Feng Ming's sharp gaze swept over the courtyard. He turned to the servant: "Where are they?"
The servant looked all around: "Strange......I just told two guardsmen to come here and assess the situation. How come they aren't here?"
Feng Ming's eyes slightly narrowed when he heard that. He looked around the entire courtyard and then waved his hand to beckon another guard forward: "Get this courtyard surrounded."
Yan Hui immediately lightly nudged Tian Yao with her elbow. She quietly whispered into his ear: "In a moment, I'm going to draw their attention. You take this opportunity while the courtyard isn't completely surrounded to find your dragon horns."
Yan Hui said those words so matter-of-factly. Truthfully, Tian Yao was already growing accustomed to this kind of planning. Because Yan Hui had magic now, she wanted to become stronger. She was more likely to face troublesome situations head-on. So of course, the dangerous matters should be left to her.
But when carefully thinking it over, this wasn't the proper nor right way. It wasn't right for the strong be placed in danger for the weak. Yan Hui did this because that was what Yan Hui wanted to do. She wanted to.......protect people.
Or in other words, protect him.
Tian Yao's gaze slightly faltered.
Yan Hui had already used the Escape Earth Technique to leap out. All of a sudden, she landed in the courtyard's southeast corner, which just happened to be opposite of where she came from. Yan Hui laughed: "Looking for someone? Looking for me?"
For a moment, everyone's eyes were drawn over to Yan Hui. Tian Yao didn't hesitate. With a flip of his body, he vaulted over the wall.
Yan Hui didn't even look at Tian Yao. She directly started talking to Feng Ming: "Master Feng Ming, I've been looking forward to meeting you."
Feng Ming's dark gaze locked onto Yan Hui. Suddenly his lips quirked into a sneer. That sneer combined with his aquiline nose made him seem especially sinister and treacherous: "Insect, trying to trick me?"
Feng Ming didn't finish talking when he thrust out his arm. There was only a "boom". The wall that Tian Yao had just flipped over was struck by Feng Ming's aura. It immediately collapsed.
Yan Hui was stunned. Her body flashed. She immediately threw herself over there and rushed straight into the dust cloud.
Waiting for the dust to settle, Yan Hui dragged Tian Yao back three steps to just outside the rubble area. She stood in front of Tian Yao to block him and somberly looked at Feng Ming.
When all was said and done, Qi Jue Group's second-in-command was well seasoned after encountering many challenging matters in the jianghu. Although he didn't practice xian cultivation, an ordinary person's martial arts can be cultivated into a strong inner power. Let alone a disciple who just entered a xian sect, even Yan Hui's shifus might to only be able to draw with Feng MIng.
The situation wasn't good.
"This silly little girl has some skill." Feng Ming darkly laughed. "From your inner breath's technique, you're actually a xian cultivator. Tell me, which sect's disciple are you, daring to come to my domain with ill-intention?"
Yan Hui smiled with narrowed eyes. Outwardly, she seemed calm and collected, but her back was covered in nervous sweat. It was just a brief moment of martial arts, yet he was able to tell she was from a xian sect, and not from a wulin group. It was a good thing she didn't perform any other moves. Otherwise, Feng Ming would see she was from Chen Xing Mountain, which would bring even more trouble.
After all, she didn't want people from Chen Xing Mountain to know what she had been doing.
Thus, Yan Hui only stayed quiet for a moment before lying without flinching: "I'm Zhenren Qi Yun's sect's disciple. Shifu Feng ordered me here to investigate the disappearance of numerous fox demons."
Feng Ming stilled at her words.
Lies must not be casually thrown about. If there wasn't absolute certainly that it wouldn't be exposed, then the truth was better off being said. The reason why Yan Hui said she was in Zhenren Qi Yun's sect was because she came in contact with Zhenren Qi Yun at Tong Luo Mountain. Yan Hui knew Qi Yun was someone who would let a snake demon go free, was a xian that would escort a little snake demon to Qing Qiu's border. Qi Yun didn't participate in any of the demon massacres the xian sects organized. With her last breath, she would even say "thank you" to a snake demon.
It was clear that in Zhenren Qi Yun's heart, she didn't approval of the hate shown toward demons. As this kind of person, then she definitely wouldn't allow her disciples to participate in the persecution toward fox demons.
Xian sects had well-informed people in the jianhu. They wouldn't ask someone for help without first finding out that person's character. Everyone could tell Zhenren Qi Yun's character. There was a very big probability that no one even told her about the fox demon matter.
There was no need to invite in censure. Zhenren Qi Yun might even become a hindrance.
