Food gives me an entry, I will be invincible if I stay alive

Chapter 269 Nine Hundred Miles of Brilliant Star Lake, Where is the Vast Expanse of Misty Waves?

June 15th, only two weeks away from the provincial examination on July 5th.

Chen Xu walked out of the Lingxi Mountains and climbed onto the Canxing Lake, which spans the Pingyang and Qinglin prefectures.

People often say that the Star Lake stretches for nine hundred miles, its vast expanse of misty waves seemingly endless.

Following Chen Xu's original route, whether he traveled by land to Pingyang Prefecture or by water across the Suiyu River and Yuancang River from Yunjiang Prefecture, it would be difficult for him to pass by Canxing Lake.

This is taking a long detour, or even deviating too far from the original route.

Given his actions, who could have guessed that he would actually enter Pingyang Prefecture via Canxing Lake?

This unconventional approach once again, frankly speaking, is Chen Xu's way of "seeking enemies in the void" in order to deal with the "crisis" that seems to have come from nowhere.

In short, no matter what the crisis is, or how much Chen Xu's cultivation has improved, he will never be careless.

Whether it's being overly cautious or not, taking precautions is never superfluous.

What Chen Xu didn't know was that his precautions were actually correct.

If he were not on guard and actually followed the normal route, or if he chose the direct official road to enter Pingyang Prefecture after leaving the Lingxi Mountains, his whereabouts would be discovered by the people guarding the various intersections.

Although Chen Xu's cultivation has progressed rapidly, he still cannot compare with the powerful clans in terms of personnel management.

Those powerful clans, while possessing few other advantages, were exceptionally numerous in terms of population, servants, and connections.

In some places, even if it's difficult to arrange for one's own people to come over, after writing a few letters, one can always find someone who can do things for them.

For example, Cui Yunqi had no ill intentions towards Chen Xu.

However, while he was willing to take care of Chen Xu, he also deployed people around the four main gates of Pingyang City. No matter which entrance Chen Xu entered the city from, his whereabouts could be discovered and then reported to Cui Yunqi.

Cui Yunqi only deployed manpower at the city gate, which was already considered extremely restrained.

His cousin, Chi Jie, followed Chen Xu all the way here, but his actions were many times more radical.

Unfortunately, Chen Xu did not follow the usual path. Chi Jie had been searching for him for more than half a month, but apart from a fleeting glimpse of Chen Xu in Lingxi County, he could not find him anywhere after that, no matter how hard he searched.

Chi Jie, his eyes bloodshot from exhaustion, finally received a reminder from a close follower after another day of fury:

“Young master, since we can’t find him at any of the checkpoints and key points, perhaps Chen Xu isn’t on the normal road?”

Pingyang Prefecture is well-connected, with numerous roads leading into the prefecture. If one were to take a longer route…

Chi Jie asked in a gloomy tone, "Then tell me, how else can this brat find a way to get around?"

The sinister tone implied that if the other party couldn't give a coherent explanation, they would be severely punished immediately.

Qin Suibian sighed inwardly, which was precisely why he hadn't been willing to voice his guesses earlier.

After all, some things are better left unsaid than said.

Unless absolutely necessary, his attendants did not want to give this "good-for-nothing" young master too many reminders, lest they add unnecessary burdens to themselves.

But Chi Jie was so persistent that he went crazy when he couldn't find Chen Xu.

His attendants feared that if he went mad again, everyone around him would suffer.

This is the downside of having an incompetent master.

Sometimes, it's better to be with someone who is mediocre or ambitious than someone who does all sorts of bad things, even if it's someone like Chi Jie.

Who is Chi Jie?

He's someone who rose from the mud!
He was promoted out of thin air by the Fifth Prince not because of his own abilities, but because of his nepotism, and rose to great heights.

He lacks logic, is unreasonable, flatters his superiors, and acts erratically towards his subordinates.

When there's no method when there should be one, it's like a haphazard punch defeating a master.

Even though his attendants possessed martial prowess, their lives and fortunes were entirely dependent on their volatile and unpredictable master. His relatives were also bound to the Chi family, forcing him to finally say, "Young master, if we must intercept this person before he enters Pingyang Prefecture, we must thoroughly search all the roads from east to west."

Especially the 900-mile-long Star Lake.

Chi Jie frowned: "How do we investigate Star Lake?"

Canxing Lake is so large that you could end up in Pingyang Prefecture no matter which way you go.

Even if Chi Jie could mobilize a large number of people, it would be impossible to surround the entire Star Lake.

Qin Suibian gritted his teeth secretly and said, "Young master, it is said that the Mo family of Qinglin Prefecture once had a connection with a certain water deity in Canxing Lake."

The Mo family possesses a token used to communicate with that Water Lord. Why don't we go and borrow it from them?

“This…” Chi Jie hesitated for a moment.

Although he was a volatile madman, he actually knew exactly where the bottom line was.

Some people you can mess with, but some forces are absolutely not to be messed with.

The Mo family is not only a powerful local clan in Qinglin Prefecture, but its influence is even greater than that of the Cui family in Yunjiang Prefecture. At the same time, the Mo family also has a foothold in Yujing Tiandu.

That Consort Mo had been engaged in a long and open power struggle with Consort Cui.

Taking advantage of her youth and freshness, Consort Mo even managed to make Consort Cui suffer several times in secret.

Now they're telling him to seek help from the Mo family? Is he asking for help, or is he digging his own grave?
Moreover, he also needed to persuade the Water Lord of the Starry Lake to help him.

What price should he pay? And is that price he's willing to bear?

Seeing Chi Jie hesitate, the attendant steeled his resolve and said, "Young master, if it were for someone else, the Mo family would naturally not lend us the token."

But if it's for Chen Xu, the Mo family might not refuse! You see, Mo Huaizhang is a direct descendant of the Mo family.

Chen Xu and that person are now direct competitors.

As far as the Mo family is concerned, whatever Chi Jie wants to do, once the items are lent out, the matter won't affect them.

The Mo family is a prominent family, so they might not take the initiative to do anything to Chen Xu, but what if someone insists on being the one to use that knife?
This was the idea of ​​Chi Jie's close associate, but he couldn't say it too clearly, nor was he sure that the Mo family would definitely lend the token.

But at least he helped his master come up with a solution to the problem, so his master's anger will probably not be directed at him for the time being.

Chi Jie pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled and patted his attendant on the shoulder.

"Haha, very good! You've done well, I'll remember this favor. Here, this bottle of Qingyuan Pills is yours, hahaha!"

A jade bottle was tossed over, and a close attendant caught it in his hand.

His face was full of joy and smiles, but his eyes were full of bitterness.

On the shores of Starry Lake, the waters are shrouded in mist.

Chen Xu boarded a large ship, which would allow him to reach Dongning County in Pingyang Prefecture in ten days.

Dongning County is less than 200 li away from Pingyang City.

At Chen Xu's speed, if he were willing to travel, he could easily cover those two hundred li in half a day and reach Pingyang City.

There will still be eight or nine days before the provincial examination officially begins, which will be enough time for him to make all the necessary preparations.

As evening fell, Chen Xu was writing something in his room on the second floor of the ship.

The little hedgehog and the mouse were keeping him company.

The banter and dialogue between the two little demons is quite amusing.

(End of this chapter)