Chapter 862: Scammed

The next morning, Chu Liang once again stepped out of the Celestial Northern Prison.

He transformed into a rushing gust of wind and arrived just outside the capital of Yu soon after that. Cloaked in a black robe, he passed through the city gates without drawing attention.

He left the prison each day not just because it was dull to stay inside but mainly to wander around the Immortals' Square and study the business models of his competitors. Back at Mount Shu, he never had the time to explore this side of things in such depth.

Now that Taotie City had fallen, only Red Cotton Peak and the Immortals' Square remained active in the market. The two parties were still cooperating for now, but the balance had already been disrupted, and it was only a matter of time before they had to compete with each other. By thinking about this ahead of time, Chu Liang was simply making sure Red Cotton Peak would be ready.

After making his usual rounds, Chu Liang arrived at the famous foodie street.

This was a well-known spot in the capital of Yu, lined not with grand restaurants but small, humble eateries beloved by both locals and travelers alike. Tuntun, in particular, was especially fond of the street food here. Every time Chu Liang went out, he made sure to pack a few treats to bring back for her.

Just as Chu Liang was buying some fried skewers, a sudden commotion broke out behind him.

"Aaahhhhhhh!"

A passerby's scream rang out, followed by a crowd of people bursting from a nearby alley in a panic. Moments later, the roar of a beast echoed through the street, and a massive figure surged into view.

"

Roar!

"

It was a four-legged monster fish, and it was as tall as a two-story building. The creature had leapt out of the nearby river and landed on top of a house, crushing half the tiled roof beneath its weight and throwing the area into chaos.

Amid the panic, Chu Liang didn't rush to act. Instead, he calmly stood off to the side, quietly observing the situation.

He needed to keep his movements hidden. If he acted, he might risk exposing his qi. As long as no one was in immediate danger, there was no reason to act rashly. This was the capital of Yu, where powerful experts were as common as clouds. Someone was bound to take care of it soon.

Sure enough, in the next instant, a streak of crimson light descended onto the four-legged monster fish.

Whoosh.

It was just a speck of red starlight, but the moment it entered the creature's body, the beast froze in place. Half of its massive form still rested on the rooftop, completely motionless.

"Huh?"

The fleeing civilians began to notice something was off and turned back to look at the monster fish.

The giant fish's bulging eyes were wide with fear. It looked confused, as if it had no idea what had just happened to it.

Moments later, several figures dressed in white descended from the sky.

The cultivators from the Imperial Supervisory Bureau arrived quickly. After landing, they surrounded the monster fish and observed it briefly before taking action.

Each of them summoned a hollow golden orb into their palm. From the orbs, crimson threads shot out, darting through the air with sharp whooshing sounds. In an instant, the threads wove together into a large net that wrapped tightly around the monster fish.

As the net tightened, the massive creature began to shrink. Then, under the control of the golden orbs, it was sealed into a metal compass.

The staff of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau in the capital of Yu were clearly well-trained in the art of subjugating demons.

The enchanted artifacts they used were most likely modeled after the General's Supreme Constellation Disc, modified slightly for capturing greater demons. The more golden orbs used, the stronger the effect. When dozens or even a hundred cultivators deployed them at once, they could subdue even a seventh-realm greater demon.

"It's a sixth-realm aquatic demon with great cultivation power. Most likely, an Eminent One passed by and intervened. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been subdued so easily."

"The waterways in the capital of Yu are strictly monitored. There shouldn't be any demonic creatures roaming around. Where did this one come from?"

"Send it to the Celestial Northern Prison. Interrogate it thoroughly and find out where it came from."

"......"

"..."

After a brief discussion, the cultivators from the Imperial Supervisory Bureau took the greater demon away. As for the damaged houses and storefronts, someone would eventually come to handle the repairs.

Before long, the crowd returned, and the street was lively once again. Only the scattered bricks and broken tiles remained, quietly marking the moment of chaos that had just passed.

