Upon hearing his brother’s proposal, Nangong Buliang’s eyes lit up, and he excitedly slapped his thigh.
"You always think things through, and not only can we loot money, but I’ve heard..."
An evil smile appeared on Nangong Buliang’s face, "Gui Heshu’s wife is a renowned beauty, though she’s older now, she’s still quite charming."
"If we can abduct this woman too, we’ll gain both wealth and beauty, won’t we?"
Nangong Henliang also laughed.
When it comes to lust, he’s no less than his brother Nangong Buliang.
"Then, I’ll let you take the lead, brother."
"Hahaha, good brother, but this woman is past her prime, so it shouldn’t be a problem for both of us."
Afterward, their conversation became even more explicit.
Meanwhile, Pei Quan’an had no interest in such thoughts; he was in his room, waiting for a reply from his master.
He seldom went out during this period, firstly to avoid exposure, and secondly to wait for the messenger pigeon to arrive.
Finally.
A very distinctive flapping sound came from the sky outside the window, prompting Pei Quan’an to eagerly look out.
Sure enough.
A gray pigeon was circling in the sky.
It was a messenger pigeon specifically trained by Wanghai Tower for communication.
Seeing this, Pei Quan’an was overjoyed and made a very special gesture with his hand.
Instantly, the gray pigeon, as if spotting its beacon, swooped down from the sky and landed on Pei Quan’an’s hand.
Unfastening the note tied to the pigeon’s foot ring, Pei Quan’an’s joy increased upon reading it.
For it clearly stated that Zhen Juncheng and others had descended the mountain and were currently on their way to Ink Sea City, due to arrive in two days at most.
This period of hiding had long made Pei Quan’an feel restless, and now seeing the light of hope, how could he not be happy?
After feeding the pigeon some food and water, Pei Quan’an released it.
This time, Pei Quan’an did not attach a note back, as the location and other matters had already been clearly communicated last time, so there was no need to reiterate.
The pigeon flew out from the place where Pei Quan’an lived, soared over the front yard, and headed west.
But just as it reached the edge of the backyard, a silver pellet whistled in and directly hit its wing.
With a fluttering sound, the pigeon didn’t even struggle before falling from the sky.
Zhang Junzhu caught it and, upon examining the foot ring, immediately knew it was a messenger pigeon specifically trained for communication purposes.
Her expression turned somewhat serious.
Her worst fear had indeed come to pass.
It was clear someone was using pigeons to communicate with the outside world.
But it was no longer meaningful to investigate who it was.
However, judging by the fully developed feathers of the pigeon, the care taken in its cultivation was evident, something beyond the capability of ordinary sects.
Zhang Junzhu remained silent.
At this moment, several fully armed martial artists surrounded her.
"Mistress, what’s the situation?" the leading martial artist asked in a deep voice.
Zhang Junzhu shook her head, "Nothing, just someone communicating with the outside."
"Shall we investigate thoroughly?"
"There’s no need; we can already guess who it is." Zhang Junzhu sneered, then turned her gaze to the martial artists.
"Is there any movement from the Nangong brothers?"
"No, they’re just staying in their room, drinking and sleeping, showing no signs of unusual activity."
"Keep a close watch on them; kill without mercy if there’s any anomaly," Zhang Junzhu said coldly.
"Yes!"
After instructing them, Zhang Junzhu was about to turn and leave when something occurred to her. She added,
"Also, keep a close eye on the group they brought along, leaving none of them out."
"Understood."
-----------------
On a road about two thousand miles from Ink Sea City, a person was walking slowly.
It was midday, the hottest time of the day.
Even with the shade of trees along the road, the scorching summer heat was unbearable for most people.
Even the poorest, who had no food or shelter, would try to avoid going out now, seeking a cool place to rest.
Thus, the road was empty, except for this one person strolling leisurely.
This person was wearing clothes stained with various oils, and the chest area had been worn so slick it could practically be used as a mirror.
He had a head full of messy hair, which at first glance made his face look dark, but upon closer inspection, it was clear that it was not darkness, but rather grime accumulated from who knows how many unwashed days.
Such a shabby, even somewhat filthy middle-aged man, but occasionally his eyes would flash with captivating brilliance.
However, most of the time his eyes were half-closed, as if he had just woken up.
After walking a while, a tea stall appeared not far ahead.
By the time the man leisurely reached the tea stall, a few people were already seated inside, and a middle-aged old man was bustling about with a large teapot.
A rural tea stall like this naturally wouldn’t have waiters like a big teahouse does.
If you wanted tea, you just found yourself a stool to sit on.
Even if you couldn’t spare a few coins for tea, you could ladle some cool water from the jar by the stove, and no one would mind.
The man, of course, wasn’t so stingy as to not afford a few coins for tea.
He went directly to a stool shaded by a tree and sat down, whereupon the middle-aged old man came over to greet him.
"What can I get you, sir?"
The man didn’t speak, just pointed to the table next to him and gestured, indicating he wanted the same.
The middle-aged old man understood, and a feeling of pity arose in his heart.
It was clear that this shabbily dressed man was mute.
No wonder he was traveling under the blazing sun.
The old man nodded repeatedly, "All right, wait a moment, it’ll be right up."
He poured a bowl of refreshing sour plum soup for the man first.
Naturally, a small tea stall like this couldn’t afford ice, but the sour plum soup was cooled in a well, making it refreshing and pleasant to drink in the hot weather.
The man slowly drank the sour plum soup, and after a moment, the old man brought out all the dishes.
A dish of sliced salted eggs, a dish of dried tofu, and a plate of cold mixed wild vegetables.
Though the dishes were simple, sitting in the shade with a cool breeze and eating such rustic dishes had its own special charm.
The man enjoyed the food immensely.
But at that moment, he suddenly looked up toward the distant forest.
Soon after, there was a rustling of branches and leaves, and a group of people appeared on the official road.
Their attire was much more impressive.
The leader, in particular, had an extraordinary demeanor, clearly someone who had held a high position for a long time.
This group quickly came before the tea stall.
The middle-aged old man, accustomed to dealing with country folk, was at a loss for words upon seeing such people.
The group ignored him, surveyed the tea stall, and someone spoke to the leader.
"Elder Zhen, this is a remote place, and this is the only tea stall around. It’s not impressive, should we move on?"
The leader was none other than Zhen Juncheng.
He shook his head.
"Forget it, we’ve been without rest since morning, and the sun is so harsh. It’s fine to take a break at this small tea stall."
He then spoke to the middle-aged old man, who was already frightened.
"No need to be alarmed, we’re just passing through and borrowing your place to rest. We’ll pay you more for the tea."
The middle-aged old man dared not say anything, just nodded non-stop.
Zhen Juncheng was surrounded and escorted into the tea stall like a revered figure.
Some tea customers, intimidated by the presence of Zhen Juncheng and his group, had already moved aside.
The more timid ones even left in a hurry after paying for their tea.
Once Zhen Juncheng and his group had seated themselves, the middle-aged old man nervously asked.
"Wha...what can I get you all?"
Zhen Juncheng surveyed the tea stall, and upon seeing the "mute" man not far from him, frowned slightly.
Why is this person so filthy?
However, he suppressed his displeasure and said calmly, "Just a couple of small dishes and some refreshing tea."
"Yes!"
The middle-aged old man hurriedly went to prepare.
From start to finish, the man never looked up, concentrating intently on chewing the dried tofu.
But Zhen Juncheng didn’t realize that just now, when he looked at the man, the man’s hand had already discreetly reached for a trigger.
If he pressed it, Zhen Juncheng might not survive, but he would definitely suffer greatly.