With this inference and the current situation, Yan Hui saying she was the Zhenren Qi Yun's disciple was the best decision.
On one hand, Zhenren Qi Yun had disappeared for two months now. No one else knew where Zhenren Qi Yun was. Was she in seclusion or wandering? No one could say for sure. Although there were rumors she had moved on, but no one in the jianhu dared say for certain. Only Yan Hui, Tian Yao, and that disappeared-to-who-know-where snake demon know for sure that Zhenren Qi Yun had moved on.
No one else know where she was. Was she in seclusion or traveling? No one could say.
On the other hand, Zhenren Qi Yun's usual manner was disgust toward meaningless slaughter of demons. Thus, her ordering someone to investigate this matter would be something she would do.
Feng Ming had no reason to be suspicious.
"I actually couldn't tell." Feng Ming smiled, "So it was one of Zhenren Qi Yun's brilliant disciples."
"I don't dare. I'm an simply a minor disciple. I'm not close to being one of the top disciples. Zhenren trusts me to investigate this matter. I've been investigating around the clock these past few days, but somehow I found myself here at Master Feng Ming's place." Yan Hui paused. She smiled: "Zhenren was originally suspected some heretical cultivators were mass murdering fox demons for their neidan to cultivate......"
And having a relationship with heretical cultivators wasn't a good thing. Feng Ming immediately waved his hand and said: "Little disciple, you are unjustly accusing me. Every single fox demon here was arrested by xian sects and sent here. To prevent them from revolting, their neidans have been removed. Moreover, the neidans have all been handed over to Chen Xing Mountain to be destroyed. We have no relationship with the heretical cultivators. And I only use the fox demons' blood to refine into fragrance for the noblemens' pleasure.
The neidans have all been handed over to Chen Xing Mountain......
Yan Hui knitted her brows. Two months ago, Bai Xiao Lu's mother sought out Yan Hui to save her daughter from Xin Su Peak's prison. In other words, two months ago, Bai Xiao Lu's mother died here in Heavenly Fragrance, and Heavenly Fragrance had already started to make the lust fragrance.
At that time, there ought to have been many neidans being transported to Chen Xing Mountain. Destroying neidans wasn't an easy matter. Its destruction also resulted in the scattering of demon aura.
However, Yan Hui never saw any neidans being destroyed at Chen Xing Mountain during that time. She also never sensed a whiff of demon aura that would have burst forth during the destruction.
Was it......the shifus that did all of this?
This kind of activity had to get approval from Ling Xiao first. No one had the qualifications to hide it from Ling Xiao.
Did every single matter go through Ling Xiao for approval? Capturing fox demons, removing neidans, entering business with Feng Ming......
For a short while, Yan Hui became absent-minded.
It wasn't until Tian Yao nudged her that Yan Hui returned to her senses. She heard Feng Ming questioning her from afar: "If you want to know the fox demons' usefulness, then little disciple, you can freely ask me. Why use these methods?" Feng Ming's eyes narrowed. "Now that you have investigated what you wanted, perhaps you can allow me a question? Where did you get the token around your waist?"
Once those words fell, a murderous aura sprang up from all around.
Yan Hui inwardly steeled herself, but her outward appearance was still relaxed: "That's not important." She changed the topic. "But Master Feng, the xian sects have no objections toward you taking fox demon blood and refining it into fragrance. However if the demon race were to find out......."
Feng Ming sinisterly laughed out loud: "There's no need for you to worry." He took a step forward. The bitterly cold murderous aura was directed at Yan Hui. "But little disciple, if you don't say where you got the token, then it'll be easy for me to say you stole from my Heavenly Fragrance. Your shifu, Zhenren Qi Yun, didn't teach you well. Now you're in the jianghu, naturally someone will teach you a lesson in her place."
Looking at the circumstances, Yan Hui had to make a move.
Yan Hui's heart slightly sank. She turned her head and said to Tian Yao: "Find a place to hide. Protect yourself."
Tian Yao's gaze momentarily paused on Yan Hui's bright profile. He didn't get a change to say a word before suddenly from another part of the courtyard, came a clear and lively laugh:
"Uncle Feng Ming, what's going on? Why is there a murderous aura being directed at people? It really scared your nephew."
With just those words, Yan Hui knew the identify of the speaker. After all, people who could call Feng Ming "Uncle" and call oneself "his nephew" could only be one person, Qi Jue Group's head, Feng Qian Shuo.
