38 (Xie Xinyue, Qitian Alliance Master)

"No. If we alert the snake in the grass ahead of time and someone notices, letting Zhang Xuan's group escape would only make things troublesome. Drugged incense isn't colorless or odorless after all. Zhang Xuan is an old hand of the Jianghu; he'd spot it easily."

Chen Zhihan rejected the suggestion.

"Then have Li Heng cooperate and release some bewildering smoke. He's the Qinghe Temple master. If he drugs them in the middle of the night, no matter how formidable Zhang Xuan's martial arts are, he'll still fall for it," Shao Quanhu said again.

Li Heng was greedy for wealth and lustful for women. They had long since seized evidence against him, and now he could serve as a backup plan.

"Forget it. If we're discovered, all our arrangements will come to nothing. Better to surround them and strike during the betrothal feast—simple and direct. That old Zhang Xuan won't be easy to deal with." Chen Zhihan shook his head again.

"Fine, we'll do as you say." Shao Quanhu nodded slightly. "I also got hold of a crossbow. When the time comes, we must leave nothing to chance!"

"Don't use it unless absolutely necessary," Chen Zhihan warned.

Crossbows were utterly forbidden among civilians. Their power was indeed astonishing; even top experts could hardly escape death if surrounded by crossbows at close range.

But privately possessing such weapons—once any trace was discovered—would be truly dangerous.

"I know that naturally."

***

In the blink of an eye, time flowed on, and January twenty-fourth arrived.

Qinghe Temple.

Zhang Rongfang stood before the Main Hall doors, watching the fine drizzle drift down from the sky. His heart was peaceful.

After the matter involving Chen He of the Rice Gang, he had never found any follow-up information.

His senior brother, Zhang Xintai, had not uncovered anything either, and the matter simply passed.

But while his senior brother had relaxed his guard, doubts still lingered in Zhang Rongfang's heart.

That Chen He from the Rice Gang did not seem to have found the wrong person.

It seemed more like he had deliberately waited near Sister-in-law's home.

The Rice Gang's people seemed more likely to have been monitoring Sister-in-law's household.

Zhang Rongfang carefully reviewed the earlier events, yet there were always parts he could not make sense of.

There was also one more point.

Chen Wuyou was beaten to death by me, yet his father, Chen Zhihan, has vanished without a trace to this day. It's highly suspicious. Could these two matters be connected?

He had not told anyone about Chen Wuyou's death. First, he did not know how to explain it. Second, even if he did tell them, he would not know how to account for it. There were simply too many holes in the story.

Could the Rice Gang's strange actions be because of Chen Wuyou? They say the Rice Gang has close ties with the Chen Family.

But they shouldn't know who killed Chen Wuyou, should they? Why would they have their eyes on Sister-in-law?

Or could it be trouble caused by Sister-in-law's own family?

No matter how Zhang Rongfang thought about it, he could not solve the puzzle.

Since he could not figure it out, he simply stopped thinking about it.

He gathered his thoughts and began recalling the Eight Steps Catching Cicadas that he had practiced and explored these past few days.

It was temporarily difficult to ask Master for Talisman Art, so the quickest way to improve his strength was through lightness skill.

Thus, he had immediately added Eight Steps Catching Cicadas to his training schedule.

At the same time, after taking medicine continuously these past few days, he had finally gained another two attribute points.

He had also hesitated over how best to use those two points.

The Dragon Snake Movement Technique was useful enough, but once raised to First Grade Breaking Limits, it had no further progression.

Eight Steps Catching Cicadas was different. This lightness skill was quite complete and could be cultivated all the way to Third Grade—that was, Breaking Limits three times.

Third Grade was the upper limit of this lightness skill. After all, it was merely a common, widely circulated technique shared by many sects.

"I should first raise the Dragon Snake Movement Technique to its limit."

After thinking it over, Zhang Rongfang decided to specialize in one thing first, then pursue other techniques alongside it later.

He instructed two Servant Daoists to receive incense guests and attend to their offerings, then arranged for Xiao Jiu and two others to handle the drawing of lots and collection of money.

He himself slipped back into his room, pretending to rest when in truth he was preparing to use the two attribute points he had acquired today.

Inside the room.

Zhang Rongfang lay flat on the floor and let out a long sigh.

Raising his hand, he focused his gaze on the back of it. At once, the Attribute Panel automatically appeared.

Zhang Rongfang—Life 24-25.

Skills: Returning Spring Purifying Time Talisman Classic—Yue Type Talisman (Breaking Limits) (Breaking Limit Skill: Heavy Mountain, five times), Guanxu Skill (First Layer Essence Aperture).

Dragon Snake Movement Technique (Mastered)

Vitality Talisman (Breaking Limits)

Eight Steps Catching Cicadas (Beginner) Available Attributes: 2.

Very quickly, Zhang Rongfang's gaze fell upon the plus sign after Dragon Snake Movement Technique, and he imagined lightly tapping it.

The word "Mastered" within the brackets immediately blurred, then the words "Perfected" swiftly emerged.

At the same time, a vast number of memories of practicing the Dragon Snake Movement Technique surged into his mind.

Zhang Rongfang's legs swelled and thickened once more, while his waist and back also grew more robust.

Strangely, he simultaneously felt every muscle and bone in his body gradually become denser.

A succession of cracking sounds rang out without pause.

This unusual transformation continued for more than ten minutes before slowly coming to an end.

A marvelous sensation of lightness welled up within him.

"I'll go out and test it."

At once, Zhang Rongfang was eager to try. Having just broken through to the perfected realm of the Dragon Snake Movement Technique, he needed a target to test exactly how fast it was and how powerful it had become.

After considering it, he suddenly thought of Chen He of the Rice Gang, whom he had encountered before, and immediately had an idea.

