Chunfeng Tower’s third floor.
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The middle-aged man in black smiled and pulled out a palm-sized wooden box from his sleeve.
Upon opening it, a thumb-sized, wholly silver-white cicada was lying inside.
“Fortunately, the family treasury had a piece of ebony wood leaf. The Treasure Seeking Cicada was raised in constant company with the ebony wood leaf.”
“With it, within a thirty-mile radius, as long as there is the scent of ebony wood, it can be detected.”
Sikou Yu’s smile grew broader and broader.
“It’s a pity that the Treasure Seeking Cicada has such a short lifespan. This one only has seven days left. I’m just worried it might delay the young master’s important matters,” the middle-aged man in black expressed his concern.
“No matter,” Sikou Yu squinted his eyes, “the ebony wood is most likely on that scholar. The Startling Swan Gang didn’t find him, but they managed to establish the scope of his movements.”
“You investigate at night.”
After musing, Sikou Yu added carefully, “If you find something, do not cause a commotion. Tomorrow morning I’ll bring more people along to capture him.”
“People from Qingshan County are all a bit tricky,” Sikou Yu clicked his tongue.
Soul Strength is so difficult to cultivate.
Zuo Sheng has cultivated it.
The Daoist Cheng Yi has even nearly reached the Shell Soul stage.
And that scholar, slippery as a fox. The Startling Swan Gang spread their net for over ten days and couldn’t catch him!
“Yes!” the middle-aged man in black nodded respectfully.
“If I use the Treasure Seeking Cicada, the family might already have news of it. When the time comes…” the man in black said with concern.
Upon hearing this, Sikou Yu laughed confidently, “No need to worry. With my sister covering for me, ordinary people wouldn’t dare to trouble me.”
After thinking it over, he added, “Chen Mu must be captured alive, tortured severely, and then poisoned with the Secret Medicine to addle his wits.”
“When the pressure from the family gets too great, I will hand him over, letting my brothers and sisters question him themselves.”
“To send over an idiot, isn’t that a bit…” the man in black hesitated.
“That is precisely my intention!” Sikou Yu snickered, “I’m handing over the key person, who would dare to make trouble for me? The clan elders would not agree.”
“The young master is indeed wise!” the middle-aged man in black flattered.
…
Inside a private room on the first floor.
Hearing the two men discussing capturing him, torturing him, and even intending to addle his wits with poison, Chen Mu didn’t feel anger.
“Never expect villains to have any kind of bottom line.” He felt heartbroken, utterly disappointed with this thoroughly rotten world.
He immediately changed his facial features and instantly switched his clothes with the Five Ghosts Bag.
A pure, colorless mask attached to his face, and Chen Mu walked out of the private room confidently.
Chunfeng Tower had many intriguing amusements, and he was not the only one wearing a mask.
The dim, enchanting lighting on the first floor meant no one paid any attention to a masked oddity.
Chen Mu casually stole an empty wine pot from a dining table, pretending to be a common, inebriated pleasure-seeker, and staggered upstairs.
The rooms on the second floor were likewise bustling, with maids and pretty girls constantly passing through, and no one paid any mind to a drunkard.
Chen Mu swayed his way up to the third floor.
A few Startling Swan Gang members proactively stepped forward to block his path.
Puff!
A burst of red mist exploded before the noses and mouths of the blockers.
The gang members hadn’t even reacted before they rolled their eyes and collapsed.
Chen Mu took a few steps forward, swiftly grabbed the collars of several men, and posed as if leaning in for a chat, placing them near pillars and railings in various standing and sitting positions.
A few other Startling Swan Gang members in the distance were puzzled.
They wondered who the person with the white mask was, getting so chummy with their colleagues?
Puff!
Red mist appeared again, and they fell into a stupor.
With the Mesmerizing Divine Smoke released from the Five Ghosts Bag combined with the agility honed from the Red Falcon Shape Cultivation Technique, Chen Mu, with a forthright presence, strolled into the entrance of the third floor.
Along the path, more than ten burly guards were all dealt with in the same fashion, each put to sleep one after another.
In the depths of the third floor, Chen Mu gently supported the necks of two sturdy men at the doorway, allowing them to slowly lean against both sides of the door.
