Self-Inflicted Ruin

White frost suddenly spread across the ground, accompanied by an endless procession of footprints. Yuan Qu and the others felt wave upon wave of chill welling up from within their hearts. The surrounding light dimmed even further, and even the moonlight above seemed to have vanished. The temperature plummeted sharply, turning as cold as an ice cellar and leaving their minds numb. In their daze, they caught sight of something. It was a dense swarm of dark silhouettes beneath an array of fluttering banners, like an army marching out of the netherworld, accompanied by what sounded like faint chanting of scriptures and prayers of blessing. This uncanny spectacle was far beyond their comprehension. Fortunately, they kept Chen Fakui's warning firmly in mind and did not dare breathe so much as a loud breath. The circle traced with white powder truly proved effective. Both the frost and the footprints seemed to bypass this spot entirely, skirting past on either side. Who knew how long passed before everything returned to normal. The frost, footprints, and bizarre sounds all vanished without a trace. Everything that had just transpired felt like nothing more than a nightmare. "What... what was that?" Yuan Qu's throat felt dry. No sooner had the words left his mouth than an icy chill gripped him from head to toe. Turning his head, he found Chen Fakui glaring coldly at him, murderous intent flickering in his eyes. Yuan Qu swallowed hard. "Master Chen, you..." "Those were the Sheling nether soldiers of the City God Temple!" Who knew what crossed Chen Fakui's mind, but the murderous intent in his eyes subsided, and he said flatly, "That old bastard at the City God Temple is searching specifically for me. It seems he's uncovered something. "I have never cast arts within the city walls. It must be your men who slipped up." "Impossible!" Yuan Qu hastened to deny it, then gritted his teeth and cupped his hands. "Rest assured, Master Chen. If someone truly betrayed us, I will make sure every single person who knows anything is silenced!" "Heh..." Chen Fakui gave an amused chuckle, packing his things without even lifting his head. "Still think you're the leader of the White Ape Gang? "Men in Xianyang are likely already combing the streets for us. Never mind you—even that master of yours is in deep trouble this time. "If you don't believe me, go back and see for yourself. I'll wait here for a quarter of an hour. When the time is up, I leave." His tone was calm and detached, as if he cared nothing for the impending danger. Yuan Qu gritted his teeth, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. He cupped his fists. "Please wait a moment, Master Chen. I'll be back shortly. Let's go!" With that, he mounted his horse, snapped the reins, and galloped straight for Xianyang with several subordinates in tow. Chen Fakui took his time, packing away his ritual implements, then kicked the surrounding fire into the center, sending the altar up in roaring flames. Only after finishing did he sit cross-legged, gazing toward the southeast into the night. *Cough, cough!* Suddenly, he coughed into his hand, and when he opened his palm, scarlet blood stained his skin. A pained murmur sounded in the darkness: "Why has Heaven treated me so harshly? I will not accept it... I will not accept it..." *** "Here it is. Open it!" Beside a mound outside the city walls of Xianyang, Yuan Qu brushed away the loose earth to reveal two iron rings attached to chains, gesturing for his men to pull them open. Though puzzled, his subordinates did not dare question him. Yuan Qu was generous with his men, especially these close confidants; not only were their food and drink provided and their expenses fully covered, but their families had also been arranged jobs. Yet the rules of the White Ape Gang were exceptionally strict. Most critically, Yuan Qu's orders could never be questioned. More than one man had lost his life over that, so how could they dare pry? "Heave!" The men pulled together on the iron rings. Beneath lay a thick wooden trapdoor. As the iron chains pulled taut, the surrounding dirt and gravel scattered, revealing a dark, gaping hole. Seeing this, the men exchanged glances in surprise. "This is a secret tunnel dug when the Maitreya Sect rebelled," Yuan Qu explained calmly. "I only bought that estate after discovering this tunnel. We'll head back through here, and even if something goes wrong, we have a way out." "The gang leader is wise!" "Mm. Move quickly!" The men nodded and filed into the tunnel one by one. The entrance resembled a vertical shaft, with wooden scaffolding set against the earthen walls. Once they descended and lit their torches, they found the tunnel was remarkably spacious—two meters wide, allowing even the tallest rogue among them to stand up straight. Right at that moment, a vicious glint flashed in the eyes of Yuan Qu, who was bringing up the rear. A pair of daggers slipped into his hands. Ducking low, he executed his Body-Wandering Footwork, his daggers flashing in crosswise arcs. *Slash! Slash! Slash!