Chapter 48: Heading Into the Mountain Together

Liu Xiaolou suddenly realized what was going on. Turns out, while he’d been trying to track down Second Young Master Lu without any luck, the guy had actually been looking for him the whole time. He’d followed him all the way to Taoyuan, and Liu hadn’t even noticed. Clearly, his cultivation was still too shallow; he really needed to improve. And fast. Second Young Master Lu himself was only at the third layer of Qi Refinement. So the one capable of tailing Liu had to be the steward standing next to him. That man’s cultivation must be quite high. Liu Xiaolou thought for a moment, then quietly backed away. He slipped out from his hiding spot in a different direction, found a tree, and dug a hole to bury his spirit stones, formation disk, formation manual, sect leader’s tokens, and other important items. Then he circled around and came back up the mountain path, muttering to himself as he walked, “With guards that tight, how’s anyone supposed to get in? Let alone get rich?” Just as he was grumbling, two people suddenly jumped out in front of him, one on each side, boxing him in. Startled, Liu Xiaolou opened his mouth to yell, but a longsword was pressed straight to his chest. He didn’t dare make a sound. Squinting at the man holding the sword, he realized it was the steward from Hongji Tavern; the one who had been snooping for information. Next to him, with arms crossed and a cold smirk, was none other than Second Young Master Lu. The steward quickly searched him, taking the Three-Mystery Sword and a few dozen taels of silver, and handed them over to Lu. Then he signaled that Liu had nothing else on him. Second Young Master Lu chuckled. “Liu Xiaolou, what brings you all the way out here, visiting relatives?” Liu Xiaolou stammered in a panic, “Second Young Master, what’s the meaning of this? I’m a friend of Brother Wei’s! We’re on the same side, we’re all family here!” Second Young Master Lu tilted his head and looked Liu Xiaolou up and down for a moment. “You’re really one of us?” Liu Xiaolou nodded like a pecking chicken. “Absolutely one of you!” Lu chuckled, pushed the steward’s sword aside, and gave Liu Xiaolou a friendly pat on the shoulder. “If that’s the case, then we can talk.” Liu Xiaolou watched nervously as the steward sheathed his sword. “What a coincidence, running into you here, Second Young Master," he said, forcing a smile. "Truly a pleasure... Oh, and this gentleman too; we crossed paths a few times back at the restaurant, haha...” Second Young Master Lu grabbed Liu Xiaolou by the collar and pulled him behind a nearby tree. “Let’s talk over here... Brother Liu, ever since you showed up at the Hongji Restaurant today, you’ve been pestering Wei Hongqing to dig up information on the Zhou family. What’s the real reason? You’re a Zhou clansman yourself, aren’t you? This whole thing’s mighty suspicious.” Liu Xiaolou hesitated. “You must be joking, Second Young Master. It wasn’t me asking. Brother Wei heard something and wanted to get to the bottom of it, so he sent someone to look into it. I just happened to be there, that’s all...” Lu’s expression darkened. “Sounds like you’re not one of us after all.” In a flash, the steward flipped his hand and a sword was suddenly pressed against Liu Xiaolou’s neck. He moved so fast Liu couldn’t even see how he’d drawn it. The blade shimmered with a mercury-like glow; this man was at least fifth layer Qi Refinement. Liu Xiaolou panicked and pleaded, “Wait! Hold on! No need to get rough. We can talk this out.” “You’re the one not talking properly,” Young Master Lu said calmly. "Can’t blame Manager Zhang for losing his temper. He’s got serious skills. Even I couldn’t stop him if I tried.” He raised a hand and began to count. “I’ll count to three. If you haven’t told the truth by then, you’ll be down one ear. Three...” “I’ll talk!" Liu Xiaolou quickly said. “Lord Xingde, the one on Xingde Mountain; he ran off with my cousin. The Zhou clan is trying to hunt them down.” Second Young Master Lu and Steward Zhang exchanged a glance. “So it really was a runaway romance?” Lu muttered. Then he asked, “If you already knew that, why were you asking around? What are you really after?” Liu Xiaolou bit his lip, then suddenly lowered his voice. “I don’t know if Second Young Master and Steward Zhang have the guts for it... but how about we make a fortune together?” Lu Xiaolou’s eyes flickered. “I’m listening.” “Right now, the Zhou clan’s got the whole Taoyuan Mountain range locked down. You can’t get in through the main roads. Try to take the side paths, and it’s like stepping into a haunted maze. I keep feeling like someone’s watching me...” Second Young Master Lu sneered. “That’s the Qingyu Sect’s Shape Absorbing Technique. You’re from the Zhou clan. Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of it?” Liu Xiaolou looked like it just clicked. “That’s what it’s called? No wonder it’s so creepy...” He gave a wry smile. “I’m just some distant branch relative, barely connected at all. How would I know any of their secret arts? So it’s true, then? There are Qingyu Sect experts stationed in the mountains?” Second Young Master Lu nodded. “Of course. You think the Zhou family could seal off the whole range by themselves?” Liu Xiaolou shook his head. “Then there’s no way I’m getting in. But I did hear something. Taoyuan Mountain isn’t under Qingyu Sect’s sole control. It’s also under the jurisdiction of Tianmu Mountain. If someone from Tianmu wanted to enter, the Zhou family probably couldn’t stop them. That’s actually why I went to find Brother Wei. I was hoping he could take me in with him. But he turned me down. Said he didn’t want to risk stirring up trouble between the two sects.” He looked up carefully. “But maybe... Second Young Master, Steward Zhang, could you take me in?” “First, tell me what are you trying to do in there?” asked Second Young Master Lu. “To be honest, a few days ago my cousin summoned me to the Zhou estate. She gave me a box and told me to take it into the Taoyuan Mountains and bury it somewhere hidden. I did as she asked. I figured once I buried it, I’d head back, report the location, and be done with it. But... something came up and delayed me for a couple of days. By the time I tried to go back, I couldn’t get in anymore.” Second Young Master Lu narrowed his eyes. “You’re just some distant relative barely on the family tree, and she trusted you with something like that?” “She was trying to run away from the Zhou family. Who else could she trust?” Second Young Master Lu was silent for a moment, then asked, “What was in the box?” Liu Xiaolou spread his hands. “I honestly don’t know. The thing was locked tight. But I’ve been thinking. If she was planning to elope, then the box probably had all her private savings. She’s a direct daughter of the Zhou clan. It’s not like she’d be carrying junk.” Steward Zhang suddenly chimed in from the side. “So that’s why they came back here... to retrieve the treasure?” Liu Xiaolou nodded. “That must be it. Maybe she even hoped I’d come find them and tell them where I buried it. But how am I supposed to get back in?” Steward Zhang snorted. “So your plan was to pocket the treasure for yourself? What a thoughtful nephew.” Liu Xiaolou let out a sigh. “The whole Taoyuan range is sealed up tighter than a drum. Getting out of there is next to impossible. Even if she and her lover make it out, what good would the stuff do them if they can’t get to it? Might as well leave it to me... the nephew. At least I’ll burn some incense and paper for them someday...” He lowered his voice a little. “The hiding spot isn’t that easy to find, but with the way they’re combing the mountains, I’m worried someone from the Qingyu Sect will stumble on it. If that happens, it’s all gone.” Second Young Master Lu nodded in strong agreement. “Exactly. And more than that, if your cousin gets caught by the Zhou clan and gives up your name, it’ll be a lot harder for you to get that box.” “You’re absolutely right, Second Young Master,” Liu Xiaolou said. “That’s exactly why I’m so anxious. If that happens, I’ll be the one they’re after. Second Young Master, if you can take me into the mountains, I’ll split the treasure with you fifty–fifty… no, thirty–seventy! I’ll only take thirty percent!” Second Young Master Lu smiled. “Stick with me. We’re going in.” With Second Young Master Lu in the lead, Steward Zhang bringing up the rear, and Liu Xiaolou sandwiched in the middle, they left the side path and headed straight up the main road into the mountains. When they reached a checkpoint set up by the Zhou clan, Second Young Master Lu frowned and barked out, “Where are you from? Who gave you the right to block the road?” The men stepped forward. “We’re from the Zhou clan of Dongting Lake. We’re hunting down a family traitor. Outsiders aren’t allowed past this point.” One of them suddenly recognized Second Young Master Lu and quickly stepped forward. “Second Young Master, we’re on official Zhou family business. We hope you’ll understand.” Second Young Master Lu sneered. “Since when did Taoyuan belong to the Zhou clan? Funny, we at Tianmu Mountain haven’t heard a word about that.” He pulled out a token hanging from his waist. Even in the dark, it gave off a soft silver glow. Steward Zhang stepped up and shouted, “This is a Tianmu Mountain Lu family matter. Step aside! This is none other than Second Young Master Lu, younger brother of Lu Yuanlang... our Third Senior Brother from the inner sect. Open your damn eyes and look carefully!” The Zhou clan men all recognized the token. For a moment, they hesitated, unsure what to do, and could only stand there and watch as Second Young Master Lu, Manager Zhang, and Liu Xiaolou walked right past them into Tianmu, bold as you please.