Chapter 87: Chapter 81: Upper Three Feng Bei, Staying Overnight at the Zheng Family?

That night.

An evening breeze rustled by. The Painted Boats were adorned with colorful lanterns, yet they lacked their usual extravagance.

This was the sixth day that Heaven on Earth had been closed for business.

Many tourists arrived in high spirits, only to leave in disappointment.

News of Master Zheng of the Zheng Family’s imprisonment had already spread like wildfire, and even the common folk on the streets were repeating all sorts of rumors.

But for some reason, most of the Zheng Family’s businesses were still operating as usual, showing no signs that the Zheng Clan’s assets were about to be seized.

Zheng Xiu, under the cover of darkness, furtively summoned his Evil Child Incarnation.

He pried open the wrought steel bars with all his might, then bent them back into place.

He leaped from the tall building, switching to his Ah Piao form mid-fall to land.

Upon landing, his nearly transparent body darted into an alley, passing through several walls until he was in someone else’s courtyard.

His passage startled a few dogs into barking. A young noblewoman, bathing in a tub of flower petals in her secluded chambers, thought a thief had broken in. She hastily wrapped herself in a silk scarf and rushed out to check, only to find the courtyard empty. Blushing, she cursed under her breath at the false alarm. Later, however, she was left with a strange sense of melancholy.

For this outing, Zheng Xiu had slightly adjusted the Evil Child’s Traits.

He had unequipped [Taunt] and equipped [Stealth].

While [Stealth] was active, some faint "dark zones" would appear in his vision, and it would also slightly diminish his Incarnation’s presence.

It wasn’t a significant effect, but Zheng Xiu believed that as the Trait’s level increased, there would be a qualitative change.

For now, his mastery of [Stealth] was still at the "Slightly Knowledgeable" level.

Now that Zheng Xiu had discovered that Traits could also be equipped on Deceitful Object weapons, he knew he had to start grinding his Skills.

’The effect of combining [Stealth] with [Purgatory] isn’t hard to guess,’ he thought. ’Invisible slashes.’

Having startled the bathing noblewoman for no reason, the boy walked the streets just as the evening lanterns were being lit. The array of colorful lanterns gave the city a festive atmosphere, as if celebrating the new year.

Street Actors performed their tricks—Blowing Fire, changing faces, and breaking stones on their chests—to the applause of onlookers.

Inside a teahouse, a Storyteller’s voice rose and fell with dramatic cadence as patrons clapped and tossed coins in appreciation.

Groups of young, finely dressed women went on evening strolls, their faces veiled with silk scarves, adorned with gold and silver as they whispered and giggled amongst themselves.

Young masters with bulging purses frequented the brothels to listen to music. Whether they were gentleman patrons or brutish clients, they were all enjoying themselves immensely.

Zheng Xiu weaved through the crowd. ’What a strange world,’ he thought.

’The greatest wonders are hidden amongst the people. I wonder how many of these people, in all their different trades, have glimpsed the Path? How many have mastered a Miracle Technique?’

As Zheng Xiu observed the bustling city, a strange thought suddenly occurred to him.

’Is it possible that the Path didn’t come into being just because I rescued Feng Bei? Could it be that Path Mystic Skills have always existed, just hidden so deep among the common folk that no one ever let it slip?’

However, Zheng Xiu had no way of confirming this.

As he was walking down the main road, a sharp-eyed Zheng’s Coachman spotted the young master, who stood out in the bustling crowd like a firefly. The coachman pulled his rickshaw over to Zheng Xiu and said in a low voice, "Young Master, please get in."

"Alright."

Zheng Xiu didn’t refuse and climbed into the Wanderer’s rickshaw.

The Wanderer’s gait was steady, and he pulled the rickshaw as if gliding over flat ground. He was clearly no ordinary person.

He whistled a few notes. At first, Zheng Xiu thought he was sending a message to others, but the whistle’s meaning was actually: ’Boss Qing is looking for you.’

Zheng Xiu nodded. "Got it."

Seated in the rickshaw.

Feeling a mix of curiosity and boredom, Zheng Xiu couldn’t help but whistle a few notes himself, asking the coachman: ’A man of the Path?’

The coachman chuckled and whistled back: ’Young Master is wise. This humble one has only reached the Initial Path!’

