Chapter 377: The Old Thing Is Not Easy to Deceive

While Gao Guanzi was healing, Xu Yuan closed his eyes nearby and controlled the leather dragon to swim back from the underground river at the lake bottom.

Xu Yuan knew Qidou Village was dangerous.

It was the only place in the entire Ghost Wushan that did not bow to Master Ruan Tian.

My Lord Xu feared death so much—that is why the leather dragon was not lowered into the water by Xu Yuan himself.

He summoned the ghost infant leader again, forcing the other party to search the surroundings for underground rivers.

Finally, they found one, a water route from underground leading to the small lake in Qidou Village.

Xu Yuan guided the leather dragon along this underground river and sent it across.

Gao Guanzi began to stall for time precisely because my Lord Xu's leather dragon had not yet been positioned at that moment.

When they spent the night in the Divine Niche last time, Gao Guanzi and Bai Laoyan discussed this lake in Qidou Village, believing it was formed by rainwater gathering.

But relying solely on rainwater, it is unlikely to sustain a lake for several decades.

Since no river flows into this lake on the surface, only an underground river remains.

Moreover, it cannot be very large, which is why the lake surface appears so calm.

The ghost infant leader was also afraid; even underground, he dared not approach Qidou Village.

Wasn't this all forced by my Lord Xu?

If the ghost infant leader could not find a water route underground, Xu Yuan would force the dead sparrow to carry the leather dragon over from the high sky.

The underground river route was narrow, so Xu Yuan controlled the leather dragon to withdraw slowly.

Gao Guanzi also woke up.

"A journey to the gates of death," Gao Guanzi sighed to himself.

Then he shook his head and spread his ears open.

Immediately after, his face turned bitter.

Because he had been struck on the forehead, damaging certain special organs within his skull, his supernatural hearing had been somewhat affected.

But Gao Guanzi was also sensible and dared not go on playing the victim to my Lord Xu.

After all, my Lord Xu had already given you "life-selling money" before.

Now that you have survived, and the injury is only hearing loss, it is already a great profit.

Seeing that he was not seriously harmed, Xu Yuan said, "Let's go, back to the treehouse."

About half an hour after the mysterious existence snatched Rongrong away from this mortal world, the Crown Princess, who was far away at the Champa Canal dock, suddenly felt a pain in her eyes and tears streamed down her face.

Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately closed her eyes.

Then, scenes flashed before her eyes.

They were all contents Rongrong had seen before her death.

However, affected by that mysterious existence, some parts were missing, and some parts were intermittent.

Nevertheless, the entire "chain of evidence" could be pieced together.

The Crown Princess approved of Rongrong's "mission" this time.

She was naturally cold-hearted; because she was satisfied, she decided not to make excuses to deduct or delay the pension for Rongrong's family this time, but to issue it immediately upon her return.

"Master Ruan Tian's ticket, heh, is useless after all," the Crown Princess mocked Master Ruan Tian secretly, and could not help but feel somewhat relieved:

Fortunately, Little Si had just set off and had not yet met up with Rongrong.

Otherwise, he would have been lost as well.

The Crown Princess pondered for a moment and gave an order: "Go invite the Seventeenth Uncle."

The maid Ruirui received the order and left.

In no time, a stout old man was invited over.

Facing the Seventeenth Uncle, the Crown Princess could not simply give an order for him to execute.

Instead, she detailed the various clues Rongrong had discovered.

Finally, she said, "This Palace prepares to go to Ghost Wushan personally to capture this thief who secretly practices the Dragon Transformation Art."

Xu Yuan's series of setups, the fake thief created out of thin air, was actually a piece of fragrant bait for the Crown Princess!

Fu Chongjiu wanted to eat Lady Fu Shuanghui.

The Crown Princess had been stuck at her current level for several years; how could she not have the thought of "eating that person"?

These years, the Crown Princess had been in immense pain—this pain was not merely physical suffering, nor was it merely the torment of a bottleneck period.

For a woman of peerless beauty, being unable to show her true face was equally a cruel torture.

Even Song Lu would complain constantly during the "ban on heavy makeup."

