Chapter 356 - 224: Leaving Liangzhou Prefecture City

Chapter 356: Chapter 224: Leaving Liangzhou Prefecture City

The appearance of the black-robed man sent a wave of intense alarm through Fang Yue.

He quickly shut the window and turned toward the door of the private room.

He knew he had to get out of this place as soon as possible, or he could find himself in grave danger.

Fang Yue pushed the door open, strode out of the room, and headed down the corridor toward the building’s back exit.

’I thought I Sensed a familiar aura just now, but it vanished quickly. Who could it be?’

The black-robed man’s gaze fell upon the private room where Fang Yue had been, but it was now empty.

The man stood in the empty corridor, his eyes like torches as he scanned his surroundings. His black robes fluttered gently in the breeze, giving off a mysterious and sinister air.

"Strange. I clearly Sensed that person’s aura, so how did it disappear in the blink of an eye?" the black-robed man muttered to himself, his brow furrowed in thought.

He didn’t rush to give chase. Instead, he stood still, closed his eyes, and used his Perception Ability to search for the vanished aura.

A moment later, the black-robed man opened his eyes, a strange smile gracing his lips.

"Interesting. Truly interesting. To think I’d run into that little thief while here on official business. It seems that item is destined to be mine."

With that, he turned and walked out of the restaurant, quickly vanishing into the night.

Meanwhile, Fang Yue had already left the Dingfeng Building and was weaving through the streets and alleys of Liangzhou Prefecture City.

~~~~~~

Fang Yue hurried on, but no matter which way he turned, he could feel a faint wisp of Qi latched onto him from not far behind.

’So he still found me!’

A chill ran down Fang Yue’s spine. He knew his pursuer had a profound cultivation level and was using the fluctuations of Qi he left behind to track him.

Realizing this, Fang Yue could only do his best to suppress his own Primordial Qi fluctuations.

’I can’t go back to the Observatory now, or my identity will be exposed.’

As he rushed along, Fang Yue’s mind raced.

’If I go to the Observatory, that black-robed man, being a Tributor of the dynasty with great power and influence, probably won’t care about my status as an Inspector of the Observatory.’

’What’s more, if I’m at the Observatory, my true identity will surely be revealed.’

’When that happens, not only will I be in danger, but even my family could be at risk.’

’So it’s best not to go to the Observatory.’

’Besides, the black-robed man is blocking the way to the Observatory.’

’If I head that way, I’ll most likely run right into him.’

~~~~~~~

The night in Liangzhou Prefecture was quiet and deep, its tranquility broken only by the occasional clapper of a night watchman and the faint barking of dogs in the distance.

Using the faint moonlight, Fang Yue darted through a maze of complex alleys, arriving near a luxurious residential compound.

For some unknown reason, upon reaching this place, the feeling of being watched, like a thorn in his back, vanished without a trace.

’Can this place conceal my aura? Or is there something special about it that makes him afraid to follow?’

Fang Yue hesitated for a moment, then decided to hide here for the night. After a few days, he would find a chance to leave the city.

The compound looked quite grand; it had to be the residence of a wealthy and powerful family.

Fang Yue found a secluded corner and, with a single leap, silently vaulted over the courtyard wall.

After landing, he quickly scanned his surroundings. Once he was sure he hadn’t attracted any attention, he cautiously crept deeper into the compound.

Fang Yue moved stealthily, avoiding the patrolling guards and servants, and finally arrived before a secluded side room.

He gently pushed the door open, slipped inside, and pulled it shut behind him.

The room was pitch-black, but Fang Yue could clearly sense everything around him. With his exceptional eyesight and Perception Ability, he moved through the darkness like a fish in water.

He walked to the window, pushed it open a crack, and peered outside.

He saw a quiet garden, where the moonlight spilled down, adding a touch of mysterious beauty to the tranquil night.

Fang Yue silently congratulated himself. He had chosen a good hiding spot indeed.

~~~~~~~

Three days later, just as Fang Yue was preparing to leave, he heard a commotion outside the building.

His interest piqued, he immediately went to the window.

He saw several men who looked like household servants gathered together, deep in discussion. An older servant said with a frown, "It seems we’ve had a mouse problem these past few days. A lot of food has gone missing from the kitchen for no reason."

Another, younger servant chimed in, "That’s no mouse, we’ve got a thief! I think we need to step up the patrols and find out who’s got the guts to cause trouble right under our noses."

Listening to the household servants’ discussion from the window, Fang Yue couldn’t help but smile faintly.

The person the two servants were talking about was, of course, him.

After all, even with his decent cultivation, he still had to eat.

"Oh, right, did you hear? Is our Master really set on marrying the Eldest Miss to that man? I heard the guy wears all black and even keeps his face hidden."

"I know, right? He doesn’t even dare show his face. Maybe he’s disfigured."

The two then continued to chat about the major events that had occurred in the mansion the previous day.

Hearing this, Fang Yue’s brow furrowed slightly.

He had only intended to hide here temporarily and solve his food and shelter problem, but he never expected to run into the black-robed man again!

’Why is this guy like a lingering ghost?!’

’A man in black robes?’

Fang Yue pondered this. He had seen the man, but it was just a gut feeling that told him the person the two household servants were talking about was the very same dynastic Tributor in black robes who had been chasing him for some time.