Chapter 109: Hunter and Prey

A layer of white moonlight was scattered on the bluestone slab road, like a layer of gentle gauze. The tense atmosphere, as if swords had been drawn and bows strung, was also swept away by the clear wind. Chen Ji put the short knife back into its sheath. He looked at the White Carp County Lord in front of him and softly asked, "How long did you all scheme to secretly help me?"

White Carp awkwardly scratched her waist pouch. "A day and a half."

Chen Ji was puzzled. "How come I didn't discover you all discussing these matters?"

White Carp explained, "Every time you come back during the day, you have a tired look, and you go straight into your bedroom to sleep. We discuss quietly in the courtyard while you're sleeping."

"Aren't you afraid I'm going to gamble?"

"Not afraid, you are absolutely not the gambler they speak of."

"Thank you."

Chen Ji could imagine this group of people sitting around the Eight Immortals table in a circle, whispering.

Childish and sincere.

Chen Ji looked at Liang Dog'er and asked, "Speaking of which, how much money did you all pool together to get Brother Dog'er to help? The kiln factory's dividend hasn't been received yet, aren't you all out of money?"

The World Son laughed happily. "Ten taels of silver. White Carp and I truly don't have any money. This ten taels of silver was still Liu Quxing who took it out. You didn't see, when Liu Quxing took that silver ingot out from the interlayer of his clothes, his face was contorted."

Chen Ji was speechless for a moment. He was silent for a long time, then said in disbelief, "Liu Quxing?"

The World Son chuckled. "We agreed to contribute two taels of silver each. This counts as him helping to advance it first. When the kiln factory dividend is issued, we will return the silver to him."

White Carp asked, "Chen Ji, what difficulty did you actually encounter..."

She took a step forward, but Chen Ji retreated a step. "County Lord, I cannot say. Perhaps one day I will tell you all about it, but definitely not now. I must leave first, there are still very important matters tonight."

"But, Brother Dog'er can help you."

"No need."

With that, Chen Ji was seen retreating step by step, finally turning around and leaving with long strides, disappearing at the end of the long street.

Liang Dog'er hugged the long knife in his arms, leaning sideways against the wall. He looked at Chen Ji's back, not knowing what he was thinking.

At this moment, White Carp mustered up courage, wanting to continue following, but was blocked by Liang Dog'er using the knife sheath against her collarbone. "County Lord, don't follow. It's best if you don't get involved in his matters."

White Carp looked at Liang Dog'er in surprise. "Why?"

Liang Dog'er smiled. "If a normal person encounters difficulties, why would they refuse my help? Unless the difficulty he encounters comes from the Eunuch Party. Chen Ji is either a member of the Eunuch Party or someone who fights against them. He knows very well that I don't help either of these types of people."

"But..."

Liang Dog'er suddenly said, "Perhaps the World Son and the County Lord still don't know what kind of character is hiding beside you all."

The World Son was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Liang Dog'er hugged the long knife and glanced at the two of them. "This kid has definitely killed people, and not just one. A person's eyes are completely different once they've killed before... Do you two know about this?"

The World Son and White Carp exchanged glances.

The World Son clearly remembered that night in Hongyi Alley, how the mysterious person had chopped off the secret agent's long knife with one blow, and he had continuously seen the other side swing the blade three times.

So when Chen Ji split the knife in White Carp's hand, the World Son already knew Chen Ji's identity.

Chen Ji had of course killed people, and moreover, he had killed in front of him.

The World Son hesitated for a moment, recalling White Carp's recent strangeness, and softly asked, "White Carp, have you known for a long time?"

White Carp hummed in affirmation.

The World Son sighed. "No wonder... Brother Dog'er, we know Chen Ji has killed people. Although we still haven't determined his identity, this doesn't affect our friendship with him."

Liang Dog'er sighed. "His identity is probably more complicated than you two imagine."

"How so?"

Liang Dog'er explained, "White Carp and the World Son don't understand martial arts, so they have no concept of this kid's knife technique. But have you ever seen a knife technique that, without using brute force, can casually break people's weapons just by using clever force? That's a knife that can astonish many knife users for a lifetime. It's unrelated to strength realm, just speaking of that technique, ordinary people can't even learn it if they want to."

"The key is, who taught him this knife technique?"

Liang Dog'er looked towards the end of the long street. "Fang Yuwu? Or Li Zhechong? No, those two aren't right..."

"Brother Dog'er, can you do it?"

"Of course I can!"

Chen Ji followed the signboards one by one, searching until he saw the Chai Ji Grain and Oil Shop. Only then did he turn into the nearby dark alley.

When he turned in that instant, he saw dozens of pairs of green, oily eyes looking over in the darkness.

Chen Ji's scalp went numb. He couldn't distinguish in this darkness which of those eyes were Wu Yun's, so he softly probed, "Wu Yun?"

No cat responded, they just continued to stare at him eerily, without moving.

Among them, one pair of eyes blinked fiercely at him several times.

After a moment of silence, Chen Ji probed again, "Jiu Tian Ying Yuan Lei Sheng Pu Hua Tian Zun?"

The next second, he saw a pair of green, oily eyes stand out from the crowd, walk out of the darkness into the moonlight, and arrogantly and indifferently meow, "What matter are you looking for me about?"

Chen Ji lightly coughed. "Well, I have something I want to report to you separately."

Wu Yun turned back to the dozens of pairs of eyes in the darkness and meowed. He saw those eyes slowly disappear into the darkness.

