It was noon when Chu Li suddenly knocked on the cabin.
Xiao Qi rode her horse and stopped beside his cabin. "What is it?" she softly asked.
"Lady Xiao, I'm quite worried. I think we'll just catch one of the men from the Ren Public House and ask," said Chu Li.
"You're worried that Lu Yurong will attack Chongming Town?"
"It's still possible."
"Don't worry, big brother won't be fooled."
"I think we should still ask."
"Very well."
Xiao Qi called her men over and gave the order. They immediately caught the detective behind them five hundred meters away.
The cavalry stopped and everyone went into the woods to rest.
Someone carried Chu Li down from the carriage and sat on a blue stone. In front of him was a plain-looking middle-aged man. He looked like he would fit right in a crowd. He lowered his eyebrows and stood there innocently without a sound.
Xiao Qi stood beside Chu Li. She calmly looked at the man.
"You're from the Ren Public House, aren't you? You don't have to deny it. Just answer honestly and I'll let you go!"
She asked him questions personally because she was the Yi Public House's Third Lady. Whatever she said could be trusted. If she said she would let him go, he would definitely have believed her. Of course, she also wanted to know what he was thinking because she wanted to have credible information.
"Yes," The middle-aged man said in a deep tone. "I'm indeed a Protector of the Ren Public House."
"What's your name?" Xiao Qi gently inquired.
"My name is Hu Ren," the middle-aged man immediately replied.
"Is that your real name?" she calmly asked.
"Yes," The middle-aged man quickly answered, "I wouldn't dare lie to you. My name is really Hu Ren."
Xiao Qi peacefully looked at him and used her eyes to signal a Protector beside her.
The young Protector moved forward and used his palm to hit the middle-aged man hard to the ground. Then, he stepped on the man's right palm and coldly glared at him.
"Seems like you're tired of living. You dare to deceive the Third Lady?!"
The middle-aged man was flat on the ground. His face was smeared with dust and withered grass. He raised his head and yelled determinedly, "I don't dare lie to you! My name is really Hu Ren!"
Xiao Qi shook her head and remained silent.
The young Protector exerted force into the man's palm.
"Crack!"
The middle-aged man's right palm was broken into pieces.
"Aahhhh!"
The middle-aged man shouted in agony. The birds in the woods flew away in shock.
Chu Li covered his mouth since his cough was worsening. He shook his head and sighed. "Why do you need to force yourself to do this? All you have to do is just answer some really simple questions. You don't need to play tricks on us. Even if Lu Yurong knew that you told us everything, she won't punish you."
"What I say is the truth!" The middle-aged man said with an implored, pitiful look. "I didn't lie to you!"
"Break his left palm too!" Xiao Qi calmly said.
"Yes, Third Lady!" The young Protector replied in a deep tone. He ignored how the man was struggling and shouting in pain. He simply broke his left palm with his leg right after.
"My patience has its limits. Now, before I cripple your martial arts too, where's Lu Yurong?!" Xiao Qi asked.
"I—I don't know!" The middle-aged man's face turned pale. Both of his palms had already been stomped to pieces. He hoarsely sighed. "I'm just a nameless subordinate! I don't know where Lu Yurong is!"
"How about the Grandmasters?" Xiao Qi asked.
"They've already returned to the Public House!" The middle-aged man replied immediately.
He could tell that Xiao Qi was determined.
If there was a next time, she would have actually deprived him of his martial arts. In this case, he might as well have been gone like water flowing into the river – he was better off dead.
Xiao Qi looked at him and shook her head. "Seems like you don't want your martial arts anymore!"
The middle-aged man hurriedly yelled, "I swear to God! If I lied, I'll die pierced by a hundred knives and swords!"
Xiao Qi said, "Kill him!"
"Yes, Third Lady!"
The young Protector stepped on the middle-aged man's energy center without hesitation.
"O—okay! I'll spill it!" The man hurriedly said.
Xiao Qi did not say a word.
The young Protector exerted force at the tip of his own leg. He fiercely stabbed the man as he screamed in pain hopelessly, his eyes staring daggers at Xiao Qi. His gaze was full of resentment and malicious intent that it might have pierced through her.
Xiao Qi peacefully waved her hand. "Throw him on the roadside."
The young Protector picked up the man and threw him on the roadside as if he was an old and decrepit dog, not worth a second glance. He then returned without saying a word.
Everyone was shocked by Xiao Qi. Their movements became much lighter.
"Seems like Lu Yurong hasn't given up yet, " Chu Li said.
"You're right." Xiao Qi gently nodded. "he still hasn't given up even after being forced into a situation like that. Where did his intelligence go?"
Both of them could read people's minds, and the man was lying. If someone was still able to stay that loyal in that situation, they were better off killed. If they were no longer a threat and were sent back, they would have probably suffered a worse fate.
"She has called out so many Grandmasters. She wouldn't be so willing if no credit was due. She's also human, after all," Chu Li said.
Xiao Qi's eyes were like a ripple that fell on his face. "Can we find them?"
