Although he knew he couldn't uncover the truth of the matter so quickly, the sight of the young girl from before still made Lin Yun's heart ache.
"It seems they've been making quite a stir here," Lin Yun muttered.
As he returned to the village, he saw Fang Yu'er hurrying out with several people. They were completely stunned to see him.
What's going on? Hasn't this boy already left? Why is he back?
Just a moment ago, they were thinking that if Lin Yun discovered their secret, they would have no choice but to fight him to the death. They never expected him to simply return. This completely threw them for a loop, and their previous plans vanished like smoke.
Fang Yu'er glanced at her companions, then put on a smile and hurried forward to greet him. "Oh, Brother Lin, where did you go? We were so worried looking for you. I was afraid you had run into some danger."
Faced with the concerned Fang Yu'er, Lin Yun smiled in return. "This area is just too vast. I was only taking a look around."
Fang Yu'er nodded and said, "Brother Lin still needs to be careful. There are many fierce beasts nearby. They're quite terrifying." She put on the air of a delicate young woman.
The people beside her immediately chimed in, "That's right! We were all worried you might get hurt, so we came out in a hurry to look for you."
Everyone knew the truth but left it unsaid.
But Lin Yun was curious. These people from the Crimson Ghost Sect had surely realized who he was by now, right? Even if they weren't certain, after what had just happened, they should have their suspicions. Yet their current behavior was truly baffling. Why, at this crucial moment, did they not dare to make a move against him? Were they really showing him mercy?
Lin Yun looked at Fang Yu'er intently. And sure enough, her panel had changed.
[Name]: Fang Yu'er [Realm]: Sky-Soaring Realm - Stage 4 [Destiny Template]: Natural Seductive Bones (Purple) [Attributes]: Bewitching Fragrance (Blue), Seductive & Deceitful Words (Blue) [Natural Seductive Bones]: You were born with a natural gift for seduction. Your every move exudes immense charm, and you possess a unique advantage in cultivating seduction arts. [Bewitching Fragrance]: Your body emits a peculiar fragrance. Anyone who smells it will fall into a daze. [Seductive & Deceitful Words]: When you practice your seduction arts, your words become more persuasive. [Fate]: Is killed in the Red Dust Pavilion for offending a client. [Recent Turning Point]: Received internal intelligence from the Crimson Ghost Sect that an agent of Prince Zuo Cheng will soon arrive to gather information. Her orders are to conceal the secrets of this location, obtain as much information from the agent as possible, and, if necessary, she is permitted to use "special means."
Prince Zuo Cheng is aware of the situation here, too?
This was somewhat surprising to Lin Yun. Although he knew the Prince was now a powerful figure whose influence covered the sky, it was still impressive that he knew the inside details of this matter.
But for the current Lin Yun, this might also be an opportunity.
Fang Yu'er had clearly mistaken him for an agent of Prince Zuo Cheng. That was why she didn't dare to act rashly. Lin Yun didn't know if the Prince was cooperating with the Crimson Ghost Sect, but the Flowing Cloud Sect and the Shangqing Temple definitely had an unclear relationship with them behind the scenes. The entire situation in Wangjing was now a confusing mess; even Lin Yun couldn't see through it all.
With this layer of mistaken identity, he might just be a little safer. Having figured this out, Lin Yun finally relaxed. Since they were unwilling to expose the truth, it suited his plans perfectly.
The others looked at Fang Yu'er with an obvious, unspoken urgency in their eyes, as if prompting her to do something.
"Brother Lin, it's getting late. You should go back and rest early."
Lin Yun followed behind Fang Yu'er and soon returned to his courtyard. As she was leaving, Fang Yu'er gave him a special reminder. "Brother Lin, it hasn't been very peaceful here recently. You must be careful. Don't wander around aimlessly. It wouldn't be good if you ran into a fierce beast."
Lin Yun just smiled and nodded as if he had taken her words to heart, though inwardly, he paid them no mind at all.
After returning to his room, he began to think about how he could use this identity to his advantage. Right now, he needed to sort out the tangled web of relationships between these various powers.
"The Flowing Cloud Sect is now a sect in name only; they have to listen to the Shangqing Temple behind them. And the Shangqing Temple has cooperated with the Crimson Ghost Sect before, and now they also have an ambiguous connection with Prince Zuo Cheng. But looking at the Crimson Ghost Sect's behavior, it seems they don't want the Prince to know what's happening here."
Could it be that the Crimson Ghost Sect was planning this operation on their own? Or was it that this had nothing to do with the Shangqing Temple or the Prince at all? If that was the case, he could use this opportunity to stir the waters.
"Interesting," Lin Yun sneered to himself.
Night fell.
He lay down on his bed early to rest, figuring that Fang Yu'er should be arriving soon. Since this woman possessed such powerful seduction arts, she definitely wouldn't miss an opportunity like this.
Sure enough, after a short while, he heard Fang Yu'er's hushed voice from outside. "Brother Lin, are you resting?"
The Chongqing Bird's voice echoed in his mind, "This woman's seduction arts are not simple. Although your will is firm, boy, you'd better be careful this time. Don't capsize in a calm gutter." Faced with a woman like Fang Yu'er, one had to be extra cautious.
Lin Yun just smiled casually. The honey trap was finally here. To cooperate with her performance, he would have to put on a good show himself.
He silently expanded his killing intent domain. After confirming there was no one else nearby, Lin Yun walked over and opened the door.
The moment he opened it, Fang Yu'er threw herself into his arms, her eyes brimming with tears. "Brother Lin, please… you have to help me."
She looked so pitiful and helpless; any man who saw her would feel a natural urge to protect her.
Lin Yun, however, continued to play dumb. "Yu'er, what… what are you doing?" he stammered, pretending to be a flustered gentleman, not daring to open his eyes or let his hands wander.
But Fang Yu'er paid this no mind, pressing herself against him without any regard for their close contact. "Brother Lin, I… I really have no other choice."
Meanwhile, Fang Wenhe had gathered some of the Crimson Ghost Sect's elite disciples.
"Everyone, you should know that the person we were warned about from above has already arrived. If Prince Zuo Cheng finds out what is happening here, you and I will both pay the price. So this time, no matter what, we must conceal all clues about this place. Yu'er has already begun her operation. If she fails, then it will be up to us to kill this person here. As for how to explain it to the Prince… we'll think of something."
The group nodded in agreement.
In that moment, the entire Maoshan Village was shrouded in an atmosphere of impending storm.