Wu Yun waited for a moment, then jumped into Chen Ji's arms and happily said, "Just now, what was that name? It sounds very mighty!"

Chen Ji said with a smile, "That is the Daoist title of the highest heavenly god in the Thunder Department, in charge of life and death, prosperity and decline, good and evil rewards and punishments, moving clouds and spreading rain, slaying demons and subduing monsters, and commanding thunder."

Wu Yun was solemn and respectful. "Mighty, mighty! In the future, when other cats are present, can you call me this name?"

Chen Ji was silent.

Wu Yun quickly said, "When we go home, I can give you a leg massage!"

Chen Ji was still silent.

"Step on your back!"

"Deal, but you don't need to give me a leg massage or step on my back," Chen Ji smiled and touched Wu Yun's head, asking, "Why haven't you been back to the medical hall these past few days?"

Wu Yun thought for a bit and said, "Master said that I have already cultivated the qi mechanism of the Liang family knife technique on my body. If I stay in the medical hall, I will be perceived by Liang Dog'er."

Chen Ji was stunned. "Ah?"

He really learned it?!

Chen Ji curiously asked, "As long as you cultivate the same path, will you perceive each other when you meet?"

Wu Yun replied, "Master said, people who cultivate the same path will necessarily have their hearts palpitate when they first meet, like encountering a natural enemy."

He suddenly remembered that when he first encountered the ginseng and resolved the ice flow, the moment he saw Old Man Yao, his heart had palpitated, as if he was being stared at by a fierce tiger.

So originally, at that moment, master already knew he had stepped into cultivation. He still thought no one else knew.

So, in the future, if he encounters Lu Yang of the Jing Chao Martial Temple, the other side can know he is also cultivating the sword seed path the first time they meet, and then split him with one sword?

"Let's talk about proper matters," Chen Ji looked at Wu Yun and said, "You have to do me a favor."

"What favor?"

"Borrow a knife, kill a few people."

On the agreed night with Liu Mingxian, Chen Ji returned to the Zhou residence as promised.

Today there were no clouds. In the thick black night, he stood in front of the red lacquer gate, put on the tiger mask, picked up the beast head ring on the gate, and knocked.

The gate opened wide. He saw that in the courtyard of the Zhou residence, there were densely packed secret agents in black clothes sitting cross-legged on the ground, wiping their waist knives.

When Chen Ji stepped in, the secret agents one by one, while wiping their long knives, watched him coldly and silently. Their gazes slowly turned with his steps.

Jin Zhu came out from the study to greet him, smiling and squinting his eyes. "You're quite punctual."

Chen Ji was puzzled. "Adult, isn't tonight supposed to be acting as the Director to meet Liu Mingxian? Why summon so many secret agents, and with such a murderous appearance?"

Jin Zhu explained with a smile, "Originally, I also thought of following your plan, letting Xi Feng pretend to be the Director and slowly extract some information from Liu Mingxian. But I later changed my mind. Although the Jing Chao thieves haven't contacted the Liu family yet, it doesn't mean they never will. As long as they contact them, we might be exposed."

Jin Zhu continued, "To avoid a long night filled with dreams, as long as Liu Mingxian comes to the appointment tonight, it already confirms his suspicion of colluding with Jing Chao. Even if I arrest him, the Liu family can't say anything. At that time, I only need to bring Liu Mingxian to the inner prison. With Meng Ji there, he won't fail to confess."

Chen Ji was startled. "Meng Ji? Adult brought Meng Ji from Kaifeng Prefecture?"

Jin Zhu casually asked, "How, is there something improper?"

Chen Ji smiled. "No, what I mean is, as long as we have Adult Meng Ji, Liu Mingxian naturally can't quibble."

Jin Zhu said meaningfully, "Yes, when Meng Ji makes a move, it's absolutely foolproof."

Chen Ji asked, "Adult, since you've already changed the plan, is there no need for me then? You also know I'm a medical hall apprentice with no strength to truss a chicken, not suitable to participate in the capture action."

However, as soon as he finished speaking, he saw two secret agents stand up from the ground and slowly walked to Chen Ji's side, vaguely restraining him.

Chen Ji's face suddenly became stern. He abruptly turned his head to look at Jin Zhu. "Adult, what does this mean?"

The next moment, all the secret agents sitting on the ground silently stood up. They held long knives, with hawk eyes and wolf gazes.

It seemed that in tonight's small courtyard, everyone was a hunter, and only Chen Ji was the prey.

Jin Zhu patted Chen Ji's shoulder and said, "Brother, you still have to cooperate with us to continue acting. After all, we need to lure Liu Mingxian out first. Don't think too much about it. I know you have no strength to truss a chicken, so these two colleagues by your side are specially dispatched to protect you."

Chen Ji asked, "Adult, are you sure they are here to protect me?"

Jin Zhu smiled. "Otherwise, what?"

Saying that, he looked towards the secret agents in the courtyard and said coldly, "Tonight, Liu Mingxian must be arrested. As long as you show bravery in catching the thief, you will not lack rewards. Set out!"

The heavy vermilion lacquer gate of the Zhou residence was pulled open again, and the secret agents filed out.

The two secret agents put their long knives back into their sheaths and said in an ice-cold voice, "Go, adult, don't make things difficult for us."

Chen Ji's face was hidden under the tiger mask. He was silent for a long time. "Good."