Chapter 48, Planning and Setup

Translator: StarReader

 

Su Chen wandered aimlessly around the west gate pier, deep in thought, unable to come up with a good plan to get Daoist Qinghe out of his room for an opportunity to strike.

 

Returning to the Medicine King Estate’s Errand Hall, he resumed his menial tasks to earn some money while continuing to cultivate his Middle Dantian.

 

Su Chen was a late third-rate practitioner, and in just three or five days, he would gather True Qi within his body, advancing into the second-rate realm. However, this matter weighed heavily on his mind. Without resolving it, everything felt as bland as chewing wax—it simply wasn’t satisfying.

 

In his spare time, Su Chen visited the library at the Medicine King Estate, poring over Daoist texts in search of clues related to that fire symbol. Yet, no matter how hard he searched through the Daoist classics and books at the library, he couldn’t find any similar patterns.

 

The more he sought but found nothing, the more his mind itched with frustration.

 

That day, Su Chen, burdened by his thoughts, headed to the ruined City God Temple east of Gusu County City. He came to play and relax with Ah Chou. Ah Chou was cultivating a newly learned martial technique at the City God Temple, but upon seeing Su Chen arrive, he perked up. He quickly dragged Su Chen aside to spar and practice their martial arts together.

 

After sparring for half an hour, they rested on the temple steps, chatting about recent events in the martial world. Su Chen brought up the shocking collaboration between Daoist Qinghe and the pirates led by Ding Shisan, who were involved in robbery and murder. He knew discussing such matters with others could lead to danger, as it would likely attract unwanted attention or even death.

 

Ah Chou was his trusted brother in Gusu County City, someone he could confide in despite knowing it might not solve much—they often shared thoughts to better understand the situation.

 

“What? Daoist Qinghe collaborating with pirates?” Ah Chou’s face turned pale, clearly disbelieving. He was from Gusu County City himself, having worked as a server at Heaven Falcon Inn when he was young. Now, he was a laborer for Heaven Falcon Group and often visited Han Mountain Daoist Temple to pay his respects to the Immortal Master. Though he couldn’t afford offerings, he always held the Daoists there in high esteem, viewing them as revered figures far beyond mortal affairs.

 

He never imagined that Han Mountain Daoist Temple’s acting abbot, Daoist Qinghe, the top cultivator in the Wu Region and a disciple of such a great figure, would engage in such a despicable and shameful deed.

 

“Ah Chou, you don’t believe it either? If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I might have dismissed the attack on the Li family as an unsolved mystery. Even if others told me about it, I wouldn’t have believed them either.”

 

Su Chen saw Ah Chou’s shocked expression and sighed deeply.

 

His admiration and respect for Han Mountain Daoist Temple were no less than Ah Chou’s. If not for Daoist Han Shan diagnosing his illness, he might have died shortly after birth. He held deep gratitude toward Daoist Han Shan.

 

In recent decades, Daoist Han Shan’s image in the hearts of the common folk had grown immensely. His followers were scattered across the Wu region, and his status was unmatched by anyone. Whether it was the officials and county magistrates or the leaders of the Wu Region’s Five Great Groups, none could rival the reverence owed to Daoist Han Shan. Naturally, this esteemed position extended to his disciples and the Daoist temple, making them highly respected figures.

 

Even Ah Chou remained skeptical upon hearing this. If such a shocking claim were made to others, they would likely disbelieve it and even accuse him of slander.

 

“As for Daoist Qinghe, whether he’s involved is not the biggest concern. What worries me most is whether Daoist Han Shan will protect him… Otherwise, even if the Medicine King Group and the Heaven Falcon Group combined their forces, they still wouldn’t provoke Daoist Han Shan. How could we, mere small fries, stand up to him?”

 

Su Chen spoke with a look of concern.

 

No one was capable of provoking Daoist Han Shan anywhere in the martial world across the Wu Region.

 

“That’s true,” said Ah Chou, scratching his head as he pondered what to do next.

