Chapter 1166: Gathering In Nanyuan (1)

The fake ruin was ready. Next, they could proceed with luring the traitor out.

But the plan had yet to succeed. The traitor needed to feel threatened for this plan to work. Ji Hong, Hong Tan, and the others were key individuals. As for Ji Hong's secret, it couldn't leak through Great Xia as that would be too suspicious. The Heavenly Hunt Pavilion would be the best for this job.

***

With First Profound in tow, Su Yu headed toward Great Xia City once again.

The strong would always be brave. But in Su Yu's current case, it would be more apt to say that he was fearless because he knew he was backed here. After putting on a random hood, Su Yu strutted into the capital under broad daylight with First Profound beside him. He couldn't even be bothered to put more effort into his disguise.

Even First Profound couldn't help asking, "Isn't this a tad bit too casual?"

Su Yu explained, "Not at all. The more confident we seem, the less suspicious we will look. Do you want to bet that the Xia Family is still unaware of our arrival?"

The most obvious place was also the easiest place to neglect. It was very likely that the Xia Family had yet to notice them. Which spy would openly strut into a city with minimal disguise under broad daylight?

First Profound was rendered speechless. Inwardly, he thought that this damn kid was merely acting like this because he knew the Xia Family wouldn't harm him even if he was discovered. Before long, the two reached the Talent Fostering Bureau.

Looking at the building in front of them, First Profound asked through voice transmission, "Do we see Ji Hong just like this? Is he even aware of your identity? If he called for help, things might get troublesome."

Su Yu shook his head, "We won't be meeting him straight away. Instead, we'll leave him an index copy to establish contact."

He added, "After this, we can protect my teacher and the others in the dark. They need to enter Nanyuan and achieve their breakthroughs there. We can follow them in secret to prevent anyone from killing them off."

"Are you using me like your hired thug?"

First Profound complained.

"It's perfectly normal for the Heavenly Hunt Pavilion to protect them."

Su Yu did not seem to care. He contacted the eighth elder directly, "Eighth Elder, Hong Tan and the others are planning to head toward Nanyuan and search for the ruin. I wish to ask for permission to have First Profound join me and protect them during the journey. They will help prove the existence of the ruin."

"Granted."

The eighth elder agreed that this was necessary. Before long, First Profound received the official mission for the job through his mask. He felt quite helpless. What the fuck? Was this really fine?

Su Yu had zero fear that he would be exposed. He even applied to have the pavilion protect his teacher for him. That was actually quite impressive.

"Fine, fine."

First Profound said, "Do you think anyone will actually try to kill them?"

"Definitely." Su Yu smiled, "That's completely normal. Everyone knows that the Culture Tomb is related to the multiple character faction. Some will definitely worry that they will directly inherit the ruin after arriving, leaving nothing for the others. I believe that it is even possible for those trying to stop them to be humans. I never trust in the morality of others."

First Profound understood what Su Yu was trying to say. The prefectures who had been training their own secret multiple character cultivators might make a move against Hong Tan and the others.

After a slight hesitation, he said, "Things aren't really that bad in the Human Realm, right?"

Su Yu said, "First Profound, you must have been away from home for too long. This is how the Human Realm is nowadays. I'm no longer so extreme that I believe everyone in the Human Realm can't be trusted. But I also know that there are plenty of humans I can't trust."

First Profound sank into silence.

They stopped talking. Shortly after, Su Yu spotted someone heading into the Talent Fostering Bureau. With a casual swing of his arm, an index copy appeared behind that person.

Ji Xiaomeng continued walking into the bureau, completely oblivious to what was happening. The people in the bureau stared at her in astonishment. They could understand the director's daughter having an index copy. That was no big deal. But why was she being so open about it?

Look at how she was carrying it on her back while walking around. Wasn't this a tad bit too arrogant of her?

Ji Xiaomeng was completely unaware that there was an index copy on her back. When she noticed everyone staring at her, she merely greeted them with a smile. How weird. Why were they looking at her with such weird gazes?

***

First Profound asked with amusement, "Do you know her?"

"Yes. Ji Hong's daughter."

Su Yu smiled, "Let's go. Ji Hong will receive the index copy soon. We can contact him then. The multiple character faction might move soon so we need to leave now. I can already sense some movements inside the building."

With a flicker, the two vanished.

Inside the Talent Fostering Bureau.

Finally, Ji Hong saw his daughter and the index copy on her back. He reached out and grabbed it before rushing out of the building without saying anything. Outside, he searched the area to no avail with a frown. Was someone from the pavilion here earlier?

How brazen. Great Xia was still on the hunt for them yet they had actually entered the capital.

After failing to find anything, Ji Hong returned inside. Ji Xiaomeng asked in confusion, "Dad, what happened?"

"Nothing." After a slight hesitation, Ji Hong added, "Don't go anywhere for now. Even better if you can stay in the academy and don't leave. I might be very busy soon."

