Chapter 458: The Mantis Stalks The Cicada, Unaware Of The Oriole Behind It

The warm sunset shone on the street. In front of the **City of Dreams**' gate, pedestrians were constantly coming and going, and the noisy shouting was incessant.

On a small tiled house on one side of the street, Feng Yu Die, who had dyed her hair dark brown, lay on the roof, poking the upper half of her face out from behind the ridge of the roof.

The two vendors were dressed like wandering cultivators, and the pills they sold were also the Soul Gathering pills that immortal cultivators often prepared. At first glance, there was nothing special about them.

But, that was only at first glance.

Feng Yu Die had been observing from this small tiled house for four days.

Now, the vendors on this street at the city gate were all very familiar to her.

An ordinary vendor would show 200% enthusiasm when facing customers, afraid that the customers would not buy the things at his stall.

However, these two people did not even bother to shout. When someone came over to look at the medicinal pills, they also didn't show any interest at all.

If that wasn't abnormal enough, Feng Yu Die had even deliberately taken two bottles of Spirit Gathering Pills last night. As a result, the two people didn't even notice, although there were only about twenty bottles at the stall. If they were here to do business normally, they would definitely report to the City Lord's Office and ask for someone to catch the thief.

Feng Yu Die felt that there was definitely something wrong with those two people.

There was also the fact of her previously meeting two masked men who had asked for Ye Anping's portrait.

Her intuition told her that the two 'rogue cultivators' selling the Spirit Gathering pills were the same two people she met that night.

Now, those two people had been keeping the city gate under surveillance day and night for four days. That meant that they were extremely certain that Ye Anping would come to the **City of Dreams**.

As for where they got the information?

This was not important. What really mattered was that there was a high probability that Young Master Ye would come to this city. That was enough for her.

In other words, the mantis stalked the cicada, while the oriole was behind!

Feng Yu Die felt that she was a genius for noticing this. Her fluffy hair fluttered on her head, then she retracted behind the ridge, turned over, and took out Ye Anping's portrait from her storage bag. She opened it and looked at it in the sunset.

"Eh hehe..."

She didn't know why, but now she liked to take out the painting and look at it whenever she had nothing to do. Every time she saw Ye Anping's face in the painting, she felt comfortable.

*Tap tap...*

The sound of footsteps was clearly heard on the tiles.

Xiao Yunluo, with the hornet's nest on her head, jumped onto the roof from the alley below, carrying a box of pastries she bought.

Seeing that the Second Idiot was lying there staring at a piece of paper in a daze and did not even notice that she had returned, Xiao Yunluo tiptoed, held her breath, and leaned over, wanting to find out what was going on.

However, before she could see what was on the paper, Feng Yu Die quickly folded up the canvas. "Sister Xiao, you're back..."

Xiao Yunluo didn't say anything as she sat down and put the pastry box aside.

"Second Idiot, something is wrong in this city. When I passed by an alley earlier, I could clearly smell the stench of toxic parasites, but they disappeared very quickly... I even used my spiritual sense to probe, but I could not find anything. There is probably a Toxic parasite cultivator at least in the *Nascent Soul* stage hiding in this city."

"A Toxic parasite cultivator in the *Nascent Soul* stage..." Feng Yu Die frowned slightly and propped her chin, thinking for a while. "This place is only a thousand miles away from the ***Bright Star*** Sect."

Xiao Yunluo nodded in agreement and stretched her neck slightly, trying to see what the painting in Feng Yu Die's hand was about.

"Yes, the hinterland of the **Southern Region** Immortal Family. The **Southern Region** isn't like the **Northern Region**, covered in snow all year round, but since *Nascent Soul*-stage demonic cultivators have already arrived at such a place, it means they will probably make a big move soon."

Feng Yu Die hurriedly rolled up the painting in her hand, put it back into her storage bag, and said with a cheeky smile, "Let's talk about it when Young Master Ye arrives. We don't want to alert them, so just pretend that we don't know anything and keep an eye on them... Ouch!"

Xiao Yunluo suddenly grabbed her face with a frown. "Show me that painting you had in your hand, show it!"

"No!~ I bought it for myself."

"What's the big deal!" Xiao Yunluo reached out to touch her storage bag. "You've been staring at that painting and giggling for the past few days. Let me take a look!"

Feng Yu Die quickly rolled away. "No!"

Suddenly, a male voice came from below the tiled house. "Hey! Is there anyone on the roof?"

The two of them immediately stopped moving and held their breaths. Seeing that the person did not seem to have any intention of investigating, they heaved a sigh of relief and looked at each other.

Xiao Yunluo sat down and opened the pastry box.

"Then, tell me, what is in that painting?"

"Well... a painting of the *Great Dao*!"

?

Xiao Yunluo was stunned for a moment. She immediately recalled the book in her storage bag, but she felt that it was impossible, so she simply stopped talking. She picked up a piece of cake and stuffed it into Feng Yu Die's mouth.

"Eat!"

