If you were asked to identify an item, would you choose to extract magical powers?

Chapter 294 Lure the snake out of its hole
Under the rule of Marquis Moyun, Moyunjing was thriving, attracting a large number of people from the martial arts world.

Moreover, scholars often lingered here.

Since martial law was imposed in Moyunjing not long ago, the number of martial arts practitioners staying in Moyunjing has gradually increased.

The common people didn't know what was going on, but seeing a scholar dressed in white walking down the street seemed perfectly normal to them.

Because they had seen even the strangest things, let alone an ordinary scholar.

At this moment, Shen Bai had already transformed into a scholar, waving a folding fan and appreciating everything in Moyun Capital.

He stored Han Yue in the space of the Chaos Storage Technique and did not take it out.

Because of his Soul Transformation Technique reaching level seven, even people who knew Shen Bai very well wouldn't know his true identity if they stood in front of him.

However, the Cold Moon was always Shen Bai's signature weapon, so Shen Bai wasn't foolish enough to take it out.

"Moyun Capital is indeed quite prosperous. If Marquis Moyun does not harbor rebellious intentions, he will likely play a significant role in future turmoil."

As Shen Bai walked, he thought to himself.

Although Han Yue was sent into the space of the Chaos Storage Technique, the connection between Hong Zhuang and him remained.

As soon as Shen Bai spoke in his mind, Hongzhuang immediately responded.

"Master, this is how the world is."

"On the surface, it appears prosperous and glamorous, but no one knows what kind of despicable things are hidden inside."

“Those in power rule the entire city. People like Mo Yunhou probably only regard the so-called prosperity as their achievement.”

Shen Bai nodded and said, "What you said is not wrong."

The prosperity was merely a facade; the true ambition of Marquis Moyun was to conquer the entire world.

Moyunjing is the stronghold of Moyunhou, and he would never allow his stronghold to become filthy, so the current prosperity is quite normal.

Hongzhuang asked, "How does Master plan to make a move?"

Shen Bai slowly said, "Before I came here, the Holy Martial Emperor told me that although the Celestial Surveillance Bureau of Moyun Capital was being monitored by people under the command of Marquis Moyun, there were still some spies hiding in places unknown to Marquis Moyun. They were collecting intelligence about Marquis Moyun, and this intelligence just happens to be the clue for my next move. Let's go find them first."

Hongzhuang said softly, "Master, please be careful."

Although Shen Bai has now reached the pinnacle of the realm, there is still a top expert at the Immortal Realm within Mo Yun Jing.

Therefore, we must be careful in everything we do.

Shen Bai stopped talking, fanned himself with his folding fan, and walked along this street to another, more bustling street.

The area is surrounded by vendors hawking their wares, with people coming and going in front of the stalls, creating a bustling atmosphere.

Shen Bai lingered in front of each stall, wandering around like a young master with nothing to do.

Before long, Shen Bai arrived at a stall.

This is a stall selling all sorts of trinkets.

The stall owner was a middle-aged man with a weathered face.

The middle-aged man was tidying up the miscellaneous items on his stall when he sensed someone approaching. He subconsciously looked up and asked curiously, "Young master, what would you like to buy?"

The stall owner didn't know who the person in front of him was, but since he had stopped at the stall, he must want to buy something.

Shen Bai smiled slightly, leaned closer, and whispered, "The autumn breeze is crisp and refreshing."

The stall owner was stunned for a moment, then immediately realized what he meant and lowered his voice: "Everything is desolate and lifeless."

Shen Bai smiled, then picked up a comb from the stall and continued, "I'll come to see you tonight."

The stall owner quickly nodded, indicating that there was no problem.

Shen Bai then took the comb and left the stall.

The place he just went to was the spy's stronghold, and the stall owner was a spy from the Surveillance Bureau.

The so-called "spies" are those who conceal their identities, hide among ordinary people, and collect various intelligence for the Bureau of Observation.

They had no names, no identities, and were a top secret within the Bureau of Astronomy.

Apart from the local astronomical observatory administrators, even the homeowner didn't know who they were.

Shen Bai mentioned the evening because they were in a busy area, and if the stall owners packed up their stalls now, it would likely arouse suspicion.

The stall owner watched Shen Bai's retreating figure until Shen Bai disappeared, then continued to pretend to buy and sell things, calling out his wares in front of the stall.

……

Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was evening.

The stall owner packed up his stall and walked towards the alley next to him.

Before long, we arrived at the end of the alley.

There is a room at the end.

The stall owner stepped forward, opened the door, and as soon as he entered, he heard footsteps behind him.

The stall owner quickly turned around and gripped the dagger hidden in his sleeve.

