Master of Strange Dao

Shan Daoyu's battle with his foe ended swiftly. Upon discovering Shan Daoyu was a sword cultivator, after a few exchanges, his opponent performed a flashy but ineffectual maneuver and hurriedly fled.

Shan Daoyu clearly lacked experience in serious combat and never anticipated this outcome, allowing his adversary to escape.

"Fellow Daoist, with more experience, you'll get used to it. No worries, let him run. Next time you see him, just kill him,"

Yu Ziqing offered what looked like consolation, while casually pointing out the three experts from the Shadow Department to Shan Daoyu.

"See them? These people from the Shadow Department are very familiar with such matters."

"If we do nothing, they'll likely struggle to make it back alive. Escort them back."

"Have them teach you about matters outside the sect so you won't get tricked by others,"

Yu Ziqing would certainly not accompany Shan Daoyu to the Dali Capital.

Having not cultivated Qi, his Blood and Flesh Disguise Technique proved more effective, but if he encountered a top-tier expert who had seen him before, his disguise would likely fail to deceive.

By coaxing Shan Daoyu into handling this, Yu Ziqing could then attend to more pressing matters.

Without anything else at stake, he would naturally be willing to foster a good relationship, showing around a True Disciple from a major sect with prospects of competing for the position of Sect Leader.

But not now. Letting this fellow get roughed up outside would be beneficial for him.

If he wasn't duped by the Shadow Department, or if he realized after being duped and learned from it, then he would have grown from the experience.

Yu Ziqing squinted and smiled as he watched Shan Daoyu and the others leave.

The crafty old hands from the Shadow Department could not only swindle such naive and trusting targets but also get them to count the money for them.

Traveling alone, Yu Ziqing received news from Old Yang of Jinlan Mountain that the person was safely retrieved, giving him peace of mind.

Yu Ziqing hastened to the territory of the Gu Family. Besides the main branch of the Gu Family Head, side branches with the Gu surname had mostly gathered here as well.

People sharing the same surname and banding together for mutual support could establish a firmer footing than smaller families and clans.

Even two ordinary villages contesting a water source would vie for dominance through superior numbers.

As for the confrontations between the chief director and Song Chengyue, Yu Ziqing simply kept himself informed of the situation without getting involved, as both parties had reached the point where their probing could result in fatalities.

His role was to act as a third party, tasked with finding and extracting Song's son.

To focus on one thing at a time.

According to the information, Song's son had suddenly disappeared without a trace. The assailant left behind no clues.

Lin Fu had personally searched an area of dozens of miles and came up with nothing.

Yu Ziqing did not say it, but he did not trust Lin Fu's ability to find someone...

So this time, he decided to go in person.

Midway there, Lou Huai silently returned and continued to accompany Yu Ziqing on his journey.

Upon arriving near the ancestral lands of the Gu Family, Lin Fu had been waiting there for quite some time.

He looked at a figure with a skewed mouth and eyes, uneven shoulders, and legs of differing lengths approaching step by step, his brow slightly furrowed.

"Stop staring, it's me. Where are the things I asked for?"

Lin Fu was astonished, but after a closer sensing, he recognized the familiar aura and presence of the person before him.

"It's you?"

"Lin Fu, why the idle chatter? Hurry up!" Lou Huai couldn't help but transmit his voice impatiently.

Lin Fu handed Yu Ziqing a token and a bundle of documents, still looking somewhat perplexed and uncertain.

"This is the Gu Family Master's token. With it, you can move unhindered here, and no one will interfere with you."

Lin Fu hesitated and then couldn't help but ask,

"Why are you interested in this child?"

"Are you sure you really want to know?"

"Forget it, let's pretend I didn't ask..." Lin Fu decisively chose not to inquire further, knowing that understanding would bring no good.

"How many people know about your investigation here?"

"I came discreetly, only a few are aware."

"That's good enough," Yu Ziqing breathed a sigh of relief.

If too many knew of Lin Fu's visit, that would draw unwanted attention.

He was already conspicuous enough by just being there.

After sending Lin Fu on his way, Yu Ziqing donned a black cloak similar to that of Zhong Shouzheng, covering his face with a hood, and stepped onto the Gu Family's land.

Following the information, Yu Ziqing started from the very beginning, meticulously re-examining each step.

He knew how others conducted their investigations, overly reliant on secret techniques, a trait even more pronounced in stronger cultivators.

Against such measures, stronger secret techniques likely had countermeasures already laid out in advance.

Staying grounded, he decided to proceed with the most basic investigative methods.

Holding the Gu Family Head's token, Yu Ziqing moved freely in the area, his identity concealed by the black cloak, and he could faintly hear someone mentioning that he was an inspector dispatched by the main branch.

Arriving at the place where Song's son vanished, even Lou Huai could detect no unusual remnants of aura.

Yu Ziqing searched meticulously for any hint, substantial or trivial, but found none, just like everyone else.

He followed the trail to places where Song's son might have been and advanced gradually, step by step.

Reaching an area where the boy often played with his friends, he saw a woman rushing in amidst the crowd of children, gripping a child's ear, quite frantic.

"I told you not to wander off, and here you are again, so far from home! Being so disobedient, one day Grandpa Que will take you away too,"

The children, who had been enjoying themselves, looked at each other, puzzled. Once the woman left, they resumed their play.

Yu Ziqing continued his search without finding any valuable clues, eventually reaching Song's son's room, which was likewise devoid of any leads.

It was as if the boy had simply vanished into thin air.