 

Su Chen thought it through for a moment and then spoke with determination: “Regardless of the outcome, I’m going to investigate Han Mountain Daoist Temple again. If there’s nothing to be found, I’ll give up on this idea.”

 

“Brother Chen,” Ah Chou interjected excitedly, “if you’re set on investigating Han Mountain Daoist Temple, you must bring me along! Even though my martial skills aren’t the best, I can help with scouting and keeping watch!”

 

Su Chen agreed, seeing the enthusiasm in Ah Chou’s eyes. Ah Chou couldn’t care less about the rumors of Daoist Qinghe collaborating with pirates—he was too exhilarated by the prospect of a daring adventure in the martial world. This was what people called ‘roaming the martial realm,’ where danger and excitement went hand in hand, leaving one breathless with anticipation.

 

He had been toiling away in the Heaven Falcon Group, secretly learning and rigorously training his martial skills. All of this was for the day he could team up with Su Chen and dominate the martial world.

 

However, that day arrived sooner than expected. Ah Chou had only recently broken through the third-rate realm but remained too weak to take on significant tasks. For now, his role would be minor—helping with lookout duties or distractions to mislead pursuers.

 

“Alright, once I’m ready, I’ll bring you along in a few days,” Su Chen said with a nod.

 

He was in need of assistance, and though Ah Chou’s strength was limited, he could still contribute on the periphery. Scouting missions, acting as a lookout—these were tasks where his presence would be useful, even if it meant merely creating diversions to lead pursuers astray.

 

…

 

Su Chen made up his mind to search the Han Mountain Daoist Temple once more. But this mission required utmost caution and thorough preparation.

 

Daoist Qinghe was cunning and cautious, with very deep inner skills, making him much harder to deal with than Ding Shisan. The slightest mistake would alert this old fox and lead to relentless pursuit. One must plan carefully; otherwise, it is just a waste of one’s own life.

 

Su Chen spent several days scouting the Han Mountain Daoist Temple. Entering the temple was quite simple. The Han Mountain Daoist Temple had many pilgrims and followers. From early morning opening to late afternoon closing, hundreds or even thousands of visitors came from Gusu County City and various counties in the Wu Region, coming and going, even strolling around the vast temple grounds. The Daoists there couldn’t possibly distinguish each visitor’s identity.

 

Su Chen entered the temple confidently, posing as a pilgrim. He made a show of offering incense inside, then wandered around the temple, memorizing every detail—scripture houses, courtyards, gardens, pavilions, and corridors—all without fear of suspicion. Over these few days, he indeed made some new discoveries.

 

The front courtyard was lax; the Daoists didn’t monitor it closely. But the rear courtyard had young Daoist caretakers, prohibiting outsiders from entering.

 

Su Chen sneaked into the courtyard and noticed that Daoist Qinghe maintained a highly disciplined routine, rarely leaving his quarters.

 

If Daoist Qinghe needed to be away for an extended period, he would always arrange for three or four young Daoists, each ranking as a first-rate expert, to stand guard outside his room without moving an inch.

 

Most of the time, Daoist Qinghe could be found inside his chamber, poring over Daoist texts and chanting, never straying from his post.

 

His meals were delivered to him by other younger Daoists throughout the day.

 

Only late at night, before retiring for bed, would he occasionally leave his room to use the nearby outhouse. This brief excursion happened once a day, lasting no more than a cup of tea’s time.

 

During this incredibly short period, Daoist Qinghe did not arrange for any other Daoists to keep watch outside his chamber.

 

[Just how cautious is he? He probably figures that in the time it takes for a cup of tea, no one could really do much—and yet, he still keeps such tight security around his quarters. Is there something valuable or suspicious inside that he’s trying to protect?]

 

Su Chen thought to himself, growing even more determined to investigate further.

 

He had spent several days thoroughly investigating the situation within the Han Mountain Daoist Temple and tracking the activities of Daoist Qinghe.

 

His only chance to act was late at night, the brief moment before Qinghe went to sleep.

