Chapter 112: Chapter 113: Charging You Some Interest, That’s Not Excessive, Is It?

Chen Yi froze at the sound of the voice.

’Chen Yunfan? He didn’t leave?’

’No, that’s not right.’

’He must have left earlier, or the intelligence reward wouldn’t have appeared.’

’So he must have sensed something was wrong and came back.’

’My brother really is sharp-nosed and cautious enough.’

Just as Chen Yi was thinking this, he heard Chen Yunfan’s footsteps behind him.

"Come on, turn around slowly."

"Let me have a look. Who’s so bold as to hide right under my nose?"

Chen Yi pursed his lips and said nothing.

As his mind raced, he flung the porcelain vial in his hand backward.

Without waiting to see what would happen, he vaulted out of the restaurant’s window.

Chen Yunfan looked at the vial in his hand and snorted. "The same trick won’t work on me twice."

He clearly hadn’t forgotten being knocked out by a vial of sedative from Pei Guanli.

With that thought, Chen Yunfan zipped after him in pursuit.

But just as he reached the window, he heard the porcelain vial shatter, and a strange pink glimmer drifted before his eyes.

Confident that his True Essence was protecting him, Chen Yunfan wasn’t afraid of any poison, so he paid it little mind.

He kept his eyes on the distant figure and vaulted out as well.

Who would have known that the moment he landed, just as he was about to use a Body Technique, his legs would give way?

He staggered two steps.

His eyes immediately glazed over, and then he fell backward as if drunk.

THUMP.

"You... what... what the hell is this stuff...?"

In his daze, Chen Yunfan’s mind was still reeling with confusion.

’Dammit, what kind of sedative is this powerful? Even a shield of True Essence can’t block it?’

’Now Chun Ying is going to laugh me to death...’

Hearing the commotion, Chun Ying cried out in alarm and rushed over to check on him.

She breathed a sigh of relief only after confirming he had just passed out.

"Ning Yu, Niu Mountain, come help me, quick!"

A tall man and a short man answered the call, running over to carry Chen Yunfan away on their backs.

Naturally, the commotion on their side attracted the attention of the Imprisonment Department, the City Guard Army, and the Xiao Family’s group.

"Who’s over there?!"

"Stop!"

Obviously, neither Chen Yi nor Chen Yunfan’s group had any intention of obediently stopping.

"After them!"

Immediately, the men from the Imprisonment Department and the City Guard Army outside Hundred Herbs Hall gave chase, along with several members of the Xiao Family’s Personal Guard.

Shen Huatang had intended to follow, but fearing it was a ploy to lure the tiger from the mountain, she had no choice but to remain inside Hundred Herbs Hall.

During the pursuit, the tall, thin man carrying Chen Yunfan asked, "Did the young master get hit with a sedative again?"

"It seems so."

Chun Ying was still puzzled.

’I clearly saw the young master hadn’t retracted his True Essence, so how could he still be taken down by a sedative?’

As she ran, Chun Ying looked at the porcelain vial she had just taken from Chen Yunfan’s hand, thinking she would find someone to study it later.

A sedative that could even take down a Third-Grade Martial Arts Powerhouse was a rare sight in the entire Great Wei Dynasty.

Then, Chun Ying thought of the vial’s owner, which gave her a bit of a headache.

’That person must have overheard my conversation with Chen Yunfan.’

At this, Chun Ying immediately gave an order, "Brother Ning, you go track that Wandering Martial Artist who ran from the restaurant. You must find him."

"Alright."

Ning Yu nodded, handed Chen Yunfan over to the short, stocky man, and his figure instantly transformed into a shadow, vanishing in the direction Chen Yi had fled.

Chun Ying watched him disappear into the distance and sighed for some unknown reason.

’I hope that person has no connection to the Liu Family.’

’If he’s from the Shu State’s Liu Family, I’m afraid the young master will face some trouble during his time in Shu State.’

Meanwhile, Ning Yu didn’t think that far ahead.

He charged straight toward the men from the Imprisonment Department, the City Guard Army, and the Xiao Family’s Personal Guard.

"How audacious!"

Seeing this, Wang Lixing roared as he thrust his long spear straight at him.

Ning Yu had no intention of getting entangled in a fight. He slapped the long spear aside with his palm and bypassed the group to continue toward Chen Yi’s position.

"Don’t run!"

An Imprisonment Officer gave chase on horseback, slashing with his long blade.

Ning Yu ducked to avoid it, and catching sight of his attacker, he stomped his foot and launched himself onto the horse.

He immediately sent the Imprisonment Officer flying with a palm strike and galloped away on the horse.

Wang Lixing watched in frustration as the men from the Imprisonment Department and City Guard Army chased after the horseman. After a moment’s thought, he continued pursuing Chun Ying’s group of three with his personal guards.

「Meanwhile.」

Chen Yi was also fleeing with great speed.

However, he didn’t dare run toward Wudong Street.

The Shu State Governor’s Office, the Prefect’s residence, and the Imprisonment Department were all located there.

If he ran in that direction, he would only encounter more powerful experts.

Therefore, after running past Hundred Herbs Hall, he turned north and ducked into a network of small alleys.

Along the way, he made sure to find a piece of cloth to cover his face, lest his disguise fall off as he ran.

At this point, the men from the Imprisonment Department and the City Guard Army were unable to follow on horseback through the narrow alleys, leaving only Liu Si’er and his men in hot pursuit.

But as they gave chase, they discovered that the man ahead of them was far faster, his Body Technique far superior to their own.

"Brother Si, we’re going to lose him if this keeps up."

Liu Si’er didn’t respond, instead flinging the long spear from his hand.

SWOOSH!

