Fengyuan Studio.
In an elegant room, Lady Cuiyun's face lit up with a hint of joy as she looked at the freshly received information.
"Sir, my men have obtained reliable information. About half an hour ago, a man resembling Chu Silang, the Consumptive Ghost, appeared near the Gourd Lane in the city..."
She detailed the information to him.
Zhu Guqing, sitting across from her, also seemed much more relaxed. He immediately stood up and said, "I'll go and take a look."
With that, he left straight away.
"Gourd Lane... Wait, how could I forget? Su Yi, that guy, lives in Gourd Lane, doesn't he?"
Lady Cuiyun slapped her forehead suddenly, about to remind Zhu Guqing, but he had already disappeared.
"Forget it, it's better to mind my own business. Especially when it comes to that Su guy. If I can avoid getting involved, I will!"
Lady Cuiyun's countenance changed rapidly.
Just the thought of the two bloody incidents that occurred in the Mountain and River Hall made her feel overwhelmed and depressed.
...
"Sir, we have found out that Lord Su is currently residing in Gourd Lane."
Late at night, in an inn in the city, Zhang Yiren spoke with a deep voice.
Marquis Wuling, Chen Zheng, nodded and said, "Good. I will visit him tomorrow. You go and prepare the horn of the fourth-level 'Qinghuo Deer' for me. Since it's a visit, I can't go empty-handed."
Zhang Yiren smiled and said, "I have already prepared it for you. By the way, sir, did you gain anything from your visit to the Qinghe Sword Mansion this time?"
Chen Zheng replied, "Indeed, I have discovered several promising talents. However, there was an unexpected turn of events with Mucangtu."
"Unexpected?" Zhang Yiren was taken aback.
"Mucangtu has decided to step down from his position as the head of the mansion and retire to the mountains, focusing on the path of the sword and no longer involving himself in worldly affairs."
Chen Zheng furrowed his brow slightly. "It is said that he was defeated by an immensely powerful young man, but his identity remains unknown."
Zhang Yiren gasped in disbelief. "Mucangtu is known as the 'Qinghe Sword that Suppresses Half the City.' His foundation in martial arts is incredibly solid and profound. How could such a long-standing figure be defeated?"
"In this world, there are only a few who remain undefeated."
Chen Zheng's expression remained solemn and calm. "Even the mighty Innate Martial Ancestor, who dares to claim invincibility? As for those so-called Land Immortals, before they embark on the path of cultivating the Primordial Dao, they are bound to undergo countless bloody trials and tribulations."
Pausing for a moment, he sighed lightly. "However, I didn't expect that Mucangtu would be defeated by a young man. I wonder who this young man is and what his background is."
Zhang Yiren suddenly spoke up. "Sir, could it be... Lord Su?"
Chen Zheng was taken aback and replied, "Hard to say. Based on what you said, although Su Yi possesses the strength of a Swordmaster, the person he killed on the ship was already at the end of his strength. Su Yi had a significant advantage in that fight."
Then, he shook his head and said, "Let's not dwell on that. I'll find out when I visit him tomorrow."
...
Langtaosha.
A renowned brothel in Yunhe County, Cloud River City.
In a secret chamber, Tea Jin coughed violently. Her exquisite face turned pale and almost transparent, revealing traces of exhaustion and pain that she couldn't conceal.
Today, although she managed to escape from Zuo'an Residence, she had injured her internal organs while using a forbidden technique.
Beside her, a young man dressed in a crimson robe with a handsome and feminine appearance exclaimed in resentment, "That Su Yi is too ruthless!"
He appeared to be in his twenties, with long flowing hair and a jade belt around his waist. When his gaze fell upon Tea Jin, it was filled with tenderness.
"I used him, so it's natural for him to harbor resentment," Tea Jin took a deep breath and spoke with lingering fear, "But speaking of it, even I didn't expect such a terrifying figure to exist in Yunhe County, this remote region of the Great Zhou."
The young man in the crimson robe fell silent for a moment and said, "Do you think he might be a successor from the 'Hidden Dragon Sword Sect,' the number one holy land of the Great Zhou?"
Tea Jin's beautiful eyes flickered, and she shook her head. "Qingqing also possesses Qi Gathering Realm cultivation, but her combat power can only contend with Martial Masters at most. But Su Yi is different. He can kill Martial Masters as easily as slaughtering chickens and monkeys!"
Her gaze filled with reminiscence as she continued, "Brother, you have no idea. Su Yi is only a seventeen-year-old youth, but when facing him, I felt as if I were facing a divine being in the heavens."
The young man in the crimson robe furrowed his brow and dismissed it. "Junior sister, you were simply frightened by him, which led to such feelings."
He changed the topic and said, "However, I have to admit that Su Yi is indeed an extraordinary figure. Along with Qin Wenyuan and Nan Wenxiang, three Martial Masters have died at his hands. In our sect, only the 'Seven Sons of the Moon Wheel' possess such capabilities."
The Seven Sons of the Moon Wheel!
The seven core transmissions of the Moon Wheel Sect, known as the pride of the younger generation of the sect, were hailed as extraordinary geniuses who could easily reach the realm of the Primordial Dao with their swords!
"The Seven Sons of the Moon Wheel..."
A trace of imperceptible envy appeared in Tea Jin's beautiful eyes.
Secular powers could never compare to the transcendent cultivation forces that existed beyond the mundane world.
Martial practitioners in the secular world were destined to be incomparable to the powerhouses in the cultivation forces.
The disparity was like that between two different realms.
