Geng District, No. 9 Tongtian Tower, the sixty-second floor.
“Yang Huan?” Song Wujie frowned.
The conflict between the Sect Master of East Fence Path and the sage of White Tower hasn’t been resolved. Both Jilong Road and Zhongshan Path are consolidating their forces.
Why would Yang Huan pick this time to cause trouble?
“The two have confessed; they said it’s for Peng Yue Mountain,” Liang Yi was also puzzled.
Without the sage of White Tower to stand guard, this Yang Huan still dares to hop around everywhere?
Isn’t he afraid that someone will take advantage of his absence and snatch his territory?
“That place has already been occupied by the snow demon Qing Liu. What’s he doing there?” Song Wujie’s brow tightened.
“Perhaps, Yang Huan has a way to deal with the snow demon,” Liang Yi’s mind raced.
“The snow demon is a creature from the frigid northern reaches of Yunzhou.”
“Zhongshan Path has dealt with them for years; they understand the snow demon Qing Liu better than we do.”
“It seems there’s a profit to be made!” Song Wujie let out a cold snort.
“Do we kill him?” Liang Yi squinted.
Having such a sly fellow wandering around the neighborhood is always disconcerting.
“No,” Song Wujie seemed contemplative.
“Later, you’ll go and notify everyone. It’s imperative that those disciples who have left return to the Water Mansion, with food and lodging taken care of.”
“Such passive defense might lead Yang Huan to overstep,” Liang Yi didn’t understand.
“Not afraid,” Song Wujie didn’t seem concerned.
“I want to see Yang Huan make his move. I need to see just how much he wants Peng Yue Mountain.”
“Master is thinking of selling it at a high price?” Liang Yi suddenly realized.
“If we kill Yang Huan now and later the sage of White Tower wins, what will we do then?” Song Wujie narrowed his eyes.
“Better to be safe.”
“First, let’s cheat him out of some resources.”
…
Geng District, No. 9 Dragon Gate Storage Area, Warehouse No. 67.
Chen Mu placed the remaining two thousand plus jin of Yellow Bud Rice before him.
The Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique Exotic Force enveloped him.
Hum hum hum…
Sounds of bees flapping their wings immediately filled the warehouse.
An hour later.
Chen Mu retracted the Five Elements Qi Absorption Technique and rubbed his aching temples.
“I can’t come here anymore,” Chen Mu sighed.
With the incident stirred by Zhongshan Path, he didn’t dare hop around carelessly anymore.
According to the confessions of the two captives, the Condensing Aperture expert Yang Huan was in the Heavenly River District.
“What if that guy has no sportsmanship and personally comes to catch me? My arms and legs are no match for a Condensing Aperture expert.”
Originally, he had wanted to spend a month refining three batches of Yellow Bud Rice. But now, he had only refined one batch and had to stop.
Black smoke billowed as Chen Mu activated Five Ghosts Moving Mountain.
The residues from refining the Essence of the Five Grains out of Yellow Bud Rice were immediately consumed.
The entire warehouse was once again left empty.
After carefully making sure he left no clues, Chen Mu quickly departed.
…
The next day.
The corner of the inn’s first-floor lobby.
“Why are you free to drink tea and listen to storytelling here today?” Chen Mu asked Shang Huan, already knowing the answer.
He had already notified Shang Huan and the six siblings from Wu Mountain using the identity of Gongsun Sheng yesterday, telling them not to go out in the coming days.
“It’s all because of Zhongshan Path making trouble,” Shang Huan said with gloom: “You should also not wander around lately. If Zhongshan Path catches you, that would be bad luck.”
Chen Mu nodded quickly, then pretended to sigh, “To think, I had just settled down for a few days.”
“What’s with those people?” Chen Mu pointed his chin toward several familiar figures at a table not far away
Previously, due to the rising costs at the Water Mansion, those people had to leave and move to the Heavenly River District.
“Director Song called them back, with food and lodging covered,” Old Hao chuckled, pulling out his pipe and packing it with tobacco: “Our living expenses have been waived as well.”
“Well, that’s something to thank Zhongshan Path for,” Chen Mu absentmindedly nodded along.
But… Is hiding in the Water Mansion truly safe?
Yesterday, he was able to quietly capture two spies; likewise, Zhongshan Path could quietly take away any of these disciples from the Lower Courtyard!
Moreover, if everyone hides in the Water Mansion and Zhongshan Path can’t capture anyone outside, they will definitely target the people inside.
However…
Wouldn’t Song Wujie expect this?
Or rather, does he have some other plan?
Chen Mu’s eyes narrowed slightly. Without accurate information, he couldn’t make a judgment.
