Martial Saint through Reading-Chapter 72: Chu Family, Blood Evil Sect!

Chu Ming planned to infiltrate the Chu Mansion as a guard to investigate the situation.

But there was a problem to solve: the guard’s task was to track him. If he just returned like this, it might arouse suspicion, so he needed a good excuse.

After pondering for a moment, he figured out what to say.

Checking that nothing was left behind, Chu Ming used the environment to hide his form and exited the alley.

Just as he left the alley, he sensed two familiar auras—Shao Pengshu and Tan Hong.

"Lord Shao, now what? Three grown people vanish right under our noses, what will we say to Lord Liuu..." Tan Hong’s face was tense, his expression sour.

Shao Pengshu’s expression was gloomy; he glanced at the inn, then turned casually to look at the alley where the Chu Family guard had hidden.

"Hm? Where’s that Chu Family guard?"

"Gone, could he have noticed the scholar’s disappearance too?"

"Impossible, just a young guard—could he be more alert than us?"

Are we alert?

Tan Hong fell silent.

If they had thought of disguise from the start, they wouldn’t have let anyone slip away, and now, they didn’t know how to explain to Lord Liuu.

"Go guard the inn. I’ll take another look around."

...

Night fell, at the Chu Mansion’s back gate.

Two house servants guarded the gate, but Chu Ming, disguised as a guard, strode right in confidently.

There were two things he wanted to investigate in Chu Mansion.

First, was the Chu Family Madam who killed the original owner’s mother and was now targeting him.

In the original’s memory, this Lady rarely appeared, had her own loft and courtyard, heavily guarded.

Second, the relationship between Chu Family and Blood Evil Sect—was it the whole family, or only certain members involved?

He was worried that Lady was deeply tied to the Blood Evil Sect.

Because from Qin Gui at the start, to Wu Tian and Housekeeper Wu earlier, both were close to the Lady and carried the same bloody stench.

The Chu Family was nothing special; the real threat was the Blood Evil Sect practicing blood techniques.

This was why he chose to sneak in and scout out enemies instead of charging in recklessly.

After entering from the back gate, Chu Ming wove through corridors and arrived at a secluded courtyard.

He sensed people inside the courtyard long ago.

He greeted the courtyard with cupped hands: "Housekeeper Wu."

A moment passed.

"Didn’t the Young Master order you to track the scholar? Why are you back?"

Wu Tian came out with a somber face, bringing a thick bloody stench—and the smell of rot.

Chu Ming, as a guard, acted terrified and bowed quickly: "Housekeeper Wu, the scholar checked into the inn not long ago, then people from the Criminal Defense Bureau appeared. I was afraid of exposure, so..."

"Criminal Defense Bureau..." Wu Tian’s brows furrowed, he mused, "Step back, I will inform the Young Master myself."

"Thank you, Housekeeper Wu." Guard Chu Ming retreated trembling.

With Criminal Defense Bureau involved, Wu Tian as housekeeper would definitely report to Chu Yu first.

At the same time, Wu Tian and the Lady behind him were linked to the Blood Evil Sect. Hearing Chu Yu got involved with Criminal Defense Bureau, they’d likely go to Madam Chu, giving him a chance to pinpoint her location.

Wu Tian watched the guard leave, eyes shifting, then he exited the courtyard and walked down the path.

Chu Ming didn’t go far; sensing Wu Tian’s movement, he melted back into the darkness, doubled back, and followed Wu Tian silently.

Wu Tian went to a large courtyard—this was the residence of the second son, Chu Yu.

At that moment, Chu Yu reclined on a couch, several young maids carefully attending him.

"Young Master." Wu Tian bowed respectfully.

"Housekeeper Wu, visiting so late..." Chu Yu opened his mouth, and a little maid obediently fed him grapes.

"That scholar’s under surveillance by the Criminal Defense Bureau," Wu Tian said.

"Oh?" Chu Yu sat up. "Then stop tracking him."

"Yes."

"By the way, for Brother Su—send someone with some silver, see if you can buy that painting."

That painting, naturally, was the fourth one Chu Ming sold to Rain Paint Tower.

After Chu Yu returned, he couldn’t get over it, felt he’d missed thousands or even tens of thousands of taels; they’d bought it already, why not keep it!

"Yes."

Wu Tian withdrew from Chu Yu’s place and walked along the path again.

Chu Ming followed in secret. They passed five or six archways; the surroundings grew quieter, even servant sightings were rare.

This place wasn’t in the original’s memory.

After passing through two more courtyards, he gazed ahead across the distance—a bright loft towered under the moonlight.

Chu Ming’s heart stirred, guessing something, he activated [Sword Gourd Spirit] and probed toward the loft.

The loft was large, but inside he detected very few auras.

Over ten ordinary people, likely servants.

Besides them, seven martial artists with detectable Qi and Blood Power, all at Late Blood Circulation Realm, each had condensed at least eight threads of qi blood.

Martial artists with eight threads of qi blood were already formidable in Baiyuan County. Even Arresting Captains like Shao Pengshu from Criminal Defense Bureau only had seven threads.

Clearly, this loft was unusual.

Digging deeper, on the loft’s top floor, Chu Ming sensed two strong qi blood auras.

Those two weren’t very high, at about Middle Blood Circulation Realm. One was slightly feminine, possibly female.

The Lady of Chu Mansion, does she practice martial arts too?

Could also be someone else, hard to say for now.

Chu Ming quietly tailed Wu Tian toward the loft.

Wu Tian must come here often; the guards at the door merely saluted and let him in.

Soon, thanks to the powerful perception from [Sword Gourd Spirit], Chu Ming heard the conversation inside.

"Madam, Young Master has returned." That was Housekeeper Wu’s respectful voice.

"Mm. Did Yuu’er find someone to teach him painting?" Following was a dignified woman’s voice.

That voice was the main target of Chu Ming’s current mission—the Lady of Chu Mansion.

"Just as Madam expected, Young Master sought out Su Zhe, the Upper Academy Student at Baiyuan Academy. Su Zhe initially agreed to teach him painting, but broke the deal over the Five Eyes Painting matter at the painting workshop."

"Five Eyes Painting? Explain clearly."

"Reporting, Madam: Five Eyes Painting is a challenge set by County Magistrate Liu Sitong of Baiyuan County. Su Zhe, believing in his talent, kept trying. He thought he’d finally succeed today."

"Unexpectedly, a scholar came out of nowhere and succeeded first. Su Zhe was hit hard and rejected Young Master."

"A challenge set by Liu Sitong?" Madam’s voice changed slightly, followed by a brief silence—she seemed to ponder. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Good that he refused. Now’s a critical time; the less we deal with officials, the better."

"Yuu’er thinks dealing with officials would please me, but..." The Madam hesitated mid-sentence.

"With Yuu’er’s personality, he’ll probably try befriending that scholar instead?"

"Mm. Young Master sent someone to follow the scholar, but just now, that guard reported the scholar’s under Criminal Defense Bureau’s watch."

"Criminal Defense Bureau!" Madam’s tone changed again, voice cold and furious.

"Madam, after the Liuu Town incident, Lin Zhenwu from Criminal Defense Bureau has been pressing us. We’d better send the Young Master away soon, lest..." Wu Tian’s voice suddenly faded.

"Send away? You think I don’t want to? Not only I want to—Zheng Xiguan has argued endlessly about this, but nothing works."

"Young Master won’t leave until he’s finished playing."

Blood Evil Sect Young Master?

That mysterious little girl!