Chapter 56: Closing the Door

Chen Fei's expression changed involuntarily, but he did not panic. Instead, he ushered the young boy into the courtyard and closed the gates securely.

"Do you know where Uncle Chi is right now?" Chen Fei asked, sitting down across from the boy.

"I don't know. Uncle Chi just didn't come to find me today."

The boy licked the remains of a candied fruit from his finger and said, "Uncle Chi said that if there ever comes a day when he doesn't come to find me, I should come to you and tell you to run away. That's all."

"Such a good boy. Here, this is for you!"

Chen Fei produced a tael of broken silver. The boy's eyes widened instantly, and he hurriedly tucked the silver into his tunic. After bowing to Chen Fei in gratitude, he skipped away.

Inside the courtyard, Chen Fei's brow slowly furrowed.

This child was likely a contingency left behind by Chi Defeng to serve as a warning to Chen Fei; he hadn't expected it to actually be used. The critical issue now was exactly who had captured Chi Defeng.

For the past month, Chen Fei had stayed quietly in his house to cultivate, having no conflicts with anyone except for occasional trips out. Chi Defeng had similarly kept a low profile, helping Chen Fei purchase medicinal herbs at most.

"Is it that Shallow Water Gang again?"

Chen Fei recalled that a month ago, he had been targeted by a gang because he was selling pills. If there was any suspicion, the Shallow Water Gang was likely the biggest culprit.

But they had both actively gone into hiding; was the Shallow Water Gang still pursuing them so relentlessly?

Chen Fei returned to his alchemy room, packed all his belongings, and placed them into his spatial storage. For safety's sake, this courtyard could no longer be lived in.

A quarter of an hour later, Chen Fei erased all traces within the courtyard and departed.

"What kind of information does the guest require?"

"I want to find someone."

Inside a house in an alleyway, Chen Fei wore a bamboo hat that obscured most of his face.

This was a place in Xingfen City specialized in gathering intelligence; as long as the money was sufficient, most non-secretive information could be uncovered. There were several such establishments in Xingfen City.

Chen Fei wasn't certain if this place could help him, so he could only come with a trial mindset.

"Could the guest describe the person's features?"

Chen Fei briefly described Chi Defeng's appearance after his disguise, without leaving a portrait or anything similar. Primarily, Chen Fei did not have much trust in places like this.

They could sell information to you, but they could naturally sell your information to others as well.

"Please wait a moment, guest. I will have someone look into it immediately."

The shopkeeper passed a slip of paper behind him, and a quarter of an hour later, another slip was passed back from behind.

"Well?" Chen Fei's body leaned forward involuntarily.

"Found him."

The shopkeeper glanced at the slip, looked up at Chen Fei, and said, "Fifty taels, and the guest will know this person's whereabouts."

"Deal!"

Chen Fei nodded, took fifty taels of silver from his tunic, and placed it on the counter. The shopkeeper smiled as he collected the money and handed the slip to Chen Fei.

Chen Fei opened the slip; it contained only three words: Shallow Water Gang!

Chen Fei's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected it to truly be the work of the Shallow Water Gang. Was it still because of the pill matter? Or for some other reason?

"Someone saw your friend being taken away by members of the Shallow Water Gang. He likely sustained some injuries."

The shopkeeper picked up his teacup with leisurely movements, took a light sip, and said, "If you wish to rescue your friend, we can act as a bridge. However, we cannot guarantee whether it will ultimately succeed or fail."

"Do you sell information on the Shallow Water Gang?" Chen Fei ignored the shopkeeper's words.

"Of course. If the price is right, any information can be bought and sold."

"What's the price?"

"Three hundred taels will get you specific details on the Shallow Water Gang. We can even include the location where your friend is currently being held as a bonus," the shopkeeper said with a smiling nod.

"Fine!"

Chen Fei produced a silver note and placed it on the counter. The shopkeeper inspected the note and found no issues. He tapped the table lightly, and a piece of paper was passed up from behind.

Chen Fei took the paper and scanned it rapidly, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Does the guest require anything else?"

"No."

Chen Fei shook his head and stood up. Just as he was about to walk out, he turned back to the shopkeeper and asked, "The information I inquired about here—the shopkeeper won't sell it to someone else, will he?"

"Hahaha, you jest, guest! This shop does not engage in such things. Please rest assured," the shopkeeper laughed loudly, his tone decisive.

"If the shopkeeper says so, then I am at ease."

A smile appeared on Chen Fei's face. He gave a slight nod, turned, and left the shop.

Once the shopkeeper saw Chen Fei walk far away, he tapped the counter three times, and someone immediately appeared behind him.

"The alchemist the Shallow Water Gang is looking for has arrived. Sell this news to the Shallow Water Gang, and remember to ask for a high price."

Recalling Chen Fei's words just now, a sneer appeared on the shopkeeper's face. "That man just now was likely a novice. Send someone sharp to follow him; we can sell his location again later for another price."

"I'll get on it immediately!"

The man bowed, gave an instruction in the back hall, and a person immediately walked out. He had an ordinary appearance—the kind that would vanish instantly in a crowd—perfect for tailing someone.

"Go."

The shopkeeper glanced at the man and nodded with satisfaction.

The man wore a fawning smile, bowed to the shopkeeper, and left the shop.

"Another sum of money coming in."

A smile spread across the shopkeeper's face. He leaned back comfortably in his chair, picked up his teacup, and drained the tea in one gulp. Integrity? What was that? Isn't money more fragrant?

Feeling inspired, the shopkeeper hummed a few tunes. He stood up, intending to relieve himself, when a sudden, loud roar erupted from the back hall, only to be cut short a moment later.

The shopkeeper's expression shifted slightly. His nostrils flared as a scent of blood drifted toward him.

This time, the shopkeeper's face truly paled. There were several Bone-Forging Realm experts in the back hall, yet they had been silenced without a sound.

The shopkeeper was only at the Flesh-Refining Realm; he didn't dare stay. Just as he prepared to bolt, he saw a figure walking out from the back hall.

"It's you..."

The shopkeeper looked at Chen Fei as if he were seeing a ghost.

Chen Fei glanced at the shopkeeper, then stepped forward with a cold expression and closed the shop's main doors, plunging the entire establishment into darkness. Only the faint light filtering through the cracks of the door illuminated the shopkeeper's face, revealing his mottled, terrified features.

The shopkeeper had thought of fleeing the moment Chen Fei closed the door, but his legs felt as if they were filled with lead, too heavy to move.

"What are you doing!"

The shopkeeper swallowed hard and pointed at Chen Fei, shouting in a low, hollow voice that lacked any real courage. His trembling finger betrayed his terror.

"You said just now that you wouldn't sell my information. You broke your word," Chen Fei said, looking at the shopkeeper and shaking his head.

"Do you know who is behind this shop? If there's an issue, we can discuss it properly!"

Seeing Chen Fei's attitude, the shopkeeper's eyes widened in fear. He intended to use his backing to stabilize Chen Fei.

The shopkeeper was not lying; a place that traded in information naturally offended people. If his background wasn't strong enough, this shop could never have established itself in Xingfen City.

Chen Fei nodded. Just as a smile began to form on the shopkeeper's face, a cold flash of light ignited in the room.

The shopkeeper's body stiffened as his heart was pierced. His eyes stared fixedly at Chen Fei, who met his gaze with an expressionless face.

The shopkeeper's hand fell limp at his side. If Chen Fei had moved just a little further forward, he could have triggered the mechanism under the counter. But Chen Fei stood just out of reach.