"Woo..."

...

Unknowingly, the sunset turned the streets a little yellower and a little darker.

Sitting on a small rattan chair, one of the cultivators who had set up a stall in front of the city gates looked up at the sun that was about to set in the distance and let out a small sigh. "Uncle, the sun is setting soon. That ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect Young Master probably won't come today, right?"

The other person heard this and glanced at him.

"It's not up to you whether he will come or not. The Seventh Elder asked us to watch the south gate, so we'll watch. If he comes, we'll inform him. If he doesn't come, we'll wait for Elder to tell us to leave."

"All I meant is that we don't need to make such a fuss over a mere Young Master of the ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect, right? Elder had already released his parasite net, so he could not possibly alarm the immortal cultivators in this city just to capture a *Core Formation* cultivator, right? This place is only a thousand miles away from the ***Bright Star*** Sect."

"...*Spring Phase* spiritual energy."

"Huh?"

"A young cultivator like you doesn't know what the *Spring Phase* energy means. It is a top-grade tool for Toxic parasite cultivators. Even the Patriarch couldn't sit still after hearing the news. For the ***Hedonistic*** Sect techniques, the *Spring Phase* energy is a nearly perfect cauldron for dual cultivation, and for Toxic parasite cultivators like us, the *Spring Phase* cultivators are the best parasite fodder."

"Really?"

"Naturally, the *Spring Phase* comes from actual dragons, and since ancient times, the magic tools refined by the dragons and the toxic parasites fed by them are the best. Let's put it this way, if you can get a fingernail of that ***Hundred Lotus*** Sect Young Master and feed it to your baby parasites, you can directly break through some levels."

"But even if we catch him, the Elder probably won't share the goods with us."

"Anyway, keep your eyes open."

---"Hey? How much is this Gathering Spirit pill?"

Seeing a customer coming, the "Uncle" raised his head with an indifferent face and answered casually, "Three hundred spirit stones for one bottle, five pills per bottle."

"Isn't there something cheaper..."

"If you don't want to buy, get lost."

"Hiss-- how do you do business with this attitude, eh..."

While he was dealing with the guests, the other demonic cultivator elbowed him on the waist and desperately signaled him to look in the direction of the city gate.

"Uncle... Hmm~ Hmm!"

The demonic cultivator Uncle glanced over and saw a youth dressed in the ***Black Star*** Sect uniform walk in through the city gate with two women dressed in the ***Bright Star*** Sect's black-and-white uniforms.

The solemn-looking young man was at least 90% similar to the painting they bought at the painting stall in the eastern district.

He suddenly smiled at the customer in front of him and spread his hands.

"Here you go, fifty spirit stones less for you."

"? What do you mean? You just told me to get lost..."

...

Ye Anping stepped out of the shadows below the city gate into the street paved with stone bricks. He smiled happily as he looked at the vendors in front of the city gate tower before sighing, "The cities in the **Southern Region** are much prettier than those in the **Western Region**. The white walls and green tiles have a quiet and elegant charm."

Elder Cao, who was walking in front and acting as a guide, turned around and smiled when she heard this. "One side has water and nature while the other has people's design in it. The **Southern Region** has its beauty, and the **Western Region** also has its beauty. Both have good and bad points. Young Master Ye, you are too flattering."

Zu Lingzhi had a look of disdain on her face as she whispered, "Pretender."

Then, she leaned over to Pei Lianxue. "Sister Pei, there are quite a lot of delicious dishes in **City of Dreams**. Shall I take you for a stroll later?"

"I'll only go if Brother goes."

"Oh, Elder Cao will show him around, and I'll show you around. We two girls have similar interests. I'll take you to buy rouge."

...

Seeing Zu Lingzhi constantly trying to get on his sister's good side, Ye Anping felt a little helpless.

Ever since the day they met and Pei Lianxue blocked Zu Lingzhi's sword for him, she had been trying to please his sister along the way.

In the game, Zu Lingzhi was indeed a girl interested in strength and had no friends. It was understandable that she wanted to make friends with his sister after seeing how powerful she was.

But...

Ye Anping somehow saw Feng Yu Die's shadow on Zu Lingzhi and shook his head, sighing.

"Sigh..."

However, playing was playing, and trouble was trouble.

He was aware of the matters in the **City of Dreams**.

Although it was only a thousand miles away from the ***Bright Star*** Sect, it was not a particularly prosperous city.

There were only two or three *Nascent Soul* cultivators in the city, which was the weakest defense among all the cities in the area.

In other words, if the demonic cultivators had put in their minds to catch him, then the **City of Dreams** would be their best place to start.

According to his estimation, if someone in the **City of Dreams** really set up a trap for him, that person would at most be a *Nascent Soul* cultivator, and there was a high probability that it was a Toxic parasite cultivator or a Ghost cultivator.

After all, this place was too close to the ***Bright Star*** Sect, and the higher the cultivation level, the harder it was to hide one's aura.

