Chapter 298

Chapter 298: Two Bald Heads

Wang Jie was genuinely startled. Caught?

He followed Wu Yuan and the others to see for themselves.

A pale-faced youth stood restrained under the watch of multiple Clubs. Starforce flared around him as he struggled, but he couldn’t break free. His eyes were filled with resentment.

When Wang Jie arrived, that resentment turned vicious.

Wu Yuan’s voice was steady. “Who is he? Why are you certain he’s the one spreading the information?”

Ke Mu Sheng answered, calm as ever. “Wang Jie needs more of the Red Moon Method. If the person in the shadows wants to enter the Nan family, she would leak more.”

He tapped his fingers lightly against his arm. “So we watched the hidden corners where the message would be passed. That was enough.”

“You expected us to wait for the next part,” Ke Mu Sheng continued, looking at the captive. “In truth, we waited for you.”

Wang Jie studied the youth.

This wasn’t the real Nan family descendant. It couldn’t be.

More likely, the true descendant had pushed this youth out as bait—a way to deliver more of the method without exposing herself.

That would explain the hatred in the youth’s eyes. He wasn’t angry at the Clubs alone. He was furious at Wang Jie too, because Wang Jie had forced this escalation.

Yuan Qiao Qiao spoke, her tone cool. “He claims the Nan family’s destruction was witnessed by his ancestors. They escaped by luck but didn’t know the killer. He leaked Red Moon’s existence because he wants to return to the Nan family and reclaim what belongs to his branch. He’s too weak to do it alone, so he used outside forces.”

Yu Zhi frowned. “Spreading it through Club channels is… loud.”

“That’s the clever part,” Candle-Shadow Madam said, her smile faint. “If he spread the message privately, any sect could send a Star-Refining Realm expert and take everything. He would gain nothing.”

Her eyes glinted. “But with Clubs involved, the ceiling is lower—at most, Hundred-Star Realm. He believes he can gamble, relying on his knowledge of the Nan family and formations.”

Yu Zhi sighed, reluctant admiration in his voice. “Clever… but he underestimated Clubs.”

“Who destroyed the Nan family?” someone demanded.

The youth’s gaze was hard. “How would I know? The Nan family deserved it. But since they were destroyed, their things should be mine.”

“What is your status in the Nan family?”

“Collateral second son,” he spat. “Nan Ling.”

The questions continued. Nan Ling answered them all—smoothly, flawlessly, like someone who truly belonged to the Nan family.

And that, more than anything, convinced Wang Jie it was an act.

If the answers came from a real descendant, how could anyone here find cracks?

Wang Jie stepped forward and cut through the interrogation. “Whether he’s lying or not doesn’t matter. Our goal is the Nan family. Let him lead us.”

Nan Ling sneered. “If I could lead you, why would I have leaked anything?”

He glanced at Wang Jie and laughed without humor. “You’re really stupid.”

Wang Jie didn’t react. “You can’t lead us. But the method can.”

He leaned in slightly. “You’ve been watching. You know only I can find Red Moon. Stop wasting time—give the later part of the Red Moon Method.”

Nan Ling’s eyes burned. “I’m already caught. Why should I speak? At worst, I die.”

His lips curled. “None of you will get anything from the Nan family.”

Wang Jie turned away. “Then I’ll leave it to everyone else.”

Nan Ling froze, as if he hadn’t expected that.

Wang Jie had no interest in watching a performance. The youth had been pushed out to deliver more of the method, but it couldn’t be handed over too easily or the act would break. There would be bargaining, threats, possibly torture—a whole show.

Wang Jie walked out before the curtain even rose.

Nan Ling stared after him, stunned, while the surrounding Club members’ gazes turned darker by the second.

Wang Jie returned to the Lakeside Residence.

Not long after, Mo arrived.

Third Zen Heaven’s bald head.

He looked much the same as he had on Blue Star, but his calm carried more weight now.

“More than ten years,” Mo said softly as he sat opposite Wang Jie. “Brother Wang’s bearing hasn’t changed.”

Wang Jie gave a small smile. “Brother Mo is the impressive one. You look exactly the same. I envy that.”

“It’s my method,” Mo said. “When I break through, though, my appearance may change overnight.”

He studied Wang Jie. “Weren’t you dead?”

“Not quite,” Wang Jie said. “I came back.”

Mo’s eyes sharpened slightly. “How?”

Then he added quickly, as if remembering manners, “If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to answer.”

Wang Jie thought of Chen Song, then of the Third Zen Heaven people in this place. He didn’t trust them—not because he’d seen overt malice, but because their calm made them harder to read.

“My Master saved me,” he said.

“Master?” Mo repeated.

“Yes.” Wang Jie kept his tone light. “I told you back on Blue Star, didn’t I?”

Mo remembered it now. Back then, they’d all dismissed it as bravado. Later, they’d believed Wang Jie dead, and the thought had vanished.

