Chapter 129: Chapter 124: Caught in the Net
The more Zhao Lin thought about it, the more alarmed he grew. He asked the gatekeeper, "Who did the Old Madam go out with? Where did she go?"
The gatekeeper scratched his head, thought for a moment, and replied, "Two apprentices. One was Sun Xiaofan, and the other seemed to be surnamed Huang. I don’t know where they went."
The Old Madam was in robust health, so when she went out, she only brought a single handmaid, accompanied by one disciple or two apprentices for protection.
Zhao Lin circled the area near the side gate. Based on the strength of the scent, he quickly pinpointed the direction of the peculiar Musk fragrance and took off running, heading west.
He crossed three streets, rounded a corner, and arrived in front of a shop on West Main Street.
"Yun Shang Pavilion."
Zhao Lin glanced at the sign and strode inside.
"What kind of clothes are you looking for, sir?" a clerk asked, stepping forward enthusiastically.
Zhao Lin ignored him and walked directly into the main hall, where he immediately spotted the apprentices Sun Xiaofan and Huang Ren sitting and chatting idly.
"Where’s the Old Madam?"
"Senior Brother Zhao!"
Sun Xiaofan and Huang Ren were surprised to see Zhao Lin rush in. The former pointed to the women’s section across the way. "The Old Madam is over there picking out clothes. She just went in."
Without a word, Zhao Lin charged into the women’s section.
A few female customers browsing for clothes shrieked in alarm when they saw a young man burst in. Some of the older women, however, simply looked Zhao Lin up and down with curiosity.
A row of clothes hung on a rack against the wall. At the back were three small cubicles with cloth curtains, meant for changing.
Zhao Lin scanned the women present, but he didn’t see the Old Madam. His gaze immediately shot to the cubicles.
Just then, he spotted a tall, fair-skinned young woman walking toward one of the cubicles that had its curtain drawn.
The scent of Musk was radiating from that very woman!
’Why is it a woman?’
Zhao Lin didn’t care if she was the one or not. His priority was to protect the Old Madam. He lunged forward.
The "woman" was, in fact, Wang Cui in disguise. His face was caked with thick makeup, his collar was turned up to hide his Adam’s apple, and he had even padded his chest to complete the female illusion.
When Wang Cui saw Zhao Lin come in, his eyes flickered. He immediately pulled his hand back and started walking toward another cubicle.
Zhao Lin sneered inwardly and reached out to grab the "woman" by the neck.
Wang Cui was startled. ’How did he recognize me?’ A vicious glint flashed in his eyes as he spun around, drew a knife, and slashed toward the curtained cubicle.
Halfway through his slash, he felt a sharp pain in his neck, and his feet lifted off the ground.
Without hesitation, Zhao Lin landed two heavy blows to his lower back.
CLANG. The short knife dropped to the floor, and Wang Cui crumpled.
Zhao Lin picked up the short knife and saw three words carved into it: "Drilling Mountain Leopard."
Looking down at Wang Cui, Zhao Lin noted the prominent Adam’s apple and the pale, bony knuckles, confirming that this was a man dressed as a woman.
"Old Madam."
Zhao Lin called out, his eyes warily scanning the surroundings.
’This person’s cultivation is at the bone-refining level. He’s probably Wang Cui. So where is Chairman Li?’
Hearing the commotion, the Old Madam pulled back her curtain and peeked out. Recognizing Zhao Lin, she asked, "Xiaozhao, what’s going on?"
"This man had ill intentions. Old Madam, please come with me," Zhao Lin said, pointing at Wang Cui on the floor.
The Old Madam was also taken aback. She put down the clothes she was holding and followed Zhao Lin out to the main hall.
When Zhao Lin had charged into the women’s section, the other customers had screamed and fled. Sun Xiaofan and Huang Ren had been left completely bewildered. Now, seeing Zhao Lin emerge dragging a person, they asked, "Senior Brother Zhao, what’s going on?"
"An assassin. You two protect the Old Madam..."
Zhao Lin was cut off mid-sentence as a clerk ran in with three constables, pointing at him and shouting, "That’s him! He barged into the women’s section!"
