Chapter 219: Not Unexpected

Just as it had been when Bian Weiying came to visit him before, Bian Weikang, who was imprisoned there, immediately rushed to the bars, hitting and shaking them, as soon as he saw someone approach.

Unable to speak, and with no one to talk to, being confined alone felt like he would go mad even if there was nothing wrong with him.

His reaction was the same as when he saw Bian Weiying: he pointed to his mouth, making guttural sounds to signal.

Xia Fuli was unhurried. He calmly stated, "If you don't make a fuss, I will release you and even take you away. If you act impulsively or make a scene, you'll stay here. It's your choice."

At the mention of being taken away, Bian Weikang's eyes lit up. He nodded vigorously and waved his hands repeatedly.

Xia Fuli then raised his hand and pointed into the air. Bian Weikang's throat loosened, and he could suddenly speak, "Elder Xia, I won't make a fuss, I won't cause trouble, please let me out quickly!"

Xia Fuli's expression grew solemn. "After the scandalous affair between Xiang Lan'er and Shi Chun came out, I presume you can guess your father's attitude. He was actually pleased, because he disapproved of your relationship with Xiang Lan'er due to her background. I came to tell you that Shi Chun and Xiang Lan'er have just descended the mountain; they have officially left Wukang Mountain..."

Bian Weikang's eyes widened in grief and indignation. Just as he was about to speak, Xia Fuli's warning finger forced him to control his emotions, but he still pleaded with a trembling voice, "Elder Xia, let me out, let me out."

Xia Fuli replied, "I am precisely here to take you out. To be honest, I don't think your father handled this properly. I believe, no matter what, you should have one last meeting with Xiang Lan'er and Shi Chun to clear things up."

Bian Weikang nodded repeatedly, indicating that this was exactly what should happen.

Xia Fuli then flipped his hand, pulled a set of clothes from his Qiankun bag, and threw them in. "You can't meet anyone, or Xiang Lan'er, dressed like that. Hurry and change. If we leave now, I can take you to catch up; we should still be able to find them."

Bian Weikang was anxious. "No need to change, I don't care."

Xia Fuli said gravely, "Change! No matter how urgent it is, you cannot lose your dignity. You are the Young Master of Wukang Mountain! If you don't change, you won't leave." With that, he turned as if to depart.

Instantly yielding, Bian Weikang quickly tried to salvage the situation, "I'll change, I'll change, Elder Xia, I'll change."

Xia Fuli stopped and turned, waiting with his hands behind his back. When Bian Weikang hastily put on the clothes and thought he was done, Xia Fuli pointed to his hair. Bian Weikang dared not disobey and quickly tidied his hair, finally making himself appear presentable.

Only after Bian Weikang was properly groomed did Xia Fuli, satisfied, produce the key to the cell.

In truth, the key to this lock had already been personally taken by Bian Jixiong, signifying that no one was to be released. Yet, Xia Fuli produced another key that could open it, revealing that Elder Xia, after many years at Wukang Mountain, was indeed not to be underestimated.

The lock opened, the door swung open, and the man was released.

The two exited the prison gate one after another, startling the two guards at the entrance, who thought they were mistaken.

The two guards hastily stepped forward to block them. One nervously said, "Elder, this, this, Junior Uncle Bian cannot leave."

Xia Fuli dangled the key in his hand. "Am I staging a prison break? I told you the Sect Master sent me. Do you think I'm lying? I'm taking him out for a matter, and I'll bring him back later. Alright, why are you so nervous? I'll bear all responsibility. You two just stay here honestly." He raised his hand, gesturing for them to make way.

Since the two guards were his subordinates, there was nothing they could do but obediently step aside.

Xia Fuli led the man unhurriedly out of the deep pit and traveled across Wukang Mountain without avoiding anyone. They met few people along the way, and those they did encounter occasionally bowed to Xia Fuli. No one suspected him; at most, they found Bian Weikang's presence unusual.

In this manner, the two openly descended the mountain via the main gate.

At the foot of the mountain, under the gaze of the gate guards, Xia Fuli took Bian Weikang by the arm and ascended into the air.

A short distance away, Bian Weikang had just begun, "Elder Xia..."

...when his voice trailed off as Xia Fuli directly knocked him unconscious.

After traveling far over mountains and rivers, they finally landed on a mountain where the man in green was waiting for him.

"Master Qing," Xia Fuli greeted with a respectful bow.

The man in green reached out and nudged the unconscious Bian Weikang, confirming his presence and whether he was still alive, before asking, "Are you certain Bian Que will be able to find this place?"

Xia Fuli replied, "Along the way, despite changing directions twice, I am quite certain that the people searching and quarrying stones for the construction of the Xùn Gate would likely have seen my movements, because I saw them. They should be able to track us in this direction."

His decision to act today was not coincidental or due to proximity, but based on his understanding of Wukang Mountain's situation.

The man in green said, "My fear is that something unexpected might happen, or that Bian Que won't come looking."

Xia Fuli responded, "Don't worry, Master Qing, I know Yin Huixin quite well. Once she finds out, I can even guess what she'll do. She will rush to the prison to confirm, then go tell Bian Que that she discovered her son was taken by me when she went to visit him. She won't reveal that I sent her a message telling her I took her son.

Bian Jixiong isn't on the mountain, so I can't be sure if she'll seek him out, but she will definitely go to Bian Que first. She knows Bian Jixiong might not be my match, and for her son's safety, it's inevitable she'll ask Bian Que for help.

And Bian Que will certainly come when he hears the news. He appears indifferent to that grandson, but in reality, he cherishes him deeply. While it seems like Bian Jixiong's family matter on the surface, Bian Que has always intervened behind the scenes; I am very clear about this."

