The books handed to Qi Buyan by the bookseller had quite normal titles, such as “Enjoying the Peach Orchard” and “Wushan Notes.” He Sui’an saw nothing amiss with them.
However, when she casually glanced at other books on the stall, she noticed one titled “On the Bed.” Realizing something was wrong, she grabbed Qi Buyan’s hand and walked away.
They moved like a gust of wind past the bookseller, leaving no trace.
The bookseller, still holding the books, didn’t want to miss out on this sale. He stood up and called to their rapidly retreating backs, “You can decide whether to buy after taking a look!”
The only response he got was a warm breeze that fluttered the pages of the books.
He Sui’an walked briskly.
If it weren’t for Qi Buyan’s long legs, he might have struggled to keep up with her pace.
When they were far from the bookstall, He Sui’an stopped, her forehead and cheeks slightly sweaty. Qi Buyan quietly watched her.
Desperately searching for an excuse, He Sui’an said, “I don’t think those books are very good. How about we visit the biggest bookstore in Chang’an City another day? What do you think?”
Qi Buyan didn’t mind; he was only interested in Gu books anyway.
Later, when he saw Zhong Liang’s book and learned that following its instructions could bring them closer, he became interested in reading it.
That was his only reason.
He Sui’an had previously told Qi Buyan to read more books. Seeing the bookstall, he thought to ask but wasn’t intent on buying or particularly interested in other books.
Seeing Qi Buyan agree, He Sui’an touched her slightly warm earlobe and felt more at ease. She definitely didn’t want to buy that kind of book with Qi Buyan in public. Besides, what if he read it after they bought it?
She couldn’t think about it anymore, He Sui’an told herself.
They walked along the street.
Halfway, He Sui’an noticed they weren’t heading back to the inn but toward the tall auction house building. She recognized this road, and they were nearly at the tall auction house’s red gate.
Their goal of openly auctioning the Water Jade Pendant to lure out the mastermind, causing them to act out of fear they were exposed, had been achieved. So why were they heading to the auction house?
Though Qi Buyan knew Aunt Cui, He Sui’an didn’t think he was there for a reunion.
Did he want something here?
He Sui’an’s eyes held a question.
Qi Buyan opened his palm, revealing a small Gu insect, as tiny as a mosquito, its wings as thin as a cicada’s. It flew in circles before heading straight for the auction house.
The Gu insect was too small to be noticed.
While on the street, Qi Buyan had discreetly placed a Gu insect on Ah Xuan while blocking him with a bone flute. Even if Ah Xuan could hide his scent, the presence of the Gu insect on him allowed for tracking.
Previously, using Gu insects to find people relied on scents. Without a Gu insect on the person, the tracking was less effective and could be influenced by various factors. However, having a Gu insect directly on a person was different.
The mutual sensing between Gu insects was reliable.
Qi Buyan suspected Ah Xuan to be the masked man by the river but lacked concrete evidence. Still, his suspicion led him to take action, with tracking being one method.
He wanted to see whom Ah Xuan interacted with and where he went. If Ah Xuan was indeed the masked man, he would eventually reveal a flaw. Qi Buyan told He Sui’an, “Follow it.”
They followed the flying Gu insect into the auction house.
Although He Sui’an didn’t yet know the reason for the flying Gu’s entrance into the auction house, she could vaguely guess it was leading them to someone or something.
He Sui’an’s eyes stayed locked on the flying Gu as it headed upstairs.
The first five floors of the auction house were accessible to guests, but beyond that was the private domain of the auction house’s owner, Aunt Cui. Only those invited or trusted by her could go up; otherwise, it was off-limits.
At the staircase leading from the fifth to the sixth floor, guards stopped He Sui’an. Without saying much, Qi Buyan sealed their acupoints, leaving them helplessly watching as the pair ascended.
No one dared to trespass beyond the sixth floor of the auction house.
Everyone in Chang’an knew that Aunt Cui of the auction house was not to be trifled with. Crossing her meant serious trouble, if not death. Therefore, the guards were usually lax but were caught off guard today.
At that moment, in a room on the sixth floor, Aunt Cui called out to Ah Xuan, who had just returned.
“Come here.”
She eyed him, her tone shifting slightly.
Ah Xuan approached, and Aunt Cui swiftly plucked a Gu insect from him, one even smaller than a mosquito. “Damn it.”
Aunt Cui immediately crushed the Gu insect and hurriedly pushed Ah Xuan toward the door. “You’ve been tracked by a Gu. Leave the auction house quickly. I warn you, don’t work for Liu Yan again…”
Before she could finish, someone pushed the door open from the outside. The sound of silver ornaments reached them before the person did.
Aunt Cui’s grip tightened.
Qi Buyan entered, his dark indigo clothes blending with the dimly lit room, while He Sui’an, in her bright dress, looked like a beam of sunlight breaking in.
Ah Xuan calmly pulled Aunt Cui’s hand away. “Weren’t you the young master and young lady on the street? How did you end up here?”
Qi Buyan seemed easygoing. “I’m here to find someone.”
Aunt Cui frowned.
She could sense the underlying meaning in his words.
Knowing the style of the Tianshui Village people from Miaojiang, Aunt Cui had been agitated when she learned Liu Yan sent Ah Xuan to kill Qi Buyan. She didn’t want him to get involved.