Suddenly, Tea Jin had another fit of coughing, her beauty fading.
Seeing this, a boundless hatred welled up in the young man in the crimson robe. He said, "Tomorrow, I will meet this Su Yi!"
"No, don't!"
Tea Jin's face changed drastically. "Senior brother, that guy is too terrifying. Even if you've just become a Martial Master, let alone a seasoned one, you wouldn't stand a chance against him. Please don't act impulsively."
"Rest assured, I won't be foolish enough to fight him head-on."
The young man in the crimson robe spoke softly, "When I left the sect this time, I brought a special treasure. With this treasure, even if I can't kill him, it will be enough to seriously injure him!"
As he spoke, he turned his palm, and a seven-inch flying sword appeared. The sword's body was covered in intricate and mysterious runes, emanating a chilling azure glow.
"The Breaker of Evil Sword Talisman?"
Tea Jin was moved.
This was a secret treasure personally crafted by a Land Immortal, containing terrifying power capable of annihilating Martial Masters.
"Yes, this was bestowed by Senior Brother Zhao. It was nurtured and tempered by his Primordial Dao power for forty-nine days. Only Martial Masters can barely unleash the power of this treasure."
"Those below the Martial Master level can't withstand the power of this sword."
"According to Senior Brother Zhao, this sword can be used three times. This time, I'll test it on Su Yi!"
The young man in the crimson robe's eyes gleamed.
However, the thought of wasting such a secret treasure on Su Yi made him feel somewhat reluctant.
"Senior brother, I still believe that it would be best if we could win Su Yi over to our side," Tea Jin said earnestly.
"Junior sister, you don't understand. Characters like him are full of talent and arrogance. They look down on others. Only by using true power can we force him to submit!"
The young man in the crimson robe said coldly.
Tea Jin sighed in her heart, knowing that it was useless to advise him any further.
...
As the night gradually faded, the dawn's light emerged.
Outside the Bottle Gourd Alley,
"Old Taoist, I've asked the neighbors in the nearby area. The residents in that courtyard are just a group of teenagers, none of them worth our attention," Chu Silang yawned lazily and said.
He had woken up early today, visiting the vicinity and confirming multiple times that the courtyard Weng Yunqi had visited did not contain any suspicious individuals.
"We mustn't be careless. Since Weng Yunqi has come here, he must have some ulterior motive. This also means that the owner of that courtyard may not be as simple as we imagined," Blood Heng Dao Ren's eyes flickered.
Liu Xianglan smiled and said, "This matter is easily handled. Let's go to that courtyard and investigate the background of those young people. If they are truly formidable, we can immediately withdraw. If not, we can occupy the courtyard and wait for Weng Yunqi to come to us."
"That's a good plan," Blood Heng Dao Ren hesitated for a moment and nodded in agreement.
If any of those young people posed a significant threat to them, even if Weng Yunqi appeared, they might not have an opportunity to make a move.
Ultimately, it was safest to first gather information about the situation.
Blood Heng Dao Ren advised, "Let's be polite when we arrive, so as not to give the impression that we are looking for trouble."
As he spoke, he stepped into Bottle Gourd Alley.
Chu Silang and Liu Xianglan followed closely behind.
Arriving in front of the modest residence, Blood Heng Dao Ren straightened his attire and wore a warm smile on his face. He reached out and lightly knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" Huang Qianjun's voice came from within the courtyard.
Blood Heng Dao Ren spoke with a smile, "I am a resident nearby. Last night, a street vendor selling wontons was tragically killed outside this alley. Therefore, I have come specifically to inquire with the neighbors and see if we can find any clues related to the perpetrator."
This explanation was reasonable because Weng Yunqi was indeed the one who killed the street vendor.
Inside the courtyard,
Huang Qianjun's gaze shifted towards Su Yi, who was resting in the pavilion.
Su Yi narrowed his eyes slightly.
Last night, after killing Nan Wenxiang and scaring away Cha Jin, Weng Yunqi appeared. This series of events made Su Yi aware that the peaceful days at the modest residence would be difficult to maintain for some time.
However, he didn't expect someone to come knocking on his door early in the morning.
"Feng Junior Brother, you and Xiaoran go back to the room," Su Yi said, waving his hand at Huang Qianjun, indicating for him to open the door.
He wanted to see who the visitor was.
Creak~
The door opened.
Huang Qianjun's gaze swept over the three people outside the door. His heart skipped a beat, but he maintained a smile on his face as he asked, "May I know the names of the three neighbors? Could you come in and talk?"
Blood Heng Dao Ren slightly bowed his hand, his smile warm and friendly. "May we come in and have a conversation?"
Huang Qianjun smiled genially, "I apologize for my rudeness. Please, come in quickly."
With that, he welcomed Blood Heng Dao Ren and the others inside.
"This person is?" Blood Heng Dao Ren immediately noticed Su Yi lying on the rattan chair in the pavilion.
"This is my young master," Huang Qianjun said softly.
Blood Heng Dao Ren nodded and took a big step forward, standing outside the pavilion. He smiled and paid his respects, "I have seen the young master."
Su Yi sat there motionless, his expression indifferent. "Speak up, why have you come here?"
Blood Heng Dao Ren's pupils constricted.
On the side, Liu Xianglan smiled gracefully and said, "Look, this young man also doesn't tolerate any nonsense. If we continue to beat around the bush, we'll only embarrass ourselves."
As she spoke, her gaze fell on the Soul Nurturing Gourd hanging at Su Yi's waist, and a hint of curiosity flickered deep within her beautiful eyes.