Chapter 453: Huh, It's You!

After leaving the gloomy little room and walking into the dim alley, Lu Shengzhong circulated his cultivation to drive the alcohol from his body, expelling a dense breath of wine fumes.

As he walked, he peeled away one layer of disguise from his face, revealing another beneath it. He also stripped off his outer coat, exposing a second garment with a different pattern underneath. Without a second thought, he tossed the discarded coat into a foul drainage ditch he passed.

Once he left this area, that fellow Chao Shenghai would have no idea who he really was. Even after something happened, it would be nearly impossible for Myriad Beasts Sect itself to pick him out from the crowds filling the whole of Myriad Forms City.

As for whether Chao Shenghuai succeeded, that was not Lu Shengzhong's concern. Success would naturally be best. If he failed, provoking a clash between Niu Youdao and Myriad Beasts Sect would still be worthwhile. Lu Shengzhong would also have something to report to Shao Pingbo, proof that he had done everything he could.

After winding through the alleys for some time, he paused near another exit. Only after confirming that no one was passing outside did he turn onto the street.

He crossed half of Myriad Forms City beneath the deepening night before returning to the residence he had rented. As he opened the gate, he casually removed the placard hanging there. FOR RENT. He had hung it himself. That was right. He had rented the residence, then immediately offered to rent it out again.

At least, that had been his original plan, devised while he was still searching for a suitable target. Now that he had found Chao Shenghai, he had not intended to hang the placard again. Just as he pushed the gate open, a voice sounded behind him.

"Friend, how much to rent this residence for one day?"

Lu Shengzhong turned. A lean man dressed in black stood beside the road.

"One hundred gold coins a day."

In truth, the actual owner had charged Lu Shengzhong only ten gold coins a day. Even ten gold coins a day was already an outrageous price, but that was the market. Myriad Forms City was normally quiet. Only when the Spirit Beast Gathering arrived did great numbers of outsiders flood in, and every gathering was a rare chance for the city's residents to make money without lifting a finger. Any household with the means would seize the opportunity.

Ordinarily, even an average residence would not cost ten gold coins a day. This one, however, stood in a genuinely secluded and elegant location. Though the compound was not large, its interior arrangement and surroundings were quite pleasant, which was why it could command such a price. Lu Shengzhong was not trying to speculate on the property and pocket the difference.

His reason for deliberately finding a decent residence and subletting it was simple. Anyone willing to pay one hundred gold coins a day would not be an ordinary person. Such a guest should possess enough strength to cause trouble for Niu Youdao.

Actively searching everywhere for targets and approaching them to leak information carried risk and easily invited suspicion. Accidentally letting something slip while posing as a landlord was much simpler and safer.

As for whether the true owner might be displeased that he was subletting the place, there was no need to worry. He had rented it. What he did with it during the rental period was his affair. He was not seizing the property, damaging it, or carrying it away. There was hardly any offense to speak of. His only concern had been whether anyone would actually pay the price.

"Fine!" The black-clad man smiled and nodded. "One hundred it is."

Hearing that, Lu Shengzhong turned fully around and gave the man a serious look. He had only hung the placard to see what might happen. He had not expected someone truly wealthy enough to rent it. He did not mind giving Niu Youdao another bit of trouble while he was at it. Lu Shengzhong stepped aside from the gate and extended a hand in invitation. The black-clad man, however, turned and beckoned.

Hoofbeats came from the darkness in the distance, and a pale figure approached. As it drew closer, the figure became clear. A woman dressed in snowy white sat astride the lead horse, the lower half of her face concealed by a white veil. Her figure and visible features held considerable charm; it was obvious she was no ordinary beauty.

Four mounts followed behind her. One was riderless, while the other three carried men dressed in black like the lean man standing before Lu Shengzhong.

The four horses stopped at the gate. Under the lantern light, the white-robed woman's cold eyes briefly assessed the entrance before she led the others down from their mounts. After Lu Shengzhong brought them inside, he first showed them around the residence. Several Moon Butterflies cast soft light over the grounds.