But now…

Wang Jie had defeated Shu Mu Ye. If Jia Yi Sect hadn’t believed he was dead or crippled, they would never have abandoned the pursuit. No one on Blue Star could have saved him.

Unless he truly had a mysterious Master.

Mo nodded slowly. “Then Brother Wang’s survival makes sense. Achieving Six-Path Roamer combat power as a lockforce Full-Star Realm… unheard of in past or present. I admire it.”

They spoke for a while longer. Mo was still quiet, but the quiet was different now—more deliberate, less innocent.

People changed.

Qi Xue Yin had changed. Mo had changed too.

Wang Jie wondered about Wen Zhao, Chong Ruo Ruo, Bai Yuan, Zuo Tian… the old faces from Blue Star. Where were they now?

Mo left before long.

One bald head went.

Another came.

This one looked even younger than Mo. His head was shaved clean, his face smooth and almost gentle. His name, however, made Wang Jie raise an eyebrow.

Wu Ming.

An odd name—one that sounded like tempting fate.

“You’re very special,” Wu Ming said.

Wang Jie met his gaze. “So are you.”

Wu Ming’s eyes were deep. “I drew a cage around myself with comprehension. You drew a cage around yourself with combat power.”

Wang Jie didn’t understand. But he remembered what he’d heard—this youth had helped more than ten people break through to Roaming-Star Realm.

That wasn’t normal.

Wang Jie’s expression sharpened. “Explain.”

Wu Ming shook his head. “Explain what? What do you want to hear?”

He stood and left as abruptly as he’d come, but he left one sentence behind like a nail driven into wood.

“Starry Sky Martial Tournament. You might be my greatest opponent.”

Wang Jie watched him go, unease stirring.

Greatest opponent?

Time passed.

Then Yu Zhi came for him, face tight. “Nan Ling finally talked.”

Wang Jie went out.

Nan Ling looked drained—ashen, shaking, eyes full of fear when he glanced at the surrounding people. Whatever had happened to him, it hadn’t been gentle.

Wu Yuan spoke. “He agreed to reveal the later part of the Red Moon Method. But only to you.”

Wang Jie frowned. “And you agreed?”

Nan Ling glared at him like he wanted to bite. If only you hear it, isn’t that better? Why are you making noise now, you idiot?

Wu Yuan’s tone stayed flat. “He threatened suicide. He said the family method cannot be spread.”

Wang Jie nodded. “Fine. Tell me.”

Nan Ling spoke quietly, reluctantly, as if every word tasted like blood.

When he finished, Wang Jie looked up. “That’s it?”

Nan Ling shut his mouth.

Wang Jie turned to Wu Yuan. “Elder, this isn’t enough.”

“It is!” Nan Ling snapped. “It’s absolutely enough to find Red Moon!”

Wang Jie shook his head. “If I say it isn’t, it isn’t.”

Nan Ling’s face twisted. “You’re trying to trick me into giving you everything.”

Wang Jie sighed. “Then I’ll try.”

Under everyone’s watch, he cultivated again, adding the scraps Nan Ling had given him.

This time, the lockforce condensing into shape felt stronger. Far away, a dark red outline stirred into being—vague at first, then clearer.

Wang Jie stood at once. “That way.”

Wu Yuan immediately led him into the starry sky.

Everyone followed. Aside from Wang Jie, Wu Ming, Qing Kong, and Mo, the rest were Roaming-Star Realm cultivators, and they poured outward like a tide.

In only moments, Imperial Capital Star was behind them.

Jun Hua watched them leave and finally exhaled. She’d been terrified one of these people would strike within the atmosphere. Any one of them could have shattered the planet.

Now, in the deep void, Wang Jie cultivated again. The outline appeared more clearly ahead.

It was dark red. And even without fully manifesting, the pressure of starforce around it made people’s chests feel tight.

The creator of Red Moon had to be beyond Hundred-Star Realm.

Wang Jie continued.

The outline sharpened.

Nan Ling stared at it, and something like relief flickered deep in his eyes. Miss… it’s working. You can go back.

Take everything. Take back what belongs to you.

Then Wang Jie stopped.

The outline wavered and dispersed.

He spread his hands in helpless frustration. “That’s as far as I can get.”

Nan Ling erupted. “Impossible! You can definitely make Red Moon fully appear and pull out the coordinates the Nan family left inside it!”

Wang Jie looked at him, exhausted. “This is lockforce. Or would you like me to sit here cultivating for half a year and try again?”

No one answered.

If this were an ordinary lockforce cultivator, threats would solve it. But Wang Jie wasn’t ordinary. Black-White Heaven supported him fully, and many forces behind these Clubs had already warned their people not to trouble him.

Slowly, the room’s attention shifted.

Not toward Wang Jie.

Toward Nan Ling.

Nan Ling’s eyes flickered, rage twisting into panic.

He’d been forced out. Imprisoned. Tortured. He’d delivered what he’d been given, and now this lockforce monster wanted more.

Wang Jie watched him steadily. “So. Either we wait… or you give me a little more. I’m not asking for everything.”