Chapter 226: Chapter 171: Just Up and Leave (Part 2)

Since her Gang Qi showed no obvious change compared to before, Tian Yun really couldn’t be sure.

“How should I put it? I’d say it was about ninety percent successful…” Zou Feng said. “But it seems she didn’t fully trust me and was unwilling to take that final step here.”

“Of course, it’s also possible she’s intentionally saving that last step to give Wang Wenjing a surprise later.”

After saying this, Zou Feng immediately checked the List of Gods again.

“Available targets for transference: Li Li, Jiang Bai, Wang Wenjing, Ji Zhixian, Xiao Fan, Du Changjin.”

Seeing this, a troubled expression crossed Zou Feng’s face.

Ever since settling in Qingchuan City, he had offended quite a few powerful figures by helping people remove poisons.

But since Zou Feng practiced his Evil Skill relentlessly every day, these figures had been all but consumed.

That was why, when he had checked the List of Gods previously, there were only three names on it: Li Li, Jiang Bai, and Wang Wenjing.

The Poison Cultivator, Li Li, was a stubborn holdout—Zou Feng’s ace in the hole.

Jiang Bai was a gang leader in Qingchuan City and a Gang Qi Realm Martial Artist, but he likely wouldn’t be able to withstand the toll of Zou Feng’s Evil Skill now.

Besides, Zou Feng had been keeping Wang Wenjing at the top of the list recently, so he hadn’t used Jiang Bai.

But the names after them—Ji Zhixian, Xiao Fan, and Du Changjin—were new additions.

’Three new names appearing at once? It would be a miracle if they weren’t the reinforcements Wang Wenjing found.’

Zou Feng didn’t need to think twice to guess that among the three, at least two were at the Fifth Grade.

After all, he had easily killed two of Wang Wenjing’s Sixth Grade subordinates. It stood to reason she wouldn’t hire more ordinary Sixth Grade Martial Artists to deal with him.

“Sister Yun, we can’t stay here any longer. We leave for Yuan Guang County at once!” Zou Feng said to Tian Yun decisively.

Tian Yun didn’t question his decision. “Alright,” she said with a nod. “I’ll just pack a few things.”

The journey from the Southern Border back to Yuan Guang County in Jiangnan Prefecture would normally take about twenty days, even at their pace.

Although they could save a significant amount of time by cutting through the Nanling Mountain Range and Qifeng Mountain,

they had gotten lost deep within Qifeng Mountain last time, and there was no guarantee it wouldn’t happen again.

Therefore, the safest option was to take the detour and follow the official roads back.

While Tian Yun went to pack her things, Zou Feng naturally had to gather his own necessities.

But he had very few belongings—just some poisons and the so-called Immortal Treasure Bottle.

As for the Poison Skill Secret Manuals, he already knew them by heart, so he simply destroyed them on the spot.

But aside from these items, there was one more thing he needed to bring along—or at least check in with.

He walked briskly to the back of the house and snapped his fingers.

A moment later, the soil at his feet began to shift, and a strange, all-green insect burrowed its way out. It was Xiaolv, which was essentially Zou Feng’s Lifebound Gu Insect.

“Follow me, and don’t stray too far. We have a long journey ahead of us.”

Xiaolv’s already impressive Spiritual Wisdom had grown, so it had no trouble understanding the gist of Zou Feng’s words.

The insect was capable of almost anything—flying through the air, burrowing into the earth, and diving into water—and it was exceptionally skilled at Concealment.

It also shared a strange connection with Zou Feng, allowing them to sense each other even from a great distance.

Because of this, Zou Feng never worried about the little fellow getting lost.

But this journey was an exceptionally long one, so it was safer to keep it nearby.

Upon hearing Zou Feng’s command, Xiaolv vigorously flapped its transparent wings and then dove straight into his sleeve.

Zou Feng was well aware that Xiaolv could already be used as a special hidden weapon against his enemies.

For now, however, it wasn’t necessary. The risk was too great.

Admittedly, Xiaolv’s venom was so potent that even Zou Feng himself dared not underestimate it.

Its speed was incredible, its evasion was maxed out, and the power of its Poison Fangs and tail stinger was beyond question.

But its weakness was also quite obvious and could be summed up in one word: fragile.

One couldn’t expect a small insect with no special exoskeleton to withstand a full-powered strike from a Gang Qi Realm Martial Artist.

Thus, Zou Feng was truly reluctant to use Xiaolv as a hidden weapon.

He would be better off continuing to raise it, allowing its poison to evolve. He could also hope that Xiaolv might one day evolve past its squishy nature.

And so, Zou Feng and Tian Yun quickly finished their packing.

With just a simple bundle each, they left without a moment’s delay.

As for the property they had purchased in Qingchuan City, they didn’t worry about it for now. They could have a subordinate deal with it later or simply ask Murong Yunhai to help.

