The night was black as ink, and the chirping of insects gradually faded.
Inside the guest room, the lamplight flickered. Lu Shaoyou was just about to undress and rest.
"Knock, knock, knock."
The somewhat urgent knocking shattered the room's quiet.
Lu Shaoyou frowned slightly. At this hour, who could it be? He asked in a low voice, "Who is it?"
"Young Hero Lu, it's me, Wei Tuo." Wei Tuo's slightly hoarse voice came from beyond the door.
Lu Shaoyou's heart stirred. He opened the door and saw Wei Tuo standing outside, his expression grave, lacking the composure he had shown during the day.
"Branch Master Wei, what brings you here so late at night?" Lu Shaoyou stepped aside to let him in.
Wei Tuo walked inside without exchanging pleasantries, getting straight to the point. "Young Hero Lu, there's news about the matter you asked me to investigate."
Lu Shaoyou's gaze sharpened, and all thoughts of resting vanished in an instant. "Ling Mo?"
Wei Tuo nodded. He went to the table, sat down, poured himself a cup of cold tea, and drained it in one gulp before slowly saying, "That's right. The men I sent out reported back that Ling Mo has indeed sought refuge with the Blood Saber Sect."
"The Blood Saber Sect—which hall?"
This news had been within Lu Shaoyou's expectations. His expression did not change, but his eyes turned several degrees colder.
"Thunderclap Hall."
Wei Tuo looked at Lu Shaoyou, his tone growing heavier. "Moreover, Thunderclap Hall's Hall Master, Lei Xiaotian, was once an old friend of Ling Batian."
Lu Shaoyou's hand unconsciously clenched, his knuckles turning slightly white. An old friend of Ling Batian—this meant Ling Mo's place in Thunderclap Hall was likely far more than an ordinary act of allegiance.
"It seems he has already gained a firm foothold in the Blood Saber Sect." Lu Shaoyou's voice was calm, but anyone familiar with him could hear the suppressed killing intent within it.
Wei Tuo sighed. "Most likely. Among the Blood Saber Sect's ten great hall masters, Lei Xiaotian is considered both powerful and influential. With him looking after Ling Mo, I imagine Ling Mo's days have not been difficult."
A thread of icy killing intent flashed from Lu Shaoyou's body and vanished so quickly that even Wei Tuo wondered whether he had imagined it.
"How strong is Thunderclap Hall? And how much does Branch Master Wei know about Lei Xiaotian?" Lu Shaoyou pressed, every word carrying a chill.
Wei Tuo pondered for a moment, but then abruptly changed the subject. A trace of bitterness and irritation appeared on his face. "Young Hero Lu, we can discuss that later. To be honest, I've run into a troublesome problem myself recently."
Lu Shaoyou turned his gaze toward him and waited for him to continue.
Wei Tuo slammed his palm heavily against his thigh and said through gritted teeth, "A few days ago, our branch was escorting an exceptionally valuable shipment. When we passed through Stony Shoals, a mysterious expert actually robbed us! Not only was the cargo entirely lost, but we also lost seven or eight skilled men from the gang, including two deputies I relied upon heavily!"
He picked up the teapot and poured himself another cup, his tone filled with fury and helplessness. "That thief was ruthless, and his martial arts were so high they were downright unnatural!"
As Lu Shaoyou listened, his thoughts raced. Wei Tuo bringing this up now was certainly not mere venting.
Sure enough, Wei Tuo set down his teacup and fixed Lu Shaoyou with bright eyes. "Young Hero Lu, I know your martial arts are formidable, especially your movement technique. Wei admits he cannot compare. I came today not only to tell you the news about Ling Mo, but also to ask for your help."
"Oh?" Lu Shaoyou raised a brow. "What does Branch Master Wei want me to do?"
Wei Tuo took a deep breath, anticipation and solemnity in his eyes. "I hope Young Hero Lu can lend me a hand, recover that shipment, and deal with that mysterious expert! So long as Young Hero Lu agrees to help, once this matter is settled, I, Wei Tuo, will tell you everything I know about Ling Mo and Thunderclap Hall, holding nothing back!"
