall clearly recognized the two and cried out in surprise. "They've both left the city. Could it be because of that demon beast rampaging along the trade route?"
Fang Xi's expression tightened when he heard this.
"Yes... Things have been getting more and more unsettled outside lately. Sigh, my elder sister married into a village, and now she regrets it. She's thinking of selling her land and buying a house in the city!"
A peddler in coarse cloth gave a bitter smile. "First it was Three-Mountain Ridge, then the Changshui River, and now the trade route... Have demon beasts been appearing too frequently lately?"
"It's all thanks to the Martial Artists!"
The tea-stall owner clearly had a favorable opinion of Yuan He Mountain. "With Commander Linghu taking action this time, won't a little demon beast be easy to capture?"
"Exactly, exactly..."
The group nodded repeatedly before continuing to drink their tea.
"Waiter, the bill!"
Fang Xi slapped down a corner of broken silver. He had no intention of following them to join the excitement.
Instead, he thought of the demon-hunting business Fatty Han from the black market had introduced to him.
Perhaps these two matters are actually one and the same!
But these demon beasts have been appearing far too frequently. Something abnormal is going on...
For an instant, worry surfaced on Fang Xi's face. Then he looked as though nothing had happened.
After all, when the sky fell, the tall men would hold it up!
And if he encountered danger, he could simply flee to the Southern Barrens Cultivation World. It would not be much of a problem.
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