Yan Hui had heard Xian Ge mention Feng Qian Shuo many times but had never once met him. And now listening to his voice, Yan Hui immediately understood how someone could so easily have one hundred concubines.
When Yan Hui turned her head and saw Feng Qian Shuo's appearance and bearing, she further understood how such an exceptional beauty like Xian Ge would be infatuated with him.
Feng Qian Shuo is someone who is instantly deemed a stunning man with just one look.
He wore an ivory changpao, a folded fan in hand, a jade amulet around his waist, and a pair of slightly upturned eyes that seemed to incite love.
Feng Ming's reaction was different from Yan Hui's stunned reaction. He simply laughed coldly: "This is getting strange now. What kind of wind is this, first blowing in this little xian disciple and now blowing in my little nephew. I really don't know how to react."
Feng Qian Shuo waved his fan. He slowly walked into the center of the courtyard. When he saw Yan Hui, he gave a bright smile: "I'm surprised this place has such a beauty." Saying so, Feng Qian Shuo walked to stand in front of Yan Hui. He seemed curious and looked at her closely. Then, he turned to face Feng Ming: "Originally, I wasn't going to come."
He stood in front of Yan Hui, like an accidental barrier between Feng Ming and Yan Hui. Feng Ming's murderous aura couldn't be let loose in front of Qi Jue Group's nominal "Master".
"It's just that there were a few pieces of news from the Group. The elders were worried by what they heard, so after relentless discussions, they urged me to come to Uncle's place."
Feng Ming narrowed his eyes: "What news would alarm the elders and you?"
"The first news is, Qing Qiu seemed to have lost their nine-tailed fox princess." Feng Qian Shuo continued to smile. "You know about Qing Qiu's nine-tailed foxes. The bloodline is very important. The borders are in an uproar. They sent a few waves of people into Central Plains to find news of their princess."
Feng Ming's cold smile slowly started to fade.
"As for the second news, I heard Uncle is doing some dangerous business." Fang Qian Shuo folded his fan with a quiet snap, yet the sound made people apprehensive. "Those spies from Qing Qiu seemed to have penetrated deeply into Yong Zhou City. I don't know if their investigation has found out the lust fragrance."
Feng Qian Shuo looked at Feng Ming, whose smile was wiped away. He lightly asked: "Uncle, your business won't send disaster to Qi Jue Group and wipe away our family, right?"
Feng Ming's sharp gaze swept over the courtyard. He turned to the servant: "Where are they?"
The servant looked all around: "Strange......I just told two guardsmen to come here and assess the situation. How come they aren't here?"
Feng Ming's eyes slightly narrowed when he heard that. He looked around the entire courtyard and then waved his hand to beckon another guard forward: "Get this courtyard surrounded."
Yan Hui immediately lightly nudged Tian Yao with her elbow. She quietly whispered into his ear: "In a moment, I'm going to draw their attention. You take this opportunity while the courtyard isn't completely surrounded to find your dragon horns."
Yan Hui said those words so matter-of-factly. Truthfully, Tian Yao was already growing accustomed to this kind of planning. Because Yan Hui had magic now, she wanted to become stronger. She was more likely to face troublesome situations head-on. So of course, the dangerous matters should be left to her.
But when carefully thinking it over, this wasn't the proper nor right way. It wasn't right for the strong be placed in danger for the weak. Yan Hui did this because that was what Yan Hui wanted to do. She wanted to.......protect people.
Or in other words, protect him.
Tian Yao's gaze slightly faltered.
Yan Hui had already used the Escape Earth Technique to leap out. All of a sudden, she landed in the courtyard's southeast corner, which just happened to be opposite of where she came from. Yan Hui laughed: "Looking for someone? Looking for me?"
For a moment, everyone's eyes were drawn over to Yan Hui. Tian Yao didn't hesitate. With a flip of his body, he vaulted over the wall.
Yan Hui didn't even look at Tian Yao. She directly started talking to Feng Ming: "Master Feng Ming, I've been looking forward to meeting you."
Feng Ming's dark gaze locked onto Yan Hui. Suddenly his lips quirked into a sneer. That sneer combined with his aquiline nose made him seem especially sinister and treacherous: "Insect, trying to trick me?"
Feng Ming didn't finish talking when he thrust out his arm. There was only a "boom". The wall that Tian Yao had just flipped over was struck by Feng Ming's aura. It immediately collapsed.
Yan Hui was stunned. Her body flashed. She immediately threw herself over there and rushed straight into the dust cloud.
Waiting for the dust to settle, Yan Hui dragged Tian Yao back three steps to just outside the rubble area. She stood in front of Tian Yao to block him and somberly looked at Feng Ming.
