Shen Wen leaned against the window. The small window had been sealed shut. He raised an eyebrow and suddenly drew a dagger from his sleeve. With a flash of the blade, the wooden latch on the window broke.

With a clear sound, the window creaked open, revealing the full moon outside.

Satisfied, Shen Wen rested his arm on the outer edge. "It's all quiet on the city walls, turning into a ghost town. With wine at hand, what is there to fear?"

The wind had already died down, but there was a commotion not far away.

Hu Li sat not far from the window, facing Shen Wen. He had witnessed everything that happened outside the window just now. Shen Wen nonchalantly tilted his head back and said, "Being timid and hesitant won't accomplish anything."

The person outside the room was one of the guards from the Heima Escort Agency, named Shi Yun. The other person wore a mask, but judging from his figure, he seemed to be an adult man.

Seeing Hu Li remain silent, Shen Wen found some conversation. "Was that person just now an acquaintance of yours?"

Hu Li stood up and said, "Master Shen, it's late. Hu Li will retire first."

Shen Wen nodded, watching Hu Li's departing figure with a smile.

The light at the end of the corridor flickered, casting eerie shadows. Hu Li didn't go directly back to his room but knocked on Jiang Yu's door instead.

Jiang Yu stepped aside to let him in.

After closing the door, Jiang Yu asked, "Did you find anything?"

"You already knew?" Hu Li suddenly felt like all his actions were within Jiang Yu's grasp. Whether he hid anything was subjective, but whether he could hide anything depended on Jiang Yu's ability. After saying this, Hu Li didn't wait for Jiang Yu's answer. He chose a seat and continued, "Shen Wen was drinking in the lobby earlier."

Jiang Yu raised an eyebrow. Hu Li went on, "The Shen family followed those two to Shangyong City. They weren't here for the treasure of Shangyong, nor were they interested in the map on me."

"Do you believe what Shen Wen said?" Jiang Yu asked.

"Lord Jiang knows better than I do whether it's trustworthy or not."

"You're getting smart," Jiang Yu chuckled. "I met Shen Wen once in the capital. He's always straightforward, so he can be trusted."

"And the involvement of the Heima Escort Agency with Shangyong City may not be as simple as we thought."

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"What do you mean?" Jiang Yu asked.

"Do you remember last night? We only saw three guards from the Heima Escort Agency, but Shi Yun was missing. Just now, I saw that guard and a mysterious person with a mask talking outside the inn."

"Perhaps my master isn't in their hands after all."

Jiang Yu extended his right hand, palm facing up, with a piece of paper lying in the center.

Hu Li took it, unfolded it, and felt an urge to rush out and hack someone to pieces.

The message was like seeing my own.

Master is in trouble, taking the lead. Yao Guang and Broken Umbrella Master have taken him away.

Don't look for him, don't worry.

Flower Peacock is indeed unable to withstand the loneliness in Shangyong City. Hu Li recalled the sudden change of heart from Bai Huaishui this morning and felt indignant. He realized that Bai Huaishui had made up his mind back then, planning to leave when no one was watching.

Hu Li stuffed the note into his pocket and composed himself.

At least, a weight in his heart had been lifted. That group of people didn't have any leverage over them.

Hu Li poured a cup of tea and handed it to Jiang Yu, whispering, "Why not try your luck tonight, Lord Jiang?"

It was just past midnight, and the overcast sky obscured the full moon.

Two figures stood on the roof, one landing just as the other stood up.

Hu Li and the other person covered their faces with cloth and changed their clothes. This kind of thing was easy for Hu Li, like a walk in the park in Yanzhen City. With the pretext of watching the show, he glanced at Jiang Yu, who was currently the hottest figure by the Emperor's side.

Hu Li was looking forward to seeing how Jiang Yu would handle this.

Jiang Yu, however, had a serious expression, showing no signs of feeling awkward about going from a Jin Yiwei to a common thief.

The two stood on the roof, Hu Li crouching down carefully and picking up a tile. Light leaked from the gap, allowing the room's interior to be seen.

Jiang Yu stood, feeling movement at the inn's entrance. Someone was looking around before circling around to the back of the inn. Jiang Yu slightly bent his body, taking advantage of the darkness and the half-covered roof.

After a while, he followed suit.

Inside the room, only candles were burning, but there was no one there. Hu Li put the tile back in place and dashed out to follow.

It was already late at night, and anyone wandering around Shangyong City at this hour was either a ghost or had something to hide.

The inn was at the end of an alley, and there was a bamboo forest on the left. However, compared to the one behind Qinglong Temple, this one was much smaller and looked very eerie.

The two men moved quietly, staying about ten steps away from the person.

They found a mound of earth to hide behind, and Hu Li peeked out with his eyes.

"It's a guard from the Heima Escort Agency," Jiang Yu said. "He must be waiting for someone."

It was too dark to see clearly, but Hu Li noticed a silhouette and quickly turned back, whispering, "Shi Yun has something in his hands. He was seen by me and Shen Wen just now. It seems urgent, as they agreed to meet again."

Suddenly, Jiang Yu pressed down on Hu Li's shoulder.

Someone was coming.

The person emerged from the depths of the bamboo forest. He wasn't in a hurry and walked slowly.

Shi Yun remained calm and waited for the person to approach.

"No one followed," the person said, "Did you bring the goods?"

Shi Yun gestured, indicating the box in his hand.

The person weighed the box for a moment, then took something out from his pocket and threw it into Shi Yun's arms, muttering to himself, "Everyone from Shangyong is here."

"Since you said everyone is here, why not meet us face to face," Jiang Yu said loudly, drawing his sword halfway from its sheath, appearing in front of the two.

Hu Li stood to Jiang Yu's right, holding his long knife close to his chest.

The person still wore a mask and said coldly, "Shangyong City is haunted at night. Are you two looking for death coming out so late?"

"Of course, coming out late at night is to catch ghosts, and we've just run into one," Hu Li mocked.

The person didn't get angry but laughed. "No need to provoke me with words. But it's also good. Since you've come to me, I won't have to go looking for you two."

Seeing the situation turn, Shi Yun tried to leave the scene.

The person raised his left hand slightly in the air. Shi Yun clasped his hands to his neck, his chin lifted.

This was some strange and sinister martial art. Hu Li had never seen anything like it.

The person seemed to grow bored, chuckling twice. He tightened his grip, and the sound of bones dislocating spread through the night. Shi Yun fell to the ground, lifeless.

"Put the goods on him. Whether you deliver them or not, it's a dead end," the person said.

Hu Li frowned, his long knife already drawn.

"You're too arrogant," Jiang Yu said.

Jiang Yu shifted slightly to his side, taking a few steps closer to keep a favorable distance.

Shi Yun was only three steps away from the person just now.

Even if it was a real ghost, only they could truly grab things from thin air.

This person was just skilled in internal martial arts and practiced some sinister techniques, ruthless and aiming for a fatal blow.

Hu Li stood behind Jiang Yu.

A direct confrontation would be like hitting a stone with an egg, only by catching them off guard would there be a chance of winning.