54: Chapter 54 Night Visit to the Liu Residence

The moon was dark and the wind high; a night for killing.

No, that's not right. Tonight isn't a night for killing, but a night for eavesdropping.

I was squatting on a large, crooked-necked tree outside Senior Brother Liu Qing's courtyard, a blade of grass dangling from my mouth, feeling quite anxious. Here I was, a dignified Level 20 core disciple of the Sword Pavilion's outer sect, not sleeping in the middle of the night but climbing trees like a monkey—this wouldn't sound very good if word got out.

But there was no help for it; who told Senior Brother Liu Qing, that little bastard, to be a mole?

"System, are you sure this eavesdropping talisman works?" I asked in my mind.

[eavesdropping talisman (Intermediate): Effective range of 50 meters, continuous monitoring for 2 hours. Simply stick it to the outer wall of the target room to activate; audio clarity 98%. Friendly reminder—Host, please mind your safety and don't get yourself caught.]

"Since when have you ever cared about my safety?" I rolled my eyes.

The System ignored me.

I took the bag of invisibility powder out of my pocket. I had concocted this stuff a couple of days ago using the System's product development function. The effect was indeed quite good; after sprinkling it on myself, my whole body became like it was transparent, completely invisible to the naked eye.

But it had a god-awful side effect—I couldn't speak while invisible.

Right, you heard that correctly. The moment I opened my mouth, the invisibility effect would immediately wear off, revealing my true form on the spot.

When I first saw this description, I nearly flipped the table: "You call this invisibility powder? It's more like mute powder!"

The System replied coldly: [The design is based on the principles of the traditional Invisibility Spell; sound waves disrupt the invisibility barrier. It is recommended that the Host remains silent while invisible. If communication is necessary, please use telepathy or hand gestures.]

"Telepathy? Do you think I'm a cultivator?"

Complaining was just complaining; I still had to use it.

I took a deep breath and sprinkled the invisibility powder over myself. Whoosh—a chill shot from the soles of my feet to the top of my head. I looked down at my hands—they were gone, truly gone, exactly like air.

Good heavens, this was actually quite thrilling.

I slipped down from the tree light-footedly, hunched over, and crept step by step toward Senior Brother Liu Qing's courtyard.

Senior Brother Liu Qing was doing quite well for himself. As the Sword Pavilion's outer sect senior brother with Level 25 strength, the courtyard assigned to him was the largest in the outer sect area. A private courtyard, with walls over two meters high, and two NPC guards stationed at the entrance in shifts.

This setup was the top tier among us outer sect disciples.

I went around to the back of the courtyard wall, found a deserted corner, and climbed over using my hands and feet. I didn't control my balance well when landing, stumbled, and nearly face-planted. Fortunately, my reflexes were quick, and I grabbed the wall.

After steadying myself, I pricked up my ears to listen to the surroundings. The courtyard was quiet, with only a dim, yellow light shining from Senior Brother Liu Qing's main room.

It seemed he was still there.

I hugged the base of the wall and inched my way to the window under Senior Brother Liu Qing's room. The window was half-open, and voices could be faintly heard from inside.

I carefully took the eavesdropping talisman out from my chest; it was like a small piece of paper, thin as a cicada's wing. I gently stuck it onto the gap in the window frame, held my breath, and leaned my ear in.

The effect of the eavesdropping talisman was immediate; the voices inside instantly became as clear as if they were speaking right next to my ear.

"...When can this batch of goods be delivered?" A low male voice. It sounded somewhat familiar, but I couldn't recall whose it was for a moment.

Senior Brother Liu Qing's voice rang out, carrying a hint of impatience: "Hurry, hurry, hurry, that's all you know how to do. The guards at the pill repository were recently replaced with a new batch of recruits; it's hard to make a move. I have to wait a bit longer to find a suitable opportunity."

"Guild Leader Long said that this batch of Nine-Turn Spirit-Returning Grass needs at least fifty stalks; not a single one less."

Nine-Turn Spirit-Returning Grass?!

My heart skipped a beat. This stuff was one of the most precious medicinal herbs in the Sword Pavilion's pill repository; a single stalk could sell for several hundred gold coins at the auction house. Senior Brother Liu Qing was actually going to steal fifty stalks for Long Aotian? This little bastard really had a death wish!

