Whoosh!!

The young man riding the Qingxuan Sword cursed as he returned to the manor.

The guards at the gate saw him and greeted him with a smile.

“Hey, Li Pei, just got back?”

Li Pei muttered angrily, “Don’t even mention it. Those three bastards disappeared without a trace. I’ve been searching all day and couldn’t find them.”

The guard at the gate laughed heartily at his disgruntled expression.

“Everyone who went out today said the same thing.”

“Check your jade slip and hurry back to tidy up.”

Li Guanqi’s heart skipped a beat, and he scratched his head awkwardly.

“Bro, I had a stomachache this morning and forgot to bring my jade slip.”

“I’ll go inside and get it. I’ll be right back.”

The guard’s expression turned serious, and he straightened up, gripping his sword hilt with his left hand.

“Li Pei, you know we have rules. I can’t break them, even for you.”

Li Pei panicked at the guard’s suspicion. He frantically tugged at his face, looking determinedly at the guard.

“Do I look like one of those bastards?”

“Pull my face yourself and see.”

“We’re brothers, and now you’re acting like this over a jade slip.”

“I was even planning to take you guys to Fengming Tower once this is over.”

The guard didn’t hesitate and grabbed Li Pei’s chin, but found nothing unusual.

Embarrassed, he said, “Alright, brother, we’re just doing our job.”

“It’s just a jade slip. Show it to me before your shift ends, and we’ll forget about it.”

Li Pei turned and walked inside, grumbling, “Fine, I’ll go get it!”

As he walked through the manor, many people nodded at him.

A maid flirtatiously said, “Captain Li, just got back?”

“Why haven’t you come to see me these past few days?”

She squeezed her arms together provocatively.

When he looked up and saw her burly figure, Li Pei forced a smile despite his discomfort.

“I’ve been too tired lately. I’ll come see you once I’m done.”

With that, he quickly turned and left.

Li Guanqi suppressed his disgust and cursed inwardly.

“Seriously? How could anyone be into that?”

“No wonder the guy at the gate got excited about Fengming Tower.”

He had seen Fengming Tower on a map and noted it down casually.

He had been undecided between Lingchang City and another nearby city.

In the end, he noted down all the places for Mortal Heart Refinement in both cities.

He didn’t expect it to come in handy now.

From Li Pei’s memories, he learned they all lived in the rear courtyard.

As for the jade slip, he really didn’t have it…

He walked through numerous pavilions and bridges, finding Changfeng Manor to be quite large. It took him a lot of effort to find his way based on Li Pei’s descriptions.

When he opened the door, he found a group of men lying inside.

They greeted him as soon as they saw him.

“Brother Li, where did you go today? Why didn’t you join us?”

Li Guanqi put on a serious face.

“Get lost. Do I need to tell you single guys where I go?”

He gave a knowing smile, but to his surprise, they all smiled back mysteriously.

Li Guanqi was taken aback and then said, “No way… you guys too… oh!”

A young man tossed him a jade slip.

“Brother Li, can you keep your jade slip with you? It was poking me all morning.”

Li Guanqi took the jade slip, laughed, and left.

He still needed to show it to the guard at the gate.

Otherwise, his cover would be blown, ruining his plans.

Sure enough, the guard was still waiting.

Seeing the jade slip, he gave it a quick glance and handed it back.

Li Guanqi then swaggered back to his quarters and lay down with the others.

In the middle of the night.

Seventeen or eighteen cultivators in the Foundation Establishment realm lay on the large bed.

These were Fang Yishan’s men.

Over the years, Changfeng Manor had become so dominant that these new recruits had grown lazy.

The recent murder of the young master Fang Hao, killed at their own dock, had enraged Fang Yishan, who was now venting his fury in the main hall.

Fang Yishan’s brother, Fang Zhongnan, sat nearby with a stern expression.

Apart from them, the hall was filled with the clan’s elders.

Crash!!

A wine jug shattered.

Fang Yishan’s face was icy as he roared, “Useless! A whole day and nothing! Worthless! I’ll kill you all tomorrow!”

An old man with white hair and beard spoke solemnly.

“Yishan, getting angry won’t help. We need to figure out who those people are.”

Fang Yishan turned sharply to the old man and growled, “Shut up!”

Fang Zhongnan frowned, sipped his tea, and said, “Brother, you’re overreacting.”

“That’s our father, your uncle. Show some respect.”

Fang Zhongnan had a gentle appearance, with refined features and a warm smile.

In contrast, Fang Yishan had a fierce look, high cheekbones, and a hooked nose, with a lean frame.

Dressed in a dark blue robe, Fang Yishan glared at Fang Zhongnan.

“Brother, this better have nothing to do with you.”

He then turned to the silent old man and whispered, “Or I’ll skin you alive!”

Fang Zhongnan shrugged with a smile and walked out of the hall.

His voice echoed calmly.

“You know what you’ve been up to. Maybe someone came looking for you.”

Fang Yishan squinted and sneered, “Just two newcomers to the Golden Elixir realm?”

“If that’s the case, they’re underestimating me.”

Fang Zhongnan shook his head and left.

“Huff… huff…”

Li Guanqi opened his eyes, surrounded by snores.

He quietly got out of bed, but as he opened the door, a voice startled him.

“Brother Li, where are you going?”

It was the guy who had given him the jade slip earlier.

“To pee!”

“Me too, I’ll join you.”

The young man got up, threw on some clothes, and joined him.

Li Guanqi had no choice but to follow, with the young man leading the way.

Along the way, Li Guanqi saw many patrols.

In just a few days, he estimated there were at least fifty or sixty Foundation Establishment cultivators.

This force was not to be underestimated.

They soon reached an outhouse, and through the window, Li Guanqi saw a brightly lit courtyard.

The young man muttered, “Why is Second Master still up? He usually sleeps early.”

Li Guanqi’s heart skipped a beat.

“Second Master? Fang Yishan’s brother?”