“Phew…” Chen Mu let out a breath of relief.
“As long as I’m fast enough, and quiet enough, there won’t be any problems as long as I leave before the martial artists seated in Chunfeng Tower react!”
…
“While the young master enjoys himself here, I’ll go find someone.”
Sikou Yu waved his hand, “You’ve worked hard these past few days. Find the ebony wood, and you will be handsomely rewarded!”
“Thank you, young master!” The man in black bowed with a smile.
“It’s quite a coincidence, that scholar has also been to the Fan Tower in both the northern and southern markets.” As the man in black spoke, he pulled out a bamboo tube from his sleeve, “Let’s start the search from here.”
He used his little fingernail to pick out a bit of red powder from inside the bamboo tube and sprinkled it on the Treasure Seeking Cicada.
The Treasure Seeking Cicada, which had been quietly lying still as if it were a jade carving, suddenly fluttered its wings and moved its antennae, becoming instantly lively.
Sikou Yu, witnessing the Treasure Seeking Cicada’s movement for the first time, leaned in for a closer look.
The middle-aged man in black introduced with a smile, “The Treasure Seeking Cicada has wings, but it cannot fly. Its wings are actually its perceptive organs. Each flutter is it capturing information.”
“As soon as it detects the specified item, it will chirp and turn its body to point in the direction.”
“As long as that ebony wood is still in Nanyang Prefecture, it will certainly be able to…”
Chirp chirp chirp…
A piercing chirp suddenly erupted.
The middle-aged man in black instantly froze on the spot.
Sikou Yu asked with interest, “What does this mean?”
“Ebony wood? Right at… right at the door?!”
“Haha!” Sikou Yu laughed loudly, “So the Startling Swan Gang, those incompetents, have actually managed such a feat? Bringing the item directly to me!”
As he spoke, he opened the door.
Then he saw a person wearing a pure white mask, carefully adjusting the head of a door guard, meticulously placing it in order.
Chen Mu: “…”
Alas… I was planning to infiltrate stealthily and strike by surprise, yet it seems I’ll need to confront them head-on after all.
He slowly stood up, and the Mesmerizing Divine Smoke inside the Five Ghosts Bag churned incessantly.
“Which hall are you from?” Sikou Yu asked in confusion, looking up at his fallen subordinates, his face showing sudden comprehension, “Coming to find me quietly, are you afraid that your hall master will blame you?”
“Don’t worry, the entire Startling Swan Gang belongs to our Sikou Family,” Sikou Yu waved his hand, “If someone really bullies you, just come with me to the family territory. The bustling scenery there is incomparable to this remote Nanyang.”
The man in black stared intently at Chen Mu, urgently warning in a fast tone, “Young master, this person’s identity is unknown! Danger…”
Sikou Yu waved dismissively, “Heroes do not ask about origins!”
“Finding ebony wood for me, you are indeed a great talent!” Sikou Yu said with satisfaction on his face.
The man in black: “…” That’s not what I meant!
“To take down so many people silently, and to find the ebony wood by yourself, I’m really impressed!” Sikou Yu laughed heartily.
“Just for bringing the ebony wood to me, I’ll reward you with three drops of Zhaodianhong!”
“How about that? Generous enough, right!” Sikou Yu winked and gestured.
Chen Mu: “…”
Does this young master have some serious illness? Am I here to give you a present? I’m bloody here to take you down!
“What, is it not enough?” Sikou Yu’s brows knitted slightly, then his face cleared with realization, “You probably don’t know the effects of Zhaodianhong, do you?”
“That is the essence of the Three Treasures—Essence, Qi, and Spirit, and it’s the most effective at enhancing the body’s original state. One drop of Zhaodianhong is equivalent to a year’s worth of hard training in Shape Cultivation Technique!”
Sikou Yu raised his eyebrows proudly, “Tempted now, aren’t you?”
The man in black was frantically pale beside him.
“Quick, quick, bring out the ebony wood, let me have a look!” Sikou Yu rubbed his hands together eagerly, a look of impatience on his face.
Chen Mu: “…”
Where did this so-called genius come from? Planning your own demise!