"I am here to investigate something. If you help me, I will keep your identity a secret, and you will definitely get a reward and a token of acknowledgment from the Great Eastern Sect," Su Wen said.
As he spoke, he took out a grey, powdery pill and casually handed it over to Du Yufeng, as if it were nothing special.
Du Yufeng's eyes lit up instantly. The moment the pill touched his palm, his breathing unconsciously slowed. He held it up carefully, turning it between his fingers, staring at it as though he were some great alchemist trying to decipher a profound secret hidden within its dull exterior.
"This…" Du Yufeng murmured, his tone filled with intrigue.
"Have you seen this kind of pill at the Moon City Lord's mansion, or used by any of his subordinates in Moon City?" Su Wen asked confidently, his voice calm and domineering. "Try smelling it a little. See if you've sensed anything similar before."
Du Yufeng froze. The Moon City Lord… being investigated?
A chill ran through him as realization dawned. No wonder this 'disciple of the Great Eastern Sect' had come to him specifically. Recently, he had been in frequent contact with the Moon City Lord's people… handling errands, passing messages, staying close enough to be useful, but not important enough to matter.
That made him the perfect pawn.
His expression wavered as hesitation crept into his eyes. This was dangerous… far more dangerous than spreading rumours about his daughter. If this went wrong, he could be dragged down along with the Moon City Lord.
But then he looked at the pill again. At the promise of secrecy, reward and the token of acknowledgment from the Great Eastern Sect, his thoughts wavered. Greed quietly crushed his doubts.
After a brief pause, Du Yufeng brought the pill closer, inhaling gently, his eyes narrowing as he searched his memory… already halfway convinced that whatever he said next would be worth the risk.
Du Yufeng kept inhaling the powdery pill for the next few seconds, carefully sniffing it again and again, racking his brain for any familiar scent. His brows furrowed, trying to recall whether he had encountered anything similar at Moon City Lord's mansion or among its subordinates.
Just as he was about to lower the pill and look up at Su Wen… His vision blurred.
The pill suddenly burst apart right at his nose. Before Du Yufeng could even process what had happened, a strange numbness flooded his senses. His thoughts slowed, his limbs grew heavy, and panic surged through him far too late.
Su Wen moved instantly.
With Celestial Void Steps and the Heavenly Body Fist, his figure vanished and reappeared beside Du Yufeng in a blink. A sharp, precise strike landed at Du Yufeng's throat, crushing his vocal cords before he could even gasp. No sound came out… only a silent, choking horror.
Before Du Yufeng could react, Su Wen followed up without pause. His palms struck just above both ears, sending a violent shock through Du Yufeng's head. His mind went blank, his consciousness reeling as his body slammed against the wall.
Su Wen covered his mouth with a cloth, pinning him in place so not even a muffled sound could escape. Then came a decisive blow straight to the dantian.
The last thing Du Yufeng felt was despair.
His cultivation shattered instantly.
Su Wen didn't stop there. A few swift, precise strikes landed on Du Yufeng's shoulders and back, leaving him completely unable to move or resist. By the time Su Wen stepped back, Du Yufeng was reduced to a broken, crippled shell… barely conscious and utterly helpless.
It all happened in mere seconds.
Clean. Silent. Final.
The last thing that registered in Du Yufeng's mind before darkness claimed him was a faint, almost mocking thought: "The pill looks sinister… but it's actually just a sleeping pill."
In less than five seconds, Du Yufeng was rendered a complete cripple. Su Wen calmly opened the room door and stepped inside. Without hesitation, he used his authority to relocate the Mountain's portable door directly to this room and entered.
He didn't go all the way to the mountain's peak… instead, he stopped midway along the trail and slipped into the nearby woods. With the precision granted by his Soul Sense and Spiritual Qi, he dug a shallow hole in seconds, burying Du Yufeng up to his neck. The man's body remained immobilized, and once he awoke, he would find himself completely crippled.
Next, Su Wen deployed a Barrier and Soundproof Formation around him to ensure no one would stumble upon the scene. He returned to the inn room, removed the Mountain's entry location, and cautiously checked the surroundings from the window… finding nothing suspicious.
Satisfied, he quietly used Celestial Void Steps to slip away. He reemerged in a dark alley, returning to the same appearance he had worn when first entering the city. With his composure intact, he blended into the bustling town, going about his shopping as if nothing had happened.
Su Wen set his destination without hesitation… the Treasure Tower. He needed cultivation resources, and more importantly, he was looking for any Grade 3 Soul‑Nurturing Herb for Du Yue.
He strolled through the streets at an unhurried pace, completely unconcerned, when a loud commotion suddenly erupted from across the road. A moment later, an old man was unceremoniously kicked out of a gambling bar and sent flying through the air.
The old man tumbled across the street and landed flat on his butt right in front of Su Wen.
He looked every bit like a swindler… his beard long and scraggly, nearly reaching his belly, his clothes messy and stained. Clutching his backside, he twisted around and pointed angrily at the gambling bar.
"Y‑You fools!" the old man shouted indignantly. "How can you throw me out just because I used a little smoke technique? That wasn't cheating! It was a luck‑enhancing atmosphere effect! The fact that you couldn't see the cards anymore is not my problem!"
A furious voice immediately shot back from inside the bar.
"Old man, that smoke doesn't make you clever!" the bartender yelled. "It just lets you snatch everyone's spirit stones without them noticing! Get lost before I personally drag you back in and make you return every last one!"