“If that’s truly the case, we must proceed with caution,” Bi Zhen’s expression also turned tense. “To deliver a message to the capital overnight and know your general situation—this is certainly beyond the capabilities of ordinary worldly means.”
Mei Qing nodded. “Not only are we unable to fathom the other party, but they probably don’t fully understand us either. At the very least, this Old Master Liu hasn’t detected your and my cultivation abilities. This gives us room to investigate.”
Bi Zhen looked puzzled. “You mean…?”
Mei Qing smiled. “I’ll start by pretending to be ill, and tonight, I’ll thoroughly search this estate to see if I can find anything useful.”
“Why bother searching?” Bi Zhen asked, somewhat confused. “If we want to investigate, we can do it anytime. From what I’ve seen, there doesn’t seem to be any kind of arrangement here.”
Mei Qing replied, “Before we entered the estate, we checked the surrounding area carefully. There was absolutely no sign of any formation around the perimeter. That, precisely, is where the estate owner’s cleverness lies. Imagine—if Master Liu had set up even a couple of illusion formations outside, no matter how skilled he might be, could he really have hidden it from your mother’s eyes? Once that happened, cultivators would know this place belonged to a cultivator. But now, by appearing completely unguarded, no one suspects his identity—this is the smartest way to hide. Today, at the plum pavilion while we were drinking tea, I used a small trick and sensed something unusual there.”
Bi Zhen responded, “That pavilion? I didn’t notice anything. If there really was something strange there, why would he lead guests there in the first place?”
“That place bears some resemblance to the Five Elements Thunder Technique,” Mei Qing mused. “If it hadn’t resonated slightly with the Thunder Technique within me, I wouldn’t have been certain. We should check it out ourselves before drawing conclusions. As for why he led us there, one reason is that he’s confident in the setup. Another might be intentional—by doing so, people are less likely to suspect the place. Thirdly, he didn’t even detect that we possess cultivation abilities, so he probably hasn’t taken many precautions.”
“Then why wait until night?” Bi Zhen said impatiently. “Do you think you’re still that monkey from the legends, sneaking around like a martial artist at night?”
Mei Qing chuckled. “Don’t be in such a rush. Often, when dealing with cultivators, the clumsier methods are more effective at deceiving people.”
That day, Mei Qing indeed feigned illness and stayed in the guest room. Old Master Liu visited twice, and after seeing Mei Qing struggle to speak while clearly exhausted, he kindly said, “Since you’re unwell, perhaps you should stay here at the estate for now. I can send someone to inform your relatives. Rest for a few days until you recover, and then resume your activities. Besides, since we’ve reconnected, we should spend more time together.”
Mei Qing replied weakly, “I’ve long been without parental guidance and estranged from my family. Now that I’ve been reunited with my uncle, I should stay by your side, visiting you morning and evening to receive your teachings. I don’t have any real relatives here, just staying with a relative of a friend from the capital. I already told them I was going out to play, so there’s no need to send a message. I only feel uneasy about troubling my uncle.”
“Where did you get such an idea?” Old Master Liu laughed heartily. “I’m delighted to have you stay here. Don’t mention troubling me. My niece Mei is somewhat skilled in medicine—she can attend to you and provide care.”
Naturally, Mei Qing repeatedly expressed his gratitude, but Old Master Liu insisted. Later, Mei came to check on him twice. Each time, Mei Qing pretended to be asleep, leaving Bi Zhen to handle things.
Because Mei Qing feigned illness, Bi Zhen took care of him, and their meals were brought to the guest room by servants. Finally, when evening came and the courtyard grew quiet, Mei Qing and Bi Zhen prepared themselves. Mei Qing flicked his sleeve and picked up a pinch of earth from the ground, chanting a spell: “Forget the self, return to the true, haste!”
With that, he scattered the earth onto the bed, and two figures identical to Mei Qing and Bi Zhen appeared there, sound asleep.
“When did you learn this technique?” Bi Zhen asked telepathically, surprised. “I’ve never heard of it before.”
Mei Qing was also momentarily stunned before replying, “I don’t know either. It just came naturally.”
Bi Zhen rolled her eyes, feeling that Mei Qing was becoming more mysterious by the day. But this wasn’t the time for deep inquiry. She took out a small talisman from home, concealed their presence, and the two headed toward the grass pavilion in the back garden. The talisman given by Bi Zhen’s mother was indeed powerful—moving silently and invisibly, even their spiritual fluctuations were nearly undetectable. In no time, they reached the pavilion. Just as they were about to approach, Mei Qing suddenly stopped Bi Zhen.
