Star Trace Gate

Chapter 875: Strange Night, Three Men in Black

In the evening, at Sun's house.

Sun Qingxue was wearing a light green silk dress, with a graceful figure, and walked into her father's study with light steps.

She has smooth hair, delicate features, fair and translucent skin, and a quiet and gentle beauty in every move.

Inside the library, Sun Michen sat on a spacious chair, concentrating on reading an ancient book. Hearing his daughter enter, he asked with concern, "Shan'er said you haven't had dinner for three days?"

"Yes, my daughter is currently trying to comprehend the vegetarian mind method and is fasting on a diet."

"You have already got the quota to leave your hometown, so don't work too hard." Sun Michen closed the book and advised softly.

"Ah."

Sun Qingxue smiled and nodded, then said, "Dad, is there something you want me to do?"

"Old Guo said that Tianwei's nephew came over early this morning. He said that Tianwei has been feeling unwell lately and will not be attending the banquet for the time being." Sun Michen slowly stood up, hands behind his back, and sighed, "Alas, Tianwei has always been resistant to me, so... she's not unwell, she just doesn't want to see me."

"I'm afraid... she doesn't want to see my mother either, after all..." Sun Qingxue suppressed her smile and said half of what she wanted to say.

Sun Michen didn't explain much to his daughter. After pacing around the room, he softly said, "To show your sincerity, go and invite her in person. If she can come, that would be great; if she still has objections, then forget it..."

"Do you want to bring some gifts for the visit?" Sun Qingxue asked softly.

"No need. A down-and-out 'royal family' is still 'royal family'." Sun Michen waved his hand. "You don't understand Tian Wei. Although she has lived in extreme poverty these years, her inherent pride has never changed. Haha, otherwise she wouldn't have always looked down on me. She wouldn't accept a gift from you. An invitation to her door is enough to show your sincerity."

"Yes, my daughter will be there soon."

"Haha, you should go later." Sun Michen smiled helplessly: "Otherwise, if you go too early, you may not be able to see her."

"Okay, my daughter has taken note of it."

"Well, go ahead...!" Sun Michen waved his hand.

Sun Qingxue bowed to her father and left.

Sun Michen was wearing a gorgeous suit, with his hands behind his back, looking at the sunset outside the window, looking quietly thoughtful.

……

After finishing his work for the day, the Little Bad King went to Zhao's house and began his task of "being quiet for an hour".

After undergoing another laparotomy, his admiration for Zhao Mi, Old Bi Deng, reached its peak. With such a major incident unfolding in Xuwang Village, and his position as head of the clan hall, coupled with his recent departure from home, he was swamped with daily tasks, barely a moment's leisure. Yet, Old Bi Deng remained unfazed, performing surgeries daily without fail, insisting on "peeking" into his three thousand secret treasures. This obsession had reached a near-obsessive level.

Ren did some mental calculations and realized that he was using her even more than his concubines. They could at least rest seven days a month, but he had to endure the torture of a cesarean section every day, which was far more painful than menstrual cramps...

However, the Little Bad King was vaguely aware that the "aftereffects" of his daily caesarian section had diminished considerably. When he first entered this secret realm, his body would feel extremely weak after an hour of quiet time, as if he had just experienced a serious illness, but now that feeling had noticeably subsided.

Especially since yesterday, the feeling of weakness has become almost imperceptible, and after "sleeping" for an hour, he will feel clear-headed and have a comfortable feeling after a deep sleep.

Since Zhao Haochen took over the prison break case and was extremely busy, Ren Ye did not see him at the Zhao family today. After completing his task in Wudao Lu, he asked Zhao Mi a question as usual.

"Master Zhao, if a cultivator accidentally obtains a secret method that does not belong to his own inheritance, and is quite interested in it and wants to study and practice it diligently, what should he pay attention to?" Ren Ye asked this question. It seemed that the apprentice was asking for advice from his master, but in fact he was revealing the secret of his possession of three thousand secret treasures.

Most of the people in Xuwang Village were unaware of his possession of three thousand secret treasures. Even the blind man and Zhao Mi didn't make this clear to each other during their encounter. Otherwise, Zhao Mi wouldn't have had to force Ren Ye to read various ancient books and guide him into a deep sleep.

However, the Little Bad King wasn't going to play along with Old Deng anymore. He was clearly telling him, "I know you're dissecting me every day, and I know you're spying on the 'three thousand secret treasures' within my star core." But that doesn't matter. Since I can't resist, I'm definitely going to enjoy it. I can't miss the opportunity to ask you a question every day. Everyone gets what they need, and no one should be upset.

Zhao Mi sat on the couch, feeling a little surprised, because this was the first time the blind man asked him a question about "the path of Taoism".

He paused briefly, then raised his teacup and replied, "If another cultivator diligently practiced secret techniques not belonging to their own lineage, they would likely become distracted and unfocused, becoming distracted. But you are different. 'Diversity' is your great path, and integrating countless magical powers is your ultimate goal. Therefore, for you, delving into more secret techniques that do not belong to you is the true great path. And as you study, just remember these eight words: carefully comprehend, and immerse yourself in perception."

Ren also heard this answer and felt a surge of confusion. "Master Zhao, each family has its own path and distinct cultivation system. If I delve into another family's path with 'careful understanding and immersion,' wouldn't it... affect my own path? While comprehending the Dao rhymes of other families, I might gradually become delirious, even in danger of going insane. How can I avoid this?"