"Official business," Zhao Lin said, flashing his constable’s waist token.
"Captain Zhao." The three constables recognized Zhao Lin and hurried forward to salute.
The clerk’s jaw dropped, leaving him speechless. The Shopkeeper quickly pulled him aside.
Zhao Lin hauled Wang Cui up and slapped him twice to wake him, then demanded, "You’re Wang Cui, right? Where’s Chairman Li?"
Wang Cui squeezed his eyes shut, turned his head away, and remained silent.
Zhao Lin sneered. "I can find him even if you don’t talk."
He instructed Sun Xiaofan and Huang Ren to escort the Old Madam back, then handed Wang Cui to the three constables. "This sissy is a bandit leader. Take him back and lock him up."
At the word "sissy," Wang Cui’s eyes snapped open and he glared at Zhao Lin with venomous hatred.
Zhao Lin paid him no mind and strode out of the clothing shop.
He lingered near the shop’s entrance for a moment, then quickly determined the direction Chairman Li had fled. He took off at top speed, holding his waist token high and shouting, "Catch the fugitive!"
Hearing this, the commoners on the street quickly moved to the sides, clearing a path.
Zhao Lin gave chase for over a mile before he spotted a figure hurrying along with their head down. He immediately pushed his speed, closing the distance in just a few bounds.
Chairman Li happened to glance back, just in time to see Zhao Lin pouncing toward him. His face contorted in terror as he threw a handful of gray powder into the air.
Zhao Lin was already prepared. He dodged to the side and felled him with a single punch.
...
"Captain Zhao, we’ve used every trick in the book. Both of them confessed, and their statements are identical. I figure that should be everything."
Tu Wuyan said with a fawning smile as he handed the depositions to Zhao Lin.
When Chairman Li and Wang Cui were first thrown in jail, they were stubbornly silent, refusing to confess no matter how they were beaten. Zhao Lin had called on Tu Wuyan, who had them docile and compliant in less than an hour.
Zhao Lin took the two depositions and read them over, comparing them. A lingering fear crept into him. He’d never imagined the Drilling Mountain Leopard still had such loyal diehards. If he hadn’t happened upon them by chance, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Back at the Liuhe Sect, he told Zhu Huaishan about the incident.
Zhu Huaishan had already heard about the events at the clothing shop, but he was still deeply shocked after hearing Zhao Lin’s full report.
"It seems you were right not to bring your parents and brother here. Otherwise, your hands would have been tied, and you wouldn’t have been able to focus on your training."
A thoughtful look entered his eyes as he spoke, and he mused, "That reminds me, it’s about time we considered sending you to the Xingyun Sect."
Zhao Lin was taken aback. "Master, didn’t you say I should wait until I reach the Second Layer of the Qi Realm to go to the Xingyun Sect? Half of the acupoints in my Yin Meridian are still closed. It will probably take more time."
Zhu Huaishan shook his head gently, his tone calm yet firm. "Although the sect permits me to teach martial arts out here, they only provided me with the most basic medicinal formulas. Their effects are far inferior to the tinctures the disciples at the main sect consume."
"Due to sect rules, there are also certain Cultivation Techniques that I cannot teach you. You can only learn them all by going to the Xingyun Sect itself."
"Besides, you’re wasting time by suppressing your energy and holding back your cultivation level every day!"
Zhao Lin knew his master made sense and nodded firmly. "I will follow all of your arrangements, Master."
Zhu Huaishan looked at him, his eyes glinting. "Since we’re on the subject of the Xingyun Sect, I might as well tell you about it."
"Please, Master, go on."
Seeing that his master was about to divulge secrets about the Xingyun Sect, Zhao Lin sat up straight, ready to listen with rapt attention.
Zhu Huaishan stroked his beard, a look of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.
"The Xingyun Sect is divided into Inner and Outer Courtyards. The majority of its several thousand disciples train in the Outer Courtyard. Only those who break through to the Blood Realm before the age of twenty-five are qualified to enter the Inner Courtyard."
