Chapter 18: Powerful Illusory Image, Clue Interrupted

Holding the Clumsy Sword, Qin An Yu calmly waited for the burly man to attack, his mind rapidly processing.

"Being within the city, if I don't fight outside or avoid causing a big commotion, the city guard won't intervene."

"My internal organs have been re-forged, and this time I've refined my bones. Taking a few of his moves shouldn't be an issue."

"He has a spatial ring. I can take it, keep it for myself, or give it to the girl."

"He's a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator. He should know the situation of this organization. This time, I must use my soul power to attack, and I must control the intensity well; I can't kill him. I need to reach the Qi Refining realm quickly, otherwise, soul-searching techniques will be useless."

"As long as I get from him..."

At this thought, he stopped his mental calculations. The fellow actually turned and ran, leaping onto the nearest rooftop in one stride, laughing heartily as he said, "Qin An Yu, this Lord doesn't wish to fight you today. Don't worry, you can't escape the fate of being captured."

So, everything that fellow said earlier was nonsense, not a single word was true.

Qin An Yu awoke from his shock and shouted, "You, a Qi Refining cultivator, were scared away by a Qi Cultivation realm cultivator? Can you be any more shameless?"

A dignified Immortal Emperor, being played with by a mere shrimp. This was too shameless; from ancient times to the present, this was the first time he encountered such a thick-skinned and shameless person. If it were before, he wouldn't be angry about this, but he couldn't help but be affected by the original host's extreme indignation... He desperately wanted to know the whereabouts of Qin Zhuan and his wife, and thus, he was passively angered.

The fellow still laughed heartily: "Good food isn't afraid of being late. You, your younger brother, and your younger sister will all be ours sooner or later."

Feeling his blood rise, Qin An Yu hurriedly thought to himself, "With me here, they can't do anything." He walked to the stone table, picked up the bowls and plates on it, and threw them, whoosh, whoosh.

The fellow laughed loudly, dodged horizontally, avoiding the bowls, plates, and wine jug.

Qin An Yu struck his sword at a pillar in the back room, and the pillar broke more than halfway. Then he kicked it, and the entire pillar broke and shifted. With the pillar displaced, the roof slightly caved in, and tiles slid down. He then picked up the falling tiles and threw them at the fellow.

The fellow's face turned green, and he leaped into the neighboring courtyard in one step. He ran. One could guess he wasn't feeling well internally either. A Qi Refining cultivator running from a Qi Cultivation realm cultivator without a fight, and having his house torn apart, was truly a loss of face.

Seeing him flee, Qin An Yu felt both annoyed and amused. He had met countless cultivators, but this was the first time he saw something like this; it was truly frustrating. He fled, his spatial ring was gone, and the clue was interrupted.

After collecting his thoughts, he asked the servants to tell him everything they knew, then told them to pack their things and leave. They hadn't even left when they heard chaotic footsteps from outside. Soon, Wang Fu Li entered with about twenty city guards.

Seeing him there, Wang Fu Li asked, "Young Master Qin An Yu, why are you here?"

Qin An Yu also asked in surprise, "How did you get here?"

Wang Fu Li replied, "Someone reported it, saying that bowls, plates, and tiles flew out of here, damaging their houses."

Qin An Yu smiled wryly to himself, "How did I not think of that?" He then said, "The owner of this courtyard is connected to the kidnapping of my parents. We just fought, and he escaped."

Wang Fu Li was immediately startled, "Connected to the City Lord's kidnapping?"

Qin An Yu nodded.

Wang Fu Li waved his hand. "Take them in for questioning." Then he pulled Qin An Yu to the backyard. "How did you know?"

"I've been investigating. They are from Dali Kingdom. I already killed one at the Qin Manor, and this is the second. Captain Wang, is there any information in the manor about my parents' situation?"

"Young Master Qin, although the manor has an intelligence division, it's only for internal affairs, and its scope of activity is limited to Tan Zhou Prefecture..."

"Captain Wang, as far as I know, this group of people has been active in Tan Zhou Prefecture for a long time, even within the city. Could you ask the intelligence division... No, bother you, tell me the captain's name, I'll go find him myself."

"Alas, Guo Heng had an accident, and it happened even before the City Lord. Someone delivered his personal belongings to his home, warning his family to be careful. Because of this, the City Lord was furious and sent all of us out to investigate, but there was no result. I didn't expect the City Lord to have an accident so soon after."

Hearing Wang Fu Li say that Guo Heng, the captain of the intelligence division, had an accident, and it was even before Qin Zhuan, Qin An Yu fell silent. This matter was becoming more complicated. Could that organization be so powerful?

After a moment of silence, he asked, "May I examine the related documents from the intelligence division?"

Wang Fu Li nodded. "Of course you can. You are the City Lord's eldest son, and you're also working on Guo Heng's matter."

Hearing about this possibility, Qin An Yu quickly arrived at the city guard's station and found the current captain, Guo Qi, telling him his purpose. Hearing that he wanted to see the documents related to Qin Zhuan and Guo Heng's incidents, Guo Qi readily agreed and, along with a city guard, found over a hundred stacks of documents and placed them in front of him. "Young Master Qin, they are all here. Please command if you need anything."

Qin An Yu was reading a document. Hearing this, he expressed his gratitude, then chuckled, "Captain Guo, are you and Captain Guo Heng brothers?"

Guo Qi laughed, "Haha, by name, it seems so, but in fact, we're not; we're five generations apart."

After a few small talk sentences, Guo Qi asked the city guard, Song Yi, to stay and assist, then left due to other matters. Qin An Yu stared at Guo Qi's receding figure until he was out of sight, then pretended to casually ask, "Elder Brother Song, Captain Guo's combat power must be very strong, right?"

Song Yi replied, "He was only slightly less powerful than Captain Guo Heng before. Now, I don't know."

Qin An Yu said no more, concentrating on reading the documents. After finishing the 116 documents on the table, he thanked Song Yi and also asked him to convey his thanks to Guo Qi, then left the intelligence division.

Walking alone on the main street, he quickly headed out of the city. Suddenly, he sensed someone rapidly rushing towards him. Turning around, it was Jie Yuan, a good friend from his former Hidden Sect residence, with whom he often practiced sword moves, did squats, and occasionally drank together. He turned around with a silly grin.

"Qin An Yu, let's drink!"

Hearing this opening line, Qin An Yu immediately agreed: "Alright."

The two casually found a small tavern and sat down. Jie Yuan patted Qin An Yu's shoulder, still with his familiar tone: "I heard your parents had an accident. I hope you're not too sad."

Qin An Yu nodded and asked, "What are you doing now?" Just as the waiter brought two small jugs of wine, Jie Yuan reached out and took one, handing it to him. He broke the seal, took a sip, and said, "I'm still cultivating. I don't believe that leaving the Hidden Sect residence means I can't cultivate a famous path." He then clinked his small jug with Qin An Yu's. "Are you still in the sect?"

He shook his head. "No, I didn't go." After drinking a sip of wine, he said, "I'm fourteen and haven't reached the sixth realm yet, and something happened at home."

"You still have a few months until you're fourteen, right?"

"I asked to leave, and the sect immediately agreed."

"Haha, for us, it's either possible or not. Honestly, it's because we lack talent, we're too foolish. If it's about real combat, how many of those sixth or seventh realm cultivators can beat us? It's not about realm or talent... What about you? What are your plans for the future?"

"Cultivate, find my parents."

"Don't hesitate if you need anything. Just call out."

"I don't even know where you are. How would I call?"

"You're still so direct. I'm in Mang Mountain, under a giant rock in the stone forest that's fifteen zhang tall with a crooked, ancient dwarf pine growing on top."

"Aren't you afraid that rock will collapse?"

"Get lost."

"..."

They drank, each time only one small jug... two jin of wine. When the dried vegetables and wine were finished, they left. Qin An Yu had originally intended to follow Jie Yuan to watch him cultivate, but it turned out he still had things to do in the city, so they went their separate ways.