She knew that Chu Li had a sharp mind. He sought the best outcome and avoided calamity. He even had a sense of danger, and through this, he might be able to find out where Lu Yurong was.
"You want to take the initiative?" Chu Li asked.
"If we take the initiative to attack them first, I believe Lu Yurong will give up."
"That may be true. Okay, I'll give it a try."
"I'll be with you," Xiao Qi said.
Chu Li looked at her and did not oppose what she had said.
Xiao Shi and the others continued their journey. All the Protectors followed Xiao Shi closely while Chu Li and Xiao Qi silently left the convoy. They activated their Light-body Technique and went into the woods.
After fifteen minutes, Chu Li stopped in front of a ravine. He pointed down into the greenish gorge.
Xiao Qi was shocked. "They're inside there?"
"I'm pretty sure. This is the most dangerous place." Chu Li nodded.
He had already seen the situation of the ravine in his mind. The six Grandmasters were all there but he did not see Lu Yurong. He may have never met Lu Yurong before but if she was there, he would definitely have recognized her.
The six Grandmasters were resting in the ravine lazily and spiritless.
"Lady Xiao, are you sure we should attack them?"
"Yes."
"Okay then, you go first. I'll distract them!"
Xiao Qi stared at Chu Li sideways. She obviously looked like she was in conflict with what he suggested but she could not be bothered.
"My Light-body Technique isn't to be trifled with. They won't catch me." Chu Li smiled.
"You go and call Elder Zhao over!"
"If they get close, the six Grandmasters will be alerted. It'll be difficult for us to ambush them," Chu Li retorted.
Grandmasters had a knack for sensing danger and did it in advance, which made them hard to be ambushed. If they wanted to avoid the fight, it would be difficult to catch up to them unless it was a situation similar to Xiao Shi's Protectors where they had no choice but to do so.
Chu Li suddenly realized Lu Yurong' plan. Killing Xiao Shi was not her aim but killing Zhao Qingshan and the other Grandmasters was. If they wanted to decrease the power of the Yi Public House, killing one of the Grandmasters was the fastest way.
They acted as if they wanted to attack to send a message to everyone in the Yi Public House. It was like slow cooking a frog in warm water. The Yi Public House would have been slowly whittled down even without realizing and finally became the Ren Public House's plaything.
Xiao Qi furrowed her brows, unconvinced.
"Lady Xiao, let me do it!" Chu Li said.
Xiao Qi gently shook her head. "Don't be insane!"
Chu Li smiled. "If I can't fight them, I'll run! I'll be fine!"
He did not wait for a reply and disappeared in a flash before appearing in the woods of the ravine.
"Chi!" With a soft whistle, a cold light shot towards Xi Wu, the leader of the six Grandmasters of the Ren Public House.
Xi Wu was short and thin and did not look like a top master. Instead, he looked more like an old farmer.
His instinct alerted him and he avoided it in a flash but the flying blade was too fast. It brushed over his shoulder and a long cut of flesh dropped. Fresh blood dripped from the open wound.
"Who's there?!" Xi Wu held onto his shoulder and his complexion turned green. Although it took him a short amount of time to react to his instinct and dodged the attack, it was too late to do it.
Chu Li suddenly disappeared in a flash and appeared beside Xiao Qi. "We need to leave now!" He quickly said in a deep tone.
Xiao Qi and Chu Li activated their Light-body Techniques and left, followed by six shadows flying out of the ravine. Xi Wu and the others chased the pair with their instincts to track them down.
Chu Li saw the situation he was in and it was not very encouraging. "Lady Xiao, I provoked them."
He stretched out his hands and hugged Xiao Qi's thin waist and disappeared in a flash.
Xiao Qi wanted to wriggle out of it but she saw distorted light and shadow. She felt a strong and unknown force holding her down, rendering her immobile. Suddenly, she saw a light shining in front of her eyes. It became brighter when they were on the main road. She did not know how far they had moved.
She coldly turned to look at Chu Li.
Chu Li loosened his grip. He begrudged to let go of her warm and gentle palm and looked as if nothing had happened. He simply smiled and said, "Grandmasters are indeed scary. Surprisingly they chased after us but they probably won't dare to try anything else. I've already hurt one of them."
"You hurt him?" Xiao Qi looked at him.
Chu Li smiled with his squinted eyes. "The fourth layer allows me to activate the Infinite Azure Sea as much as I want."
"You may have reached the fourth layer but you're still not a match for a Grandmaster!" Xiao Qi retorted.
She suddenly understood that the Sentient Menace's fourth layer was the cultivation of the meridian. The meridians in a person would have developed to its maximum strength. This aided the Infinite Azure Sea in the sense that it was akin to adding wings to a tiger. It also added another layer to the Sentient Menace and as a result, its power was completely different from before. This significantly increased his capabilities.
"Of course." Chu Li smiled. "but this time they wouldn't dare go around doing whatever they want."
"I sure hope so," Xiao Qi replied.
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