Qi Buyan had a unique personality. Being from Tianshui Village in Miaojiang, he was more decisive, vengeful, and ruthless. Anyone who had harmed him would likely face death.
Regardless, Aunt Cui hoped to prevent Ah Xuan from meeting such a fate.
She rarely showed nervousness but did now.
Aunt Cui called out, “Ah Xuan.”
Ah Xuan pressed his lips together, knowing he couldn’t lose his composure. With an unchanging expression, he asked, “May I ask who the young master is looking for?”
Qi Buyan stood a few steps away from them, his long hair naturally draped in front and behind him. His features were as if painted, with red lips and white teeth, looking like a delicate jade doll. “The person who wants to kill us.”
Aunt Cui clenched her fists, saying nothing.
He Sui’an noticed her unpleasant expression.
She hadn’t expected Aunt Cui to be involved. Aunt Cui had always struck her as someone with her own principles, who upheld the code of the martial world and wouldn’t aid the wicked.
Previously, when they had come to auction the Water Jade Pendant, they hadn’t seen Ah Xuan.
Today, following the flying Gu insect, they found him on the sixth floor of the auction house. Everyone, from the staff to the regular visitors of the auction house, knew that the sixth floor was where Aunt Cui usually stayed.
Ah Xuan’s free access to the sixth floor and his presence in the same room as Aunt Cui suggested a certain level of relationship.
He Sui’an stood obediently by the door, feeling a bit worried.
Aunt Cui was a formidable opponent.
After hearing Qi Buyan’s straightforward reason for their visit, Ah Xuan remained calm and nodded in sudden understanding. “I see.”
He continued, “Why would anyone want to kill you? Do you have enemies in Chang’an? We are just an auction house; we don’t get involved in such matters. The person you are looking for is likely not here.”
Qi Buyan smiled faintly. “Whether they are here or not, we’ll know after looking.”
Aunt Cui suddenly stepped in front of Ah Xuan with a smile.
It was a protective gesture.
She placed the dead Gu insect back into Qi Buyan’s palm. “Since we know each other, why don’t you tell me what the person you’re looking for looks like? I can keep an eye out for you.”
Qi Buyan looked down at the dead Gu insect. “I’ve never seen his face.”
He discarded the dead insect.
Aunt Cui looked troubled. “That’s difficult. If you’ve never seen him, it’s easy to hurt the innocent by mistake. Why don’t you gather more information about this person, and I’ll help you then?”
Ah Xuan, shielded by Aunt Cui, lowered his gaze. He knew she was protecting him.
But it was too late.
He had long been mired in the swamp, but for Liu Yan’s grand cause, Ah Xuan willingly sank deeper. He firmly believed that only Liu Yan’s ambition could save the precarious Great Zhou dynasty.
These days were crucial; every move had to be more cautious. Ah Xuan shouldn’t have appeared on the street today, but he did because of Jiang Xuewan, and coincidentally ran into them.
Hearing Aunt Cui say she would help him find the person, Qi Buyan’s eyes curved with a smile.
“Help me?”
There was an innocent look in his eyes, but it was mixed with a cold, inhuman indifference. “No need, I think I’ve found him.”
Aunt Cui’s heart skipped a beat.
In a swift motion, Qi Buyan removed the mask from her face. Before they could react, his indigo robes swayed as he moved to Ah Xuan’s side, using the mask to cover half of Ah Xuan’s face.
The curve of his lips deepened, his laugh gentle, like a benevolent Bodhisattva or a grim reaper. “Found you.”
Ah Xuan instinctively moved to defend himself, and his moves exposed his identity.
The expression, posture, and techniques of Ah Xuan, half-covered by the mask, were identical to the man by the river. He Sui’an took a step back, fearing Ah Xuan might act desperately.
Last time, he had almost killed her.
Just as they were about to fight, Aunt Cui stepped between them. “Stop!”
Ah Xuan, always obedient to Aunt Cui, ceased his actions at her command. But Qi Buyan remained unmoved, and the silk thread he threw bound Ah Xuan’s neck without hesitation.
He Sui’an had witnessed Ah Xuan’s skills. With his martial prowess, it was uncertain if he could match Qi Buyan, but escaping was definitely within his capability. He wasn’t fleeing because of Aunt Cui?
The silk thread slowly tightened, leaving a red mark on Ah Xuan’s neck, blood seeping out.
Aunt Cui was horrified.
She exclaimed, “Don’t kill him!”
Qi Buyan deftly controlled the silk thread, the larvae on it already beginning to suck Ah Xuan’s blood. “I want to ask you a question. Who ordered you to kill us?”
His smiling gaze swept over Aunt Cui. “Was it her, or someone else?”
Aunt Cui closed her eyes tightly.
With the silk thread constricting his neck, Ah Xuan struggled to breathe, speaking in broken words, “It was…it was me alone…no one else.”
He Sui’an, listening, didn’t believe him.
Aunt Cui was frantic.
Qi Buyan let out a soft “Ah”: “It was you alone? Why did you want to kill us? Is the owner of the Water Jade Pendant you?”
Ah Xuan, seemingly resigned, said, “Yes, it was me. Do what you want. This has nothing to do with Aunt Cui. She discovered my intentions and tried to stop me, but I acted on my own.”
Ah Xuan, you have such bad judgement…