“Wait!” he whispered.
Bi Zhen was startled but followed Mei Qing’s gaze to the pavilion, where a figure in black robes stood with his hands behind his back.
“Old Bai?” Bi Zhen recognized the figure immediately. “We heard from the servant boy that he’s part of the estate, though we don’t know what relation he is. There’s something strange about him.”
Mei Qing was equally surprised. Old Master Liu’s spiritual energy had been hidden, likely by some technique or artifact. But when he had seen Old Bai during the day, he had sensed a dark, sinister energy within him, typical of a dark cultivator. Yet now, neither he nor Bi Zhen could detect Old Bai’s presence until they saw him with their own eyes.
“You’re right,” Bi Zhen transmitted. “This pavilion must have some secret. Old Bai isn’t hiding himself with any technique—it’s the pavilion itself that’s concealing him.”
Bi Zhen’s words made Mei Qing realize the truth. Indeed, the pavilion must be protected by some clever formation—not only hiding its own energy but also masking anyone near it.
They quietly moved behind a large tree and observed. Old Bai had a pale complexion, long eyes half-closed, a flat nose, a wide mouth, and a tall, slightly hunched frame. He stood motionless in his black robe, seemingly lost in thought.
“Old Bai, what are you thinking about, coming here for a stroll in the dead of night?” A voice suddenly came from the path.
Mei Qing and Bi Zhen were startled and turned to see Old Master Liu slowly emerging from the darkness.
The two frowned simultaneously. Their spiritual senses were nearly useless here, which was extremely frustrating for cultivators like them. Mei Qing couldn’t help thinking how Hou Shen would have excelled in such a situation.
Old Bai didn’t move, as if he hadn’t heard. Liu approached from behind and asked softly, “I’ve seen you standing here for a while without moving.”
“I don’t like moving around much. You’re imagining things, Master Liu,” Old Bai replied coldly.
Liu sighed softly. “Normally, you’d be holed up in your room drinking. I don’t believe you suddenly came here for poetic inspiration.”
Old Bai remained silent. Liu didn’t speak either, just watching him quietly.
After a long pause, Old Bai finally spoke, his voice even colder. “Who exactly is that youth who came today?”
“Which youth?” Liu asked. “There were two brothers…”
“You know who I’m talking about,” Old Bai interrupted coldly. “Anyone would recognize him at a glance.”
Liu hesitated before replying, “There are many people who look alike in the world…”
Old Bai let out a series of cold laughs. “Don’t be evasive, Liu. You people never speak the truth. You’re all two-faced. Let me be clear—don’t forget my nature. My sensitivity to that boy is naturally sharper than yours.”
Liu’s eyes lit up. “You felt something? You…”
Old Bai snorted. “Suddenly concerned, are we? Last night, was it you who sent a message to the capital to investigate that boy’s background?”
Liu smiled faintly. “I know you’re worried. Yes, I did make some inquiries in the capital, but rest assured, I made sure they wouldn’t notice.”
“Foolish!” Old Bai snapped. “How long have those two been in the capital? Do you really think your little tricks can fool them? Why did you go digging up that boy’s background for no reason? Do you think those two old men are blind?”
Liu’s smile faltered. After a while, he muttered, “But I was careful…” He trailed off, clearly unsure of himself.
“I know you have ways to cover your tracks,” Old Bai said. “But those two have been watching you for years. Although your actions might not leave obvious traces, suddenly investigating someone in the capital will draw their attention. They don’t need evidence—they’ll come running as soon as they sense something.”
Liu looked hesitant but finally gritted his teeth. “So what if they come? The past is past. My master has long since passed away, and my senior sister… Well, are they still going to hold a grudge against this child?”
Old Bai sighed. “We don’t fully understand the secrets behind what happened back then. You admired Wu Duo, but you never dared to confess your feelings. Now that you’ve met her son, you want to marry off your adopted daughter to him. I understand your feelings. But have you considered that those two, though they have no evidence, have always been anxious and suspicious? You and I have relied on each other, and they’ve been at odds with each other, which has kept things peaceful. But if they ever decide to erase the past together, can we really stand against them?”
Liu’s face darkened with pain. After a while, he looked straight at Old Bai and said gravely, “So, Old Bai, are you afraid?”
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