Chapter 58: Ominous

Tu Lu did not speak; instead, he solemnly took out a Memory Stone and handed it over.

Zi Tuo Peak reached out to accept it and began to view its contents.

He watched for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

At first, he was a little surprised to see Fang Jinrui, but gradually his expression grew grave, until finally it became utterly dark.

He took a deep breath and countered with a question, “What is the meaning of this?”

Though the Memory Stone could not transmit sound, one could still see the movements of their lips. Zi Tuo Peak, being a Mountain-Moving cultivator, naturally could discern the gist of their conversation.

Tu Lu hid nothing. He laid out everything regarding Fang Jinrui, narrating it all except for his own intent.

The more Zi Tuo Peak listened, the more unsightly his face became.

Without the Memory Stone, he might not have believed it, but now he had no choice.

Fang Jinrui had betrayed him!

“City Lord, if you do not believe me, I have a plan that can prove it,” Tu Lu said.

“Speak!”

Tu Lu nodded and shared his idea.

Meanwhile, in the western wing of the City Lord’s mansion, Fang Jinrui arrived.

“Chief Fang!” came a startled voice from outside.

“I have urgent matters to discuss with Young Master Tu.”

“But the City Lord said—”

“Let him in!” At that moment, Tu Lu’s voice came from within the room.

“Yes!” The servant outside was clearly surprised.

After Fang Jinrui entered, he closed the door behind him and activated a barrier formation to isolate the room.

“I’ve brought you the Spirits of Grass and Wood you wanted.”

“Millennia Root, Five Venom Herb, Water Lotus?” Tu Lu reached out, glanced at the contents, and frowned. “Why only three?”

Fang Jinrui replied coldly, “Your demands are too high. These three are the only spirits of grass and wood remaining within a thousand miles. As for the rest, they are either in the hands of powerful figures or yet undiscovered. They’re not things that can be acquired in a short time!”

“In that case, I’ll take these three for now. When the other two arrive, I’ll act,” Tu Lu said, putting away the three spirits.

At these words, Fang Jinrui was so angry he could hardly breathe. “Young Master Tu, experts from the Grand Void Prefecture are already on their way. If you don’t act soon, it will be too late!”

“That’s your concern.”

Tu Lu smiled slightly. “So you’d better hurry and find the remaining two Spirits of Grass and Wood.”

“You! Fool, you’re too greedy! Now is not the time to haggle—if we succeed, not to mention five, even ten spirits would be no issue!”

Fang Jinrui was furious, but no matter what he said, Tu Lu simply ignored him and stayed silent, eyes closed in meditation.

Fang Jinrui was about to speak again when suddenly he received a message. His expression changed, he glanced at Tu Lu several times, then withdrew the formation and stormed out.

“So it’s begun,” Tu Lu murmured, raising his brows slightly.

Before long, his avatar quietly returned from the City Lord’s residence to the western wing, merging into his body.

With the fusion of his three avatars, his aura surged instantly, returning to the peak of the Sea-Filling stage.

...

At the City Lord’s residence.

“Your old servant greets the Young Lord. May I ask why you summoned me?”

“Ha ha, Old Fang, you’re finally here. Just now, Fairy Ziling arrived. I can’t wait any longer—we set out at once!” Zi Tuo Peak laughed as soon as Fang Jinrui entered.

Behind him stood Jin Donghe. Opposite sat a graceful figure, her face veiled with a light gauze that seemed to shield spiritual perception—her appearance was indiscernible.

“Young Lord, you mustn’t!” Fang Jinrui’s expression changed. “This is improper. The fairy has traveled far and should rest for the night. Moreover, there are thieves yet lurking in the city—it’s too dangerous to leave now!”

“Old Fang, you’re too hidebound. The fairy hasn’t even spoken, and you’re already objecting? As the saying goes, swift action brings victory! If we hurry to the prefecture, we avoid trouble. Are we to cower here in Huangyun City forever? Or do you doubt the strength of our more than ten Half-Step Violet Palace cultivators?”

“Your servant would not dare!”

“Good!” Zi Tuo Peak smiled with satisfaction. “Summon our benefactor, Young Lord Guo and the rest, as well as those Sea-Filling cultivators gathered from the city. Tell them to prepare to depart!”

“Yes!” came a voice from outside.

All the while, the woman called Fairy Ziling said not a word.

Fang Jinrui’s expression darkened; Zi Tuo Peak was acting too swiftly, catching him off guard.

But Tu Lu was unwilling to act, and relying on his own strength alone, he had no confidence in an assassination.

If he allowed them to enter the Great Wilderness, it would turn into a head-on confrontation. With more than ten Half-Step Violet Palace experts on their side, even if they fought at several times their strength, there was no guarantee of stopping such a force.

After all, Zi Tuo Peak’s group didn’t need to win outright, nor even meet in direct combat. They could just scatter, exploiting the terrain and superior strength to break through at a single point, sending Zi Tuo Peak safely into the prefecture.

Damn it!

Fang Jinrui gritted his teeth, unconsciously finding himself near the western wing.

At that moment, Tu Lu emerged from the wing, and as they passed each other, Tu Lu’s lips moved, transmitting a message to Fang Jinrui.

“Act outside the city; four Spirits of Grass and Wood after the deed?” Fang Jinrui’s heart stirred, and he turned sharply to look at Tu Lu.

Though something felt off, this was an excellent opportunity.

Jin Donghe controlled all the city’s restrictions; to act inside the city, that would have to be addressed first, and he was unprepared. But outside, there was no such obstacle!

...

Half a day later.

Tu Lu and the other cultivators assembled in the great hall.

At the center stood the three Half-Step Violet Palace experts: Guo, Yang, and Fairy Ziling. Behind them were more than ten Sea-Filling cultivators gathered from Huangyun City.

Tu Lu was among them, of course.

Zi Tuo Peak stood at the front, facing the assembly, with Fang Jinrui and Jin Donghe at his sides.

Zi Tuo Peak swept his gaze over them and, in high spirits, nodded earnestly.

“All of you! Beyond those of us here, there are more than ten Half-Step Violet Palace experts waiting outside to support us. Success is certain! Once I set foot in the prefecture, it will be your time to soar!”

“Set out!”

“Set out!”

Upon hearing Zi Tuo Peak’s words, the cultivators summoned from Huangyun City were even more excited than the city lord himself. They surged forward in a mighty crowd and soon charged out of Huangyun City.

As the group left the city, Tu Lu’s true body followed as well.

His avatars, meanwhile, kept their focus on Guo, Yang, and Fairy Ziling.

According to his plan, the current Zi Tuo Peak and Jin Donghe were not their true bodies, but incarnations maintained by supreme avatar talismans!

So long as they did not fight, there would be no flaw in their auras.

The plan was for Zi Tuo Peak and Jin Donghe’s avatars to lure Fang Jinrui out of the city.

If Fang Jinrui attempted an assassination, that would be proof of his betrayal. At that point, Guo Taicheng and Yang Ke would join forces to capture Fang Jinrui.

Meanwhile, they would repossess the storage rings containing the betrothal gifts and return to Huangyun City.

Tu Lu’s goal was to be the first to seize the storage ring holding the betrothal gifts!

Then, uniting his true form and avatars, he would unleash power surpassing a Half-Step Violet Palace cultivator and flee far from Huangyun City, extricating himself from this muddy affair.