Chapter 144: The Hunt Begins
The first thing that struck me about Zhou Shentong's private courtyard was how... normal it looked.
I'd expected something more grandiose from a man who supposedly controlled most of the trade routes in the region. Maybe some imposing statues of fierce beasts, or at least a few decorative fountains. Instead, what I found was a modestly sized compound surrounded by plain stone walls, with traditional curved roof tiles and simple wooden gates.
The only hint of ostentation was in the details – the walls were made from expensive quarried stone rather than cheaper pressed earth, and those simple-looking roof tiles had subtle patterns that spoke of master craftsmanship. It was the kind of quiet wealth that didn't need to announce itself, which somehow made it more irritating.
"The walls are higher than they look," Han Renyi observed. "At least twenty feet, with formation-reinforced stone. The gates are ironwood, probably imported from the southern forests."
I nodded, keeping to the shadows of a nearby building as I studied the compound's defenses. "Expensive tastes for someone in a dying world. Those formation arrays must cost a fortune to maintain."
"They do," Han Renyi confirmed. "Most families can barely afford basic protective formations these days. Zhou Shentong has at least three layers of them around his entire compound."
He wasn't exaggerating. Even from here, I could see the telltale shimmer of multiple formation arrays layered over the walls. The patterns were... interesting. Similar to what I was familiar with, but with notable differences.
"Azure," I thought, keeping this conversation separate from Han Renyi, "what do you make of these formations?"
"The basic principles are clearly derived from standard protective arrays, but they've been modified to work with the local rouqi. See how the energy flows are wider, less concentrated?"