Chapter 037
Chapter 37: Pursuit
Li Mu Sheng blew out the palace lantern in the room and casually pulled the young armored guard from under the bed. In a blink, both vanished from the chamber.
Tonight, the moon was bright and clear. Li Mu Sheng sped through the moonlit streets, carrying the guard effortlessly. His figure moved so swiftly beneath the silvery moon that not even a trace of shadow was left behind.
Guided by the thread of Qi in his hand, he headed directly toward a specific spot in Shang Yang City.
The capital city of Great Li was incredibly vast, divided into seventy-two districts crisscrossed by four main avenues—Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, and White Tiger.
Each district in Shang Yang City was as large as Shun’an City back in Wan Province. Yet here, the streets were wider and grander, the buildings elegant and arranged neatly. Clearly, Shun’an City paled in comparison to this flourishing capital.
It wasn’t long before Li Mu Sheng arrived at Blue Mountain Ward, two districts away.
He silently landed in a small courtyard, still holding the young armored guard, and glanced at the Qi thread in his hand. Confirming that Cang Yin Yue was indeed within a nearby room, it seemed she had not yet noticed his arrival.
“What a refined little courtyard. Miss Cang is certainly well-off,” Li Mu Sheng remarked quietly, observing the surroundings. In a city where every inch of land was precious, such a courtyard surely cost a fortune.
At the sound of his voice, someone within the house reacted. The lit window immediately darkened. A shadow silently emerged from within, appearing swiftly behind Li Mu Sheng.
A slender blade flashed under the moonlight, quietly resting on Li Mu Sheng’s shoulder.
Li Mu Sheng calmly raised one finger and pushed the blade aside. Turning to face the figure, he said lightly, “We’re old acquaintances, Miss Cang. Is such a greeting really necessary?”
Cang Yin Yue narrowed her eyes slightly. The blade withdrew like a serpent, vanishing into her sleeve. Her face was full of suspicion as she spoke, “How did you find this place?”
“I naturally have my ways.” Li Mu Sheng smiled softly without elaborating. He casually tossed the armored guard at her feet, saying, “Miss Cang, please question this fellow thoroughly. Perhaps he knows something useful about the Heavenly Revelation Secret Treasury.”
Earlier at the Aurora Pavilion, Li Mu Sheng had noticed this guard carried Bei Qi Dark Qi. He chose not to reveal this discovery then, planning instead to quietly seek information about the treasury’s key. Unexpectedly, the man had exposed himself to the Six Gates’ agents, making things a bit complicated. Fortunately, in the end, he still ended up in Li Mu Sheng’s hands.
Cang Yin Yue stared at the young armored guard, suddenly exclaiming in surprise, “Isn’t this the Great Qi remnant who escaped from the Aurora Pavilion earlier today?”
Although the Heavenly Brocade Guard and Six Gates quickly sealed news about the incident, nothing escaped Cang Yin Yue’s notice. After all, she was not only a constable of Six Gates but also a spy within the Shadow Spy Division.
“Exactly.” Li Mu Sheng nodded.
Cang Yin Yue looked sharply at Li Mu Sheng, drawing a deep breath. She said slowly, “I heard from people at Six Gates that this man not only practices Bei Qi Dark Qi but has martial skills rivaling a Great Martial Grandmaster. Ji Fei Yun and Gong Li Shan were seriously injured by him today, even while fighting together.”
“If palace experts hadn’t intervened at the last moment, both might have died. How exactly did you capture him?”
Li Mu Sheng shrugged, then explained briefly what happened at the Aurora Pavilion, including how he subdued the guard.
“That’s how it happened. I felt you’d be better suited for interrogations, so I brought him directly here.”
Cang Yin Yue’s eyes flashed thoughtfully. She originally believed Li Mu Sheng had concealed his strength and was possibly at the Innate Grandmaster Stage. Yet now, he had captured a martial expert who could match a Great Martial Grandmaster by himself.
Even though the armored guard had lost an arm and was wounded, an ordinary martial artist couldn’t have subdued him easily. Li Mu Sheng must be at least a half-step Great Grandmaster.
[What incredible fortune has he come across?] Cang Yin Yue wondered, extremely curious. A half-step Great Grandmaster under twenty years old was exceptionally rare, a genius of legends.
Even the imprisoned false prince was similarly powerful, trained personally by the Shadow Spy Division Chief, a legendary martial master. What kind of encounter had Li Mu Sheng had?
“Miss Cang, shouldn’t you get started?” Li Mu Sheng gently reminded her, noticing her silence.
Cang Yin Yue exhaled softly, pushing her thoughts aside. After another deep look at Li Mu Sheng, she picked up the immobilized armored guard and moved toward the room inside.
Although Li Mu Sheng’s claim of self-created martial arts was absurd, his true strength was shockingly real. Clearly, she had underestimated him once again.
“Give me half an hour, and I’ll have everything you wish to know.”
With these words, Cang Yin Yue entered the room, closing the door behind her.
“Thank you,” Li Mu Sheng called after her, glancing around briefly. With a swift leap, he settled on the rooftop to enjoy the moonlight.
Tonight, the skies were clear and serene. No cloud marred the deep blue heavens as the brilliant moon bathed the entire imperial city in silvery splendor. It was truly a lovely evening.
Since there was nothing left for Li Mu Sheng to do at the moment, he sat leisurely atop the roof, gazing at the moon in quiet contentment.
“I hope tonight yields good results. Otherwise, who knows how long it will take to find all six keys?” Li Mu Sheng murmured hopefully.
At this moment, three figures suddenly darted from a distant alley. One fled ahead while two pursued closely behind, all using Qi-infused lightness skills. They gracefully sprang over walls, rooftops, and treetops, heading directly toward Li Mu Sheng’s location.
Li Mu Sheng’s brows furrowed slightly, displeased that his rare peaceful moment was being disturbed. Still, he decided to ignore them, believing it wiser to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Soon, the three figures were close. The one fleeing in front was a masked man, while a woman in red and an elderly man chased him.
As the masked man approached, his gaze fell upon Li Mu Sheng sitting atop the roof. Suddenly inspired, he took a bundle wrapped in cloth from his robes and tossed it toward Li Mu Sheng, shouting clearly:
“Little brother, this treasure is yours now!”