"Nah? Apakah... bajingan... itu sudah muncul?"
Chu Feng tidak berbalik, suaranya rendah saat bertanya.
"Melapor kepada Kakak Senior, pencuri itu... seolah-olah dia benar-benar lenyap. Tidak ada tanda-tanda keberadaannya selama sepuluh hari terakhir."
Jakun Song Xiang bergerak naik turun. Dia memberanikan diri dan menjawab.
Udara di ruang kerja langsung membeku. Jari-jari Chu Feng yang sebelumnya mengetuk-ngetuk bingkai jendela tiba-tiba berhenti.
Dia perlahan berbalik. Dalam cahaya lilin, wajah tampannya diselimuti kegelapan yang tak terhindarkan, dan tatapannya yang tajam seperti penusuk es menusuk tepat ke arah Song Xiang.
"Dan tiga Murid Sejati itu? Apa yang ada di pikiran mereka?"
"Tiga Kakak Senior telah berjaga selama lebih dari sepuluh hari tanpa tanda-tanda pelaku. Mereka sudah sangat tidak sabar... Kakak Senior Sun Mo khususnya blak-blakan, mengatakan bahwa urusan Sekte sangat banyak dan mereka tidak bisa membuang waktu di sini tanpa batas. Dia bertanya... kapan mereka bisa mundur."
Merasakan tekanan tak terlihat, butiran keringat dingin terbentuk di dahi Song Xiang, dan suaranya semakin serak.
Alis Chu Feng berkerut, tidak bisa menahan kekesalan yang naik di dalam dirinya.
Bagaimanapun juga, Zhao Wuji, Sun Mo, dan Li Qinghong adalah Murid Sejati. Status mereka transenden, dan mereka bukan bawahan langsungnya.
Dia berhasil membujuk mereka untuk bertindak hanya melalui persahabatan dan janji imbalan besar.
Sekarang, setelah lebih dari sepuluh hari tanpa hasil, ketiganya ingin pergi. Jika dia memaksa mereka tinggal, itu kemungkinan akan menjadi bumerang dan merusak hubungan mereka.
'Tapi jika aku membatalkan penyergapan sekarang, apa yang akan kulakukan jika pencuri itu muncul kembali?'
'Bawahanku panik. Bagaimana mungkin aku menenangkan mereka?'
Berbagai pikiran melintas di benaknya. Dia menarik napas dalam-dalam, dengan paksa menekan amarah dan kecemasan yang mendidih, lalu berkata dengan suara berat.
"Kirim pesan kepada tiga Murid Sejati itu. Minta mereka bersabar lebih lama. Sebagai kompensasi, aku bersedia menambah lima puluh ribu tael lagi untuk pembayaran mereka... total menjadi seratus lima puluh ribu tael masing-masing. Mohon, mereka harus berjaga lebih lama lagi!"
Seratus lima puluh ribu tael!
Mendengar ini, sudut mata Song Xiang berkedut. Dia merasa ngeri dalam hati.
Ini harga yang luar biasa! Bahkan untuk Murid Sejati, ini adalah jumlah sumber daya yang sangat murah hati.
'Kakak Senior benar-benar tidak main-main kali ini!'
"Ya, Kakak Senior! Aku akan mengirim pesan sekarang!"
Song Xiang tidak berani berkata lebih banyak dan dengan cepat menyetujui.
"Tunggu."
Chu Feng menghentikan Song Xiang. Dia berjalan ke mejanya dan duduk, mengusap pangkal hidungnya, ada jejak kelelahan dan kebingungan di wajahnya.
"Song Xiang, menurutmu, siapa pencuri ini? Mengapa mereka begitu berniat menargetkan aku?"
Song Xiang dengan hati-hati maju beberapa langkah, merenung sejenak, dan berkata dengan suara rendah.
"Kakak Senior, selama bertahun-tahun, kamu telah membuat... cukup banyak musuh. Jika kita hitung mereka yang memiliki kekuatan dan motif untuk melakukan hal seperti ini, ada banyak tersangka."
"Lanjutkan."
