Luring the snake out of its hole! I should call you Little Qingqing

"Captain Wuqing, can your Enforcement Hall... normally go to the Purple Heaven Palace to make arrests?"

Lin Mo asked after they left the White Tiger Squad's office.

Shangguan Wuqing replied, "According to sect regulations, anywhere outside the Purple Heaven Palace falls within the Enforcement Hall's jurisdiction."

"But actual enforcement differs slightly. Generally, all squad captains of the Enforcement Hall avoid the area around the Purple Heaven Palace when carrying out their duties."

The reason was simple: none of the Enforcement Hall's squad captains wanted to incur Sect Leader Liu Ziyan's displeasure.

Unless there were exceptional circumstances.

"Then I understand."

Shangguan Wuqing's answer confirmed Lin Mo's suspicions.

Earlier, Dugu Liuli had dared to lead a whole procession of people to the little wooden hut outside the Purple Heaven Palace to arrest him.

Most likely, Su Yu had supplied Dugu Liuli with the information.

Sect Leader Liu Ziyan was not in the Purple Heaven Palace.

Thus, Dugu Liuli no longer had to worry about incurring Liu Ziyan's displeasure.

"What's wrong...?"

Shangguan Wuqing paused, then realization dawned on her. "That's right. How could Junior Sister Liuli be so bold as to go to the Purple Heaven Palace to arrest you? Did she know the Sect Leader was away?"

She had only learned that Sect Leader Liu Ziyan was away because Lin Mo had told her.

But how had Dugu Liuli found out?

Surely Lin Mo hadn't told her too, "The Sect Leader is away. Hurry up and arrest me!"

"Let's leave that aside. It's all over now, anyway." Lin Mo smiled and shook his head, unwilling to mention Saintess Su Yu to Shangguan Wuqing.

If he dragged Shangguan Wuqing into this too, any number of complications might arise.

Shangguan Wuqing had vaguely guessed something as well.

When Lin Mo had previously come to seek her protection, he had told her that someone had their eye on him.

And that person was far beyond her ability to contend with.

Perhaps this was precisely the person Lin Mo had mentioned last time, the one who had leaked the information to Dugu Liuli.

Lin Mo probably refused to tell her because he did not want to drag her into it.

But...

Just who has this little old man offended? Shangguan Wuqing wondered.

There were far too many people within the First Saint Sect whom she could not afford to offend.

That made it difficult for Shangguan Wuqing to deduce exactly who had set their sights on Lin Mo.

"Captain Wuqing, could you do this old man another favor?"

Lin Mo's voice pulled Shangguan Wuqing out of her thoughts. She nodded and asked, "What is it?"

Lin Mo leaned close to her ear and whispered a few words.

After hearing him out, a sharp, murderous glint flashed through Shangguan Wuqing's beautiful eyes, vanishing in an instant.

She said nothing, merely nodding solemnly.

Afterward, Lin Mo and Shangguan Wuqing went their separate ways.

Lin Mo did not return directly to the little wooden hut at the Purple Heaven Palace. After taking a winding route, he arrived at a secluded, deserted valley outside the First Saint Sect's gates.

He sensed the dangerous presence continually drifting through the air.

With his hands clasped behind his back, Lin Mo slowly closed his eyes and spoke into the surrounding darkness. "Since you're already here, why hide instead of showing yourself?"

"This old man will give you only this one chance. Miss it, and you'll never get another opportunity to strike at me."

Silence.

The only answer Lin Mo received was the constant rustling in the surrounding darkness.

Lin Mo patiently waited for four hours, until deep into the night.

Seeing that the other person still refused to appear, Lin Mo stopped waiting and started back toward the sect gates.

Whoosh!

Before he had taken more than a few steps, a chilling whistle abruptly tore through the air.

Beneath the cool moonlight, a tall figure blocked Lin Mo's path.

With the darkness concealing the man's features, Lin Mo could not make out his face.

But judging by his aura, Lin Mo was certain.

The man before him was precisely the expert at the peak of the Foundation Establishment Realm who had secretly watched him earlier when he returned to the Purple Heaven Palace.

"You actually dared to lure me out. I can't understand where you get your confidence with your foundation establishment early stage cultivation," the man said.

His name was Liu Tie, an Inner Sect Disciple serving under the Enforcement Hall's Azure Dragon Squad.

Precisely because Lin Mo's behavior defied common sense, he had remained hidden and observed him, afraid that Lin Mo was setting a trap.

He did not know whether Shangguan Wuqing had followed, but he did know one thing.

If he missed tonight, he might truly never have another chance to strike at Lin Mo.

Thus, left with no other choice, he could only show himself and take his chances.

"As the saying goes, it's not the thief who steals that you fear, but the thief who keeps coveting what you have."

With his hands clasped behind his back, Lin Mo said unhurriedly, "Having you constantly watching me from the shadows makes me rather uncomfortable, so it's best to settle this sooner rather than later."

"There is no grudge between us, and we have never even met before. I presume Azure Dragon Squad Captain Zhuiming sent you."

Liu Tie did not deny it. "You old servant do have a little sense. A servant ought to know his place. Why couldn't you just be a good dog? Instead, you had to provoke someone you couldn't afford to offend."

"It seems you don't know how the word 'death' is written."

"Then tonight, I'll send you on your way."

With that said...

Liu Tie clenched his large hand, and the Giant Axe instantly appeared.

A sharp, cold gleam swept through the night sky, rushing toward Lin Mo and stinging his cheeks.

Lin Mo remained as composed as a fisherman sitting steady on his platform. "You chose the words 'be a dog' well. In this old man's eyes, they suit you much better."

"There is no grudge between us, yet at a single word from Captain Zhuiming, you came scurrying over to find me. If you're not an obedient dog, who is?"

Liu Tie's eyelid twitched violently at those words. He said coldly, "Run your mouth all you want, because you're about to shut it forever!"

"Heh."

Lin Mo chuckled, and an eerie wind rose without warning.

Just as Liu Tie was about to attack, an intense aura of death swept over him without warning, making every pore on his body flare wide in an instant!

"Pfft-!"

Before Liu Tie could even react, a sword struck from behind and pierced straight through his heart.

His towering body suddenly stiffened!

His gaze shifted slightly downward, and a bloodstained blade came into view.

Then a voice like ten-thousand-year-old mystic ice sounded behind him. "Junior Brother, you're the one who should shut his mouth forever."

"S-Senior Sister?! W-Why!" Liu Tie's pupils contracted, his voice trembling.

He could not believe that the person who had stabbed him in the back was Shangguan Wuqing!

"Hmph."

Shangguan Wuqing offered no further answer, merely twisting the hilt slightly in her delicate hand.

Vast spiritual power surged along the blade into Liu Tie's body.

In the next instant...

Bang!

Liu Tie's body abruptly exploded into a skyful of bloody mist, staining the moonlight red.

With the threat of Liu Tie eliminated, Lin Mo let out a long sigh of relief. He gave Shangguan Wuqing a grateful look and smile. "Thank you, Captain Wuqing."

Shangguan Wuqing sheathed her sword, a teasing curve lifting her crimson lips. "What did you call me?"

"Uh..."

Lin Mo froze, then could only brazenly change how he addressed Shangguan Wuqing. "My mistake. I should have said Little Qingqing..."