Seeing Niu Youdao and the others leave with their bags, Cui Yuan followed them to the lobby.
Watching the waiter bring Niu Youdao and the others to the secret passage, Cui Yuan confirmed that the situation had changed. Niu Youdao didn't split up with Hei Peony and the others. Instead, he checked out and left together.
Cui Yuan groaned inwardly and quickly left the inn.
Bai Yulou, who was sitting behind the counter, glanced at Cui Yuan's departing figure and waited to see if Xuanyuan Dao could escape from the Celestial Retaining Sect.
However, he didn't understand. If Xuanyuan Dao really had a grudge against the Celestial Retaining Sect and really wanted to escape, he could have just left secretly. Wouldn't that be safer? Why would he bring Hei Peony and the others who were sneaking around with the Celestial Retaining Sect?
Rushing to the Celestial Retaining Sect's shop, Cui Yuan entered and immediately shouted to Huang Enping, who was behind the counter, "Senior Brother, there's been a change in the situation."
Huang Enping, who was behind the counter, stood up and asked in a low voice, "What happened?"
Cui Yuan walked to the counter and said anxiously, "Niu Youdao and Hei Peony checked out together. They didn't split up and left through the secret passage of the Moon Inviting Inn."
Huang Enping, "What happened to Lei Zongkang? Didn't he contact you in advance? "
Cui Yuan shook his head, "No. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I probably wouldn't have known that they left."
Huang Enping's face darkened, "Could it be that Lei Zongkang is messing with us?"
Cui Yuan, "It doesn't seem like it. Lei Zongkang should know the consequences of messing with us. If he really was messing with us, Niu Youdao should have found out long ago and left secretly. Why would he take the risk and wait until now? And when Lei Zongkang left, he gave me a look that seemed helpless. It seemed like Niu Youdao changed his mind at the last minute and didn't have time to inform us. "
Huang Enping frowned, "Could it be that Lei Zongkang was exposed?"
Cui Yuan hesitated, "It doesn't seem like it. If Lei Zongkang was exposed, why would Niu Youdao bring him along? You can just sneak away and leave. Why do you need to bring trouble with you? "
As such, the two of them pondered for a moment and came to the conclusion that there was only one possibility. Niu Youdao was too cautious and had purposely created a bunch of smokescreens to prevent his whereabouts from being exposed.
"This bastard is indeed cunning!" Huang Enping said hatefully.
"What about Martial Uncle?" Cui Yuan asked, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
Huang Enping was also having a headache. With what Niu Youdao had done, it was highly possible that Shanhu County was also a smokescreen. He would not go there at all. On the other hand, his Martial Uncle had personally gathered people from three sects and rushed to Shanhu County to make arrangements. It had been almost ten hours since they set off. If they waited for the news to spread, it would be a joke for them to rush back and search for Niu Youdao.
On the other hand, Niu Youdao had already left through the secret passage of the Moon Inviting Inn. With just the two of them, finding Niu Youdao in the vast mountains was like looking for a needle in a haystack. It was impossible. Even if there were several times more people, it would still be difficult.
However, no matter what, they still had to inform their Martial Uncle of the situation and let him decide what to do.
They quickly wrote a secret report and released the golden wings to send it out.
After the urgent work, Huang Enping sat down on a chair and sighed, "It's easy to find out what's going on with Lei Zongkang. We just have to see if he will use 'fragrant bait' to tip us off."
Cui Yuan also sat down. Now that things had come to this, the two of them were helpless. They could only wait for their Martial Uncle's decision or pin their hopes on Lei Zongkang …
In the garden of the City Lord's Residence, Chief Steward Xiang Ming did not look like a butler but more like a gardener. In short, Bai Yulou could often see him personally trimming the flowers and plants in the garden with a pair of scissors.
"Gone?"
Hearing Bai Yulou's report, Xiang Ming stopped trimming and slowly turned to look at him. He seemed a little surprised.
Bai Yulou bowed slightly, "Yes, he just left through a secret passage. I saw it with my own eyes."
Xiang Ming was silent. He had thought that Niu Youdao was deliberately trying to get close to Sha Huan Li. He had been watching coldly from the sidelines. Daring to set his sights on Sha Huan Li, he really did not know the immensity of heaven and earth. He wanted to see what this reckless fellow was up to. Who knew that he had no intention of getting close to Xiang Ming and directly asked for a sum of money before leaving.
"It seems that I was overthinking." Xiang Ming slightly mocked himself.
Bai Yulou smiled apologetically, "It's always good to be cautious."
Xiang Ming asked, "What's his background?"
Bai Yulou replied, "I've talked to him, but he refused to reveal his background. However, the Celestial Retaining Sect is obviously against him. If Chief Steward wants to know, you should be able to find out by asking the Celestial Retaining Sect."
Xiang Ming glanced at him, "I heard that he gave you a lot of benefits?"
Bai Yulou's heart tightened. He knew that this matter would reach the other party's ears. He chuckled and said, "I saw that the City Lord liked his painting and was worried that the City Lord would summon him again, so I gave him some advice. Who knew that he would be so generous? It would be a waste if I didn't accept it. Rest assured, Chief Steward, I know the rules. Our Star picking City has a high status, so we won't easily get involved in those messy matters. I will keep this in check. "
"It's good that you know. If you need money, just let me know. Don't meddle with things that you shouldn't. Otherwise, no amount of money can buy you peace. "Xiang Ming lightly said, then turned around and continued to trim the flowers and plants …
Hualala! Silhouettes emerged from the rapid river and landed on the shore. It was Niu Youdao and the others.
