Chapter 475 - 407: Investigation (2)

Chapter 475: Chapter 407: Investigation (2)

Ye Guhong placed two fingers on his wrist, and a wisp of Primordial Qi imbued with biting Sword Intent flowed into him.

As it traveled along the meridians, Ye Guhong’s brow furrowed. He let out a soft sound of surprise and looked toward Jiang Buyu.

Jiang Buyu opened his eyes, extended a hand, and placed it on Hua Wuxin’s left wrist.

Two streams of Primordial Qi surged in simultaneously, advancing with unstoppable momentum.

Under the assault of these two tyrannical streams of Primordial Qi, the Acupoints and meridians inside Hua Wuxin’s body that had been sealed by Chen Li were cleared one by one.

In less time than it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the seals were completely removed.

Hua Wuxin’s body shuddered. He felt his long-lost, unobstructed Inner Qi instantly return, beginning to circulate through his meridians once more.

"Vein-Severing Soul-Breaking Finger?"

Ye Guhong withdrew his fingers and looked at Jiang Buyu.

"It looks like it."

Jiang Buyu’s brow creased slightly. His gaze swept over Hua Wuxin. "Your Divine Soul... was it also sealed?"

Hua Wuxin suppressed his excitement, bowed, and said, "Yes. I beg you seniors to help unseal it."

"We can’t unseal it," Jiang Buyu said with a cold laugh.

The joyful expression that had just appeared on Hua Wuxin’s face froze instantly, and his eyes changed.

Jiang Buyu added faintly, "The Sect Leader can. Do your job well, and he will naturally help you unseal it."

"...Yes."

Hua Wuxin lowered his head, hiding the emotions in his eyes.

Ye Guhong’s brow tightened further. "Someone from the Liu Family?"

"This technique was lost long ago. Even the Liu Family no longer knows it, so I doubt it." Jiang Buyu shook his head. "However, it must be related to them somehow."

His gaze fell back on Hua Wuxin. "Lead the way. We’re going to find that man’s subordinates."

Hua Wuxin agreed and turned, the first to walk out of the room.

Ye Guhong and Jiang Buyu rose silently, with Sword Fool and Jian You following close behind.

Sword Fear, however, was signaled by a look from Jiang Buyu to stay behind and guard the room.

The five of them moved quickly through the silent streets and alleys. Soon, they arrived at their destination.

But in the pitch-black alley, aside from the drizzling autumn rain, there wasn’t a single soul in sight.

A few shallow puddles lay on the ground. It was empty and silent.

Utterly deserted.

Hua Wuxin cried out, "Impossible! This is absolutely impossible! They were right here. Poisoned with monkshood, soaked by the cold rain, their Spirit Platforms producing illusions... there’s no way they could have left!"

He simply couldn’t believe it.

Three people, poisoned and unconscious, lying in a cold, damp alley. He had been gone for less than an hour, so how could they have just vanished into thin air?

An immense panic seized him.

The men were gone! Three living people had vanished as if they’d evaporated from the face of the earth in the short time he was away!

Who was it? Who took them?

On a cold, deserted, rainy night like this, who would happen to appear right here?

He was filled with regret. He regretted not dragging the three of them to the Hongyun Inn at the time.

Now the trail was cold, and he feared his value in the eyes of the Celestial Sword Sect would be greatly diminished.

Ye Guhong’s gaze swept over the surroundings as he spread his Divine Sense, probing the area carefully.

However, the night rain had long since washed everything clean.

Jiang Buyu asked indifferently, "Where were you hiding before? Lead the way."

Hua Wuxin snapped out of it and didn’t dare delay. "It’s just ahead, a shop in the Fishery."

He hurriedly led the four of them back to their hideout.

Jian You darted ahead, silently pushed open the door, and slipped inside in a flash, his Longsword already half-drawn.

Sword Fool followed close behind.

Hua Wuxin followed them in. The inside of the shop was just as they had left it.

He hurried into the backyard and burst into the room where they had been staying.

The oil lamp was still burning, its flame flickering restlessly.

The room’s bedding was in disarray, and it was completely empty.

