At the same time Lin Ze and Shen Zhui were complaining.
On East Main Street in the city, a potbellied middle-aged man dressed like a wealthy merchant smiled and said, "Five hundred taels—five hundred taels for this residence. You're making a huge profit. Don't worry, I'll pay in silver, all at once!"
Opposite the man stood someone a little older. Hearing this, he immediately laughed. "Brother, you're generous. Then this residence is yours. Here's the deed. You only need to go to the government office and transfer it."
"I'll pay another hundred taels. Pick out any valuables you want to take with you. I'm moving in today."
"No problem. Give me half an hour." The man was instantly overjoyed. He took the silver and scampered inside to pack his belongings.
He had only spent two hundred taels to buy this house on the edge of the city back then. Now, after changing hands just once, it had become six hundred taels. He had made an absolute killing.
Half an hour later, everything was ready.
The wealthy merchant smiled as he watched the man leave and murmured, "This place shouldn't be discovered, right..."
After muttering that, the wealthy merchant walked into the residence. Suddenly, he grunted, clutched his chest, and frowned. "Damn Lin Ze. He actually hired people from the Taiqing Sect to divine and locate me, and even invited three Xiantian Masters to kill me..."
"Fortunately, those helpers weren't of one mind. After escaping with serious injuries this time, he should give up on the mission. But these injuries of mine are truly troublesome. I had no choice but to risk entering the city."
Thinking this, the middle-aged merchant rubbed his temples, and a trace of red flashed through his eyes.
Lin Ze had ultimately wounded him severely, and some precious Medicinal Herbs for healing simply could not be bought outside the city.
He had to recover his strength as quickly as possible in preparation for any eventuality. If Lin Ze gave up the mission and someone else accepted it and came after him, he would be in considerable danger.
Of course, he still had some confidence now. Even if he entered the city, unless he caused too much commotion and drew the attention of the local county magistrate or the temple, no one could break through the treasure concealing his heavenly secrets through careful investigation.
Heyuan County had a population of over a hundred thousand. How could the county magistrate keep watch at all times?
"Besides, I observed carefully for several days. The three neighboring residences consist of an old man who sells charcoal and two households of craftsmen. None of them are important figures, so there's no need to worry about being discovered."
"To them, I'm merely a wealthy merchant from out of town who came here to do business."
"I only need to stay for ten-odd days. I'll claim that I'm recruiting workers to help me arrange a Medicinal Herbs business, have people buy all those medicines in batches, and leave the county town as soon as they're obtained. Even if I'm discovered by some fluke, this place is closest to the city gate. Before the county magistrate notices and mobilizes the temple's power to suppress me, I'll already have escaped the city."
Wu Gu secretly considered every possible situation one by one.
City God Temple, guest residence.
Shen Zhui and Lin Ze chatted for only a short while before going off to attend to their own affairs.
Lin Ze had already lost hope in the mission. His main focus now was to make an issue of the matter and fish some compensation out of the Li and Yang Families.
But this was no simple task.
The Wu'an Army was powerful, but the military and government did not answer to each other. Lin Ze was merely a squad leader in the Wu'an Army with only Xiantian strength.
The Wu'an Army was reputed to have over ten thousand Xiantian experts! Its origins were formidable, but judging solely from his own strength, Lin Ze still did not have enough deterrent power against the Li and Yang Families.
It was only because the Li and Yang Families were in the wrong and were also at a critical juncture in their struggle with the county magistrate, unwilling to create more trouble. Otherwise, a Qi Cultivation True Person of merely the Xiantian Realm truly would not have entered the two great families' eyes.
After seeing Lin Ze off, Shen Zhui was just about to return inside when a familiar voice called out behind him.
"Brother Shen."
He turned his head and saw Zhao Hu waving vigorously at him.
"Brother Hu?" Shen Zhui walked over. "Why are you here too?"
Zhao Hu smiled. "I came on orders."
