20：The Battle of Shadows and Secrets

Following the narrow path, Shen Hao walked for about ten minutes when he suddenly heard the sounds of battle up ahead.

Startled, he quickly hid in the shadows to observe.

By the flickering light of the distant flames, Shen Hao saw two figures locked in fierce combat.

One was a man in his thirties. Based on Liu Dabiao's memories, Shen Hao recognized him as Zhou Haihu, the second-in-command of Liu Family Stronghold, known for his exceptional agility and lightness skills.

The other was a woman dressed in black, wearing a bamboo hat that concealed most of her face.

But Shen Hao immediately recognized that hat—it belonged to Wenren Yiyi, the same woman who had charged him 200 taels of silver the other day.

Both fighters moved with incredible speed. Shen Hao could only catch glimpses of their figures when they passed close to the firelight.

Watching their fluid, agile movements filled Shen Hao with envy.

At that moment, Shen Hao confirmed without a doubt: this woman was indeed Wenren Yiyi.

He also realized that this narrow path had been marked on the map he'd drawn before, meaning the government troops were aware of it.

Clearly, Chief Inspector Zhao Chuang's loud, frontal assault was a diversion to draw out the enemy, while Wenren Yiyi circled around to attack from the rear.

It was evident that Zhou Haihu was no match for Wenren Yiyi.

Though his lightness skills were superior, he couldn't shake her off. She stuck to him like a shadow, relentlessly pressing the attack.

After about fifteen minutes of intense fighting, Zhou Haihu's internal energy was nearly depleted. His movements grew sluggish, and panic flashed across his face.

He knew that once his speed faltered, death was inevitable.

Sure enough, within ten more strikes, Wenren Yiyi's sword pierced straight through his chest, ending his life instantly.

Without wasting a second, Wenren Yiyi dashed toward the main stronghold, disappearing into the darkness.

The moment Wenren Yiyi vanished, Shen Hao didn't take any chances—he slipped into his personal space.

She was clearly an expert, and he wasn't about to bet his life on not being noticed.

In martial arts dramas, top fighters always have sharp senses. Better safe than sorry, he thought.

Sure enough, just moments after Shen Hao hid, Wenren Yiyi circled back, stopping right where he had been standing.

"Strange," she muttered, frowning slightly. "I could've sworn I heard footsteps here… Where did they go?"

Inside the personal space, Shen Hao could sense her presence. He breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Good thing I hid in time.

Wenren Yiyi searched the area thoroughly but found nothing. She grew cautious—after all, she wasn't here just to suppress bandits.

Her primary mission was to frame the Liu family for Song Youli's murder and, more importantly, to find the demonic core that the Liu family supposedly possessed.

The reason she'd taken her time fighting Zhou Haihu was because she'd sensed movement nearby. She had deliberately held back, in case there was an ambush.

Had she gone all out, Zhou Haihu wouldn't have lasted more than a few moves.

After scouring the area within a three-mile radius without finding anyone, Wenren Yiyi muttered to herself, "Whoever it was must have incredible lightness skills. But what's their purpose? Are they also after the demonic core?"

Shaking her head, she decided not to dwell on it. With a light tap of her foot, her figure flickered like a shadow among the trees, vanishing into the night toward the stronghold.

Shen Hao waited in his personal space for another thirty minutes to be sure the coast was clear before stepping out.

After confirming that no one was around, he stealthily made his way toward the stronghold.

When he reached Zhou Haihu's lifeless body, Shen Hao didn't hesitate—he stashed the corpse into his personal space.

By this time, the entire stronghold had fallen under the joint assault of Wenren Yiyi and Zhao Chuang.

Shen Hao blended in with the main force, pretending he'd been part of the action all along.

Soon, dozens of surviving bandits were rounded up, their hands tied tightly behind their backs. Even Liu Baoshan, the stronghold's leader, was captured and bound like a criminal.

Wenren Yiyi was nowhere to be seen. She had disappeared without a trace, her mission complete—leaving no name, no glory.

Zhao Chuang ordered his soldiers to seize all the stronghold's supplies—grain, gold, silver, and jewels.

Damn, Liu Baoshan had really hoarded a fortune over the years, Shen Hao thought.

