Spies, a sneak attack!

"Do you really think Lord Che'erluo and the heads of those great families in the city are all idiots? They found out where the Treasure Weapons came from a month ago, so why hasn't a single one of them made the first move?"

"Because they can't get a read on that brat, that's why!"

"He clearly has no backing, just an orphan from an ordinary family whose parents died young, yet he suddenly produced weapons as deadly as Iron-Cleaving Treasure Weapons. With something so utterly unbelievable, who would dare make a move without investigating it thoroughly?"

"Haven't enough factions vanished from this world over things like this?"

After the middle-aged man's lecture, the young man could only lower his head and admit his mistake.

"I was too impatient, Brother-in-law."

"So what do we do next? Keep watching him?"

Seeing his younger brother-in-law admit his mistake, the middle-aged man nodded as though pleased that he could still be taught, then shook his head. "No need to keep watching."

"Lord Che'erluo is getting a little impatient, and we've learned just about everything there is to know about that brat over the past month. I only said all that to teach you a lesson: don't rush things. Consider every angle."

At that, the young man's drooping face instantly lit up with excitement. "Then we can make our move?"

"Yes. Once that brat comes out, we move. Remember, take him alive, and be quick. Seize him like a thunderbolt striking before anyone can cover their ears!"

"Yes, Steward Liu!"

The two young men nodded emphatically.

For the past month, they had spent every day loitering near the little courtyard and investigating him. They hadn't even had a chance to enjoy themselves at the Spring Blossom House, and their patience had long since worn thin.

Now that they heard they could act, how could they not rub their hands in anticipation?

They were even thinking that once they caught the brat, they would have to torture him properly. Otherwise, wouldn't that whole miserable month have been for nothing?

Steward Liu said no more, narrowing his eyes toward the little courtyard.

After a month of investigation, Steward Liu was certain that this brat had no backing whatsoever. The reason he could sell Treasure Weapons was that he possessed a craft that allowed him to make them.

As long as he captured the brat before the other factions, forced the technique for forging Treasure Weapons out of him, and presented it to Lord Che'erluo, his status would rise another rung!

He might even become Lord Che'erluo's foremost subordinate!

Time slowly passed.

That afternoon.

Zhou Changqing finally put down his book.

He stood and stretched, then carried all the books back into his bedroom and put them away.

Afterward, Zhou Changqing picked up a huge bundle and prepared to go out.

Over the past three months, aside from selling three Iron-Cleaving Mortal Weapons at Mittel on his first visit, he had gone there twice more.

Two months ago, he had sold four Iron-Cleaving Mortal Weapons. On his last visit, a month ago, he had sold five Mortal Weapons.

By his reckoning, the Mortal Weapons from that last batch had all finished selling at auction not long ago.

But he had yet to collect the money.

This time, besides delivering another five Mortal Weapons for auction, he was going out to collect his money and buy the things he needed.

It was only because Zhou Changqing had divided his attention to practice Dou Techniques over the past month that he had made just five. Otherwise, with his increasingly polished refining and nurturing skills, he would have made six.

(The number sold in the previous chapter was incorrect and has now been corrected.)

He left the little courtyard and stepped onto the bluestone path.

Before he had gone far, Zhou Changqing suddenly frowned and stopped.

"Hm?"

"Someone's there?"

With soul perception stronger than that of most Dou Shi, Zhou Changqing instantly detected several faint gazes fixed on him.

This irritated him somewhat, but he ignored them and continued walking. At the same time, his vigilance rose, his entire body tensing in readiness.

This was not the first time someone had watched him.

One day a month ago, he had suddenly noticed someone observing him from the shadows.

At first, he had thought nothing of it, assuming another pickpocket had set his sights on him.

But things later proved less simple than he had imagined.

Every day afterward, he could sense certain gazes falling on him.

And those gazes came from many different directions. Clearly, they did not all belong to the same group.

By then, Zhou Changqing had understood that he had been exposed.

It had happened later than he had expected.

So he had not panicked over it.

He did not believe that the leaders of the factions coveting his secret would personally come to watch a nobody like him.

Besides, the fact that he could detect them meant those lurking in the shadows could not be particularly strong.

Moreover, these spies did not dare sneak into his little courtyard or directly observe what happened inside. They only dared wander around outside.

Thus, Zhou Changqing left the spies to lurk in the shadows and paid them no mind.

Lately, however, he could sense that these spies were growing increasingly impatient.

Presumably, it would not be long before someone became the first to leap out.

Soon, Zhou Changqing passed the halfway point of the path and was less than a dozen meters from the street at its end.

Just then, three figures burst out of a small alley on the right side of the bluestone path with a whoosh!, charging straight toward Zhou Changqing.

Couldn't hold back any longer?

Although his back was turned, Zhou Changqing sensed the people rushing toward him almost immediately, and his expression grew a little graver!

At that moment, his right hand darted inside his clothes and gripped something...

In a flash of lightning, the three figures had closed to within two meters of Zhou Changqing.

Clang!

"Watch out!"

At that instant, the crisp ring of a blade leaving its sheath abruptly rang out!

At that very same instant, one of the three charging figures underwent a drastic change of expression and shouted a warning!

But it was already too late!

At some point, Zhou Changqing had turned around, and a straight saber gleaming with cold light had appeared in his hand!

The saber traced a semicircle through the air, its keen edge slicing through it with a ringing shing!

Squelch! ×2

Thud! ×2

Two soft sounds of a blade cutting flesh rang out, followed by two figures crashing to the ground!

On the ground before Zhou Changqing, two rather well-dressed young men clutched their necks, their eyes wide as they stared at him in disbelief.

Blood flowed from the corners of their mouths, while crimson blood kept spurting through the gaps between the fingers pressed against their necks!

Their slit throats wheezed out low, hoarse "hurk, hurk, hurk" sounds, like zombies!

"Xiao Hua!"

"Aaaah! You little bastard! I'll carve you into a thousand pieces!!!"

Steward Liu stared at the two men lying on the ground, almost lifeless, his eyes stretched so wide they seemed about to split. He could not hold back a howl of anguish!

Zhou Changqing ignored his howling. With a cold expression, he flicked his saber and immediately retreated at full speed, backing toward the main street.

Realizing that Zhou Changqing meant to escape, the grief-stricken Steward Liu instantly came to his senses. Ignoring the two corpses on the ground, he pushed off with his feet and pursued at full speed, his face twisted savagely!

"Where do you think you're going, you little bastard? Die!"

(End of chapter)