Chapter 1568: Turn Around

“Who did this to you?” the Red Lodge Master asked, surprised.

“The guards at Springstone Manor,” the second disciple replied, wiping away a stream of nosebleed. “I was scouting the perimeter of the manor when I saw the guards throwing out some vagrants. Though whipped, they were neither killed nor maimed. That gave me an idea. I hid half a pancake on me, disguised myself as a vagrant, and sneaked into the manor. I hid for about an hour until the guards found me and threw me out.” As soon as he entered the manor, he picked two fruits. This way, if the guards caught him and found fruit and a half-eaten pancake on him, they would assume he was truly a vagrant trying to steal food. They just beat him up and threw him out.

“You have to take risks to achieve results,” the Red Lodge Master praised him, turning to the other two disciples. “See? That’s the right attitude for getting things done!”

If his back hadn't been throbbing, the second disciple would have stood even straighter. “Thank you for your praise, Master!”

“What did you find out?” The Red Lodge Master took out a sand table and placed it on the ground, but did not activate it.

The second disciple picked up a twig and drew on the sand table. “I climbed in from the northwest corner. There’s only a winery and two warehouses there. Following the lake south, there are two rows of houses, all inhabited. Their attire suggests they are guards…” He described the architectural layout he had observed in detail: three kitchens, four or five halls and pavilions, and several buildings that looked tall and grand. In such a vast manor, it would be difficult for one person with just their eyes to locate so many things, but the second disciple had deployed his insect puppets to gather intelligence.

“The further south I went, the more people there were, making it very difficult to hide,” the second disciple said, pointing to the southern part of the sand table. “I couldn’t reach the southern end, but the target’s residence is likely there. I only saw a spire before I was caught.”

“Possibly. The architectural style here in Tiangsu City emphasizes facing south as a sign of respect,” the Red Lodge Master mused, stroking his chin. “What about the one named Wei?”

The second disciple shook his head. “Didn’t find him.” He didn't even know the person's height or appearance. How could he find someone with just a name?

“This information is far from enough,” a flicker passed through the Red Lodge Master’s eyes. “It seems I’ll have to go there myself.”

The second disciple added, “I left in a hurry; a dozen or so insect puppets are still in the manor.” He had been expelled, so he naturally didn't have time to retrieve his insect puppets.

“No matter, I’ll retrieve them,” the Red Lodge Master stood up. He still needed to get the target’s schedule from Qingyang. He soon learned that He Xiao was an incredibly busy man. The fellow was completely absorbed in the capital's eastern expansion project, often not returning to Springstone Manor for two or three days. At the construction site, he was always surrounded by a large retinue, with hundreds of guards around him at all times.

Undoubtedly, the best place to act was still Springstone Manor; people were most relaxed on their own territory. Therefore, the Red Lodge Master had to thoroughly understand its layout.

***

In the central-northern Golden Plain, lay the Frost Sea. Residents of the coast knew that these waters had a bad temper, with raging waves ten months a year, preventing ordinary people from daring to enter. Only during the two bitterly cold winter months did the sea calm down. But with the weather so cold, where breath froze in the air in the northern Golden Plain, who would travel by sea?

Some did.

Currently, five sailboats were making their way downstream on the sea. A serene stillness lay upon the wide expanse of water; apart from drifting clouds and mist, only these few ships were moving. A man in white stood at the bow, gazing at the distant line of the Sky River. He loved the feeling of riding the wind and waves.

A servant boy came from behind to report. “Lord Envoy, we’ve passed the turbulent waters. The boatmen say the rest of the journey will be smooth.”

Bai Ziqi nodded and turned to walk back into the cabin. The boat had been pitching and rolling just now, making it difficult for him to proceed. Only when the wind had died down, the waves were calm, and the boat glided silently, did Bai Ziqi close the cabin door and windows, and light several incense sticks on the altar. He used a ready-made square table in the cabin as an altar to display a statue. The smoke curled upwards, coalescing into a vague face in the air. Even its features were indistinct, yet it possessed an unearthly majesty.

Upon seeing the smoky apparition, Bai Ziqi immediately prostrated himself fully on the ground. “Greetings, my Lord!” His expression, his voice, his movements—all conveyed the utmost reverence. For the target of his communication was the supreme head of all gods, the undisputed leader of the Ethereal Pantheon—the Ethereal Venerable!

A profound and resonant voice, as if from empty space, rang out: “What is it?”

Bai Ziqi remained prostrate, not daring to look up. “My Lord, I have traced the clues of True Master Thousand Illusions all the way to Thousand Stars Mausoleum. But there are numerous illusions and obscuring barriers here that even lamp spirits cannot penetrate. Some of the secrets are beyond the reach of primordial energy.” He had tried for several days. When his mission encountered new resistance, as a divine servant, he naturally sought help from the god he served.

“The methods of Thousand Illusions,” the Ethereal Venerable’s voice resonated for a long time.

“Yes.” Even the Heavenly Palace’s lamp spirits couldn’t reveal what was hidden, which indicated great divine power. From this perspective, Bai Ziqi had not pursued the wrong destination.

The cabin was silent for a few breaths. Then, the Ethereal Venerable gave new instructions: “Mystic Heaven’s Eye of Truth.” Mystic Heaven’s Eye of Truth could theoretically shatter all falsehoods. This was a supreme divine art of a true god; Bai Ziqi’s lamp spirits were incomparable. Using it to break through True Master Thousand Illusions’ illusionary methods was perfectly suited for the task. Bai Ziqi was overjoyed. “Thank you for your guidance, Venerable!”