Their luggage and belongings were still there. The wrinkles in the bedding even suggested someone had been sleeping there, but the people themselves had vanished as if they had evaporated.

Hua Wuxin’s face was deathly pale, his eyes filled with suspicion and terror.

’Could it be... that someone has been secretly watching our every move?’

’Who could it be? That man, Chen?’

’Or... someone from the Netherworld Ship?’

Ye Guhong looked at the distraught and clearly panicked Hua Wuxin, a cold, murderous glint flashing in his eyes. "Do you know any other way to find them?"

Feeling that undisguised killing intent, Hua Wuxin tensed up. He forced himself to calm down and think quickly. "When Peng Anmin came back today, he said someone had passed on a message telling them to go to the Netherworld Ship as soon as possible. It’s very likely they were picked up by the Netherworld Ship. As long as we can find the Netherworld Ship, we should be able to find them."

"Useless!"

Ye Guhong snorted in displeasure. "If that’s the case, why are we wasting our time with you here?"

The aura around him suddenly turned sharp and severe, as if he might strike and kill Hua Wuxin in the next moment.

Hua Wuxin said hurriedly, "Wait! Seniors, I know how to get to the Netherworld Ship."

"We don’t need you to tell us," Ye Guhong sneered.

They had already figured out that the Netherworld Ship’s rendezvous point in Thunder Shock County was the Qingfeng Tea House, but the problem was that members of the Celestial Sword Sect couldn’t get in.

"No! What I mean is, I can take you seniors there with me."

Hua Wuxin rushed to explain, "Master Li, the Gang Leader behind the Netherworld Ship, gave Peng Anmin and the others a Token. And that Token... is on me right now!"

He reached into his robes and took out a small black plaque. "With this Token, they won’t question you too much at the rendezvous point. I can act as your guide and get you seniors on board."

Ye Guhong’s eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on the Token in Hua Wuxin’s hand.

After a moment, he looked at Jiang Buyu.

Jiang Buyu’s gaze was slow and deliberate. "Sword Fool, take him back to the inn to rest. Keep a close watch on him. Tomorrow, take him to the Qingfeng Tea House. Proceed as planned."

"Yes."

Sword Fool cupped his fist and accepted the order.

Hua Wuxin visibly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he was safe for now. He obediently followed Sword Fool and Jian You as they departed.

The rain grew heavier, drumming down noisily.

When the footsteps of the three had faded into the rainy night, only Ye Guhong and Jiang Buyu remained in the Fishery shop.

"Brother Jiang?"

Ye Guhong was puzzled.

Jiang Buyu didn’t answer. His Primordial Spirit swept through the area once more in fine detail.

He found nothing.

After a moment, he withdrew his Divine Sense and murmured thoughtfully, "The one who sealed Hua Wuxin’s meridians and Acupoints used extremely pure Primordial Qi. Their Cultivation may be no weaker than our own."

Ye Guhong’s brow was tightly furrowed as he nodded.

He had expected as much.

"More importantly..."

A thoughtful look flashed in Jiang Buyu’s eyes. "We know nothing about this Chen person. If this is all... a trap, with them in the shadows and us in the open, the risk is impossible to gauge."

Ye Guhong’s expression grew grim. "Senior Brother, you mean... Hua Wuxin could be bait? And the Netherworld Ship a trap?"

"Not necessarily, but we must be on guard."

Jiang Buyu shook his head. "I can’t figure out why this Hua Wuxin would turn to us. His Divine Soul is sealed, and my Sword Heart Clarity can’t break the restriction on his Divine Sense, so I can’t tell if he’s telling the truth. We have to be cautious. If this is a ploy, rushing in would be a mistake."

Ye Guhong was silent for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Then, in your opinion, Senior Brother, what should we do?"

"Strike when they don’t expect it; attack where they are unprepared."

Jiang Buyu gazed at the continuous curtain of rain outside the window. "Let Jian You and the others continue to cause a stir in Thunder Shock to buy us some time. You and I will sneak into Xin’an to investigate. What do you think?"

Openly repairing the plank roads, while secretly advancing on Chencang.

A sharp glint flashed in Ye Guhong’s eyes as he slowly nodded. "A sound plan, indeed."