The Way of the Extraordinary, Night Watcher, Chapter 56: Xu Zhanglao and Zhang Yuanqing

Zhang Yuanqing jolted awake, instantly clearing his head. He tried to move his body, but his muscles were weak and sore, as if he had undergone general anesthesia.

The Queen and Jing Wei beside him were in a similar state, their faces pale as they twisted and writhed, putting up a feeble resistance that seemed weaker than a three-year-old's.

"Don't bother struggling," Wang Beiwang said calmly. "You've been hit with the Azure Dragon Gang's Muscle-Weakening Powder. Even a top-tier martial artist would be incapacitated for at least a quarter of an hour."

"Cous... cousin, what are you doing?" Zhang Yuanqing forced a smile. "I'm your cousin, Li Erdan."

Wang Beiwang sneered repeatedly, "Let's not beat around the bush. I've already broken free from your mind control."

Hypnosis was a modern term; in ancient times, it was called "mind control."

Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat. He abandoned his unrealistic fantasies, desperately searching for a solution while trying to stall for time. "How did you do it?" he asked.

Wang Beiwang patted his sword hilt. "Swordsmen cultivate their hearts. A mere mind control can only affect me temporarily. I talked to my parents about you before bed last night and vaguely sensed something was wrong. I woke up halfway through the night and realized I was under your mind control. You have some nerve, actually staying in my house."

"Aren't you just skilled in rudimentary martial arts?"

"Would I reveal my secrets to the enemy?"

Zhang Yuanqing was dumbfounded. Not because Wang Beiwang had deceived him; that wasn't the key. The key was the phrase "swordsmen cultivate their hearts." From The Way of the Extraordinary's perspective, it was a swordsman's passive skill: Iron Will.

Iron Will was a passive skill that Level 4 swordsmen could master. Theoretically, Wang Beiwang, at most a Transcendent, shouldn't possess "Iron Will." But ancient cultivators were different from The Way of the Extraordinary; the latter were enlightened by the spiritual realm, while the former relied on their own slow cultivation.

In other words, ancient scouts began honing their will during the Transcendent stage, waiting to transform it into "Iron Will" in the Saint realm. This was a gradual, cyclical cultivation.

These things touched on Zhang Yuanqing's blind spot.

Seeing his enemy's dazed expression, Wang Beiwang coldly harrumphed, "I have limited patience. If you don't tell me the truth, don't blame me for being impolite."

Zhang Yuanqing's eyes darted around, and he forced a smile, "Good sir, we..."

Jiang Jingwei interrupted, displeased, "Just kill us if you want. Stop talking nonsense."

"Scram!" Zhang Yuanqing turned and spat in her face. Was this stupid girl trying to get them killed?

He continued, "Good sir, we were being chased by enemies and had no choice but to hide in your esteemed residence. We wanted to borrow your precious land as a refuge, nothing more. We have no ill intentions towards your parents. Otherwise, why would we freeload and do nothing?"

The Heavenly Venerate had always been flexible and pragmatic. If his hands and feet weren't bound, and his body wasn't weak, Zhang Yuanqing would have prostrated himself on the spot.

The Queen nodded repeatedly, "That's right, that's right. We're just staying for a few days and have no ulterior motives. Brother Wang, we're righteous people. Please help us."

She regretted not being a Musician or Eros, unable to use her charms.

Wang Beiwang's gaze swept over the three of them for a moment. Suddenly, he kicked over the wooden box and pointed to the three sets of bright yellow casual clothes that slid out, sneering, "Yellow Dragon Robes? Only the emperor can wear those. Commoners can't even weave or possess them in secret without being considered rebels. You three are no small fry."

His gaze sharpened, and he suddenly drew his sword, piercing Zhang Yuanqing's shoulder, "Who exactly are you?"

Zhang Yuanqing groaned in pain. Blood instantly stained his shoulder, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. He hissed, "Have mercy, great hero! We're just thieves who stole the clothes. That's why we're being chased."

Wang Beiwang coldly said, "I'll ask, and you'll answer, just like during the day. I'll only give you three 'shanas' for each question. If you're too slow, I'll stab you with my sword. One stab for each time you're slow."

Zhang Yuanqing thought, "How many seconds are three 'shanas'? Is your unit of measurement just arbitrary?"

Before he could voice his complaint, Wang Beiwang asked, "With your meager skills, how did you infiltrate the palace?"

"We didn't steal the clothes from the palace."

"Then where!"

"The Zheng family."

"Why would the Zheng family have Yellow Dragon Robes?"

"The Zheng family is plotting a rebellion."

"Is the Zheng family chasing you?"

"Yes."

"Why did you steal the dragon robes?"

"We're working for the Yang family. The Yang family wants to collect evidence of the Zheng family's rebellion."

During the rapid-fire exchange, Zhang Yuanqing controlled his emotional reactions, making each sentence seem incredibly genuine to resist Wang Beiwang's Insight Technique.

People of the Yang family... Wang Beiwang didn't continue questioning, falling into thought. He was shocked by the content of their answers.