 

“It seems that sneaking back into the guest quarters won’t be too difficult. Using those short moments to search for important items shouldn’t be too challenging.

 

“The real problem lies in how I can escape safely.

 

“I estimate it would take me about half a tea time to search through this enormous room. Another half hour of tea time would be needed to flee the Daoist temple. Meanwhile, Qinghe would likely return after relieving himself.”

 

Given Qinghe’s cautious and sharp nature, he might quickly notice that items had gone missing from his quarters and would undoubtedly launch a pursuit.

 

If Qinghe discovers the theft immediately, the time I’d have to escape the Han Mountain Daoist Temple would be extremely limited. How could I evade Qinghe’s relentless chase?

 

Su Chen quickly calculated in his mind. Those items involved Qinghe Old Taoist’s wealth and life; furious and terrified, they would undoubtedly bring the Daoists from Han Mountain Daoist Temple to hunt him down without mercy. The Daoists at Han Mountain Daoist Temple included many first-rate experts, and they were skilled in lightness arts.

 

In half a tea time, how far could he escape? Su Chen didn’t think he could outrun these lightness martial arts experts. Half a tea time—probably no more than a mile away, which was the limit of his running ability. He had to find a safe and hidden spot within that time; otherwise, he would surely get caught.

 

Su Chen circled around Han Mountain Daoist Temple, carefully calculating the direction and distance for his escape.

 

With a radius of a mile, it was a very small area. The only directions suitable for escape were towards the west entrance pier and the city of Gusu County City.

 

From the Han Mountain Daoist Temple, heading west for about three hundred meters, he’d reach the west entrance pier. From there, jumping directly into the river and diving could allow one to escape towards the rural wilds. However, in the countryside of Gusu County, which was vast and sparsely populated, everyone knew each other. It would be easy for them to spot outsiders, making it difficult to hide. Basic needs like food and shelter could quickly expose someone’s presence.

 

If the Daoists were to really put their minds to it, setting up a tight net of roadblocks and checkpoints across the rural areas, catching the culprit would be highly likely.

 

Alternatively, heading east for three hundred meters would lead directly into the city via the west gate. Once inside the city, one could blend in with the crowded streets and alleys to escape. Gusu City was home to nearly ten thousand households, making it the most populous and bustling place, perfect for blending in anonymously. If one managed to reach the city and find a suitable hiding spot, the few Daoists would have a hard time finding him.

 

Of course, besides these two escape routes, there was actually another potential hiding place: fleeing towards the Medicine King Estate.

 

Medicine King Estate was guarded by some of its top experts, and even with the powerful Daoists, they couldn’t attempt a direct assault on the heavily fortified gates of the estate. Searching for someone within such a well-protected place would be even more difficult.

 

Unfortunately, the distance between the Medicine King Estate and the Han Mountain Daoist Temple was about two miles.

 

Suo Chen didn’t think he could make it all the way back to the Medicine King Estate in one breath. He estimated that he might only get a mile away before being spotted and caught.

 

“It seems that entering Gusu County City would be the best bet! The more people there are, the harder it’ll be to track me down, making it easier to avoid suspicion. But first, I need to find a safe hiding spot within the city.”

 

Suo Chen entered the western gate of Gusu County City and walked about three hundred meters into the city. As he went, he mentally calculated his distance from key landmarks while keeping an eye out for potential hiding spots.

 

Ordinary civilian homes weren’t ideal for hiding since strangers would likely be noticed by their owners quickly.

 

By evening, Suo Chen had made his way into the city through the western gate and reached one of the most bustling and lively street corners in town.

 

Looking up, Suo Chen saw a luxurious and extravagant pavilion standing at the intersection of the streets.

 

The upstairs gallery was hung with a row of crimson lanterns, illuminating the brothel’s interior with red and blue lights. In front of the main entrance stood a matron and over sixty young and beautiful girls, each adorned in elaborate, enticing attire. At that moment, the establishment was bustling with patrons. Men carrying swords, wealthy young masters from Gusu County City, and merchants and peddlers traveling from various regions—all came and went.