Ye Tiancheng, on his end, had not expected Zhang Liushun to be so attentive to the matters he had entrusted to him.
Having confirmed that this approach would make their clandestine activities less noticeable, Ye Tiancheng began to prepare his detailed and feasible plan for trespassing into the Grand Master's mansion.
Ye Tiancheng and the little fox discussed extensively in private, but ultimately, they couldn't settle on a plan. The reason was a significant issue: they had insufficient intelligence regarding the Grand Master's mansion, and the details they could gather were extremely limited.
Furthermore, they had no way of knowing the situation inside the Grand Master's mansion beforehand.
Firstly, within the odd market, these malevolent spirits were mostly cowed by the Grand Master. Even if they knew something about the Grand Master's mansion, how would they dare betray the Grand Master? To say nothing of betraying him, if they learned that Ye Tiancheng and the little fox were so curious about the Grand Master's mansion, they would certainly turn around and sell them out.
However, those who were still skeptical of the Grand Master's abilities had clearly never even been beaten, let alone understood anything about the Grand Master's mansion.
Moreover, Ye Tiancheng had other matters to worry about. The most important was how to arrange for the little fox.
If he left the little fox here, and something happened to the little fox, he would be unable to attend to it, unable to rescue him.
But if he took the little fox with him, and the trespassing into the Grand Master's mansion did not go smoothly, and Ye Tiancheng accidentally got caught, then it would be two for the price of one, a buy-one-get-one-free situation, where they would both be captured by the Grand Master and no one could escape.
In the end, it was the little fox who made the decision, "Big Brother, why don't you take me with you? In such a dangerous place, no matter what choice we make, there will be great risks."
"Since that's the case, it's better for us to stay together and not separate. That way, if anything happens, we can look out for each other. If something happens to one of us, can the other truly pretend nothing happened and escape?"
Ye Tiancheng listened to the little fox's words and was persuaded by him. What the little fox said was indeed very reasonable. Leaving the little fox in a place he couldn't see and whose safety was unknown was certainly not as good as looking after him personally.
He had brought the little fox to such a dangerous place, so he naturally had the responsibility to bring him out unharmed.
Back in the illusion at the construction site, Fatty had gotten into trouble precisely because he had separated from the group, and the consequences were almost irreparable. This had always been something Ye Tiancheng deeply regretted. Now that the little fox mentioned it, how could Ye Tiancheng dare let the little fox stay alone?
If the little fox had an accident, and it was because Ye Tiancheng had left him alone in a place he couldn't see, then Ye Tiancheng would truly be unable to forgive himself.
After all, the situation was special. If, like Hou Mingzhu and Ye Qingcheng, the Nuwa Stone illusion could guarantee a safe place, Ye Tiancheng would naturally choose to place them inside, as that would be the best option. However, in this odd market, nowhere could guarantee absolute safety, so it was best for him to bring the little fox.
Ye Tiancheng made up his mind and said, "This is the only way. There can't be a safer plan. So, little fox, you must stay close to me at all times and hold onto me."
"Nothing else matters. The only truly terrible situation is if we are separated."
Seeing that he had persuaded Ye Tiancheng, the little fox breathed a sigh of relief, nodded seriously, and said obediently, "I understand everything. I'll remember it. I will definitely stay close to Big Brother and not get separated from you."
Although he still wanted to act more meticulously, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox had no choice now and could only be a bit reckless and push forward.
Because a large portion of the inhabitants of the odd market were malevolent spirits, and malevolent spirits were mostly nocturnal, they did not like to act during the day. Night was when things were most lively, so night was definitely not the most suitable time to break into the Grand Master's mansion.
In places where malevolent spirits congregated, it was fundamentally different from the outside world. Night exploration was the most unreliable thing.
However, even if they acted during the day, it couldn't be guaranteed that all malevolent spirits would be resting. Some malevolent spirits would still be active outside. After all, they were all transformed from humans. Some malevolent spirits, even if they felt uncomfortable, would retain some of their habits from when they were alive and would go out during the day.
But since they couldn't do things like trespassing into private residences at night, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox were forced to choose the daytime.
If they were to act during the day, the little fox would need to make preparations, such as preparing breath-concealing talismans.
Fortunately, they had storage space, so they did not lack materials, as they had considered that there might be a need to replenish their stock upon arriving at the odd market.
Moreover, because they were venturing into such a place, they had prepared the most of items like breath-concealing talismans. They basically just needed to check if they had enough.
After making preparations for their excursion, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox first wore breath-concealing talismans and also used other items to conceal their tracks before heading out.
Having more of these items was not useless. Even in broad daylight, those malevolent spirits would instinctively overlook Ye Tiancheng and the little fox if they saw them. Even if they saw them for a moment, they would turn away and forget, leaving no impression at all.