Once outside, Zou Feng hired a nearby horse-drawn carriage.

Qingchuan City was massive, and it was a long way to the North City Gate.

While using Qinggong would certainly be faster, it would be far too conspicuous for him and Tian Yun to sprint through the city, which could attract unwanted trouble.

Along the way, the carriage passed the City Lord’s Mansion.

Zou Feng thought for a moment and decided to pay Murong Yunhai a visit, offering him a complimentary “Wise Triple” while he was at it.

He could be ambushed at any moment by the helpers Wang Wenjing had recruited. Therefore, Zou Feng wouldn’t make the mistake of letting Tian Yun out of his sight, so he brought her along into the City Lord’s Mansion.

This was actually Zou Feng’s third visit to the City Lord’s Mansion; he had been here once before just a few days ago.

He was now regarded as an honored guest of the City Lord’s Mansion and was granted passage without obstruction.

When Murong Yunhai learned that he was in a hurry to leave, he was somewhat disappointed but didn’t ask too many questions.

As the City Lord’s only son, he was well aware that Zou Feng was embroiled in the succession struggle for the title of True Inheritor of Biyou Palace’s Silk Cave.

The matter was of grave importance, involving the upper echelons of Biyou Palace, so neither Murong Yunhai nor his father dared to interfere recklessly.

They could only feign ignorance and wait for the struggle to reach its conclusion.

As they were saying their goodbyes, Zou Feng could see Murong Yunhai’s conflict; he clearly wanted to give him another flask of Wangchuan Road.

After all, even after Zou Feng left Qingchuan City, Murong Yunhai could always sneak over to Yuan Guang County if he desperately needed help with his Cultivation.

In the end, Murong Yunhai steeled himself, went to his father, Murong Yuan, and managed to pester him into giving up some more.

He reappeared a short while later, holding a small gourd.

Putting the Wangchuan Road into a small gourd was a considerate gesture, making it more convenient for Zou Feng to carry on his journey.

However, the gourd was truly small, only about the size of his palm.

The amount of Wangchuan Road it contained was likely even less than what was in the small wine flask from before.

But Zou Feng knew how precious this stuff was. He was lucky to get any more at all.

Without further ado, Zou Feng said his goodbyes again, unleashed his “Wise Triple,” and promptly turned to leave.

Murong Yunhai, who had been ready for this, quickly sat down and began his Cultivation.

After leaving the City Lord’s Mansion, Zou Feng and Tian Yun reboarded the carriage.

With a shout from the driver, the carriage continued to race toward the North City Gate.

“Zou Lang, do you feel that Murong Yunhai is someone worth befriending?”

Tian Yun, who was unaware of Wangchuan Road’s effects, would naturally ask this, seeing as they had made a stop at the City Lord’s Mansion while they were supposed to be fleeing.

“You could say that… Besides, when we return this time, we’ll very likely be making an enemy of the Governor of Jiangnan.”

“If we really go up against Yuwen Boxi, it’s basically the same as becoming a rebel in the eyes of the Great Yan Dynasty.”

“So, building a relationship with the real rebels here in the Southern Border ahead of time might lead to an unexpected boon in the future,” Zou Feng said, his eyes narrowing.

He truly thought highly of Murong Yunhai. Even without his “Wise Triple,” the man’s Talent for Evil Skills was so great that he would likely break through to a High Grade in the near future regardless.

Tian Yun, however, had a different opinion on the matter. “Without concrete evidence, Yuwen Boxi probably wouldn’t act like his foolish son…”

Zou Feng slowly shook his head. “Not necessarily. If he really wants to cause trouble, he won’t need any evidence. Mere suspicion will be enough.”

“But Yuwen Boxi’s reputation has always been decent, hasn’t it?”

“The past is the past. Besides, he had never experienced the pain of losing a son before. It’s hard to say whether he’ll resort to extreme measures this time…”

At this point, Zou Feng changed his tune. “Of course, I also hope Yuwen Boxi handles this rationally. After all, having a foolish son like that die isn’t entirely a bad thing for him.”

As they talked, the carriage arrived smoothly outside the North City Gate. The sky was gradually growing dark.

They wouldn’t be needing the carriage for the rest of the journey.

Zou Feng alighted, paid the fare, and dismissed the driver.

Being so close to the city gate, the area was still bustling with activity. People streamed in and out of the city, and numerous vendors lined the roadside, selling all sorts of wares.

Although he was hungry and needed to fill his stomach, Zou Feng didn’t want to delay their departure any longer. He planned to just buy some dry rations to eat on the road.

But as his gaze fell upon a stall selling baked cakes, his eyes suddenly sharpened.

’These cakes,’ he thought, ’something is wrong with the way they smell…’

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep