Qin Anwu threw two stones, hitting two of the first group of soldiers, causing them to bleed from head wounds. This sudden development made both sides stop arguing, turning their attention instead to the forest. The captain of the first group immediately called six men to investigate the woods.
Seeing that his purpose of throwing the stones had been achieved, Qin Anwu felt a bit more at ease. He wouldn't be caught off guard again. However, the subsequent situation surprised him.
There were only eight people on the mountainside: two Qi Refining Stage cultivators and six Qi Nurturing Stage Ninth Stage cultivators. The leader was a mid-Qi Refining Stage individual, very young, probably only eighteen or nineteen years old. They didn't descend the slope towards the forest but crouched behind a bush, observing the prefecture soldiers.
The prefecture soldiers searched for a while but found nothing. Those who had been resting didn't rest any longer. Some moved to clear the path ahead, some followed behind to secure the rear, and some even carried severely injured comrades. The captain led his six men along the edge of the forest.
Human nature is complex; certain qualities like shame, compassion, honor, and morality manifest differently at different times. At this moment, they displayed the proper demeanor of an army.
The eight individuals crouched there motionless until the soldiers left their line of sight. Only then did they stand up, their gaze fixed on the young mid-Qi Refining Stage cultivator.
"Young Master, what should we do next?" the Qi Refining Stage cultivator at the beginning asked.
Clearly, these seven middle-aged people all obeyed the young man.
The young man frowned. "This prefecture army is quite abnormal. We'll continue to monitor them. Ji Tong, send someone to relay the information back... How about this: I'll arrange it. Fu Bo, Di Cheng, you two return. You must deliver this information to General Zhang."
Ji Tong, the initial Qi Refining Stage cultivator, immediately said, "Young Master, if they leave, our numbers will be even fewer. If we're targeted, you'll be in danger."
The young man addressed the two middle-aged men, "You two go."
After they left, the young man said, "They wouldn't dare to be so blatant; otherwise, they wouldn't have stopped halfway. Even if we confront them, you should trust me. But as for you, if you can't defeat them, you must retreat immediately to avoid wasting your lives." Seeing that Ji Tong wanted to say more, the young man raised a hand to stop him and loudly proclaimed, "My friend hiding under that bush, come out and show yourself!"
Aside from Ji Tong, the other four immediately drew their weapons and stepped in front of the young man, vigilantly scanning their surroundings.
Qin Anwu was instantly embarrassed. He thought his actions were secretive but hadn't realized he'd been discovered early on. He immediately stood up and explained sheepishly, "I was just passing by, resting here for a while. I had no other intentions."
Ji Tong said, "You are Qin Anwu, the eldest son of Prefectural Lord Qin Zhuan. Why are you here?"
Qin Anwu didn't know that he had been recognized the moment he appeared.
A look of unclear meaning immediately appeared on the young man's face. "So, the vast majority of people in this world are fools, huh?" Then he burst into laughter. "The rumors say Prefectural Lord Qin Zhuan's son is a fool, but how do those people know they aren't the fools themselves?"
After laughing heartily, he clasped his hands in greeting. "Ye Tian, from the provincial administration."
Qin Anwu returned the gesture. "Qin Anwu, from Tan Prefecture."
Including Ji Tong, the whole group was bewildered. The Young Master's status, position, and cultivation realm were extraordinary among his peers. Why, upon seeing this legendary 'fool,' did he let out such a heartfelt, cheerful laugh and even salute him in greeting?
Qin Anwu's mind was racing. He introduced himself as Ye Tian and said he was from the provincial administration, meaning he was from the Ye family, the most powerful family in the province. The fact that he knew about the 'fool' in the Qin Residence indicated he cared deeply about the Qin Residence, or perhaps, about Qin Zhuan. His implied sarcasm that others were the real fools meant he had discerned something about Qin Anwu, most likely his cultivation realm, which was highly unusual. It's normally very difficult to see through the Qi Nurturing Stage realm. He could see it because he had the Immortal Emperor's foundation; otherwise, one would only clearly see it when the opponent exerted their full power. For Ye Tian to see it was extraordinary.
Ji Tong also clasped his hands and said, "Young Master Qin, you destroyed the Eagle Gang, defeated the Mang Mountain bandits, and retaliated by killing a mid-Qi Refining Stage cultivator from Dali Kingdom. Impressive."
Qin Anwu sighed inwardly, "As expected, a large organization is omnipotent. Many seemingly secretive matters are clearly known to them. But the Immortal Emperor without ego acts without needing to worry so much." Thus, he clasped his hands and replied, "Just luck."
Ji Tong said, "Young Master Qin was pursued to severe injury, thrown down the Cliff of Despair, yet soon retaliated and achieved such results. Truly admirable."
Though it sounded like admiration, Qin Anwu detected a strong hint of malice in his words. So he clasped his hands and said, "Young Master Ye, gentlemen, I bid you farewell." Regardless of your intentions, to the Immortal Emperor without ego, they are mere whispers in the wind.
Ye Tian immediately said, "Qin Anwu, I know you are searching for clues about Prefectural Lord Qin Zhuan. Why not join us? As you've seen, we have many people, and our ability to find clues is far superior to your solitary efforts."
"You are about to advance to the Qi Refining Stage and will require a lot of medicinal ingredients, corresponding cultivation techniques, and a peaceful cultivation environment. With Prefectural Lord Qin no longer present, these will be very difficult for you to obtain."
"Joining the Ye family is different; everything can be provided, ensuring your smooth advancement."
These words truly enticed him with benefits and appealed to reason, showing genuine effort in recruiting him. But Ye Tian had no idea that the Immortal Emperor without ego was different; no one in this plane would understand the path he had to walk.
Qin Anwu would not refuse his good intentions. He clasped his hands in reply, "Thank you very much. If Young Master Ye can provide some clues, I would be very willing to accept them and will repay the favor. As for joining, I can only apologize."
He had once been a figure of awe in the Immortal Realm's largest family. Though he rarely recruited others, he was deeply skilled in such matters.
Ye Tian replied, "You know these clues are top secret."
Qin Anwu didn't wait for him to finish, turned around, and walked down the main road, quickly disappearing into the forest.
Watching his disappearing figure, Ye Tian's expression changed repeatedly. "This guy is really arrogant... and seems very strong."
Ji Tong asked, "He can do those things; he does seem very strong. Young Master, do you think highly of him?"
"Fourteen years old and at the Ninth Stage, worthy of high regard. This Young Master never imagined that the 'fool' widely rumored in the outside world would actually be a cultivation genius."
"Ninth Stage? How is that possible? If he's at the Ninth Stage, how could he have been severely injured to the brink of death by a bunch of rabble and then fall off the Cliff of Despair? Impossible! It's impossible to go from the Fifth Stage to the Ninth Stage in less than two months."
"Are you doubting my ability?"
"No, absolutely not. This subordinate just thinks it's too incredible."
"Either he was very tolerant before, or he gained an immense opportunity at the Cliff of Despair. In short, his face is too deceptive."
"Young Master, why don't we investigate the Cliff of Despair?"
"There shouldn't be any legendary adventures or such great opportunities there. Otherwise, he would have directly advanced to the Qi Refining Stage."
"The Young Master is right. With Qin Zhuan and his wife missing, he wants to find them and seek revenge, so he wouldn't care about anything else but raising his cultivation."
"However, we can send a few people down to explore."
"Still, the Young Master's consideration is thorough."
Qin Anwu was unaware of their conversation. At this moment, he stood in the middle of a mountainside, his eyes fixed on the old courtyard on the opposite mountain.