Enlightenment: Beginning as a Disposable Warrior-Chapter 99 - 90: Xiao Family’s Skinny Monkey, Ghost-Hand Scholar (Second Update)

Let's shift the scene. After Su Mu left the Demon Slayer Bureau, he slipped into a dim alley with the flow of people. He was already intimately familiar with the locations of Yanque Street, the medical hall, Forging Workshop, and the Demon Slayer Bureau in Qingyun City.

Just after he turned into the alley, a wiry and small man appeared, his long arms and grey clothes making him resemble a skinny monkey.

This man's footsteps were light, and his skill was considerable—he was a Seventh-Grade Muscle-Enhancing Martial Artist, also adept at Breath Concealment Skill. If it weren't for Su Mu's extraordinary senses and his Hidden-Dragon Level talent, it really wouldn't have been easy to spot the stalker trailing him.

The monkey-like man saw no sign of Su Mu in the alley; his eyes flickered with surprise and suspicion. He'd personally taken action, yet lost track of an Eighth Grade Bone Forger Martial Artist.

At once, the wiry man turned to leave, but in reality, quickly hid his body in the shadows around the corner, quietly waiting. Only after several breaths passed, and the alley remained deathly silent, did he depart—unwillingly.

After the skinny monkey man left, a cold glint flashed in Su Mu's eyes. If someone had business, why would they need to hide their presence like this? This person waited for him outside the Demon Slayer Bureau and followed all the way—clearly not someone of good intentions.

This made Su Mu nurture a hint of killing intent inside; but here in Qingyun City, it was inconvenient to take action for now.

"Let's see which brand of monsters and demons have their eye on me."

Immediately, Su Mu sprang up from inside a high wall and landed silently like a mountain sparrow. The nearly ten-foot-high courtyard wall was nothing to him. He walked a few steps, flesh and muscle twisting beneath his skin—the air crackling.

His figure narrowed at once, features transforming; Su Mu became a middle-aged man with a square jaw. He took off his rain cape and walked out of the dark alley openly, following far behind the wiry monkey man.

The monkey man was skilled at Stealth Technique, his perception razor-sharp; as they went, he looked back once, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

"Good eyes, sir. This hairpin is crafted from fine peachwood and carved with a deer in the forest. It wards off evil and brings luck and peace."

"Very well, I'll take this hairpin."

At a small stall, Su Mu spent one tael of silver to buy a hairpin, which he casually tucked into his lapel.

At last, the monkey-like man arrived at the back gate of a grand red-walled manor and slipped in quietly.

Su Mu, feigning carelessness, wandered the streets towards the front gate of the residence. As he circled, he couldn't help his surprise—the manor was vast, several times larger than the Demon Slayer Bureau.

At the lacquered red gate, two human-sized stone lions stood tall against the wind and snow. Several armed guards in sturdy garb stood at either side, long sabers at their waists; their steps steady, their breaths quiet and deep—each an Entry Level Martial Artist, with the leader a Bone Forging Realm expert.

An Eighth Grade Bone Forging Realm martial artist guarding the door—that was a show of force even the Demon Slayer Bureau didn't have.

From afar, Su Mu glanced up; on the fragrant wood plaque, two massive gold-gilded words gleamed in his sight: Xiao Mansion.

"Xiao Family?"

The Xiao Family—one of the Five Great Powers of Cyan Cloud—was the only grand clan among them. Rumor had it someone from Xiao Family held office in Great Yan; the previous Qingyun County Magistrate had married into their family, and the current County Captain was also connected to the Xiaos.

Su Mu frowned slightly. He'd never crossed paths with the Xiao Family—why would they send someone to track him?

"Li Zhihe shouldn't have any reason to betray me... I'll go sound out the Demon Slayer Bureau later."

If he went straight back to the Demon Slayer Bureau now, and Li Zhihe really was in league with the Xiao Family, it would be tantamount to tearing up their cordial pretense. Su Mu still needed the Bureau for Martial Arts and Yijin resources.

Su Mu withdrew his gaze; this time at the Xiao Mansion, he'd faintly glimpsed a fleeting ray of Destiny—though weaker than what the Demon Slayer Bureau held. Rumor was mostly true, it seemed.

