Du Niangzi was extremely curious about Xiao Man and sent her subordinates everywhere to inquire about Xiao Man's whereabouts.
"Fairy, why are you so interested in this Xiao Qin?"
Du Niangzi lay half-reclined on a soft couch, her slender legs tantalizingly revealed. "Don't you find him interesting?"
"Your subordinate finds him very foolish," Mo Lan replied. "It is said that Kuang Dao wanted to recruit Xiao Qin at the time, but Xiao Qin refused and even schemed against Kuang Dao and his group, robbing them clean. Offending a faction in this Lawless Land is extremely unwise."
"He single-handedly took down a group of people, including Kuang Dao. You've all witnessed Kuang Dao's skill. If poison wasn't used, even I would not be his match. How did the opponent defeat Kuang Dao?"
"Could it be poison?" Yao Yao asked curiously. "If poison was used, then it would be easy to explain."
"So, don't you think Xiao Qin should come to our Wu Qing Men?"
"Being able to scheme against Kuang Dao indicates that he is a master of poison himself. It is also said that his combat skills are not weak. If he were to join our Wu Qing Men, he would be a great asset to us. However, with this incident, I fear other factions would want to recruit him."
"Recruit him?" Du Niangzi sneered. "Fu Ning is narrow-minded. He cannot tolerate anyone stronger than him, especially someone like Xiao Qin with his formidable methods. Therefore, Fu Ning will not attempt to recruit Xiao Qin."
"The Flying Eagle Gang dares not, but there's still the Ba Fang Sword Sect."
"Xiang Jian of the Ba Fang Sword Sect is a martial arts fanatic. He is only interested in swords and fighting, and nothing else. As for the Ba Fang Sword Sect, it has always been managed by the Vice Sect Leader Zhou Yan. Zhou Yan is cautious and seeks stability. He will not offend the Kuang Dao Association for someone he has never met. As for Xiang Jian, he would at most go and spar with Xiao Qin, but he would never think of recruiting him. Only Wu Qing Men is his destined path."
"Fairy, if Xiao Qin is an ambitious person, if we recruit him, what if he tries to seize power?" Yao Yao asked worriedly.
"If it were in another place, this might be a problem, but in Wu Qing Men, it is not," Du Niangzi said. "If Xiao Qin has the ability, what is wrong with letting him be the leader?"
"If he comes, what will happen to you, Fairy?"
"Me..." Du Niangzi playfully twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "I heard this Xiao Qin is quite handsome?"
"The Kuang Dao Association released his portrait," Hai Tang immediately handed the portrait in her hand to Du Niangzi.
Du Niangzi took it and opened it, a satisfied smile on her face. "Indeed, he is handsome and good-looking. I used to think Fu Ning's face was passable, but compared to him now, Fu Ning is almost unsightly."
"Are you taken with Xiao Qin's face, Fairy?"
"People who are good-looking always have an advantage," Du Niangzi instructed. "Be sure to find Xiao Qin's whereabouts before Kuang Dao and invite him to be our guest at Wu Qing Men."
"Fairy, what if Xiao Qin refuses to come?"
"There's no need to force him. If he is unwilling to come, just follow him from afar and protect him," Du Niangzi said with a charming smile. "Someone like Xiao Qin dislikes being forced. You only need to provide appropriate assistance when he needs it."
"Yes, Fairy."
In the Lawless Land, Xiao Man had caused a huge uproar. The Kuang Dao Association members were searching everywhere for Xiao Qin, and Kuang Dao had even declared that anyone harboring Xiao Man would be considered his enemy.
Qi Hong watched groups of searchers pass by them. He nervously picked up his teacup. In the time it took them to eat one meal, three groups had already come looking for the three of them with their portraits.
Qi Hong looked at Xiao Man, who was eating with a detached expression, and Shan Yun, who was composed and serene, and felt incredulous. Xiao Man was calm because she was inherently someone who remained unfazed even when Mount Tai collapsed before her. But when did Shan Yun also become so unruffled by adversity?
"Aren't you afraid?" Qi Hong whispered after the search party had left. Su Dan Novel Network
Xiao Man raised her eyes and glanced at Qi Hong. "In our current state, even if we stood in front of them, they wouldn't recognize us. What are you afraid of?"
Qi Hong touched his face. That was right. Xiao Man's exquisite disguise skills made even him not recognize himself, let alone others.
"Do we have to live in hiding like this forever?"
"Only temporarily," Xiao Man said calmly. She had already gathered information about the situation here during this time. Feng Mo Ran was not here, nor were Nangong Yu and the others. This meant they must be elsewhere. To find them, she had to enter Wuji City, and to enter Wuji City, she first had to survive!
"Do you have a plan?" Qi Hong asked cautiously.
"Enter Wuji City."
Upon hearing this, Qi Hong's eyes lit up. Entering Wuji City was akin to entering paradise. However, to enter Wuji City, one first had to defeat those who wanted to enter and then pass Wuji City's trials. Yet, entering Wuji City was as difficult as ascending to heaven.
Qi Hong had initially thought that the sheer cliff was paradise, but upon reaching the top, he discovered that this was not paradise. It was more dangerous than the Primordial Wilderness. They could recognize and guard against the fierce beasts, but the people here, who smiled at you one moment, could stab you in the back the next.
"Why are the people of the Lawless Land more terrifying than the beasts of the Primordial Wilderness?" Qi Hong inquired.
"Because beasts are always beasts. When you see a beast, you know it's dangerous and you guard against it. But people are not always people. They have venomous tongues and smiles, knives hidden in their smiles, and honeyed words. They are impossible to guard against," Xiao Man's tone was cold. She never dared to test human nature, because human nature could not withstand scrutiny, and not everyone could bear the consequences of such scrutiny!
"Elder, the assessment for Wuji City is still half a year away. Do we have to live in hiding like this before the assessment?"
"Do you know the benefits of hiding?" Xiao Man asked slowly.
"Hiding has benefits?" Qi Hong looked disbelieving. I'm uneducated, don't lie to me. How could there be benefits when we're being chased and forced to hide?
"The enemy is in the light, and we are in the dark," Xiao Man said slowly. "Isn't that an advantage? We can defeat our enemies one by one in the dark, while they cannot find our traces and can only run around like headless flies, stumbling into the traps we have set."
"I understand. It's like catching beasts. We set traps and then lure the beasts into them," Qi Hong said excitedly. "And the people of the Kuang Dao Association are the beasts we need to catch!"
"What a bold statement, to treat the people of the Kuang Dao Association as beasts," a voice came from behind, laced with an inexplicable hint of mockery. "Aren't you afraid of speaking too boldly and getting your tongue cut?"