"You slept for an hour today, so I answered one of your questions. That's fair." Zhao Mi shook his head slightly. "But if you ask again, it's unfair. You have two choices. The first is to figure out your own question, and the second is to ask again tomorrow."

Damn, this Lao Deng is really a strict and selfish businessman. One caesarean section can only solve one problem, and then he is unwilling to say another word.

Ren also stood up and said softly, "I understand. I will take my leave now."

"Ah."

Zhao Mi responded with a cold expression.

Ren also said goodbye and walked home alone.

Zhao Mi sat on the cushion in the Wudao Pavilion, pondering for a long moment before muttering with a cold expression, "Oh, this kid really isn't willing to give up. He's been secretly pursuing the secret of his own star core, hoping to turn things around..."

……

On the way home, Ren Ye thought as he walked, and gradually digested Zhao Mi's answer.

The question he asked seemed to be an attempt to implicitly explore the true meaning of the "Three Thousand Secret Treasures" from the perspective of a blind man, but in reality, it was asked on his own behalf. Because he was not truly blind, he was only briefly impersonating the blind man in the secret realm. So, when he returned to his role as the Human Emperor, he discovered that he and the blind man had many similarities.

He also mastered many secret techniques not inherited from the Human Emperor, such as the Finger of Samsara and the Sky-lifting Green Bamboo, which were likely inherited from the Netherworld. Meanwhile, techniques like Heavenly Fire and the Void-wielding Boundary Stone, which were likely inherited from the Artisan lineage, were unsure how to integrate these unique skills with his own, ensuring they would not interfere with each other when he reached the pinnacle of enlightenment.

But the answer Zhao Mi gave today was too vague and not precise, so Ren also planned to ask him for advice again tomorrow.

After all, he is one of the most powerful beings in this Tian'en-level secret realm, and he also represents the will of heaven. The answer he gives must be of extremely high reference value.

For the Little Bad King, no one in this world can always get what he wants for free. His bottom line is to accept mutual whoring. So after he figured it out, he cherished the opportunity to ask Zhao Mi a question every day.

At the beginning of the Xu hour, as soon as Ren Ye returned to his small, poor home, he saw the unemployed young lady bringing out food from the kitchen.

A steamed fish, a plate of stir-fried pork and bamboo shoots, a bowl of thick chicken soup, two big steamed buns...

Ren also washed up briefly, then smiled and said, "Auntie, the food tonight is good."

"I'm unemployed and at home with nothing to do... so I went to the market early and picked up some leftover ingredients. They're very cheap." Aunt Tianwei put the food on the table: "Come and eat."

"it is good."

Ren Ye impatiently took off his uniform, bent down and sat at the old dining table, and began to show off his food.

Honestly, my aunt's cooking skills were getting better and better. In the blind man's memory, when he and his aunt first arrived in Xuwang Village, the food she cooked wasn't terrible, but the texture and flavor were similar to burnt lamb patties and eggs...

But now she can cook a table full of delicious dishes, especially this thick chicken soup, which is moderately salty, sticky and full of fragrance. The little bad king drank three big bowls in a row.

After eating and drinking, he felt sleepy. Ren washed the dishes while yawning, said good night to his sister-in-law, and then went back to his room to rest.

He lay on the hard wooden bed, thinking about meeting the storyteller tomorrow night. So, during the day, he still had to observe the progress of the jailbreak case, and then quietly get some information from Xiaopang to see if he knew more than he did...

As he thought about it, he fell into a very deep sleep.

……

Late at night, past midnight, the moon and stars were bright, and the entire Xuwang Village was shrouded in a sleepy and silent atmosphere.

"rustle……!"

A refreshing cool breeze blew, and a burly man with broad shoulders and a strong waist, followed by two men in black, walked lightly into a dark and narrow alley.

This burly man, dispatched by the "mysterious man with disheveled hair," had secretly arrived at Ren Ye's door late at night, carrying a pair of shoes as evidence. The two men in black behind him were also powerful figures emitting black energy. Their figures were very blurry, as if they were using some strange secret technique.

A burly man in a black robe stood in the dark alley, his gaze sharp as he spoke, "That little blind man is at the White Qi realm, and his aunt is at most at the Red Qi realm. While these two are just stray dogs and not a concern, our benefactor doesn't want to cause any complications by framing them, especially if the Third Hall learns of this. So... we absolutely must not wake them up. We just need to quietly hide these shoes in the blind man's home."

"Ah."

The two men in black nodded slightly.

The burly man carefully sensed his surroundings before ordering, "Pengyuan, use your magic to lure his aunt and nephew into a dream. Lin Er, use your illusionary magic to isolate this place, and then I can go in alone..."

"it is good."

The black-clad figure on the left, named Peng Yuan, raised his arm upon hearing this. He formed the "Moon Sleeping Seal" with his right hand, lightly interlocking his middle and ring fingers with his thumb, and slightly curling his index and pinky fingers to resemble a crescent moon. He placed them on his heart and chanted, "The moonlight shines, piercing the depths of the netherworld: the moon is my guide, the dream tapir my support: my body is no longer mine, my spirit enters the depths of the netherworld—command!"

As soon as he said this, a dim light appeared between his brows, which seemed to be able to affect the heaven and earth, resonating with the moonlight, and making the bright full moon covered with a faint blue color.

The faint blue moonlight penetrated the wooden windows of the low houses, slowly spreading and filling every corner of the small, shabby home.

Peng Yuan closed his eyes slightly and suddenly said, "There's someone missing in the room. His aunt is not here!"

"Huh? Isn't she unemployed? Is she out temporarily?"