The Azure Mountain

Chapter 110: The Hunter and the Hunted

The bluestone paved road was sprinkled with a layer of white moonlight, like a layer of gentle muslin.

The tense, swords-drawn-and-bows-bent atmosphere was also brushed away by the clear breeze.

Chen Ji sheathed the short blade. Looking at Commandery Princess Baili in front of him, he asked softly: "How long did you guys plot to secretly help me?"

Bai Li picked at the pouch at her waist somewhat embarrassedly: "A day and a half."

Chen Ji wondered: "Why didn't I notice you guys discussing these matters?"

Bai Li explained: "Every time you came back, it was only during the day, looking exhausted. As soon as you returned you would dive into your bedroom to sleep. We only discussed it quietly in the courtyard while you were sleeping."

"Weren't you guys afraid that I was going gambling?"

"Not afraid. You are absolutely not the gambler they speak of."

"Thank you."

Chen Ji could imagine this group of people sitting in a circle around the Eight Immortals table, whispering privately to each other.Childish yet sincere.

Chen Ji glanced at Liang Gou'er: "By the way, how much money did you guys pool together to get Big Brother Gou'er to take action and help? The kiln factory dividends haven't been received yet, aren't you guys all out of money?"

The Prince Heir chuckled happily: "Ten taels of silver. Bai Li and I indeed have no money left. These ten taels of silver were actually taken out by Liu Quxing. You didn't see it, but when Liu Quxing ripped that silver ingot out from the interlayer of his clothes, his face was completely twisted."

Chen Ji was at a loss for words for a moment. He remained silent for a long time before saying in disbelief: "Liu Quxing?"

The Prince Heir laughed heartily: "We agreed that everyone would put in two taels of silver. This counts as him helping to front the money first. When the kiln factory dividends are distributed, we will return the silver to him."

Bai Li asked: "Chen Ji, what difficulties did you actually encounter..."

She took a step forward, but Chen Ji took a step back: "Commandery Princess, I cannot say. Perhaps one day I will tell you guys everything, but definitely not now. I'll leave first, there are still very important matters tonight."

"But Big Brother Gou'er can help you."

"No need."

Having said that, Chen Ji was seen taking steps back, ultimately turning around and leaving with large strides, disappearing at the end of the long street.

Hugging the long saber in his arms, Liang Gou'er leaned his body slantingly against the wall. He gazed at Chen Ji's back figure, not knowing what he was thinking about.

At this time, Bai Li gathered her courage and wanted to continue following, but was stopped by Liang Gou'er pressing the saber sheath against her collarbone: "Commandery Princess, don't follow anymore. It's best if you don't get involved in his matters."

Bai Li looked at Liang Gou'er in astonishment: "Why?"

Liang Gou'er smiled: "If a normal person encountered difficulties, why would they refuse my help? Unless the difficulties he encountered came from the Eunuch Faction. Chen Ji is either someone from the Eunuch Faction, or someone who is an enemy of the Eunuch Faction. He is very clear that I won't help either of these two types of people."

"But..."

Liang Gou'er suddenly said: "I'm afraid both the Prince Heir and the Commandery Princess still don't know what kind of figure is hiding beside you."

The Prince Heir was puzzled: "What do you mean?"

Hugging the long saber, Liang Gou'er glanced at the two: "This kid has absolutely killed people, and he has killed more than one person. Whether a person has killed before or not, their eyes are completely different... Do the two of you know about this matter?"

The Prince Heir and Bai Li looked at each other.

The Prince Heir clearly remembered how the mysterious person chopped apart the secret spy's long saber that night in Red Clothe Lane, and even saw the other party swing three times consecutively.

Therefore, when Chen Ji severed the saber in Bai Li's hands, the Prince Heir already knew Chen Ji's identity.

Of course Chen Ji had killed people, and it was even done right in front of him.