Ye Tiancheng and the little fox used so many props for the sake of insurance and out of caution. They piled on the most effective ones, so the results were immediate. They went out without being discovered.
In the guest room, they also left behind illusions and other disguises to create the false impression that someone was still in the room.
Even the attendant at Qingju Inn, who was very attentive to Ye Tiancheng, did not notice that Ye Tiancheng and the little fox had left. Ye Tiancheng and the little fox walked out of Qingju Inn as if nothing had happened and headed towards the Grand Master's mansion.
Because they had scouted the area beforehand, although Ye Tiancheng knew nothing about the internal situation of the Grand Master's mansion, he was still somewhat familiar with the outer perimeter.
Previously, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox had surveyed which places were more hidden and suitable for climbing over the wall. Therefore, they had a target. As soon as they found a suitable spot, they found an opportune moment. Ye Tiancheng, carrying the little fox, climbed over the high wall. They were also very lucky; as soon as they landed, they found themselves in a relatively hidden corner.
Ye Tiancheng, carrying the little fox, found a relatively safer position before putting the little fox down.
Perhaps the Grand Master truly loved to enjoy life. His mansion was decorated with exceptional surprise, featuring the traditional architectural style of Jiangnan water towns, with very elegant scenery. Ye Tiancheng and the little fox hid behind a rockery.
After Ye Tiancheng and the little fox confirmed that there was no one else around, Ye Tiancheng said to the little fox, "Because I'm not very skilled in Xuanmen matters, you'll have to pay close attention in most places."
"Take a look and see if there are any defensive arrangements here, or if any formations have been set up."
Upon receiving Ye Tiancheng's words, the little fox observed carefully, and his expression gradually became a bit confused. "Big Brother, it seems like an ordinary residence, with nothing unusual."
Whether it was because the Grand Master was too confident or because he relied on his own strength and was fearless, within the entire Grand Master's mansion, at least for now, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox saw no guards and no protective formations.
With Ye Tiancheng's strength, even bringing the little fox, they could easily come and go as they pleased, as if entering an uninhabited realm.
Ye Tiancheng and the little fox looked at each other, both unsure of what to do.
Finally, Ye Tiancheng stated, "Since this is the case, we'll take it one step at a time. Little fox, stay close to me and constantly observe the surroundings. If you discover anything, remind me promptly."
Although Ye Tiancheng was very strong and confident that he could easily enter and exit such a large mansion without being discovered, that was under normal circumstances. If the Grand Master used some Xuanmen techniques, Ye Tiancheng might not be able to see them.
The little fox nodded and said, "No problem, Big Brother. I'll follow you. If I find anything amiss, I'll immediately remind you."
The little fox knew that if he wasn't careful, he would easily become a burden to Ye Tiancheng. Staying obediently behind Ye Tiancheng and helping him check the situation was the greatest help he could provide.
After speaking with the little fox, Ye Tiancheng proactively took the little fox's hand and held it tightly in his palm.
Afterward, Ye Tiancheng, with the little fox, began to sneak cautiously through the Grand Master's mansion. For a layout of this type of residence, if it hadn't been specially modified, it was easy to guess the situation inside even without a map. Fortunately, the Grand Master's mansion fell into this category.
Ye Tiancheng and the little fox continued forward together, very fortunately.
If there were malevolent spirits serving the Grand Master in the Grand Master's mansion, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox could consider replacing them. However, the result was clearly not the case. After all, if they were not living beings, they would not have so many trivial and troublesome needs. In such a situation, whether they were served or not didn't seem too important.
While this made it convenient for Ye Tiancheng to roam freely inside, it would also be problematic if they were discovered, as it would be difficult to bluff their way through.
But there was no way around it. The Grand Master likely truly disliked being disturbed, leaving no chance of luck for Ye Tiancheng.
Ye Tiancheng didn't know where to find the fragments of the Fuxi Qin or which route to take. He could only follow his senses, choosing the fastest and closest path, regardless of where that direction led him.
However, upon following his senses to a place resembling a hall, which should have been the final destination, Ye Tiancheng's senses were very strong. But it was just so unfortunate, perhaps the Grand Master had been lying in wait from the beginning.
Ye Tiancheng looked through the window and saw a young man wearing a fox mask sitting at the head of the hall, holding a teacup, and drinking tea.
Ye Tiancheng was startled. Almost instinctively, he pulled the little fox and retreated several steps. The little fox didn't understand what was happening, but he knew that something bad might have occurred in this situation. He didn't dare to ask but could only follow Ye Tiancheng's actions.
Unexpectedly, even in this situation, Ye Tiancheng felt that the young man should not have seen him, but he was still a step too late. "A guest comes from afar, why not enter and have a chat with me?"
Ye Tiancheng's expression immediately darkened, and he hesitated. However, the young man had clearly discovered him and didn't seem to be bluffing. So, should he go in?