Shen Zhui suddenly understood. He clasped his hands and smiled. "Congratulations, Brother Hu, on breaking through to the Ninth Stage of Acquired Realm."
"Haha." Zhao Hu clapped his hands. "You really are quick-witted."
"Come over and sit for a while?"
"No. I have orders to carry out, so I have to go to the main hall of the divine statue first."
"Very well."
Shen Zhui naturally knew why Zhao Hu had come. Without exchanging more pleasantries, he watched Zhao Hu leave.
After leaving Shen Zhui, Lin Ze exited through the city gate.
He took a Magic Compass from his robes. With a slight movement of his spiritual sense, the compass needle rotated several times in an orderly fashion. Then, a curtain of water appeared above the compass. Within it appeared a young man in armor and carrying a saber, who immediately asked, "Captain, did you find anything?"
Lin Ze said expressionlessly, "Go contact Old Yao right now and ask whether he can help me one more time. I'll pay him when I return."
"Captain, could it be that you..." The saber-wielding young man's face froze. He realized that something must have gone wrong with Lin Ze's mission.
"Don't ask so many questions!" Lin Ze was somewhat irritated.
The setback this time was secondary to the things he had invested. What mattered most was that too much time had been wasted. It would affect the progress of his breakthrough. If he returned just like this, he was truly unwilling to accept it.
Qi Cultivation True Persons were rarer than martial artists and stronger than them. The resources required for cultivation were likewise far greater than those needed by martial artists.
A single step behind meant falling behind at every step. Lin Ze was not without enemies in the Wu'an Army.
If he had not been forced into a corner, why would he have come to carry out this difficult and thankless mission within the realm? He would have gone to fight in the extraterritorial battlefield long ago.
"Captain, Old Yao has never extended credit to anyone..."
"Cut the nonsense." Lin Ze shouted, "I told you to ask him, so go ask him."
"Yes." The young man gave a wry smile, then waved his hand and left. The water curtain vanished.
Lin Ze stood outside the city and waited for a long time.
At last—
The compass in his robes trembled lightly.
"Buzz!"
A water curtain appeared, and the young man's figure reappeared within it.
"Captain, he refused."
Lin Ze's face turned livid as he struck apart the water curtain and put away the compass.
"That old bastard really won't give me even the slightest consideration!" Lin Ze sighed.
Although he had expected this result, he had still held on to a sliver of hope. Now, even that final sliver was gone.
"Looks like I can only try to recoup some of my losses from the Li and Yang Families." Lin Ze sighed and flew back into the city.
Outside the city stood one of the Li Family's magnificent residences.
Within it was an inconspicuous room that had been sealed year-round and never cleaned.
"Rumble!"
One of the walls inside the room suddenly cracked and split apart down the middle. Then, from a passage leading underground, a gloomy, gaunt middle-aged man in a blood-red Daoist Robe suddenly walked out.
"Master, you've emerged from seclusion?" In a side room not far away, an old man who had been meditating suddenly opened his eyes and flew out through the door in delight.
"Family Head."
"Master."
"Welcome, Family Head, on your emergence from seclusion!"
One expert and servant after another hurried over to this inconspicuous room. Soon, the news spread throughout the entire residence.
"Rise, all of you." The man in the blood-red Daoist Robe waved his hand. "Fourth Brother, did anything major happen to the Li Family while I was gone? How did Ming'er perform?"
"Hmm? Where's Ming'er?" The man in the blood-red Daoist Robe swept his gaze around and frowned.
"Eldest Brother, everything in the residence is well. We followed your instructions and acted with complete discretion." An old man soon stepped forward and bowed.
"As for Ming'er..." The old man hesitated, stopping short.
"What? Did he commit some grave mistake, so grave that he doesn't even dare come see me?" The man in the blood-red Daoist Robe suddenly shouted coldly.
"Never mind if you won't speak. Someone, bring that rebellious son here at once! I'll question him myself!"