"No rush... First, let's pay Shuangbai Town a visit. Haven't yet crossed blades with a true swordsman."

Zhou Qing: pale-faced, no beard, often dressed as a scholar or wandering doctor. His swordsmanship was fierce, especially skilled in poison. Born with eight fingers, the Jianghu called him Ghost-Hand Scholar.

The secret message indicated Zhou Qing was hiding in Shuangbai Town, but he also knew Disguise Technique. The letter only had his recent movements, no specifics; so Su Mu would have to find him by his own means.

Shuangbai Town lay east in Qingyun County. The town had produced two advanced scholars; "Shuangbai"—named for the cypresses—since the tree symbolized talent.

Before noon, Su Mu arrived at Shuangbai Town. As he walked the streets, he keenly sensed something different from other towns—if White Jade Gang's Baihe Town was commercially prosperous, then Shuangbai was saturate with the scholar's air.

"Isn't it a pleasure to learn and practice from time to time? Isn't it a joy to have friends come from afar?"

"Guan guan the ospreys cry, on the river islet stay; gentle and graceful is the maiden, fit for a noble mate."

Along the way, Su Mu met many folks arrayed as scholars, cheeks red from the cold wind, all carrying a bamboo basket and bowing their heads as they walked, clutching a book and muttering poems under their breaths. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

Su Mu walked Shuangbai's long street back and forth once. The sights convinced him this bounty was going to require some real effort.

Targets of Second-Level Bounty Orders were never easy; compared to Level 3 Reward villains, they were often much trickier. It wasn't easy to earn a Second-Class Merit from Cyan Cloud Demon Slayer Bureau.

Many Silver Blade Catchers would rather take several Level 3 Wanted Orders than risk a Second-Level Bounty.

Though Su Mu had kept out of sight these last six months, he'd cleared nearly all the Second-Level bounties in Cyan Cloud Demon Slayer Bureau by himself. Otherwise, Li Zhihe wouldn't have brought in a bounty from Changfeng County outside Qingyun for Su Mu's selection.

Among them, the fugitive Lu Mountain bounty—was already two years old.

"Zhou Qing picked quite the place."

Su Mu glanced up; the sun was right at noon, so he wandered into an inn.

"Sir, would you like a table downstairs, or a private room upstairs?"

On the first floor, Su Mu scanned about—mostly scholars reciting verses at their tables. Not much chance of useful news from that crowd.

He replied coolly, "Upstairs."

In the private room, Su Mu fished out one tael of silver. The waiter's eyes spun nimbly—he got the idea at once. "Sir, got questions? I'll tell you anything I know."

"Any interesting happenings lately in town?"

"If it's interesting things you're after, it all revolves around Shuangbai Academy's coming Winter Snow Poetry Gathering in two days." The waiter was a sharp one, watching Su Mu's expression as he spoke, then continued.

Su Mu's heart skipped at the mention of the poetry meeting; the secret letter had referenced it too. Now it seemed the gathering must be key.

"Every year our academy's old scholar posts a top line—only those who answer with the lower line can participate. The gathering lasts two days, with contests in poetry, verse, calligraphy, and painting... It's the highlight of Shuangbai's literary scene; each year some of Qingyun County's dignitaries will attend."

"Shuangbai Academy is quite famous throughout Cyan Cloud; these days, scholars and visitors flood the town. When the poetry event comes, I expect half the scholars of Qingyun County will be here."

"Funny enough, last year's laureates in poetry, verse, calligraphy, and painting weren't even academy disciples. The champion of both calligraphy and painting was the same person—a woman, they say. No one knows if that extraordinary lady will come again this year…"

"Since then, the academy disciples have been working even harder this year, secretly striving to reclaim the laurels at this poetry event."

After that, the waiter shared more street gossip. Su Mu listened absently, unmoved. He already knew he'd have to start with the poetry gathering to chase down Zhou Qing.

Nibbling his food, Su Mu glanced out the window at the roaring winter wind, muttering sarcastically to himself.

"Counting the icy depths of winter, and they still have the mood for a poetry gathering... Truly too bored for their own good."

...