Yang Guo: I defied death and reached the heavens in The Return of the Condor Heroes

Zhao Zhijing slammed his hand down on the table.

The teacup jolted and jumped up suddenly, spilling cold tea all over the table.

Lu Qingdu, who was standing to the side, was startled.

"They're all just old-fashioned pedants!"

He cursed under his breath, his eyes filled with a sinister and terrifying light.

"What do you know?"

"If that little beast isn't taught a lesson, he'll surely cause a great disaster in the future!"

He paced back and forth a few more times, then suddenly stopped, his gaze falling on the old tree outside the window.

The bare branches swayed in the wind, resembling withered, stiff, and cold hands.

He gave a cold laugh.

"Yang Guo, you think this matter is over? No way!"

"And you, Yin Zhiping! Relying on being the sect leader's disciple, you oppose me at every turn."

"If I ever find any fault or weakness in you, I will make you lose face and suffer terribly!"

"Lu Qingdu! From today onwards, let that little beast Yang Guo go for now. Keep a close eye on Yin Zhiping's every move, day and night!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Qingdu immediately showed a look of distress and helplessness.

A soft, trembling cry:

"what?"

"What? Could it be that my instructions are no longer valid?"

Zhao Zhijing's face was grim as he rebuked in a low voice.

"No, no! Master, please rest assured, I will keep a close eye on Uncle Yin at all times and will not slacken my vigilance in the slightest."

Lu Qingdu quickly agreed.

Zhao Zhijing's expression softened after hearing this, and he spoke in a deep voice:

"That's more like it. You may leave."

Lu Qingdu left Zhao Zhijing's room.

It was nearly dawn, and the chill of the early morning in the mountains had mostly dissipated.

But a sudden chill ran down his back, and he couldn't help but shiver.

He stood quietly on the stone steps outside the door, looking up at the rising sun in the sky above.

Feeling utterly helpless and secretly hesitant:

Secretly monitoring Yin Zhiping...

That was the eldest disciple of Master Qiu, the most prestigious among the three generations of Quanzhen disciples.

He was just an ordinary disciple, yet he dared to follow and spy on such a person.

Once his actions are exposed, not only will Yin Zhiping not let him off easily, but he himself will also be unable to explain himself to Master Qiu.

But he didn't dare disobey Zhao Zhijing's orders.

He knew his master was ruthless and narrow-minded, and if he dared to refuse even half a word, he would be punished today.

He sighed softly, shrank his neck, and walked slowly along the winding corridor toward his residence.

He was secretly plotting all the way.

Even if one is extremely unwilling to do this job, one cannot refuse it in the end, and one must never act ostentatiously or openly.

As long as you're careful and perfunctory, you just need to avoid being noticed by Yin Zhiping.

It would be better if I could get some information, but if I couldn't, I can't blame myself for not trying my best.

With this in mind, Lu Qingdu began his "stalking" career once again.

......

The first two days.

Every night, Lu Qingdu would quietly sneak to the old locust tree outside Yin Zhiping's courtyard.

Wrapped in an old cotton robe he'd grabbed from the kitchen, he huddled deep in the shadows of the trees, his eyes fixed intently on the door.

The November night wind was biting and piercing, feeling like a sharp blade slicing noodles against your face.

He had only been squatting for less than half an hour when he was so cold that his nose and eyes were running and his legs were stiff and numb.

This night watch was far more arduous and agonizing than the usual surveillance of Yang Guo.

But he dared not move an inch, for fear of making a noise that would disturb the people in the courtyard.

However, for two consecutive nights, Yin Zhiping's courtyard remained deathly silent.

As soon as it got dark, the lights and fire were turned off, and there was no sound at all.

Lu Qingdu squatted until midnight.

Besides the occasional low hooting of a night owl, the sound of a night patrolling boy slowly walking by could be heard.

Not even the slightest trace of their whereabouts could be found.

He secretly lamented his predicament, but dared not leave without permission, so he could only grit his teeth and persevere.

Only when dawn was breaking did he quietly slip back to his residence, crawl into the bedding, and warm his hands and feet, which had long been frozen stiff.

By the third day, he was already exhausted.

During the day, they have to go about their work as usual, and at night they can't even get a good night's sleep.

After two consecutive days of staying up late, his eyes were dark and sunken, and he was unsteady on his feet when he walked.

He cursed Zhao Zhijing inwardly for being paranoid, but dared not show it on his face.

After dinner that day, he was planning to go to the old locust tree to keep watch, as was his usual practice.

Suddenly the sky darkened, and thick clouds surged up from behind the mountain, completely obscuring the bright moon.

In an instant, a mountain wind arose, scattering fallen leaves all over the courtyard, clearly indicating that a storm was approaching.

Lu Qingdu was secretly delighted by the impending storm.

Yin Zhiping would certainly not go out, so I could naturally go back to my room to rest for the night.

But then he thought again, and worried that if Zhao Zhijing questioned him later, he would have no way to explain himself.

After several hesitations.

He gritted his teeth and finally put on that old cotton robe.

Braving the biting cold wind, they quietly crept under the old locust tree to hide and wait.

The chill tonight is even greater than the previous two nights; the cold wind blows straight into my collar, as if ice water has been poured over my whole body.

Lu Qingdu wrapped his cotton robe tightly around himself several times, curled up into a ball, and still couldn't stop trembling all over.

He was inwardly groaning when he suddenly heard a soft creaking sound.

The wooden door spun and opened, its sound exceptionally clear in the quiet night.

He suddenly focused his attention and held his breath, peering through the gaps in the gnarled branches of the old locust tree.

The wooden door to Yin Zhiping's bedroom was quietly opened a crack.

A slender, tall figure flashed out from inside the door, moving with light steps and swift movements.

If Lu Qingdu hadn't been staring intently at this spot, he would have barely noticed anyone coming out.

The figure paused briefly in the courtyard, listening intently to the sounds around them.

Lu Qingdu quickly held his breath, lowered his body even further, and didn't dare to breathe out a single breath.

The other party seemed unaware of the abnormality around them, and their figure swayed slightly.

He leaped over the courtyard wall and sped off towards the back mountain.

Lu Qingdu's eyes widened.

Although it was dark and the man's features were not clearly visible, judging from his figure and gait, it was undoubtedly Yin Zhiping.

Moreover, he was not wearing his usual Taoist robe, but instead wore a dark brown short-sleeved shirt.

It was obvious that they had deliberately changed their clothes, fearing that they would be recognized along the way.

Lu Qingdu's heart suddenly pounded, realizing that he had finally caught something unusual.

He did not immediately follow, but silently counted for a moment.

Yin Zhiping's figure completely disappeared into the deep night.

Lu Qingdu quietly emerged from behind the locust tree, crouching low and trailing far behind.

Taking advantage of the darkness and the cover of the trees, he kept a safe distance at a distance.

Following the subtle sounds of their footsteps, they discerned the direction and followed them closely.

However, Yin Zhiping's movements were simply too swift.

Lu Qingdu had been following the other person for less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea when he completely lost track of him.

He walked back and forth in the pine forest several times.

The only sounds were the rustling of the pine trees and the mournful cries of owls in the distance; there was no trace of Yin Zhiping to be seen.

Further along the back mountain lay the territory under the jurisdiction of the Ancient Tomb Sect, and he dared not venture any deeper into the dense forest.

If one were to rashly enter and be spotted by the old servant of the ancient tomb, one would surely face dire danger.

He shuddered and had no choice but to turn around and sneak back to Chongyang Palace.