Who let him join the Sword Sect?!

"Don't panic." Zhang Ze didn't check the prison cell but instead took out a tool that resembled a compass.

The round compass was divided into inner and outer layers; the inner layer was no different from an ordinary compass, while the outer layer contained some kind of liquid, with a tuft of light blue mycelium floating quietly inside.

Zhang Ze activated the compass with Spiritual Qi, and the mycelium twitched, then began to spin within the ring, finally stopping at a certain direction, which, according to the inner part of the compass, pointed west of the city.

How Qiu Jidan escaped didn't matter; knowing where he was now was enough.

This thing was a new toy Fuji gave Zhang Ze before he set out, which allowed him to use Fuji's unique principle of mycelium attraction for secret remote tracking in Fuji's absence.

Zhang Ze had hidden a bit of this mycelium in Qiu Jidan's hair when he tucked him in.

This tool also had a drawback: it couldn't be mass-produced because the liquid contained only a tuft of mycelium and not Fuji herself, so it couldn't identify multiple targets.

Moreover, Zhang Ze felt it wasn't necessary to be so complicated since he could achieve the same effect by carrying a handful of Fuji, who was also a formidable fighter.

But it was Fuji's first independent invention, so she was quite excited when she handed it to Zhang Ze.

Thus, Zhang Ze didn't refuse Fuji's kindness and accepted the item.

"Qiu Jidan is still in the city; he's probably going to meet his subordinate." Zhang Ze said.

"Teacher, what's this?" Bai Tao asked curiously.

"Fuji Radar, don't ask me what radar is; I just made it up." After speaking, Zhang Ze looked at Hui Xue, "Do you have any Demon-slaying Bureau uniforms? Please find us a few."

Hui Xue realized her negligence might have caused trouble, so she nodded and quickly left the dungeon at a run.

"Aren't we disguising as the Demon Path this time?" Lin Feng asked.

Zhang Ze nodded, "No need; using the same trick three times in a row won't work. This time we'll play the good guys."

"There are only so many Demon Path people in Wangyang City; claiming we're new won't convince Blood Tooth."

"Moreover, the Demon-slaying Bureau is currently patrolling the streets, and disguising as the Demon Path would only cause confusion."

After speaking, Zhang Ze took out several pairs of fake animal ears made by Thousand Mechanism Pavilion from the Hundred Treasures Bag and asked Lin Feng, "Which one do you want?"

Lin Feng was silent for a moment before picking up a pair of black cat ears and putting them on.

Zhang Ze picked up a pair of yellow dog ears and wore them.

Bai Tao's eyes lit up at those ears. She used the Transformation Dharma Method to hide her fox ears, then picked up a pair of white dog ears and put them on.

Hui Xue soon returned to the dungeon with a few colleagues. After arranging people to ensure no one would escape again, she threw a few uniforms to Zhang Ze and the others.

Once they changed into the uniforms, Zhang Ze asked Li to carry the Profound Identification Treasure Mirror underground, instructing it to follow closely behind them.

"Miss Hui Xue, could you lead the way for us?" Zhang Ze asked.

"Of course, it's my duty." Hui Xue's tail wagged rapidly.

In no time, the three dogs and one cat left the dungeon and vanished into the night of Wangyang City. The snow had been falling for a long time.

...

Wangyang City, old city district.

Qiu Jidan stopped, reaching out to catch a snowflake, his gaze sometimes clear, sometimes murky. When the snowflake melted in his hand, his gaze returned to calm.

The nap he had on the boat was the most restful sleep he'd had in months.

So when he awoke in the dungeon, he was caught off guard, allowing Young Master Qiu's persona to take control again.

As a member of the Hundred Demons Sect, breaking out of prison was a compulsory course he learned from a young age. Combined with the lax defenses of Wangyang City's Demon-slaying Bureau, he didn't take much effort to escape.

When Hero Chou's persona regained control, Qiu Jidan found himself in a small alley in the old city district of Wangyang City, walking slowly behind his subordinate.

The subordinate was reporting work updates to him.

Qiu Jidan remembered the subordinate's name should be Xu Hai, but he couldn't recall more—not because he forgot, but because he never paid attention before.

"Special Envoy, look at this." Xu Hai turned and handed an empty Stone Pill to Qiu Jidan, his face ingratiating.

"I really found it; this was stolen from a young Demon Race child."

"This child and his grandfather are either with the Divine Egg or the Pill Gang... Sir, are you listening?" Xu Hai asked cautiously when he saw Qiu Jidan seemed distracted.

"Go on," Qiu Jidan said expressionlessly.

"I eavesdropped on those old folks talking; they said there are many more of these in a forest..."

