Chapter 179: Forceful Capture

Hearing the whisper from Meng Qi, Luo Shengyi turned his head to look at the retreating figure of the Evil Monarch and asked doubtfully, “What brings him here? Is he trying to take advantage of the clash between Grand Masters, or was it his doing that the young master of the Jiang Clan left?”

A group of people hiding here would inevitably leave behind traces, such as the quantity of rice and vegetables purchased, not only because of Batu’s exposure.

“Both are possible. If it’s the latter, perhaps the Evil Monarch has already discovered the final whereabouts of the Demon Overlord and even obtained the treasure,” said Meng Qi, who was most concerned about this point. It meant that the Evil Monarch might have already broken through to the level of a Grand Master, a level Meng Qi currently couldn’t match unless he could find cooperation with the Sword Emperor or the Right Chancellor.

“I incline towards the former,” Luo Shengyi mused.

If it were the latter, the Evil Monarch wouldn’t have needed to appear publicly. Wouldn’t it have been better for him to secretly assimilate the Demon Overlord’s relics?

With few clues, Meng Qi refrained from making wild guesses. After thinking for a moment, he said, “I plan to sneak into the Yunyan Pavilion tonight and capture Lu Huasheng from the ‘Demon Sect.'”

Due to the suspicious circumstances surrounding the young master of the Jiang Clan, Meng Qi feared unexpected complications during the night raid, so he intended to bring Ruan Yushu and join forces with Luo Shengyi. This way, even if they encountered the Evil Monarch or the Demon Queen, they would still have a chance to retreat safely.

Luo Shengyi hadn’t expected Meng Qi to plan such a move and hesitated for a moment before speaking. After several breaths, he finally said, “Alright. I need to clarify what the other princes discussed with the Western barbarians, but this matter must be done secretly. If exposed, it will inevitably implicate Lu Guan, making him bear the blame for maliciously sabotaging the peace talks.”

“I understand. Let’s do it tonight,” Meng Qi felt it was urgent.

When he returned to the inn, Lu Guan, Batu, Changsun Jing, and the Taoist Huda were already waiting in the hall.

“Marshal Lu, did you meet the young master of the Jiang Clan?” Meng Qi asked, already knowing the answer.

Lu Guan shook his head with a bitter smile, “We were too late. The young master of the Jiang Clan had already left with his men, without any sign of a struggle.”

“Why would he leave? Could it be he was worried Batu had been captured by the enemy?” Meng Qi glanced at Ruan Yushu, who was concentrating on eating pastries, her lips glistening with oil.

“I don’t know, but it certainly wasn’t out of concern for Batu being captured by the enemy. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited until today. It seems more like they found another place to seek refuge,” Lu Guan stated his judgment.

Meng Qi’s eyes lit up. Lu Guan’s analysis made sense. Which prince could it be then? And how did he learn about the Jiang Clan’s young master?

“I will spread the news of Batu’s allegiance to the Right Chancellor. The young master of the Jiang Clan should make the right choice,” Lu Guan said steadily.

After a few casual words, Meng Qi signaled Ruan Yushu to return to their courtyard.

“Are you coming with me tonight to capture someone at Yunyan Pavilion?” Meng Qi asked for her opinion.

Ruan Yushu took a sip of tea and nodded lightly, “Alright.”

“Ah, this time you actually want to go?” Meng Qi remembered her saying “anyway, I won’t go” last night and couldn’t help but tease.

Ruan Yushu looked at him coolly, “This time it’s more interesting.”

Indeed, going to the prince’s mansion was boring… Meng Qi silently grumbled.

…

Dark clouds obscured the moon, and the night was heavy—a perfect opportunity for murder and arson, for breaking into houses and looting.

Meng Qi and Ruan Yushu each wore dark clothes suitable for night operations, hiding atop the treetops with Luo Shengyi beside them.

“Lu Huasheng is staying in the courtyard in the very center…” He briefly explained the information he had gathered.

Meng Qi succinctly stated, “Quickly and decisively.”

The situation was urgent; tonight was their only chance. None of them were skilled in poisons or similar tools, so they had no choice but to take direct action!

“You stay outside to provide backup. If necessary, use the sound of your zither to scare or mislead the enemies,” Meng Qi instructed Ruan Yushu.

In such situations, Ruan Yushu was reliable. Without unnecessary words, she nodded in agreement.

Under the cover of darkness, Meng Qi and Luo Shengyi approached the side wall of Yunyan Pavilion and quietly listened to the patrol footsteps inside.

“One… two…” Meng Qi silently counted the footsteps. When the front patrol had passed and the sounds from the rear were still distant, he lightly pushed off the outer wall with his toes, soaring like a large black bird and silently landing behind a pre-selected tree.

Luo Shengyi also seized the opportunity. With a press of his right hand, he shot upward, performed a mid-air turn, and landed beside Meng Qi.

Though his lightness kung fu wasn’t exceptional, it had its unique aspects… Meng Qi instinctively assessed Luo Shengyi’s skills.

“This way,” Meng Qi whispered through secret transmission, crouching and quickly moving forward.

Meng Qi’s forehead felt tight, his spirit extending outward, perceiving the surroundings while enveloping his entire body. In the darkness, he resembled an intangible ghost, faint and indistinct, undetectable by sight, hearing, or smell.

Suddenly, Luo Shengyi, who was stealthily moving ahead, sensed something amiss. He turned back and nearly thought Meng Qi hadn’t followed. If not for his naturally opened sensory orifices, he might have instinctively overlooked Meng Qi’s presence just a short distance behind.

