Chapter 1346: Hurry and Leave!

One man said quietly, "The village may be surrounded by mountains on all sides, but the ground around it is open. If the other side is on guard, anyone who approaches to investigate will be easy to spot."

Another said, "They certainly know how to choose a place, and they're cautious enough. They don't even dare let the villagers see a Goldenwing. They deliberately stationed a hunter on the mountain to keep it out of sight."

The man holding the emerald-feathered bird said in a low voice, "You two stay here and watch. I'll go back and report."

The other two nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

The man with the bird reminded them once more, "Remember: observe only. Do not approach. Do not make contact with anyone here. Hide yourselves well and let no one discover you. No matter who appears, neither of you is permitted to take any action without orders. Above all, do not alert the snake by striking the grass. Wait for the arrangements from above. If anything goes wrong, consider the consequences yourselves."

"Yes!" the other two answered quietly.

The man holding the bird slowly withdrew, then quickly vanished into the depths of the forest.

...

Niu Youdao was sitting cross-legged in the secret chamber, cultivating, when Yun Ji hurried in and stopped before him. Her voice was grave. "Something urgent."

Niu Youdao raised both hands and slowly pressed them down, bringing his cultivation to a close. He opened his eyes. "Speak."

Yun Ji produced a secret letter. "The person you use to contact the Sacred Realm has activated the second contact protocol!"

She still did not know that the informant inside the Sacred Realm was Sha Rulai.

Niu Youdao would rather let her know about the Wuliang Fruits than expose Sha Rulai to anyone. The fact that he had gone so far as to use Shao Pingbo and Lan Ming to shield the Sha Rulai line showed just how heavily he valued it.

If everything else were exposed, Sha Rulai would be his final hidden card for learning the enemy's movements and maintaining contact inside the Sacred Realm.

The so-called second contact protocol had been created because sending messages back and forth through the Sacred Realm was too troublesome and might waste enough time to prevent them from moving before the Nine Saints.

Sha Rulai had therefore placed reliable people outside according to the developing situation. The moment Zhuge Chi's whereabouts were discovered and the preset arrangements were triggered, those people would contact this side directly at the first possible moment.

So the instant Niu Youdao heard the words, he knew there had been progress in locating Zhuge Chi.

He rose quickly, snatched the secret letter from Yun Ji's hand, and read it. Then he began pacing. "They found him this quickly. Their speed exceeded my expectations. Misty Pavilion truly lives up to its name. Good thing I prepared in advance, or this would have caught us completely unprepared."

He clasped both hands behind his back with the secret letter between them and said heavily, "Reply at once. Move!"

Yun Ji asked, "How?"

"You don't need to know the details too clearly. I made arrangements with the other side long ago. Just send the reply."

"What about Shao Pingbo's side?"

"I'll do mine, and he can do his. The two have nothing to do with each other. I want to see when he finally passes the information to me. If he insists on barging in sideways to join the excitement, then when he gets a mouthful of bitterness later, he'll have no one to blame but himself. Ignore him. We're racing the Nine Saints for time. Send the reply immediately."

He added, "And tell Hongniang to stop cultivating at once and come here to await orders."

"All right!" Yun Ji knew the matter was urgent and quickly turned away.

Niu Youdao walked several steps to the large map on the wall. He drew the letter from behind his back and studied it again, then located the target's position on the map and scratched a cross over it with his fingernail.

After that, he stood staring at the map, thinking, his eyes flickering.

...

At the Shao Residence in the Jin capital, Shao Sansheng led a Confucian-robed scholar into the compound and personally brought him toward the study.

Everyone in the residence knew that Lord Shao was now thirsting for talent and recruiting learned men from every quarter. Bringing home another scholar was nothing unusual.

The moment the scholar entered the study, Shao Sansheng withdrew. He appeared to wander idly around the courtyard, but in reality he was standing watch.

Shao Pingbo had already been waiting inside.

The moment the two men met, the scholar lowered his voice, and Lan Ming's true tone emerged. "What are you playing at? Didn't we agree that my people wouldn't participate directly, and that I would only pass information?"

Shao Pingbo tapped one finger lightly against the desk and answered in an equally low voice. "A Nascent Soul cultivator. Zhuge Chi is a cultivator of the Nascent Soul Realm. Whoever holds him has a devastating weapon in his hands. Don't you want to know how he broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm?"

The words struck directly at Lan Ming's weakest point.

His heart stirred violently. His eyes flickered as he moved closer and lowered his voice. "What exactly do you mean by holding him ourselves? Wasn't the man from last time one of your people?"

"We're on the same side. But have you ever seen any alliance without factions inside it? No matter what group you're talking about, some people will inevitably be closer than others. I don't need to teach you that. You should understand this much: whatever the final outcome, whoever holds greater strength has the greater say. Even if it comes down to staking our lives, more strength gives us one more measure of security."

Lan Ming clenched his teeth. "Then why didn't you say so earlier? You're only telling me now. Is there still time to act?"

"Your identity has already been exposed. How was I supposed to know whether they would contact you privately? Until I had the result, I couldn't judge the situation. As for whether there's still time, that depends on you. Reporting information back and forth to the Sacred Realm takes time. The Sacred Realm won't act hastily either. If Zhuge Chi escapes, finding him again will be difficult, so they will certainly make full preparations first. As long as you move quickly, there should still be time."

Lan Ming's gaze flickered. "You still haven't passed the news to the other side?"