Let alone the Crown Princess, who had to wear such a non-human, ghostly appearance all day long.

After the Crown Princess finished speaking, the Seventeenth Uncle immediately understood her true thoughts.

He asked, "If that person keeps hiding in that lake, what method does Your Highness have to force him out?"

The Crown Princess frowned.

She understood; the Seventeenth Uncle's words actually had two layers of meaning.

The first layer was naturally the surface meaning.

Without a corresponding plan, even if they went to Ghost Wushan, they would be helpless.

The second layer... was reminding her that since the lake was so dangerous, how could that person cultivate within it?

There must be a trick here.

The Crown Princess praised, "Seventeenth Uncle is experienced and prudent, with thorough consideration."

She suddenly smiled and said, "Wanting to force that person out of the lake is actually easy. Has Seventeenth Uncle forgotten that Gao Wanli is a new artisan? Let her go along, forge some mechanical objects capable of moving on their own, and send them underwater to drive that person out."

Seventeenth Uncle nodded.

"As for why that person can cultivate in the lake..." the Crown Princess shook her head and said, "I still cannot guess. If there is a trick involved, Seventeenth Uncle, help me think: who would be playing these sinister schemes in the shadows?"

Seventeenth Uncle carefully sorted through the causes and effects of the Crown Princess's arrival in Zhan City in his mind.

"Why not send someone secretly to the Pollution-Exorcising Office to check if that Xu Yuan has actually been in the office during this time?"

The Crown Princess's gaze darkened.

If this matter is indeed a trap, then Xu Yuan in Zhan City is certainly the most suspicious.

But just as Seventeenth Uncle guessed.

For such a scheme, Xu Yuan would certainly need to go to Ghost Wushan in person to command.

But... among the Seven Great Sects, there are many methods that can completely change a person's appearance into that of another.

"Send someone to test him?"

Seventeenth Uncle nodded: "That is exactly what should be done. It is easy for him to find someone to impersonate himself, but finding a Fifth-Rank Dan Xiu to impersonate himself is almost impossible."

The Crown Princess nodded: "Good, I will make the arrangements."

Seventeenth Uncle nodded: "Once Your Highness has an answer, if you still need to go to Ghost Wushan, this old man will naturally not decline the duty."

Afterwards, Seventeenth Uncle stood up to take his leave, while the Crown Princess rose, clasped her hands behind her back, and paced around the room in thought.

Now there is a problem: there are not enough hands nearby.

Little Five is dead, and Little Four was sent to Ghost Wushan.

There is no Fifth-Ranker nearby; apart from Seventeenth Uncle, everyone else is a Sixth-Ranker.

No one is capable of testing whether that Xu Yuan in the Pollution-Exorcising Office is truly a Fifth-Ranker.

The Crown Princess calculated that she still had four Sixth-Rankers at her side.

Moreover, if they act to test him... not long ago, Little Five just attempted to assassinate Xu Yuan on the street.

Doing it again in such a short time, the Pollution-Exorcising Office side would likely explode with rage.

It would be difficult to resolve the situation in the future.

There is another method of confirmation: find someone very familiar with Xu Yuan.

Secretly observe every one of his movements.

There are many methods to change one's appearance, but a person's daily habits are not easily imitated.

Even if one deliberately tries to imitate them, some flaws will always be revealed.

If this method is used, one must bribe someone within the Pollution-Exorcising Office who is very familiar with Xu Yuan.

The Crown Princess thought and thought, and finally gritted her teeth, abandoning the second plan.

Although this plan is feasible, it is not secure.

Moreover, the time required might be quite long.

That person in Ghost Wushan concerns whether the Crown Princess can advance to Fourth-Rank.

This matter is too important to her.

Even if she offends the Pollution-Exorcising Office severely and finds it difficult to handle the aftermath later, the Crown Princess absolutely will not let go of this opportunity before her eyes!

Send all four Sixth-Rankers out together!

If he is not a Fifth-Ranker, then he will surely die without a doubt.

Although not entirely secure, it is still a sure thing.

The Crown Princess then called for Ruirui, gave some instructions, and said, "Go quickly and arrange it."

"As you command."

(End of this chapter)