The Prince Heir hesitated for a moment, recalling Bai Li's unusual behavior recently, and asked in a low voice: "Bai Li, did you discover it long ago?"

Bai Li let out an "En".

The Prince Heir sighed with emotion: "No wonder... Big Brother Gou'er, we know Chen Ji has killed people. Although we are still not sure of his identity, this doesn't affect us becoming friends with him."

Liang Gou'er sighed: "His identity might be even more complex than the two of you imagine."

"What do you mean?"

Liang Gou'er explained: "Bai Li and the Prince Heir don't understand the Martial Dao, so you have no concept of this kid's saber technique. But have you ever seen a saber technique that doesn't use brute force, but only uses skillful force to casually sever someone's weapon? That was a slash sufficient to amaze many blade masters for a lifetime. It has nothing to do with strength realm; speaking only of that skill, ordinary people wouldn't be able to learn it even if they wanted to."

"The key is, who taught him this saber technique?"

Liang Gou'er looked towards the end of the long street: "Fang Yuwu? Or Li Zechong? No, neither of them can do it..."

"Big Brother Gou'er, can you do it?"

"Of course I can!"

...

...

Chen Ji searched past the signboards one by one, and only after seeing Chai's Grain and Oil Shop did he turn into the gloomy and dark small alley nearby.

The moment he turned in, he saw dozens of pairs of glowing green eyes looking over from the darkness.

Chen Ji's scalp tingled. He couldn't distinguish which pair of eyes in the darkness belonged to Wu Yun, so he could only probe softly: "Wu Yun?"

No cat responded, they only continued to stare at him faintly, motionless.

One pair of eyes among them vigorously blinked at him several times.

After remaining silent for a moment, Chen Ji probed again: "Nine Heavens Responding Origin Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Heavenly Venerate?"

The next second, a pair of glowing green eyes was seen emerging from the crowd, walking out of the darkness and into the moonlight, meowing arrogantly and coldly: "What did you seek me out for?"

Chen Ji coughed lightly: "Um, I have some matters I wish to report to you alone."

Wu Yun turned her head and meowed at the dozens of pairs of eyes in the darkness, and those eyes were seen slowly disappearing into the darkness.

Wu Yun waited for a moment, and then jumped into Chen Ji's embrace, saying happily: "What name was that just now? It sounded so majestic!"

Chen Ji smiled and said: "That is the Daoist title of the highest heavenly deity of the Thunder Department, who governs life, death, withering, and flourishing, rewards good and punishes evil, controls the clouds and rain, slays demons and subdues devils, and commands the thunder."

Wu Yun's profound respect was aroused: "So fierce! In the future, when other cats are present, can you just call me by this name?"

Chen Ji was silent.

Wu Yun hurriedly said: "When we get home I can massage your legs!"

Chen Ji remained silent.

"Step on your back!"

"Deal, but there's no need for you to massage my legs or step on my back," Chen Ji smiled and rubbed Wu Yun's head, asking: "Why haven't you returned to the clinic these past few days?"

Wu Yun thought for a moment and said: "Master said the Qi mechanism of the Liang Family saber technique has already been cultivated on my body. If I stay in the clinic, it would be sensed by Liang Gou'er."

Chen Ji: "Ah?"

She actually learned it?!

Chen Ji asked curiously: "As long as you cultivate the same pathway, will you sense each other upon meeting?"

Wu Yun answered: "Master said, when people cultivating the same pathway meet for the first time, their hearts will inevitably palpitate, like meeting natural enemies."

He suddenly remembered that after he used ginseng to resolve the ice flow for the first time, the instant he saw Old Yao, his heart had palpitated, as if being stared at by a ferocious tiger.

So, at that moment Master had already known he had stepped into cultivation, yet he still thought others didn't know.

Therefore, if he encounters Lu Yang from the Jing Dynasty Martial Temple in the future, the other party would immediately know he was also cultivating the Sword Seed Pathway the first time they met, and then split him wide open with a single sword slash?

