Nestled in the distant foothills, the manor with its blue tiles and white walls lies quietly in the morning mist, like a lurking beast.
Fang Han on the shady side of a hillside several miles away, his figure completely hidden behind a clump of withered yellow bushes.
" Thousand-Mile Soul Lock."
Fang Han pushed the < Thousand-Mile Soul Lock > to its limit, his senses spreading like invisible ripples across the wilderness and fields, enveloping the entire manor.
Within a ten-mile radius, every subtle detail was clearly discernible.
"Five auras..."
Fang Han detected a total of five auras within the manor.
Judging from their aura, their strength is not high; they are all only Middle Third Grade martial artists, and there isn't even a single Upper Third Grade martial artist among them.
In order to destroy the Azure Profound Sect, Yan Wuji led the elite of the Iron River Gang out in full force, leaving only a few small fry behind at this secret hiding place.
"No trace of Yan Wuji detected!"
A hint of contemplation flashed across Fang Han's eyes.
He did not detect Yan Wuji's presence in the manor, but that did not mean Yan Wuji was not there.
As a grandmaster, Yan Wuji already possessed an exceptional ability to conceal his aura. Coupled with the secret medicine for concealing his presence, even he would find it difficult to detect him if he intentionally hid his aura.
Did Yan Wuji actually hide in this manor?
Fang Han's gaze swept over the manor once more.
The white walls stood tall, the gates were tightly shut, and the courtyard was completely silent; not even the usual crowing of roosters and barking of dogs could be heard in a typical manor.
The silence was unnatural, so quiet it made one's heart tighten.
It is like a giant beast lying dozing, seemingly calm, but containing deadly danger.
"To be on the safe side, we should return to our sect and request the two grandmasters from Vajra Temple and Hundred Flower Valley to come and investigate."
Fang Han made his decision and was about to leave when he suddenly stopped.
The side gate of the manor opened with a soft creak.
A figure dressed in a gray short-sleeved shirt appeared, glanced around for a moment, then lowered his head and hurried along the path between the fields toward the city.
Judging from the aura, it was one of those five people.
"Chance!"
Fang Han's eyes narrowed slightly.
This is an opportunity.
If we can capture this person, we can interrogate him to confirm whether Yan Wuji is hiding in this manor.
He held his breath and waited patiently.
The gray figure continued walking for seven or eight miles, completely out of sight of the manor, until it reached a remote, deserted area.
"Whoosh!"
Fang Han darted out from the side like a ghost, his speed so fast that he left only a faint, almost imperceptible distortion in the air.
The man in gray felt a numbness on the side of his neck, his vision went black, and before he could even cry out, he collapsed to the ground.
Fang Han moved with lightning speed, supporting the limp body with one hand while swiftly prying open the other's jaw with the other.
Insert your fingertip into your mouth and quickly brush it between your teeth and gums.
There are no foreign objects.
He then carefully pressed on the cheeks and under the tongue to confirm that there were no poison sacs hidden there before he was relieved.
Lifting the person up, Fang Han moved again, speeding towards the deep mountains and dense forests in the opposite direction from the city and manor.
At Fang Han's current speed, covering dozens of miles is just a short while.
Deep into the forest, we found a secluded corner where the trees were particularly dense and vines were entwined.
Fang Han put down the prisoner in his hands, took out a roll of tough cowhide rope from his Storage Ring, and firmly tied it to the trunk of an ancient tree that required two people to hug.
Several tight knots were tied to ensure that even if the person suddenly recovered, there would be no way to break free.
After doing all this, he flicked his finger, sending a wisp of Internal Qi into the gray-clad man, piercing his body like a needle.
"Well..."
Stimulated by the pain, the gray-clad man's eyelids twitched, and he slowly woke up.
The initial confusion turned into horror after realizing his own situation and the figure in green robes standing with a sword in front of him.
He instinctively tried to struggle, but found himself bound and unable to move. The rough leather ropes dug deep into his flesh, leaving him completely immobile.
