An Jiu tucked away the manual. “Not many people practice this Meridian-Breaking Palm. Even if left on the street, few would pick it up.”

Mo Sigui looked at her disdainfully. “Don’t be smug! Listen to me, wait until we return and I perform a second reconstruction before continuing.”

“Alright,” An Jiu agreed.

“The first three basic levels of Meridian-Breaking Palm don’t damage the body much, but they’re also almost ineffective against experts above the sixth level,” Mo Sigui warned. “Don’t rely on it too heavily when infiltrating Misty Mountain Manor.”

“I understand.” Since her body’s reconstruction, An Jiu’s physical capabilities were nearly on par with her previous life, with even greater agility. She felt confident in her ability to protect herself in combat.

Unable to count on the Meridian-Breaking Palm, An Jiu had to consider other options.

Her Dragon-Subduing Bow only had two Killing Feather arrows, and she still didn’t know their full power. The true Shocking String technique could only be infused with internal energy by Chu Dingjiang…

After consideration, An Jiu realized she could only rely on her psychic Shocking String and the killing techniques she had learned before.

In the following days, An Jiu spent all her time training, except for eating, sleeping, and using the bathroom. Her clothes were constantly soaked with sweat, drying and getting wet again, without a moment’s rest.

At the port town, Chu Dingjiang wandered around in disguise, using his psychic power to search for potential Misty Mountain Manor locations.

For a month, he had circled the town many times. Crowded places were either inns, restaurants, or brothels. After a covert investigation, he found no immediate anomalies.

Misty Mountain Manor was deeply hidden. If not for An Jiu’s chance discovery of the suspicious port and Chu Dingjiang’s plan to investigate, they might still have no leads.

Chu Dingjiang was patient. In the past two days, he had ruled out two restaurants. They were busy during the day but nearly empty at night, with only about ten staff remaining after closing. This didn’t seem like a place hiding assassins. He also eliminated all the inns, which had a rapid guest turnover and few permanent residents.

However, a private brothel maintained a steady stream of people day and night.

The brothel was built in an alley surrounded by residential houses.

In the evening, Chu Dingjiang sat on the second floor of a restaurant, gazing out. Suddenly, he heard an old voice behind him, “Young man, could you spare some sweet water for an old man?”

How had the old man approached without him noticing?

Chu Dingjiang’s hand tightened on his cup before slowly relaxing, instantly creating cracks in the cup.

Calming himself, he turned to examine the old man. He was startled to find the thin, ragged old man looked familiar as if he’d seen him before…

“Please sit, elder,” Chu Dingjiang smiled.

Seeing a waiter about to chase the old man away, Chu Dingjiang said, “Waiter, bring a bowl of sweet water, two bowls of rice, and some hot dishes.”

The old man remained silent, eyes downcast and looking weary.

Chu Dingjiang noticed whip marks on the old man’s neck that his clothes didn’t cover. Suddenly, he remembered helping this old man at the docks before!

The docks belonged to Misty Mountain Manor. This old man must not be ordinary. Was his sudden appearance a coincidence or…?

Soon, the food and sweet water arrived.

The old man gulped down the sweet water.

Chu Dingjiang pushed the food toward him. “Elder, please eat after quenching your thirst.”

The old man thanked him gratefully and began eating without ceremony.

After finishing, he shakily stood up and knelt before Chu Dingjiang. “For your kindness in feeding me, this old one will repay you in the next life.”

Chu Dingjiang helped him up. “Please rise, elder.”

Through the clothes, Chu Dingjiang felt the old man’s skin was alarmingly hot. Looking closer, he saw the old man’s forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat after just one meal.

As the old man went downstairs, Chu Dingjiang heard the waiter berating him quietly, “You old fool, sneaking in when we weren’t looking! Luckily the customer was kind and didn’t complain, or you’d be in trouble! Now get out! Pah!”

Chu Dingjiang followed downstairs, tossed some silver to the waiter, and hurried out.

Along the way, passersby either scorned the old man or mocked him for amusement, but he seemed not to hear, slowly making his way towards the outskirts.

“Elder,” Chu Dingjiang called out when they were alone.

The old man walked slowly but steadily, winding through the woods.

Chu Dingjiang hesitated, but after ensuring no one else was around, he continued following.

The old man sat cross-legged by a crumbling earth temple. “Since you’ve followed, show yourself.”

In a flash, Chu Dingjiang appeared two zhang away.

“This is what you seek,” the old man took out an envelope from his robes and placed it on the ground. “This old one is Sang Nu. I followed the late master since I was twenty. After his passing, I became the manager of Misty Mountain Manor’s Earth Division. I’m slow-witted and only today realized the true nature of those beasts Wei Chuzhi and Wei Yuzhi! *cough cough*”

The “late master” he mentioned must be Wei Yunshan.

Sang Nu’s face reddened, his body trembling. He breathed heavily, “That brothel is the manor, but the assassins aren’t inside. Look at this map and you’ll understand! If you kill those two beasts, I swear to be your servant for all lifetimes!”

Sang Nu was skilled in martial arts but not intelligent. Such people are often blindly loyal. After Wei Yunshan’s death, he stayed at Misty Mountain Manor, assigned to the Earth Division. Unwilling to kill indiscriminately, he failed several missions. Wei Chuzhi then set him aside, keeping his title but giving him no real power. Three years ago, Sang Nu discovered problems with his cultivation. After each meditation, his internal energy would inexplicably drop. Now, only his spirit power remained at the transcendent level, while his body was completely ruined.

Since then, Wei Yuzhi ignored him, even stopping his monthly salary, allowing the dock workers to bully him.

Only now did he recall the strange occurrences.

Wei Yuzhi had drained his internal energy!

Sang Nu was slow; otherwise, he wouldn’t have taken three years to realize this.

Chu Dingjiang reached out and the envelope floated into his hand. His experience in reading people told him Sang Nu’s emotions were genuine. Moreover, Sang Nu was near death, and a dying man’s words are often true.

Opening the envelope, he found a piece of paper inside. Chu Dingjiang unfolded it with two fingers.

The layout on the map resembled a bagua, with the brothel at the center, spreading outwards. Each square had red dots marked with cinnabar, numbering in the hundreds at a glance!

So the surrounding buildings weren’t residences at all, but dwellings for Misty Mountain Manor’s assassins!