Luo Chenghou's expression darkened. After a moment's consideration, he decided to let Lu Zhiyuan go for now. A long chase like this was too conspicuous. With the Tao clan offering a bounty for him, he might be caught.
He was just about to stop when he noticed Lu Zhiyuan slowing ahead of him. Although still faster than an ordinary martial artist at the Skin Tempering or even Flesh Tempering stage, his speed had fallen to something Luo Chenghou could accept.
"Was that a secret technique?"
On reflection, that made sense. Even he, a martial artist at the Bone Tempering stage, could not achieve the speed Lu Zhiyuan's movement art had just displayed. How could someone at the Skin Tempering stage possess it?
"Let's see where you can run now, boy!"
With a cold laugh, Luo Chenghou drove his feet against the ground and pursued him. In moments, the distance halved to around twenty meters. At this rate, he would catch Lu Zhiyuan in a few breaths.
As though sensing the pressure behind him, Lu Zhiyuan glanced back. Seeing the gap steadily close, his face went white with fright.
Luo Chenghou grinned savagely. He loved that expression. It was just like those lowly menials, whose lives and deaths rested entirely in his hands.
Perhaps driven by the threat of death, Lu Zhiyuan gained a little more speed with his movement art just as Luo Chenghou closed to within ten-odd meters. Little by little, he began widening the gap again.
"A dying struggle!"
Luo Chenghou sneered and flicked his right hand, sending a cold glint through the air. Ahead of him, Lu Zhiyuan shifted aside to dodge the concealed weapon. But the maneuver slowed him, and the gap shrank back to ten-odd meters.
Lu Zhiyuan ran desperately. The effort had turned his neck red, and he looked as though he might collapse from exhaustion at any moment.
Yet he kept going. The gap between them fluctuated from ten-odd meters to twenty-odd meters. At his closest, Luo Chenghou had come almost within ten meters.
Every time, Lu Zhiyuan desperately widened the distance again, keeping Luo Chenghou from catching him.
Luo Chenghou gritted his teeth, his anger mounting. Originally, he had thought killing Lu Zhiyuan would be no harder than killing a chick.
Then Lu Zhiyuan's movement art had surprised him. Later, he had concluded it was a secret technique. Now only a short distance separated them, but that distance was like an unbridgeable gulf.
How could he not be furious? He was even beginning to lose his reason.
He had grown frenzied in his pursuit. The tantalizing feeling that Lu Zhiyuan was almost within his grasp had gone to his head. But when he noticed where they were, he abruptly came to his senses.
Several hundred meters farther, and they would reach the Tao clan's estate. For all his apparent confidence, killing whomever he wished, if he actually went there, he would be the one to die.
He might even find death difficult to obtain. They would certainly torture him first.
Luo Chenghou stopped abruptly and gave Lu Zhiyuan a vicious look. He intended to withdraw. This place was too dangerous. However much he wanted to kill Lu Zhiyuan, he would not gamble his own life on it.
"Hmm?"
Running ahead, Lu Zhiyuan noticed that the sounds behind him had stopped. He glanced back just in time to see Luo Chenghou standing still, staring at him coldly.
Lu Zhiyuan turned and landed on a roof's edge. Bracing his hands on his knees, he bent over and gasped for air, looking as though he might faint from exhaustion at any moment.
"You're lucky. The next time we meet, you're dead!"
Looking at him, Luo Chenghou felt he could easily choke the life out of him. The sight nearly tempted him forward. In the end, however, he hesitated, then turned and vanished into an alley.
As Lu Zhiyuan watched him leave, his labored breathing stopped at once. He slowly straightened.
"So close. Luo Chenghou is too cautious!"
His breathing was steady, and the skin that had reddened from exertion returned to normal.
Yes, it had all been an act, meant to lure Luo Chenghou to the Tao clan's residence. He had performed throughout the chase, always leaving just a little distance between them, hoping the other man would grow reckless and refuse to let go of the bait.
To make the performance convincing, he had even used Disguise Art. That was how he had fooled Luo Chenghou so thoroughly. But in the end, he had fallen just short.
Another hundred-plus meters, and he could have shouted for help. The Tao clan's guards would certainly have rushed out, leaving Luo Chenghou no escape. Unfortunately, he had come up just short.
Ultimately, his own strength was still insufficient. Otherwise, he could have captured Luo Chenghou himself and claimed that hefty bounty.
"If I report this to the Tao clan, I should at least get a little reward."
After thinking it over, he turned and continued toward the Tao clan's residence.
Fifteen minutes later, several guards rushed out of the estate and headed in the direction Luo Chenghou had disappeared. Lu Zhiyuan strolled out with a purse in his hand.
He had wanted to ask Tao Yinglan about the formula for Lightspirit Pills, but it was already late. Calling on her at this hour would probably get him thrown out.
After winding through a few alleys, he emerged with an entirely different appearance. A scar stretched from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth, making him look savage and sinister.
Wearing a face covering and a conical hat, he appeared at the black market.
"Here's this batch of pills." He approached the stall and handed over the vial.
"The quality keeps getting better!"
The stallholder glanced at the pills and smiled. Although Lu Zhiyuan only came every few days, his supply was reliable and the pills were excellent. They sold extremely well.
"Here's your money."
The stallholder counted out the silver and handed it over with a smile. "Our employing clan is very pleased with your pills and would like to do further business with you."
"That can be arranged." Lu Zhiyuan nodded, offering no refusal.
"Could you brew other pills? Herbal Restoration Pills are good, but they're still rather cheap. If you could provide higher-grade pills, we could discuss the price."
"Lightspirit Pills?"
"Yes, Lightspirit Pills would be excellent. Even Everfloat Pills!" The stallholder watched him intently. "If you can supply those two kinds, we can be more flexible on the price. You could even come to us with other problems!"
Lu Zhiyuan raised his eyebrows slightly. He seldom saw Everfloat Pills in the county, but Lightspirit Pills were fairly plentiful. Why was the man so eager for these two kinds?
"I have no formulas for them and have never brewed them. If you can provide the formulas, I could give it a try."
"You must be joking. The formula for Lightspirit Pills is one thing. It's expensive, but a price can always be negotiated. But who in Stillshade County would be willing to trade the formula for Everfloat Pills?"
The stallholder smiled and shook his head.