Almost as soon as they began looking, the woman in white asked mildly, "May I know Your Excellency's name?"

Lu Shengzhong replied, "Zhu Jiang."

He had given the real owner's name. Naturally, he could not give his own. After they had toured the whole residence, the white-robed woman raised no objections. One of her men drew up the rental contract on her behalf, preparing to settle payment on the spot.

Glancing at the black-clad man writing the contract, Lu Shengzhong smiled and asked, "From the look of you gentlemen, you've come to Myriad Forms City to seek your fortune?"

The lean man who led the four black-clad men smiled back. "What makes you say that?"

Lu Shengzhong chuckled. "Outsiders bringing rare birds and strange beasts to sell to Myriad Beasts Sect is perfectly normal. Plenty of people make fortunes that way. Just now, I heard something rather amusing. There's a bear demon staying in the Ding room on the second floor of Tianyun Inn."

"Amusing?" The lean man looked puzzled. "What's amusing about a bear demon?"

"I heard it isn't an ordinary bear demon at all, but a Golden King Bear from the Record of Strange Beasts. Supposedly, its companions tricked it into coming here. The poor bear demon doesn't even know it's been deceived."

"But I doubt that group will necessarily get what they want. Truly important guests with genuine backing would naturally be invited by Myriad Beasts Sect to stay in the guest compounds on the mountain. Why would they lodge down here in Myriad Forms City, much less in an ordinary inn?"

"If even I have heard the news, it would hardly be surprising if someone else stepped in and made a play for it. After all, selling something like that to Myriad Beasts Sect would start at no less than a million gold coins. It's only natural for a windfall like that to tempt people."

He was hinting that Niu Youdao's group had little strength behind them and could be robbed without much concern.

The lean man glanced at the woman in white. Seeing that she seemed to be listening as well, he asked, "On Myriad Beasts Sect's own territory, who could possibly snatch something away from Myriad Beasts Sect?"

Lu Shengzhong waved a hand. "Myriad Beasts Sect could hardly rob its own suppliers. If we ruined our reputation that way, who would ever dare bring rare birds and strange beasts to our gates again?"

The contract was soon finished. Lu Shengzhong read it, confirmed there were no problems, accepted the payment, and both sides signed and sealed the agreement.

Putting on the airs of the property's owner, he gave them a few instructions about the residence, wished his guests an early rest, and took his leave.

Once he walked out, he had no intention of ever coming back. He did not even plan to reclaim the deposit he had paid the true owner. The lean man saw Lu Shengzhong to the gate and returned after closing it. The white-robed woman stood beneath the eaves, looking up at the bright moon.

He cupped his hands. "Mountain Lord, you should rest early."

The woman in white said slowly, "He isn't Zhu Jiang."

The lean man was surprised. "Mountain Lord, how can you be certain?"

She did not explain.

"Something about this is strange. Send two men to follow him."

The lean man did not dare ask further. He beckoned to one of the others, and the two quickly left. The woman in white descended the steps and strolled through the courtyard beneath the moonlight. As she looked around, her eyes grew hazy with memories of the past. Why did she know that man was not Zhu Jiang? Because she had known Zhu Jiang's ancestor.

That ancestor was Zhu Chicheng, the Sect Leader of Myriad Beasts Sect two generations ago. In those days, she herself had been Zhu Chicheng's spirit beast companion, and Zhu Chicheng had been her master. That had been more than a hundred years ago. Zhu Chicheng had entered the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm to explore it and never returned. He remained missing until the realm closed.

When the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm opened again, Myriad Beasts Sect sent a large force inside to search for him. They suffered heavy losses, yet still found no trace of Zhu Chicheng. Myriad Beasts Sect could not remain without a Sect Leader forever. Someone eventually succeeded him.

At the time, she had still been only a little girl. She had been deeply unhappy about it and caused a great deal of trouble, unable to understand the successor's position.

