Jiang Wang and the other two gathered together, summarizing the information they had obtained.

“Alright!” Zhao Rucheng tapped his forehead. “The information everyone got is pretty much the same, which proves it’s reliable. So this Zhang Xizhi is just like this.”

He added, “No matter what he’s like in secret, since he’s usually like this, he won’t suddenly change when on a mission in front of his fellow disciples.”

“Rigorous,” Jiang Wang gave him a thumbs up.

Zhao Rucheng rolled his eyes and continued to analyze: “Zhang Xizhi’s personality has one very prominent point, mentioned by his family and friends, which is ‘steadfast’. In other words, ‘cautious’. Everyone knows how dangerous the Qichang Mountain Range is. The only reason someone like him would chase up the mountain is that the target is within reach, and he judges that he can successfully descend the mountain without too much time. The degree of danger is within a controllable range.”

He asked with a smile, “What does this mean?”

Ling He also smiled: “It means they didn’t have time to discuss it. Since the target was within reach, their first choice was naturally to chase after it, instead of stopping to discuss. Fang Hueling’s so-called persuasion to set up an ambush at the foot of the mountain, and Zhang Xizhi assigning tasks and insisting on going up the mountain—that didn’t happen.”

“Alas, with Du Hu out, I can’t even see a pair of inquisitive eyes.” Zhao Rucheng deliberately looked dejected. “I’m so disappointed.”

“When Tiger returns on New Year’s Eve, you can tell him in person.” Jiang Wang patted him on the shoulder. “Even if you forget, I’ll help you pass it on.”

“Hey! Pass on what? What did I say? I don’t remember,” Zhao Rucheng looked at Ling He. “Big brother, did I just say something?”

Ling He ignored their antics, just pondering: “Why would Fang Hueling lie?”

Zhao Rucheng chuckled: “Either he deserted, or he betrayed the enemy.”

The reason it couldn’t be a premeditated scheme, and it’s unlikely that Fang Hueling colluded with those heretics from the start, is that such a self-implicating frame-up is simply too foolish. Fang Hueling wouldn’t be that stupid.

Ling He didn’t say anything more, just suddenly sighed.

He knew that the Fang family was finished.

The nature of this matter was too serious. Once it was exposed, Fang Hueling’s future would be hopeless. The entire Fang family might be implicated.

“We don’t need to go to the scene of the incident. We can’t be more professional than the people from the Punishment Division. The only lead to follow now is Fang Hueling. Whether he deserted or betrayed the enemy, clarifying it will suffice.” Zhao Rucheng asked, “Who’s going?”

“I’ll go.” Fang Hueling might be involved with heretics after all. Jiang Wang had the strongest combat power, so it was his responsibility.

Ling He and Zhao Rucheng had no objection. They dispersed.

If Fang Hueling had already turned to the heretics, they might send someone to secretly monitor them. So they all acted normal.

Ling He went back to cultivate. While Jiang Wang went back to cultivate, he also instructed Jiang An’an and Tang Dun in their martial arts.

Zhao Rucheng went home to sleep.

……

As the saying goes, “While others cultivate, I do not, sleeping soundly till noon.”

Zhao Rucheng was used to being lazy. After enduring a day of busy work, the excitement of decryption had passed, and he felt bored.

Returning to his room, he went straight to lift the quilt, ready to sleep.

Uncle Deng, wearing a silk gown, slowly walked in.

Zhao Rucheng looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

“The people from the Punishment Division are investigating us,” Uncle Deng said.

Zhao Rucheng was silent for a while, then said, “We won’t be staying for long anyway, right?”

Uncle Deng twitched his lips: “You can’t hide anything from you.”

“You bled that night. Besides those hunting dogs catching up, what else could it be?”

“Not exactly catching up,” Uncle Deng said. “Knowing you like this place, I deliberately took a detour and led them elsewhere.”

“How much longer can we stay at most?”

Uncle Deng thought for a moment, and said, “New Year’s Eve.”

“Being able to spend the New Year with them is also good.” Zhao Rucheng simply lay down, covering his head with the quilt, his voice muffled from underneath. “Let the people from the Punishment Division investigate. If they go too far, you take care of it.”

Uncle Deng smiled. “Alright.”

……

Late at night, after completing his evening studies, Jiang Wang quietly left the room and headed straight for the Fang family’s territory.

After the door closed, Jiang An’an scrambled up, wrapped her brother’s thick coat around herself, took out a chubby little cloud crane, and leaned on a small stool, starting to write a letter to that pretty older sister.

Her brother often peeked at her letters, thinking she didn’t know. She just didn’t want to bother with it. But to keep her little secrets, she now wrote and read letters at times when her brother wasn’t around, squeezing it in whenever possible.

……

Under the cover of night, Jiang Wang smoothly infiltrated the Fang family’s territory.

He was already quite familiar with this place, carefully avoiding the Fang family guards on patrol.

He had done this with Xiong Wen before.

Compared to that night, the Fang family’s defenses were now tighter, but the spirit of those guards gave Jiang Wang the feeling that they were actually worse than before.

Soon he came to Fang Hueling’s house and began to look for the best place to lie in wait. Zhao Rucheng had already scouted the area during the day.

When Jiang Wang approached the target location, he found that someone was already crouching there. From this angle, he could only see the side of his head.

No need to guess, it must be someone from the Punishment Division.

This was a possibility that Zhao Rucheng had suggested long ago.

If Jiang Wang and the others could find out that there was a problem with Fang Hueling, the people from the Punishment Division weren’t blind either. The reason why there had been no investigation results until now was probably just a behavior to paralyze the target.

Jiang Wang didn’t act rashly, held his breath, and moved to another location—a tree near the back wall corner.

The trees in winter had sparse leaves, not very good at hiding tracks. But fortunately, the night was the best cover.

Jiang Wang curled up into a ball in the tree branches, minimizing the possibility of exposure. Only his eyes watched the Fang mansion.

Holding his breath, he waited quietly for changes.

……

The wind moved the long night, the moon hid in heavy clouds.

The lights in Fang Hueling’s room had long been extinguished, but at this time, he went out of the courtyard, leaped up, and got on the roof. After roughly looking at the direction, he silently landed and left.

Just from this series of silent movements, one could see the change in his strength. Perhaps he had already completed the Minor Zhoutian Realm and entered the Zhoutian Realm!

Jiang Wang did not act in a hurry, but waited patiently for a few breaths.

Then, sure enough, a black shadow came out, but the position where this person came out was not the position where Jiang Wang had previously judged the Punishment Division’s sentry to be hiding.

There were actually three groups of people monitoring Fang Hueling tonight!

Even stranger, this person did not follow Fang Hueling, but turned and went to another location in the Fang family’s territory. Jiang Wang remembered that it was the direction of the Fang family’s ancestral hall.

Jiang Wang didn’t move, and after a few more breaths, the Punishment Division’s sentry came out of hiding and went after Fang Hueling.

Jiang Wang still didn’t move, but waited until this tracker was about to disappear before he came down from the tree. Silently, he followed.

Only now could he be sure that there was no fourth group tonight.