Chapter 81 : Chapter 81
Chapter 81. Has the Fish Taken the Bait?
The news seemed to sprout wings, spreading at astonishing speed through Changning, Fu’an, and even several nearby streets.
When Xu Tianlong heard the report from his subordinates, he was sitting in his residence drinking tea.
He froze for a moment, then a cold sneer appeared on his face.
“Yang Feng, Yang Feng… weren’t you acting so arrogant? And yet you still got beaten flat all the same?”
The more he thought about it, the more satisfying it felt. He simply rose to his feet. “Come. Follow me and let’s go see what happened to Street Guard Yang.”
With maidservants attending him, Xu Tianlong changed into his outdoor clothes and strode briskly to the entrance of Fu’an Street.
Yang Feng was being supported by his men as he came over. The moment he saw Xu Tianlong, his expression changed sharply, and he muttered to the people around him in a low voice,
“That old bastard definitely came to mock me. Hurry, let’s go!”
“Well, well, if it isn’t Breeze Yang?” Knowing exactly what the other man intended, Xu Tianlong crossed the distance in a few quick strides and said with feigned surprise,
“Oh my, who injured our Street Guard Yang so badly? Surely it wasn’t that youngster Xu Yuan again?”
“He really has no respect for his elders! But Street Guard Yang’s footwork has been famous for years now—at the very least ten or twenty years of training. So how come it turned out to be completely useless?”
Xu Tianlong shook his head with a laugh, as if trying to vent all the pent-up frustration of the past few days.
“I already told you long ago that Xu Yuan wasn’t a simple character. Did you really think I only said that to save face?”
Yang Feng’s face turned ashen with fury. Only yesterday he had boldly declared that he would deal with Xu Yuan, yet in the blink of an eye he had ended up humiliated. Now he had no good way to argue back and could only snort coldly.
“That brat’s footwork is indeed a notch below mine, but he’s cultivated some kind of body-tempering art. His hide is thick and his flesh is tough—no matter what I did, I couldn’t break through his defenses.”
“What did you say?”
Xu Tianlong stared blankly, unable to believe it. “He cultivated another body-tempering art?”
“If that weren’t the case, how could he possibly have been my match?” Yang Feng slapped his thigh angrily.
How long had it even been?
And Xu Yuan had already picked up another external art?
As Xu Tianlong reeled in shock, a chill suddenly rose from the bottom of his heart.
Xu Yuan was growing far too quickly.
Before, when he had defeated him, perhaps there had still been some room to say he had relied on tricks.
But now, defeating Yang Feng head-on—a man known for his speed—was enough to prove that Xu Yuan’s overall strength had already firmly surpassed that of an ordinary Fourth Meridian martial artist.
“This boy… cannot be allowed to live.”
A cold light flickered in Xu Tianlong’s eyes, murderous intent surging through his heart.
Yet when he thought of Xu Yuan’s current meteoric rise within Shangyang Residence, along with that unfathomable potential, he could not help but feel a wave of helplessness.
Just then, a trusted martial artist hurried over and leaned close to whisper in his ear,
“Street Guard, the Ward Master sent someone with a message. He says you are to go over at once. There is an urgent matter to discuss.”
“The Ward Master?”
Xu Tianlong paused, reining in his thoughts. “Do you know what it is about?”
“The messenger didn’t say, but judging from his expression, it seems quite urgent.”
Xu Tianlong did not dare delay. No longer paying Yang Feng any attention, he turned and headed toward the ward.
At the same time, a trace of doubt and anticipation arose in his heart.
For the Ward Master to summon him so urgently, could it be that some major move was about to happen?
…
Almost at the same moment, on Changning Street—
Xu Yuan had just returned to the office and had not even had time to change out of his dust-stained outer robe when Chen Sanli quietly arrived again, his face unable to hide his excitement.
“Brother Xu, the fish has taken the bait!”
He leaned in and whispered, his voice trembling slightly.
“There’s movement on the line I’ve been watching. The night after tomorrow, at the South City General Store, a ‘big fish’ is going to come personally to make contact!”
Xu Yuan’s gaze sharpened. “Are you certain?”
“Eight or nine times out of ten. One of my little brothers is quick-witted—he disguised himself as a beggar and squatted nearby. He overheard bits and pieces of their conversation, and combined with the previous patterns, it should be right!”
Xu Yuan fell silent for a moment after hearing that.
If they could seize a big fish from the Bai Family’s spy network, it would undoubtedly count as a major merit and also deal a further blow to the enemy’s infiltration of the Level Three zone.
But this matter was too important. With the strength of a single street alone, he might not be able to guarantee success, and it could also invite criticism.
