Chapter 56 Bluffing

The streets are bustling with people.

In the center of the crowd, a storyteller with a backpack on his back was eloquently telling the legend of the grand gathering of heroes on Bagua Mountain.

"...Do you all know why the third son of the Feng family is so powerful? It turns out he's the Feng family's ancestor, the ancient Yellow Emperor's aide, Feng Hou! This man received the true teachings of the Nine Heavens Mysterious Lady, and passed on the secret art of Qimen to the Feng family's descendants. What is Qimen? It can glimpse the secrets of heaven above and measure the depths of the underworld below! Whenever he searches for a crucial object, he closes his eyes slightly, pinches the Tiangang with his fingers, and silently practices profound skills in his mind. Heaven and earth are positioned, yin and yang interact, and even if you hide under the nine springs, you can't escape his discerning eyes..."

Everyone was listening intently when they heard a creaking sound and the carved window of the streetside building suddenly flew open. A warrior in tight clothes leaned out and threw the money bag in his hand into the air, shouting like a bell: "Get out! You are making so much noise!"

The storyteller jumped up and took the purse, with a flattering smile on his face, and bowed repeatedly as he retreated.

Feng Wu snorted and turned to look at Master Hao, who was sitting beside the desk. "He's been blowing it up again these past few days, and it's getting even more outrageous. Who's behind this?"

Feng Yanhao pretended not to hear anything, and just put down the teacup gently, with a smile on his face, "Here I come."

Feng Wu was startled, his gaze directed towards the door. A moment later, the bamboo curtain moved slightly, revealing a gray figure fluttering in. The person wore a plain gauze hat and a gray robe with cloud patterns, and walked lightly and silently.

"Looks like the fish has taken the bait." Feng Yanhao held the teapot and poured tea. The emerald green tea drew an arc in the air. "Old senior has finally shown his respect."

"Hahahaha——" The man laughed loudly, the sound shaking the roof tiles. He raised his hand to take off his veil, revealing a weather-beaten face. It was "Yue Nancang".

"Master Hao is truly patient. I heard he waited for me in this bamboo building for three days and nights."

"This is a perfect viewing platform. Senior, you're so elusive, I've thought about it, and I think only a place like this could catch your eye." He refilled the empty cup across from me, "It's a pity this filial piety isn't as effective as my third brother taking the bait."

The old man lifted his robe and sat down.

"Young Master Feng is very cautious. He has walked through all 72 lanes of Nu City in the past two days." As he spoke, the old man twirled his beard and looked out the window.

The two streets downstairs form a sharp contrast at their intersection.

The long north-south street was bustling with activity, the cries of vendors echoing one after another; but the street extending westward was eerily silent, so still that even birds avoided it. Looking out into the distance, a crimson lacquered memorial archway stood at the end of the road, glaring in the sunlight. Carved on it were ferocious beasts of the beast, with the evil figure in the center, its maw gaping, its fangs bared, as if ready to devour any passing creature.

That was the dreaded "Demon Cave" deep in the heart of Slave City—the lair of the Guitou Gang. Those who entered there were desperate, pitiful people, only to emerge were bloodthirsty Rakshasa demons.

At that moment, a group of men suddenly burst into the dead silence. The leader, dressed in white as white as snow, was none other than Feng Yanyuan. Behind him followed a dozen or so warriors in tight, muscular attire. Their horses' hooves kicked up a cloud of dust, startling the crows from the old trees along the street.

Feng Yanhao stared at the white figure with an expressionless face: "No matter how cautious he is, he will be trapped in a jar."

The old man raised the teacup to his lips, the mist of tea covering half of his face: "The King of Huainan is truly unfathomable. Not only did he keep his troops in place, he was even able to suppress the violent temper of the King of Changshan." He took a sip and sighed with satisfaction from his throat, "What's even more amazing is that he actually recruited the Third Young Master Feng under his command. With such skills, no wonder the lord is like this..." He stopped abruptly here and glanced at Feng Yanhao's expression.

Seeing the other party's deep silence, the old man asked tentatively, "Master Hao, do you think that your brother, after entering the Ten Thousand Demons Cave..." He dragged out his voice meaningfully, "Is there any way back?"

Feng Yanhao's lips curled up. "I've heard that the Ten Thousand Demons Cave is rife with traps, not to mention a cemetery where bones are buried..." He paused. "My good uncle even meticulously renovated it for him. How could he possibly escape such a tight net?" He then changed the subject. "I wonder what worries you, Senior?"

The old man raised his eyebrows and asked, "Why do you ask that, Master Hao?"

"If you didn't have any doubts, why would you come here in person?" Feng Yanhao said with a half-smile, "You wouldn't come just to watch this show, right?"

Suddenly there was a loud shout and a bang, and the crowd suddenly became a commotion.

The two of them turned their eyes to the window at the same time.

But beneath the Ten Thousand Demons Cave archway, a crowd of people and horses was already stirring. Feng Jiu's clear voice cut through the clamor, each word resonating: "The Ghost Head Gang has kidnapped the leaders of various sects. The Young Master of Meili Manor witnessed it with his own eyes! How dare you quibble?"

The old man stroked his beard and smiled. "I'm on this trip just to be absolutely sure. Mr. Sun specifically told me not to miss this opportunity." He paused. "It's not that I don't trust the methods of that 'living devil.'"

Feng Yanhao nodded slightly, his smile growing deeper. "Mr. Sun is indeed worthy of being the world's number one strategist. He has foreseen everything. Even if my third brother can really break out of this cave of demons..." He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table and looked up at the old man. "He will surely be covered in wounds and severely weakened. By then..."