Out of respect for Zhu Chicheng, they had not done anything harsh to her, but they had expelled her from Myriad Beasts Sect. Later, she grew up and achieved success in cultivation. Ever since then, whenever the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm opened, she would return just as she had now and go searching again.

As for Zhu Chicheng's descendants, naturally they could no longer enjoy the status they had possessed while Zhu Chicheng was Sect Leader. Every time she returned, she quietly gave them a little help, usually money or similar support. This time was no different. That was why she had been willing to pay one hundred gold coins a day for the residence. How could she possibly fail to recognize the present owner, Zhu Jiang?

No one knew how long she stood beneath the moon remembering the past. By the time she stirred, the moon had already begun to sink westward. The lean man returned beneath the moonlight and immediately cupped his hands in report.

"Mountain Lord, that 'Zhu Jiang' truly has a problem. He changed his route and appearance several times before finally entering an inn. Beard is still watching him over there. Should we seize him?"

The woman in white gave him a cold look.

"Are you looking to make trouble for yourself? Is Myriad Forms City a place where you can casually attack people? We haven't even figured out the situation. How can we act blindly? Keep watching for now."

"Yes!" the lean man answered quickly.

She added, "He deliberately brought up that Golden King Bear, so he clearly has some other objective. Go investigate the situation first. At least know what we're dealing with in case something happens."

Early the next morning, Guan Fangyi pushed open the door and entered. Niu Youdao was wiping his face with a damp cloth. Guan Fangyi smoothed her skirts, sat in a chair to one side, crossed one leg over the other, and watched him. Niu Youdao tossed the wet cloth back into the basin. Yuan Fang carried the basin out.

Still checking his appearance from side to side in the mirror, Niu Youdao asked, "The Shangqing Sect still hasn't come over?"

"No."

Niu Youdao gave a mocking laugh. "Looks like Elder Tang is quite unyielding and refuses to bow her head. Heh. Best if she would rather die than submit."

He guessed Tang Yi and the others still had not managed to persuade Tang Susu. Otherwise, they should have come to see him long ago.

"A grown man staring endlessly into a mirror like some woman. I can't stand it."

"You misunderstand. I'm simply not very skilled at doing my hair."

Guan Fangyi uncrossed her legs, rose, and walked over.

"The city has posted notices. Myriad Beasts Sect has read the celestial signs and determined that the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm should open around the wei hour this afternoon. You're really planning to go inside and look around?"

Once he was satisfied that his topknot sat properly, Niu Youdao straightened away from the mirror and smiled.

"If I miss this chance, I'll have to wait another ten years. Since I've already come all this way, how could I not take the opportunity to see it for myself?"

According to legend, long ago the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm had been the site of an imperial retreat belonging to Shang Song, emperor of the Wu Dynasty.

After Shang Song disappeared, and before Empress Li Ge of Wu vanished in turn, she sealed the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm with a grand formation.

Perhaps there had been one thing Li Ge failed to anticipate. During the solar eclipse that came once every ten years, astral forces created a flaw in the sealing formation, causing the entrance to the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm to open briefly for three days. The entrance lay within Myriad Beasts Sect's territory.

Holding the Spirit Beast Gathering during this period was also one of the sect's ways of entertaining guests from every direction, allowing visitors to broaden their horizons.

"What sneaking rat is skulking around out there?"

Yuan Gang's shout suddenly sounded outside. Niu Youdao's brows rose. He exchanged a look with Guan Fangyi. Then Yuan Fang's voice came from outside as well.

"Huh? It's you!"

Niu Youdao immediately turned and went out to see what was happening. He wanted to know who Yuan Fang recognized. In the corridor outside, Yuan Gang had stopped a lean man dressed in black. Yuan Fang, who had emerged afterward, was staring at the man in surprise while the man stared back. Yuan Fang seemed unable to remember his name. He slapped his forehead in puzzlement.

"You're that fellow from Duyun Mountain... what was your name again? You people once tried to rob us on the road."

[End of Chapter 453]