As a resident of the capital who frequented the martial world, his perspective differed from ordinary martial artists and commoners.

The Zheng family was plotting treason, and the Yang family was lying in wait like a praying mantis... This involved the highest level of power struggles, incomparable to martial arts brawls.

He believed that "cousin Li Erdan" wasn't lying. At least, his sharp intuition hadn't detected any signs of deception.

Moreover, the three Yellow Dragon Robes were exquisitely embroidered and made of superior fabric, definitely originating from the palace or nobility.

These three "thieves" had some skills, but not much. It was unlikely they could infiltrate the palace. The possibility of them infiltrating the Zheng family was higher.

Seeing Wang Beiwang's uncertain expression, his eyes darting around, looking like he was in the midst of a mental storm, Zhang Yuanqing breathed a sigh of relief.

A dozen seconds later, Wang Beiwang snapped out of his thoughts and suddenly looked at Jiang Jingwei, asking, "Is what he said true?"

Jiang Jingwei nodded vigorously, "True."

Wang Beiwang's gaze suddenly sharpened as he looked at Zhang Yuanqing, "You dare to deceive me!"

He abruptly drew his sword, drawing a splash of blood, and then, with a flick of his wrist, he was about to plunge the sharp sword into Zhang Yuanqing's chest. As a member of a martial arts gang, as a swordsman who licked blood from his blade, he was always decisive in killing.

Just as the sword was about to pierce his heart, Wang Beiwang suddenly stopped, the tip of the sword halfway into Zhang Yuanqing's chest, stopping before piercing his heart.

"You're still useful." He sheathed his fine steel sword.

Zhang Yuanqing was relieved, knowing that his secret manipulation of the other party's emotions had taken effect at a crucial moment.

After waking up, Zhang Yuanqing had secretly begun to influence the other party's emotions. Considering that he was a swordsman, he only made superficial adjustments, making the other party feel that the "three thieves" were very valuable, stimulating his desire to make use of them.

Swordsmen's emotions were the most difficult to manipulate, so he deliberately threw out a bunch of valuable information to guide the other party's exploration, buying time for his emotional manipulation to take effect.

As for the aftermath of Jingwei "being forced" to betray her teammates, it wasn't important.

A swordsman wouldn't be stupid enough to only ask one person, and neither the Queen nor Jingwei had the means to restrain Insight Techniques. It was normal for their lies to be discovered.

What Zhang Yuanqing wanted wasn't to deceive the other party, but to stall for time so that emotional manipulation could take effect.

Although he had been hit with Muscle-Weakening Powder and his limbs were bound, as a The Way of the Extraordinary, as long as his inventory wasn't sealed, he would always have a chance to make a comeback—no, to escape.

Wang Beiwang wouldn't be staring at them forever.

Just as Zhang Yuanqing thought this, he saw Wang Beiwang waving the hilt of his sword, striking his cheek.

"Pa!"

The sword hilt struck behind his ear, and Zhang Yuanqing's eyes rolled back as he fainted.

Wang Beiwang used the same method to knock Jiang Jingwei and the Queen unconscious before leaving the room.

…

Zhang Yuanqing was awakened by a slight jolting sound. Opening his eyes, he found himself in a narrow carriage, the entire compartment swaying with the rumbling wheels.

His hands were tied behind his back, and his ankles were also bound. He curled up on his side in the carriage, with Jiang Jingwei lying next to him, and behind him was a full, soft sensation... the Queen was lying behind him.

"Eh!"

Wang Beiwang's surprised voice came from the front of the carriage, "Li Erdan, you're the weakest, yet you woke up the fastest. Strange indeed."

Zhang Yuanqing struggled to sit up, took a few breaths, and forced a smile, "Cousin, my sister and I traveled thousands of miles to the capital to seek refuge with you, but you've tied us up. Are you planning to sell me and my sisters to brothels?"

Wang Beiwang chuckled, "Your two sisters are ordinary looking and wouldn't fetch much money. You, on the other hand, are quite handsome. You'd be good as a catamite for some high-ranking official."

Zhang Yuanqing had used illusion magic to alter the Queen and Jingwei's faces. Hiding their true appearance was a fugitive's self-preservation technique, although this true appearance wasn't Jingwei and the Queen's real faces, but rather belonged to Chu Meiren and Wang Geji.

"My situation is dire..." Zhang Yuanqing clicked his tongue. "Which high-ranking official's house are we going to? Tell me in advance, cousin, so I can prepare myself mentally."

Wang Beiwang coldly said, "Don't try to test me. You'll know when the time comes. Don't try any tricks on the way. If you dare to cry for help, I'll cut out your tongue."

"What's so scary about cutting out my tongue? Once I see Aunt and Red Rooster, a vial of Life Source Liquid will heal it!" Zhang Yuanqing perked up his ears, listening to the movements outside the carriage.

There were no loud shouts, no noisy voices. He had to listen very carefully to occasionally catch a sound.

This wasn't a bustling area. It was relatively quiet.

"Ah, there's no point in shouting loudly. I'll wait until we pass through a bustling area!"