Chu Feng menatap Song Xiang.
"Di dalam Sekte, di True Inheritance Courtyard, di antara mereka yang memiliki dendam padamu... Pewaris Sejati Zhang Yuan adalah salah satunya. Keluarga Deng awalnya berencana untuk bersekutu dengannya, tapi mereka kemudian berpindah kesetiaan kepadamu."
"Dia telah menyimpan dendam sejak saat itu. Terlebih lagi, Kultivasinya telah mencapai Tahap Akhir Tingkat Keenam, dan dia memiliki sedikit saingan di antara Praktisi Martial Tingkat Keenam. Dia memiliki kemampuan untuk menjadi pelaku."
Chu Feng mengangguk sedikit, ekspresinya tidak menunjukkan penilaian.
"Di luar Sekte, di antara Tujuh Sekte, ada Pewaris Sejati Paviliun Netherworld 'Tangan Hantu' Ming Cang. Dia kalah darimu dalam perebutan Benda Surgawi dan Harta Karun Bumi saat itu dan bersumpah akan membalas dendam. Lalu ada Pewaris Sejati Sekte Overlord Blade 'Harimau Gila' Tu Lie, yang adik laki-lakinya meninggal karena luka yang kaulakukan..."
Song Xiang menyebutkan beberapa nama berturut-turut, semuanya tokoh terkenal yang menyimpan dendam terhadap Chu Feng.
Saat Chu Feng mendengarkan, ekspresinya berubah. Orang-orang ini memang semua tersangka, dan mereka semua memiliki kekuatan dan motif yang diperlukan.
"Ada juga..."
Song Xiang ragu sejenak, lalu menurunkan suaranya lebih pelan lagi.
"Kakak Senior, menurutku Fang Han juga tersangka!"
"Fang Han?"
Chu Feng tertegun pada awalnya, lalu, seolah-olah mendengar lelucon paling absurd, senyum dingin dan mengejek terbit di bibirnya.
"Dia?"
Dia perlahan menggelengkan kepalanya, nadanya tegas dan dipenuhi penghinaan yang tidak disembunyikan.
"Sangat mustahil!"
"Kakak Senior, kenapa?"
Song Xiang bingung.
"Dari segi kekuatan, dia sekarang Tingkat Keenam dan memiliki kemampuan untuk menundukkan Deng Xiong. Dari segi motif, dendamnya padamu sangat dalam, jadi keinginannya untuk membalas dendam tidak perlu diragukan..."
"Motif dan kekuatannya mungkin cocok sampai batas tertentu, tapi ada satu hal yang membuatnya sangat mustahil!"
Chu Feng memotongnya, kilatan Insight berkilau di matanya.
"Pencuri itu datang dan pergi tanpa jejak. Bahkan Steward Zhou Kun yang kusewa tidak bisa menemukan petunjuk sedikit pun."
"Itu membutuhkan Teknik Rahasia Penyembunyian Napas yang sangat maju. Paling tidak, seseorang harus mengkultivasi Teknik Rahasia Penyembunyian Napas Kelas Menengah ke level tinggi!"
Dia berdiri dan berjalan ke jendela, membelakangi Song Xiang, suaranya dipenuhi keyakinan.
"Fang Han ini... meskipun dia dan aku berselisih, aku harus mengakui bahwa Kultivasi dan Ilmu Pedangnya sama-sama meningkat dengan kecepatan yang sangat cepat."
"Tapi justru karena alasan itu, semakin mustahil dia punya energi tambahan untuk berlatih Teknik Rahasia Penyembunyian Napas dan mengkultivasinya ke level setinggi itu!"
"Energi seseorang terbatas. Untuk mempertahankan kecepatan peningkatannya saat ini, dia pasti mencurahkan seluruh usahanya untuk Kultivasi dan Teknik Serangannya. Dia tidak mungkin punya waktu luang untuk terganggu dengan berlatih Teknik Rahasia Penyembunyian Napas."
Chu Feng berbalik, menatap Song Xiang, dan berkata dengan sangat yakin.