Senior Brother Liu Qing sneered: "Fifty stalks? Why doesn't he just go rob the place?"

"Brother Liu, you can't say it like that." The male voice lowered his tone. "Guild Leader Long has treated you well; the dividends he gives you every month are enough for you to live comfortably in the game for a long time. Besides, after the deed is done, the benefits Guild Leader Long promised you will be far more than this."

"Alright, alright, I know." Senior Brother Liu Qing seemed to sigh. "I'll do my best regarding the Nine-Turn Spirit-Returning Grass, but you all must keep a close watch and don't let anyone from the Sword Pavilion notice anything. Especially that Chen Ergou..."

My whole body shuddered—he said my name!

"What's wrong with Chen Ergou?" the male voice asked.

"That kid has been a bit off lately." Senior Brother Liu Qing's voice carried a hint of ruthlessness. "He's been getting very close to Ye Liuli, and that woman Ye Liuli... she's not easy to deal with. I'm afraid Chen Ergou has already sensed something."

"Do you need us to take care of him?"

"Not for now." Senior Brother Liu Qing pondered for a moment. "Let's observe first. If he really knows something, it won't be too late to act then. A mere Level 20 outer sect disciple can't make any waves."

I clenched my fists so hard my nails nearly dug into my flesh.

Very well, Senior Brother Liu Qing, you two-faced dog! On the surface, everyone calls you Senior Brother this and Senior Brother that, but behind my back, you actually want to kill me?

The conversation inside continued, and what I heard next made my scalp tingle even more.

"By the way, regarding next month's Sword Pavilion Grand Competition, have you prepared your side?" the male voice asked.

Senior Brother Liu Qing chuckled: "Rest assured, it's all arranged. During the Grand Competition, I will intentionally lose to those people Guild Leader Long arranged to infiltrate. Once they take the rankings, they will naturally enter the inner sect. As for the other talented disciples... I will secretly tamper with things during the matches to ensure they underperform."

"How exactly will you do it?"

"Isn't there a batch of 'Spirit-Dispersing Powder' in the pill repository? It's colorless and odorless; no one would notice it if it were mixed into drinking water. As long as the Spirit-Dispersing Powder is dumped into the water vats of the disciples' dorms the day before the competition, those disciples' spiritual power will be weakened by at least thirty percent the next day. By then, it will be hard for Guild Leader Long's people to lose even if they want to."

I gasped.

Spirit-Dispersing Powder! I had heard of this stuff; it was a forbidden drug specifically used to suppress cultivation. Senior Brother Liu Qing was actually planning to use such underhanded tactics at the Sword Pavilion Grand Competition? If he really succeeded, wouldn't the Sword Pavilion be riddled with holes from the Dragon God Temple's infiltration?

"Brother Liu is truly brilliant!" The male voice praised. "Guild Leader Long will surely be very happy when he hears this."

"Save the flattery." Senior Brother Liu Qing's tone carried a hint of smugness. "Tell Guild Leader Long to have that 'Heaven-Breaking Sword Art' manual he promised me ready. Once the deed is done, I want to see the item with my own eyes."

"No problem, I'll go back and report this right away."

Then came the sound of a chair moving, as if that person had stood up.

"Wait." Senior Brother Liu Qing stopped him. "Use the back door, don't take the front door. The Sword Pavilion's patrols have been strengthened recently; don't let anyone see you."

"Understood."

The footsteps gradually faded away, followed by the sound of a door opening and closing.

I was just preparing to listen a while longer to see if Senior Brother Liu Qing had any other tricks up his sleeve when, suddenly, the sound of rhythmic footsteps came from outside the courtyard.

"Patrol! Routine patrol! Everyone take your positions!"

My heart tightened—oh no! Senior Brother Liu Qing's guards were patrolling this way!

The footsteps came closer and closer, and flashlight-like beams of light swept back and forth across the courtyard wall. I quickly shrank down to the base of the wall, not daring to even breathe loudly.

The Invisibility Spell's effect was still active; as long as I didn't make a sound, they wouldn't be able to see me.

The two guards walked to a spot less than three meters away from me and stopped.

"Did you hear anything?" one guard asked.

"Seems like there was some noise." The other guard looked toward my direction suspiciously.

My heart was about to jump out of my throat, and the muscles in my whole body were tensed like iron blocks. Please don't come over, please don't come over...

