Ever since Yang Bingzhi parted ways with Jia Ren, he keenly felt that someone with exceptional hiding skills was trailing him.

Up to now, he had not been able to identify the follower.

It wasn't until the third day that Qi Yuhu came to him, looking utterly ashamed.

"The Insect Control Scripture I gave you the day before yesterday has a problem; it was deliberately abridged. Junior Brother Yang, you were buying the Insect Control Scripture for another Daoist friend, right? I feel guilty for holding on to the Spirit Stones, so here's the original one for him."

Yang Bingzhi's expression changed drastically. This concerned the Insect Control Scripture; should anything go wrong with its cultivation, it could lead to severe problems.

He was about to use a Sound Transmission Talisman to notify Jia Ren, but then a critical point occurred to him.

When he had tried to introduce Jia Ren to Qi Yuhu, Qi Yuhu had impatiently cut him off, paying no heed to an inconspicuous Loose Cultivator.

Why then would Qi Yuhu care if a Loose Cultivator's Spell technique had issues?

Why the sudden change in attitude?

Unless the Qi Family Brothers already knew about Jia Ren.

They couldn't be thinking of using me to find Jia Ren, could they?

I can't let them have their way!

With this thought, Yang Bingzhi found an excuse, "The Daoist friend claimed he was leaving the Great Wilderness Market; the day before yesterday was just a farewell. At this moment, he should be far from the Great Wilderness Market, I presume."

"The Sound Transmission Talisman's range isn't sufficient; I'm afraid it won't reach him."

Qi Yuhu, seeing the change in Yang Bingzhi's demeanor, sighed, "That truly is regrettable!"

He turned and left, his face ashen.

Qi Yuhu didn't believe Jia Ren would leave the Great Wilderness Market.

Apart from the limited area of the Great Wilderness Market, the Great Wilderness was not suitable for ordinary human habitation.

The nearest human settlement was a thousand miles away. It was common to encounter Bizarre Demons along a thousand-mile journey, and for an ordinary Loose Cultivator without Foundation Establishment Stage strength, traveling alone was no different from seeking death.

In the last couple of days, no caravans had come through the Great Wilderness.

This lie was too crude, easily punctured.

"Senior Brother Qi, you haven't given me the true Insect Control Scripture yet," Yang Bingzhi did not forget to remind him.

Qi Yuhu seemed to recall something and immediately handed over the prepared Insect Control Scripture to Yang Bingzhi.

"This was my mistake. When your friend returns to the Great Wilderness Market, I will certainly go to the Heavenly Fragrance Pavilion and apologize in person."

If one plan fails, conjure another, Qi Yuhu thought.

I don't believe you won't deliver the Insect Control Scripture to Jia Ren. As long as I wait patiently, the opportunity will come.

「This wait lasted five days.」

Yang Bingzhi had no intention of leaving the Sect, nor had any Sound Transmission Talismans been seen leaving.

The Qi Family Brothers were getting restless, their complexions grim.

Do you really think that by not revealing Jia Ren's whereabouts, we will be out of options?

On the seventh day, Yang Bingzhi heard a rumor: a Remnant of Thousand Beasts Mountain had appeared in the Great Wilderness Market. This person was supposedly Jia Ren, a disciple of the Mosquito Daoist, who cultivated the Insect Control Scripture.

Jia Ren is a Remnant of Thousand Beasts Mountain?!

Yang Bingzhi was not foolish; he knew this was Qi Yuhu's doing.

Unable to find the hidden Jia Ren, and having failed to use him, Qi Yuhu had resorted to such despicable slander.

Merely cultivating the Insect Control Scripture was like having yellow mud in one's trousers—even if it wasn't excrement, it was treated as such.

Yang Bingzhi wanted to clear Jia Ren of suspicion but felt powerless to do so.

If Jia Ren wanted to prove his innocence, wouldn't that mean walking right into their trap, exactly what the Qi Family Brothers wanted?

It must be said, this move was utterly ruthless!

Yang Bingzhi found a secluded place and attempted to contact Jia Ren with a Sound Transmission Talisman.

Just like during the great war between the Five Elements Sect and Thousand Beasts Mountain, he couldn't get through.

Was the man dead? Or had he used some technique to hide his presence?

The Law Enforcement Office's third attempt to find Jia Ren, the disciple of the Mosquito Daoist, also yielded nothing.

Yang Bingzhi's relief was short-lived, as he soon discovered he was being watched.

Was this because they couldn't find Jia Ren, so they turned their attention to me?

Logically speaking, the feud between Jia Ren and the Qi Family Brothers wasn't so great that it couldn't be resolved.

