Inside Story

Before Yang Ning could politely refuse, she continued, her tone turning slightly mysterious: "Don't rush to refuse just yet. As a gesture of sincerity, I can reveal a little insider information to you."

Her gaze unconsciously flickered to the writing desk beside them, where an intelligence jade slip delivered that afternoon was placed.

"Within the Law Enforcement Hall... someone is unhappy with you, an advisor parachuted in. Recently, they've been trying every day to find fault with you, to frame you, and even... possibly assassinate you. Boss Yang, you need to be extra careful during this period."

Her tone shifted again, becoming soft and seductive: "But don't worry, Boss Yang. If things don't go smoothly in the Law Enforcement Hall, or if you encounter any trouble, the doors of my Jade Maiden Peak are always open for you, with a place waiting."

Yang Ning turned around and, with a calm expression, cupped his hands towards Shi Xuanfei again. "Thank you for the reminder, Peak Master Shi. Yang Ning has noted it. Farewell."

With that, he no longer hesitated, decisively pushed aside the chiming red crystal bead curtain, and walked to the entrance of the hall. He neatly put on his shoes and socks, reached out, and pushed open the hall door, which had been unmoving before but now opened with ease.

As Yang Ning stepped out of the bedchamber filled with warm fragrance and an ambiguous atmosphere, the sky outside had already been painted a magnificent orange-red by the sunset. The sun was slowly sinking behind the distant mountains. Dong Xiaojie had already been waiting outside the hall door. Seeing him emerge, she immediately stepped forward.

"Boss Yang, Master instructed me to escort you back," she said respectfully.

Yang Ning gazed at the gradually appearing lights below the mountain, his thoughts temporarily no longer on the entanglement with Shi Xuanfei.

He secretly calculated: At this hour... the medicine should have taken effect. By tomorrow morning, when the Law Enforcement Hall disciples conduct their routine patrol, they should discover the mole's corpse.

The solemn expression that involuntarily appeared on his face was noticed by Dong Xiaojie beside him, and she felt a pang in her heart.

"Boss Yang," she began carefully, her tone apologetic, "My Master... if there was any offense before, I hope you will be magnanimous and not take it to heart."

Yang Ning nodded absentmindedly, still immersed in his own thoughts, contemplating how to deal with Yun Zishan tomorrow.

Although he had done his best to mislead about the time of the mole's death, he had indeed gone to Zhaoyu Tower the night before yesterday. During the time Xu Yinyin left to retrieve the spirit fruit, two disciples on duty at Zhaoyu Tower could testify that he was alone on the first underground level for at least "a cup of tea's" worth of time. Regardless, he was somewhat suspicious.

He silently worked through his potential responses to Yun Zishan while walking down the mountain with Dong Xiaojie. During this time, Dong Xiaojie hesitated several times, wanting to speak, but seeing Yang Ning's tightly furrowed brows and solemn profile beside her, she ultimately swallowed the words back.

Thus, the two walked in silence, descending along the winding mountain path, passing through the trail they had taken earlier, and finally arrived at the foot of the back mountain where the Myriad Things Come shop was located.

Yang Ning looked up at the back mountain covered in bamboo forests (though it was really just a large hill) and his gaze fell upon the shadowy depths of the bamboo forest halfway up the mountainside—that should be where his antidote for the day was placed. He stopped and looked at Dong Xiaojie beside him.

"Senior Sister Dong, you can escort me this far. Perhaps you should head back..."

"Careful!"

Before he could finish speaking, Dong Xiaojie's expression changed drastically, and she forcefully pulled Yang Ning towards her!

Whoosh--!

A faint whistling sound grazed Yang Ning's ear! The next moment, a silver needle as fine as a cow's hair accurately embedded itself where Yang Ning had just been standing, its tail still trembling slightly!

Dong Xiaojie's eyes instantly became as sharp as a falcon's. She abruptly turned her head to look towards the bamboo forest not far away! She saw a blurry black shadow flash rapidly through the bamboo shadows before quickly retreating and disappearing into the darkness!

Meanwhile, Yang Ning's expression grew even more solemn. Although his Physique had been upgraded to 15, comparable to cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage, there was still an essential difference from true cultivators—he had no true qi circulating within him! If not for the instinctive alertness and reaction honed through years of brutal camp training, he likely wouldn't have detected that silent silver needle at all! His reaction speed was still significantly slower than Dong Xiaojie's, who was already at the Core Formation Stage. He had only just realized the danger when Dong Xiaojie had already pulled him away.

He quickly collected his thoughts and looked at Dong Xiaojie. "Senior Sister Dong, I thought you would pursue."

Dong Xiaojie's gaze remained fixed on the direction the black shadow had disappeared. She shook her head and calmly analyzed, "We can't pursue. What if this is a feint by the enemy, deliberately luring me away? That would play right into their hands. It's not worth the risk."

She crouched down and carefully examined the silver needle stuck in the ground. The needle had pierced through two overlapping dead leaves without deviation. The needle body was a dark, lustrous black, and the pierced leaves began to blacken and rot at a visible rate, emitting a faint, foul odor.