The alley was pitch black like a pot upside down, and the wind emerged from the narrow passage, carrying a earthy smell mixed with rust. Qin Zhao's footsteps did not stop, and the soles of his boots rolled over the bluestone, making a steady sound. He had just come out of the Tianyun Pavilion, and the nine jade plaques at his waist were still trembling slightly. They were filled with freshly snatched spirit stones, which were scorching hot.
The itching sensation in the back of the neck hasn't dissipated yet.
It's not an illusion. At the moment when he was at the entrance of the gambling house just now, a thread pierced into the edge of his sea of consciousness, groping softly as if afraid of waking up some fierce beast. He didn't show any signs, pretending not to notice anything, but the faint golden crack on his left eyebrow bone had already quietly flashed twice.
He knows - someone is eyeing him.
And it's not for money. It's the door in his mind.
Guixu Treasure House is still digesting the energy of spiritual stones, like a lazy man who has eaten his fill, dozing off in the depths of the Sea of Knowledge. But Qin Zhao knew that once this thing was detected by outsiders, it immediately became a hot commodity. Which of those old foxes in the Seven Temples isn't the one who pounces upon the scent?
He continued walking forward, his pace neither too fast nor too slow, his right hand naturally hanging to his side, and his fingertips occasionally rubbing against the "slag" on the wine pot. Cold and uncomfortable, reminding him that he is still alive and not to be foolish.
The wind grew stronger at the corner, blowing his long hair back and causing the rope tying his hair to sway with the fragments of the thunder spear. At this moment——
That spiritual thread has come again.
Twice as thick as before, like a slippery snake, it crawled through the crevices of the sea of knowledge and tentatively touched the outer wall of the treasure trove.
Qin Zhao curled his mouth and didn't laugh out loud.
Okay, it's quite greedy.
He slowly stroked the dark mark on his left wrist with his left hand, and the mark under his skin was slightly burning, as if sensing an intruder. The Guixu Treasury has its own devouring attribute. Without reason, whoever dares to touch it will devour it. But he didn't let the treasure trove immediately bite back, instead he put the silk thread half an inch deeper and pretended to relax his defense.
Don't you want to see it? Let me show you enough.
That spiritual force was indeed fooled, and suddenly stabbed inside, heading straight to the core area of the treasure trove!
In this second——
Qin Zhao suddenly turned around!
The movements were crisp and decisive, and even the cloak didn't bring much wind. His pupils instantly turned a dark purple, like two clusters of dim flames igniting in the dark night. Within the sea of consciousness, his will transformed into an invisible knife, cutting upwards along the spiritual thread in reverse!
Click!
It seems like a string has broken.
A muffled groan came from the darkness, extremely short but scattered by the wind. Immediately afterwards, a black figure fell out of the shadows in the corner of the wall, staggering a few steps before barely stabilizing. Sweat streamed down his forehead, and a twisted mark appeared on his forehead - a crescent moon holding a closed eye, which was the identity imprint of a low-level detective in the Heart Palace.
Qin Zhao didn't say a word, took a step forward, and heavily stepped on his wrist with the sole of his boot.
The bones made a slight creaking sound, and the person gasped in pain but dared not struggle.
Who sent you here? "Qin Zhao spoke in a low and gentle voice, as if asking how many bowls of rice he had eaten today.
The other party gritted their teeth and didn't answer, only staring at him tightly.
Qin Zhao lowered his head and looked at the hand under his feet - with slender knuckles and calluses on the palm, it was the traces left by years of manipulating mental power. This kind of person is accustomed to using illusions to make up stories and is very stubborn.
He didn't get angry either, but instead smiled and said, "You're not going to say it, are you? Then I'll say it for you
He leaned down and leaned closer to the other person's ear, his tone as light as a casual conversation: "You are from the third patrol team of the Shexin Palace, with the code number C-73 and the task code 'Jingxin'. The reward is ten medium grade spirit stones and one opportunity to warm up the soul vein. You originally only wanted to sneak a peek, but found that there was something wrong with my sea recognition structure. The more you looked at it, the more you became greedy, and you couldn't help but increase your output... Then I followed the clues and caught you
The person's pupils suddenly contracted.
Qin Zhaosong stepped back and said, "Your temple master has been quite idle lately, even sending out these little rascals to pick up leaks
You... how do you know all this... "The scout's voice trembled.
I also know that you secretly ate the meat buns offered in the kitchen last night, with oil stains on the lining of your sleeves, "Qin Zhao clapped her hands
He turned around to leave, but then stopped.
