Chapter 981: Fei You

The ebony sword was ready to strike. Bai, hidden behind the door, was also about to make his move. The young man's reaction caught them completely off guard.

*Bang!*

Bai slammed the door shut, blocking the young man. Qin Sang subtly tapped his ebony sword, causing the spirit sword to halt abruptly, its blade shimmering and pointing directly at the young man's face. Startled by the scene in the room and feeling the sharp edge of the sword, the young man broke out in a cold sweat. He was further shocked upon seeing Manager Liu lying on the floor. Still reeling from shock, he found himself surrounded by Qin Sang and Bai, with no escape.

"Do you know this humble Daoist?" Qin Sang's gaze sharpened as he scrutinized the young man. He was certain he had never met the young man before, yet his features seemed oddly familiar. The young man's behavior also surprised him; it appeared he had come specifically to find him. Seeing that the young man posed no threat, Qin Sang gave Bai a look. Bai understood, then led Manager Liu out of the quiet room to swiftly handle the aftermath.

"Senior is truly Daoist Qingzhu!" the young man exclaimed, daring not to ask further questions. His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled. He had risked his life to deliver the message, expecting to have to deal with Manager Liu and worrying about revealing any weaknesses. He hadn't expected Manager Liu to already be a captive, or that the plot had seemingly been discovered.

"Senior certainly doesn't know this junior, but this junior has always remembered your kindness. My name is Fei You. My parents once followed Senior for a time and received many rewards. Senior even saved my parents' lives. After they returned, my parents never forgot Senior's kindness; they kept it in their hearts and constantly reminded me to remember it. This junior's successful Core Formation was also thanks to Senior's benevolence..." Fei You, afraid of causing a misunderstanding, spoke rapidly, ignoring the sweat on his forehead, as he explained his identity.

Qin Sang let out a soft sound of recognition and began to recall. When he first arrived in the Demon Sea, he had hired several Foundation Establishment cultivators familiar with the area to find dragon souls for the Nine Dragons Chariot Talisman. Among them were the Wang sisters, an elderly couple, and a cultivator named Peng. Later, the Wang sisters followed him for a period on Wuyuan Island. However, the elderly couple, having failed in Core Formation, returned to the inner sea, reportedly to nurture their only son. Fei You was actually their son; no wonder his features seemed somewhat familiar.

"Did you come specifically to find me?" Qin Sang asked, glancing down at Manager Liu, understanding dawning on him.

Fei You dared not ask further questions, nodding repeatedly, his expression urgent. "The Commerce Guild intends to harm Senior. This junior and the two Senior Wangs couldn't reach Senior, and we've been extremely anxious. This junior happened to be stationed on Yinghuan Island and received news from Manager Liu. I immediately came to deliver the message, but I didn't expect Senior to have already exposed his plot..."

"Senior Wang? Are you referring to Wang Shi and Wang Xiang, the sisters?" Qin Sang's heart stirred, and he quickly asked, "The Commerce Guild didn't trouble them?" At the Qiongyu Commerce Guild, he had been closest to the Wang sisters. They had followed him for many years, so if the Guild were to target him, the sisters might also be implicated.

"The Commerce Guild has been searching for them!" Fei You said with lingering fear. "After parting ways with Senior, the two Senior Wangs left the Guild and returned to the inner sea, cultivating on Lingchun Island. Fortunately, they were careful, and the Guild doesn't know their full background. Senior, please rest assured, this junior has already secretly sent messages to the two Senior Wangs; they will be safe. This junior joined the Guild after successfully forming my core and never mentioned Senior to outsiders. The Guild isn't aware of this connection between us, otherwise, this junior might also..."

Upon hearing this, Qin Sang's expression darkened, and a towering rage ignited within him. It wasn't enough for the Qiongyu Commerce Guild to merely put a bounty on him; they even sought to apprehend his friends and family. Fortunately, the Wang sisters were vigilant. He wondered if Ran Luo had been implicated.

"You must have frequently interacted with Deputy Envoy Zuo on Yinghuan Island. Did you ever hear him mention why the Commerce Guild is targeting me?" Qin Sang voiced the doubt in his mind.

Fei You shook his head. He understood that Qin Sang must have already extracted some information from Manager Liu, so he went straight to the point: "Deputy Envoy Zuo is extremely tight-lipped. I tried to sound him out several times but couldn't get any information, and I didn't dare ask further for fear of arousing his suspicion. The order to pursue Senior was suddenly issued a while ago. Besides Deputy Envoy Zuo, no one else in the Guild knows what happened. When the news came, Deputy Envoy Zuo wasn't on the island, which is how I got a chance to send a message to Senior. However, Deputy Envoy Zuo hasn't gone far and should be arriving soon. Senior, you must leave as quickly as possible..."

Before he finished speaking, Bai's voice suddenly echoed, "Too late, they're already here!"

Qin Sang and Fei You's expressions shifted slightly, and they rushed out of the shop one after another.

It was early morning. On the empty street, Bai stood with the subdued Manager Liu, confronting another group of cultivators. An autumn breeze stirred, and yellow leaves fell. Ripples spread across the river surface. A row of shops along the bank were all closed, some even having activated their protective spirit formations. People peered cautiously from windows. The few pedestrians who had been present had long since fled, startled by the commotion and fearful of being caught in the conflict.

The opposing group consisted of five individuals, arrayed in a 'goose-wing' formation, blocking Bai's path. All were masters at the Core Formation stage. In the center stood an elderly man in luxurious robes, his hair and beard white. His expression was stern, and his presence was extraordinary. He stood with his hands behind his back, like a towering mountain. His eyes fixed intently on Bai, filled with deep apprehension. At that moment, Qin Sang and Fei You appeared. The robed elder and the others' gaze fell upon them.

"Fei! You backstabbing traitor, how dare you collude with a Guild defector and leak information!" a young man in tight-fitting clothes yelled, pointing at Fei You.

"Senior, that old man is Deputy Envoy Zuo," Fei You said, looking awkward. He hadn't expected Deputy Envoy Zuo to arrive so quickly. His greater concern was the overwhelming strength of the opposing side; there were five of them, and not only Deputy Envoy Zuo but the others were also Guild elites. Their own chances of victory were slim. But regret was useless now.

"You don't know what's good for you!" The robed elder glanced at Fei You dismissively, then scoffed and looked at Qin Sang. "You must be Daoist Qingfeng?"

Qin Sang's eyes narrowed slightly as he surveyed the five individuals. Deputy Envoy Zuo's strength was probably no less than Elder Zou's. Besides him, there was another late-stage Core Formation master. The young man in tight-fitting clothes had a cultivation level similar to Fei You's, and the other two were also mid-stage Core Formation cultivators. Qin Sang mused that on the surface, he was only a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, yet Deputy Envoy Zuo had brought so many subordinates, effectively mobilizing a large force. He secretly sent a voice transmission to Bai and Fei You, deciding to make a move. This number of people was not enough to scare him away.

Qin Sang did not answer. Deputy Envoy Zuo showed no anger, merely stating calmly, "Daoist, you actually possess such a powerful refined corpse. Fortunately, I did not underestimate you." Bai felt annoyed and wished he could ask Deputy Envoy Zuo, "Have you ever seen a refined corpse with such high intelligence?"

"The Qiongyu Commerce Guild is cleaning its house. We ask fellow Daoists to cooperate. All losses will be borne by the Guild! On behalf of the Qiongyu Commerce Guild, I, Zuo, request assistance from fellow Daoists of the Commerce Alliance. There will be a generous reward in the future!" Deputy Envoy Zuo suddenly held up a token, his voice resonating and spreading throughout the entire street.