Chapter 1575: Buried Strangeness

Wanqilong withdrew dejectedly. He Lingchuan then said, "Tian Yun's actions have, on the contrary, confirmed our deduction. It's now fairly certain that he belongs to the demon puppeteer organization that murdered Situ Yu."

Only those who harbor malicious intent and act upon it will constantly fear being harmed or tracked. It's the typical sign of a guilty conscience.

Dong Rui grumbled, "That fellow got away. It won't be easy to find any trace of him next time."

Tianshui City is vast, and Tian Yun has vanished without a trace. How will He Lingchuan ever catch him again?

"Let's review this again," He Lingchuan said, pulling Dong Rui aside. "The killer of Situ Yu is targeting us, and there could be two reasons: either they were commissioned by someone, or they're after the Nine Nether Emperor."

The Black Armor Army confiscated their demon puppets and let Xiao An escape, making this a serious feud.

Dong Rui replied lazily, "Perhaps it's for both reasons."

"If we've ever shown any weakness before, it was most likely through you."

Dong Rui froze, then flared up in anger. "What? Who are you saying showed a weakness?" Accusing him of being unprofessional? That's a serious charge!

"After much thought," He Lingchuan analyzed, "your ghost ape only publicly transformed once in Shanjing Plain, seen by everyone: that was within Situ's territory, when it led the attack on Ghost King Xuan Lu. Others who saw it wouldn't think much of it, simply finding the demon remarkably powerful. But for other demon puppeteers, this might be something worth examining closely."

Dong Rui retorted, annoyed, "Hey, there are so many types of demon apes. Who would immediately assume it's a demon puppet?"

"I think Tian Yun was also half-believing, half-doubting, which is why he came to investigate," He Lingchuan said, patting his shoulder. "I'm just stating the facts, not blaming you. Who could have known at the time that a demon puppeteer organization existed in Shanjing Plain?"

Laymen observe the spectacle, but only experts grasp the true nature of things.

He Lingchuan continued, "His insect puppet tried to get into your mountain cave. Ha, I don't know if I'm his target, but you certainly are!"

Dong Rui's face twitched. "Let him come. We'll see who can take down whom." Does he really think I'm an easy target?

He Lingchuan pondered, "We won't be in Tianshui City for long. For the next few days, stay put in the manor and don't wander off. I'll increase your security."

Dong Rui patted his chest. "There's no sense in guarding against a thief for a thousand days. Why don't we lure him out and get rid of him?" He was willing to serve as bait.

"We can try," He Lingchuan said. Knowing the other party had malicious intentions, he also wanted to nip the danger in the bud. "However, this person appeared at this precise moment, neither too early nor too late. The situation is likely more complicated than it seems."

"If he was sent by Qingyang—" Dong Rui thought for a moment, then shook his head. "Hey, would Qingyang make a move against you at this particular time?"

"Logically, no," He Lingchuan replied. "Qingyang seems to be preparing for a major plan, a big move, so it wouldn't make sense to target me right now."

At a critical juncture, it's always better to avoid unnecessary complications. Qingyang has weathered countless storms in his life; he wouldn't be ignorant of such a simple truth.

However, He Lingchuan also understood that plans often can't keep pace with rapid changes. Qingyang's secret machinations would also face countless unexpected events; not everything could be perfectly calculated.

Just then, someone reported that a dead beetle with a red line on its abdomen had been found in a pit near the apricot platform.

He Lingchuan immediately instructed Dong Rui and Ling Guang, "You two, prepare an insecticide, preferably one that can be sprayed. I intend to spray the entire manor."

Pest control in key areas wouldn't be difficult. Dong Rui nodded, "Leave it to me."

Before long, the bat demon puppet flew over and landed on his shoulder. It was unclear how the two communicated, but Dong Rui's spirits lifted. "It says there's a discovery," he announced.

He Lingchuan followed him to White Birch Ridge, where the ghost ape was guarding beneath a thick white birch tree, preventing anyone from approaching. Under the tree roots, a small pit had been dug. The two looked down and saw two fist-sized, round, yellowish objects inside. At first glance, they resembled steamed buns, but with fine threads on their surface.

He Lingchuan looked at them for a long time, unable to identify them. "What are these?" he wondered.

Dong Rui casually picked up a twig and gently prodded one. The yellowish objects moved a few times, as if a little impatient.

"There's something alive inside," he speculated. "Probably some kind of egg... or spore?"

Wanqifeng, who was nearby, whispered, "Be careful, it might explode."

Dong Rui chuckled. "Tian Yun has already left, so this thing should be relatively stable."

Tian Yun buried them here, undoubtedly intending to use them later.

Dong Rui took out a bottle and gently sprinkled some greenish powder on the two yellowish objects. After letting them sit for a moment, he prodded them with the twig again. This time, the yellowish objects remained still.

Dong Rui then carefully wrapped them up and placed them in the ghost ape's hand. "Put them in the mountain cave later," he instructed.

Not long after, several more yellowish objects were unearthed near Sweet Spring.

He Lingchuan asked, "Are you sure these are things Tian Yun buried in the ground?" They weren't naturally occurring, were they?

"The powder I sprinkled is specifically for calming demon puppets. Back then, the hinged-tail tiger and the sowbug porcupine fell into a deep sleep all the way to Mang Province after consuming it. Conversely, the fact that the powder worked confirms that these yellowish objects are indeed demon puppets."

Dong Rui rubbed his hands, a little excited. "Something fun again!"

Tian Yun burying these egg-spores in the ground certainly wasn't with good intentions.

"We and Tian Yun are currently at a stalemate," He Lingchuan observed. "We've seen through his identity and purpose, and we've unearthed the spores he secretly buried in Yongquan Manor. However, Tian Yun successfully evaded our pursuit and counterattack, and has hidden his tracks."

In the next round, will the real battle begin?

After leaving Yihe Bank, Tian Yun circled Tianshui City a few times. Only when he was certain there were no pursuers did he enter another inn in the eastern part of the city. He had already changed his clothes on the way. His disciples were waiting in the guest room.

As soon as their master entered the guest room, some offered warm greetings, others served tea, and one even presented warm, damp cloths for him to wash his face and wipe his hands. Two other disciples stood by the window, instinctively keeping watch.

Tian Yun sat on the couch, took a sip of tea, and slowly relaxed. Although the man named He presented himself as a merchant, Tian Yun recognized at first glance that he was no ordinary person. He wasn't an easy target to eliminate.

Tian Yun said slowly, "The man named He is very suspicious. Qingyang was right; he truly values his life. Yongquan Manor's defenses are tight, with guards every few steps. I think it's best not to make a move within the manor."

His real name, of course, was not Tian Yun, but Cao Wendao.

"Master, have you found Wei Yishan?"

"Yes, I found him."

A disciple's flattery was swift: "As expected of Master, success came instantly! If it were us, with the manor being so vast, we wouldn't even know where to begin looking for Wei Yishan."

The others nearby cursed silently, "Bah, that fellow got ahead again. His tongue is as slick as if it's been oiled."