Chapter 59: A Striking White Figure

In truth, to some extent, the experiences of Chen Lin and Mo Feng were remarkably similar.

Both of them grew up in brothels, witnessing all the filth and depravity at the very bottom of society. Chen Lin had wanted to resist, yet found himself powerless to do so, losing his self-respect and dignity step by step without even realizing it—until a severe awakening struck him like a blow to the head.

Mo Feng, on the other hand, possessed the cunning and intelligence to take him much farther than Chen Lin ever could. Yet what he lost was far greater. Chen Lin was gradually stripped of hope, confidence, and self-respect; but what Mo Feng lost was his heart—a heart inclined toward goodness.

Night soon fell, plunging Ding’s Inn into slumber. The streets were deserted and utterly silent.

Ma Qingyun and Luo Changning donned black clothes suited for night work, smearing dye over their fair faces and hands until not a trace of pale skin remained. Unless they ran into a martial artist whose senses were already awakened, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to spot them in the darkness.

Luo Changning tucked several message smokes into his breast and, together with Ma Qingyun, slipped quietly toward the Tianmen Mountains.

Their passage left not a sound. After all, it was already autumn; the small animals were no longer as lively as in summer, busy instead with preparations for the winter.

The two of them moved with lightness, evading the patrolling thugs, and soon scaled one of the peaks in the Tianmen range.

Concealed in a clump of reeds, Luo Changning waited for the right moment and, with a swift hand chop, knocked unconscious a thug who had just stepped aside to relieve himself—without alerting a soul.

He hoisted the small-statured man into the dense woods, one hand gently gripping the man’s neck, the other pressing his philtrum.

The thug slowly regained consciousness, muttering to himself, “How did taking a leak end up with me lying on the ground?”

His mind was clearly addled, entirely unaware of his predicament, nor the hand clasped around his throat.

That hand did not squeeze, only lightly pinched, yet with a single flex, its owner could snap his neck as easily as breaking a twig.

When the man finally came to his senses and tried to shout for help, Luo Changning clamped down fiercely, reducing his cries to muffled protests.

“Speak quickly—which peak do you small fries live on?” Luo Changning demanded.

Knowing that Su Meng had been dragged up the mountain by ordinary thugs, Luo Changning naturally intended to investigate their quarters first.

The unfortunate thug was on the verge of a breakdown; at least his pants were still up. Had he been struck while in the act, the shock might have ruined him for life. Perhaps, in that sense, he was lucky.

But how was he supposed to answer with hands around his neck? He was no ventriloquist!

Realizing this, Luo Changning loosened his grip slightly.

The thug gulped in a few breaths of fresh air, then replied, “It’s the mountain just south of here, past this one—everyone stays there.”

Having obtained what he wanted, Luo Changning once again knocked the man out without mercy, tied his hands and feet with vines he found nearby, sealed his acupoints, and stuffed a rag into his mouth.

After hiding the thug in a well-concealed spot, Luo Changning and Ma Qingyun crept up the mountain.

No one discovered them along the way, and they found the thugs’ quarters with ease. Most of the thugs were out on patrol, leaving many of the houses empty.

To avoid mishaps, Luo Changning and Ma Qingyun did not split up, but searched together for Su Meng.

Yet they turned over every house without finding any trace of her.

Standing atop the roof of one of the houses, Ma Qingyun said, “You keep searching here. I’m going to Tianmen Peak.”

Tianmen Peak was the main summit of the Tianmen range—and the headquarters of the mountain bandits. The chiefs and their families resided there.

“I’m coming with you,” Luo Changning refused without hesitation.

“No. Lin Ruhai is a martial artist of the innate realm. You are no match for him and would be easily detected. That would only complicate things. It’s better if I go alone,” Ma Qingyun insisted, hands clasped behind his back, his tone brooking no argument.

In the end, Luo Changning relented. He knew that with his current abilities, he was not qualified to infiltrate Tianmen Peak. One misstep and Lin Ruhai would surely notice him.

Ma Qingyun used lightness skill to fly toward Tianmen Peak and vanished into the night in an instant.

Left behind, Luo Changning continued his search of the thugs’ quarters with even greater care, overlooking no corner.

He searched for some time, the night growing ever darker, but still found no sign of Su Meng.

As impatience began to gnaw at him, a flash of brilliant white light darted ahead—strikingly conspicuous in the pitch-black forest.

Action always outpaced thought. By the time Luo Changning realized what he was doing, he was already chasing after that white figure, descending Tianmen Mountain in pursuit.

When he finally became aware of his surroundings and meant to turn back, it was as if some unseen force compelled him otherwise. The thought of returning to Tianmen Mountain evaporated, and instead, he pressed on, doggedly following the white shadow.