"Let's talk business," Chen Ji looked at Wu Yun and said: "You have to do me a favor."

"What favor?"

"Borrow a sword, and kill a few people."

...

...

On the night of the appointment with Liu Mingxian, Chen Ji returned to the Zhou residence as agreed.

There were no clouds today. Under the pitch-black night, he stood in front of the red-lacquered main doors, put on the tiger mask, picked up the beast-head door knocker on the door and knocked.

The main doors opened wide, revealing densely packed black-clothed secret spies sitting cross-legged on the ground in the Zhou residence courtyard, wiping their respective waist sabers.

When Chen Ji stepped inside, each secret spy silently watched him with cold eyes while wiping their long sabers, their gazes slowly tracking his footsteps.

Jin Zhu came out from the study and said with a beaming smile: "You are quite punctual."

Chen Ji asked in puzzlement: "Lord, aren't we supposed to disguise as the Department Head to meet Liu Mingxian tonight? Why have you summoned so many secret spies, and even put on such a murderous appearance?"

Jin Zhu explained with a smile: "Originally, I also wanted to follow your plan, having Xi Feng disguise as the Department Head to slowly extract some information from Liu Mingxian. But later, on second thought, although the Jing Dynasty thieves haven't contacted the Liu family now, it doesn't mean they will never contact them. The moment they make contact, our cover will be blown."

Jin Zhu continued: "To avoid long delays causing many problems, as long as Liu Mingxian comes to the appointment tonight, it will have already verified his suspicion of colluding with the Jing Dynasty. Even if I arrest him, the Liu family won't have anything to say. When the time comes, I only need to bring Liu Mingxian to the Inner Prison. With Meng Ji around, I'm not afraid he won't confess."

Chen Ji froze: "Meng Ji? Lord has invited Meng Ji from Kaifeng Prefecture?"

Jin Zhu asked absentmindedly: "What's wrong, is there anything inappropriate?"

Chen Ji smiled: "No, what I mean is that as long as Lord Meng Ji is here, Liu Mingxian naturally won't have any way to quibble."

Jin Zhu said with profound meaning: "Indeed, with Meng Ji making a move, it's absolutely foolproof."

Chen Ji asked: "Lord, since You have already changed the plan, does it mean you no longer need me? You also know I am merely a medical clinic apprentice lacking the strength to even truss a chicken, unsuitable to participate in the arrest operation."

However, as soon as he spoke, two secret spies were seen standing up from the ground, slowly walking to Chen Ji's side and faintly restraining him.

Chen Ji's expression turned stern, and he abruptly turned his head to look at Jin Zhu: "Lord, what is the meaning of this?"

The next moment, all the secret spies sitting cross-legged on the ground silently stood up. Holding their long sabers, they looked around like eagles and wolves.

It seemed that in the small courtyard tonight, everyone was a hunter, and only Chen Ji was the prey.

Jin Zhu patted Chen Ji's shoulder and said: "Brother, you still have to cooperate with us and continue acting. After all, we must lure Liu Mingxian out first. Also, don't overthink it, I know you lack the strength to truss a chicken, so these two colleagues beside you are specifically dispatched to protect you."

Chen Ji asked: "Lord, are You sure they are here to protect me?"

Jin Zhu smiled: "Otherwise?"

Having said that, he looked at the secret spies in the courtyard and said coldly: "Tonight, we must apprehend Liu Mingxian and bring him to justice. As long as you are fierce and brave when catching the thief, you naturally won't lack rewards once we succeed. Move out!"

The heavy vermilion lacquered main doors of the Zhou residence were pulled open by someone again, and the secret spies filed out one by one.

The two secret spies sheathed their long sabers, their voices icy cold: "Let's go, Lord. Don't make things difficult for us."

Chen Ji's features were hidden beneath that tiger mask. After a long silence: "Alright."

(End of Chapter)