Go back and tell your temple master, "he said calmly without turning his head," Returning to the ruins with a broken soul... he can't take it away
After speaking, the alley fell silent for a moment.
The scout sat slumped on the ground, his forehead imprint dimmed, and his face turned pale as paper. The spiritual tentacles are severed in reverse, not only damaging one's cultivation, but also leaving cracks in the sea of consciousness, which cannot be restored for three to five months. He trembled as he tried to touch the messenger talisman, only to find that the talisman paper had been soaked in sweat and had expired.
Qin Zhao has already taken five or six steps away.
He didn't turn back, nor did he glance at that person again. The temperature of the dark mark on the left wrist dropped, and the treasure trove remained quiet as before, as if the previous blow was just a hiccup.
But this matter is not over yet.
He knows that there must be someone watching behind these small characters. Perhaps at this moment, there is a second pair of eyes observing his every move from a high place. There may also be a third spiritual thread, hidden deeper and wrapped further, waiting for him to relax his guard before suddenly taking action.
So he can't stop.
I can't turn back either.
At the end of the alley, the lights were sparse, and several red lanterns hung at the corner of the street in the distance. One of them was tilted halfway, revealing three blurry characters: * * Drunken Cloud Residence * *.
That's where he's going next.
According to the informant, someone will be waiting for him there tonight to discuss a deal - intelligence about an abandoned mineral vein. The other party claimed to be a traitor to the Broken Life Hall and held a map in their hand that could avoid the patrol route of the Law Enforcement Hall. The truth or falsehood is unknown, but it is worth listening to.
Qin Zhao touched the ninth spatial jade token around his waist. It had just shaken, not because the spirit stone was full, but because it sensed some kind of hidden fluctuation. Like a warning, yet also like a response.
His footsteps remained steady, his breathing was steady, and he still looked lazy and casual. However, every step landed precisely between the bricks, as if measured.
The counterattack just now was not just to scare off the scouts.
Also testing.
Test the current state of Guixu Treasure House, test his own reaction speed to mental level attacks, and test whether other forces have taken advantage of the situation to fish in troubled waters.
The result is good.
The treasure trove swallowed up some of the invading spiritual remnants, transforming them into trace amounts of energy that settled down. Although not much, it was enough to make his sea of consciousness more solid. Equivalent to doing a free soul SPA.
As for the spy? Cannot die, nor can it make waves. If the Shuxin Hall really had the ability, it wouldn't have sent such cannon fodder to send heads.
He walked out of the alley, and the night breeze blew towards him, rolling up the corners of his robe.
The lights in the block ahead are dim and there are few pedestrians, only a few pharmacies and blacksmiths that operate all night are still lit up. Zuiyunju was just three hundred steps ahead, with a waiter in a gray robe standing at the door, yawning and sweeping the floor.
Qin Zhao lifted his foot and prepared to step out.
At this moment——
The crack on the left eyebrow bone suddenly flickered again.
Extremely fast, fleeting.
He paused in his footsteps and narrowed his eyes slightly.
It's not an illusion.
After the blow just now, there was indeed another lingering breath, extremely weak, as if hiding in a deeper darkness, watching from a distance. Not as reckless as a spy, nor as eager for quick success as an ordinary monitor.
More like... evaluation.
He is being evaluated by someone.
Qin Zhao didn't move, nor did he look up to see which building or window. He just slowly raised his hand, touched the word "slag" on the wine pot, and pressed it with his fingertips.
Then he continued walking forward.
One step, two steps, three steps
The figure gradually merged into the light and shadow of the block ahead.
Behind, the dark alley remained silent. At the corner of the wall, the scout curled up on the ground and finally struggled to pull out a dark red jade talisman, his fingers trembling as he lit it.
The flash of fire turned the jade talisman into ashes.
On a loft two streets away, the window lattice creaked lightly, and a figure withdrew its gaze and whispered, "The target has been confirmed, and the Guixu fluctuation is real. It is recommended to report it to the main hall immediately
The flickering candlelight in the room reflected a expressionless face.
In the next moment, the talisman in the person's sleeve lit up slightly, and a secret message quietly came out.
Qin Zhao is unaware of these.
He only knew that he had to go to Drunken Cloud Residence for a drink now and listen to what the so-called 'traitor' could say.
As he approached the tavern, the waiter looked up at him, paused for a moment, and then smiled and said, "Sir... what are you
Qin Zhao threw a spirit stone onto the table and said, "The strongest one in the pot, don't ask me where I come from or where I'm going
The waiter quickly nodded and bowed, "Okay! I'll be right there