Zheng Xiu whistled again: ’The Brotherhood?’

The coachman whistled: ’No, no, not at all! Sharp-Eared!’

Zheng Xiu didn’t probe any deeper into the man’s Path or its rules.

They traveled the rest of the way in silence.

Zheng Xiu watched the ways of the world with great interest.

He hadn’t known before, but now, keenly aware that Miracle Techniques were hidden in the world, he curiously looked left and right, trying to guess which professions might harbor Miracle Masters and what their strange Abilities might be.

An hour later, the Wandering coachman safely delivered Zheng Xiu to the gate of the Zheng Residence.

Before he had even set out, Zheng Xiu had a bad Omen.

He had glanced at the location of [Post Station Feng Bei] in his Heart Prison.

It seemed she hadn’t moved from her spot since last night, not even by half an inch.

Just as he thought.

Zheng Xiu, travel-worn, stepped out of the rickshaw and saw the scene before him.

Feng Bei was dressed all in black, her clothes half-soaked with melted snow that had turned to ice-cold water. Droplets of dew hung from the tips of her hair as she stood motionless, leaning against one of the expensive, gold-inlaid stone lions by the Zheng Family’s entrance.

Zheng Xiu walked up, feeling a pang of pity for her, but also thinking she was a blockhead. He couldn’t help but call out from a distance, "Sister Feng Bei, don’t tell me you’ve been standing here like a post all day?"

Looking up, he could faintly make out the figures of Night Guards lurking on a distant rooftop in the darkness.

The Zheng Residence was still under surveillance.

Because of Feng Bei’s presence, there wasn’t even the shadow of a Raven in the sky above the Zheng home; they had all been scared off by her Mystic aura.

Seeing the boy jogging toward her, panting, with an unintentional look of blame on his face, Feng Bei’s clenched fists relaxed slightly. She nodded. "I’ve waited for a day."

Last night, the boy had played tricks and disappeared. Feng Bei had been angry at first, but when she remembered he had gone deaf saving Yue Yan and the other person in the Ghostly Realm of the Immortal Maiden Temple, most of her anger had already dissipated, replaced by pity and self-reproach. The words had barely left her mouth when she gave a self-deprecating smile, then pointed to her ear and then in a certain direction.

The direction she pointed was toward the residence of Living Dead Situ Yong.

Her gestures meant: ’I’ll take you to get your ears treated.’

"No need, they’re all better," Zheng Xiu said with a grin, revealing two cute little fangs.

"All better?" Feng Bei looked surprised. "Who treated you?"

"It’s a secret! Hee hee!"

From this exchange, Feng Bei knew that his hearing had truly been restored.

She gave the child a deep look. Feng Bei knew he held many secrets, including the one thing she cared about most.

Ever since the boy had bizarrely vanished from the Zheng Residence, Feng Bei had dutifully paid for the two door panels and sincerely apologized to Zheng Erniang before taking up her post at the entrance.

She didn’t know where Zheng Xiu had gone, but after thinking it over, she concluded that even though he had run off, he would eventually return here.

And sure enough, her stakeout had paid off.

But what now that she had found him?

Feng Bei originally had a thousand questions.

But with the words on the tip of her tongue, Feng Bei didn’t know how to ask.

Asking was where the real problem lay.

If the boy answered yes, what would she do? If he answered no, would she even believe him?

So, in the end, the answer didn’t really matter. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Feng Bei decided she would use her own eyes to confirm it and finally put this long-held concern to rest.

But what Feng Bei herself hadn’t realized was that she might not actually want to put this concern to rest.

’A concern is something that weighs on the heart. Once it’s gone, can it still be called a concern?’

’When that time comes, what else will be left to fill her heart?’

Her mind heavy with thoughts, Feng Bei stood rooted to the spot, momentarily speechless.

Zheng Xiu banged on his own front gate, his innocent, childlike voice now laced with an arrogance befitting a rich young master.

"I’m back! Open the gate!"

Zizi was the one who came out to greet the young master. She was about to call out "Young Master" enthusiastically but froze when she saw Feng Bei standing beside him.

"Come on in!"

Zheng Xiu beckoned to Feng Bei.

Feng Bei was taken aback. "Me?"