When all was said and done, Qi Jue Group's second-in-command was well seasoned after encountering many challenging matters in the jianghu. Although he didn't practice xian cultivation, an ordinary person's martial arts can be cultivated into a strong inner power. Let alone a disciple who just entered a xian sect, even Yan Hui's shifus might to only be able to draw with Feng MIng.
The situation wasn't good.
"This silly little girl has some skill." Feng Ming darkly laughed. "From your inner breath's technique, you're actually a xian cultivator. Tell me, which sect's disciple are you, daring to come to my domain with ill-intention?"
Yan Hui smiled with narrowed eyes. Outwardly, she seemed calm and collected, but her back was covered in nervous sweat. It was just a brief moment of martial arts, yet he was able to tell she was from a xian sect, and not from a wulin group. It was a good thing she didn't perform any other moves. Otherwise, Feng Ming would see she was from Chen Xing Mountain, which would bring even more trouble.
After all, she didn't want people from Chen Xing Mountain to know what she had been doing.
Thus, Yan Hui only stayed quiet for a moment before lying without flinching: "I'm Zhenren Qi Yun's sect's disciple. Shifu Feng ordered me here to investigate the disappearance of numerous fox demons."
Feng Ming stilled at her words.
Lies must not be casually thrown about. If there wasn't absolute certainly that it wouldn't be exposed, then the truth was better off being said. The reason why Yan Hui said she was in Zhenren Qi Yun's sect was because she came in contact with Zhenren Qi Yun at Tong Luo Mountain. Yan Hui knew Qi Yun was someone who would let a snake demon go free, was a xian that would escort a little snake demon to Qing Qiu's border. Qi Yun didn't participate in any of the demon massacres the xian sects organized. With her last breath, she would even say "thank you" to a snake demon.
It was clear that in Zhenren Qi Yun's heart, she didn't approval of the hate shown toward demons. As this kind of person, then she definitely wouldn't allow her disciples to participate in the persecution toward fox demons.
Xian sects had well-informed people in the jianhu. They wouldn't ask someone for help without first finding out that person's character. Everyone could tell Zhenren Qi Yun's character. There was a very big probability that no one even told her about the fox demon matter.
There was no need to invite in censure. Zhenren Qi Yun might even become a hindrance.
With this inference and the current situation, Yan Hui saying she was the Zhenren Qi Yun's disciple was the best decision.
On one hand, Zhenren Qi Yun had disappeared for two months now. No one else knew where Zhenren Qi Yun was. Was she in seclusion or wandering? No one could say for sure. Although there were rumors she had moved on, but no one in the jianhu dared say for certain. Only Yan Hui, Tian Yao, and that disappeared-to-who-know-where snake demon know for sure that Zhenren Qi Yun had moved on.
No one else know where she was. Was she in seclusion or traveling? No one could say.
On the other hand, Zhenren Qi Yun's usual manner was disgust toward meaningless slaughter of demons. Thus, her ordering someone to investigate this matter would be something she would do.
Feng Ming had no reason to be suspicious.
"I actually couldn't tell." Feng Ming smiled, "So it was one of Zhenren Qi Yun's brilliant disciples."
"I don't dare. I'm an simply a minor disciple. I'm not close to being one of the top disciples. Zhenren trusts me to investigate this matter. I've been investigating around the clock these past few days, but somehow I found myself here at Master Feng Ming's place." Yan Hui paused. She smiled: "Zhenren was originally suspected some heretical cultivators were mass murdering fox demons for their neidan to cultivate......"
And having a relationship with heretical cultivators wasn't a good thing. Feng Ming immediately waved his hand and said: "Little disciple, you are unjustly accusing me. Every single fox demon here was arrested by xian sects and sent here. To prevent them from revolting, their neidans have been removed. Moreover, the neidans have all been handed over to Chen Xing Mountain to be destroyed. We have no relationship with the heretical cultivators. And I only use the fox demons' blood to refine into fragrance for the noblemens' pleasure.
The neidans have all been handed over to Chen Xing Mountain......
Yan Hui knitted her brows. Two months ago, Bai Xiao Lu's mother sought out Yan Hui to save her daughter from Xin Su Peak's prison. In other words, two months ago, Bai Xiao Lu's mother died here in Heavenly Fragrance, and Heavenly Fragrance had already started to make the lust fragrance.
At that time, there ought to have been many neidans being transported to Chen Xing Mountain. Destroying neidans wasn't an easy matter. Its destruction also resulted in the scattering of demon aura.
