Daily Intelligence: From Miner to Dao Ancestor of Alchemy and Talismans

The letter simply reported on the city-wide search, Xu Yuan's unusual movements, and requested further instructions.

But when his gaze fell on the end of the letter, on the line marked with cinnabar, his pupils suddenly contracted, and the fingertips gripping the letter tightened sharply.

The text read: "The blueprints for the array's core have been obtained from Steward Liu. The weak points of the three cores have been confirmed. By the three-month deadline, everything will be foolproof."

Zhang Kui is not only an inside man, but he has also bribed the core manager of the protective array and even obtained the complete array core blueprints!

The midnight wind, carrying the cold light of the protective array, seeped in through the window cracks, causing the talismans on the table to flutter slightly.

Xu Yuan sat cross-legged on the couch, his fingertips still damp with cinnabar. He had just finished drawing the talisman when the familiar system notification sounded in his mind: "Midnight has arrived. Today's intelligence will be updated on time."

[Ding! Today's intelligence has been updated.]

[Bai Bao: At Chen Shi (7-9 AM) today, Zhang Kui, the deputy captain of the guard team, will meet with the outer sect manager of the Blood Fiend Sect in the private room number three in the backyard of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion to hand over a copy of the blueprints for the array's core. Two Qi Refining Stage 7 cultivators will also be accompanying him.]

Xu Yuan slowly opened his eyes, his gaze revealing no surprise, only a clear and understanding look.

The information extracted from the two Blood Fiend Sect spies last night was accurate to the last detail. Zhang Kui was indeed the leader of the inside agents, and he had indeed obtained the blueprints for the core of the protective array. He was to meet with the Blood Fiend Sect members today to make the deal.

This is the best opportunity to find out his background and exploit his weaknesses.

But Xu Yuan was not impulsive at all, and had no intention of taking action overnight.

A cultivator at the eighth level of Qi Refining was accompanied by two Qi Refining seventh-level Tribulation cultivators. Even if he were now at the sixth level of Qi Refining, he would have no chance of winning if he ran into them head-on. If he was not careful, he would alert them and expose himself completely to the Blood Fiend Sect's sight.

To survive, the worst thing a person can do is fight an unprepared battle. All he needs to do is hide in the shadows, listen to all the plots, and figure out all the opponent's cards. That's all.

As dawn broke and Qingyafang was still shrouded in thick morning mist, the backyard of Zuixianlou was already bustling with activity.

The cooks in the kitchen shouted for people to prepare the food, while the servants carried rice, noodles, vegetables, and jars of spirit wine, moving in and out in a chaotic yet orderly manner. Amid the chaos, a thin boy dressed in a drab, coarse cloth outfit slipped silently into the backyard, blending into the food delivery team.

It was Xu Yuan in disguise.

He used a disguise cream to raise his cheekbones and lower his brow bones, forcibly changing his originally handsome features into something rough and mediocre. He also smeared a thick layer of charcoal ash on his face, evenly covering his neck and the back of his hands, leaving only a pair of cloudy and lifeless eyes exposed. He looked like a country boy who had been doing rough work for years and had never seen the world.

He had two concealment talismans affixed to his body, which suppressed his Qi Refining Level 6 cultivation to Qi Refining Level 2. He even deliberately made his breathing heavy and turbid, just like the other servants around him. After entering the backyard, he casually picked up half a bucket of dirty water and a tattered rag from the corner of the wall. With his head down and back bent, he pretended to be cleaning the corridor and slowly moved towards the top-class private room.

The top-tier private rooms at Zuixianlou are all located at the deepest part of the back courtyard, each with its own entrance and a guard at the door, offering excellent soundproofing.

Ordinary servants could not even get close.

However, Xu Yuan had already figured out the layout of the private room No. 3 in the Heavenly Class. Next to it was a storage room that was not used for many years. The two rooms shared a rammed earth wall. As long as he hid in the storage room and used his spiritual power to stick to the wall, he could hear the conversation in the private room clearly.

He timed the shift change perfectly, and while the two guards standing at the door of the private room turned to get tea, he moved as lightly as a cat and slipped into the adjacent storeroom, gently closing the door behind him without making a sound.

The storage room was filled with discarded tables and chairs, empty wine jars, and dust so thick it could bury your feet. No one had been in there for years, and even the cobwebs were thick, making it the perfect hiding place.

Xu Yuan leaned against the earthen wall shared with the private room, held his breath, and silently attached a wisp of spiritual energy, as thin as a hair, to the wall. The spiritual energy spread along the brick seams, and every sound in the private room was clearly transmitted to his ears.

At this moment, Zhang Kui was the only one in the private room.

The heavy footsteps paced back and forth in the room, carrying an undisguised anxiety, followed by the clatter of a teacup being slammed heavily on the table. Zhang Kui's rough, hoarse voice was lowered to a whisper as he cursed, "Damn it, it's already past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), why hasn't he come yet?"

Xu Yuan's fingertips paused slightly.

He recognized the voice. A few days ago, when the market was under martial law, Zhang Kui led his guards to search house to house. He had passed by his alleyway and heard that same smoky voice, carrying the menacing aura of someone who had been wielding a knife for years.

Not long after, there was a gentle knock on the door of the private room. Three short knocks followed by two long knocks, with a distinct rhythm, clearly a pre-arranged secret signal.

Not long after, there was a gentle knock on the door of the private room. Three short knocks followed by two long knocks, with a distinct rhythm, clearly a pre-arranged secret signal.

The footsteps inside stopped abruptly. Zhang Kui said in a deep voice, "Come in."

After the soft sound of the door hinges turning, two steady footsteps entered first. Their footsteps landed silently, and their spiritual energy was contained within, yet they carried a bloody aura unique to Tribulation Cultivators. They were the two Qi Refining Level 7 Tribulation Cultivators mentioned in the intelligence report.

Then, a sinister male voice rang out, tinged with mockery: "Deputy Captain Zhang, sorry to keep you waiting. What's wrong? It's only been a few days, and you're already so impatient?"

"Manager Liu." Zhang Kui's voice instantly lost its agitation, becoming more deliberately respectful. "It's not that I'm impatient, it's just that this matter is too dangerous. The Zhao family has been investigating Blood Fiend Sect accomplices like madmen lately. Carrying these blueprints is like carrying a pill furnace that's about to explode. The sooner I hand them over, the sooner I can have peace of mind."

"Don't worry." The man called Manager Liu smiled, his voice full of nonchalance. "As long as you handle things well, the sect leader will give you everything he promised. We've already settled your gambling debt of eight hundred spirit stones owed to Black Wind Stronghold cleanly, leaving not a trace."

Xu Yuan leaned against the wall, a knowing glint in his eyes.

It turned out to be the case.

It wasn't some deep-seated hatred, nor had he long since sided with the evil cultivators. Rather, he was a gambling addict who owed a huge gambling debt. If he couldn't pay it back, the Black Wind Stronghold would cut off his hands and feet. With nowhere else to turn, he was captured by the Blood Fiend Sect and became their inside man.

However... every weakness has its flaws.

The conversation continued in the private room.

Manager Liu's voice carried a hint of enticement: "Three months from now, once our people arrive, you open the three array eyes of the protective array and let us in. After it's done, you'll be the new manager of Qingya Market, and I'll also give you five hundred high-grade spirit stones, enough for you to buy rare and precious materials and steadily advance to the Foundation Establishment stage."