The treasure haul alone was worth over 30,000 taels of silver, not to mention the large stockpiles of food, medicinal herbs, and even several captured women from good families.

Chapter 20: Gaining the Secret Manual, Reaching the Third Stage of Postnatal Cultivation

Shen Hao walked down the small path for about ten minutes when suddenly, he heard sounds of fighting ahead. Startled, he quickly hid in the shadows to observe.

Through the flickering firelight, Shen Hao saw two figures engaged in combat. One was a man in his thirties, whom Shen Hao recognized from Liu Dabiao's memories as Zhou Haihu, the second-in-command of Liu Family Stronghold. Known for his excellent lightness skills, Zhou was quick on his feet.

The other was a woman dressed in black with a bamboo hat that hid most of her face. Shen Hao immediately recognized her—Wenren Yiyi, the woman who had taken 200 taels from him the other day.

Both were incredibly fast, and only the light of the fire allowed Shen Hao to catch glimpses of their movements.

Watching their fluid, graceful movements, Shen Hao couldn't help but feel envious.

At that moment, Shen Hao confirmed that this woman was indeed Wenren Yiyi. He had also marked this narrow path on his map, so it was clear that the government forces knew about it.

It seemed that Chief Inspector Zhao Chuang was leading the frontal assault to draw the enemy's attention, while Wenren Yiyi circled around from the rear.

Zhou Haihu, despite his impressive lightness skills, was no match for Wenren Yiyi. She relentlessly pursued him, forcing him into a defensive position.

After about fifteen minutes of fighting, Zhou Haihu's internal energy began to deplete. His movements slowed, and he began to panic, knowing that if he couldn't keep up his speed, his life was forfeit.

Sure enough, within ten more strikes, Wenren Yiyi's sword pierced through his chest, ending his life instantly.

Without hesitation, Wenren Yiyi darted off toward the main stronghold, disappearing into the night.

As soon as Wenren Yiyi vanished, Shen Hao knew better than to take any chances. He slipped into his personal space to stay out of sight. She was clearly a master, and Shen Hao wasn't willing to bet on escaping undetected.

In martial arts dramas, top fighters always have keen senses. Better safe than sorry, he thought.

Sure enough, after just moments of hiding, Wenren Yiyi circled back, pausing where Shen Hao had been standing moments earlier.

"Strange," she murmured, her frown deepening. "I could've sworn I heard footsteps here… Where did they go?"

Shen Hao, hidden in his personal space, exhaled quietly. Good thing I hid in time.

Wenren Yiyi searched the area but found nothing. Her suspicion grew. After all, she wasn't here just to suppress bandits. Her true mission was to frame Liu Family for Song Youli's murder and, more importantly, to find the demonic core supposedly hidden within the Liu Family.

The reason she had taken her time subduing Zhou Haihu was that she had heard noises and wanted to ensure no ambush was waiting. Had she gone all out, Zhou Haihu wouldn't have lasted more than a few moves.

After searching the area for a while and finding no one, Wenren Yiyi sighed. "This person must have incredible lightness skills. What are they after? Could they also be after the demonic core?"

She shrugged, deciding not to worry further. With a flick of her foot, she darted away, disappearing into the trees.

Shen Hao waited in his personal space for another thirty minutes to make sure no one else was around before exiting.

He then made his way toward the stronghold, keeping a low profile.

When he reached Zhou Haihu's body, Shen Hao wasted no time and stored it in his personal space.

At this point, the entire stronghold had fallen under the combined assault of Wenren Yiyi and Zhao Chuang. Shen Hao blended in with the main forces, pretending he had been part of the attack all along.

Before long, dozens of captured bandits were brought together, their hands bound tightly. Liu Baoshan, the stronghold's leader, was captured and restrained like a common criminal.

Wenren Yiyi, however, was nowhere to be found. She had completed her mission, left without a trace, with neither glory nor fame.

Zhao Chuang ordered his soldiers to seize the stronghold's supplies—grain, gold, silver, and jewels.

Shen Hao was taken aback by the amount of wealth Liu Baoshan had accumulated over the years. The treasure alone was worth over 30,000 taels of silver, not to mention the large stockpiles of food, medicinal herbs, and even a few women of noble birth.