"Special Envoy, considering the great service, could you speak on my behalf in front of Blood Tooth Taoist..." Xu Hai's voice grew softer.

"Blood Tooth Taoist, from the Blood Lion Helm? He's in Wangyang City too?" Qiu Jidan asked.

On the boat, Qiu Jidan had slept soundly and didn't know Blood Tooth was also in Wangyang City.

"Yes, yes, let me explain." Xu Hai slowed his steps and began to speak softly to Qiu Jidan about the Blood Tooth Taoist.

Although Xu Hai's words were well-crafted and his meaning was subtle,

Qiu Jidan, being a well-read individual now, could see through Xu Hai's careful thoughts.

"I guess you are not the only one who knows about the Divine Pill Gang's affairs, Blood Tooth also knows, right? In fact, it was Blood Tooth who told you." Qiu Jidan's mind, now armed with knowledge from books, was proving quite useful.

"Blood Tooth and his group are planning to do something significant in secret, but they don't particularly trust you and only have you handle minor matters."

"Do you need someone influential to bring you into the scheme?" Qiu Jidan stopped walking. "This must be important, a big opportunity, so you're so anxious and thought of me."

"I suspect, if I hadn't come, you would've found another way, like betraying me and making a blood oath to the Blood Lion?"

After saying this, Qiu Jidan fell silent, merely watching Xu Hai, waiting for him to speak.

Xu Hai's legs trembled. He had been with Qiu Jidan for years and believed he understood his master well.

In his impression, his master was vindictive, greedy, and depraved, missing no flaws as a member of the Demon Path except for not being particularly intelligent.

But how come he was so smart today? He thought today's Qiu Jidan was strange, yet he couldn't pinpoint exactly why?

An invisible pressure enveloped Xu Hai, making it hard for him to bear.

Just as Xu Hai was about to kneel and beg for mercy, Qiu Jidan suddenly spoke, "These are minor matters, the great cause of the Hundred Demons Sect takes precedence."

"Take me to see Blood Tooth, I'm very interested in what he plans to do."

Xu Hai cautiously looked up at Qiu Jidan. Seeing that his master did not seem angry, he slowly straightened up and spoke softly.

"For the great cause of the Hundred Demons Sect."

"Yes."

Qiu Jidan responded.

After realizing Qiu Jidan truly had no intention of blaming him, Xu Hai breathed a sigh of relief. He took out a talisman, "Sir, you've come at just the right time today, neither too early nor too late. Let me take you to meet Blood Tooth."

The talisman ignited itself, and amidst the flames, Blood Tooth's face loomed faintly.

...

In the old city district in the west of the city.

Two confidants of the Blood Tooth Taoist were clad in black robes with hoods over their heads, covering half of their faces and ears.

"Is everything okay?" One of them asked cautiously in a low voice.

"No problem, I spent a huge effort stealing this robe last month, and I even got their waist badges. Look, the Ministry of Rites, interesting." The other was quite chatty.

"Stop jabbering, once the Soul Suppressing Nails here are set, we'll go to the last location. That useless Zeng Bao messed up the Blood Tooth Lord's plan. If we make another mistake, we'll be chopped up and fed to the dogs."

The cautious one looked around and buried the inconspicuous Soul Suppressing Nail with snow.

"No rush, with the Ministry of Rites suddenly patrolling tonight, the calmer we remain, the less likely we are to make mistakes at times like this." The chatty one was full of confidence.

"Be careful, someone is coming." The cautious one reminded.

"No worries, follow me, I have the waist badge." With that, the chatty one pulled his hood lower and stepped forward first.

...

Zhang Ze glanced at the two 'Demon-slaying Bureau cultivators' holding Ministry of Rites badges and then at Hui Xue.

Hui Xue's expression remained unchanged, but it signaled with its wagging tail.

Both Zhang Ze and Lin Feng could not understand this signal, but Bai Tao, who played with Hui Xue since childhood, understood at a glance.

She stepped forward, took the badges, briefly inspected them, then returned them to the two.

Once the two had stored away their badges, Bai Tao opened her mouth but did not speak; instead, she blew out a breath.

Whoosh~

As soon as Bai Tao finished blowing, the two fell unconscious into the snow before they had time to react.

"That's possible too, poisoned?" Zhang Ze asked.

"Isn't it normal for a doctor to use poison?" Bai Tao adjusted her glasses, indicating it was common knowledge.

"Then how did you get poisoned on the boat?" Zhang Ze asked.

"Everyone miscalculates sometimes." Bai Tao ignored Zhang Ze and turned to Lin Feng, "Brother Lin, I'll trouble you. You are more professional in matters of interrogation."

Lin Feng sighed, dragged the two into an alley, and took out his small knife...