Chapter 130 "Investigate!"

"Investigate meticulously for me!"

The Holy Inquisitors dispersed, thoroughly searching the Gu family envoy's docking port. To ensure absolute certainty, the cloud ship hovering above the port even cast a *jie jie* (barrier-like) radiance. Gu Nanfeng simply waved his hand, indicating that it was of no consequence.

Every transcendent in the Gu family envoy was summoned.

Yao Jin checked them one by one…

The Guang Ming Bi Lei (Light Mirror) had completely failed. After that faint glimmer faded, it never reappeared.

Yao Jin could only identify the assailant by the wound, but this search was a complete failure. No one in the Gu family envoy was injured… let alone someone with an arrow wound on their shoulder.

In his understanding.

There were very few people in the entire Five Continents who could heal a Chi Huang Nu (Crimson Phoenix Crossbow) arrow wound overnight!

What’s more, the fleeing target had been under the cloud ship’s tracking… it hadn't been long since he'd escaped to the docking port. Even if the conversation with the Gu family had delayed them a bit, it was impossible for him to have healed!

If he wasn't in the envoy, he must be hiding in the cabins.

After checking the envoy members, Yao Jin immediately joined the search of the docking port. He had a strong premonition of disaster in his heart.

Half a day passed.

From sunrise to midday.

This absurd search came to an end. The Holy Inquisitors, who had been so aggressive, were now silent. They gathered their team and returned to Yao Jin's side.

The scorching sun beat down.

Yao Jin, who was already frail, looked as pale as paper.

"Finished the search?" Gu Nanfeng asked.

"...Finished."

Yao Jin's voice was hoarse. "Young Master Gu, this was a misunderstanding."

"Tch."

Luo Yu couldn't help but laugh.

Yao Jin clenched his fists, but had nothing to say.

"Since you're done searching, what are you still doing here?"

Gu Nanfeng said calmly, "Remember to tell the Great Elder of the Temple that when I arrive in Guang Ming City tomorrow, I expect to see him personally apologize."

Yao Jin opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed the useless words of apology.

He saw the mocking smile on Luo Yu's face, and the veins on his forehead bulged… In his long and bleak life, this was the first time he had suffered such humiliation.

Even as he left the docking port, Yao Jin didn't understand which part of the process had gone wrong.

…

…

After the Holy Inquisitors left, the shadow of the cloud ship hovering above the Gu family's giant ship gradually dissipated.

Beneath the vast shadow, the docking port was filled with oppression.

Now that the sky was finally clear, the Gu family watchmen were busy again… Today was already full of miscellaneous tasks, needing to process a pile of Western Crossing goods, but Yao Jin's intrusion had delayed them for half a day, and the next leg of the journey would have to be postponed.

"Young Master, those words you said just now were so satisfying!"

Luo Yu leaned against the railing, exclaiming, "That Yao bastard looked like a dead man when he left!"

Gu Nanfeng watched the departing Holy Inquisitors and hummed softly.

He suddenly asked, "So, who exactly was it that brought you to Ghent last night?"

This question wasn't directed at Luo Yu.

From within the ranks of the Gu family watchmen, Zhong Fan slowly stepped forward.

He looked a little pale, but the arrow wound on his shoulder had already healed. After Gu Shen used the flame of vitality to remove the "Light Mark" last night, the wound had scabbed over and fallen off in just a few dozen seconds, it was practically a miracle!

"Young Master Nanfeng, I once told you… in the Ice Sea Ruins, the advance team encountered an 'evil spirit' of unknown origin."

Zhong Fan's escape to the docking port had been too hurried.

And what happened just now.

He hadn't had time to say much to Gu Nanfeng…

Now, he slowly recounted what had happened last night.

After listening, Luo Yu was exasperated. "You kid, you usually seem so smart, how could you do something so stupid without saying a word? Do you know that if that 'evil spirit' hadn't saved you, you'd be a corpse right now!"

"I…"

Zhong Fan sighed.

Last night, he had realized that he had acted impulsively.

"This matter is over, don't pursue it any further."

Gu Nanfeng was as gentle as ever. He patted Luo Yu's shoulder, indicating that the latter shouldn't be angry, and asked softly, "You're saying… the 'evil spirit' you encountered had the ability to use fire, and he healed your injuries in less than ten minutes?"

"Yes."

Zhong Fan said solemnly, "He also removed the so-called Guang Ming Bi Lei (Light Mirror) mark with incredible skill… Yao Jin could never have guessed that there was someone in this world who could find all the thousands of strands of spiritual radiance dispersed by the Chi Huang Nu (Crimson Phoenix Crossbow) and instantly remove them. In order to lure Yao Jin away, the senior ‘evil spirit’ deliberately left a wisp of the mark, telling me to destroy it after arriving at the docking port."

Recalling the scene from last night.

He couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Nanfeng, don't you recognize this person?"

"Uses fire, can heal serious injuries, and has extraordinary spiritual power…"

Gu Nanfeng thought back to the current titled experts of Eastern Continent and shook his head.

Not to mention Eastern Continent.

Looking at the entire Five Continents, he couldn't think of anyone who fit Zhong Fan's description.

Zhong Fan murmured, "Then that's strange. Judging by his tone, it sounded like he knew you, and was very familiar with you…"

"Very familiar?"

Gu Nanfeng's heartstrings were inexplicably touched.

He suddenly thought of a figure.

According to Zhong Fan's description, there really wasn't such a person in the Five Continents now… but if he went back a few years, there was a very suitable candidate. However, that person had died in the volcanic eruption in the Mulberry Continent, completely submerged in the torrent.

