Wait a minute, where is my master?

"What on earth?"

The speaker, doubting his hearing due to perhaps frequenting certain pleasure quarters too often, asked again.

"The bait wasn't cast. That little Taoist's mount stopped it."

One of the Cultivators in the horse leading duo placed the Communication Jade Token intended for Jin Xu on the stone platform and timidly repeated what he had just said.

Then, he succinctly and quickly recounted the events that had transpired below the high platform.

By the stone mill.

The interrogating figure was stunned for a moment after hearing the account from his companion.

Then he sighed deeply, "Ah—well, it's better that it wasn't sent." He then suddenly raised his head, his hawk-like gaze fixing sharply on the two, and demanded, "Speaking of which, you didn't slip up in anything, did you?"

"Brother Li, rest assured, definitely not. We even made three rounds back here to make sure we weren't followed before coming to report to you.

Plus, our identities are just employees of the Ten Thousand Beast Trading Company, Driver Department. There was no issue with the jade token that wasn't sent or the horse led over, even if they were suspicious and checked, they wouldn't find anything.

If it weren't for that Wolf Demon intervening...

As for having a small mark from our Ten Thousand Beast Trading Company on the stuff we were sending, isn't that pretty normal? Which commerce guild in the Nine Provinces doesn't have an anti-counterfeit mark."

This group clearly understood Jin Xu's cultivation strength and were wary of leaving any traces on the objects that might be detected as abnormalities.

Therefore, they opted for a very straightforward scheme.

"Ok, go and inform the other brothers in the building then. Tell them we fumbled this one and to get ready."

The interrogating Cultivator stared intently at the horse leading duo for a few more breaths. As cold sweat began to appear on their foreheads, he spoke again.

His tone was somewhat relaxed this time.

"Alright, Brother Li, I'll go right now."

The Cultivator who had previously touched the jade token, hearing the command, quickly replied and turned towards a room on the east side of the courtyard.

After taking a few steps, he turned back, grabbed the jade token from the stone platform, and stuffed it into his robe in a fluster, all the while sheepishly explaining with a grin, "Heh, the company's badge, gotta keep track of them. If I lost it, our boss would deduct at least three Low Grade Spirit Stones from us."

"Tsk—"

The Cultivator known as Brother Li snorted in disdain and paid him no more attention.

He grabbed a handful of dried fruit from his robe, leapt onto the stone mill, and contentedly began to crack them open.

The remaining member of the horse leading duo, standing somewhat awkwardly in the yard, approached the stone mill after a moment, his face showing a mix of fear and appeasement.

"Brother Li, they must know about the little Taoist's strength in the building, right? Yesterday, that expert from the Demon Path broke through Qingmu City's City Protection Array effortlessly. His cultivation strength must be high, yet he couldn't withstand even two moves from the little Taoist. Why does the building still provoke him?"

"Pah — Jingyu Building never backs down because the target is strong.

Besides, men die for wealth and birds for food, didn't they say so when the order was given?

Pah — And we don't even have to strike ourselves, we just need to figure out the little Taoist's location and travel route. Then we could gain a significant amount of Spirit Stones and a top-grade Protective Dharma Treasure.

Even if we don't succeed, we still get a decent amount of Spirit Stones as compensation.

You two brothers took the risk with this in mind, didn't you?"

Brother Li, while sitting on the stone mill and cracking the nuts, disdainfully answered the other's question.

Upon hearing this response, the member of the horse leading duo nodded vigorously, then tentatively asked, "Brother Li, although my brother and I didn't succeed, about that reward..."

The question this Cultivator began with had this very purpose in mind. The talk about the little Taoist's high strength and why the building would take such a job was just a prelude to now discuss compensation.

"Heh."

Upon hearing this, the Cultivator known as Brother Li stopped stuffing dried fruits into his mouth and let out a cold laugh. His expression turned intriguing.

The Cultivator asking for compensation said nothing further, his face showing a mix of fear and sycophancy, as he smiled along at the other's side.

It was quiet for a long while.

Brother Li spoke again, "Little Liu, we've known each other for so many years, don't play these tricks with me. Don't worry, the part that belongs to you and your brother won't be less. Once your brother finishes sending the message, I'll give you brothers the one thousand high-grade spirit stones."

Having said that, he started cracking the nuts in his hands again.

The cultivator called Little Liu didn't feel awkward, still wearing a full, compliant smile, silently waiting.

After a short while.

The older brother of the duo leading the horses walked out of the room.

"Brother Li, all is taken care of," he said.

"Good, here is the reward you both deserve." The cultivator sitting on the millstone casually pulled out a storage bag from his bosom and threw it over, adding, "By the way, Little Wu, I plan to rest for a while recently. If there's nothing important, you two brothers shouldn't come to this courtyard."

"Sure thing, you can count on us."

Little Wu caught the storage bag, briefly checked it, and finding exactly one thousand high-grade spirit stones inside, he passed the bag to his younger brother.

The duo leading the horses bowed their goodbyes, while Brother Li on the millstone deactivated the courtyard's stealth formation.

...

Outside the courtyard, in the alley.

The brothers joyfully walked forward with the storage bag toward the alley entrance.

"Brother, now you have enough money to hire someone to make the Golden Core Formation Pill, and we can also buy some treasures and protective talismans at the Ten Thousand Treasure Pavilion!"

Little Liu, thrilled, conveyed this thought to his brother through a message transmission after taking a few steps.

"Yes, that is enough. However, we can't go to the Ten Thousand Treasure Pavilion for treasures and talismans; the items in that store are too expensive. Wait a few more days, and I will take you to the market at West Mountain. It's cheaper there and you can also find some good stuff to exchange."

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

"Good, Liuzi, focus on your cultivation. When you reach the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Realm, I'll also get you the materials needed for a Golden Core Formation Pill."

Little Wu encouraged his younger brother as they walked.

The two brothers walked briskly, reaching a spot five steps away from the alley entrance.

Suddenly, he felt something wet and itchy on his face, as though something was trickling down.

Instinctively, he reached up to touch it, then looked at his hand to find his palm covered in blood!

"Not good!"

Little Wu didn't have time to think. He quickly turned to look at his brother.

He saw the smile on his younger brother's face turning to horror, his lips seeming to say, "Brother, what's wrong with you!?" Blood marks also dangled on his younger brother's face, but he was oblivious.

"Liuzi..."

The elder brother wanted to say more, but his body gave him no time. A gush of blood uncontrollably burst from his throat, spraying over his younger brother.

Little Liu, seeing his brother who was lively just moments before suddenly turn into this, felt shocked and furious, but he had no time to react.

Like his brother, he also coughed up a mouthful of blood, following in his brother's footsteps.

Five steps from the alley, the two brothers unexpectedly fell into a pool of blood.

A breeze passed by.

The cultivator with the surname Li appeared quietly.

He looked down at the two on the ground, sneered, and stepped forward to retrieve the storage bag he had just handed out.

But after taking three steps, he paused slightly.

"Eh, what am I doing here?"

"Eh! Little Wu, Little Liu, how did they die?"

"Who did this!"