Chapter Thirty-Two: The Zhou Siblings

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Back when Qiu Fu was bitten, he was only at the initial stage of the first level of Qi Refining. Less than a month later, the same opponent could instantly kill Zhou Liang, who had reached the mid-stage of the second level of Heaven. If it truly was the same demon mosquito responsible, its growth was nothing short of terrifying—perhaps it really was some primordial anomaly. No wonder Manager Xu of the Hundred Treasure Pavilion had offered a bounty for its capture.

The mountains of Tiannan County were home to countless demon beasts and fierce birds, but never before had one heard of a demon mosquito possessing intelligence. If he could tame it before it fully matured, it would be of great benefit to him; failing that, even selling it would fetch a handsome price.

Thus, after a brief explanation, the gray-robed elder wasted no time. He strode out of the room and summoned his flying sword, soaring into the sky.

His recent search had revealed that the faint trace of demonic aura led toward one of the courtyards outside the Zhou family estate.

“How could it simply vanish?” Moments later, hovering above the Zhou family’s outer residence, the elder’s expression soured. He could no longer find even the slightest trace of demonic aura—the demon mosquito had come here and then disappeared as if into thin air.

Unwilling to give up, the elder continued his search, probing every inch of the Zhou estate and its surroundings. In the end, he was forced to return to the City Lord’s Mansion and report his findings.

Without the guidance of the demonic aura, trying to find the demon mosquito in the vast Nanshan City would not be easy. After all, the night air was thick with countless mosquitoes, and identifying each one would be a monumental task.

To avoid offending the Zhou family’s patriarch, it was best to leave this matter in the City Lord’s hands.

In truth, even with the help of a low-grade Demon Concealment Talisman, Xiao Wenzi could not have avoided the scrutiny of a cultivator at the half-step Foundation Establishment stage. But by the time the elder arrived at the Zhou estate, Xiao had already left. With the talisman masking him and no lingering demonic aura, not even the City Lord himself would have easily found a clue.

“Demon mosquito? Primordial anomaly? Elder You, are you certain that the wastrel from the Zhou family was killed by the demon mosquito that appeared briefly last time?” The City Lord of Nanshan City, Yang Fan, had just entered the late stage of Foundation Establishment. He shared a master with the Zhou family patriarch but was a generation younger—a nephew in terms of seniority.

After hearing the gray-robed elder’s report, Yang Fan grew interested. As for Zhou Liang’s grisly death, it did not concern him much.

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After all, the scoundrel had a terrible reputation, and many had come to complain about him. Yang Fan had always turned a blind eye out of respect for the Zhou patriarch. Now that Zhou Liang was dead, it was hardly cause for regret—if anything, it was a relief.

“Reporting to the City Lord, I dare not claim absolute certainty, but I am at least eighty percent sure...” the elder replied.

“If it truly is a primordial anomaly, then it is worth my personal attention. Pass down the order—activate the city’s defensive array at full strength, and have all guest experts in the City Lord’s Mansion assist in the search. We must uncover it as soon as possible.” Yang Fan trusted Elder You’s judgment. With the Zhou patriarch being a half-step Core Formation expert, he would surely be interested in the demon mosquito when he arrived. If Yang Fan wanted to seize the opportunity first, he could not afford to hesitate.

With the City Lord’s command, the cultivators at the mansion sprang into action, expanding their search from the Zhou estate to the entirety of Nanshan City.

Meanwhile, Xiao Wenzi, who had spared no expense in exchanging second-tier system coins for demon spirit dew to recover his strength, finally flew nonstop out of the underground drainage tunnel.

A cold, murderous light enveloped the city behind him, forming a giant bowl that covered every corner—even the exit he had just escaped from. “That was close—nearly trapped inside,” Xiao Wenzi thought with relief, glancing back at the city suddenly shrouded by the array. If he hadn’t immediately used the demon spirit dew to replenish his cultivation and flee at top speed, he might have been caught and killed.

Though temporarily out of danger, this was hardly a safe haven. Xiao Wenzi did not stop to rest but continued to escape at his fastest pace.

With daylight breaking, he had already left Nanshan City by more than twenty miles. The effects of the Demon Concealment Talisman began to wane, and it would soon lose its power.

In fact, this was not the first talisman he had exchanged for. Even though concealment and invisibility talismans lasted longer than attack talismans, they still could not endure for several hours.

Having exchanged for demon spirit dew and concealment talismans repeatedly, his remaining second-tier system coins were now less than a hundred. Xiao Wenzi looked at the system’s treasure page and felt a pang of regret.

Here, he should be temporarily safe. All he needed to do now was hide in the grass and wait for a vehicle heading toward Kao Shan Town, and he could easily return to the Tiannan Mountains.

Suddenly, feeling a surge of danger, Xiao Wenzi wasted no time exchanging for another Demon Concealment Talisman, quickly activating it and hiding in the roadside shrubbery, suppressing his aura.

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Two streaks of light streaked overhead—within them, a young man in white robes and a jade belt, handsome and dignified, and a young woman in a flowing blue dress, her features as beautiful as a painting.

Both were cultivators at the tenth level or higher of Qi Refining, flying toward Nanshan City.

Fortunately, they seemed to be in a hurry and did not spread their spiritual sense to investigate. There was no way they could have detected Xiao Wenzi, who was masked by the Demon Concealment Talisman, even though his size was now slightly larger than an ordinary mosquito.

It was merely a false alarm, but Xiao Wenzi believed caution was never a mistake. He did not regret spending the system coin. He waited quietly in the roadside shrubbery.

Every day, fresh goods were transported from Kao Shan Town to Nanshan City. Likewise, convoys traveled from the city to the town as usual.

He didn’t have to wait long before he spotted a carriage heading toward Kao Shan Town. Due to his earlier sense of danger, this time he did not stay on the roof but flew to the underside of the carriage, clinging to the wooden boards and hovering there.

The carriage sped forward. The driver had no idea that the target sought by cultivators, who secretly spread their spiritual sense to search as he left the city, was hidden beneath his carriage.

Not long after, two streaks of light paused above the Zhou estate, revealing the young man and woman Xiao Wenzi had seen earlier.

“Greetings, Young Master Yun Jun. Greetings, Miss Yun Ru,” the Zhou family servants hurried forward to greet them. Even the worried Zhou family patriarch managed a smile and said, “Jun’er, Ru’er, why hasn't the patriarch returned with you?”

“Uncle, grandfather is at a critical stage of cultivation and cannot be disturbed. With me and my fourth sister here, it is enough to handle this matter,” the white-robed youth replied with pride. He was Zhou Yun Jun, the Zhou family’s prodigy, who had reached the peak of the thirteenth level of Qi Refining before the age of twenty and looked down on his lecherous cousin Zhou Liang.

He spoke with confidence, and the twelfth-level Qi Refining girl, Zhou Yun Ru, nodded in agreement, indicating he was right.

Although the patriarch had not returned to take charge, with Zhou Yun Jun and Zhou Yun Ru present, it was more than sufficient. As the Zhou siblings quickly understood the situation, a gleam of excitement flashed in their eyes.