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墨書 Inktalez
The night was boundless, resembling an endless black hole that was difficult to grasp.
In the entire town, only the lanterns on both sides of the street illuminated the surroundings. The once bustling street was now eerily silent, creating a sense of oppression.
Lingfeng, like a night owl, observed where the White Phoenix Messenger landed and quietly got up, using the Lightness Skill to leap swiftly across the rooftops. In no time, he had arrived at the opposite side of the White Jade Escort Agency.
The person riding the Dove had already been welcomed into the escort agency, while the Doves flew off to forage in the distant wilderness.
The courtyard of the White Jade Escort Agency was entirely paved with marble. Although Lingfeng was unfamiliar with the interior layout, it was evident that such a wealthy household would not have dirt floors. Lingfeng's Earth Escape Technique could only be used underground; if the ground was made of stone slabs, he would not be able to burrow through it.
Some servants stood guard in front of the White Jade Escort Agency, keeping a watchful eye around.
Lingfeng pondered for a moment before quietly jumping down from the rooftop and hiding in the shadows. He activated his Earth Escape Technique again and made his way to the side wall of the White Jade Escort Agency.
Unlike ginseng, Lingfeng needed to use True Qi to perform his Earth Escape Technique. Having used it multiple times already, his Spiritual Energy was somewhat depleted, so he dared not overexert himself.
Looking up, he noticed that the side wall was not very high. Lingfeng lightly tapped his toes on the ground and flipped over onto the wall.
Indeed, the White Jade Escort Agency was a grand establishment; inside, there were still many patrolling guards.
As those guards passed by, Lingfeng jumped down and circled around a Rockery, heading straight for the main hall in the front courtyard.
Inside the main hall of the White Jade Escort Agency, White Phoenix Mountain and Bai Lian sat on either side, while a young man occupied the seat of honor. On both sides below him stood two rows of guards, all expressionless.
Several maidservants slowly approached and served tea.
White Phoenix Mountain waved his hand; the maidservants slightly bowed and retreated.
"The chief steward has arrived; we have prepared some food and drink to welcome him!" White Phoenix Mountain said respectfully with cupped fists.
The seated man took a sip of tea and said, "No need for that; let us discuss important matters!"
This man was a general under the State Government. Due to his purple pupils, he was called Ziren and was also a cultivator. However, his cultivation level remained a secret; it was only known that he had killed many evil beasts. The State Government valued him highly and appointed him as a guard Ziren. Now that there had been an incident here and it was inconvenient for them to come personally, they sent him instead.
"Very well, very well!" White Phoenix Mountain seemed hesitant to insist further and agreed submissively.
Ziren raised an eyebrow and asked, "Governor, you have seen the letter. Is it true that the Phoenix Pearl was taken by the bandits of Wisteria Mountain?" The person's tone was neither cold nor warm, yet it exuded an air of authority that instilled fear.
"Indeed, indeed!" White Phoenix Mountain quickly replied, continuing, "A masked man came here and demanded that I deliver the Phoenix Pearl to the Governor. However, when I reached Wisteria Mountain, it was snatched away by those bandits. There were too many of them for me to handle, so I had no choice but to trouble the Governor!"
Ziren snorted coldly and said sternly, "Such mere bandits should not trouble the Governor to personally intervene. I will go tomorrow and teach them a lesson!"
At that moment, Lingfeng was eavesdropping on the roof of the hall. He thought to himself, could that precious pearl be the Phoenix Pearl? But he had no idea what it truly was.
Bai Lian stood up, looking somewhat troubled, and said, "When I mentioned the Governor's name back then, those bandits showed no fear at all, but... but..." He glanced furtively at Ziren.
Ziren urged, "Speak freely!"
"That bandit claims to be a brother of the Governor!" This was meant to provoke Ziren into anger and provide an opportunity to eliminate the bandits of Wisteria Mountain.
Upon hearing this, Ziren flew into a rage, flicked his sleeve, and smashed his cup onto the ground, shattering it. Everyone was startled, and Bai Lian quickly bent lower.
"These mere bandits are so deluded as to dare call themselves brothers with the Governor!" Ziren shouted.
The situation became clear, and everyone fell silent.
Earlier, Lingfeng had restrained his Spiritual Energy and remained motionless on the roof to avoid detection. Now that everyone was silent, Lingfeng dared not even breathe heavily. Ziren did not suppress his own Spiritual Energy; although it was unclear whether he was a cultivator or a Demon Cultivator, the aura emanating from him made Lingfeng uneasy. Clearly, Ziren was not an ordinary person.
After a while, Ziren asked in confusion, "I have heard that the bandits of Wisteria Mountain usually rob the rich to help the poor and never cause trouble without reason. When I arrived, I saw red lanterns and colorful flags all over the streets. Since they robbed your escort, do you have some kind of grievance with them?"
Ziren's tone was filled with skepticism, as if he believed White Phoenix Mountain was hiding something.
White Phoenix Mountain was an old hand in these matters and had wise individuals guiding him from behind. Anticipating that someone from the State Government would ask such questions, he calmly replied, "I have no grievances with them and have never interacted with them! It’s just that this time we were escorting goods; word has spread about it. Who would have thought those bandits would dare to rob us? Clearly, they do not take the Governor seriously!"
Lingfeng sneered inwardly at this clever manipulation! Although he had not been involved in this matter directly, he understood how they had spread this information. It was merely that White Jade Escort Agency was transporting a valuable item without revealing who had commissioned it.