He paused, stressing his next words. "Not only that, if Young Hero Lu makes any moves in Azure Province in the future, including against the Blood Saber Sect, our Giant Whale Gang's Dragon Snake Crossing branch will give you our full support!"
These were truly generous terms. In exchange for one intervention, he would obtain detailed intelligence on Ling Mo and a powerful ally from the Giant Whale Gang in Azure Province. For Lu Shaoyou, this was undoubtedly a profitable deal.
Lu Shaoyou lightly tapped the tabletop with his fingers and said thoughtfully, "For Branch Master Wei to be so troubled, unable even to reclaim the cargo, that mysterious expert must indeed be no ordinary man."
Wei Tuo gave a bitter laugh. "He's far more than that! His lightness skill is peerless, and his movement technique is bizarre to the extreme, like a ghost or phantom. I personally led men after him several times, yet he always escaped by relying on his superb lightness skill. His movements are also exceedingly secretive. We have not even managed to see whether he is male or female, old or young."
"We only know that he calls himself Ghost Shadow."
He looked sincerely at Lu Shaoyou. "I have witnessed Young Hero Lu's abilities myself. Especially that lightness skill of yours, so divine it seems to have entered the realm of transformation—it should not be inferior to that thief's. If you and I join hands, we will surely capture and kill that bastard!"
Lu Shaoyou weighed the matter in his mind.
Wei Tuo was no weak man. His mind ran deep, and he possessed the bearing of a ruthless overlord.
Even he could not catch that mysterious expert, so the other party's strength and movement technique were clearly exceptional.
However, Lu Shaoyou had no fear. His Lingbo Weibu had already reached the pinnacle of perfection; his movement technique was no longer what it had once been. Combined with Dragon-Elephant Power, he was confident that he need fear no Super First-rate Master.
He raised his eyes to meet Wei Tuo's expectant gaze, a slight smile lifting the corner of his mouth. "Fine, Branch Master Wei. I, Lu Shaoyou, will help you with this."
Wei Tuo was overjoyed. He slapped the table hard. "Good! Young Hero Lu is indeed forthright! With your help, this great matter can be accomplished!"
He rose to his feet, seeming somewhat impatient. "There is no time to lose. That thief has recently been appearing near Dragon Snake Crossing. I have already stationed scouts there; the moment they find any trace of him, we'll act at once."
Lu Shaoyou nodded. "I'll follow Branch Master Wei's arrangements."
"Young Hero Lu, rest early and conserve your strength." Wei Tuo cupped his hands. "Tomorrow morning, I will come for you. We'll set out by boat and lay an ambush near Stony Shoals, where that thief is most likely to appear."
"Alright."
After seeing Wei Tuo off, Lu Shaoyou shut the door. The calm in his eyes was replaced by something profound.
Ling Mo, the Blood Saber Sect, Thunderclap Hall, Lei Xiaotian.
It seemed this journey to Azure Province had been destined to be anything but peaceful from the very beginning. But that was fine. The greater the chaos, the more opportunities there might be for him.
The next morning, the sky had only begun to brighten.
Lu Shaoyou finished preparing himself. Carrying the Qi Mei Cudgel, he pushed open his door and found Wei Tuo waiting downstairs with several lean, capable subordinates.
"Young Hero Lu, are you ready?" Wei Tuo was brimming with energy, clearly full of confidence in today's operation.
Lu Shaoyou gave a slight nod.
"Set out!" Wei Tuo waved his hand, and the group strode quickly out of the inn, heading straight for the docks.
Morning light seeped over the horizon, while mist blanketed the Yunmeng River. Several medium-sized speedboats had long been prepared, and aboard them stood Giant Whale Gang members armed with sharp blades, their expressions vigilant.
There were not many of them, but every one was skilled. Even the weakest among them was a second-rate martial artist.
Lu Shaoyou and Wei Tuo stood side by side at the bow. The speedboat cleaved through wind and waves, leaving Dragon Snake Crossing behind as it sped toward the dangerous downstream waters known as Stony Shoals.
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