Chu Liang let out a breath of relief and turned to leave.

He had clearly seen who had made the move earlier. It was none other than his old friend from Mount Shu—Oldie Brodie of the quarrying archipelago.

After looting Penglai, the two brothers had gone on the run and had most likely ended up in the capital of Yu. With its large, chaotic population, it was the perfect place to lie low. The higher-ups of the Penglai Supreme Sect wouldn't bother searching here.

It was clear they didn't want their identities revealed, so Chu Liang chose not to approach them. Quietly slipping away was best for everyone.

He had to admit that when it came to crime, Oldie Brodie had a certain natural flair. Thousands of years of experience had honed his skills to near perfection. He was second only to those rare prodigies who seemed born for a life of villainy.

...

"I didn't expect a demonic beast to suddenly appear in the capital of Yu. That was truly dangerous just now," Du Wuhen said, still feeling a trace of fear. "Good thing you stepped in, Little Second Brother."

Grand Ancestor Fuyou nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Fortunately, we were nearby. Otherwise, not only would civilians have been injured, but our newly purchased residence might've been damaged too."

As it turned out, the two had bought a large home to stay in during their time in the capital. Located beside the river in one of the city's finest districts, they had placed a deposit the day before and were scheduled to move in today.

After crossing the street, they arrived at the gates of their new home.

Du Wuhen stepped forward and knocked on the door.

Knock knock knock.

Moments later, a middle-aged man with an embroidered robe and a pair of drooping mustaches opened the door. He gave them a quick glance and asked, "What do you want?"

"Uh?" Du Wuhen hesitated for a moment. "Brother, we finalized the purchase of this residence yesterday and already paid the deposit. You are...?"

"What residence?" The man raised an eyebrow. "This is my home. How could I not know it was being sold?"

"Your home?" Du Wuhen frowned as well. "The seller showed us the deed just yesterday. There's no mistake. Could this be a misunderstanding? Maybe you've got it wrong?"

"I think you're the ones who got it wrong!" the man snapped, clearly irritated. "Anything else?"

Du Wuhen was about to lose his temper.

"Elder Brother, let me handle this," Grand Ancestor Fuyou said calmly, pulling him back. "Don't get angry."

"Alright," Du Wuhen grumbled, stepping aside.

Grand Ancestor Fuyou stepped forward and cupped his hands politely before saying, "Brother, there must be some misunderstanding. We saw the deed and paid the deposit just yesterday. How did you become the owner today? It's possible someone used your name in a scam, or maybe there's an error we're unaware of. If it's convenient, could we come in and discuss it further—"

"Scram!" the middle-aged man barked, then slammed the door shut with a loud bang.

Grand Ancestor Fuyou turned around and looked at Du Wuhen. The two brothers stared at each other in silence.

Du Wuhen blinked and said, "How can something like this happen in the capital of Yu? Right under the emperor's nose?"

"Exactly. I didn't even get to finish what I was saying..." Grand Ancestor Fuyou muttered. "People in the capital are so rude."

Meanwhile, the middle-aged man crossed the courtyard and returned to the main hall, where a fat man dressed like a merchant was sitting and waiting.

"Heheh," the fat man chuckled. "Those two bumpkins looked pretty clueless, didn't they? Told you I wasn't wrong."

"Absolutely," the middle-aged man replied with a grin. "No idea where people like that get so much money. Trying to buy a mansion in the capital? Who else are we supposed to scam if not them?"

The fat man hesitated, a hint of worry in his voice. "Still, they didn't seem like ordinary people. They looked like cultivators, and their cultivation didn't seem weak. What if they figure it out and come back looking for trouble?"

The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow. "They dare? Have you forgotten who my son-in-law is? He's the current chancellor. If they try to cause trouble, I'll accuse them of being diabolical cultivators or evildoers and have them thrown into the Celestial Northern Prison. Once they're inside, they'll be begging for death and unable to escape. So what if they have great cultivation power then?"