Chapter 112: Tracing the Tracks Again

The two great families of Gongliang City organized a Hunting Team specifically targeting the flower-plucking thief.

The team was led by disciples from the two families, Qi Fengzhang and Xu Tianying.

The Hunting Team gathered elite personnel from all walks of life; every martial arts hall in the city contributed a Qi and Blood martial artist, and even the newly arrived Tiefeng Martial Arts Hall was no exception, with Bao Tiefeng sending his trusted Disciple Bao Yong to join the battle.

The Yiyao Hanghui, Tiejian Hanghui, and others also sent Qi and Blood martial artists to participate.

Even the three major gangs currently at war, Wild Fox, Mad Horse, and Mourning Dog, each sent their own men, dispatching Qi and Blood martial artists to join the fight.

According to Zhou You's understanding, this was a proper united front.

Should the flower-plucking thief dare to appear, they would face nothing but a dead end.

This was only what was on the surface; it was said that there were also martial masters specifically watching the households where the flower-plucking thief might appear.

A great battle was on the verge of breaking out.

Zhou You practiced his boxing and refined medicine as usual, returning home to eat with his parents.

After his strength was revealed, he became one of the most sought-after Apprentices in the Outer Courtyard.

He interacted with fellow disciples like Li Hao and Xu Ying as he always did, with no intention of expanding his connections.

Senior Brother Shen Sijing had not been at the martial arts hall recently; he was staying at home to hold down the fort.

"Miss Shen is exceptionally beautiful and famous throughout the region; to guard against the flower-plucking thief, Senior Brother Shen has been at home these days."

During a conversation, when Senior Brother Shen was mentioned, Xu Ying explained his whereabouts.

With this commotion caused by the flower-plucking thief, the daughters of every wealthy family in the city with any beauty were acting as if facing a formidable enemy.

Those truly stunning women were being guarded by their entire families so tightly that not even a drop of water could pass through.

It had been mentioned during casual chats with fellow disciples earlier that Senior Brother Shen's younger sister possessed a beauty that could be called peerless, making her a target for marriage proposals from wealthy families in the city.

"So that's how it is."

Zhou You sat opposite Li Hao at the tea table, nodding while drinking tea.

Suddenly, a thought popped into Zhou You's mind, and he asked, "Senior Brother Xu, you and the Xu family truly have no connection?"

The Xu family, one of the two great families of Gongliang City.

Senior Brother Xu was also surnamed Xu; could there really not be even a shred of connection?

"I wish I did, in my dreams even, but unfortunately, I've been asking my old man for over thirty years and haven't managed to get a single thing out of him."

Xu Ying rolled his eyes, "We're a small, humble family; we can't get involved with them!"

"By the way, Zhou You, your Jinli Level is now proficient; practice your boxing steadily, don't think about taking shortcuts."

"That secret recipe of Wu Yanyi's is in your hands, so don't you dare have any crooked thoughts."

Too late, he had already used it, the effect was quite good, and he hadn't suffered any aftereffects.

"Don't worry, Senior Brother, I know my limits."

Zhou You replied with a smile.

Xu Ying did not try to persuade him further; he trusted Zhou You.

Zhou You's Jinli Level was proficient, and he had mastered the Wind-Chasing Triple-Stack Technique, making him one of the few at the peak among the Outer Court Apprentices.

He had reached the same level as him at a young age and had hopes for his Qi and Blood in the future, so there was no need to be eager for quick success and cut off his own future.

This tea gathering to exchange sentiments eventually turned to the situation outside the city.

"Recently, there have been constant issues with the farmland outside the city—insect plagues, water shortages, and beast herds coming down from the mountains; the harvest is expected to be thirty percent lower than last year."

"Zhong Shaoying has been constantly rushing about outside, with one matter after another; there's just no end to the work."

"The veteran masters at Senior Brother Shen's family firm estimate that grain prices will definitely rise in the second half of the year."

"Caravan teams transporting live goods have encountered many bandit raids and wild beasts in the last few months; casualties have increased tenfold, costs are sky-high, and profits have been compressed to the extreme."

Speaking of this, Xu Ying looked at Zhou You and said, "Zhou You, prepare yourself mentally; the dividends from the firm this year won't be much."

After all, Zhou You's father was also a low-level manager at the firm, and his income would be greatly affected.