Zhang Yuanqing sighed helplessly.

Unfortunately, he couldn't find an opportunity until the carriage stopped.

Wang Beiwang's route was carefully chosen, avoiding all bustling areas.

As the carriage stopped, Zhang Yuanqing, the Queen, and Jiang Jingwei in the carriage all widened their eyes, listening intently to the movements outside.

Zhang Yuanqing whispered, "Listen to me. Wang Beiwang is probably taking us to see the Azure Dragon Gang's higher-ups. I've already come up with a complete and perfect story to deceive the Azure Dragon Gang. I'll use props to hypnotize you later, making you believe my story. As long as the Azure Dragon Gang's higher-ups aren't Saint-realm swordsmen, we'll have a chance to survive..."

Before, they were caught off guard and attacked by Wang Beiwang.

They couldn't repeat the same mistake.

After stopping the carriage, Wang Beiwang jumped down from the front of the carriage. A few seconds later, Zhang Yuanqing and the others heard a "knock knock" sound.

After a while, the door opened, and Wang Beiwang's voice rang out, "I want to see Xu Zhanglao."

A deep voice came, "Xu Zhanglao is practicing cultivation."

Wang Beiwang said, "It's an urgent matter. I need to see him now."

The other party was silent for a few seconds, then said, "I'll report it. Come in first. There's a plank behind the door; lay it yourself."

Footsteps hurried away, and Wang Beiwang went to the back of the door, took out the plank, laid it on the threshold and steps, then led the horse into the residence with a series of bumps and crashes.

At this time, Zhang Yuanqing had just finished hypnotizing the Queen and Jingwei, and laboriously put the pocket watch back into his inventory.

Wang Beiwang sat in the front of the carriage, guarding the three of them, and instructed, "In a moment, you will meet the Azure Dragon Gang's Xu Zhanglao. Answer whatever he asks. The Azure Dragon Gang will never kill innocents indiscriminately, but if you dare to play tricks... Xu Zhanglao's sword isn't as soft as mine."

Zhang Yuanqing's heart skipped a beat, "Xu Zhanglao is also a swordsman?"

Wang Beiwang's tone was mixed with reverence, "My swordsmanship was taught by Xu Zhanglao. He was the one who guided me into the path."

"Did I rape the spiritual realm's mother? Why is it messing with me like this..." Zhang Yuanqing's heart sank to the bottom.

All his previous preparations were wasted.

The Azure Dragon Gang's elder was definitely in the Saint realm. He didn't know if the hypnotized Queen and Jingwei could deceive a swordsman, but Zhang Yuanqing knew that he definitely couldn't deceive a swordsman's Insight Technique.

At this time, he began to regret lending the Red Dancing Shoes to Red Rooster. Most of the Transcendent-level props required physical operation, and with a weak body and bound hands and feet, it was difficult to make them work.

The Red Dancing Shoes were different. This thing didn't require stamina. You could run on walls and evade easily.

All the professions in The Way of the Extraordinary's two major regions basically didn't have the ability to fly in the Transcendent stage. After all, Transcendent was only stronger than mortals.

A few, such as Fire, Night Watch, and Gliding, were not applicable now.

The Red Dancing Shoes was a unique item.

At this moment, a steady, serious voice came from outside, "Beiwang!"

A middle-aged man wearing a white robe, with his hair tied up with a wooden hairpin, his sleeves fluttering, shaped like a Taoist priest, walked from the winding corridor under the guidance of the gatekeeper.

Although he was dressed with a detached demeanor, Xu Zhanglao, whose eyebrows were extremely sharp, frowned, "The urgent matter you spoke of is these three thieves?"

Wang Beiwang untied the package on his back and placed it in front of the carriage, "Xu Zhanglao, please take a look."

Unwrapping the package in front of Xu Zhanglao revealed a bright yellow color embroidered with gold dragons.

Xu Zhanglao's pupils suddenly contracted, turning into a white shadow that swept to the front of the carriage. He tightly gripped a Yellow Dragon Robe in his hand and asked sternly, "Where did this come from?"

"It was carried by these three thieves." Wang Beiwang cast his gaze at the carriage.

Without needing to say more, Xu Zhanglao, clutching the Yellow Dragon Robe, eagerly lifted the curtain.

Xu Zhanglao's gaze swept over them, first landing on the Queen's face. He was stunned and said, "Zhu Fu? Aren't you in the palace?"

The Queen was stunned and didn't understand the situation.

She thought, "Who is Zhu Fu? Is this Xu Zhanglao mistaking me for someone else?"

The next second, she realized something was wrong. This face was "sculpted" by the gang leader using illusion magic. It was impossible for it to be someone Xu Zhanglao knew.

Then there was only one possibility: Xu Zhanglao had seen through the illusion magic and recognized her identity—Wang Geji.

Wang Geji was an assassin sent into the palace by the Azure Dragon Gang.

Xu Zhanglao then looked at Jiang Jingwei and Zhang Yuanqing. When he saw the latter's face, his expression changed, and he exclaimed, "The tyrant!?"