Standing amidst the chaotic shadows of the courtyard, Shen Wan's first instinct was not to investigate but to turn and walk away.
She had never been a formidable fighter. Facing an opponent who could effortlessly infiltrate a sealed-off and secure storeroom, whose capabilities were unknown, charging in would likely be the most foolish choice.
Now, she had nothing left to gamble with but her life and possessions.
Half a quarter of an hour later, Shen Wan returned with her bodyguard and two hired guardians of the estate. After making preparations, they stormed the storeroom, only to find it in disarray—the thief had long since made a clean getaway.
Shen Wan stared at the heavily looted stockpile, lost for words, while her bodyguard muttered something under his breath, pacing circles in the storeroom. The two cultivators, tasked with guarding the estate, exchanged glances and shook their heads, having made up their minds.
"What, you're leaving!"
The bodyguard's voice was nearly shrill as he glared at the two abashed guardians, his handsome face contorting with anger, his eyes nearly spitting fire: "The storeroom has just been robbed, and you want to wash your hands of it, to kick us while we're down? Wait, could it be you..."
"Shen Liang!"
Before her own bodyguard could blurt out something foolish, Shen Wan stopped him with a gentle shake of her head: "It's just business, a matter of willing buyer, willing seller. Why say more about staying or leaving?"
This was what the two guardians preferred to hear. Employed by the Random Heart Pavilion, they had enjoyed a life of luxury, never expecting such a sudden and drastic turn of events. The Random Heart Pavilion was now at the mercy of others, its business plummeting, catching everyone off guard. The North Wilderness was a place that faced reality head-on; many had already left before them, and they had been wavering for a while. Now, they had simply made up their minds.
Perhaps their actions were not the most honorable, but since this was the way of the North Wilderness, it hardly mattered. They also had the confidence to act this way—one at the Initial Stage of Golden Elixir, the other at the Nature-Connecting Upper Stage. Together, they might well be a match for Shen Wan and Shen Liang.
This was the principle of the servant bullying the master.
Ultimately, the two guardians left, their recent wages withheld. But compared to the losses they had caused through their negligence, it was a mere pittance.
Shen Wan remained silent, busying herself with sorting through the wreckage of the storeroom, tallying the losses from the theft. Shen Liang followed her, looking at the disordered space with unease: "Sister, are we in a bad way this time?"
Shen Liang, in truth, was the male cousin of Shen Wan, a woman with whom he shared a particularly close bond. It was this relationship that allowed him to remain by her side, even when her fortunes waned. However, his constant devotion to his spiritual cultivation meant he often neglected the finer points of social interaction.
With a slight smile, Shen Wan remarked, "It's nothing serious. After that incident with Hun Liao, I've learned to keep the truly valuable items on me at all times. The things here are just bulky goods. No matter how extraordinary a thief's Storage Ring might be, they can't carry away much."
"That's a relief!" Shen Liang exhaled, revealing himself to be an easily comforted young man—at least in terms of his psychological age.
Yet Shen Wan's optimism wasn't as apparent as it seemed on the surface. She understood all too well that in the North Wilderness, business was never just about profit and loss or the procurement of goods. If she couldn't find a suitable entry point soon, she would face a dim future, fading away without ever achieving prominence.
How could she resign herself to such a fate?
※※※
While Shen Wan was preoccupied with worries about her future, Yu Ci found himself scratching his head over a matter related to her.
He had been engaged in his evening studies, deeply immersed in meditation, when Shadow Ghost abruptly roused him to witness a spectacle unfolding in the city. The event in question was the very theft at Shen Wan's place, and the details were far more complete than what was publicly known.
"What in the world is this fellow up to?"
Ever since he had "overheard" the conversation between Spiritual Witch and Boss Fifth He, Yu Ci had kept the fleeing figure, who had scattered powder in his wake, in mind. Although his attempt at embedding his divine consciousness starlight had failed, dissipating after six hours, Yu Ci now had a tireless "partner" in Shadow Ghost. By keeping a watchful eye on the Divine Chart, they employed the simple tactic of waiting patiently for their prey, which ultimately led them to their target.
Yu Ci was almost certain of this individual's identity. This "Big Shot," the instigator of chaos in the North, was clearly visible in every action under the illumination of the Divine Chart.
Yu Ci watched as the intruder scattered the valuable treasures of the storeroom, creating the appearance of a burglar's visit. However, the thief's objective was unmistakably clear. Upon entering the storeroom, he immediately searched through the mountainous piles of goods, swiftly locating and securing a particular item, as if he had known its exact location all along.
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As for the subsequent actions, they were merely a smokescreen. Thereafter, the figure, just like before, desperately fled the city at breakneck speed.
Yu Ci could understand this reaction. With the threat of that unfathomable Spiritual Witch looming, he too would have fled for his life. In fact, he wouldn't have even embarked on this night's venture in the first place.
After all, if one never returns, wouldn't they escape the attention of such a formidable character?
With a moment's contemplation, Yu Ci's form rose like a specter, and he swiftly cast upon himself a Materializing and Dematerializing Flying Talisman. This talisman's effects were akin to the Five Elements Escape Technique, allowing one to soar through the skies and burrow into the earth, to stride upon water and step through fire, and it even possessed a subsidiary function of invisibility. With this charm, he quickly vanished into the deep earthen layers of the Stone Chamber. The Seal of the "Hundred-Turns Inn" posed no obstacle to him.