Xu Yuan quickly made up his mind.
Now that he had the great tree of Shangyang Residence behind him, he was no lone wolf. Why insist on doing things the hard way and fighting alone?
In all matters, the safest path was the best path.
“Sanli, keep watching them closely, but remember—do not alert the enemy. I’m going out.”
Xu Yuan wasted no time. First, he rode to the street currently under Hong Qianshan’s command and gave him a detailed report of the situation.
“A spy hideout, and there’s even a big fish?”
Hong Qianshan was both shocked and delighted. He warmly slapped Xu Yuan on the shoulder and said,
“Brother Xu, this really is a pleasant surprise. Excellent—well done!”
“Brother Hong, we still need to proceed cautiously. With just the two of us, our strength may not be enough, and things could easily change. I was thinking… should we report this to Ward Master Xue?” Xu Yuan suggested.
Hong Qianshan slapped his thigh. The idea struck him as perfect.
“That’s exactly what we should do.”
“Brother Xu, you’ve thought this through well… Come, the two of us will go see the Ward Master together.”
The two of them immediately set out side by side for Changlin Ward.
Xue Zhan was handling official affairs. Upon hearing that the two had come to see him—and that it concerned an important matter involving Bai Family spies—he immediately dismissed everyone else from the room.
In truth, this problem had already been giving him a headache these past two days.
Just like Hu Quanshui before, the Bai Family had planted quite a few hidden agents in this area, resulting in night raids on multiple streets.
Some entire squads had even been wiped out, causing the ward severe losses, and the situation was only getting worse.
Xue Zhan had been fretting over it. After hearing Xu Yuan’s report, his iron-tower-like body leaned forward slightly, and his sharp gaze fell on Xu Yuan. For a long while, he said nothing.
The hall fell utterly silent, with only the steady drip of the bronze water clock remaining.
After a long pause, Xue Zhan slowly spoke, his voice deep and powerful.
“Xu Yuan, you could have handled this matter on your own and taken all the credit for yourself. Why did you come report it to me first?”
Xu Yuan cupped his hands, neither servile nor overbearing, and answered,
“Ward Master, this subordinate believes that rooting out Bai Family spies and removing hidden dangers is a major matter concerning the overall safety of Changlin Ward. It is not a private merit belonging to one street or one alley.”
“And since a big fish is coming, the enemy’s strength is still unknown. To ensure absolute success, we need the Ward Master to coordinate matters personally. That is the safest course. This subordinate would not dare jeopardize a major affair out of greed for merit.”
A trace of approval flashed through Xue Zhan’s eyes, and a rare smile appeared on his face.
“Steady and unarrogant, thoughtful and thorough, with the greater good in mind. Xu Yuan, you are very good.”
After a slight pause, he said in a grave voice,
“This matter will be led by the two of you. Qianshan will take the lead, and Xu Yuan will assist… On the night after tomorrow, you must catch them red-handed with the evidence and seize that big fish for me!”
“This subordinate obeys!”
Hong Qianshan and Xu Yuan answered in unison.
After leaving the Ward Master’s residence, Hong Qianshan slapped Xu Yuan heavily on the shoulder and said with emotion,
“Brother Xu, I really benefited from your light this time! The Ward Master is valuing you more and more.”
“You flatter me, Brother Hong. Without you holding the line, I would not have dared act rashly. From here on, I’ll still need you to make more of the key decisions.”
Xu Yuan smiled. His reason for reporting the matter this time was twofold: first, to avoid provoking the envy and jealousy of others; second, to spread out some of the hatred directed at him.
His momentum these past few days had been a little too fierce. There was no telling whether it might draw the focused attention of some Bai Family expert.
No matter how sharp a sword was, sometimes it still had to be sheathed.
“Haha, easy enough. With us brothers joining forces, we’ll make sure those Bai Family bastards never return once they come!”
The two discussed a number of details and agreed to meet again tomorrow to refine the action plan before parting ways.
On the road back to Changning Street, Xu Yuan gazed at the setting sun slowly sinking in the distance, his heart utterly calm.
The matter of the spies had been in the works for a long time now. The net was almost ready to be drawn tight.
And his consecutive fights with Xu Tianlong and Yang Feng, though only small victories, had allowed him to see both the growth in his own strength and the areas where he still fell short more clearly than ever before.
“Next… the Fifth Meridian is close.”
He could feel the increasingly surging Qi and blood in his body, along with the steadily advancing progress of his Jade Platform Stance Art.
“Once I break through to the Fifth Meridian, and with my Minor Mastery Fist Technique, footwork, and Iron Garment Art working together… only then will I truly have the capital to stand firm in this Level Three zone.”