Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 58: Threads and Webs (Part 2)
"You prepared well this time."
Zhang Yao finished reading the ancient texts, gave a word of praise, and prepared to leave.
"I will return in three years."
Patriarch Xie immediately stepped forward respectfully and said:
"I will see you off, sir."
"Very well."
Zhang Yao smiled slightly and, escorted by Patriarch Xie, made his way out of the Xie Family Ancestral Residence.
"Patriarch."
"Uncle."
Along the way, they encountered many maids, servants, and Xie Clan members. Seeing Patriarch Xie leaving late at night, they were somewhat surprised but dared not ask more questions, bowing and stepping aside.
However, the further Patriarch Xie walked, the more frightened he became, his back breaking out in a cold sweat.
Along the way, they ran into dozens of people, yet none of them seemed to notice the Silver-faced Old Monster beside him, as if they did not see him at all, treating him like thin air.
This scene was eerily terrifying, like running into a ghost in broad daylight.
But Patriarch Xie knew this was not encountering ghosts but rather a martial art of shocking power, directly distorting these people’s senses.
"This old monster’s martial arts are truly astonishing, probably reaching the level of Divine Techniques!"
"No wonder whenever he enters and exits the ancestral residence, it’s like an uninhabited place, others can’t see him, hear him, or even notice his presence. How could they possibly realize he was ever there?"
Patriarch Xie was terrified, his attitude growing increasingly respectful.
Martial Arts Grandmasters like the "Night Emperor" and "Chang Chunzi," though rare, were known, heard of, and even interacted with by Great Noble Families that had endured for millennia.
Thus, for levels beyond Grandmasters, where spiritual power is unearthed, millennia-old families like the Xie clan actually have detailed records.
Yet Patriarch Xie could swear:
He never found such a terrifying existence as the Silver-faced Old Monster in any ancient text, surpassing the realm of a Grandmaster, worthy of being called a Martial Dao God.
If not for the Silver-faced Old Monster still persistently pursuing traces of Immortal Techniques, he would suspect that what this person was cultivating is not martial arts, but legendary Immortal Techniques.
"Patriarch Xie, stay here, the old one is leaving now."
The Old Patriarch Xie accompanied all the way to the entrance of the ancestral residence, watching Zhang Yao turn around and leave, vanishing into the night in just a few steps.
"Phew..."
He unconsciously let out a long breath, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and turned back to the ancestral residence.
In the shadows, Zhang Yao retracted his gaze, confirmed there were no other movements, then left, preparing to head to the next location.
Persons like Nie Luncai and Patriarch Xie, he secretly controlled more than one.
Twenty years ago, he left Baihe City, deciding to launch a new plan, seeking opportunities to contact the "Immortal World."
Initially, Zhang Yao planned to secretly build a vast organization, growing bit by bit, until its tentacles spread across the world, naturally bringing in the intelligence he desired.
However, after much consideration, he abandoned this idea.
Ultimately, he was only one person, stretched too thin, lacking sufficient time and energy to manage such a massive organization.
Moreover, maintaining complete secrecy for such a vast underground organization was essentially impossible, easily drawing the suspicion and suppression of the Imperial Family and Court, causing unnecessary trouble.
Thus, he changed his approach:
He hid his true appearance, creating the identity of a "Silver-faced Old Monster," displaying earth-shattering martial arts to control some key figures to serve him, secretly gathering corresponding intelligence.
These key figures totaled more than ten, scattered throughout the Nineteen Provinces.
Some were Heroes of the Green Forest, some were Commerce Alliance Leaders, some were Clan Elders, some were Sect Leaders, some were high-ranking officials, and some were Imperial Ministers...
Without exception, these individuals held high positions of power, with either extensive connections and intelligence or special, invaluable positions.
Among these ten or so people, he maintained single-line contact, never revealing the existence of each other.
It’s like a series of lines, crisscrossing and linking, weaving a tightly knit net, covertly shrouding the entire world.
Only he held the thread tips of these lines, squatting in the center of this invisible net, waiting for the ripe fruits he desired to fall into the net.
He had waited many years for that moment.
......
Six months later.
Zhang Yao arrived at the last stop of his journey, Capital City Shangjing.
Shangjing City, the core of Central Province, the heart of the Nineteen Provinces, an ancient capital of thousands of years, with dynasties having set their capitals here.
Upon arriving in Shangjing, Zhang Yao did not rush into action but went to the outskirts of Duke Rong’s Mansion, lying low and observing quietly for a month.
Confirming no abnormalities, he used the "Soul Capturing and Thought Extraction Technique" to assume the identity of an ordinary guest within the Duke’s Mansion, infiltrating the residence.
Inside the Duke’s Mansion, he acted with extreme caution, following rules meticulously, gathering information from some details.
Another full two months passed, and he finally confirmed that everything in Duke Rong’s Mansion was normal, almost no different from when he came three years ago.
Having ruled out the possibility of traps set inside the Duke’s Mansion, Zhang Yao decided to choose a time to officially contact Duke Rong.
He was so cautious for a reason.
Duke Rong of the current dynasty—Zhang Yong, was the most important among the dozen or so pieces he had planted across the world, also the most crucial thread in his web.
He was a close minister to the Emperor, companion in times of hardship, following and supporting all the way, deeply trusted by the Son of Heaven. Not only holding the hereditary and inalienable title of a first-class Duke, but also the Commander of the Imperial Guard, a Minister of the Imperial Guard, a trusted confidant of the Emperor.
If there truly was support from the Immortal Family behind the current Imperial Family, Zhang Yong was the most likely person to have access to this secret.
Similarly, this was also a perilous move.
Although the method he used to control Zhang Yong was different from that used for others, it was not necessarily foolproof; after all, he did not know what means the Immortal Family possessed.
If, by chance, there was a recluse Immortal residing within the Imperial Palace, who happened to interact with Zhang Yong, saw through the anomaly in him, and grew suspicious, deciding to lay in wait inside the Duke’s Mansion?
Based on currently collected intelligence, the number of Immortals was extremely rare, all far from the mundane world, and not particularly caring about mortals, making this possibility very small, perhaps only one in a thousand or ten thousand.
But as small as the possibility was, it was not non-existent, so Zhang Yao was exceedingly cautious, ready to retreat at the first sign of anything amiss, without taking risks.
In fact, he was overthinking it.
Until that night when Zhang Yao actually made his move, there were no changes.
The back courtyard of the Marquis Mansion.
Zhang Yong, in his prime, after an amorous entanglement with a concubine, held her and fell into a deep sleep.
Silently, the door opened, and Zhang Yao entered.
He walked to the bedside, leaned over, and looked at Zhang Yong, deeply asleep like a dead pig, his eyes gleaming faintly as if an invisible vortex was swirling within.
"Awaken!"
Zhang Yao slowly spoke, his voice very low.
Zhang Yong opened his eyes, dazed, his gaze blank and soulless, as if still in a dream.
"Tell me the secrets of the Immortal Family you have discovered..."
Zhang Yao’s voice fluctuated, seemingly containing a formidable magic, piercing into Zhang Yong’s brain bit by bit.
His vast True Qi surged like waves, and the Soul Capturing and Thought Extraction Technique was fully operational for the first time, even making him feel a bit strained. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦
Manipulating one’s memory and mind like this was no easy task and was very mentally draining, requiring several days of rest afterward.
Currently, only Zhang Yong was worth such significant effort.
"I hope you can give me a satisfactory answer..."