He had also joined the Nagano investigation team in his spare time, trying to find out the truth about Gu Shen's death.

In the end.

Gu Nanfeng had to admit this fact and slowly accept it.

"Young Master, are you thinking of that person?"

Luo Yu, seeing Gu Nanfeng in a daze, couldn't help but ask.

"They've all passed away…"

Gu Nanfeng shook his head and laughed self-deprecatingly, "The dead are gone, such thoughts should be considered wishful thinking, right?"

He looked at Zhong Fan and asked, "What else did that evil spirit tell you?"

"He instructed me on how to act after arriving at the docking port."

Zhong Fan said slowly, "I did as he said, leaving a wisp of radiance, and waited until the cloud ship hovered close and the Holy Inquisitors charged into the envoy before extinguishing it… after that, things went as he expected, and Yao Jin chose to forcefully search."

In the end, of course, there would be no results.

After listening, Luo Yu couldn't help but sigh, "This evil spirit really knows how to play his cards. Yao Jin is no pushover… if you hadn't timed it so precisely, it would have been difficult to make him suffer such a great loss."

The Guang Ming Bi Lei (Light Mirror) radiance was extinguished at just the right moment!

At that time, Yao Jin was left with only one choice… to grit his teeth and search.

As long as he chased to the docking port, he was destined to clash with the Gu family envoy!

"It's not that simple."

Gu Nanfeng suddenly said, "If he just wanted Yao Jin to suffer, why would he have you run around for an entire night, only arriving here at sunrise…"

Luo Yu paused for a second, then immediately understood what his young master meant.

"He's using the Gu family to delay Yao Jin."

Gu Nanfeng said calmly, "The Grand Inquisitor deliberately instructed that the Five Great Families and the Three Great Institutions of Nagano didn't need to intervene in the 'Uto Affair'. This escaped Third Judge carries a large number of Nagano secrets… The Grand Inquisitor can't allow him to live, and there's only one explanation for making this arrangement. Nagano is sure that someone will kill him."

Zhong Fan said in disbelief, "So you mean…"

Gu Nanfeng looked at Zhong Fan and said, "Killing Uto isn't simple. Guang Ming City has a thousand ways to hide him so we can't find him. And the best time to kill him is now… Uto has just revealed his identity, attracting the 'assassin'. Everyone thinks this farce is over. Because in their eyes, the real 'culprit' has been identified by Yao Jin."

"Yao Jin chases you, and he kills the person."

"The reason for having you run around for half the night is to see Yao Jin's reaction…"

"Obviously, the Holy Inquisitors were letting you run. From the beginning, Yao Jin didn't believe that last night's assassination was a coincidence. How could the 'assassin' who had been waiting for so long have no one behind the scenes?"

Gu Nanfeng chuckled softly, "And who is that person?"

Looking at Eastern Continent, only one person fit the image of the "mastermind" in Yao Jin's mind.

"That's me."

Gu Nanfeng sighed softly, "So Yao Jin had to search the giant ship no matter what, because he had been waiting all night, finally waiting for the target to arrive at the docking port… As long as he found the 'Light Mirror Mark' here, then everything would be over. The Gu family envoy's intentions would no longer be explainable. My Western Crossing would come to an end as soon as it started. The envoy harboring a murderer would become a fact, and the Western Continent would have ample reason to refuse me entry into Guang Ming City."

"This guy is really insidious…"

Luo Yu's forehead was covered in cold sweat after listening.

"To deal with people like Yao Jin, you have to use this kind of trick. He really is someone who knows me well…"

Gu Nanfeng looked towards the mainland of Ghent and murmured, "He knows very well that if he sends you to the envoy, even if I don't have time to explain, I will definitely protect you with all my strength. As for the subsequent conflicts, they would be logical and naturally occur. When Yao Jin found out that he was looking for the 'mastermind', I would naturally play the role of the 'mastermind'."

"So he's going to kill someone now?"

Zhong Fan looked worried. "Will there be any danger?"

"No matter when, killing Uto is a dangerous thing."

Gu Nanfeng said, "According to my information, the Second Elder of the Temple, Yuan Yang, has been missing for a long time, presumably he has been punished. And the reason why Yao Jin was able to gain the Temple's favor was because he saved the most important person on the No. 1 Dark Line… So no matter what he wants to do with Uto, he must ensure the safety of this important person. This search of the Gu family envoy's giant ship, not finding the murderer, is nothing to Yao Jin. The Great Elder apologizing at the door only damages his reputation and doesn't touch the root of the matter."

"But if Uto dies…"

"The ‘momentum’ he has painstakingly accumulated in the Temple through the No. 1 Dark Line will be halved, the half that belongs to the Great Elder's trust."

Luo Yu continued along with the Young Master's words, "So Yao Jin will definitely use all his power to protect such an important figure as Uto, either sending him to an absolutely hidden place, or dispatching experts who will absolutely not allow accidents to happen to guard him."

"I've been looking for a long time… and haven't had any news of Uto."

Zhong Fan suddenly realized, "So he was sent outside Guang Ming City?"

"Yao Jin has little influence, and there are probably very few experts who will listen to him."

Gu Nanfeng smiled and said, "But even if there really are any experts in Guang Ming City protecting Uto… it's useless. After all, in your description, that evil spirit is a peerless fierce person who can fight two titled experts and easily tear them apart."

…

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(That's all for tonight's update, good night everyone, there will be another update before 12 noon tomorrow!)