Only after seeing that the person who came was the young master from the morning did he loosen his grip on the dagger slightly.

"Please come in, sir."

The stall owner lit the oil lamp on the table and said.

Shen Bai nodded, closed the door behind him, and then sat down in the chair.

Before long, the stall owner brought over a pot of tea and poured Shen Bai a cup.

"My lord, I apologize for the poor service I have provided."

The tea is coarse tea, and he is a local commoner, not a wealthy person, so everything must be absolutely authentic.

Shen Bai finished his tea without a care and waved his hand, saying, "Thank you for your hard work."

That statement truly came from the heart.

Although the members of the Surveillance Bureau are people who risk their lives and live on the edge, their work as undercover agents is not easy.

To be forever hidden from the light is a form of endless torment.

The stall owner shook his head, then straightened his hunched back and patted his chest: "It is my honor to serve the Great Zhou Kingdom. I have already entrusted my life to the Astronomical Bureau. Even if we cannot see the sunlight, we are not afraid, because we are all the lights in the darkness, and we will shine on our own without the need for sunlight."

Shen Bai smiled slightly, patted the stall owner on the shoulder, and said, "Tell me all the information about Marquis Moyun."

Knowing the rules, the stall owner said nothing at this point, but found a hidden compartment in the room, took out a scroll, and placed it on the table.

There was no dust on the files, indicating that the stall owner frequently reviewed the records.

Without wasting words, Shen Bai opened the file and began to read it carefully by the light of the oil lamp.

It took Shen Bai a full incense stick's time to finish reading the entire file.

"I haven't left the residence lately, which is a bit of a problem," Shen Bai thought to himself, stroking his chin.

According to the records, recently, Marquis Moyun has been strictly managing the entire Moyun Capital and has never left his residence.

This step was a little difficult for Shen Bai.

He came here to carry out a decapitation operation; his purpose was to take the head from Mo Yunhou's neck.

If they were to rashly storm into Marquis Moyun's residence, it wouldn't be called a decapitation strike, but a direct confrontation.

The city is home to countless masters and an innumerable army.

Even though Shen Bai has already reached the pinnacle of cultivation, once he enters the residence of Marquis Moyun, he will probably find it extremely difficult to leave.

At that point, Shen Bai's life and death would no longer be in his own hands, and he might even allow Mo Yunhou to escape, causing all his efforts to be in vain.

Seeing that Shen Bai remained silent, the stall owner cautiously asked, "What information does Your Excellency want? May I ask you? I can help you resolve your difficulties."

He didn't know who the white-robed scholar in front of him was, nor did he know the other person's identity, but he politely refrained from asking.

Shen Bai snapped out of his reverie and asked, "How can we infiltrate the mansion? Or rather, is there any way to lure Marquis Moyun out?"

The stall owner was slightly taken aback, and subconsciously asked, "Is His Majesty going to take action against Marquis Moyun?"

After saying that, he realized he had crossed a line and quickly stopped.

Shen Bai didn't think it was a big deal; such a momentary lapse in attention and the words that slipped out didn't constitute a violation of any rules.

However, judging from the stall owner's tone, it seems he has something to say.

Thinking of this, Shen Bai said.

"Speak your mind directly, there's no need to hide anything."

The stall owner then came to his senses and explained, "It's almost impossible to sneak into the mansion. Nowadays, Marquis Moyun keeps a close watch on everything, let alone his own residence."

"However, if you wish to get close to Marquis Moyun, there is a way."

"What method?" Shen Bai asked.

After a moment's thought, the stall owner continued, "Lord Moyun kept a concubine outside the city, and that concubine gave birth to his son. He dared not let his wife know, but every now and then, he would secretly go out to visit his concubine and son."

Shen Bai was slightly taken aback when he heard this: "Is that even possible? Isn't he the ruler of Moyunjing? Why is he afraid of his wife?"

This was beyond his expectations.

In his mind, it was normal for a feudal lord to have several concubines.

Mo Yunhou's behavior is rather strange.

The stall owner chuckled and said, "If it were any other lord, there would be no problem, but it's different for Marquis Moyun. His wife is a master of the Immortal Realm, a rare existence in this world."

"Moreover, Mo Yunjing also relies on his wife, who is a master, to keep him in check, so he doesn't dare to disobey many of her words."

"Especially his wife, who is extremely jealous."

"Back in the war years, his wife had also made many contributions to the Great Zhou Kingdom. She had been seriously injured and was unable to give birth to children."

"So the concubine he took outside gave birth to a son, and Marquis Moyun cherishes him as his own precious treasure. He is probably just waiting for the right time to tell his wife the truth."

Shen Bai stroked his chin and said, "So you mean he's planning to go out soon?"