But the Qi Family Brothers were acting with extreme desperation, willing to pay any price to find Jia Ren.

Could there be some hidden details I'm not aware of?

"Junior Brother Yang, terrible news!"

Qi Yuhu showed up again, putting on a masterful performance. "The Insect Control Scripture was circulated through my hands, and I don't know which scoundrels learned of it and used it to frame Daoist Jia. You must find a way to notify him; I shall definitely clear his name."

Yang Bingzhi, seeing things with perfect clarity, knew this was all Qi Yuhu's masterpiece.

"I'm afraid I can't help either."

After all, even he couldn't get in touch with Jia Ren…

"Junior Brother Yang, I truly wish to resolve this issue. Please don't brush me off."

"Senior Brother Qi, if you don't trust me, why bother coming to me?!"

Qi Yuhu stormed off, fury practically erupting from his eyes.

Where the hell had Jia Ren hidden himself?

His brother had warned him before that Jia Ren was not easy to find, but he hadn't taken it seriously.

With the help of the Law Enforcement Office, wouldn't it be easy to drag him out?

The result, however… Jia Ren had seemingly vanished from the mortal plane, with no trace of him in either the Inner or Outer City.

It seemed that what Yang Bingzhi had said was true—he had left the Great Wilderness Market.

The Qi Family Brothers had already decided: Jia Ren was Wang Qian's accomplice. Finding Jia Ren was the quickest way to locate the Spirit Stone Vein.

That precious Spirit Stone Vein is still in the Great Wilderness; why would he leave?!

The only thing they needed to consider was how to find Jia Ren.

The breakthrough lay with Yang Bingzhi. Unfortunately, he had already become vigilant, and normal methods were unlikely to work.

"Little brother, is that fool Yang Bingzhi still refusing to talk?" Qi Shengwu asked, quite frustrated. He continued viciously, "Shall we tie him up and force him to disclose Jia Ren's whereabouts?"

"I'm afraid he's also in on it," Qi Yuhu speculated.

"Good!" Qi Shengwu exclaimed.

For the Spirit Stone Vein, taking a bit of risk was worth it.

Fellow Sect members? So what?

With sufficient profit at stake, even the closest friends and family can be sacrificed!

After plotting for a while, they decided it was unsuitable for Qi Yuhu to visit again. This time, Qi Yulong would go.

"Senior Brother Yang, I am Qi Yuhu's older brother, Qi Yulong," Qi Yulong said, approaching Yang Bingzhi with an anxious expression. "I just received word from my brother that Jia Ren has been captured by the Law Enforcement Office in the Great Wilderness. They're about to execute him on the spot! The more people who plead for him, the greater his chance of survival."

Jia Ren captured in the Great Wilderness?

To be executed on the spot?!

Yang Bingzhi was stunned, then looked at Qi Yulong with a peculiar expression.

The lies were becoming more and more outrageous!

Their initial deception might have fooled me before, but now…

Do they really think I'm an idiot?!

Yang Bingzhi knew Jia Ren all too well; he disliked being in the spotlight and was cautious to an extreme.

He had even sought someone to share the risk when borrowing from Heavenly River Square.

Enter the Great Wilderness alone?

How could he ever do something so dangerous?!

Who knows where he's hiding now?

The Qi Family Brothers' fruitless search for Jia Ren meant they were now trying to trick me out of the Great Wilderness Market to get their hands on me, is that it?

This proved that Jia Ren possessed some treasure the brothers coveted, something they were willing to do anything to acquire.

"I'm not close to Jia Ren. If he dies, it has nothing to do with me."

Yang Bingzhi made up his mind: he would never leave the Sect, nor would he give the Qi Family Brothers a chance to harm him.

「…」

Jia Ren was sitting at home when disaster struck from the heavens.

He was in the midst of a closed-door meditation session when Enforcement Division Cultivators came knocking, using a secret technique to verify his true appearance.

The Thousand Fantasies Face had always been his main cultivation focus. Just a few days ago, it had advanced to the Grandmaster Level, refining his disguise ability to the point where few techniques could see through it.

"If you find Jia Ren, the Remnant of Thousand Beasts Mountain, remember to notify the Law Enforcement Office. You can claim a reward."

It's out?!

Jia Ren, the Remnant of Thousand Beasts Mountain?

The announcement of a bounty nearly made his heart stop.

I've been in seclusion for a few days, and now I'm a wanted criminal?

His heart pounded with shock and anger, but he quickly calmed himself.

Jia Ren is a wanted criminal. What does that have to do with me, Zhen Yi?

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.