Li Hao, sitting to the side, listened with his mouth agape, "The situation is that bad?"

"The flower-plucking thief incident is temporarily masking many contradictions; once the people in the city can't afford to eat, the situation will be even worse."

Li Hao blurted out, "Isn't that the same as Su Cheng?" The atmosphere became heavy; Xu Ying did not deny it, which was undoubtedly a tacit admission of this statement.

Everyone had witnessed the miserable state of the refugees in Su Cheng; the mere thought of himself and his family falling into the same plight made them shudder with fear.

As people at the Jinli Level, they were like ants; when the time of destruction truly came, where would there be a way to live! Power, still lacking power! Zhou You drank his tea dry and clenched his palm, the muscles and bones beneath his skin tightening.

Crops failed, and beast herds from the mountains broke into villages on the plains, trampling crops and dragging away children to be eaten in broad daylight.

Bandits occupied the forests and lakes, plundering caravans and travelers, causing shipping costs to rise and the price of goods to increase without end.

Even...

Although Xu Ying hid it well, Zhou You could still guess that there must be strange incidents involving Demons occurring within all of this.

Putting it all together, Gongliang City was about to face the eve of destruction, with monsters and demons running rampant.

A mere flower-plucking thief, it seemed, didn't count for much anymore.

At nightfall...

A sudden, chaotic sound of gongs erupted from the Shen Jia Dazhai, waking all living things under the night sky.

"The flower-plucking thief, don't let him run!"

A loud voice shouted and hollered, so noisy that one wished the whole city could hear it; the source was right inside the walls of the Shen Jia Dazhai.

*Whoosh*, fireworks pierced the night sky, drawing a bright signal high in the air.

Half of Gongliang City awakened!

The first to react and arrive at the scene was the Hunting Team led by Qi Fengzhang.

The dozen or so people were all elite soldiers and strong warriors, every one of them a Qi and Blood martial artist with abundant stamina.

Under the night sky, Shen Sijing was surrounded by mottled ink-black, his hands transformed into bucket-sized Hu Zhua like an angry tiger.

He circled a man in grey, attacking with all his might, yet it was as if he were attacking a shadow.

The opponent's figure was erratic, at times accelerating, at times turning, causing Shen Sijing's attacks to miss.

"The Flower-Plucking Thief, it's the Flower-Plucking Thief."

"We cannot let him get away this time, no matter what!"

Exclamations came from the Blood-Qi Dancers of the Hunting Team.

Suddenly, the man in grey accelerated violently, dodging a heart-gouging Hu Zhua, and made a sharp one-hundred-eighty-degree turn.

This change of direction left Shen Sijing behind, completely out of sight.

The Flower-Plucking Thief also sensed the arrival of the Hunting Team and, without hesitation, kicked up a gale of dust beneath him and departed.

"Don't even think about running!"

Several figures from the Hunting Team rushed out, the fastest among them being a youth who moved on all fours, Mao Lang.

His silhouette was remarkably like a wildcat leaping through the mountains and forests, moving as if flying across the rooftops.

Gradually, he pulled away from the other Blood-Qi Warriors, leaving them in the dust as he caught up to the Flower-Plucking Thief.

A mocking smile appeared at the corner of the Flower-Plucking Thief's eyes.

He deliberately paused, stepped on Mao Lang's head, and soared into the air like a great bird, his speed increasing even further.

Mao Lang's hair stood on end, but he was powerless to do anything, watching helplessly as he was left further and further behind.

After a few more breaths, Qi Fengzhang and the remaining Blood-Qi Warriors caught up, but the Flower-Plucking Thief's tracks had long since vanished from the night sky.

A massive, high-profile manhunt ultimately ended with the Flower-Plucking Thief escaping.

The Flower-Plucking Thief's target this time was the young lady of the Shen family; fortunately, Shen Sijing was at home, which was how he intercepted the Flower-Plucking Thief.

The opponent's Lightness Skill was too terrifying; he had been toying with Shen Sijing the entire time. If the Hunting Team had not arrived, Shen Sijing would likely have met with misfortune, and even the younger sister of the Shen family would have been abducted.

From this, it was evident that the establishment of the Hunting Team was indeed effective.

However, only those who were present at the scene that night could truly grasp the sense of powerlessness when facing the Flower-Plucking Thief's Lightness Skill.

(End of chapter)