Chen Yi sidestepped to dodge, and a long spear streaked past his eyes, embedding itself in the wall at the end of the alley.

The corner of his mouth twitched. ’That was a ruthless move, Liu Si’er.’

It was clear now that he had run into a dead end.

Without a second thought, Chen Yi pivoted, his hand gripping the spear’s shaft, and pulled it free with a slight tug.

Instantly, a strange sense of familiarity flooded his body.

"Huuu..."

Chen Yi let out a soft breath, half-turned, and faced the pursuing members of the Xiao Family’s Personal Guard and the distant figures from the Imprisonment Department, holding the spear in one hand.

’They’re easier to deal with than Chen Yunfan, at least.’

Seeing this, Liu Si’er raised a hand, signaling the others to be on alert, his eyes fixed on the black-clad man before them.

"I suggest you surrender peacefully. Otherwise, your fate will be even worse."

Chen Yi’s voice was hoarse. "Try me."

As his voice fell, the night sky, which had been somewhat bright, seemed to be affected. Dark clouds gathered rapidly.

Then, a light drizzle began to fall, carried on a gust of wind that swirled through the alley.

Amidst the WHOOSHING of the wind, Chen Yi’s long robes whipped about.

The next moment, he moved.

He took a step, and an immense power surged through it, instantly shattering the stone paving beneath his foot.

The long spear became like a great dragon, crossing ten feet in an instant, its cold tip aimed straight for Liu Si’er’s face.

"You have some nerve!"

Liu Si’er had fought for many years with the Dingyuan Army. Facing this spear thrust, not only did he feel no fear, but his blood began to boil with excitement.

As True Essence circulated through his body, he took a long spear from the personal guard beside him.

He brought his spear up horizontally to block.

CLANG.

After the sharp sound, Liu Si’er’s long spear was pierced straight through by the single thrust.

Moreover, an enormous force traveled up the shaft, sending him flying backward uncontrollably.

A look of horror crossed Liu Si’er’s face. He slammed his feet into the stone ground, coming to a screeching halt.

"You..."

Before he could say more, Chen Yi’s long spear was already in motion. With a flick of his wrist, he executed several flourishes, sending the other three Armored Warriors flying.

Even without using True Essence, his current Power was still enough to knock the Ninth Grade Realm Armored Warriors unconscious.

Seeing this, Liu Si’er gritted his teeth and charged again, thrusting with his broken spear and roaring, "Kill!"

The few Imprisonment Officers and City Guard Army soldiers behind him had also caught up and charged forward without hesitation.

In response, Chen Yi’s eyes remained calm. He lowered his stance slightly, gripping the end of the long spear with both hands.

After gathering his strength for a moment, he pushed off the tips of his toes, launching himself forward like a shot arrow.

This time, however, he didn’t restrain his True Essence with the Black Tortoise Concealment Technique. Instead, he unleashed it without reservation.

In an instant, the True Essence from his two Seas of Qi flooded his entire body.

—Dragon-Falling Spear: Zhaoqing Mountain!

Where the spear passed, the wind rose.

The surrounding raindrops strangely hung suspended in mid-air.

Only the deceptively fast long spear passed gently through the curtain of rain, as crisp and refreshing as a soft breeze blowing over a green mountain.

In the blink of an eye, Chen Yi’s figure appeared behind them.

Liu Si’er and the others suddenly halted their forward charge.

In the shadows, their eyes all widened in disbelief.

"Spear... Spear Dao... How can an Eighth Grade..."

Before he could finish, Liu Si’er’s left hand, which was holding the broken spear, snapped unnaturally, as if it had just been struck by a colossal force.

He then collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Most of the other City Guard Army soldiers and Imprisonment Department men suffered the same fate.

Their conditions were slightly better than Liu Si’er’s; at least there was no audible crack of breaking bones.

Chen Yi glanced back, his eyes shimmering brightly.

After assessing the situation, he calmed the True Essence in his body and wiped his fingerprints from the long spear with the corner of his sleeve.

"You’ve been tailing me for so long. It’s only fair I collect some interest, right?"

He then tossed the long spear aside, leaped over a few rooftops, and sped toward Spring Lotus Garden.

「A short while later.」

The rain grew heavier, drumming down on Liu Si’er and the others.

Liu Si’er’s eyes shot open. The moment he sat up, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, his body slumping weakly.

He felt as if every inch of his body was in pain.

Especially his left hand.

Enduring the severe pain, Liu Si’er clutched his broken left arm and struggled to his feet, scanning his surroundings.

Once he confirmed that the man was gone and that none of his companions were in mortal danger, he slid down against the wall to sit.

His eyes were filled with viciousness.

"Who was it?"

"Someone from the Liu family? The Xiao family? Or one of the other Noble Families and Clans?"

Names floated through his mind, only to be dismissed one by one.

’It wasn’t one of the Liu family. If it were their people, they would have made a move on Hundred Herbs Hall earlier instead of hiding and watching the show.’

’It wasn’t one of the Xiao family either.’

’The Xiao Family has very few Martial Artists with that level of Spear Technique, and I know who they all are.’

After much thought, Liu Si’er guessed the man was probably a scout sent to Hundred Herbs Hall by one of the other Noble Families and Clans in Shu State.

"Good. Very good!"

"You’d better hide in a ditch and never show your face again!"

"Otherwise, my White Tiger Guard will hunt you down!"

As Liu Si’er was thinking this, he saw a figure run into the alley entrance. His tense spirit finally relaxed, and he fell unconscious once more.

「Not long after.」

Ning Yu arrived.

His expression was grim as he looked at the Imprisonment Officers and others lying on the ground. His gaze fell upon the long spear.

"Spear Dao..."