The old man smiled knowingly and continued, "When that happens, my little skill will come in handy." He looked at Feng Yanhao and suddenly asked, "After all, they are blood relatives. Don't you have any sympathy, Master Hao?"

Feng Yanhao paused slightly at this, then burst into laughter. He turned to look at Feng Wu, his eyes and eyebrows filled with sarcasm, as if he had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. Feng Wu couldn't help but laugh along, but when he caught a glimpse of his master's expression when he turned back, he hurriedly put his smile away.

Feng Yanhao's expression was sinister and unreadable, his eyes filled with a hint of surprise. He leaned closer to the old man and said, "Senior, if you say so, could it be that your lord... has ever felt a bit of pity?"

As soon as the words fell, the bamboo building suddenly fell silent. Their gazes clashed like swords, and invisible sparks seemed to fly in the air. Suddenly, they both burst into laughter, their laughter rustling the window frames. Only Feng Wu, standing by, had beads of sweat on his forehead and even his breathing became lighter.

The old man's laughter gradually died down, and his cloudy eyes narrowed slightly: "I wonder why Master Hao is so persistent in wanting to see me?"

Feng Yanhao turned the teacup in his hand and replied slowly, "It's just... I miss my uncle."

"That guy doesn't miss you." The old man smiled briefly. "He just wants to get rid of your unfathomable third brother as soon as possible."

The sound of tea pouring was especially clear in the quiet room. Feng Yanhao's hand on the teapot was as steady as a rock, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Uncle, it's only right that you be cautious." He pushed the filled teacup across from him. "Don't worry, senior. I won't disturb his peace."

"I'd just like to ask you to pass on a message..." His voice suddenly softened to a whisper, "We have a long time to live. I should at least let you fulfill your filial duties."

The old man stared at Feng Yanhao for a long time, but he still couldn't see through his mind. Just as he was about to speak, he saw the man's expression change and look out the window: "Huh? Where's my third brother?"

The old man's heart tightened and he quickly turned around to look - under the archway, there was no trace of Feng Yanyuan's figure in white clothes!

Broke in?

Impossible! If that were true, the gate to the Ten Thousand Demons Cave would never be so peaceful. The old man suddenly stood up, not even noticing that his robe belt had knocked over his teacup, and rushed to the window in one swift step. Upon closer inspection, his pupils suddenly contracted - those so-called "attacks on the gate" were clearly bluffing! Feng Jiu's voice was still loud, but he hadn't even set foot on the steps of the archway.

A thought flashed through the old man's mind like lightning: Could it be that Feng Yanyuan didn't want to save these great leaders?

The clues from the past few days suddenly connected together - Feng Yanyuan had been visiting places where slaves were traded and held; if he was really working for the King of Huainan, how could he have wasted these two days?

What is he looking for...

The old man suddenly remembered what Feng Yanyuan had said when he was questioned by Yuan Yi on Bagong Mountain - he wanted Song Hezi to verify his identity...

A thunderclap split the fog: Feng Yanyuan was not looking for the missing leader from the beginning! He was looking for the disguised places where the skin and bones were peeled off! He was also tracking down Feng Xiaoming's whereabouts!

He wanted to stand up, but forced himself to stay steady.

That living devil's actions were impeccable, and that secret place was hidden beneath the nine earths, making it impossible for it to be discovered...

Suddenly, the lyrics of the storyteller downstairs echoed in my ears: "...What is Qimen? It can glimpse the secrets of heaven above and measure the depths of the underworld below! But when it is looking for an important object...even if it is hidden in the underworld, it cannot escape its discerning eyes..."

He was shocked, and suddenly everything clicked—so Feng Yanyuan, seemingly wandering aimlessly through the slave market these past two days, had actually been using strange techniques to locate his location?! And then he discovered that the living devil's lair was riddled with traps, and a brute force attack would only alert the enemy. So, he deliberately stormed into the Ten Thousand Demons Cave with such fanfare, openly helping the Prince of Huainan quell the strife in the martial arts world, but secretly luring the tiger away from its mountain lair?! What a feint to the east, attacking in the west!

The old man stood up suddenly.

The lord repeatedly urged us to protect Feng Xiaoming—he was the key to the entire chess game. Now that Feng Yanyuan had calculated his position, if he could delay for a moment...

He didn't dare to think any more. He waved his robe sleeve, and the teacup shattered to the ground. His figure darted out of the window like a ghost, touched the corner of the eaves, and turned into a gray shadow, shooting towards the outskirts of the city.

Feng Yanhao stood by the window, watching the old man hurriedly retreat, a hint of sarcasm on his lips. He suddenly looked up at the sky and tapped the window frame with his fingertips: "You think... he should be awake by now?"

Feng Wu was puzzled by the sudden departure of "Yue Nancang" and was even more bewildered after hearing this. However, he saw his own young master had already turned around, his dark robes flashing by at the stairs.

The old man galloped along, his robes rustling, and in a blink of an eye he had reached the outskirts of the city. He looked up to see the vermilion lacquered gate open wide to welcome visitors. The plaque above, reading "Wanlifang," reflected a glaring white light in the blazing sun. In the courtyard, groups of slaves huddled in cages, their expressions stony and their eyes empty, like corpses frozen in the scorching sun, lifeless.

This was an ordinary and peaceful scene at the slave market, but it made the old man break out in a cold sweat.

No, this is a trap!

Just as I thought of this, I heard Feng Yanyuan's voice coming from behind:

"Thank you for leading the way, senior!"