Chapter 49: Ambush and Awareness

Hmm?

Although the two parties were over ten paces apart, with Lu Yuan's current extraordinary five senses, he immediately caught this sentence in his ears, and his heart gave a sudden jolt.

Gazing intently, those two men were tall and sturdy with agile postures; although they appeared to be wearing servant attire, their every movement clearly showed a foundation of decent Martial Arts, not at all like menial servants.

Although these two had not discovered him at all, Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes, maintained his Invisibility Technique, and immediately followed them silently.

He then saw the two arrive behind a rockery in the central courtyard, skillfully and nimbly pulling two iron wine flasks from their bosoms, and actually began to drink together, one sip after another, behind the rockery:

"Damn it, that Qingyike hasn't shown his face for over a month now. In my opinion, he's probably run off long ago. We're still here acting like fools waiting for a rabbit to hit a tree; if Qingyike knew, he'd probably laugh himself to death!"

"Sigh, no choice. This is an order from the Commandant; even those Colonels have to take shifts to guard day and night. What can we do? I don't know whose rotten idea this was—the higher-ups just open their mouths, and the lower-downs run their legs off, causing so many people to suffer here every day."

"But to be honest, there doesn't seem to be a better way to deal with that Qingyike. The few Colonels and hundreds of men in the Office have investigated for so long, and all they know is that the other party is likely active in the East City area. Other than that, we know absolutely nothing about his age, gender, appearance, or build. We can only use this method to lure him into the trap."

"That's true. Logically speaking, we've lured that mad Alin Sao to cause a scene in the busy market for so long; given the tragedy she suffered, if that Qingyike were still around, he should have heard of it and taken action long ago. With no movement for so long, he must no longer be in this Fengyang Prefecture."

"Who among us subordinates doesn't know that logic? But the big shots above aren't willing to give up, so what can we do? However, everyone's spirit has been drained lately; lurking and patrolling in this Qin Fu every day is just going through the motions. I reckon we can withdraw in a few days."

"I think so too. It's a pity; I haven't even seen that guest advisor transferred by the Office make a move yet. I don't know what this so-called Daoist Art is, or if he can catch that Qingyike."

"You don't know about this, do you? That guest advisor is a mid-level mage of the Fourth Realm. Although his cultivation of Daoist Arts might not be higher than Qingyike's, he is at least from a Daoist temple officially conferred by the imperial court, so he must have some tricks up his sleeve."

Not to mention anything else, I heard that such a person can achieve soul-projection, and even if a mosquito flies within a range of several zhang around him, he can sense it. That guest advisor now follows Qin Wuhui morning and night, and even sleeps in the room next door, separated by only one wall. If that Qingyike really dares to come, he will surely be detected. It's just a pity..."

"Hiss, a range of several zhang, and he can even sense a mosquito flying by? That is simply too unbelievable."

The two were clearly not hiding behind the rockery to slack off for the first time; as they chatted in low voices, every piece of information was exposed to Lu Yuan's ears.

His figure slowly retreated, leaving the central courtyard to hide behind a flower bed before he dispelled the Invisibility Technique.

While recovering his Dharma Power, cold light flickered in his eyes:

"No wonder I vaguely felt something was wrong; so it was a trap to lure the prey into the jar..."

When he saw Alin Sao in the morning, he had been wondering why the Qin Fu had no reaction when the other party was making such a huge commotion.

Now, the case was solved.

Clearly, those two men just now were not Qin Fu servants, but disguised runners from the Martial Suppression Office.

Even at this very moment, a net had been cast around Qin Wuhui throughout the entire Qin Fu, just waiting for the arrival of Qingyike.

After all, the deaths of Kundu, Tian Ming, and Zhao Hailong made everyone believe that Qingyike was a man who hated evil with a passion. Therefore, the Martial Suppression Office found the destitute and half-mad Alin Sao, and through unknown means, guided her to kowtow on the street for a month to create a sensation, thereby luring Qingyike to this Qin Fu.

But none of them expected that after his public display of power at the East City government office last time, Lu Yuan had been busy practicing the Staff Entrustment Technique and refining his Dharma Power, barely leaving his house for almost an entire month, and had not paid attention to these things at all.

Fortunately, after dragging it out for over a month, the Martial Suppression Office officials lurking in the Qin Fu had become completely exhausted and lax; otherwise, Lu Yuan might not have been able to discern this trap.

"I wonder if a mid-level mage of the Fourth Realm can see through my Invisibility Technique."

Lu Yuan's brows furrowed, his eyes showing deep thought.

Logically speaking, the Earthly Fiend Seventy-Two Arts were Daoist immortal arts, and the so-called Daoist Arts of this world were relatively low-level, making it unlikely they could break the Invisibility Technique.

However, the problem was that his Dharma Power was currently low, and his Invisibility Technique was still at the lowest level. Although it could hide his aura and scent, if his movements were too large, he would still leave flaws and traces like air currents and sounds.

If that so-called guest advisor of the Martial Suppression Office was truly as the two runners said, capable of sensing even a mosquito within several zhang, the risk of exposure when he approached Qin Wuhui would increase greatly.

After thinking for a long time.

"Forget it, stability first. Let him live for two more days!"

After waiting for his Dharma Power to recover slightly, Lu Yuan activated the Invisibility Technique again and left the Qin Fu directly.

He was not a fool with a hard head who had to take this risk.

Possessing a lifespan of over one hundred and fifty years and a bright future in immortal cultivation, caution, safety, and zero risk were more important to him than anything else.

Of course, he was not giving up just like that.

On the contrary, he immediately thought of an Earthly Fiend Art that could easily resolve the current situation, and there was still over a hundred units of Qi Luck remaining in the Heavenly Book, which was just enough to light up this art.

Once he mastered it proficiently, that would be the time for his comeback!

In the blink of an eye, two more days passed.

In the early morning, in the main courtyard of the Qin Fu's inner residence.

In the center of the courtyard, a tall, middle-aged man wearing a black robe with a cinched waist and sporting a handlebar mustache was exhaling and shouting while practicing a set of fierce fist techniques.

It was the master of this Qin Fu, the Martial Recommended Scholar Qin Wuhui.

Woo—woo—woo—

Violent wind whistled in the courtyard. Qin Wuhui's punches were like dragons, his movements as swift as thunder. Every punch and kick was powerful and fierce, tearing through the air and creating violent gusts of wind, even whipping up dust and fallen leaves within a zhang of him, whistling and swirling.

As the fierce wind blew toward his face, a middle-aged man in cloth clothes with a refined temperament and a Daoist Bun sat on a stone stool to the side, watching silently with an appreciative look on his face.

A moment later.

Qin Wuhui's fist practice came to an end. As he abruptly withdrew his stance, the violent wind around his body also stopped whistling and swirling, leaving the entire courtyard calm and peaceful.

Seeing this scene, the cloth-clad middle-aged man to the side could not help but smile and clap his hands:

"Scholar Qin, excellent Martial Arts!"

Yet at this moment, there was no joy on Qin Wuhui's face; he only looked at the other party expressionlessly, his eyes appearing slightly stifled and annoyed:

"Daoist Yu, it has been over a month. May I ask when your Office will withdraw the setup here and let my Qin Fu return to normal?"

(End of chapter)