"Where did you go? Why aren't you answering me?"
"You big bandit, where are you!"
"Lin Shu!"
"Master—"
A string of childish cries rang out. What had begun as questions gradually grew more and more frantic.
Little Chick tried all sorts of names, but still got no response.
Inside Xia Mansion.
Lin Shu slowly opened his eyes. Exhaustion filled his pupils, thick and terrifying.
He drew the soul-split in front of him back into his body.
After three whole days, he had finally mastered the Soul-Splitting Thousand-Thread Guidance technique.
He still only had one soul-split, but he had made great strides in both the speed with which he could separate it and his skill in controlling it.
"Stop shouting. I'm fine."
Lin Shu regulated his breathing. This involved the soul, after all, and left no room for distraction. Only now had he found the time to answer the little one.
"You're finally alive!" Yu Sheng jumped excitedly off the bed, her little mouth rattling on without pause. "Yun Niang told me that word has spread all over the streets. Everyone says you're about to be in big trouble!"
She wore a miserable expression. "They say the two leaders of the Blackwater Gang had a falling-out, and you were too greedy, trying to cozy up to the Third Leader and use him to rise in the ranks. But then the two leaders made up again, and you were left looking like a fool. Now you're hiding everywhere, too scared to come out."
"You scared me to death!"
"Got it. Keep an eye on Firewood Courtyard, and tell me if anything happens."
Lin Shu's expression remained calm. He was hardly shaken.
Clearly, even Yun Niang had heard the rumors. River-Crossing Dragon had certainly been fanning the flames behind the scenes.
He wanted