"Probably just a stray cat." The first guard waved his hand. "Let's go, let's go check over there."

The two of them turned and left.

I let out a long breath and was just about to relax when, suddenly—

"Meow—"

A stray cat that had appeared from nowhere brushed past my feet. It startled me so much that I shuddered, and when my mouth opened, I nearly cried out.

Fortunately, my reflexes were fast, and I swallowed the exclamation. But this movement was bad; my foot accidentally kicked a broken flower pot at the base of the wall.

"Clang!"

The flower pot shattered.

"Who's there?!" The two guards spun around, and the flashlight beams shone directly over.

It's over, it's over, it's over!

Although the invisibility powder was still in effect, these two guards clearly had suspicions. If they walked over to search carefully, I wouldn't be able to hold out even with the invisibility!

In the nick of time, I scrambled to pull a round little ball from my pocket—a Stench Bomb!

This thing was also something I had developed using the System previously; it was originally a funny prop for self-defense. The effect was simple: pull the ring, and within a ten-meter radius, it would stink to high heaven, comparable to a hundred unwashed men farting in a closed space all day long.

I didn't hesitate to pull the ring and threw it in the direction of the two guards.

"Whoosh—"

The Stench Bomb traced a perfect parabola in the air and landed precisely between the two guards.

"Bang!"

After a muffled sound, an indescribable stench instantly filled the air.

"Blegh—!"

"What is this?! It stinks so bad!"

"My god, what kind of biological weapon is this?!"

The two guards vomited on the spot, covered their noses, and scrambled to run out of the courtyard.

"Run, run! It's too stinky!"

"Who did this?! When I get back, I'll skin him alive!"

I took advantage of the chaos to climb over the wall, and after landing, I took off running, not stopping until I had run two streets away.

Leaning against a large tree, I bent over and gasped for air, my clothes soaked with cold sweat on my back.

"Damn, that was too thrilling." I patted my chest, still feeling lingering fear.

However, the harvest tonight was also huge. I had obtained evidence of Senior Brother Liu Qing colluding with the Dragon God Temple. Stealing medicinal herbs, plotting against disciples, helping Dragon God Temple people infiltrate the inner sect... everything this Senior Brother Liu Qing had done was enough for him to die a hundred times over in the Sword Pavilion.

I calmed myself down and hurried back to my own living quarters.

Closing the door, I sat by the bed and went over the content I had overheard tonight in my mind again and again. The more I thought about it, the more lingering fear I felt.

This Senior Brother Liu Qing was far more insidious than I had imagined.

He wasn't just simply providing intelligence to Long Aotian; he was systematically destroying the foundation of the Sword Pavilion. Stealing precious medicinal herbs to weaken the Sword Pavilion's resource reserves, sabotaging outstanding disciples during the Grand Competition to prevent the Sword Pavilion from cultivating new talent, and even helping the Dragon God Temple's people infiltrate the inner sect...

With this combination of blows, the Sword Pavilion would be finished sooner or later.

"No, this can't be delayed." I muttered to myself. "First thing tomorrow morning, I'll go find Elder Mo Wentian."

I peeled the eavesdropping talisman off the window and carefully put it away. Although this thing was a one-time use item, the sound recorded on it was still there and could serve as evidence.

Lying on the bed, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

My mind was filled with Senior Brother Liu Qing's insidious face one moment, Long Aotian's arrogant smile the next, and then Ye Liuli's icy cold gaze.

"Chen Ergou, oh Chen Ergou, you've gotten yourself into big trouble." I sighed and closed my eyes.

But then I thought, so what if I'm in big trouble? I have the System in my hands, what is there to be afraid of?

Besides, that two-faced dog Senior Brother Liu Qing—if I don't expose him, I won't feel at ease.

Thinking and thinking, I drifted off to sleep in a daze.

In my dream, I stood in the Sword Pavilion's main hall and exposed Senior Brother Liu Qing's true colors in front of everyone. Senior Brother Liu Qing knelt on the ground, weeping bitterly; Long Aotian was hopping mad; and Elder Mo Wentian patted my shoulder and said, "Ergou, you did a great job!"

Then I woke up laughing.

Early the next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, I climbed out of bed, washed my face, tucked the eavesdropping talisman away, and headed straight for Elder Mo Wentian's residence.