Chapter 174 - The Unexpected Stalker (1)
Chapter 174: The Unexpected Stalker (1)
“Who’s following us? What is his spiritual level?” Ye Jiuge asked in a hushed tone.
“He’s around the level of a high-level Spiritual Practitioner. The person is very cautious,” Ye Yu replied.
If he weren’t a naturally sensitive tracker, he wouldn’t have noticed their stalker.
“Find an opportunity to capture him,” Ye Jiuge said, scanning their surroundings.
They were now on the Medicinal Halls’ busiest street.
Although the local businesses had been severely affected because of the Sorcerers, the crowd was still denser than on the other streets.
This was especially true of the free market area in front of the Medicinal Halls. There, spiritual herbs gathered by the locals in the mountains could be found, and there were also many rare herbs.
Many low-leveled Alchemists would bring their attendants here to pick out herbs. With so many people moving around, it was a very lively area.
An idea formed in Ye Jiuge’s mind, and she headed toward the free market.
She made a right turn, then a left, and walked into a small alley.
During this time, Ye Yu split up from Ye Jiuge due to the heavy human traffic.
Ye Jiuge walked deeper into the dirty alley. The more she walked, the more secluded it became.
Now, she could sense someone following her. The person kept a low profile. If Ye Jiuge hadn’t been looking out for him, the stalker would have been impossible to notice.
Ye Jiuge walked into a junk-filled dead end then turned around. “My friend, wouldn’t you like to show yourself?”
There was no reply. Only silence reigned in the alley.
“Since you want to stay hidden, then don’t blame me for forcing you out,” Ye Jiuge raised her finger, and a purple lightning bolt shot out toward the pile of wood in the corner.
A black shadow jumped out from behind the woodpile and ran toward the entrance of the alley.
Ye Yu was already waiting there. Stepping out of the shadows, he waved two grey Spiritual Lights at the black shadow and forced it back into the alley.
The black shadow landed in front of Ye Jiuge, and she could see the person’s face. It was a youth with a distinctive face.
“You?” Ye Jiuge looked at the stalker. He had a head full of small braids and wore a black and red robe. She remembered that he was one of the Level-two Alchemists—a Prince from one of the small, remote countries in the West. He was called Ouyang Sen.
“You recognize me?” Ouyang Sen gave the disguised Ye Jiuge an evaluating look with his light-brown eyes.
“There are only a few Level Two Alchemists left in Medicine Refinery City. It would be strange if I didn’t recognize you. What about you? Why are you following me?” Ye Jiuge’s face turned stony, and she interrogated him fiercely.
“You look like a friend of mine, Guo Yingxi. Do you know of her?” Ouyang Sen’s words were calm, but his tone was probing.
“Don’t know her. Do we look alike? If you get the chance, you should introduce her to me,” Ye Jiuge replied expressionlessly.
“It will never happen now,” Ouyang Sen shook his head. Then, he continued forcefully, “She is dead, murdered by the Sorcerers.”
Ye Jiuge raised an eyebrow, reeling with shock.
Guo Yingxi was dead!
But the death of a foreign Level Two Alchemist in Medicine Refinery City was hard to cover up. How did Ouyang Sen come to know of it?
Ouyang Sen seemed to know what Ye Jiuge was thinking and explained in a subdued tone, “Guo Yingxi was my Senior. We came to Medicine Refinery City together to participate in the tournament. To be safe, we were pretending to be strangers. Senior Guo was murdered by the Sorcerers three days ago. Before her death, she contacted me using a secret technique. I have been searching for her body but have been unable to find it.”
When Ouyang Sen finished, he stared at Ye Jiuge like a hawk, observing her reaction.
“Your Senior wasn’t killed by me.” Ye Jiuge was frank. “There is a Sorcerer around who is adept in Disguising Technique. He heavily injured my subordinate while pretending to be Guo Yingxi. I wanted to lure this Sorcerer out by disguising myself as Guo Yingxi.”
Ye Jiuge did not reveal too much information about Ye Yu’s incident. Ouyang Sen’s appearance was too much of a coincidence. Enemy or ally, it was too soon to tell.
Ouyang Sen appeared to believe Ye Jiuge.
He was silent for a while, then asked. “If you are chasing the Sorcerers, do you have news about Ye Jiuge?”
“Do you believe that Ye Jiuge is the leader of the Sorcerers?” Ye Jiuge asked in reply.
Ouyang Sen was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth to reply: “If she were the leader of the Sorcerers, Great Master Dongfang would have realized it.” He, too, would have noticed.
Ouyang Sen was exceptionally sensitive to Sorcerers’ auras.
“That’s right. Ye Jiuge merely played the role of scapegoat. The real Sorcerers are from the Bloodthirsty Sect, and they are still running free in Medicine Refinery City. If they are not caught soon, even more Spiritual Practitioners will be harmed. Honestly, you have been too rash just now. If I were a Sorcerer who had disguised himself as Guo Yingxi, you would have been dead by now.” Ye Jiuge gave Ouyang Sen a look of disapproval.
“I have my ways of identifying Sorcerers. In fact, I have already met the Sorcerer who disguised himself as my Senior.” Ouyang Sen’s revelation was shocking.
If he hadn’t been confident that Ye Jiuge was not a Sorcerer, he would not have dared to follow her.
“Where is the Sorcerer?” Ye Jiuge’s eyes lit up in excitement as she asked urgently after the Sorcerer’s whereabouts.
“In a bar on the West Main Street. Some time ago, I was going to that place for a drink. I think that he went there on purpose, waiting for me to take the bait.” Ouyang Sen shuddered with chills as he recalled the situation.
The Sorcerer’s disguise looked identical to his Senior. If he hadn’t already known about his Senior’s death, he probably would have fallen into the trap.
“Since you escaped, he will probably try again. You are in danger. Do you want to work with us?” Ye Jiuge enticed, sounding like the big bad wolf trying to deceive Little Red Riding Hood.
“Are you sure you can deal with the Sorcerers?” Ouyang Sen’s face revealed his disbelief.
Although he wanted to avenge his Senior, he wasn’t about to risk his life.
“You have no other option,” Ye Jiuge said, matter-of-fact.
She was confident about taking down the Sorcerers.
But she and Ouyang Sen were just getting to know one another. There was no need to reveal all the cards in her hand.
Ouyang Sen’s expression kept changing. It was obvious he was struggling to decide what to do. In truth, he was aware of his predicament. The Sorcerers had already targeted him. It was only a matter of time before he had to fight them.
Senior Guo’s cultivation level had been higher than his, yet the Sorcerers had brutally killed her. There was no question as to what would happen to him.
But, he couldn’t risk believing the two Spiritual Practitioners in front of him, who were obviously in disguise
“You do not have to rush into a decision. I’ll leave this Communication Charm with you. If you are in a pinch, just use it, and we’ll rush over to save you. The Sorcerers’ tricks have always been unorthodox. Going on the offense is always better than going on the defense. Think about it carefully!” Ye Jiuge took out a Communication Charm.
It was a rare item. She only had three such charms, and she couldn’t even bear to give one to Ye Yu and Wan Ziyang. Ouyang Sen was a lucky guy.
“Thank you.” Ouyang Sen reached out to take the Communication Charm.
He had to admit, Ye Jiuge’s decision dispelled some of his hesitations. He started seriously considering the possibility of working with them.
“I still have some things to do, so I’ll make a move now,” Ye Jiuge swiftly bade him farewell and left with Ye Yu in tow.