"What news is there to pass? Since we're all on the same side, what difference does it make whose hands the man ends up in? If your side succeeds, what does it matter if I inform them a little later? Why are you still hesitating? Don't you want to know how Zhuge Chi broke through to the Nascent Soul Realm?"

Lan Ming gritted his teeth, turned without another word, and left immediately.

Shao Pingbo called after him, "Remember to leave yourself a way out. Don't expose yourself."

Without looking back, Lan Ming raised one hand in acknowledgment and quickly left the study.

Shao Pingbo softly let out a long breath.

...

On the mountain road leading toward the quiet village, a husband and wife in filthy, ragged clothes traveled together, leading a donkey.

The donkey carried bundles large and small. Inside one bamboo basket sat a dirty little child.

The woman led the donkey. The man carried a basket filled with all kinds of repair tools, which clinked and clattered as he walked.

One glance was enough to tell they were itinerant craftsmen who traveled from place to place to make a living.

Hidden in the mountain forest, pair after pair of eyes watched the family of three.

"Are they villagers, or outsiders?"

"Hard to say. From the village register we obtained, there doesn't seem to be a household practicing this trade. Do we stop them?"

"Watch first. Don't move recklessly."

The traveling craftsmen entered the village and began calling out for work. Villagers gradually brought pots, bowls, and other household items for repair. The fee was only a few copper coins here and there.

The villagers had little money. Among common people at the bottom, small copper coins were what changed hands. Larger sums and gold coins mostly circulated among respectable people of higher status.

The man worked while the woman held the child and chatted with the villagers.

The villagers were simple and honest. Before long, they had casually told her almost everything about the village.

Such obvious probing naturally drew attention.

Zhuge Chi soon appeared nearby and watched every movement of the outsider family of three.

After lingering in the village for some time, the woman made an excuse about needing to relieve herself and handed the child to a villager to watch for a while.

Once she had slipped away from the crowd and turned into a secluded corner, she sensed movement behind her and immediately whispered, "We're on the same side."

The words had barely left her mouth when a hand seized her by the throat and slammed her against the wall.

The attacker was Zhuge Chi.

On the same side? What same side?

Killing intent had already appeared in Zhuge Chi's eyes. "Who are you people?"

The woman struggled to speak. "People in the same situation as you. Who I am doesn't matter. You only need to know one thing: Misty Pavilion has already taken control of the surrounding area in secret. The Nine Saints will be here soon. Hurry and leave! Remember this: eighty li southeast of here is Qingshui Ridge. People will be waiting there to help you escape."

The Nine Saints were nearly here?

The Nine Saints themselves were coming?

Zhuge Chi's heart jolted violently. He clenched his teeth. "Why should I believe you? Why should I go with you?"

The woman said, "Isn't it rather late to ask that now? You should never have maintained contact with the outside world. Misty Pavilion has already spread a net over Heaven and Earth. If you believe you can take your people and escape without our help, then leave on your own. We can go our separate ways and have nothing further to do with one another."

Zhuge Chi's eyes shifted uneasily.

He knew nothing about the situation outside and had no idea what decision to make, especially when facing an enormous force like the Nine Saints.

There was no reason to doubt the woman's claim that Misty Pavilion had found them. The fact that this side had managed to locate the village at all was already proof that their whereabouts had been exposed.

"At the very least, the fact that we risked coming here to warn you proves we didn't come to harm you." The woman gave him that reminder but did not waste time explaining further. "Leave while you still can. If you wait any longer, my people won't dare help you either. Let go. If I stay away too long, people will come looking for me. Once a disturbance starts, none of us will get away. Remember: after you leave, do not contact anyone again. Your people are very likely already under surveillance. And remember this too: there are eyes and ears on the surrounding mountains. Leave quietly. As for how you leave quietly, you'll have to think of that yourselves."

With that, she pushed Zhuge Chi's hand away.

She could push it away only because Zhuge Chi no longer dared act rashly.

He watched her leave, his thoughts in complete disorder. After hesitating again and again, he decided that if the other side had truly wanted to harm him, there would have been no need to come warn him first.

He stepped out from the secluded corner and went straight to the schoolhouse to find Hai Wuji.

Hai Wuji was teaching the children inside.

Zhuge Chi called him out and whispered the matter into his ear.

Hai Wuji's expression changed drastically when he heard it. Alarmed and frightened, he said, "I regret not listening to you. I should never have maintained contact with the outside. What do we do now?"

"We can't stay here any longer. We leave immediately."

"All right! That thing cannot be left behind. I'll go get it now." Hai Wuji turned to leave.

Zhuge Chi caught him by the arm. "We cannot cause a disturbance. If you suddenly leave now and the children abruptly have no lessons, it may arouse suspicion. Keep calm first. That husband and wife aren't panicking or rushing away, which means the people coming won't arrive this very instant. Half a moment won't make the difference. Finish arranging the children's lessons, then leave quietly."

Hai Wuji immediately did as he said.

He returned inside and continued teaching normally. When it was almost time to dismiss the children, he assigned their lessons.

The children scattered noisily once school ended.

Only then did Hai Wuji hurry to his room, retrieve something, and quickly leave with Zhuge Chi.

Neither man carried any luggage.

That too was Zhuge Chi's decision. There was no reason to burden themselves with anything unnecessary. Escaping with their lives came first.

[End of Chapter 1346]