* Before the men could react, their throats were slit. Clutching their spurting necks, they collapsed to the ground, thrashing their legs as bloody froth welled from their mouths. Yuan Qu cast them a cold glance, ignoring their resentful stares. Snatching up a torch, he sprinted deeper into the tunnel. This was his meticulously crafted escape route. Trouble or no trouble, these men could not be allowed to live. The tunnel was dimly lit and the air foul and stifling, but Yuan Qu had no time to care about any of that; his steps grew faster and faster. He understood what Chen Fakui meant. Waiting on that hillside had nothing to do with honor or loyalty; Chen Fakui simply could not do without a helper when retrieving the treasure from the mass graves later on. If Yuan Qu returned too late, the man would surely vanish without a trace. His estate was not far from the northern city wall. Before long, Yuan Qu arrived in a hidden chamber and peered outside through a prearranged slit. Beyond was the main hall of his residence, the slit positioned right beneath the altar table. Herein lay Yuan Qu's cunning. When ordinary people concealed secret passages, most did so in their wing rooms or studies. Who could have guessed he would put his right in the main hall? Looking through the crack, Yuan Qu's heart instantly sank. The main hall was brightly lit with candles. The maids and servants of his household were all kneeling on the floor, while the gang members who had remained at the estate were black and blue, bound tightly with ropes. On a chair nearby, a pair of oxhide boots was visible. Footsteps bustled about as yamen runners came and went. "Reporting to the chief constable, we found nothing in the wing rooms!" "Reporting to the chief constable, an ambush is set at the city gates. As soon as Yuan Qu returns, we can seize him immediately!" "What about the Zhou family?" "Official Hu has already taken men there..." It was Chief Constable Guan Wanche! Without another word, Yuan Qu tiptoed back into the secret passage and turned to flee, cursing his own carelessness. He had kidnapped so many children before without incident—after all, people were abducted in Xianyang every day, and the blame could easily be pinned on human traffickers. Who would have thought these last few would give them away? It had to be those people hired by that old bastard Zhou Peide! *Damn fool. Had I known, I never would have associated with him.* Regret gnawed at Yuan Qu's heart. Backed by Zhou Pan all these years, he had sailed with the wind. Fed by the flattery of his subordinates, he had assumed his schemes were peerless, never considering that in many matters, others simply dared not cross Zhou Pan and had chosen to swallow their losses in feigned ignorance. Naturally, Yuan Qu would never admit that to himself. He hurried out of the passage, climbed out of the opening, and leaped onto his horse. He was about to flee, but hesitation flickered in his eyes. Following Chen Fakui meant a life on the run, hiding in shadows. Besides, he hadn't even had time to take the wealth he had amassed over a lifetime; he had lost everything. Yet fleeing alone carried just as much peril. Thinking of all the jianghu figures he had crossed over the years, fear welled up within him. Only now did he realize that in this vast world, stripped of Xianyang, stripped of Zhou Pan and the White Ape Gang, he was nothing! With a mournful sigh, Yuan Qu spurred his horse into the night. Before long, he arrived at the hillside. Seeing Chen Fakui sitting cross-legged there, Yuan Qu finally breathed a sigh of relief. Going forward, he dropped to his knees. "Master Chen's foresight is uncanny. From now on, this humble one will follow the Master." Chen Fakui nodded calmly, his eyes devoid of sorrow or joy. He had known Yuan Qu would return. For a man like this had no other path than clinging to someone else. "Let us go. I foresaw this day long ago. "Yet if that old bastard thinks he can catch me, he falls far short..." *** "Third Master, why haven't they come yet?" On the dark highway, a disciple could not help asking. They had waited for ages without catching sight of a single hair on Li Yan's head. Not only the disciples, but even Zhou Peide was beginning to wonder. Zhou Peide said in a deep voice, "Go find out what's going on!" "Yes, Third Master!" Receiving the order, the disciple mounted his horse and charged into the night, only to return in haste before two incense sticks could burn down. Puzzled, he reported, "Third Master, they're all gone. No idea where they went." "Gone?" Fury instantly flared in Zhou Peide's mind. Blinded by hatred, he had no mind to ponder things carefully, and barked in resentment, "That bastard Yuan Qu really is unreliable. "Let's head back first. Tomorrow I'll demand an explanation from him!" With that, he led the group back to Xianyang. The city gates of Xianyang remained closed at night, but the Zhou family held extraordinary standing within the walls. As usual, a simple shout was enough for someone to lower a wicker basket from the ramparts. Yet the moment he stepped onto the wall, Zhou Peide sensed something was wrong. A rank of garrison soldiers and yamen runners in the distance had drawn their bows and crossbows, sharp arrows aimed squarely at them, while torches flared to life all around. "Zhou Peide, your crimes have caught up with you!" *** At the hour of the rabbit, dawn was breaking. Outside the mountain god temple, the bonfire had long since died out. Li Yan was asleep, clutching a wine jar with his head resting on a log. Nearby, Zhao Lvzi was also snoring loudly in his sleep. Having talked all through the night with several jars of wine in their bellies, even practiced martial artists couldn't hold out, dropping to the ground in slumber. Suddenly, Li Yan's nose twitched, and Zhao Lvzi's ears gave a slight flick. Both rose to their feet at once, looking toward the mountain path. There they saw Sha Lifei, led by a villager, rushing up the mountain path with an anxious expression. Catching sight of Li Yan, he shouted at once: "Little Brother Yan, hurry back! The Daoist has been ambushed!"