Chapter 502: Chapter 502: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind!

Lingchi? Could it be the name of another city? Is the Trial Mountain so vast because it serves the entire Dali Realm?

He felt an urge to follow them, but Ning Xuan was patient enough to hold back and not reveal himself rashly. His choice proved to be the right one.

The two men soon reappeared not far away. As Qiu Yu’s hawk-like eyes scanned the area, Qiu Hao, standing beside him, said with a playful smirk, "See, Big Brother? There’s no one around. You can stop being so paranoid."

Qiu Yu didn’t answer, murmuring instead, "How strange. Could I really have sensed incorrectly?" As he spoke, his gaze locked onto Ning Xuan’s hiding spot, a brilliant light flaring in his eyes.

While in hiding, Ning Xuan didn’t dare to breathe. This man is extremely strong, and his methods are unpredictable. If he were to discover me, the consequences would be unthinkable!

After checking again and again, Qiu Yu finally gave up. The two disappeared once more.

Ning Xuan remained utterly still. This time, he held out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Sure enough, he saw Qiu Yu once again. Finding no abnormalities, Qiu Yu laughed at himself. "It seems I’m really becoming paranoid." Shaking his head, he turned to leave.

But at that very moment, a terrifying Blood Handprint materialized out of thin air! It instantly enveloped the area where Ning Xuan was hiding, manifesting extremely close to his body. Any movement from Ning Xuan would be detected. Yet if he didn’t react, the descending Blood Handprint would most likely kill him.

Anyone else would have revealed themselves. They wouldn’t dare to take such a gamble because they simply couldn’t afford to lose. After all, a lost bet meant being annihilated, body and soul.

But Ning Xuan decisively chose to gamble. If he was truly certain I was here, he wouldn’t have come back repeatedly. More importantly, his attack wouldn’t just hover there without striking!

As expected, Ning Xuan’s gamble paid off. Qiu Yu finally retracted his hand.

Watching him disappear, Ning Xuan waited a while longer before making his move.

Soon, Ning Xuan found a cave entrance. Not far from it, a man dressed in a fiery red official’s uniform lay dead, his eyes wide open.

Good heavens, those two have some nerve, daring to kill a Law Enforcement Officer! The people inside clearly have no respect for the laws of Dali. Ning Xuan’s vigilance heightened.

He carefully entered the cave but stopped after just a few steps. They were extremely cautious, having even set up a rudimentary trap. If he hadn’t been so careful, he would have made a sound, and all his efforts to remain hidden would have been for naught.

With heightened alertness, Ning Xuan used his Body Technique Skill to venture deeper. Finally, the path ahead opened up, revealing a vast underground palace. The chamber was lined with various ferocious and monstrous stone carvings, but most had been destroyed. The ground was a complete mess. The chaotic footprints on the floor made it clear this place had been visited multiple times. The only silver lining was that most of the footprints belonged to strange beasts, with very few being human. This meant there was still a chance to find something overlooked.

The Qiu brothers, who had entered before him, were nowhere to be seen. After scanning his surroundings, Ning Xuan decided against delving deeper rashly. Instead, he planned to reap the fruits of their labor. Qiu Yu is so cautious; he must be meticulous. With him doing the searching, I won’t have to lift a finger if he finds something. I just need to wait.

Therefore, after confirming their direction, Ning Xuan chose an excellent spot to lie in wait.

Ning Xuan was exceptionally patient. Although he heard joyful cries from within several times, he remained unmoved. He waited until he heard Qiu Yu’s laugh. It was just a single laugh, but Ning Xuan knew his harvest would be substantial. For even someone like Qiu Yu to lose his composure, what he found must be extraordinary!

Ning Xuan prepared to strike.

"Big Brother, we’ve hit the jackpot this time!" Qiu Hao’s voice rang out, but Qiu Yu didn’t respond.

"Big Brother, let me see, will you? Just one glance, I’m begging you."

A moment later, Qiu Yu’s voice sounded, sharp with annoyance. "What are you doing? Stop fooling around. To avoid any complications, let’s leave this place quickly!"

"I’m not leaving! You can go by yourself! Before Mother died, a certain someone made a solemn promise, but in the end..."

Before Qiu Hao could finish, Qiu Yu sighed. "Fine, I’ll give it to you. Is that what you want? Take a quick look. But you must give it back to me before we leave this cave!"

"Alright! Thanks, Big Brother!"

The moment Qiu Hao spoke, Ning Xuan saw him. He was directly below, just prying open a corner of an ancient sheepskin scroll.

WHOOSH!

Ning Xuan made his move. Stunned for a moment, Qiu Hao whirled around and shouted angrily, "Big Brother, you—"

Before he could finish, Qiu Yu had already shot out of the cave like a bolt of lightning.

Ning Xuan was incredibly fast, and he had come prepared. When Qiu Yu burst out of the cave, he was met with the pounce of a strange beast! And not just one.

However, the man was exceptionally powerful.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Ning Xuan could hear the sounds of beasts being blasted apart. Without a second thought, he mobilized as many nearby beasts as he could, pushing his own Body Technique Skill to its absolute limit.

Finally, he heard Qiu Yu’s furious roar echoing through the wilderness.

Ning Xuan fled like a wisp of smoke. Even after he had returned to his starting point, he could still feel the tremors from the depths of the mountain. Without any hesitation, Ning Xuan chose to leave Trial Mountain.

He didn’t let out a sigh of relief until he was back in his room. He had been well-prepared this time; otherwise, it would have been truly dangerous.

"I can’t go back to Trial Mountain for a while," he muttered, taking out the sheepskin scroll and spreading it open. "I hope this was worth it."

The scroll recorded an extremely profound ancient technique. Ning Xuan was quickly engrossed. He remained so until a knock sounded at the door.

"Ning Xuan, are you there?"

It was Leng Yi’s voice.

Ning Xuan hastily snapped back to reality, putting away the scroll as he answered.

When Leng Yi entered, her first question was, "Are you alright?"

"I’m fine," Ning Xuan replied, immediately asking, "Are *you* alright? They didn’t give you any trouble, did they?"

"They’ve disappeared," Leng Yi said, shaking her head. She looked at Ning Xuan, hoping to read something on his face.

"Disappeared? How is that possible?" Ning Xuan asked, genuinely surprised.

"I was wondering if they went into Trial Mountain," Leng Yi mused.

"You guessed right," Ning Xuan immediately nodded. "They showed up on Trial Mountain not long after you left. I remembered what you said, so I didn’t even dare to breathe!"

"So they didn’t find you and just left?" Leng Yi asked.

Ning Xuan nodded. "I suppose so. They went in a different direction than I did."

"Forget them, then. Anyway, the Judge should be back soon. I suggest you find a place in the city and lie low for a while."

"What about you?"

"I’ll just patrol more often. They wouldn’t dare attack me in broad daylight, would they?"

"Alright. You be careful."