Pursuing the Grand Thief

Another day.

Drunken Spring House.

This time, Ye Kang walked in wearing his official uniform, a long saber at his waist, his expression indifferent.

Instantly, everyone subconsciously shut their mouths, not daring to provoke this Lord.

Ye Kang scanned the room and went directly to the second floor.

At this moment, Qiu Niang was playing the pipa for a wealthy young master. When the man saw Ye Kang, his legs instantly trembled, and he flipped off his chair.

"Lord, spare me! I'll get out of here!"

With that, he scrambled away.

Ye Kang was speechless.

No one told you to leave.

He shook his head and said loudly, "Qiu Niang, I am here today to investigate the Grand Thief. You don't need to mind me. Continue the music and the dance."

Qiu Niang covered her mouth and smiled, her slender hands plucking the pipa strings.

Ye Kang rested his saber on the ground and sat up straight.

After a while, Qiu Niang asked doubtfully, "Lord, why are you so sure the thief will come to find me? If I were him, I would have left long ago and lived in anonymity."

Ye Kang shook his head.

"He's not coming to find you, he's coming to find me. I ruined his reputation. If he doesn't come to get revenge on me, I'll have to look down on him."

Ye Kang drank wine while contemplating.

In fact, he was also gambling, betting that the thief was not an ordinary petty criminal.

After all, that guy was too cautious. He hadn't left any clues at the crime scene, making him impossible to track. Ye Kang could only resort to unconventional methods.

If the gamble didn't pay off, he'd figure something else out. Solutions were human-made, and he'd try them one by one.

Ye Kang waited calmly, and Qiu Niang sat obediently beside him, not daring to speak much.

It wasn't until late at night.

On the surrounding streets, pedestrians gradually became fewer.

Large lanterns were lit, making the Drunken Spring House brightly illuminated.

There was no curfew in the Great Jin Dynasty, so entertainment venues like this naturally operated around the clock without rest.

Ye Kang had already drunk two pots of wine, and his backside was almost sore from sitting.

Seeing that the thief still hadn't arrived, Qiu Niang also sighed.

"Lord, you truly have a lot of patience. Usually, the guests' eyes practically want to devour me, yet you've sat with me all day and haven't even touched Qiu Niang's hand."

Ye Kang's heart trembled upon hearing this.

Right.

This hits the nail on the head.

Instead of not acting, I should act boldly!

He directly reached out, grabbed Qiu Niang's wrist, and gently pulled.

With a soft cry, Qiu Niang leaned into Ye Kang's embrace.

"Lord!"

"Since the thief hasn't come anyway, why don't we do something more meaningful?"

Qiu Niang's face instantly flushed crimson, but she had no strength to resist, letting him do as he pleased.

At the same time, in the inn next to the Drunken Spring House.

The White-robed Young Master had been carefully concealing his aura, constantly observing the second floor of the Drunken Spring House.

Under the moonlight, the figures of Ye Kang and Qiu Niang could be seen projected onto the second floor.

Their shadows intertwined, and Ye Kang's hands roamed continuously.

The White-robed Young Master frowned, and a long sword was already drawn from his hand.

"As expected, a lecherous thief. I will kill you tonight!"

The White-robed Young Master leaped abruptly. His body was as agile as a monkey's, instantly crossing dozens of meters.

He swung his long sword, thrusting straight forward, and a terrifying surge of true qi erupted from the sword's tip.

As the long sword pierced through, the entire wall was directly shattered by the violent true qi. The White-robed Young Master shouted.

"Scoundrel, die!"

"I've been waiting for you!"

Ye Kang's lips curled into a smile. As expected, the other party was waiting for him to let his guard down.

The long saber was drawn, and with a turn, it was swung fiercely.

White Tiger Slaughtering Blade!

With a clang! Saber and sword met, and the White-robed Young Master's eyes shifted from ruthlessness to shock.

"You're a Grandmaster!"

He only had time to exclaim, and then his entire body was blasted away.

"Go downstairs and hide."

Ye Kang spoke in a low voice, then charged out directly, heading for the White-robed Young Master.

Ye Kang's expression was also grim.

There were only two possibilities for the other party to hide for so long without him noticing.

