Chapter 125: Lord of the Hall of Glorious Splendor

The depth of the night seemed to intensify, yet for Han Tanyi, the confusion that once clouded his heart had suddenly vanished. Concepts like "orthodox sects" or "demonic cults" were merely labels imposed by the world; fairness was never a part of the equation. Once he saw past these illusions, there was nothing left to fret over. The dim, silent environment was far better suited for his advance. The front courtyard was still some distance away, but as he moved further from the secluded area, both the guards and the lanterns became sparse, allowing the youth to traverse the rooftops with the agility of a hare and the swiftness of a harrier. In less than half a quarter-hour, the faint, shimmering light of the front pavilion came into view.

Mingyue Manor was built against the mountains, its structures staggered in height from back to front. The terrain, with drops reaching tens of meters in some places, exuded an aura of grandeur and majesty. While this front courtyard lacked the vast expanse of the Three Pavilions and Six Halls, it served as the manor’s symbolic facade. It was the first thing one saw upon entering the main gate, and thus, it was not neglected. A row of buildings stretched for hundreds of meters from east to west, containing dozens of rooms. Searching them would be a laborious task. From his vantage point, even with intense focus, Han Tanyi could only catch glimpses of a figure moving slowly and cautiously in the distance—it was undoubtedly Shui Linglong.

Han Tanyi had no time to dwell on her actions. A faint smile touched his lips as he began his own search. He moved with extreme care, prying up roof tiles to peer inside, ensuring not a whisper of sound escaped. The guards here were fundamentally different from those in the inner sectors, but that did not mean the area was empty. A man as cautious as Shen Wansan might well have hidden a reserve force somewhere. Even if not, any sign of disturbance would bring the surrounding guards swarming in moments.

The rooms were uniform, almost as if cast from the same mold. At times, Han Tanyi felt a sense of déjà vu, momentarily forgetting which rooms he had already checked. To ensure nothing was missed, he repeated his efforts, unwilling to abandon even the slightest suspicion. Strangely, while the rooms looked identical at a glance, a second look always suggested some subtle difference—though he could not pinpoint what it was.

Fortunately, these were trivialities. Even if he felt a flicker of doubt, he quickly pushed it aside. Shui Linglong was clearly faster than him; by the time he had cleared a dozen rooms, she had already crossed half the distance and was moving rapidly toward his position. The youth grew increasingly tense; if she was moving so quickly, it meant the person they sought was likely not in this row of rooms. If not here, where could she be hidden?

Han Tanyi did not know. All he could do was continue searching in the opposite direction, hoping to find his target in the remaining rooms. With every passing moment, his anxiety deepened as the pool of unsearched rooms dwindled. Just as they were close enough to lock eyes, he felt his hope beginning to shatter. Suddenly, a figure leapt toward him. Before he could react, he felt an external force press him down, and a faint voice whispered in his ear: "Careful, someone is coming!"

Han Tanyi knew exactly who had spoken. He did not understand why Shui Linglong had acted so abruptly, but he trusted her judgment, pressing his body lower against the roof. In the darkness, the two figures were virtually invisible. Within a blink, a silhouette emerged from the main gate and entered the outer courtyard.

Though he could not see the stranger’s face, the black veil atop his head was all too familiar. Han Tanyi realized this was the eccentric old man who had given him the map. He wondered why the man was here, but one thing was certain: the old man’s martial arts were far deeper than he had imagined. Despite his slight, lean build, he moved through the silent night with absolute stillness. This level of lightness skill was something Han Tanyi knew he could not replicate. He cast a sidelong glance at Shui Linglong, his sense of disbelief deepening. He mused, "Moving without a sound is difficult enough, but to detect such a subtle change from afar—what level has her martial arts reached? Is she even stronger than that old monster Shen?"

"Hall Master Zhaoyang, the Manor Lord asked me to convey a message: be extremely cautious. According to scouts in Qingzhou, Du Huiming, the most capable general under Prince Qi Xiao Jinghao, has set off for Qilian. Xiao Jinghao himself has left his residence, destination unknown. The young lady has been confined to the Prince’s manor. It seems the Prince is planning something major. Have any strangers arrived at the weapon foundry recently?" The voice belonged to a youth in his early twenties, sounding even younger than Han Tanyi, yet his tone and content suggested a high status within Mingyue Manor. Even the eccentric old man, who addressed Shen Wansan as 'Shen the Second,' seemed to rank below this youth.

"Rest assured, Hall Master Ronghua. I have always been meticulous; otherwise, the former Manor Lord would not have entrusted the weapon foundry to me. Top-tier blacksmiths are not easily found. No newcomers have arrived at the foundry, and if they had, I would have vetted them thoroughly. No leaks will occur. By the way, where is the Manor Lord? Didn't he ask me to come here?" the old man asked, his voice trembling slightly with urgency.

The youth replied, "You are late, Hall Master Zhaoyang. The Manor Lord just took the 'Painted Butterfly' away. Hiding someone in the front courtyard is clever, but it only fools the smart ones. If a fool comes looking, they might stumble upon her. So, the Manor Lord decided to move the girl to the valley behind the mountain. No one would ever suspect that such an important prisoner is being held in their own family graveyard!"

"The Manor Lord is truly unconventional. Now, even if the Prince’s manor or the Qilian Mountain sect sends someone, they would never guess this. Since the Manor Lord is away, I shall take my leave. If he asks, tell him I will be waiting at the foundry." The old man turned and disappeared into the night.

Left behind, the youth muttered to himself, "What is that old eccentric plotting? People saw Qi Laosan bring two men into the manor this evening, and they haven't left, yet he claims there are no newcomers. He is lying through his teeth. I shall see what you are truly up to. If you have any treacherous intentions, I will use this opportunity to eliminate you. Among the six hall masters, you are the only one who poses a threat to me."

Having made his decision, the youth left the room and vanished from sight. Witnessing this, Han Tanyi felt a wave of melancholy. His thoughts turned to Xia Wuya, the man once called his junior brother. Had Han Tanyi not been devoid of desire for power, a scene like this might have played out on Qilian Mountain long ago. But those were matters of the past; there was more important work to be done.

"Never mind their schemes. Since this Hall Master Ronghua has left, we cannot stay at the foundry. It was only a ruse to locate the Painted Butterfly anyway. Now that we know where she is, we should act quickly. Time is of the essence," Shui Linglong said, already lost in thought. Han Tanyi found no reason to disagree. He nodded, and the two figures leapt from the roof, racing toward the mountains behind the manor.