To track the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit, Yu Ci had two options: pursue him in person or release a Mental Image. The latter was more convenient but had its range limitations, so he decided to go in person.
Empowered by the Materializing and Dematerializing Flying Talisman, and guided by the wondrous Divine Chart, Yu Ci navigated the labyrinthine underground passages with serpentine agility. His speed outstripped his quarry by a third, and at this rate, it wouldn't take half an hour to intercept him.
But what then, once he had caught up?
Even now, his curiosity outweighed his intent to take action.
There was another reason for his pursuit: the reputation of the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit was simply too illustrious. Regardless of his actual Cultivation Level, the name had been linked to the legendary "Underworld Secret Mansion" three to five years prior, suggesting a hidden and treasure-laden Cultivation Cave Heaven. It was a target that could drive all Cultivators in the world to madness. Yu Ci was aware that many, including the Lichen Sect, had dispatched elite Cultivators like Xie Yan and Elder Jie Liang to travel thousands of miles to join the hunt.
One could say that the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit's connections spanned the nerves of nearly the entire Cultivation World, and Yu Ci, as he stands now, truly had no business meddling in such affairs. To even slightly brush against the edge of this matter was to risk being crushed into nothingness by the surging tide of people behind it.
Yu Ci watched the images in the Divine Chart with indecision. Thus, he simply followed along, curious to see what the other party had in mind.
Unwittingly, Yu Ci found himself far from the boundaries of Yin Cave City. The figure ahead showed no signs of stopping, and the route became more complex, weaving in larger circles through vast, lifeless territories of silence. Had Yu Ci's control over the Divine Chart not improved from before, he might have been shaken off.
Estimating the time, it was nearing dawn when the Divine Chart suddenly changed. At the edge of the monotonous landscape, a burst of firelight appeared, and along with it, a new starlight parasitic object emerged.
A bonfire in an underground cave? Could anything be more suspicious?
Sure enough, the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit altered his previous complex trajectory and headed straight for the source of the fire. In no time, he appeared within the range of the firelight's glow.
"Brother, you've worked hard."
A person by the fire stood up, greeting with a warm smile. The Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit hummed in response, approached the fire, exhaled deeply, and sat down cross-legged. The other person attentively offered specially prepared beverages and fruits, evidently ready to rendezvous here.
The usually solitary Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit had a companion?
Although Yu Ci had some inkling when the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit made a beeline for the bonfire, the reality of the situation left him utterly astounded. Surely Lingxi knew how sensitive his identity was and the enormous secret he carried. How could he possibly confide and collaborate with someone else under these circumstances?
Amidst his doubts, the person meeting with the hermit affectionately called him "Brother" with great familiarity:
"Brother, have you gotten your hands on that thing?"
"Mhm."
The Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit's response was as terse as ever, his demeanor somewhat aloof. However, he then took out something yellow and lustrous and tossed it across the fire. The receiver, not expecting such generosity from the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit, fumbled in surprise, nearly knocking the object into the fire. After finally securing it, both he and the distant Yu Ci could clearly see the item's true form.
At first glance, the yellowish object appeared to be a crudely made bronze statue with indistinct contours, making it difficult to discern what it actually was. Upon closer inspection, it seemed as though a layer of copper had been plated over the original statue, and beyond that, there were no other traces to be found.
The man who had received the item played with it in his hands, and couldn't help but express his admiration, "Big brother truly has divine skills. I just don't understand, how did you manage to find this?"
"It was nothing special, just the use of spices," replied the Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit with an indifferent tone, yet there was an undeniable pride in his voice. "Back when I was cornered with no way out, I had no choice but to hide this object among the various goods at the Random Heart Pavilion, hoping to deceive the heavens and cross the sea undetected. Before that, I had coated the outside of the Mystical Bronze with 'Harmonizing Agilawood', a scentless and colorless spice, but when it comes into contact with the 'Harmonizing Floating Fragrance', which shares similar properties but is refined in a completely opposite manner, it emits a unique aroma.
"At the Three Families Market, I sprinkled 'Harmonizing Floating Fragrance' on Shen Wan's dress, waiting for her to come into contact with the goods. As soon as the two scents mingled, even if the Mystical Bronze was hidden in her Storage Ring, it wouldn't escape my notice! It just never occurred to me that she would leave it untouched in the warehouse, which actually saved me some trouble."
The other man quickly lavished praise, "Big brother, your mastery in the art of Bewitching Fragrance is truly unparalleled..."
The Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit smiled faintly, casually took a branch from beside the campfire, stirred it twice to stoke the flames, and then said, "Little brother, you've been calling me 'big brother' so much lately, it's about time I teach you something."
The man known as 'little brother' was taken aback, "What is it?"
The Ethereal Rhinoceros Hermit spoke lightly of the Underground Tunnels, "This 'Harmonizing Sinking and Floating Fragrance', if tainted with a bit of honey and mixed with smoke, will instantly activate its toxic properties, causing one's body to go limp, and muscles and bones to turn mushy. When used on a beautiful woman, it creates a perfectly charming and unique atmosphere. But when used on a grown man, it's like casting a bright pearl into darkness, utterly pointless."
Before he finished speaking, there was a thud; little brother had collapsed to the ground.
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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free]: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e