"You..."
His voice was dry and hoarse, with an uncontrollable tremor.
"I ask, you answer."
Fang Han spoke, his voice calm, yet it carried a sense of danger.
He stood with his sword in hand, not deliberately exuding any imposing aura, but the calm gaze that fell upon him sent a chill down the gray-clad man's spine.
"If there is even half a lie, or if one hesitates or remains silent..."
With a slight flick of his wrist, the Cloudsplitter Sword was drawn, and he swiftly slashed across the ground.
A wisp of Sword Qi, as condensed as silk, suddenly shot out, grazing the gray-clad man's earlobe.
"Laugh--"
With a soft sound, a deep, smooth cut, about an inch deep, appeared silently on the bark of the ancient tree behind the gray-clad man, its bark as hard as iron.
A few strands of hair, severed by the Sword Qi, slowly drifted down.
The man in gray trembled, cold sweat instantly beading on his forehead; the fear of death gripped his throat.
"Young master, spare my life! I will tell you everything I know!"
He spoke urgently, fearing that if he spoke too slowly, his life would be in danger.
"How many people are currently in the manor? What are their cultivation levels? Is Yan Wuji in the manor?"
Fang Han asked, his speech steady, his question getting straight to the point.
"Five...five people, including myself, there are five in total. I am a fifth-rank martial artist, the other four are, one is Fourth Grade martial artist, and three are fifth-rank martial artists. The Supreme Elder ...he..."
The man in gray swallowed hard, his eyes darting around in alarm, as if afraid the owner of that name might suddenly appear.
"He came back late last night!"
Fang Han's gaze sharpened:
"Tell me in detail: when did you return, what did you do, and are you still at the manor?"
"Around midnight... he was covered in blood, his face looked terrible, and he had wounds on his left shoulder and under his ribs..."
The man in gray recalled the events with lingering fear on his face.
"He went straight to the inner treasury, stayed for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and came out with a package in his hand, and then... and then left immediately!"
"Before leaving, they only told us to keep a close watch on the estate, not to let anyone in, and not to reveal our identities..."
"He left? What did he take with him?"
Fang Han pressed for an answer.
"This humble one does not know. How could someone of my status dare to inquire of the Supreme Elder... what he retrieved?"
The man in gray hurriedly shook his head, afraid that Fang Han wouldn't believe him.
"They took the things and left..."
Fang Han seemed to be deep in thought.
Yan Wuji hurriedly returned, took some things, and left immediately, probably knowing that this place might be exposed and daring not to stay long.
His concerns were not unfounded, so he followed the lingering scent of the Iron River Gang members and found his way here.
"Where has Yan Wuji gone? Do you know?"
Fang Han's gaze fell on the gray-clad man's face, and he asked in a pressuring tone.
The man in gray turned even paler and shook his head repeatedly:
"I truly do not know! How could I possibly know the whereabouts of the Supreme Elder? He took the things and left without saying a word..."
Seemingly afraid that this answer would anger Fang Han, he quickly added in a hurried voice:
"But... but I know something else! Perhaps it will be of use to you, young master!"
"Explain."
"A day ago, yes, just a day ago, the gang secretly transported more than ten truckloads of goods into the manor and sent them directly to the inner treasury!"
The man in gray spoke rapidly, his words tinged with eagerness to please.
"One of the disciples in charge of the transport said that they are all... all valuable treasures!"
"A vast amount of treasure..."
A very subtle ripple spread across the depths of Fang Han's pupils.
The Iron River Gang has absorbed many forces in recent days and gained astonishing wealth. These more than ten cartloads of treasures are definitely an amazing fortune.
If these treasures could be Recharge to the System Panel...
The ten million gold required for Level Nine Amplification may no longer be an unattainable astronomical figure.
This thought, like a wildfire, suddenly ignited in his heart, but he forcibly suppressed it and did not show it on his face.