Chapter 36: Chapter 36: You Just Wait
Outside Feiyun Stronghold, Jiang Ran was all alone.
Qingyi had already gone inside.
He couldn’t stand the wait any longer, wanting to see for himself what that group had come to discuss with Li Feiyun.
Jiang Ran didn’t stop him, letting him do as he pleased.
He found a tree, leaped up into its branches, and settled onto a fork. Untying the wine gourd from his waist, he stared toward Feiyun Stronghold, taking a sip from time to time.
He was rather enjoying himself.
At the same time, he was mulling things over.
Based on what Qingyi had said tonight...
’Li Yunfei truly had some scheme in the works.’
’He’s already begun planting his people in Cangzhou Prefecture, waiting for the right moment.’
’Cheng Jimo had said Li Feiyun wanted to get his hands on Cangzhou Prefecture. Although there were no concrete details yet, judging from the current situation and what Qingyi had revealed, it was most likely true.’
He had also heard a few things during his two days in Cangzhou Prefecture.
Shopkeeper Wan was no ordinary man.
In fact, he was the wealthiest man in Cangzhou Prefecture.
Suddenly, he was liquidating his fortune to gather experts in Cangzhou Prefecture, all to challenge Feiyun Stronghold.
Jiang Ran found this matter rather interesting.
’Was this man really doing it to rid the common folk of a malignant tumor, just as Cheng Jimo had claimed?’
’One had to wonder, what if Li Feiyun really did manage to conquer Cangzhou Prefecture?’
’What would become of a wealthy man like Shopkeeper Wan?’
’If he weren’t plagued by such worries, why would a man of his wealth go to such lengths?’
’It’s a merchant’s nature to chase profit.’
’A decision like this was akin to burning his bridges.’
’What bothered Jiang Ran, however, was that Shopkeeper Wan’s actions could very well be letting the wolf in the door.’
’But... had the man not considered this?’
’What he was doing was creating a huge commotion.’
’And it was full of holes...’
’Cheng Jimo admired the man to no end, so he couldn’t be a simpleton. How could he have failed to consider these risks?’
’"Unless... he has another plan up his sleeve?"’
Jiang Ran gazed at the silent stronghold under the moon.
He didn’t know the purpose of the black-clad group’s recent visit to Feiyun Stronghold.
But he did know they had come from the direction of Cangzhou Prefecture.
’Coming from Cangzhou Prefecture to see Li Feiyun...’
Jiang Ran let out a soft sigh, his gaze turning toward Cangzhou Prefecture.
’He could feel a storm brewing, clouds gathering on the horizon. The chaos planned for the fifteenth of the seventh month would be no small affair.’
’So, how should he act amidst all this to reap the greatest reward for himself?’
’The key was how many high-profile wanted criminals he could capture during the upheaval.’
As he was thinking this, his ears twitched slightly.
Jiang Ran looked over and was taken aback.
He saw a young man in black, his face bruised and swollen and his clothes in tatters, scramble out from a corner.
He glanced around frantically, then broke into a run.
Jiang Ran blinked.
’He managed to escape?’
This was none other than the young man who had inexplicably ’hmphed’ at Jiang Ran during the day.
Except now, the cold arrogance on his face was gone... or perhaps, even if it was there, it was impossible to tell.
He was so swollen he was nearly unrecognizable.
From his perch in the tree, Jiang Ran watched the young man run for a bit before stopping.
He found a spot to hide and take cover.
Jiang Ran grew thoughtful. ’Maybe this guy isn’t completely stupid after all,’ he mused.
’If he escaped like that, the people from Feiyun Stronghold were bound to notice.’
’And they would surely give chase.’
’Depending on how long he’d been gone, the focus of the search would change.’
’The spot he chose was still relatively close to Feiyun Stronghold.’
’If he hid there, he just needed to evade the first search party from the stronghold. After that, if he was patient enough to wait until the entire search was over...’
’...then he would be completely safe.’
’That was a far better plan than just running for his life.’
’After all, with his injuries, he wouldn’t necessarily be able to outrun the bandits of Feiyun Stronghold.’
Just as he was thinking this, a group of bandits indeed rushed out of the stronghold a moment later.
One of them shouted coldly:
"He’s badly hurt, he can’t have gotten far! After him!
"The Chieftain said it doesn’t matter if he’s dead or alive!!"
With a wave of his hand, the group of bandits, torches in hand, fanned out to search for the young man.
The leader was right; the black-clad youth hadn’t run far.
But the focus of their search was, coincidentally, just a little beyond his hiding spot.
Jiang Ran chuckled silently at the sight, but a question formed in his mind:
’If he’s so smart... why was he so reckless during the day?’
He suddenly felt there might be more to this black-clad youth than he’d first thought.
’He just couldn’t figure out the source of the young man’s baseless hostility toward him.’
Just then, out of the corner of his eye, Jiang Ran saw the mysterious, black-clad, hooded figures emerging from Feiyun Stronghold.
Apparently, their business was concluded.
They were heading back to Cangzhou Prefecture.
Jiang Ran remained hidden in the tree, watching impassively as they filed past below him.
As they neared the black-clad youth’s hiding spot, the corners of Jiang Ran’s mouth suddenly twitched into a smile.
He casually snapped a small twig from the tree.
He took aim, channeled his Creation True Qi, and with a flick of his finger, sent it flying!
His Inner Strength was far beyond ordinary. Even without mastery of hidden-weapon techniques, his skill was in a different league.
The twig flew silently through the air, striking a rock about ten feet from the black-clad youth’s hiding spot.
Only then did it make a sharp CRACK.
Jiang Ran pursed his lips.
’It wasn’t that his technique was off. A twig just didn’t have the right feel.’
The black-clad group froze, startled by the sudden noise.
"Who’s there?"
They turned to look where the twig had landed.
After exchanging a glance, one of them drew a weapon from his waist and cautiously approached the spot.
He hacked at the surrounding bushes with his blade, shouting:
"Come out now!"
’The hiding youth nearly cursed out loud!’
’He had hidden with such difficulty, and just when it seemed like a little more patience would see him to safety...’
’How could a complication arise out of nowhere?’
’What the hell was that?’
His position was different from that of the black-clad group, so he had vaguely seen where the twig had come from.
He subconsciously glanced up and immediately spotted Jiang Ran sitting in the tree.
He was instantly dumbfounded.
Then he saw Jiang Ran raise the wine gourd in a toast to him before taking a swig himself.
"I..."
The black-clad youth was so enraged his breathing almost went haywire.
That single gasp was all it took. The men who were already searching nearby immediately noticed something.
Their auras flared as they charged straight for the youth’s location.
The black-clad youth leaped high into the air, roaring in fury:
"You just wait!!!"
He shouted this as he scrambled to his feet and ran for it.
The black-clad men were enraged.
’Hiding and spying is one thing, but to threaten us on top of it?’
They exchanged a look and immediately gave chase.
Only then did Jiang Ran leap down from the tree. He glanced back one more time toward Feiyun Stronghold, then, with his gourd in one hand and the other on his saber hilt, he followed the group from a distance.
...
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