Niu Youdao and the others were fine, but Yuan Fang was already drenched. His whole body was dripping with water. His cultivation level was not enough to withstand the pressure of the water for too long.
Based on the location of a few tall mountains in the distance, Niu Youdao found a direction and quickly led the others through the mountain range.
As they ran, Lei Zongkang pinched a bean-sized grain in his hand. He crushed the wax and dropped it on the ground without a change in expression.
As the group moved further away, the small grain on the ground changed as the wind blew. Its surface became slightly rough and weathered, giving off a faint fragrance.
After cutting through the mountain range horizontally, they saw a boundless desert in front of them. In the distance, they could vaguely see a horse farm.
This horse farm was not the one that Niu Youdao came from. Because cultivators came from all directions, Star picking City had set up horse farms in several directions.
Do not underestimate these horse farms. In fact, the profit of each horse farm would not be lower than that of the Moon Inviting Inn. Because there were many cultivators who came here on horseback, many cultivators would not return the way they came if they left their horses in the horse farms. The horses that were left in the horse farms were basically given to them for free.
If the horses were left in the horse farms for a long time, the cost of leaving the horses would be even higher than the cost of buying them. Basically, no one would come back to redeem their horses.
For example, the current Niu Youdao had no intention of returning to the horse farm to retrieve his steed. Instead, he led the others to this horse farm.
When they arrived at the horse farm, they saw that there were many abandoned horses there. There was no need to worry about not having enough to buy. The six of them bought six horses and galloped out of the horse farm, heading deep into the desert.
On the horses, Black Peony and the others looked at each other from time to time. Earlier, they had agreed that they would not come to the horse farm to retrieve their horses. They would travel on foot. Now, there was no need to ask. Daoye's plan had clearly changed.
When they tried to determine the direction they were going, they realized that they were not going to Shanhu County. They didn't know if they were going to take a detour, or if Shanhu County was just a pretense. Before they set off, they had reiterated that they were going to Shanhu County. In any case, Niu Youdao's repeated detours had left them somewhat confused.
In short, along the way, Black Peony and the others understood that there was no need to ask. What should be told would naturally be told. Otherwise, even if you asked, you wouldn't be able to get anything out of him.
On the other hand, Niu Youdao's indecisiveness and changing the plan over and over again caused Lei Zongkang to gradually become anxious and fearful in his heart. Why is Niu Youdao being so cautious? Could it be that he's noticed something?
In the Retaining Immortal Sect's shop, the two helpless martial brothers sat there in a daze. All they could do was wait. Cui Yuan had already returned to the Mooninvite Tavern and checked out.
From a birdcage hanging under a beam, the chirping of birds suddenly came the sound of birds chirping. The two martial brothers suddenly turned their heads and saw three green-feathered birds jumping up and down in the cage.
This bird was called the Seeking Fragrance!
The two abruptly turned their heads to look at each other and blurted out in unison, "Lei Zongkang!"
Standing up together, Cui Yuan anxiously asked, "Senior Brother, what do we do? By the time Martial Uncle and the others return, the medicinal effects of the bait will have long since dissipated. "
Huang Enping said solemnly, "We can't let that bastard escape. Let's go find him!"
Cui Yuan pulled him back. "Senior Brother, even if Lei Zongkang is on our side, Black Peony and the other two's attitudes aren't clear. Add to that Niu Youdao's side, and there are five of them. Just two of them will be enough to let Niu Youdao slip away. Do you think we'll have a chance if the two of us go?"
Huang Enping said decisively, "Let's go find the members of the Floating Clouds Sect and Spirit Beauty Mountain. They'll definitely help us. Otherwise, if the three sects work together and still can't stop that bastard, they won't be able to afford to lose face."
Cui Yuan waved his fingers. "If there's no one to watch over the shop, what do we do with the things in the shop? The things here are worth a lot of money! "
Huang Enping said, "There's no time to tidy things up. Hang a 'Closed' sign on the door and close the door. No one will dare trespass. If we really sit back and do nothing, like a piece of wood that doesn't know how to react and let that thief escape, the sect will doubt our abilities. Our futures will be bleak! "
Cui Yuan thought about it and agreed. Outsiders didn't know what was going on inside, and they wouldn't barge into a sect's shop without permission.
The two of them quickly made preparations. They grabbed the Scent-Seeker Bird in the cage and Golden Wing, closed the door, hung a 'Closed' sign, and left.
The two of them found the shops of the Floating Clouds Sect and Spirit Beauty Mountain. Before long, the two shops also put up their signs and closed for business.
The group gathered six people and quickly left Star picking City. When they arrived at the mountains outside, Cui Yuan released the Scent-Seeker Bird.
The Scent-Seeker Bird circled in the air for a while before quickly flying in a certain direction. The six of them immediately followed it.
The people below were limited by the terrain. When they encountered a situation where they couldn't catch up, Cui Yuan would take out a piccolo and blow it. The Scent-Seeker Bird would land and wait.
When the group arrived, the piccolo sounded, and the bird quickly took off again.
Before long, the group found the first abandoned fragrant bait. The Scent-Seeker Bird pounced on the ground and swallowed it in one bite. It jumped happily, as if it really liked eating this thing.
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