"Oleh karena itu, pasti bukan dia. Jika dia memiliki penguasaan Teknik Rahasia setingkat itu, kemajuannya di Martial Dao tidak akan pernah secepat ini!"
Mendengar ini, Song Xiang memikirkannya dengan hati-hati dan dikejutkan oleh betapa masuk akalnya analisis Chu Feng. Ekspresi pengertian mendadak dan kekaguman muncul di wajahnya.
"Wawasan Kakak Senior sangat brilian! Aku yang berpikiran pendek. Kalau begitu, kita memang bisa mencoret Fang Han sebagai tersangka. Ruang lingkupnya... menyempit ke beberapa orang yang kita sebutkan sebelumnya."
"Hm, fokuskan penyelidikan pada Zhang Yuan, Li Hun, Tu Lie... dan yang lainnya. Tempatkan lebih banyak orang dan awasi gerakan mereka dengan ketat!"
Chu Feng memerintahkan dengan dingin.
"Ya! Aku mengerti!"
Song Xiang membungkuk menerima perintah dan buru-buru mundur.
Sekali lagi, Chu Feng sendirian di ruang kerja. Dia menatap keluar jendela ke malam yang dalam, kilatan dingin berkedip di matanya.
'Tidak peduli siapa kamu, kamu telah membuatku membayar harga semahal ini... Aku bersumpah akan menyeretmu keluar dan mencabik-cabikmu!'
...
「Sub-Cabang, Kamar C-7.」
Fang Han duduk bersila di tempat tidurnya dalam postur Lima Hati Menghadap Langit, pikirannya fokus dan tenang.
Dia telah mengonsumsi Pil Roh Sejati, yang seukuran longan dan memiliki aroma obat yang menyegarkan. Kekuatan Obatnya yang murni dan sangat besar larut di dalam tubuhnya, melonjak seperti arus hangat.
Dengan Teknik Xunfeng yang beroperasi dengan kekuatan penuh, di bawah Amplifikasi Bakat Akar Tulang enam puluh empat kali lipat, kecepatannya menyerap dan memurnikan Kekuatan Obat sangat mengagumkan.
Qi Dalamnya melonjak seperti seratus sungai mengalir ke laut, berkumpul dengan deras ke Titik Akupuntur Jianliao yang baru dibuka.
Meskipun empat Bakatnya—Akar Tulang, Ilmu Pedang, Teknik Langkah, dan Teknik Rahasia—semuanya telah dinaikkan ke amplifikasi enam puluh empat kali lipat, Fang Han bisa dengan jelas merasakan selama Kultivasinya bahwa kecepatan Kultivasinya secara signifikan lebih cepat daripada kemajuannya dalam Ilmu Pedang, Body Technique, dan Teknik Rahasia.
Alasannya sederhana.
Earth Core Stone Milk!
Tetesan Earth Core Stone Milk yang dihadiahkan oleh Sekte telah sangat meningkatkan bakat akar tulangnya, menyebabkan bakatnya yang awalnya biasa saja mengalami peningkatan besar-besaran.
Dikombinasikan dengan amplifikasi enam puluh empat kali lipat yang mengerikan dari Bakat Akar Tulangnya, kedua efek itu ditumpuk, membuat Bakat Akar Tulangnya jauh lebih kuat daripada Bakat Ilmu Pedang, Bakat Langkah, dan Bakat Teknik Rahasianya. Inilah mengapa kecepatan Kultivasinya jauh melampaui kemajuannya dalam Ilmu Pedang, Body Technique, dan Teknik Rahasia.
Menggunakan Intropeksi, dia melihat bahwa di dalam Titik Akupuntur Jianliao-nya, titik akupuntur yang dulunya kosong sekarang lebih dari sembilan puluh lima persen penuh dengan Qi Dalam biru tua yang murni, dan masih tumbuh dengan kecepatan yang terlihat.
Perasaan penuh sampai meledak semakin jelas setiap hari.
'Dengan kecepatan ini, Titik Akupuntur Jianliao-ku akan penuh dengan Qi Dalam paling lambat besok, dan aku akan menyentuh hambatan menuju Tahap Tengah Tingkat Keenam...'
