Chapter 18 Mad Old Man

"Yi Er!"

"Xue Ru!"

Hearing Ding Sansi's furious roar, Xia Wanwan and Zhu Yu finally noticed that Chen Yi and Lin Xueru were being kidnapped, and they were shocked and pale.

However, the old man selling sugar water just grinned at them, his two missing half teeth paired with his dark, aged face unnervingly.

"Don't worry, don't worry, they are treasures, worth a fortune hahaha..."

Having said that, he shifted his form and, like a ghost, dodged around a few guards carrying a black bag and ran away.

Seeing this, Xia Wanwan cried out for Yi Er, nearly fainting.

Zhu Yu quickly supported her, maintaining a pale face, and shouted, "Why aren't you chasing him?"

"Additionally, inform the Duke Wu'an Mansion, Duke Xing's Mansion, Black Armor Guard, and the City Guard, he must not be allowed to escape!"

Several guards, knowing the urgency, did not wait to salute and quickly dispersed to take action.

But prior to this, Ding Sansi had already recklessly pursued them.

Yet, as the distance between the two increased, his heart grew heavier.

He couldn't catch up.

With his Sixth Grade Origin Transformation Realm cultivation, he couldn't keep up with the strangely moving old man.

The opponent's seemingly slow figure could appear tens of meters away in the blink of an eye.

The speed of the movement technique was terrifying.

At least above Fifth Grade Core Formation Realm!

Ding Sansi, not having time to think further, gritted his teeth and yelled, "You can't escape!"

"Come on, try to catch me, hehe..."

Damn it!

Chen Yi silently swore, holding the unconscious Lin Xueru, forcing himself to calm down.

Using Ding Sansi's cultivation as a reference, the old man who kidnapped them was not low in cultivation.

At least Sixth Grade Origin Transformation Realm, possibly even Fifth Grade Core Formation Realm.

And his speed was extremely fast.

This could be inferred from the fact that the noisy sounds of Baohua Street disappeared in just a few breaths.

With this judgment, Chen Yi slightly frowned.

Although his body, after Foundation Establishment, possessed the strength of three swords, it could at most kill a Seventh Grade Origin Transformation Realm martial artist.

Facing a higher level and faster Sixth Grade martialist, it was hard to stop.

Thinking this, Chen Yi made a decision, then held the Little Jade Sword and concentrated, paying attention to the outside noise.

"Hurry up, the Baohua Street Lantern Festival has begun."

"Brother Ge, let's not go home until we're drunk today!"

"This place is not far from the Kyoto Academy, you two young masters..."

Baohua Street, Wangjiang Tower, Kyoto Academy...

Chen Yi quickly reviewed the Geomancy Map of the Capital City in his mind, pinpointing their current location—Changle Square.

Located in the southeast of the Capital City, close to the outer east side of the city wall.

"Is he planning to leave the city?"

Chen Yi furrowed his brows.

Capturing them on Baohua Street only needed the right moment, achievable by a Sixth Grade Origin Transformation Realm martialist.

But trying to get them out of the city would at least require a Fourth Grade Spirit Aperture Realm, unless someone facilitated it.

Shortly after, a few shouts came through.

"Who goes there, daring to intrude into the Capital City at night!?"

"If you don't stop, we will shoot arrows..."

"Chase!"

"Do you think you can capture this old man? Hehehe..."

Fourth Grade!

Chen Yi's heart sank, this was the outcome he least wanted to see.

After a moment of distraction, he took a deep breath.

Thinking back to what the old man said when he kidnapped them, Chen Yi knew they were safe for the time being.

"'Great harvest,' 'treasure,' these descriptions mean both Xue Ru and I have value."

"Valuable things won't be killed easily."

"There's still a chance!"

Chen Yi steadied his heart, having no intention to give up just yet.

Then he pretended to fall into a deep sleep, silently memorizing the route through the movements of his body.

…

At this moment, Kyoto Prefecture was in a complete uproar.

Even Emperor Wei, who resided within the Imperial City, had already learned about Chen Yi and Lin Xueru's kidnapping, nearly executing the Black Armor Guard responsible for patrolling Baohua Street on the spot.

He then ordered the Imperial Guard and the Night Watch Department to pursue and ensure that the victims were brought back safely.

Meanwhile, at Duke Wuan Mansion.

"Ah Yi, my child..."

Xia Wanwan had nearly become a tearful mess, powerless and collapsed in Zhu Yu's arms.

Only Old Madam Chen and several female relatives were present, even Zhou Wanyi, with her bulging belly, came over.

"Wan Wan, my husband has already set off. Yi Er and Xue Ru will be safe," Zhu Yu said, holding back her tears to comfort her.

"Yes, my second and third uncles have already led a team to pursue them. I believe Yi Er, blessed as he is, will be perfectly safe," Zhou Wanyi echoed.

"He, he's so young, what if he can't make it back?"

Old Madam Chen's face was stern as she spoke solemnly, "No matter if we have to chase to the ends of the earth, our Chen Family will not let this go!"

At that moment, a guard hurriedly reported.

"Old Madam, the City Guard has sent word that those who kidnapped Young Master Yi have already left Kyoto Prefecture."

Xia Wanwan clutched her chest again, her eyes filled with tears, making it difficult even to breathe.

"Second Lady!?"

"Where's the pharmacist?"

Watching the chaos in the hall, Zhou Wanyi, supported by her handmaids, slowly stood up with a complex expression and said:

"Grandmother, please take good care of sister Wan Wan. I will go and ask Grandfather to intervene!"

As she spoke, she ordered someone to prepare the carriage and started to head outside.

…

It was unknown how much time had passed until it was silent outside, that's when Chen Yi felt a jolt in his body.

He knew that it was the old man stopping, and he held Lin Xueru tightly, still pretending to be deep asleep.

"Out you come, time to collect!"

At that moment, the mad old man shouted.

Soon after, a raspy and deep voice came from a distance.

"The money is under the third tree to your left."

The old man smirked, walking over to find the money bag and weighing it, but then frowned and cursed:

"You son of a bitch, this isn't enough money, not enough!"

"Mad Old Man, are you trying to rob us?" the voice sounded displeased.

"No no, Old Man plays by the rules,"

The old man said as he opened the bag, pointing at the two children, Chen Yi and Lin Xueru: "The boy is five hundred, the girl should be a thousand."

"The girl?"

The voice paused, silent for a few seconds as if assessing the situation.

Then suddenly burst out cursing: "Mad Old Man, who asked you to kidnap this girl?!"

The old man looked at Lin Xueru, blinked his triangular eyes and said, "I thought she looked pretty and she had a guard, figured she might be worth some money."

"If you guys don't want her, then just kill her…"

"Wait," the distant voice shouted in desperation: "I'll buy her, a thousand pieces of gold!"

"If you had said so earlier, hand over the money."

Then a sound of footsteps came, and just as quickly faded away.

"Got money now, hee hee haha... Got money to buy alcohol, grandpa doesn't care whether tomorrow I die or live…"

Hearing the old man's departing voice, Chen Yi finally relaxed.

With a Fourth Grade Spirit Aperture Realm Great Cultivator around, even with his power of three swords, escaping was not an option.

He could only hope that the remaining person wasn't so powerful.

At this moment, a screen of light appeared in the darkness before Chen Yi.

[At the age of thirty-two, your Sword Dao has reached Small Success, yet you are sold to slave traders.]

[Incredible turn of events, Rebellion Point +2]

Slave traders?

After reading the content clearly, Chen Yi's eyelids twitched, and he gritted his teeth in secret.

Damn it, that old man is dead!

He said it!