"Who else? It’s freezing out here. Aren’t you cold? Look at your clothes. What if you catch a chill? I’ll have someone heat up a tub of hot water for you to bathe and warm up, and to dry your clothes," Zheng Xiu retorted.

Feng Bei first shook her head, saying she wasn’t cold, but the word "chill" made her suddenly recall her mother’s death twenty years ago, and she fell silent.

Zheng Xiu realized he might have said something wrong and turned his head, throwing a childish tantrum. "Hmph! Sister Feng Bei, if you don’t come in and sit for a bit, then you can forget about me answering any of your questions in the future, right?"

’This was the benefit of having an alias. As long as his true identity wasn’t exposed, he could get away with acting however he wanted.’

Feng Bei hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Ye Weiyang, Upper Three, Feng Bei. Pardon the intrusion."

Zheng Xiu had ulterior motives for inviting Feng Bei inside.

He wanted to pry some information about Ye Weiyang out of her.

But being too blunt wouldn’t work, so he had to build a good relationship with her first.

’Feng Bei clearly isn’t after money. So, what is she after?’

Master Zheng began to ponder the question, his mind focused on how to fleece this particular sheep.

"By the way, Sister Feng Bei, where do you live?"

Zheng Xiu and Feng Bei chatted idly at the entrance.

Zizi led the way, her steps light, her ears pricked up.

Zheng Xiu followed Zizi, with Feng Bei behind him, as they stepped over the threshold of the Zheng home.

"Outside the city. Ten li. On a cliff."

Feng Bei answered.

"That far? Why don’t you stay the night here? We have plenty of empty rooms."

Zheng Xiu turned back and offered warmly.

Feng Bei was surprised and fell silent.

"...Alright."

CLICK.

Outside the Zheng Residence.

Not far away, on a rooftop.

A Night Guard who had been monitoring the Zheng Residence heard a strange sound from his own jaw and found he couldn’t close it.

He patted his companion, but when there was no response, he turned to see that the other Night Guard wore the exact same expression.

Both were stunned.

The two communicated with hand signs.

"Just now... did Lord Upper Three go inside?"

"You saw it too?"

"I saw it!"

"Should... should we report this?"

"Report it? Report it? Who do we report it to?"

The two stared at each other, at a loss.

Under the influence of Feng Bei’s aura, the flock of Ravens circling above the Zheng Residence scattered, shedding feathers in their panic.

"Maybe Lord Upper Three is infiltrating the Zheng Clan to gather intelligence?"

"That must be it!"

"It looks like Lord Upper Three is going to stay the night?"

"As expected of Lord Upper Three!"

The news that Upper Three Feng Bei was spending the night at the Zheng home.

It spread through Ye Weiyang as if it had grown wings.

Night Guards dashed along the roof tiles, their hands flying in a flurry of signs as they passed one another.

Most of them were discussing this very matter.

That was why it spread so quickly.

In the back courtyard of the Zheng’s Cloth Shop, Yue Yan, one of the Twenty-Eight Constellations, was busy making new clothes.

Yue Yan was her identity in Ye Weiyang. Publicly, she was still the chief Tailor of the Zheng’s Cloth Shop, Xi’er.

Late at night, Yue Yan was contemplating new clothing designs.

A year ago today, at Zheng Xiu’s suggestion, Yue Yan had created a sensual, openwork dudou that caused a huge stir among the city’s noblewomen.

Many of these noblewomen secretly reported back that their masters, who had long left their fields untended, were once again inspired to plow their arid lands.

The popularity of the new design had given Yue Yan a sudden epiphany, allowing her to push open a new door on her Path.

Since Zheng Xiu’s imprisonment, the Master had not come to inspect the cloth shop for over a month, causing Yue Yan’s Path Cultivation to hit a bottleneck.

Outside, the stars twinkled, the air was biting cold, and the moonlight was crisp and clear.

Yue Yan, who had just spent a great deal of mental energy writing case files, felt a bit irritable and pushed open the window.

Just then, she looked up and saw several Night Guards running along the eaves, preparing to change shifts.

The hand signs the Night Guards were making caused Yue Yan’s eyes to widen dramatically.

"That Feng Bei... doesn’t she always keep to herself and avoid contact with others? Why would she be spending the night at the Zheng Residence?"