Fang Han memperkirakan dalam hati.
Baru lebih dari setengah bulan sejak dia menerobos ke Tahap Awal Tingkat Keenam, namun Kultivasinya sudah sejauh ini.
Jika kabar kecepatan kultivasi ini menyebar, itu sudah cukup untuk mengejutkan dunia.
Dia menahan pikirannya dan berhenti berpikir berlebihan, membenamkan dirinya sepenuhnya dalam kultivasinya. Dia membimbing Qi Dalam-nya, mencuci dan mengisi Titik Akupuntur Jianliao-nya berulang kali.
「Fajar menyingsing.」
Fang Han perlahan menghentikan latihannya dan membuka matanya. Kilatan biru tua energi murni mengalir di kedalaman matanya sebelum menghilang.
Setelah berkultivasi selama satu pagi, Qi Dalam di Titik Akupuntur Jianliao-nya telah terisi kembali cukup banyak, dan dia merasa segar bugar.
Dia bangun, membasuh wajahnya, merapikan jubahnya, menggantungkan pedang Flowing Wind di sisinya, dan mendorong pintu untuk pergi ke aula
"Well? Has that... scoundrel... shown himself?"
Chu Feng didn’t turn around, his voice low as he asked.
"Reporting to Senior Brother, the thief... it’s as if he’s vanished completely. There hasn’t been any sign of him for the past ten-odd days."
Song Xiang’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He braced himself and replied.
The air in the study instantly froze. Chu Feng’s fingers, which had been tapping on the window frame, abruptly stopped.
He slowly turned around. In the candlelight, his handsome face was shrouded in an inescapable gloom, and his gaze, sharp as an ice pick, stabbed straight at Song Xiang.
"And the three True Disciples? What’s on their minds?"
"The three Senior Brothers have been standing guard for over ten days without any sign of the culprit. They’ve grown quite impatient... Senior Brother Sun Mo was especially blunt, saying that Sect affairs are numerous and they can’t waste their time here indefinitely. He asked... when they can withdraw."
Feeling the invisible pressure, beads of cold sweat formed on Song Xiang’s forehead, and his voice grew increasingly hoarse.
Chu Feng’s brow furrowed, unable to suppress the irritation rising within him.
After all, Zhao Wuji, Sun Mo, and Li Qinghong were True Disciples. Their status was transcendent, and they were not his direct subordinates.
He had managed to persuade them to act only through friendship and the promise of a hefty reward.
Now, after more than ten days with no results, the three wanted to leave. If he forced them to stay, it would likely be counterproductive and damage their relationship.
’But if I call off the ambush now, what will I do if the thief stages a comeback?’
’My subordinates are in a panic. How could I possibly placate them?’
Various thoughts flashed through his mind. He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the churning anger and anxiety, and said in a heavy voice.
"Send a message to the three True Disciples. Ask them to be patient for a while longer. As compensation, I am willing to add another fifty thousand taels to their payment... bringing the total to one hundred and fifty thousand taels each. Please, they must stand guard for a while longer!"
One hundred and fifty thousand taels!
Upon hearing this, the corner of Song Xiang’s eye twitched. He was inwardly horrified.
This was an astronomical price! Even for True Disciples, it was an incredibly generous amount of resources.
’Senior Brother is really sparing no expense this time!’
"Yes, Senior Brother! I’ll go send the message at once!"
Song Xiang dared not say more and quickly agreed.
"Wait."
Chu Feng stopped Song Xiang. He walked over to his desk and sat down, rubbing the bridge of his nose, a trace of exhaustion and confusion on his face.
"Song Xiang, in your opinion, who could this thief possibly be? Why are they so intent on targeting me?"
Song Xiang cautiously took a few steps forward, pondered for a moment, and said in a low voice.
"Senior Brother, over the years, you’ve made... quite a few enemies. If we count those with the strength and motive to do something like this, there are many suspects."
"Go on."
Chu Feng looked up at Song Xiang.
