Chapter 430 - 268: Impressive Prowess
Chapter 430: Chapter 268: Impressive Prowess
[Daily Intelligence - Earth-level Lower Grade: At high noon, Gongye Bai will be telling fortunes at the East Market Entrance. Reward: A large amount of Opportunity.]
Chen Yi glanced at it, his calm expression shifting in an instant. Even the Meteor Butterfly Step he was performing faltered.
"Gongye Bai?"
"Immortal Bai?"
"Telling fortunes at a stall?"
"This is... I never would have expected this..."
Even though Chen Yi already knew Immortal Bai was coming to Shu State, he hadn’t expected him to parade through the market so brazenly.
It didn’t fit the image of a transcendent master, "the greatest in Martial Arts."
Instead, it was more like... like...
Chen Yi pondered for a moment before two words escaped his lips: "An immortal."
Come to think of it.
Wasn’t Gongye Bai always this unorthodox?
For someone like Immortal Bai, setting up a fortune-telling stall right after arriving in Shu State wasn’t really that out of character.
It was just that.
Immortal Bai’s "Ironclad Judgment" was far too "perilous"—even more so than his world-shaking Martial Arts Cultivation.
As Chen Yi mulled this over, he started to consider whether or not he should go take a look.
His rational mind told him not to go.
But his eyes kept drifting to the words [Earth-level Lower Grade].
Finally, after seeing [Opportunity: 768], he made his decision. He would go!
He had to go, if only for the sake of that much Opportunity.
’The last Earth Level intelligence, about burning the summer grain in the Three Towns, netted me four hundred Opportunity.’
’And I had to plan for days to get that Opportunity.’
’Immortal Bai’s appearance this time is also Earth Level.’
’Even if I just watch him from afar, I should be able to gain a considerable amount of Opportunity.’
’Perhaps by tomorrow, I’ll have enough Opportunity to raise one of my Daos to the Perfection stage.’
But that was just a thought.
Chen Yi knew that Immortal Bai’s purpose in coming to Shu State was unclear, and it was best to be cautious.
Besides, there was something deeply uncanny about Immortal Bai.
If he got too close and was noticed, or worse, if he was unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of one of his "judgments," the loss would far outweigh the gain.
He had no desire to test his own luck and Opportunity against Immortal Bai’s cursed mouth.
Therefore, his plan for this trip was simple: watch from afar.
With that thought, Chen Yi let out a long breath. After calming himself, he headed straight for the house just outside West Market Heiyu Lane.
By now, it was late at night.
The stars and moon hung high in a silent world.
Not even the crow of a rooster or the bark of a dog could be heard.
The only sign of life came from the government officials on night watch, stationed in key streets and alleys due to the threat of King Landu’s impending border raid.
It was currently the changing of the guard.
The officials finishing the first half of the night stretched their stiff limbs while joking around with those taking over for the second half.
They were mostly talking about the local goings-on.
For instance, which shop had a troublesome customer, who was having a loud argument at home, or who was acting suspiciously.
Although this information was fragmented and mostly useless, they carried out their duty meticulously.
"I wonder if that news is even true. Logically, that band of horse bandits is a motley crew. They wouldn’t dare invade our Great Wei Dynasty."
"Other horse bandits might not, but King Landu is different."
"His master is the National Preceptor of Poshisu Country, and he’s a nobleman himself. His followers might be called horse bandits, but they’re more like soldiers."
"Plus, they’ve spent years traveling the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, so their skills on horseback are incredible."
"Ordinary foot soldiers and Armored Warriors are no match for them. Only the White Armored Cavalry from our Dingyuan Army can deal with them."
"Unfortunately, after the great battle five years ago, barely one in ten of the veteran White Armored Cavalry survived, and the current generation isn’t ready yet."
"Does that mean no one will be able to stop King Landu when he attacks?"
"If he dares to come, General Jinghong will make sure he never goes back!"
The voices of the government officials carried a long way.
Chen Yi turned to look, a faint smile on his face.
’My lady isn’t even in the Prefecture City, yet so many people are thinking of her.’
’Come to think of it, it’s been half a month since her last letter. I wonder how things are going for her over there.’
Chen Yi muttered to himself, shook his head, and walked straight through the West Market.
But when he reached the house, he found it completely deserted.
Chen Yi scanned his surroundings, his gaze landing on a mound of earth in the courtyard.
Faint wisps of smoke were rising from it.
He walked over, kicked aside a clod of earth, and carefully examined the ashes within, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
According to the instructions he had given Liu Lang.
This was the first location for hiding the grain. If anyone discovered it, the grain was to be moved elsewhere.
Clearly, Liu Lang and the others had followed his orders.
’Three days... and our tracks were still discovered...’
’The people from the Ji State Trading Company certainly have some skill.’
With this thought, Chen Yi pushed the earth back into place to prevent the smoke and dust from attracting unwanted attention.
He then turned and headed for the East Market.
That was the second grain storage location he had instructed Wang Ji to prepare.
Chen Yi headed due east, passing the offices of the Prefect of Shu State, the Governor’s Office, the Inspectorate Office, and other government buildings, until he arrived outside the East Market.
Once he was certain he hadn’t been noticed, he turned into a dark alley and headed south.
Before long.
Chen Yi arrived outside a residence enclosed by high walls and pressed his ear against one to listen.
He could faintly hear voices from within the residence.
"...Elder Liu Lang, we’re all done."
"Alright. You’ve been working hard all afternoon. Go get some rest. I’ll stand watch tonight."
"Don’t worry, Elder. We’re not tired..."
A strange expression crossed Chen Yi’s face. ’Elder Liu Lang?’
’Was this guy so careless that he actually let his identity slip?’
Just as he was thinking this, he heard Zhang Sihu say, "I wonder where Elder Liu Wu is right now."
Liu Lang replied in a lazy tone, "Him? He comes and goes like a ghost. For all we know, he could be watching us from nearby right now..."
He didn’t finish his sentence. As if realizing something, he quickly spat a few times.
"Don’t want to jinx it. Why would the boss come all the way out here?"