Before long, night fell.

A dark, indistinct figure quietly stepped out of Qinghe Temple.

The instant he left, the figure flashed away like the shadow of a snake, swiftly moving into the distance without a sound.

The figure was none other than Zhang Rongfang, whose hands were itching for action again.

Previously, with the Dragon Snake Movement Technique only at the mastered level, he had already been able to escape after injuring Chen He of the Rice Gang.

This time, he had reached perfection. He was faster and even more silent.

As he ran at high speed, he unexpectedly began to faintly connect it with the footwork of the Vitality Talisman's Bewildering Smoke Step.

The primary purpose of Bewildering Smoke Step was to move into an enemy's blind spot and coordinate with attacks.

At this moment, the two styles of footwork and lightness skill seemed to share some common ground in Zhang Rongfang's mind.

Without realizing it, as he raced along, his footwork became increasingly silent and increasingly strange.

Suddenly, a patrol squad of officers came toward him at an unhurried pace, carrying lanterns and wearing curved blades at their waists.

Zhang Rongfang changed direction, silently slipping into the shadow cast by a roadside wall, where he crouched without moving.

More than ten officers walked past only several meters away from him, yet none of them noticed anything at all.

Between Bewildering Smoke Step and the Dragon Snake Movement Technique, some sort of reinforcing, complementary effect seemed to have arisen.

With Zhang Rongfang combining the two footwork techniques now, he moved like a fish in water. Their strange, soundless nature had risen to yet another level.

After the patrolling officers passed, Zhang Rongfang continued running swiftly.

He was visibly several tenths faster than before. Each push from his feet sent him gliding lightly a great distance.

Before long, an elegant two-story small building on the right side of the street appeared before him.

The small building was broader below and narrower above. It had four windows and a large door on the lower floor, with lights shining from three of the windows.

Silhouettes swayed beneath the candlelight, though it was impossible to tell what they were doing.

A plaque hung above the main door, bearing a large character: Chen.

This was Chen He's residence.

These days, Zhang Rongfang had not merely stayed in the Daoist temple practicing, eating, and drinking. He had also inquired about the Rice Gang from the constables at the yamen.

Experts of the Rice Gang like Chen He had maidservants coming and going every day to buy groceries and other goods, so finding his residence had naturally been easy.

Zhang Rongfang carefully pressed himself along the wall, took out the black cloth tied at the back of his waist, and covered his face with it.

Then he circled to the right side of the small building. Facing the two-meter-high wall, he used both hands to leverage himself and leapt upward.

He easily landed atop the wall, then jumped down.

Moving through the small building with practiced ease, Zhang Rongfang quickly found a room.

It was the Chen Family Study.

Chen He was currently draped in a fur coat, sitting in the study and reading by candlelight.

He read very carefully, but his eyes were only a palm's distance from the book. So this fellow really is nearsighted, Zhang Rongfang sighed inwardly.

No wonder Chen He had not dared pursue him that day. This fellow's nearsightedness was actually this severe. Even if he had caught up, he would only have ended up eating dust.

Judging by how close he held the book, without six or seven hundred degrees of myopia, it would have been impossible.

Watching Chen He's focused expression, Zhang Rongfang almost could not bear to disturb him.

But when he recalled how this man had nearly crippled his hands last time, he hardened his heart again.

Just as he was about to smash through the window and launch a sneak attack, a voice suddenly came from inside the room.

"Husband, it's late. You should rest." The voice was soft and clear, making Zhang Rongfang think somewhat of his Elder Sister, Zhang Rongyu.

"Yes, I'll come in a while. I'll finish reading this part first." Chen He replied gently.

From his tone, it was clear that he and his wife had a good relationship.

"In a few days, on the first day of the month, are you really going too?" the woman asked worriedly.

"There's no helping it. This matter was decided long ago. Big Brother's matter is my matter. If I shrink back now, how would outsiders see me?" Chen He sighed.

"But what if something unexpected happens?"

"There won't be any accidents. Everything has been arranged. Besides, my task isn't to participate directly, but to hold the line." Chen He comforted her. "Don't worry. It'll be fine."

Just then, the sound of a man humming a tune came from the corridor outside the small building.

Zhang Rongfang paid no attention to what they were discussing. He had originally intended to rush in and fight Chen He, to see whether he could launch a sneak attack and seriously injure him, but he feared harming innocents.

At this moment, he stood in the corridor outside the study.

The humming man was approaching directly toward him.

After hesitating briefly, Zhang Rongfang turned and silently melted into the shadows, then climbed over the wall and left again.

Better to return at another time. If he made a move inside Chen He's home, who knew how many people would surround and attack him.

After he left, Chen He put down the book and sighed.

"Elder Brother and Sister-in-law lost their son, and now they are as though trapped in madness. On the first day of the month, we must take Zhang Xuan's group's lives. Otherwise, they will never let this rest."

"But—"

"Don't worry. We have that. Within thirty paces, even if Zhang Xuan has cultivated the Returning Spring Purifying Time Talisman Classic to Seventh Grade, he still won't escape that sneak attack.

"So this time, victory is certain." Chen He gently took the hand of the woman behind him, speaking softly to reassure her.

He rose to his feet and gently embraced her.

"Come. Let's sleep together."

"Mm."

The two slowly left the study, closed the door, and headed toward the bedroom.

After the two entered the room.

Only then did a pair of eyes, widened in shock, slowly emerge from the shadowy corner on the other side of the study.

It was Zhang Rongfang, who had returned after leaving.

He had originally intended to go back, but after climbing over the wall, he had felt unwilling. He had run across half the County Town just to get here.

Going back after wasting all that time and effort was not his style.

So he had quietly returned, waiting for an opportunity to launch a sneak attack on Chen He.

Yet he had never expected to overhear something so important!