The stall owner just explained the situation: Marquis Moyun would visit his concubine and her son every now and then.

Shen Bai wondered if this was a good starting point.

Upon hearing this, the stall owner shook his head and said, "Sir, Marquis Moyun has already sealed off the entire Moyun Capital. He has secretly arranged for his concubine to live in a secluded mansion in Moyun Capital, but he does not dare to visit her at this time. He has only sent people to guard her."

"After all, his wife has some connections in this city." "It's possible to visit her outside the city, since once outside, she won't be within the boundaries of Moyunjing."

"But now Marquis Moyun is worried that His Majesty will cause some trouble, so he has brought his concubines and sons to a remote place in Moyun Capital. Here, he can no longer visit them often."

Just as the stall owner said, he had to rely on his wife, who had reached a higher level of cultivation, and since his wife was very jealous, he didn't dare to upset her during this special period.

Upon hearing what the stall owner said, Shen Bai immediately understood what he meant: "You mean to say that it's okay to harm his son?"

The stall owner nodded and said, "Although this boy is not by the side of Marquis Moyun, he is extremely important in Marquis Moyun's heart. In addition, under Marquis Moyun's favor, he is unruly and arrogant in this capital of Moyun."

"Although no one knows his identity, no matter what he does, someone will secretly cover it up. It can be said that he is the biggest playboy in Moyun Capital."

“If we can find a way to tie him up, Marquis Moyun will definitely panic, and then we can lure him out. But he has a wife with him, so it might not be so easy.”

According to the stall owner, luring him out wasn't difficult; the real challenge was that Mo Yunhou had a master at the Immortal Realm by his side.

Even if we lure Mo Yunhou out, what methods are there to deal with him?
Shen Bai nodded and said, "You don't need to worry about this. Is it difficult to arrange for someone to kidnap his son and take him out of Moyunjing?"

The stall owner shook his head and said, "It's not difficult. Although he sent people to guard him secretly, they were all martial arts practitioners. He didn't dare to send experts to guard him, for fear of arousing his wife's jealousy."

"But by then, the identities of some of our agents will probably be exposed, and we may not be able to stay in Moyunjing any longer."

They couldn't let the Observatory handle this kind of thing, because the Observatory was already under the watchful eye of Marquis Moyun.

This is when the mobs come into play.

Shen Bai said, "After you finish this task, leave Mo Yunjin immediately and head to Xuanjing City. Tell them that you have completed the mission for Shen Bai, and headquarters will not let your contributions be forgotten."

The stall owner quickly nodded, which was considered an agreement.

But as soon as he agreed, he felt something was wrong. He then looked up abruptly at Shen Bai's face, a hint of doubt in his eyes.

"Is Lord Shen here too? Be careful, Marquis Moyun is eager to get rid of Lord Shen, so don't let him be threatened."

Even though they were just undercover agents, they still knew who Shen Bai was.

To the stall owner's surprise, Shen Bai actually came to participate in this mission.

But the stall owner felt more worried than surprised.

After all, the current situation in Moyunjing is far too dangerous.

If Shen Bai had come alone, he might have been trapped in Moyunjing and unable to escape.

Shen Bai smiled slightly: "Don't worry, he has already entered and has not attracted the attention of Marquis Moyun."

The stall owner swallowed hard and said, "Sir, Lord Shen is the hope of our entire Great Zhou Kingdom. Please ensure his safety."

Shen Bai continued, "Don't worry, look at me, I'm perfectly fine."

The stall owner was stunned again. Then, after carefully considering Shen Bai's words, he suddenly realized what he was saying, looked up, and asked, "Are you Lord Shen?"

His tone was tinged with excitement, as if he had seen the most important person in his life.

"Are you really Lord Shen?" the stall owner repeated.

Only these undercover agents knew how exciting the name Shen Bai was to them.

This is the most noble person in the entire Observatory, and also the one who truly fought his way up from the bottom.

If it were a young nobleman, even if he could obtain Shen Bai's reputation, they wouldn't think it was a big deal.

Because of his status and position, he was cultivated by higher-ups.

However, Shen Bai truly worked his way up from the bottom, which brought a different aspect to them.

Those who have worked their way up from the bottom are the people they respect the most.

Shen Bai smiled and nodded, saying, "I am Shen Bai, but my identity should not be revealed. You should understand that."

Upon hearing this, the stall owner took a few deep breaths to calm himself down and hurriedly nodded, saying, "Lord Shen, I know. I would rather die than reveal your identity."

Shen Bai said helplessly, "It's not that serious. Do as you say. Tie him up and lure Mo Yunhou out. Of course, don't use my name. Just find any other excuse. Remember, make sure it's airtight."

