Wu Gu

As Lin Ze and Shen Zhui were complaining, at the same time.

On East Main Street in the city, a middle-aged fat man dressed as a wealthy merchant in his forties, with a bulging belly, smiled and said, "Five hundred taels, five hundred taels for this courtyard of yours, you've hit the jackpot. Don't worry, I'll pay in cash, all at once!"

Across from the man was an older man. Upon hearing this, he immediately laughed, "Brother, you're generous. Then this courtyard is yours. The deed is here, you just need to transfer it at the government office."

"I'll add another hundred taels, and you can pick out your valuables to take with you. I want to move in today."

"No problem, just give me half an hour." The man was overjoyed, took the silver, and happily went inside to pack his belongings.

He had only spent two hundred taels to buy this house on the edge of the city, and now he was selling it for six hundred taels. He had made a killing.

Half an hour later, everything was ready.

The wealthy merchant watched the man leave with a smile, muttering, "This place… it shouldn't be discovered, right?"

With a soft utterance, the wealthy merchant walked into the courtyard. Suddenly, he let out a muffled groan, clutching his chest, and frowned, "Damn Lin Ze, he actually hired someone from the Taiqing Sect to divine my location, and even invited three Xiantian Masters to kill me…"

"Fortunately, those helpers weren't united. After being severely injured and escaping this time, he should give up the mission. But this injury of mine is quite troublesome, I had to risk coming into the city."

Thinking this, the middle-aged wealthy merchant rubbed his temples, a red glint flashing in his eyes.

Lin Ze had indeed severely injured him in the end, and some of the precious medicinal ingredients for healing couldn't be bought outside the city.

He had to recover his strength as soon as possible to be prepared for any eventuality. If Lin Ze gave up the mission and someone else took it up to hunt him down, it would be quite dangerous.

Of course, he still had some confidence. The treasures he possessed could conceal his heavenly secrets, and even if he entered the city, as long as he didn't cause too much of a stir to attract the attention of the local County Magistrate or the Temple, they wouldn't be able to break through his concealment.

Heyuan County had a population of over a hundred thousand. Would the County Magistrate be paying attention all the time?

"Moreover, I've observed carefully for several days. The three adjacent courtyards, one is an old man who sells charcoal, and the other two are artisan families. None of them are important figures, so I don't need to worry about them discovering anything."

"To them, I'm just a wealthy merchant from out of town doing business."

"I only need to stay for about ten days, and I'll use the excuse of hiring some workers to help me procure medicinal materials, having them buy the drugs in batches. Once they're bought, I'll quickly leave the county town. Even if I'm discovered by chance, this place is the closest to the city gate. Before the County Magistrate finds out and uses the Temple's power to suppress me, I'll have already fled the city."

Wu Gu thought to himself, considering every possible scenario.

City God Temple, guest courtyard.

Shen Zhui and Lin Ze chatted for a short while before each went back to their own business.

Lin Ze no longer held out hope for the mission. His main focus now was to use this as an excuse to extort some compensation from the Li and Yang Families.

But that wasn't an easy task either.

The Wu'an Army was powerful, but the military and government were separate. Lin Ze himself was just a small captain with Xiantian strength within the Wu'an Army.

The Wu'an Army, boasting tens of thousands of Xiantian experts! Although they had a great background, in terms of his own strength, the deterrent effect on the Li and Yang Families was actually quite weak.

It was only because the Li and Yang Families were in the wrong and were at a critical juncture in their dispute with the County Magistrate, not wanting to cause further trouble, that they paid attention. Otherwise, a mere Qi Cultivation True Person in the Xiantian Realm wouldn't even enter the eyes of the two great families.

After sending Lin Ze off, Shen Zhui was about to return to his room when a familiar voice called out to him.

"Brother Shen."

Turning his head, he saw Zhao Hu waving enthusiastically at him.

"Brother Hu?" Shen Zhui walked over. "Why are you here too?"

Zhao Hu smiled, "I'm here on orders."

Shen Zhui suddenly realized and cupped his hands with a smile, "Congratulations, Brother Hu, on breaking through to the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm."

"Haha." Zhao Hu clapped his hands. "You, kid, have a sharp mind."

"Come sit for a while?"

"No, I have orders to follow. I need to go to the main hall of the statues first."

"Alright."

Shen Zhui naturally knew why Zhao Hu was here and didn't stand on ceremony, watching Zhao Hu leave.

After leaving Shen Zhui, Lin Ze exited the city gate.

He took out a Magic Compass from his embrace. With a slight movement of his spiritual sense, the needle on the compass spun a few times in an orderly fashion. Then, a water screen appeared above the compass. In the water screen, a young man in armor holding a saber appeared, and immediately asked, "Captain, have you had any success?"

Lin Ze's expression was blank. "Go contact Old Yao immediately and ask him if he can help me again. I'll pay him when I get back."

"Captain, could it be that you..." The young man holding the saber's expression instantly froze, realizing that Lin Ze's mission had likely gone awry.

"Don't ask so many questions!" Lin Ze was somewhat annoyed.

The setback in this mission was secondary to the losses incurred. The main issue was the excessive waste of time, which would affect his progress in breaking through to the next realm. If he returned like this, he was truly unwilling.

Qi Cultivation True Persons were rarer and stronger than Martial Artists, and the resources required for their cultivation far exceeded those of Martial Artists.

One step behind meant every step behind. Lin Ze wasn't without enemies in the Wu'an Army.

If he hadn't been forced, he wouldn't have taken on such a difficult and thankless internal mission. He would have already been fighting on the outer battlefield.

"Captain, Old Yao never does favors on credit..."

"Less nonsense," Lin Ze shouted. "If I tell you to ask, then ask."

"Yes." The youth gave a wry smile, waved his hand, and left. The water screen vanished.

Lin Ze stood outside the city and waited for a long time.

Finally—

The compass in his embrace trembled gently.

"Buzz!"

A water screen appeared, and the youth's figure reappeared within it.

"Captain, he didn't agree."

Lin Ze's face turned ashen as he shattered the water screen and put away the compass.

"That old geezer really doesn't give me any face!" Lin Ze sighed.

Although he had expected this outcome, he had still held onto a sliver of hope. Now, even that last sliver was gone.

"It seems I can only try to recover some losses from the Li and Yang Families," Lin Ze sighed and flew back into the city.

Outside the city, in a luxurious mansion belonging to the Li Family.

In an inconspicuous room, sealed off year-round and never cleaned.

"Rumble!"

A wall in the room suddenly cracked open, separating in the middle. Then, a gaunt, shadowy middle-aged man wearing a blood-red daoist robe emerged from a tunnel leading underground.

"Master, you're out of seclusion?" From a nearby wing room, an old man who had been meditating suddenly opened his eyes and flew out of the room in surprise.

"Family Head."

"Master."

"Welcome the Family Head out of seclusion!"

One by one, powerful figures and servants rushed to this unremarkable room. Soon, the news spread throughout the entire estate.

"Everyone, rise," the man in the blood-red daoist robe waved his hand. "Fourth Brother, have any major events occurred in the Li Family while I was in seclusion? How has Ming'er performed?"

"Hmm? Where is Ming'er?" The man in the blood-red daoist robe scanned the crowd, frowning.

"Eldest Brother, everything in the estate is fine. We've acted discreetly as you instructed," an old man quickly stepped forward to pay his respects.

"As for Ming'er, he..." The old man hesitated.

"What? Did he commit some grave mistake that you're afraid to even tell me?" The man in the blood-red daoist robe suddenly asked sternly.

"Never mind if you don't say it. Guards, quickly summon that unfilial son! I'll ask him myself!"