Chapter Eighteen: Setting the Trap

At some unknown moment, the door had already been opened. Xu Yuanming stood before it, expressionless as he stared at Bai Ci.

*Clang!*

Suddenly, Xu Yuanming drew his long sword, the blade pointing coldly at Bai Ci’s forehead. “What are you trying to do?” he asked icily.

Bai Ci waved his hand and was about to speak, but then he noticed the surrounding area was sealed tight, with sword qi hidden in the shadows everywhere. It seemed that any slight movement would result in him being pierced through.

With a smile, he said, “Brother Lü, are you angry? If you have a magnanimous heart, might you forgive this humble one?”

After his words, the sword qi grew even more formidable.

Seeing that Xu Yuanming gave no response, Bai Ci raised both hands above his head. “Alright, alright, I won’t tease you any longer. I’ll be here recently, so if there’s anything, come find me.”

Xu Yuanming snorted coldly and sheathed his sword. As the blade slid to its sheath’s end, it transformed into sparkling light and dispersed.

Bai Ci said nothing more, merely smiling at Jie Peiling as they stepped out.

Jie Peiling felt overwhelmed. How could a simple trip outside lead to such chaos?

He then recalled the earlier events and looked at Xu Yuanming questioningly.

“Wuguo Temple ranks extremely high in Huming Prefecture, yet I’ve never heard of that Kuozhen Sect. Why is that? Those monks have such good tempers.”

Xu Yuanming glanced at him knowingly. “Perhaps.”

After they left, Jie Peiling couldn’t understand why Xu Yuanming was so deliberately slow. Suddenly, Xu Yuanming turned into an alleyway, and the two followed. A few people trailing them also slipped into the alley.

The middle-aged man leading them sneered, “I never expected this. You don’t flee but wait for us to come knocking.”

“I said: beg for death, or die,” Xu Yuanming said calmly, turning his head.

The middle-aged man’s face twisted with malice. “You’re asking for it!”

No sooner had he spoken than an invisible sword qi appeared out of thin air, piercing through their bodies instantly.

—

At that moment, two monks from Wuguo Temple approached from nearby. Seeing the scene, they lowered their heads and chanted sutras, ending with a sigh.

“What a needless tragedy.”

Jie Peiling looked at them oddly, surprised that the Wuguo Temple’s people were nearby.

Xu Yuanming sighed.

“Truly a master. Worried about Kuozhen Sect’s ambush, he stayed hidden to protect us. Otherwise, Wuguo Temple wouldn’t shine so brilliantly today.”

The elder monk said nothing. Among the three dead was the Kuozhen Sect’s elder, formidable though weaker than him, yet such a figure could not land a single strike against this youth wearing a bamboo hat concealing his identity.

He searched his mind for cultivators around twenty years old in Huming Prefecture with similar strength but recalled only a few. Others had appeared elsewhere recently, too far from Yunan City to arrive in such short time. This place was very close to Yingtian Taoist Temple, raising suspicions.

Yet, the temple’s rules were strict. The elder monk knew the senior disciple was upright and rarely broke rules. Still, this unknown cultivator resembled the senior disciple the most and was the prime suspect.

Moreover, since the other side deliberately concealed their identity, it signified a wish to keep unknown. Judging by this, the person could only be the senior disciple of Yingtian Taoist Temple. But why act this way?

Xu Yuanming produced the porcelain vase from the auction house and pointed, placing it in the elder monk’s hands.

Suddenly, flames rose from the alley. Wind stirred, and ashes floated through the air.

The elder monk and the young monk stood their ground.

The young monk spoke softly, “Master, we cannot delay. We must tend to the people first.”

The elder nodded without a word.

……

Though Jie Peiling had long known Xu Yuanming’s intentions, thoughts never perfectly matched reality.

His mind drifted to the sword that pierced a body without staining the wall or ground with blood. Clearly, all was intentional.

Jie Peiling pondered: If he possessed such strength, what if he encountered that woman in plain clothes again?

Could he, like now, sever her head with a single sword stroke in an instant?

Was this sword’s style kind and gentle?

Xu Yuanming saw what Jie Peiling was thinking and smiled. “You will be able to do that someday.”

The young monk looked at his master and quietly asked, “Master, are they from Yingtian Taoist Temple?”

The elder shook his head. “Yingtian Taoist Temple acts openly and honorably outside. They would never behave like this.”

The young monk was puzzled and asked again, “Then who could they be?”

The elder gazed into the distance, murmuring, “Perhaps someone from outside Huming Prefecture, like that Young Master Bai.”

He had known from the start—such coincidences do not exist in this world. Moreover, medicinal pills dissolved into liquid are rare and require exquisite technique; many effects are lost in the process. Such items are mostly sold to wealthy families who gouge prices mercilessly. It’s hardly worth auctioning. The wealthy present were reasonable, but the cultivators were the same; they had no need for such things.

Today, no surprises: it was all a play arranged by Young Master Bai. From beginning to end, he directed everything. When they learned Wuguo Temple needed such items, the plot’s outline was clear. Why the information reached them so precisely? It was obvious—both sides knew but kept silent. No one expected the Kuozhen Sect’s young master, who hunted geese daily, to be pecked in the eye this time.

Jie Peiling and Xu Yuanchong left the alley. About ten minutes later, they saw a figure leap down from a carriage, running and waving vigorously. Bathed in sunlight, the man exuded a bright, carefree aura.

He relaxed slightly. Jie Peiling had feared their prior actions were discovered. Seeing Xu Yuanming’s companion, he raised his palm high.

Jie Peiling, puzzled, nonetheless clapped his palm against the offered hand.

As he approached, Jie Peiling could see the young man was handsome and full of youthful vitality.

“Hello, I am Ye Zhuying. Are you a friend of Brother Xu?”

Jie Peiling glanced at Xu Yuanming, who nodded.

He understood and said, “I am his junior disciple.”

Ye Zhuying smiled. “As expected of Brother Xu’s junior, even with a bamboo hat, you are remarkable. Such brilliance cannot be concealed!”