The stall owner nodded quickly, indicating that he understood.

Shen Bai stood up and said, "In that case, I'll be leaving now."

Everything that needed to be discussed has been discussed, and everything that needed to be said has been said thoroughly. There is no need for Shen Bai to stay here any longer.

Then, Shen Bai left the room and walked out of the alley.

Tonight, as always, the full moon hangs high in the sky.

Scattered rays of light shone on the street.

But at this moment, Mo Yunjing, who was originally calm, suddenly became abnormal.

Many normally docile people suddenly came out of their homes and headed towards a secluded alley.

In the darkness, a sudden scream rang out, like a thunderclap ripped through the night sky, but the scream was extremely brief, disappearing in an instant.

……

Time passed slowly, and the next day arrived in the blink of an eye.

As the morning sunlight streamed through the windows of the Mo Yun Marquis's residence, the Marquis, with the help of his maids, dressed and went to the dining room for his meal.

The middle-aged beauty Yunlan was already dressed neatly, and she gave Mo Yunhou a gentle smile.

"My lord, you got up a little late today."

Mo Yunhou smiled and nodded, saying, "I spent a lot of time dealing with official business yesterday, and besides, I also have to satisfy you, my little vixen."

The two began to raunchy talk in broad daylight, but no one dared to speak.

The maids and servants lowered their heads and remained silent.

Mo Yunhou then sat down next to Yunlan and began to enjoy his delicious breakfast.

The two ate and talked, exchanging information about various things in Moyunjing.

Mo Yunhou has always felt deeply apologetic towards Yunlan.

He loved his wife very much, but lamented that he had no children, so he secretly took a concubine outside the marriage.

The concubine was also very capable, and gave birth to a son for him.

For him, it was a truly joyous occasion.

He planned to confess the matter after the Holy Martial Emperor invaded the desolate forbidden land.

He knew that Yunlan would definitely throw a tantrum.

However, after learning that he has a son, he probably won't make things difficult for his son.

At worst, I can just admit my mistake and say a few nice things later.

The two continued eating.

Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly sounded.

Then a soldier entered the room and, upon seeing Marquis Moyun, immediately bowed respectfully.

"My lord, something has happened. A wandering swordsman, covered in wounds, has come in and says that your son has been kidnapped and taken outside the city."

Mo Yunhou was slightly taken aback, but Yunlan beside him narrowed her eyes.

"My lord, I have never heard of you having a son outside of your marriage. Why is that?"

Mo Yunhou felt a cold sweat break out on his forehead; he could already sense the overwhelming jealousy emanating from his wife.

But the soldiers' words were like thunderclaps, exploding in my ears.

He waved his hand and said, "Bring your men up here. I'll see what you mean by this."

"As ordered."

The soldiers immediately went out.

Yunlan didn't speak, just stared at Moyunhou.

She knew she had to save face for her man in public.

Before long, a wounded martial artist walked in. As soon as he saw Mo Yunhou, he knelt down and shouted loudly.

“Your subordinate is incompetent. Last night, a group of thugs broke into the Madam’s residence and took the young master away. They also said that the Marquis should go to the Fengshui Forest outside Moyun Capital to rescue the young master.”

The man from the martial arts world was crying his eyes out, his eyes filled with fear.

The moment Mo Yunhou saw this martial arts figure, he knew his identity.

These are the experts I selected from the forces surrounding Moyunjing.

But unexpectedly, this expert was now so badly injured.

He did not doubt whether the man's words were true or false, because the man in front of him would not dare to lie and deceive him.

A flash of anger crossed Mo Yunhou's eyes.

He adored his son.

This is his only offspring, but now he is in danger.

Thinking of this, Mo Yunhou looked at Yunlan beside him and said with a serious expression.

"Madam, I have something to tell you."

As he spoke, he recounted his story of taking a concubine and having a son.

Now that his son has been kidnapped, he feels there is no need to hide anything anymore.

Yunlan listened to what Mo Yunhou said, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes: "My lord, although you think I'm jealous and make me very angry, that's your only son, and also the face of our Mo Yunjing. This time, the other party must have come prepared, so we must deal with it carefully."

To be honest, given Yunlan's jealousy, she should be furious right now.

But she also knew that the situation was different now, and that her lord valued offspring very much, so she suppressed her jealousy.

Mo Yunhou did not expect that Yunlan would not show any jealousy at this time.

But he knew in his heart that now was not the time to study this, so he waved his sleeve and said.

"Go and summon five of the ten generals, and have them lead their soldiers to help me raze the Fengshui Forest."

"Furthermore, Yunlan, you will remain in Moyun Capital. I want to see who dares to cause such trouble for me in Moyun Capital."

(End of this chapter)