"Within the Sect, in the True Inheritance Courtyard, among those who have grudges against you... True Inheritor Zhang Yuan is one. The Deng Family had originally planned to align themselves with him, but they later switched their allegiance to you."
"He has held a grudge about it ever since. Furthermore, his Cultivation has reached the Late Stage of Sixth Grade, and he has few rivals among Sixth Grade Martial Artists. He has the means to be the culprit."
Chu Feng nodded slightly, his expression noncommittal.
"Outside the Sect, among the Seven Sects, there’s Netherworld Pavilion’s True Inheritor ’Ghost Hand’ Ming Cang. He lost to you in a fight over Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures back then and swore revenge. Then there’s Overlord Blade Sect’s True Inheritor ’Mad Tiger’ Tu Lie, whose younger brother died from injuries you inflicted..."
Song Xiang listed several names in succession, all of them well-known figures who held grudges against Chu Feng.
As Chu Feng listened, his expression shifted. These people were indeed all suspects, and they all possessed the necessary strength and motive.
"There’s also..."
Song Xiang hesitated for a moment, then lowered his voice even more.
"Senior Brother, I think Fang Han is also a suspect!"
"Fang Han?"
Chu Feng was stunned at first, then, as if he had heard the most absurd joke, a cold, mocking smile touched his lips.
"Him?"
He slowly shook his head, his tone resolute and filled with undisguised contempt.
"Absolutely impossible!"
"Senior Brother, why?"
Song Xiang was confused.
"In terms of strength, he’s a Sixth Grade now and had the ability to subdue Deng Xiong. In terms of motive, his grudge against you runs deep, so his desire for revenge is unquestionable..."
"His motive and strength might match to some degree, but there is one point that makes it absolutely impossible!"
Chu Feng cut him off, a glint of Insight flashing in his eyes.
"That thief comes and goes without a trace. Even Steward Zhou Kun, whom I hired, couldn’t find the slightest clue."
"That requires a highly advanced Breath Concealment Secret Technique. At the very least, one would need to have cultivated a Middle Grade Breath Concealment Secret Technique to a high level!"
He stood up and walked to the window, his back to Song Xiang, his voice laced with certainty.
"This Fang Han... although he and I are at odds, I have to admit that his Cultivation and Swordsmanship have both improved at a divine speed."
"But for that very reason, it’s even more impossible that he would have the spare energy to practice a Breath Concealment Secret Technique and cultivate it to such a high level!"
"A person’s energy is finite. To maintain his current rate of improvement, he must be pouring all his effort into his Cultivation and Attack Techniques. He couldn’t possibly have the leisure to be distracted by practicing a Breath Concealment Secret Technique."
Chu Feng turned around, looked at Song Xiang, and said with great conviction.
"Therefore, it absolutely cannot be him. If he had that level of mastery in a Secret Technique, his progress in the Martial Dao could never be this rapid!"
Hearing this, Song Xiang thought it over carefully and was struck by how reasonable Chu Feng’s analysis was. A look of sudden understanding and admiration appeared on his face.
"Senior Brother’s insight is brilliant! It was I who was short-sighted. In that case, we can indeed rule out Fang Han as a suspect. The scope... narrows to the few people we mentioned before."
"Mm, focus the investigation on Zhang Yuan, Li Hun, Tu Lie... and the others. Assign more men and watch their movements closely!"
Chu Feng ordered coldly.
"Yes! I understand!"
Song Xiang bowed to accept the order and hastily withdrew.
Once again, Chu Feng was alone in the study. He stared out the window at the deep night, a cold glint flickering in his eyes.
’No matter who you are, you’ve made me pay such a price... I swear I’ll drag you out and tear you to pieces!’
...
「Sub-Branch, Room C-7.」
Fang Han sat cross-legged on his bed in the Five Hearts Facing Heaven posture, his mind focused and serene.
He had already consumed a True Spirit Pill, which was the size of a longan and had a refreshing medicinal fragrance. Its pure and immense Medicinal Power dissolved within his body, surging like a warm current.
With the Profound Wind Technique operating at full force, under the sixty-four-fold Root Bone Talent Amplification, his speed of absorbing and refining the Medicinal Power was astonishing.