"Oh." After looking around, Ji Xiaomeng grinned mischievously and asked, "Dad, can I visit Nanyuan?"

"No!" Ji Hong solemnly warned, "You can't go there. That place is too dangerous right now. Have you forgotten your own cultivation level? Remember, stay in the academy if possible. If chaos erupts in the academy, find a way to reach Great Qin."

Ji Xiaomeng blinked as she thought about it. After giving it some thought, she nodded.

After giving her a few more warnings, Ji Hong waved and said, "You can go now. Avoid this place for now."

"Oh. Dad, can...can I go to the Allheaven Battlefield instead?"

"Allheaven Battlefield?" Ji Hong frowned as he sank into thought. After a long time, he said, "It depends. If that's the only option left, you may do so. Our headquarters there will remain relatively safe."

"No, I'm thinking of looking for Su Yu. We used to be schoolmates, remember? At that time, maybe I can look for him and get him to avenge you."

Ji Hong frowned and said, "What are you even talking about?"

Ji Xiaomeng merely smiled and skidded out of the room without giving a reply. But clearly, she was not completely clueless as to what was about to happen. After she left, Ji Hong sighed.

He took out the index copy and hesitated for a while, before sending a message through it, "I'm Ji Hong. Who are you?"

"Profound Nine!"

Ji Hong wasn't even surprised. This was probably the only pavilion member who would try to contact him at this time.

"What do you want from me?"

"I'm very interested in what you mentioned previously. Name your price. Think of your daughter. She's still so young. Do you want her to accompany you to the afterlife?"

***

Outside the city.

Su Yu continued, "Director Ji, sell the information to us and the pavilion will help you and your family leave the Human Realm safely. You can then stay in a minor realm or enter the pavilion headquarters. Your safety will be guaranteed. The pavilion has the ability to do so."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Su Yu laughed, "Director Ji, why bother? Don't tell me that the words you said back then were merely the nervous ramblings of someone desperate. I believe you're currently worrying that the secret will remain a secret after your death. You suspect even the Xia Family. Perhaps Great Xia King himself is one of your suspects. Am I right?"

Ji Hong sank into silence.

Su Yu had determined that Ji Hong was either oblivious of the plan and was suspecting Great Xia King or he knew the plan and all this was an act to help progress the plan. Su Yu did not bother to ask Wan Tiansheng about this. He also believed that Wan Tiansheng had been keeping his identity a secret as well. In that case, he only needed to act like Profound Nine without worrying too much.

If Ji Hong was unaware of the plan yet he had kept the information hidden from the Xia Family, it was clear Great Xia King was one of the Invincibles he suspected. Was it possible for Great Xia King to be the traitor?

It was truly hard to say as anything was possible. But Great Xia King was aware of the plan. If he was the traitor, he wouldn't show up and the plan would fail. Or he would simply kill Wan Tiansheng. In short, the plan would fail if he was the traitor.

Time passed as Su Yu and First Profound hid in silence.

Midnight.

Someone was leaving the city.

Or to be precise, several people were leaving the city.

Hong Tan, Xia Yunji, Zhao Mingyue, Hu Ping, Wu Yuehua...

All of them were leaving together.

One could say that almost the entire Great Xia's multiple character faction had been mobilized.

Su Yu had mixed feelings as he looked at the main characters of the coming incident. The Nanyuan act was about to start.

Great Xia had also deployed a Sunmoon to escort them. It was General Zhao. Previously, General Zhao had displayed the strength as a fifth-stage Sunmoon. But even with Su Yu's increase in strength, he still wasn't able to fully see through General Zhao's cultivation. At that level, unless General Zhao was willing to reveal his strength, it wouldn't be that easy for others to see through his real strength.

First Profound spoke through voice transmission, "With Zhao Rui as the escort, their safety is guaranteed. Hong Tan is a Sunmoon himself. As for the others, they are also multiple character faction experts near Sunmoon Realm. I don't think we'll need to do anything during the journey."

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Just follow them."

That was all Su Yu had to say. To be safe, he still decided to follow the group. One only needed to eliminate everyone in this group to sever almost all his entanglements with humanity. He could never be too cautious.

The group moved rapidly. Behind them, Su Yu and First Profound followed in secret. As they moved, Su Yu constantly scanned their surroundings, his Perception Jade running at full power. However, he was only able to check a radius of one kilometer around them. As per the Perception Jade, Zhao Rui did not appear too strong, nor did he look too weak.

From the intensity of the dot of light representing Zhao Rui, he probably had the strength of a sixth or seventh-stage Sunmoon. As for Hong Tan, he felt like a first-stage Sunmoon. Su Yu was unsure if Hong Tan was hiding his strength or if Hong Tan had yet to break through.

When someone was deliberately trying to hide their strength, the Perception Jade wouldn't be too accurate.

The journey proceeded silently.

All was peaceful.

However, Su Yu did not dare to be careless. After all, his tribulation character had reacted several times. Some people were most likely observing Hong Tan's group in secret.