The smoke in the cabin suddenly dispersed as the Ethereal Venerable withdrew his divine presence. After standing up, Bai Ziqi bowed once more to the statue.

Just then, the boat was hit by a sudden violent jolt, followed by a loud bang. The altar, fixed in the cabin, did not move, but other items in the cabin scattered haphazardly, and even Bai Ziqi stumbled. Had they hit an underwater reef?

As he opened the door, Bai Qi rushed down the wooden ladder. “Sir, something underwater is attacking us!”

“Water demons?” Bai Ziqi quickly ascended the steps, but instead of rushing onto the deck, he peered out through a window. Rushing out might expose him to the enemy’s view. Who didn't know the principle of catching the ringleader first?

“They’re hiding underwater, leaving no trace. We’ve already sent out lamp spirits to investigate,” Bai Qi said, also watching the water surface. Suddenly, he pointed outside and exclaimed, “Bai Shi-yi’s boat!” Bai Ziqi had given all his trusted aides and guards the surname ‘White’ followed by a number, regardless of their original names.

There were no protruding reefs on the surface of the water, yet Bai Shi-yi’s boat was stopped dead, the surrounding sea churning and bubbling furiously like boiling water. The Bai family guards shouted a few commands, shooting crossbow bolts into the water, and some even threw long spears into the water like harpoons for spearing fish. Immediately after, the boat lurched violently again, then rocked wildly. Everyone could tell something was attacking it from underwater!

Several lamp spirits plunged into the water, erupting with light. With their brightness, they should have been able to illuminate everything beneath the surface in intricate detail, as if the water were made of glass. The moment the lights ignited, everyone instinctively gasped lightly, for they indeed saw several enormous figures underwater, two or three times larger than the boats! But then, a black mist, darker than any nightmare, seeped out from the bottom, and no matter how hard the lamp spirits tried, they could not penetrate the layers of darkness. The onlookers could only see a faint golden glow occasionally piercing the black curtain. That was the lamp spirits fighting the underwater monsters.

Someone on a boat jumped into the water, trying to swim out of the black mist. Bai Qi shouted, “Don’t go into the water! Stay on the boat!” But it was too late. These two swam a few dozen feet, then were suddenly dragged by something and vanished from the surface.

Bai Ziqi said in a deep voice, “Ignite the Sacred Flame!”

Bai Qi channeled his true energy and relayed the command in a loud voice. Lamp bearers on several nearby boats simultaneously formed hand seals, and a blinding light suddenly erupted beneath the water! It was like the sun had suddenly risen at the bottom of the sea. It was the combined light of several lamp spirits, which dispersed all the gloom in two breaths. Not only that, but the water temperature beneath the hulls suddenly rose. Bai Qi observed steam beginning to rise from the surface. Keep in mind that the water temperature of the Frost Sea at this time was around zero degrees Celsius. The Sacred Flame suddenly ignited, not only boiling this small area of water but also sending threads of golden light burrowing into the bodies of the demonic beasts. The demonic beasts underwater could not withstand it and scattered instantly.

Soon after, the sea surface returned to calm. Bai Shi-yi’s boat stopped to repair its holes, and a casualty count showed five fewer people: three dead and two missing. Bai Qi said angrily, “They’re as persistent as a leech.” From White Fur Mountain onwards, they had realized they were being tracked, and had tried several methods to shake them off, all to no avail. Investigating a formation at White Fur Mountain seemed to have stirred up a hornet’s nest. The enemy could even summon sea demons.

“After the boat is repaired, turn south and land at Horseshoe Port,” Bai Ziqi calmly ordered. “We’re going to Yao Kingdom.” Even if he could decipher the location of True Master Thousand Illusions’ dwelling, he didn't have enough people to explore it. So, he had to make a trip to Yao Kingdom to request the goddess’s assistance. There were also several uninvestigated leads waiting for him in Yao Kingdom.

“Yes!” The guards never questioned his orders, and the boats quickly turned south, heading for land.

***

Fan Shuang was in a bad mood. Since he had escorted He Xiao into Tiangsu City, he had been thriving, able to rub shoulders and converse freely with dignitaries he’d barely seen once a year before. His colleagues looked at him with greater envy and respect. Even when Fan's father went to see his superior, the man was beaming and amiable. Just as his fortunes were about to soar, Fan Shuang wanted to sell all the properties he had acquired in the new city!

When he told his family at home, everyone disagreed. The prices were skyrocketing with no signs of slowing down, so why choose this moment to sell? How much money would they lose by selling now! But Fan Shuang was adamant that he had to sell, even though it meant five arguments with his family in two days.

Fan's father found it strange. “Did you get some insider information from Mr. He?”

Fan Shuang shook his head vigorously. “No, truly not. I just feel uneasy about how aggressively the new city properties are rising.” He couldn’t bring himself to say He Xiao’s reason for advising him to sell the property. Because there was no reason at all.

“Then why are you in such a hurry?” his mother also asked. “Grain prices have soared recently, but your father’s salary hasn’t increased. Thankfully, the property prices have also risen sharply, that’s why we’re not feeling stretched. What then, if you sell the property and are left holding only stagnant money, while household expenses like rice, flour, grain, and oil soar?”