However, Yan Hui never saw any neidans being destroyed at Chen Xing Mountain during that time. She also never sensed a whiff of demon aura that would have burst forth during the destruction.
Was it......the shifus that did all of this?
This kind of activity had to get approval from Ling Xiao first. No one had the qualifications to hide it from Ling Xiao.
Did every single matter go through Ling Xiao for approval? Capturing fox demons, removing neidans, entering business with Feng Ming......
For a short while, Yan Hui became absent-minded.
It wasn't until Tian Yao nudged her that Yan Hui returned to her senses. She heard Feng Ming questioning her from afar: "If you want to know the fox demons' usefulness, then little disciple, you can freely ask me. Why use these methods?" Feng Ming's eyes narrowed. "Now that you have investigated what you wanted, perhaps you can allow me a question? Where did you get the token around your waist?"
Once those words fell, a murderous aura sprang up from all around.
Yan Hui inwardly steeled herself, but her outward appearance was still relaxed: "That's not important." She changed the topic. "But Master Feng, the xian sects have no objections toward you taking fox demon blood and refining it into fragrance. However if the demon race were to find out......."
Feng Ming sinisterly laughed out loud: "There's no need for you to worry." He took a step forward. The bitterly cold murderous aura was directed at Yan Hui. "But little disciple, if you don't say where you got the token, then it'll be easy for me to say you stole from my Heavenly Fragrance. Your shifu, Zhenren Qi Yun, didn't teach you well. Now you're in the jianghu, naturally someone will teach you a lesson in her place."
Looking at the circumstances, Yan Hui had to make a move.
Yan Hui's heart slightly sank. She turned her head and said to Tian Yao: "Find a place to hide. Protect yourself."
Tian Yao's gaze momentarily paused on Yan Hui's bright profile. He didn't get a change to say a word before suddenly from another part of the courtyard, came a clear and lively laugh:
"Uncle Feng Ming, what's going on? Why is there a murderous aura being directed at people? It really scared your nephew."
With just those words, Yan Hui knew the identify of the speaker. After all, people who could call Feng Ming "Uncle" and call oneself "his nephew" could only be one person, Qi Jue Group's head, Feng Qian Shuo.
Yan Hui had heard Xian Ge mention Feng Qian Shuo many times but had never once met him. And now listening to his voice, Yan Hui immediately understood how someone could so easily have one hundred concubines.
When Yan Hui turned her head and saw Feng Qian Shuo's appearance and bearing, she further understood how such an exceptional beauty like Xian Ge would be infatuated with him.
Feng Qian Shuo is someone who is instantly deemed a stunning man with just one look.
He wore an ivory changpao, a folded fan in hand, a jade amulet around his waist, and a pair of slightly upturned eyes that seemed to incite love.
Feng Ming's reaction was different from Yan Hui's stunned reaction. He simply laughed coldly: "This is getting strange now. What kind of wind is this, first blowing in this little xian disciple and now blowing in my little nephew. I really don't know how to react."
Feng Qian Shuo waved his fan. He slowly walked into the center of the courtyard. When he saw Yan Hui, he gave a bright smile: "I'm surprised this place has such a beauty." Saying so, Feng Qian Shuo walked to stand in front of Yan Hui. He seemed curious and looked at her closely. Then, he turned to face Feng Ming: "Originally, I wasn't going to come."
He stood in front of Yan Hui, like an accidental barrier between Feng Ming and Yan Hui. Feng Ming's murderous aura couldn't be let loose in front of Qi Jue Group's nominal "Master".
"It's just that there were a few pieces of news from the Group. The elders were worried by what they heard, so after relentless discussions, they urged me to come to Uncle's place."
Feng Ming narrowed his eyes: "What news would alarm the elders and you?"
"The first news is, Qing Qiu seemed to have lost their nine-tailed fox princess." Feng Qian Shuo continued to smile. "You know about Qing Qiu's nine-tailed foxes. The bloodline is very important. The borders are in an uproar. They sent a few waves of people into Central Plains to find news of their princess."
Feng Ming's cold smile slowly started to fade.
"As for the second news, I heard Uncle is doing some dangerous business." Fang Qian Shuo folded his fan with a quiet snap, yet the sound made people apprehensive. "Those spies from Qing Qiu seemed to have penetrated deeply into Yong Zhou City. I don't know if their investigation has found out the lust fragrance."
Feng Qian Shuo looked at Feng Ming, whose smile was wiped away. He lightly asked: "Uncle, your business won't send disaster to Qi Jue Group and wipe away our family, right?"
