Infiltration

West City.

Around Shangning Street, scattered flames glimmered in the night, yet the streets and alleys were unnaturally quiet.

Chai Nian leaned against a bamboo chair in the courtyard, gazing toward the Void Cloud Horse Ranch as he gently fanned himself with a white folding fan.

"Young Master, aren't we going to the ranch?" Chai Lang asked.

"I've already made arrangements. Just keep an eye on the area around Shangning Street. You watch the south, Liu Chang the north, Zhu Yan the east, and Kuang Hong the west," Chai Nian said calmly.

He would never risk his own life amid such chaos.

Tonight, they had to guard not only against the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall and the Jiguang Society, but also against other Liang People—his own kin.

Tie Niu had not been assigned a post. He stood quietly beside Chai Nian.

"Young Master, I'd like to go out for a while," Tie Niu said.

"What for? It's chaos out there. Do you want to walk straight into a trap?" Chai Nian refused.

"But Brother Yuan—"

"Tie Niu, I'm your master. You should know how much effort I've invested in you. Are you really in such a hurry to go out and die, leaving all my efforts for naught?" Chai Nian put away his fan, his tone turning slightly stern.

"Besides, Su Yuan is in the Inner City. Right now, he's probably nestled in Gao Mian's tender embrace, having the time of his life. Wouldn't surprise me if a few months from now, you have a nephew."

Chai Nian's tone was playful. He was more than happy to have Su Yuan make Shan Xiongqing squirm from over there.

"Please forgive me, Young Master." Tie Niu quickly lowered his head.

As long as Brother Yuan was all right.

As for what was going on between him and Gao Mian, Tie Niu was a little confused.

But as long as Brother Yuan was happy, that was all that mattered.

Tie Niu returned to the Su Family.

Jiang Yu and Granny Xu were keeping a few children company.

Lin Fan and several fellow disciples patrolled the courtyard, standing guard.

Knowing that tonight would be turbulent, Tie Niu had specially asked people to help keep watch.

"Junior Sister Jiang, thanks for your hard work," Tie Niu said.

Holding Shen Qingqing, Jiang Yu smiled. "Senior Brother Tie Niu, I love children. It's no trouble."

She had accepted reality and decided to seize every opportunity to get closer to the Su Family brothers.

When Tie Niu brought it up, she refused payment and volunteered to look after the children. The others had refused payment as well.

Looking at Jiang Yu, Tie Niu remembered how she had secretly wiped away tears during the day. "Junior Sister, do you really want to become a Martial Warrior?"

Jiang Yu had almost given up. "Actually... I just wanted to be with Senior Brother—"

She trailed off, her cheeks flushing. She watched Tie Niu's expression, trying to summon the courage to confess.

But Tie Niu looked enlightened. "I understand. You want me to spend more time practicing martial arts with you? Don't worry, I'll do my best to help."

"Huh?" Jiang Yu froze. Her fingers curled unconsciously, and for some reason, they began to ache again.

Shen Qingqing tilted her little head, glancing between the two of them with a thoughtful look.

At Xingtai Street, flames flickered.

Duan Hongyan, Zhang Li, and Pei Yuhan were under attack.

"How could this happen? We haven't even made a move, and the Liang People have already set an ambush?" Duan Hongyan sprinted forward.

"They seem to have known about our plan all along," Zhang Li said urgently.

"Damn it! Could there be a traitor in the Jiguang Society?" Pei Yuhan gritted her teeth.

Everyone in the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall had a blood feud with the Liang People. Naturally, she suspected the Jiguang Society.

"It doesn't have to be a traitor. Maybe they predicted what we'd do. Let's shake off our pursuers first!" Duan Hongyan shouted.

"Up ahead is Shangning Street. Martial Warriors are patrolling there. Should we go around?" Pei Yuhan asked.

"Why not risk hiding there? The Shan Family wouldn't dare attack us on Chai Family turf," Zhang Li suggested.

"If we're discovered, we'll be walking straight into a trap! Their Martial Academy must have Martial Warriors with Savage Strength," Pei Yuhan exclaimed.

Seeing that their escape route had been cut off, Duan Hongyan sighed. "Let's risk it!"

The three pushed the Cloud-Covering Art to its limits and slipped in quietly from the west.

They were lucky. Kuang Hong was only in the Three-Blood Realm and failed to notice them.

The three slipped inside and hid in a street corner.

Du Hengfeng and the others had lost sight of their targets, too.

Xu Tian said, "Senior Brother Du, they seem to have snuck into Shangning Street."

Du Hengfeng nodded, then led his group to speak with Chai Lang, claiming that remnants of the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall had slipped inside.

When Chai Nian heard, he didn't let Du Hengfeng and the others in. Instead, he sent others from the courtyard out. "Go search."

Seeing this, Duan Hongyan made a snap decision. "Hide in the Su Family home!"

"Senior Brother, hide in the Su Family home? The Su brothers are loyal lapdogs of the Liang People, especially Su Yuan." Pei Yuhan was instinctively afraid of him, particularly since he also had the nickname Lecherous Carver.

Zhang Li understood Duan Hongyan's plan. "Su Tieniu is highly valued. His home is the one place they won't search too thoroughly."

The Su Family home was lively tonight, and the children hadn't expected so many older brothers and sisters to suddenly come keep them company.

Everyone had gathered in the courtyard.

"Use the back door," Duan Hongyan said.

The three carefully climbed into the Su Family home, then hurriedly hid in the woodshed behind the house.

Nervous, Pei Yuhan pressed herself against Duan Hongyan's chest. "Senior Brother..."

They all knew that if they were discovered, they were as good as dead.

Duan Hongyan whispered reassuringly, "Junior Sister, don't be afraid."