Waiting in the fog was no good; he needed to learn some news one way or another.
His eyes shifted, and he had an idea. He then casually turned to Shang Huan and asked with feigned concern, “It doesn’t matter to us, but I’m afraid this will affect your business badly, won’t it?”
Shang Huan’s face turned ugly in an instant.
Chen Mu’s lips slightly curled up, getting anxious, huh? That’s right, become anxious!
“If it’s just ten more days or half a month, that’s fine, but if this continues for a long time…”
Shang Huan’s complexion became even uglier.
“It’s a pity that we’re of such low status that we can’t get in touch with Director Song.”
“If we could find someone familiar to get some news in advance, that would be great, at least we could be at ease,” Chen Mu instigated Shang Huan covertly as if it were unintentional.
Shang Huan’s body stiffened, his eyes darted around, then he suddenly turned his head, staring intently at Old Hao smoking.
“What… what’s wrong?” Old Hao was puzzled by his stare.
“Uncle Hao, how have I treated you?” Shang Huan asked with a serious face.
“You want me to go to Mo and sniff out some information?”
Old Hao immediately understood Shang Huan’s intention.
“Mo, after all, is different from us. Always troubling him…”
Old Hao was slightly troubled.
Shang Huan hurriedly persuaded him, “Those involved in this business are either friends of Brother Mo or your old buddies.”
“Even if you don’t do it for yourself, you have to think about them, right?”
“Alright,” Old Hao hesitated for a long time, but in the end, he sighed and nodded.
A look of joy immediately covered Shang Huan’s face.
Chen Mu couldn’t help but curl his lips upward.
There, it’s settled!
Whether in his identity as Chen Mu or as Gongsun Sheng, it was not ideal for him to ask directly.
Influencing Shang Huan and then having Old Hao inquire was the perfect solution.
“Asking is fine, but we should have a pretext, right?” Old Hao exhaled a fragrant puff of smoke.
The two exchanged a glance, and both instinctively looked towards Chen Mu.
“Brother Chen, it’s time to show off your culinary skills!” Shang Huan said earnestly.
Chen Mu: “…”
Alright then.
…
In Old Hao’s room on the second floor of the inn.
“The details, I can’t say.”
“It won’t take long, the matter will be over soon.”
“All you need to do is to stay put in the inn, and you’ll be fine,” Mo Wuzhou said emotionlessly at the dining table.
Old Hao and Shang Huan immediately showed joy on their faces and enthusiastically invited Mo Wuzhou to drink with them.
The meal took half an hour.
After seeing off Mo Wuzhou, the three stood at the entrance of the inn, chatting.
“Mo said it’d be safe as long as we don’t leave the inn,” Old Hao whispered shrewdly, “which means someone must be protecting the vicinity.”
“Brother Mo also said that the issue would be resolved soon,” Shang Huan chuckled.
“Perhaps Director Song has gone to Heavenly River District to settle things with that Yang Huan from Zhongshan Path.”
“Now everything is fine, we just need to sleep for a few days in the inn, and when we wake up, everything will be back to normal,” said Shang Huan, grinning.
The two were chatting enthusiastically.
But Chen Mu was squinting his eyes and suddenly said, “That’s not necessarily the case.”
“Indeed, there could be someone watching over this area.”
“Director Song might indeed be planning to settle accounts with Yang Huan.”
“But what if Director Song has his people guarding this place, waiting for people from Zhongshan Path to come, and then decides to deal with Zhongshan Path right here?”
Shang Huan and Old Hao both stiffened immediately.
“Are we bait?”
“That’s not possible, is it?”
“Of course not,” Chen Mu said with a smile, “I was just kidding.”
“Let’s go, it’s time to sleep,” he said without waiting for their reactions, and turned back to the inn.
Then in less than two hours.
Chen Mu arrived at the ninth Tongtian Tower wearing a black cloak and a changed appearance.
He chose a room on the sixty-third floor and rented it for three months in one go.
After verifying that the room ten meters below him to the left was Minor Supervision Court Liang’s room and the one fifteen meters to his front left was Director Song’s room, Chen Mu finally sighed in relief.
“Regardless of the possibility that we’re bait, I can’t stay near the inn any longer.”
“I can’t take the risk.”
“Actually, going to Jinzhu Dojo would work too,” Chen Mu muttered, smacking his lips.
There, with the guards of Heavenly River Water Mansion, Yang Huan would definitely not dare to stir trouble.
But the rent there was really too expensive. It would cost over six hundred White Jade a month, not cost-effective.
“I can only reluctantly bask in the protection of the Evil-Repelling Halo of two high-level Condensing Aperture experts then.”