Zou Feng’s words finally eased Tian Yun’s anxious mood.
However, Zou Feng couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off about Tian Yun’s current state.
She had been the top expert in Yuan Guang County for several years. Even if the current matter was significant, she shouldn’t be this restless.
’Could it be that she’s really about to break through to the Gang Qi Realm soon?’
The anxiety of potential gain and loss could easily make a person’s emotions unstable.
’Or maybe... interacting with me has filled some kind of "void" for her, and she’s unconsciously become somewhat dependent on me?’
It wasn’t that strange, really. In the past, Tian Yun could hardly find anyone in Yuan Guang County to discuss the Martial Dao with on her level.
Perhaps many people could endure loneliness with a rock-steady mentality, but Tian Yun was clearly not one of them.
It was said that Tian Yun’s father had been the previous master of the Heart Meeting Martial Arts Hall.
In the end, her life had been too smooth from a young age. Everything came to her naturally; she hadn’t had to fight her way up from the bottom.
And she had never encountered an oddball like Yuwen Shuo before.
After Zou Feng offered some words of comfort, Tian Yun finally took her leave.
Not long after she left, a knock came at the door.
"General Leader!"
It was Zhao Tianhu’s voice. He knew Zou Feng always stayed up late, which was why he dared to knock at this hour.
And Zou Feng knew that for Zhao Tianhu to come so late, he must have made some headway on the task he’d been given.
"Come in!"
Upon entering the room, Zhao Tianhu immediately caught a familiar fragrance.
It wasn’t the first time he’d smelled it, and he knew very well that it came from Tian Yun, the master of the Heart Meeting Martial Arts Hall.
Most female martial artists still couldn’t resist using some rouge and powder.
Unable to hold back, Zhao Tianhu bowed and exclaimed, "The General Leader is truly mighty!"
He had thought Zou Feng had changed his ways after meeting Bian Yixia, since he had hardly visited any brothels.
Who would have thought that just as the Miss went into seclusion, the General Leader would be picking a new flower...
"What’s on your mind? If you have something to say, just say it." Zou Feng couldn’t be bothered to explain. An explanation would just sound like an excuse.
Zhao Tianhu immediately straightened up and said seriously, "General Leader, you asked me to investigate certain people. One of them, Li Tianrui... Li Incense Master... he’s definitely a problem!"
"Li Incense Master seems to have been swayed by the Ten Directions Sect..."
These past few days, Zou Feng hadn’t been spending all his time buried in his cultivation.
Right now, Fang Jingchuan of the Ten Directions Sect and that man named Lu Sen from the List of Gods both wanted him dead.
So, naturally, Zou Feng remained ever vigilant against the Ten Directions Sect.
Pressured by the threat of a Gang Qi Realm expert like Fang Jingchuan, Zou Feng not only took time each day to ensure Yuwen Shuo’s chronic poisoning continued, but he also didn’t forget to keep "training" his good old brother Fang Jingchuan.
In short, he couldn’t let Fang Jingchuan fully recover from the injuries he’d sustained while fighting for the Immortal Treasure.
Otherwise, that guy would likely take matters into his own hands and send Zou Feng off to the next Otherworld.
And compared to Yuwen Shuo, he was clearly the easier one to assassinate.
The reason Zou Feng had Zhao Tianhu and a few other trusted subordinates investigate these spies was, of course, to use them to pass along false information and create an opportunity...
As for why there were several primary suspects, Zou Feng had, of course, sniffed them out with his nose.
Most people swayed by the Ten Directions Sect would choose to practice the Cultivation Skills they passed down, which inevitably meant consuming the Evil Pills that Zou Feng was all too familiar with.
Of course, there were surely exceptions, but investigating in this direction would most likely yield results.
"Li Incense Master, is it?" Zou Feng poured himself a cup of Snake Gallbladder Wine and drank it down. "Then tomorrow, we’ll give him a chance to distinguish himself..."
He gave a few quiet instructions. Zhao Tianhu nodded repeatedly before hurrying away.
Zou Feng stared at the empty wine cup and shook his head in dissatisfaction. ’Not strong enough!’
The medicinal wine brewed with Snake Gallbladder and Snake Eye wasn’t useless, but compared to the previous Evil Eye Wine, it was at least two grades lower.
However, for cultivating the Enchanting Heart and Soul Stealing Technique, the effect was still decent.
「The next day」
Zou Feng went about his routine as usual: practicing his martial arts and making arrangements for the formation of the Rebel Army.
But at dinner, under the pretext of rewarding the diligent gang members for their recent hard work, he had some of the leaders stay behind for a simple gathering at the Dragon Gate Boat.
Among those invited was, of course, the very same Li Tianrui that Zhao Tianhu had mentioned last night.
However, Zou Feng didn’t make a point of talking to Li Tianrui, nor did he even give him a second glance.
Soon, everyone had eaten and drunk their fill. Zou Feng, seemingly having had a bit too much to drink, was in high spirits. He started slinging his arms around many of his gang brothers, and the topics of conversation grew increasingly risqué.
After a while of this boisterous behavior, Zou Feng suddenly excused himself, claiming he had something to attend to. He called over Zhao Tianhu, and the two left in a hurry.
With his departure, although some of the remaining people were still in the mood to continue drinking, most chose to call it a night.
Li Tianrui, however, was not in a hurry to leave. Instead, he gazed thoughtfully in the direction Zou Feng had just departed...
After leaving the banquet, Zou Feng, seemingly not wanting to be recognized by passersby, did not take his exclusive carriage.
Instead, he put on a bamboo hat that Zhao Tianhu had prepared, disguising himself slightly before heading into Yuan Guang County Town side-by-side with Zhao Tianhu.
Ever since becoming the General Leader of the Hongxing Gang, it had been a long time since Zou Feng had taken such a low-key stroll through Yuan Guang County Town.
It wasn’t that his ego had grown to the point where he needed to put on a show. Rather, knowing that people from the Ten Directions Sect could try to assassinate him at any moment, how could he possibly stroll around at ease?