If a *Deification*-stage demonic cultivator hid here, the ***Bright Star*** Sect's protective formation could not possibly fail to detect them.

But it was just as well.

He needed the right timing for this trip to the ***Bright Star*** Sect.

And that time was when the two demonic cultivator sects invaded the **Southern Region**.

But according to the jade slip sent by Brother Liang a few days ago, he still had to deal with some stuff for a while before he could meet Zu Yuan at ***Bright Star*** Sect.

As they say, everything is ready, just waiting for the wind from the stern.

He needed to wait for that wind to reach the **Southern Region** before he could step into the ***Bright Star*** Sect.

Thinking of this, Ye Anping smiled and asked, "Well... Senior Cao, you're not busy, right?"

Elder Cao understood what he meant and agreed with a smile. "Master Ye, you're our guest, so of course I'll do my best to be a good host. We'll find a place to stay in the city, and I'll show you around for a few days before we continue on our way. Anyway, it's only a thousand miles away from the ***Bright Star*** Sect. It will take at most one day to fly the sword at normal speed."

"Then, thank you."

Ye Anping cupped his hands in response. He pretended to admire the scenery and swept his eyes left and right as he followed Elder Cao toward the inner city.

There was a constant clamor in the streets.

Probably because of his handsome face and Elder Cao and Zu Lingzhi's ***Bright Star*** Sect uniforms, many passers-by on the street unconsciously glanced toward them.

Even if Ye Anping knew that there must be a spy from the demonic cultivator inside, it would still be difficult for him to catch the spy at a glance.

Although it didn't matter if he couldn't find it, the feeling of being peeked at was quite unpleasant.

After a while, he looked at Pei Lianxue who was following him and called out. "Sister, although the ***Moon Shadow Sword*** Sect is also in the **Southern Region**, the local customs here are different. It's your first time here, so take a look around. Don't keep your head down."

Pei Lianxue, who ignored Zu Lingzhi like she ignored Feng Yu Die, heard this and immediately understood the implication.

---*Brother means there are some bad guys on the street!*

She rolled her amber eyes, and like Ye Anping, she examined the stall owners and pedestrians by the roadside.

Then, she suddenly saw a slightly swaying hornet's nest on top of a tiled house a little further away.

"...Brother."

Pei Lianxue hurriedly pulled Ye Anping's sleeve. "Ten o'clock."

This was the twelve-point reporting method that he had taught to his sister before.

Ye Anping hurriedly looked toward his ten o'clock, also saw the hornet's nest that protruded from the ridge of the house, and froze.

Why does it look so much like Yunluo's head...

She followed him here? Then, Feng Yu Die probably followed too?

Ye Anping originally wanted Xiao Yunluo and Feng Yu Die to stay in the ***Black Star*** Sect and cultivate properly, but now that they followed him...

---Then, let them follow.

"Sigh..."

Ye Anping sighed slightly and whispered, "Tian."

*"Hey!"*

Instantly, a spiritual light that only he could see appeared from his forehead and transformed into a human form. Xiao Tian appeared with her arms crossed and quickly observed left and right, then twitched her nose. *"Anping, I smell demonic cultivators... and Feng Yu Die."*

Ye Anping raised his eyebrows slightly and asked with his eyes: *Where?*

Xiao Tian stretched out her arms like a scarecrow. One hand pointed at the roof of the tiled house with a hornet's nest head, and the other hand pointed at two rogue cultivators who seemed to be selling Spirit Gathering pills.

*"There!"*

"..."

Ye Anping glanced in two directions and ignored Xiao Yunluo, then turned to look at the two cultivators on the street.

*"One is in the middle stage of *Core Formation*, and the other is in the late stage of *Foundation Building*! Anping, they use magic tools to hide their cultivation."*

Since a demon cultivator in the middle stage of *Core Formation* was simply watching the street here, then there must be a cultivator in the *Nascent Soul* stage in the city, right?

Toxic parasite cultivator or Ghost cultivator?

With this question, Ye Anping pretended to want to buy the Gathering Spirit pills, so he turned around and walked toward the two people.

"Fellow cultivators, how much is the Spirit Gathering Pill?"

"...Three hundred spirit stones per bottle, five per bottle."

"Oh~ The price is quite expensive."

"If you want it, I'll give you a discount of fifty?"

"That's not necessary."

When Ye Anping was chatting with the man, Elder Cao noticed that he stopped to buy Gathering Spirit pills, so she followed him with Zu Lingzhi.

Elder Cao looked at the Soul Gathering pills on the stall and raised her eyebrows slightly. "Master Ye, do you still need this? If you need it, I can give you a few bottles."

Smiling, Ye Anping pointed at the two people behind the stall. "No, no, I don't need this stuff. It's just that I think these two people look like demonic cultivators, so I came to take a closer look, hahahaha..."

As soon as these words were spoken, whether it was Elder Cao, Zu Lingzhi, or the two people behind the stall, their expressions instantly turned solemn..