Chapter 397: Xu Shang Ling Arrives

He turned around and saw nothing but passersby coming and going behind him; there was nothing suspicious.

The young Marquis of Guarding the State began to wonder if he had made a mistake somewhere.

Or was he just worrying needlessly?

"Brother, what are you looking at?"

Gu Yutong kept turning his head to look at his elder brother.

Mu Yumo shook his little head and did not tell his sister about the matter.

He thought that if he had misjudged, he would surely be teased by his sister later.

As the older brother, he had to act more impressively.

Gu Yutong half‑believingly tugged at Mu Yumo: "Then stop looking back all the time; you need to watch the road."

"Mm." Mu Yumo gave a half‑hearted hum, but he couldn't help still pondering the matter in his heart.

Who could be following them?

Could it be those people who previously wanted to encircle and suppress the valley?

Although his parents hadn't said anything, they had still heard some rumors from others—rumors that bad people wanted to storm the valley but were scared off by the retinue of the Third Prince.

Now the great master has also returned, so those bad people surely wouldn't dare to rashly enter the valley.

But it's hard to say what lies beneath the valley.

He still had to be careful.

But if even he could hear those footsteps, his father surely couldn't have missed them, could he?

Mu Yumo strained to lift his little head to look at Gu Rongjin's face, yet he saw nothing revealing on his father's visage.

Could it really be that he was overthinking?

Mu Yumo couldn't help wanting to look back again, but in the next instant he was scooped up by Gu Rongjin: "Little Mo Mo, why are you always absent‑minded? Are you tired?"

"Father…" Mu Yumo looked at Gu Rongjin, wanting to speak but hesitating.

"What's wrong? Speak if you have something to say." Gu Rongjin encouraged his son with his gaze.

Mu Yumo then said: "I feel like someone is following us; I keep hearing footsteps trailing us."

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

Mu Yuanzhi asked Gu Rongjin: "Did you hear it too?"

Gu Rongjin: "I didn't hear anything…"

Could his hearing have deteriorated?!

"No wonder you keep looking back." Gu Yutong said, "But Father didn't hear anything; could you have misheard?"

Mu Yumo wavered: "Maybe…"

He had already been uncertain, and now he felt even less sure.

Mu Yuanzhi: "In any case, let's be careful."

She didn't distrust Gu Rongjin; she simply had great confidence in her son's abilities.

Perhaps Gu Rongjin couldn't hear it, but little Mo Mo could.

Gu Rongjin nodded: "Our little Mo Mo outshines the master; I dare not guarantee anything."

His words gave Mu Yumo confidence, yet also made him anxious.

If someone really was tailing them, they couldn't afford to be careless.

At that moment, the distant gaze that had been fixed on them had already withdrawn.

Or had they been discovered!

He was puzzled.

Clearly he had deliberately altered his own footsteps.

He knew Gu Rongjin's skill—he could judge a person by their footsteps.

So he had specially practiced, not only changing his previous walking habit but also making his steps so light that they were almost inaudible; for this he had even tried with Anderlo.

Even Anderlo, who also came from the pre‑Frost Descent lineage, couldn't detect him from nearby.

This was the result of his long, painstaking practice day and night.

He thought back and forth, and the image of Mu Yumo's face appeared in his mind.

That little rascal was the first to turn back.

He naturally assumed the brat turned back because he was restless, but now, recalling it, it didn't seem so.

Even if that brat was Gu Rongjin's son, could a child his age possibly surpass Gu Rongjin in ability?!

But that brat's her son…

Isn't it normal for A Zhi's son to outshine Gu Rongjin?

If it were A Zhi and his son, one couldn't even imagine how outstanding they'd be!

Thinking of this, he clenched his fists in hatred.

It's all Gu Rongjin's fault!

All of this was ruined by Gu Rongjin!

Before the Qilin descended the mountain, the monk told him that news of Xiao Yichen had already been obtained.

He had escaped!

Moreover, he had escaped on the way to exile!

Such serious news never reached the capital; perhaps those who helped him escape were secretly assisting, or perhaps the escorts didn't want to take responsibility.

That's why they remained unaware.

After all, an exiled person is no longer important; the court wouldn't investigate further if there were no trouble.

Qilin had expected this; the people he sent earlier had not returned any news, obviously someone was interfering.

So the only possibility is that something happened in the place of exile.

No news is also a kind of news.

Xiao Yichen has escaped; it's only natural he would go look for Mu Yuanzhi—Qilin doesn't even need to think to know that.

Moreover, Xiao Yichen is very likely already lying in wait in Juechen Valley.

Qilin quickened his pace.

With Gu Rongjin around, there shouldn't be any problem, right?

Although Gu Rongjin is very capable, having to look after three people at once is not that easy, especially since two of them are children.

If he had known Juechen Valley was fraught with danger, he shouldn't have let them come over here to spend the New Year!

Qilin felt a bit regretful.

But if Gu Rongjin really reached some agreement with Andelo, even if they stayed in Jingcheng, it wouldn't necessarily be safe.

Honestly, can't they all just go to hell for all these years?!

"Qilin!"

The familiar voice, long unheard, reached his ears; Qilin, who had just come down from the valley not long ago, thought he might have misheard.

He turned his head suspiciously and really saw Pei Shangling.

"How are you here?!"

"One or two, you think this place isn't lively enough?!"

"Seeing you is really great!" Pei Shangling said with a smile, "I've been here for several days, but I couldn't get into the valley, so I've been waiting here, thinking Ah Zhi would definitely come down! Even though I didn't see her, seeing you is just as good!"

"Not good at all, I don't have time to deal with you—get lost!" Qilin snorted coldly and turned to leave.

"Qilin!" Pei Shangling hurried after him: "Where are you going? Why didn't Ah Zhi and the others come with you?"

"What's it to you?" Qilin rolled his eyes angrily, "You're an annoying waste who's lost all his martial arts; coming here, besides being a nuisance and annoying, what else can you do?"

He said this without any politeness.

The words were hurtful, and Pei Shangling really got angry: "Do you have to speak like that?!"

"Even if this person is Ah Zhi's junior fellow disciple, he can't tolerate it!"

"Have I said something wrong? Pei Shangling, you know what you've done—do I still have to be polite to you? Do you deserve it?" Qilin rudely shoved Pei Shangling aside: "Don't cause trouble, get back to the capital!"

Pei Shangling's chest rose and fell as he stared at Qilin's back, his expression grim: "You're wrong, Qilin—I may have lost all my martial arts, but I'm definitely not a waste; you'll find out."

Qilin simply didn't have time to deal with Pei Shangling; he still needed to go find Mu Yuanzhi and the others.

Pei Shangling didn't leave; he immediately followed Qilin, keeping a distance neither far nor near.

"You're walking so fast—are you going to look for Ah Zhi?"