Comprehending Myriad Techniques as Woodcutter

"He’s holding the son of Xu the Head of the Escort right now. It’s the last card he has to play against us. The Vajra Sect is gone, and without their support, he can hardly maneuver in official circles. His future is bleak. But that’s the problem. If he decides to go for broke... I’m afraid it’ll truly be the end of Xu’s line."

Although Xu Mo had been a traitor and caused the deaths of many from the Escort Agency, he atoned with his life. Even if they wanted to hold him responsible, they wouldn’t know where to begin.

Besides, he had indeed been coerced by the Vajra Sect, and everyone had been friends with Xu Mo for years. So they laid almost all the blame on the Vajra Sect. They were determined to fulfill their former comrade’s last wish and could not stand the thought of Xu Mo’s son falling into the Vajra Sect’s hands.

Chu Sheng and the others wore grim expressions. Open combat and escort formations were the Escort Agency’s bread and butter, but covert investigations and retrieval missions were difficult for them. Given the choice, they would rather fight a bloody, head-on battle than deal with knockout drugs while simultaneously trying to plot a rescue.

Xie Yuan pondered for a moment, then suddenly said:

"So, all we have to do is find the son of Xu the Head of the Escort and get him out, right?"

Chu Sheng was taken aback for a moment. He looked at Xie Yuan and nodded subconsciously.

"That’s right. Our speculation is most likely correct; it’s very unlikely Yu Chunsheng would keep him far away. The most probable place is his own home. The only problem is how to get in, investigate, and bring the person out without making a sound..."

"I’ll figure something out,"

Xie Yuan said in a deep voice.

The three escort leaders exchanged a glance, all somewhat surprised.

’What could Xie Yuan possibly do? Weren’t most of his skills learned right here at the Escort Agency? He was on par with the rest of the rough-and-tumble men—fiercer than anyone when charging a formation, but completely lost when it came to clever or unorthodox tricks.’

’It was one thing that his progress in strength was so shocking it could make a person’s jaw drop on command, but now he could handle this sort of thing too?’

’He was so young. How many tricks could he really have up his sleeve?’

Old Leader Chu Sheng was skeptical, but seeing Xie Yuan’s calm expression, which didn’t look like he was bragging, he asked hesitantly:

"Xie Yuan, are you really confident? We only have one chance. If you accidentally alert Yu Chunsheng, you might make things worse instead of better."

"I can’t say it’s a sure thing, but I’m about eighty or ninety percent confident."

Xie Yuan nodded. He made no loud promises, nor did he seem uncertain.

Seeing this, the three escort leaders were mostly convinced.

A corner of Zhao Xingyang’s mouth curled up, and he chuckled.

"Looks like you learned quite a few good things from that young lady, eh? Don’t say your big brother never looked out for you."

Xie Yuan made a noncommittal sound. ’It was true he had gained many benefits from Situ Qin, but this particular Secret Technique... it really wasn’t from her...’

His mind raced for a moment. When he came back to his senses, he took the opportunity to ask Zhao Xingyang:

"Boss Zhao, do you know her specific background?"

"No idea. From our initial contact, I just knew she came from a powerful background. My own fortune is thin and my fate shallow, so I didn’t dare wade into those muddy waters. I left it to you. Looks like you’re the more capable one after all."

Zhao Xingyang waggled his eyebrows and laughed heartily.

Xie Yuan was speechless. Seeing that they had arrived at the Escort Agency, that Wei Zhen the Head of the Escort was still unconscious, and that everyone was exhausted, he said:

"Everyone, please rest and tend to your wounds. I’ll go take a look."

He clasped his hands in a salute, and without even returning to his own room, he headed for the east side of the city.

After turning two street corners, Xie Yuan silently activated his technique. His figure gradually blended in with the passersby until he seemed like the most ordinary of citizens, not drawing a second glance from anyone.

Just like that, he sauntered up to a rather large residence. Xie Yuan looked up, then ducked into a side alley. When no one was around, he leaped up, easily clearing the earthen wall and landing inside the courtyard.

The large courtyard was bustling. Many servants and attendants moved about, along with guards who looked sharp and capable, seemingly dispatched from the local authorities or the Vajra Sect.

For a County Captain, this level of security was already excessive.

But no matter how tight the security at Yu Chunsheng’s home, his walls couldn’t be higher than the Inspector General’s mansion. His household couldn’t possibly have a master who had undergone a Qi and Blood transformation. There wasn’t even a Third Training expert, only Second Training at most.

A residence like this, Xie Yuan could come and go as he pleased.

Xie Yuan activated the Celestial Concealment Skill and moved through Yu Chunsheng’s home as if it were empty. He made a full circuit in an instant but found nothing.

He revealed himself in the backyard garden and fell into thought.

’Strange, where could he be? With so many guards here, it’s certain he’s keeping the person in his own home for safety. But I’ve checked every room, even his concubine’s boudoir, and found nothing.’

He frowned, thinking for a moment, then a spark of inspiration hit him.

’I haven’t missed any rooms, so he shouldn’t be in any of the buildings in the courtyard. Then... is he hidden in a cellar? But where would the cellar be?’

Xie Yuan retraced his steps in his mind and suddenly remembered that the woodshed had even more guards than other places.

’But if it’s just a woodshed, why would it need so many guards?’

His eyes lit up. He activated his Cultivation Technique again and returned to the woodshed. Seizing a moment when the guards in the distance were distracted, he slipped inside.

Looking around at the piles of firewood, Xie Yuan actually felt a sense of coming home.

He looked around, then pushed aside a stack of firewood that had clearly been moved often. To his eyes, it was extremely obvious.

Just as he expected, a movable floor tile was revealed underneath.

Xie Yuan smiled faintly, opened the tile, and jumped in.

"Who’s there?"

A voice, exhausted yet laced with terror, came from the darkness.

The moment Xie Yuan heard it, he knew he had found the right place.

It was Xu Mo’s son, Xu Ding. He had seen him at the Escort Agency before.

Xie Yuan followed the sound directly. Using the faint light, he cut the shackles on Xu Ding’s ankles and said in a low voice:

"I’m Xie Yuan. I’ve come to rescue you."

Hearing this, Xu Ding was silent for a moment, then said something that took Xie Yuan completely by surprise:

"I’m not leaving! Don’t even think about trying to harm me!"

His tone was filled with terror and hatred. Xie Yuan froze for a second, then frowned.