People naturally have some interest in treasures; moreover, there was Bear Brute involved. Knowing it was White Jade Escort Agency handling the transport only fueled their greed; unfortunately for them, they fell into their trap.
However, these matters were somewhat tricky; besides which it was already midnight. Even though Lingfeng had some agility in his legs, he feared that upon reaching Wisteria Mountain he might get lost. Even if he didn’t get lost, he might still be trapped by the Man Pillar formation.
In a moment of difficulty, he suddenly remembered that within the Nine Provinces, apart from the Mandala Demon Continent, the other eight provinces were all governed by virtuous individuals. Since they were virtuous people, their subordinates must also be good.
Thinking of this, Lingfeng felt a surge of joy in his heart. He thought, "Why not wait for that steward to return to his room, then sneak in? I can clarify the situation and return the Phoenix Pearl; wouldn’t that solve the problem?" Although Lingfeng was somewhat reluctant to part with the Phoenix Pearl, it was ultimately not his possession. As the saying goes, what belongs to you will not escape you, while what does not belong to you cannot be kept.
After waiting for a while, he heard White Phoenix Mountain express some concern, "But Bear Brute has a cultivator by his side. Although I don't know their level of cultivation, they do possess some skills. However, I heard that person comes from the Barbarian Lands."
"So what!" Ziren replied fearlessly, raising an eyebrow slightly and speaking in a low voice, "Although I have brought only a few people this time, I do not require you to send any soldiers. My companions are all cultivators."
White Phoenix Mountain hurriedly nodded and bowed repeatedly in agreement.
After a while, it was already quite late when Ziren finally dismissed everyone and returned to his room.
Lingfeng waited for a bit longer until the night was deep and quiet. Just as he was about to leap onto Ziren's roof, he suddenly heard a sharp whistle. The sound was like a dull knife scraping against stone or sharp claws against a turtle shell, causing unease in his heart.
The whistle echoed for a while before he heard footsteps and the sound of doors closing, followed by silence.
While he was puzzled, a strange wind suddenly swept through. Lingfeng had mastered Adapt to the Qi Field to perfection; his sensitivity was higher than that of ordinary people. What had been a quiet night suddenly turned into a gust of wind, making Lingfeng feel something was amiss. He prepared his Connecting Rod and assumed a defensive stance.
However, strangely enough, there were many objects producing the wind, coming closer at an incredible speed that ordinary insects could not match.
At this point, Lingfeng began to hear a chaotic buzzing sound.
"Could it be the Hundred Venom Bees!" Lingfeng was startled; he had already heard of their infamous reputation during his time at Wisteria Mountain. Just hearing about them had filled him with dread—could it be that he would have the misfortune to encounter them now?
Just as he was unsure of what to do, he caught sight of a chaotic scene in the darkness.
The Hundred Venom Bees were not only excellent killing weapons but also served as night patrols under the training of the White Jade Escort Agency. The Hundred Venom Bees rarely showed themselves; releasing them at night saved manpower and allowed them to practice their flying skills.
The Hundred Venom Bees were small but slightly larger than ordinary bees. They were light and agile; when they encountered prey, many animals—including humans—had no chance of escape.
Lingfeng did not dare to linger. Seeing a swarm of Hundred Venom Bees flying toward him, he had no time to explain the truth to Ziren; preserving his life was the priority.
Thus, he executed his Lightness Skill and fled from the White Jade Escort Agency as if running for his life. Unfortunately, in his panic, Lingfeng inadvertently leaked some Spiritual Energy.
The Hundred Venom Bees, although not magical beasts, were extremely sensitive to unusual scents. They immediately changed their flight direction and chased after Lingfeng.
Lingfeng jumped out of the White Jade Escort Agency, thinking he was safe. Just as he sighed in relief, he felt a wave of unease and soon heard a buzzing sound above him; the Hundred Venom Bees had caught up.
Lingfeng screamed in fright, which alerted the servants of the White Jade Escort Agency. The courtyard erupted into chaos as they rang the gong. A crowd rushed out of the main gate and saw Lingfeng running around with his head covered, being pursued by the Hundred Venom Bees. They grabbed whatever they could find and chased after him.
Lingfeng dared not linger and began to chant the Earth Escape Technique while running. However, this technique could only be performed when standing still and clearing one's mind. At that moment, Lingfeng was terrified and running for his life, making it impossible to focus.
On the entire street, the Hundred Venom Bees led a group of people chasing a child. It looked quite amusing, but no one dared to stick their heads out to take a look.
Lingfeng silently lamented; unable to perform the Earth Escape Technique while being relentlessly pursued by the Hundred Venom Bees, he ran and jumped with all his might.
He thought that after chasing for a while, the Hundred Venom Bees would eventually give up. However, they seemed like rabid dogs that wouldn't let go once they caught a whiff of prey, pursuing him for an extended period without relent.
The servants had long been left far behind; apart from their shouts and cries for help, they were nowhere to be seen.
Just as he was growing anxious, he spotted a corner ahead. Lingfeng remembered that when playing tag with his friends, they would often make sudden turns. This way, those chasing him would be caught off guard and continue running forward for a bit. Although the Hundred Venom Bees were agile, it would buy him some time.
With this thought in mind, Lingfeng's feet barely touched the ground as he leaned forward and rushed around the corner.
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