His Inner Qi surged like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, converging tumultuously into the newly opened Jianliao Acupoint.
Although his four Talents—Root Bone, Swordsmanship, Step Technique, and Secret Technique—had all been raised to a sixty-four-fold amplification, Fang Han could clearly feel during his Cultivation that his Cultivation speed was significantly faster than his progress in Swordsmanship, Body Technique, and Secret Technique.
The reason was simple.
The Earth Core Stone Milk!
The drop of Earth Core Stone Milk rewarded by the Sect had vastly improved his Root Bone aptitude, causing his originally ordinary aptitude to undergo a massive enhancement.
Combined with the terrifying sixty-four-fold amplification from his Root Bone Talent, the two effects stacked, making his Root Bone Talent far stronger than his Swordsmanship Talent, Stepping Talent, and Secret Technique Talent. This was why his Cultivation speed far outpaced his progress in Swordsmanship, Body Technique, and Secret Technique.
Using Introspection, he saw that within his Jianliao Acupoint, the once-empty acupoint was now over ninety-five percent full of pure, dark-cyan Inner Qi, and it was still growing at a visible rate.
The feeling of being full to bursting grew clearer by the day.
’At this rate, my Jianliao Acupoint will be filled with Inner Qi by tomorrow at the latest, and I’ll touch the bottleneck to the Middle Stage of Sixth Grade...’
Fang Han estimated silently.
It had only been a little over half a month since he broke through to the Early Stage of Sixth Grade, yet his Cultivation had already progressed this far.
If word of this cultivation speed got out, it would be enough to shock the world.
He reined in his thoughts and stopped overthinking, immersing himself completely in his cultivation. He guided his Inner Qi, washing and filling his Jianliao Acupoint again and again.
「Daylight broke.」
Fang Han slowly ceased his practice and opened his eyes. A deep cyan glint of pure energy flowed through their depths before vanishing.
After a morning of cultivation, the Inner Qi in his Jianliao Acupoint had been replenished considerably, and he felt invigorated.
He got up, washed his face, straightened his robes, hung the Flowing Wind sword at his side, and pushed open the door to head to the dining hall for a meal.
The dining hall was bustling with noise. Disciples gathered in twos and threes, their conversations mostly revolving around the battle a few days prior between their Eldest Senior Brother, Luo Yuntian, and You Xin. Their words were filled with sighs and lamentations.
Fang Han quietly finished his breakfast and then got up to head to the Inheritance Hall.
Today was the fifteenth of the month, the day of Elder Chen Xuan’s lecture.
Fang Han found a seat near the front and sat down, waiting quietly for the lecture to begin.
Before long, Elder Chen Xuan walked slowly into the great hall, surrounded by a group of Stewards, and settled onto a cattail cushion at the head of the room.
His gaze swept over the disciples below, pausing for a moment on Fang Han, Yun Qianyue, Li Feng, and a few others. Then, he slowly began to speak, his steady and powerful voice reaching the ears of every disciple.
"Today, I will speak to you all about the battle a few days ago between our sect’s Eldest Senior Brother, Luo Yuntian, and Netherworld Pavilion’s Eldest Senior Brother, You Xin."
Upon hearing this, the disciples were instantly energized, and all of them perked up their ears.
Although many of them had gone to watch the battle that day, to be honest, they hadn’t quite understood what they were seeing. After all, the two combatants’ strength was far beyond their own.
"Luo Yuntian used the Cyan Cloud Sword Technique, and You Xin used the Nether Ghost Claw. Both are Top Martial Arts. From my observations, both have Cultivation at the Late Stage of Fourth Grade, and both have cultivated their respective Top Martial Arts to the realm of ’Perfection’..."
Elder Chen Xuan recounted the details of the battle, dissecting the Martial Techniques used by both sides, their application of Inner Qi, and their battlefield adaptations one by one. His insights were sharp and hit right at the heart of the matter.
"True Inheritor Luo Yuntian’s defeat this time was not because his Martial Technique was inferior, but because his Body Technique was a notch below."
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