When they arrived at the courtyard where Lu Huasheng lived, they noticed the security had been greatly heightened. Guards were stationed every few steps—some visible, others hidden—forming a tight surveillance network. Many of them were skilled professionals. Even if someone as formidable as the Ruyi Monk were present, it would be nearly impossible to sneak into Lu Huasheng’s quarters undetected.

Hiding in the shadows, Meng Qi looked up at the layout and transmitted through secret means, “Follow me.”

Luo Shengyi was considering how to create a diversion when he heard Meng Qi’s words. After a brief hesitation, he chose to trust and followed Meng Qi as they darted to the corner near the house and climbed the wall like a gecko, swiftly ascending to the roof.

During this process, Luo Shengyi vaguely felt something strange around him, as if invisible “ripples” were spreading. Several guards who might have detected them glanced over, then quickly looked away, as if the area were completely empty!

Had it not been for Luo Shengyi’s certainty that this was impossible, he might have suspected they were spies!

Due to previous cooperation, he had sensed similar situations before, but never as clearly as tonight, to the point of his hair standing on end, as if Meng Qi were a malevolent ghost!

Meng Qi’s forehead felt tight, his spirit enveloping both himself and Luo Shengyi. He chose the weakest points among the guards to break through and successfully climbed onto the roof, hiding in the shadows.

Crawling almost flat against the surface, avoiding two patrolling figures on the roof, Meng Qi located the side room where Lu Huasheng should be staying, according to the house layout.

Activating his hearing to the fullest, Meng Qi listened to the sounds inside. The breathing was long and steady, rhythmic, as if someone were meditating and circulating internal energy.

“How can we confirm it’s Lu Huasheng…” They only had one chance to act. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to capture him silently. Meng Qi cautiously asked Luo Shengyi.

“I’ve seen Lu Huasheng and heard his voice. If he speaks, I can confirm,” Luo Shengyi replied.

Actually, from the unique breathing rhythm during meditation, both Meng Qi and Luo Shengyi had already determined that a highly skilled martial artist was inside, but a martial artist didn’t necessarily mean Lu Huasheng.

Meng Qi thought for a moment, quietly shifting his position to separate from Luo Shengyi, further blending into the shadows.

Then, he fully activated his Shape-Shifting Art, spreading like water. When the weaker patroller among those on the roof approached Lu Huasheng’s room, Meng Qi’s mental threads instantly enveloped him like a net!

The patroller “miscalculated” the spacing, slipped, and with a “crack,” stepped on and shattered a roof tile.

“Who’s there?” The person meditating inside was startled awake.

The patroller inwardly cursed himself for suddenly slipping and stepping in the wrong place!

He anxiously said, “It’s just my foot slipped.”

Other patrollers nearby vouched for him, indicating no outsiders had interfered.

“Be careful,” the person inside quietly sensed the situation on the roof, scolded briefly, and resumed meditating.

Luo Shengyi transmitted through secret means, “It’s Lu Huasheng.”

“I’ll attack first; you finish him off,” Meng Qi succinctly stated.

Though somewhat puzzled by the term “finish him off,” Luo Shengyi still understood the meaning and nodded slightly to indicate readiness.

Meng Qi moved, like a shadow, gliding along the roof tiles and beams, slowly descending, trying to stay hidden in the shadows, sliding all the way to the window.

Similarly, with Meng Qi’s assistance, Luo Shengyi silently positioned himself in the shadow beside the door.

Meng Qi inhaled deeply, his mind focused inward while his spirit extended outward, sensing the cold, quiet surroundings and the natural wonders hidden within, while guarding his inner self. The A-nan Breaking the Precepts Blade Technique was already poised for action.

With his left palm, he gently pressed against the window frame, silently shattering it. The person inside immediately sensed something amiss, leaping from the bed and seeing a black figure standing outside the window. It seemed to come from the underworld, or perhaps was a part of darkness itself, blending with the surrounding world, exuding an oppressive and terrifying aura.

In the clash of energies, the surprised Lu Huasheng immediately fell into a disadvantage.

Then, he saw the blade light up—a sinister, fearsome glow, like a lock from the netherworld, like the fire of the dead, making the black figure appear taller, more imposing, more grotesque, and more terrifying, like a demon or a celestial devil!

Fear itself can sever one’s clarity!

Lu Huasheng felt like a drowning man, completely engulfed in terror. All the horrifying tales he had heard and the dreadful enemies he had encountered seemed to crawl out of the darkness, inescapable, leaving him unable to breathe!

He stepped back, then further back, but like a drowning man, the more he struggled, the deeper he sank. The sense of fear grew stronger, making him feel suffocated.

Bang! The back of the blade broke through his instinctive defensive posture, striking his face and leaving him dazed and confused.

As Meng Qi attacked, Luo Shengyi also shattered the hidden lock, silently pushing the door open and rushing into the room. He swiftly reached Lu Huasheng’s back, his fingers spreading like blooming flowers, sweeping across Lu Huasheng’s back vital points.

Lu Huasheng immediately lost consciousness.

Meng Qi searched the room, found a martial arts manual, and without time to examine it, signaled Luo Shengyi to carry Lu Huasheng as they stealthily withdrew.

Since no one expected enemies to come from within, and with Meng Qi and Luo Shengyi’s rich experience in stealth, along with the help of the Shape-Shifting Art, they smoothly exited the courtyard, left Yunyan Pavilion, and signaled Ruan Yushu to leave with them.

After finding an unoccupied courtyard at a distance, Meng Qi signaled Luo Shengyi to revive Lu Huasheng.

Lu Huasheng slowly regained consciousness, recalling the previous events, and tried to struggle, only to find his inner energy sealed and himself unable to move!

The masked Meng Qi cackled eerily, “Scream if you want. Even if you scream your lungs out, no one will come to save you.”