The people from the Chai Family Martial Academy searched every house, but found nothing.

Chai Lang said, "Little Du, they're not here. Go search somewhere else."

Du Hengfeng shook his head and pointed at the Su Family home. "That house hasn't been searched yet."

Chai Lang laughed. "Sneak into the Su Family home? How could that be? There are several Martial Warriors in that courtyard."

"Lord Chai Lang, the most dangerous place is often the safest. They may well be hiding in there. Let me search it. I'm very good at this." Du Hengfeng insisted, his voice carrying its distinctive shrill edge.

Chai Lang didn't back down, either. "Tie Niu, he says someone got into your house. Go check."

The Chai Family had no shortage of people. Why let someone from the Shan Family meddle in their affairs?

"Yes!" Tie Niu acknowledged the order.

Inside the woodshed, the three immediately tensed.

Duan Hongyan whispered comfortingly, "I've heard Su Tieniu is a kind man. Though he joined the Chai Family, he's done no evil. Maybe—"

That was exactly why they had once considered turning him to their side.

But at that moment, a voice rang out, and all three went deathly pale.

"Well, look at all the excitement." Su Yuan returned from outside, wearing a snow-white fox-fur cloak.

Hearing the voice, Du Hengfeng turned to look. When he saw the luxurious fox-fur cloak, clearly a woman's garment, on Su Yuan, his eyes instantly turned cold.

The young master had mentioned the Su Family brothers many times.

He hoped to hunt down Su Tieniu during the Wolf God Ritual. Now that Su Yuan had become a Martial Warrior, he was another target.

Su Yuan spotted Du Hengfeng. Seeing how short he was, like a dwarf, he glared right back without the slightest courtesy.

He pulled his fox-fur cloak a little tighter around himself.

There was no need to be polite to anyone from the Shan Family.

Su Yuan went inside and got a quick rundown of the situation.

"Remnants of the Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, heh heh heh. You'd better not actually be hiding in my house." Su Yuan bared his teeth in a sinister grin, then split up with Tie Niu to search.

At the sound of that terrifying laughter, the three inside the woodshed held their breath.

"Big Brother, are we playing hide-and-seek? I want to play too. Come find me!" Shen Qingqing ran around the courtyard.

"Qingqing, don't make trouble." Su Yuan didn't think anyone would actually be bold enough to hide in his home. There were so many people on the street, and his home had several Martial Warriors of its own.

If they could sneak in, were all those people just sitting around doing nothing?

Still, to be safe, he couldn't let the children run around.

Su Yuan picked the girl up and strolled leisurely through the house.

He didn't mind taking his time. It gave him a chance to enjoy Du Hengfeng's anxious expression.

As he passed the woodshed, however, he caught a faint, unusual smell.

Sweat!

Two men and a woman!

Su Yuan's nostrils twitched.

The fate prompt confirmed his suspicion.

[ Scent Discrimination: 6/1000 (Great Accomplishment)]

Su Yuan was speechless. Someone had actually managed to slip inside?

He paced outside the woodshed. Inside, the three felt their hearts climb into their throats.

Using Lip Reading, Zhang Li said, "If they find us, we fight. We can take a few Liang lapdogs down with us."

Duan Hongyan nodded.

"Get me some wood to carve." Su Yuan put his hand on the door handle.

Creak—

The three clenched their fists, ready to strike.

"Brother Yuan, how's it going over there? I didn't find anyone here," Tie Niu called from farther away.

"Nothing here, either." Su Yuan stopped tormenting them and turned to leave.

When Du Hengfeng heard that they'd found no one, his brows knitted together, but in the end he said nothing and led his people away.

As night deepened, the children all fell asleep, and the guards began to grow weary.

Seizing the opportunity, Duan Hongyan and the others leapt out and fled Shangning Street.

Su Yuan watched them disappear into the distance and sighed. "The Shan Family's people haven't gone far."

He glanced at the flames still burning in the distance, then finally set off after them.

"Let's see where you run this time!"

The three had just turned into a street corner when a group of figures surrounded them. They were the Shan Family's people.

They hadn't left at all!

The three were about to turn in another direction when Du Hengfeng's throat suddenly burst out with a short, shrill howl that pierced the eardrums.

"Yu!"

Duan Hongyan and the other two froze mid-flight. Their blood and energy surged, and their ears rang.

Even the Xu brothers behind them and many of the soldiers stumbled from the howl. Some clutched their heads and toppled over.

Du Hengfeng lunged at once and engaged Duan Hongyan in combat.

"The Raging Horse Neighing Wind from the Golden Horse-Head Technique is really that terrifying!" Xu Tian exclaimed.

"From now until the Wolf God Festival, we must perform well. We may get a chance to be granted the true technique," Xu Di replied, then led the others in surrounding them.

"You just hold the perimeter. I'm enough on my own!" Du Hengfeng was so confident that he intended to take on all three by himself.

Seeing how thoroughly they were being looked down on, and with their escape routes surrounded, Duan Hongyan and the other two decided to risk their lives. If they could defeat him, they would still have a sliver of hope.

But the three of them together were no match for him. All four of his limbs could attack and defend, and his head was harder than iron, leaving their palms numb.

Though he was only in the Two-Blood Realm, his actual strength was no less than that of someone in the Three-Blood Realm.

Even more terrifying was his mind-disrupting technique, which made close combat perilous.

In a clash between Martial Warriors, a split-second difference could decide life or death.

Su Yuan watched coldly from the shadows.

It was his first time seeing someone else who practiced the Golden Horse-Head Technique in action, and he couldn't help raising a hand to feel the top of his own head.

"Just how hard is my head?"

Thinking about it wouldn't help. He'd have to try it to find out.