Refusal, Stalking, Night Raid

Brother Zhang?

Me?

Lu Yuan looked around, then suddenly remembered that a month ago, he had given the man the false name "Zhang Wuji."

"So it's Brother Li."

Lu Yuan nodded.

"Still buying True Essence Blood Refining Pills?"

"That's right. How many this time?"

"Five."

"What a pity. A bit too few."

Li Mu was faintly regretful, but he still took out 8,500 taels and handed them to Lu Yuan.

After checking that everything was in order, Lu Yuan prepared to pack up his stall and leave.

Yet Li Mu did not depart. Instead, he waited until Lu Yuan had packed up, then walked alongside him.

"Is there something else, Brother Li?"

Li Mu said earnestly, "Brother Zhang Wuji, would you be interested in joining us? You possess such strength at such a young age. If you join us, you will certainly be given an important position. Given time, you will surely rise to great heights."

Lu Yuan was stunned when he heard that. Am I really that sought-after?

In a single month, two people had invited him to join them.

"And who are you people?"

Lu Yuan pondered slightly.

"The Holy Cult!"

Li Mu declared proudly.

The Holy Cult?

Lu Yuan became wary.

What kind of sect was the Holy Cult?

It did not sound like any decent sect.

And Li Mu acted so furtively; he did not seem like any decent person either.

"Thank you for the invitation, Brother Li, but I'm used to living free and unfettered. I'm afraid I don't have the fortune to join the Holy Cult." Lu Yuan refused outright. Though his words were somewhat tactful, the meaning behind them was resolute.

Li Mu laughed heartily, putting on an air of magnanimity. "No matter. Those who join our Holy Cult do so of their own free will. We never force anyone. Since Brother Zhang is unwilling, then so be it."

With that, he cupped his hands in farewell and left.

Lu Yuan watched his retreating figure, his gaze dark and distant.

"Li Mu is so sneaky and furtive. Better to have as little contact with him as possible in the future. Next time I sell True Essence Blood Refining Pills, I can't come to the Ghost Market again, lest I invite trouble."

Once Li Mu had vanished completely, Lu Yuan left in the opposite direction. At the same time, he raised his vigilance to its peak, changing clothes and masks three times, twisting and turning through the streets to ensure that no one could follow him.

With his current perceptive abilities, it would be extremely difficult for anyone to trail him without being discovered.

Meanwhile.

Inside an ordinary residence in Leiji Town, Li Mu hurried inside.

Within the residence, a sinister-looking man sat in the seat of honor. Several burly men stood beside him.

When Li Mu entered, the sinister man spoke in a deep voice, "Li Yu, why didn't you send me a message? Did Zhang Wuji agree?"

Over the past month, Li Mu had been trying to uncover Lu Yuan's background and whereabouts, because they greatly coveted the Pill Recipe for the True Essence Blood Refining Pill.

But there had been no news.

Today, when Li Mu saw Lu Yuan setting up his stall again, he immediately sent a carrier pigeon back with a message. They had agreed that if Lu Yuan refused, they would intercept and kill him.

But if he agreed, then everyone would be delighted.

Once he had joined the cult, offering up the Pill Recipe would be only natural and right.

Yet after waiting and waiting, this group never received a message from Li Yu.

Li Yu shook his head. "He refused very decisively."

"Then why didn't you send me a message?"

"He was very cautious. He shook off every one of my men."

"Damn it! Is that how you handle things?"

The sinister man's face darkened. "By your account, this man is so cautious that we've already alerted him. Finding him again will be harder than climbing to heaven!"

"Helm Master Qin, am I really that unreliable?"

Li Yu smiled faintly. "Lend me your precious Qi Seeking Rat."

Helm Master Qin abruptly rose to his feet, asking in surprise, "You had a backup plan?"

Li Yu wore an expression of supreme confidence. "I coated the banknotes with a specially made powder. With your Qi Seeking Rat, Helm Master Qin, tracking him by the powder's scent should be effortless, shouldn't it?"

Helm Master Qin burst into hearty laughter. "Good! Good! Li Yu, well done! If we can obtain the True Essence Blood Refining Pill Recipe, I'll count it as a great merit on your part! I might even be able to apply for a few Yin Yang Fans for you."

"Thank you, Helm Master Qin!!"

Li Yu's face was full of excitement and eagerness.

It was not hard to see that Zhang Wuji had no backing or background, yet he held the True Essence Blood Refining Pill Recipe. He was no different from a child carrying gold through a bustling market.

As long as they traced his whereabouts, the True Essence Blood Refining Pill Recipe would be as good as theirs.

"Bai Yu, come with me."

Bai Yu nodded with his eyes closed. "Even a lion uses its full strength to catch a rabbit. This concerns the True Essence Blood Refining Pill, so there's no harm in being cautious."

Based on their estimation of "Zhang Wuji's" strength, Helm Master Qin alone would have had him in the palm of his hand. With Bai Yu going as well, that "Zhang Wuji" would have no chance of turning the heavens upside down.

Bai Yu was Helm Master Qin's trusted confidant, and his strength was not much weaker than Qin's. With two great experts striking together, Zhang Wuji was doomed beyond doubt!

Before long, the cage containing the Qi Seeking Rat was delivered. Li Yu dipped a finger into the powder and held it before the Qi Seeking Rat's nose for it to sniff.

Once the cage was opened and its chain attached, the restless Qi Seeking Rat sprang out in bounding leaps.

Lu Yuan did not continue staying at the Four Seas Inn. Instead, he rented a small courtyard residence for three days.

After returning to the small residence, he lay down on the bed fully clothed. The Dragon Elephant Longevity Art circulated within him as he entered a state of empty tranquility.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, his gaze turning toward a certain direction.

"A thief? Or someone who's been plotting this for a long time?"

When he returned, he had been absolutely certain that no one had followed him. The name he had used to rent this place was neither Zhang Wuji nor Qiao Feng, but Yang Guo.

The identity of Yang Guo had never made an enemy of anyone in Leiji Town.

At the street corner outside the small courtyard.

The night was black as ink, and all was still. Scattered lamplight flickered around them as two men dressed in night clothes appeared at the corner.

They were Qin Zhen and Bai Yu.

Qin Zhen held the iron chain attached to the Qi Seeking Rat. As the rat walked, it sniffed constantly.

At that moment, the Qi Seeking Rat stopped outside a residence.

Qin Zhen gave a quiet chuckle, his eyes glinting as he murmured, "It seems Zhang Wuji is inside. This place is quite secluded, and the neighboring houses are far apart. It's convenient for us to act."

Bai Yu nodded. "After we sneak in, we'll split up. Once we confirm which room he's in, we'll seize him with the force of thunder. It would be best to force the pill recipe out of him here. If we take him away and something unexpected happens, that would be troublesome."

Qin Zhen naturally understood. "Fine. Be careful when you make your move. Don't draw anyone's attention."

With that, he stuffed the Qi Seeking Rat back into its cage, then leaped up and floated over the more than two-meter-high wall as lightly as a feather. After landing inside the residence, he carefully set the Qi Seeking Rat down in a corner, intending to retrieve it when they left.

Bai Yu followed close behind.

The residence had a front hall, a backyard, and six rooms. One searched the front while the other slipped into the backyard.

It was roughly four-thirty in the morning. The two moved like ghosts, their footsteps utterly soundless as they searched in silence.

Qin Zhen was a great expert whose Qi and Blood were like a Tiger. Deliberately concealing the sound of his steps, he moved like a specter and silently arrived outside a room in the backyard. His ear twitched slightly, but he heard no breathing.

He switched to another room and sensed the movements inside.