Either he possessed a top-tier martial arts technique for concealing one's aura, or the other party was also a Grandmaster.

But judging from the reaction during their clash just now, it should be the former.

Ye Kang leaped down from the building, and the White-robed Young Master also fell heavily to the ground.

[Ding]

[Quest Issued: Retrieve the Luminous Pearl]

[Quest Reward: 2000 Comprehension]

The system's voice sounded, it seemed he had found the right person.

Ye Kang's spirit lifted, and he moved forward with his saber.

"Ye Kang, special envoy of the Imperial City Department, ordered to investigate the Luminous Pearl. Where is it?"

The White-robed Young Master was also masked, but bloodstains were clearly visible at the corners of his mouth.

He quickly regulated his chaotic true qi, leaped to his feet, his eyes filled with rage.

"Villain! Why did you impersonate me and commit those despicable acts!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Kang burst into laughter.

"We're all thieves, what's the difference between despicable and not?"

"Nonsense! I am a Grand Thief, I only steal the ill-gotten gains of corrupt officials of the Imperial Court! I would never commit such petty acts!"

"As expected, a hot-headed fellow. Then I'll tell you now, a thief is a thief. Hand over the Luminous Pearl, and I'll spare your life."

Ye Kang pointed his saber directly at the White-robed Young Master.

The latter instinctively retreated, but a look of disdain appeared on his face.

"What would you, a running dog of the Imperial Court, understand? Although your strength is slightly higher than mine, if you want the Luminous Pearl, catch me first!"

With that, he used his movement technique, leaping onto the rooftop.

Ye Kang simultaneously used Flying Swallow Ascending Cloud, pursuing at extreme speed.

However, the other party's movement technique was very peculiar. His figure was like a phantom, leaping several steps at a time, as if merging into the night, instantly covering several rooftops.

Ye Kang was stunned.

What an amazing movement technique!

He channeled his true qi, continuously executing Flying Swallow Ascending Cloud.

Even so, he could only barely keep up, unable to catch up.

This truly surprised Ye Kang.

One must know that Flying Swallow Ascending Cloud was the signature skill of the Flying Centipede. Although his own strength was not great, this movement technique was a genuine top-tier martial art.

And the other party's strength should only be that of a peak-level expert.

Ye Kang, using Flying Swallow Ascending Cloud with his Grandmaster level strength, could not catch up!

Ye Kang refused to believe it, and fully activated his Wood Element True Qi, keeping close pursuit.

In the dark night, two figures, one in front and one behind, rapidly crossed half the city, heading straight for the outskirts.

The White-robed Young Master was not doing well either.

He was already injured from the previous saber clash, his aura unstable, and he was not as strong as Ye Kang. The continuous escape made him very uncomfortable.

He cursed inwardly.

What is this guy doing!

He's been chasing for so long, won't he get tired!

As the chase continued for longer and longer, Ye Kang clearly felt the other party slowing down.

He must be running out of true qi and can't hold on much longer.

Fortunately, he practiced the Wood Heart Sutra, his true qi was abundant and could regenerate continuously.

If you want to fight a war of attrition, I'll play with you until you're exhausted!

In an instant.

The two had already chased and fled for dozens of miles using their Qinggong.

Finally, the White-robed Young Master's true qi was exhausted, and he could no longer persist. He missed his footing and fell directly onto a patch of wild land, unable to stand up again.

Ye Kang landed steadily behind him, the tip of his saber pressed directly against the back of the White-robed Young Master's head.

"Damn it, you can really run. Keep running!"

Swish!

The White-robed Young Master flicked his right hand, and a pebble shot directly towards Ye Kang's throat.

Fortunately, Ye Kang had been on guard the entire time. He blocked with the back of his saber, deflecting the pebble.

At this moment, the White-robed Young Master finally couldn't hold on any longer. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

Ye Kang was furious.

"You still dare to sneak attack! You little thief, you're asking for a beating!"

He reached out and grabbed the White-robed Young Master, forcefully flipping him over. The white robe was pulled apart in the process, revealing a expanse of snow-white, towering peaks.

Ye Kang's mouth instantly fell open, his expression incredibly vivid.

"Damn it, so it was a Female Thief."