The man in green glanced at Bian Weikang in his arms. "If there are no issues, proceed as planned. Send a message to Yin Huixin."

"Understood." Xia Fuli took out a 'mother-child talisman' and sent a message to Yin Huixin.

On Wukang Mountain, inside a secluded retreat, Yin Huixin, seated beside burning sandalwood incense, took out a 'mother-child talisman'. She was very familiar with the characters etched on it, recognizing it immediately as Xia Fuli's. Faint characters then appeared: "The position of Wukang Mountain's Sect Master can only be for a daughter. I have taken your son. You will not see him again."

What did this mean? Yin Huixin, momentarily stunned, then sprang to her feet in alarm and quickly departed. However, upon reaching the main gate, she composed herself, appearing calm and unhurried despite her burning anxiety.

She repeatedly pondered in her mind: if this was true, why would Xia Fuli do such a thing now? Was it truly just for her daughter?

Inside the prison, with no one to supervise, two idle guard disciples were startled when Elder Yin gracefully descended. They quickly bowed, "Greetings, Elder Yin."

Yin Huixin said expressionlessly, "Open the door. I'm going to see Bian Weikang."

The two disciples exchanged glances, then one said, "Junior Uncle Bian left with Elder Xia not long ago."

Yin Huixin angrily retorted, "Nonsense! Open the door!"

She was determined to verify it herself.

The two disciples dared not obstruct her and quickly opened the door to let her in.

Hurrying to her son's detention cell, she found no one. Her expression darkened upon seeing the discarded ragged clothes on the floor. She quickly turned and vanished in a flash from before the two guard disciples.

After descending outside the prison pit, she flew directly to the nearest high-point observation post where a disciple was on duty and asked if they had seen Xia Fuli's direction.

The guard had indeed seen them. After the guard explained, she learned that Xia Fuli had taken Bian Weikang directly from the mountain gate. She then quickly went to the mountain gate herself, where she again received confirmation that Xia Fuli had flown away with Bian Weikang, and even their direction was pointed out to her.

With Xia Fuli's message confirmed, she was genuinely starting to panic.

Ever since Xia Fuli had left for good, then unexpectedly returned, she had been secretly keeping an eye on him. Hadn't he gone down the mountain with Bian Jixiong and others to the chosen site? How could something like this have happened with such a lapse?

While worried about her son's safety, she also feared that sending people to search for him would expose her private affair with Xia Fuli.

After much consideration, she realized that Xia Fuli, concerned for his daughter's safety, would likely not dare to reveal their private affair, as exposing her would also harm his own daughter. Thus, she decisively flew back up the mountain, heading straight for the sect's forbidden grounds...

On the mountaintop, Xia Fuli took out a 'mother-child talisman'. After reading its content, a complex expression flickered in his eyes. He said to the man in green beside him, "As expected, Yin Huixin has gone to the sect's forbidden grounds where Bian Que is in seclusion."

His roots in Wukang Mountain ran deep, so arranging such informants was not an issue.

The man in green nodded slightly, then glanced at the unconscious Bian Weikang on the ground. "We don't know what unforeseen events might occur if a fight breaks out. For now, he's a hostage. Take him to meet Feng Chi and the others first. Someone will come to rendezvous with you later."

"Understood." Xia Fuli acknowledged the order, lifted the unconscious Bian Weikang, and flew away directly.

Yin Huixin, who had already reached the entrance of the sect's forbidden grounds, suddenly paused. She remembered Shi Chun, and how Shi Chun and Xia Fuli seemed to be in league. The 'mother-child talisman' Xia Fuli secretly possessed had been obtained from Shi Chun. Even if they weren't fully allied, their recent collaborative actions suggested that Shi Chun might know something.

Crucially, she recalled Shi Chun's earlier words, telling her to contact him anytime if anything happened.

At the time, she hadn't thought much of it. Apart from Bian Weiying's matter, what else would she need him for?

Giving him a 'mother-child talisman' for contact was also related to Bian Weiying's situation.

Now, looking back, she suddenly felt that Shi Chun's words seemed to have a deeper meaning.

Daring not to hesitate, she quickly rummaged through her storage bag for the 'mother-child talisman' used to contact Shi Chun and urgently sent a message to inquire...

Deep within the vast mountains, on a lone, blade-like stone cliff covered in dense vegetation resembling a tuft of hair, Shi Chun and his group had stopped to hide.

After waiting for a while, Shi Chun asked aloud, "What are we waiting for here?"

Feng Chi replied, "I don't know. We are just following orders to wait here."

Wu Jinliang grumbled, "Waiting for a rendezvous, what else could it be?"

Regarding his future prospects, he suddenly felt a bit lost. The secretive nature of the demonic path made him feel like their options were limited.

Suddenly, Xiang Lan'er took out a 'mother-child talisman' to check its message. Her brow furrowed after reading it.

Feng Chi noticed her reaction and asked, "What's wrong?"

Xiang Lan'er replied, "'Nightingale' is asking where we are. Can I tell him?"

Feng Chi understood her hesitation. "He formulated the plan, so he should know this location."

Xiang Lan'er then replied: "We have arrived."

Shi Chun, listening intently, pondered thoughtfully. From the mention of the "plan formulation," he could roughly guess who "Nightingale" was. If he wasn't mistaken, it was quite amusing for a grown man to use such a flamboyant nickname.

Not just him, even Wu Jinliang couldn't help but grin, evidently having guessed as well.

Shi Chun plucked a blade of grass and chewed on it, a hint of contemplation in his eyes. With the plan unfolding and Bian Weikang gone, he wondered if Yin Huixin would contact him once she found out...

He suddenly froze, then walked over, using the tall man's broad frame for cover, and secretly pulled out a 'mother-child talisman' to check it. Indeed, just as he thought, Yin Huixin's message had arrived.