Xu Ningbing's voice came through. "I'm going to check out that place. I have a feeling there might really be something good there."
"Come back and pick me up—we'll go together," Xu Mu said, deciding to coax her back first.
"No need. I'm almost there."
"I told you already—you're very attractive. Someone like you going alone is asking for trouble!"
"Relax. I deliberately did ugly makeup."
"And the thunder? You can't hide that, right?"
Xu Mu was speechless. Had she never heard the saying—when a woman's figure is good enough, her looks stop mattering to a lot of men?
"Get lost! I'm hanging up!"
"Don't! At least send me the location," Xu Mu hurriedly said.
She still hung up. Just as he was about to call again, Xu Ningbing messaged him an address—plus a few nearby photos.
He opened them. The pin was right on the border between Jiangbei and Jiangnan.
Xu Mu drew a deep breath. Looked like he'd have to go.
Elsewhere.
Outside Yang City, atop a large mountain to the east—this was Dai Village.
In truth, it was the hidden Dai family's compound.
In the largest villa on the summit, Dai Xiao hadn't gone out today.
After what happened, even he felt a bit of fear. And he didn't dare ask his father to assign more bodyguards—he'd already cost the family two ancient martial artists. The second had even been peak Hidden Force, a name on the family rolls.
Besides, this time was all because he'd gifted Feng Kang a "hat," enraging the man.
"Young Master Dai."
A short man in a suit hurried over. It was Ding Daqiang, a Dai family retainer with mid-stage Internal Force. Back when Dai Xiao hadn't awakened as a martial artist yet, Ding had been his bodyguard for frequent trips.
Two months ago, after Dai Xiao reached mid-stage Internal Force, the family replaced Ding with stronger protectors.
"What is it?"
Dai Xiao sat by the guardrail on the cliff edge, voice flat.
"I've dug up a secret—about the Feng family."
"The Fengs?"
Now that caught his interest. "What secret?"
"Do you know why Feng Kang suddenly got acquainted with ancient martial artists? Because he's holding high-grade heavenly materials and earthly treasures."
Ding scanned the area; seeing no one else, he lowered his voice.
"What? Heavenly materials and earthly treasures?"
Dai Xiao's face changed. As a scion of a hidden clan, he knew exactly what that meant.
Hidden clans hoarded money precisely to hire people to find such items to raise the clan's strength.
"How do you know?"
"I'm drinking buddies with a Feng family guard. He got drunk last night and told me. Said the Fengs gave him a picture album of precious herbs. He found a site with a lot of them and Feng Kang rewarded him ten million."
"Did you get the location?"
"I paid big money yesterday for the 'full service.' Only then did he spill it." Ding smirked.
Dai Xiao's eyes lit up. So that's it!
No wonder an ordinary businessman like Feng Kang suddenly had masters helping him. He must be supplying heavenly treasures to those martial artists.
If he could get such things—whether to gift the clan or to strengthen himself—his position would be secure.
But he wasn't stupid. Places like that usually meant danger. Going alone was suicide.
Right—there was someone.
His half-sister who lived outside, Dai Xingluo.
She was born to his father's concubine—now deceased. Even so, his father cared a lot and kept trying to bring her back to the Dai family.
Because Dai Xingluo was strong—and had once been a sect disciple.
If she helped, they could split the loot fifty-fifty. She wasn't into clan politics and wouldn't threaten his standing.
"Ding Daqiang, good work. Send me the address. Once I secure the goods, I'll give you ten million too!"
Ding sneered inwardly. Cheapskate.
He already had twenty million from the Fengs in his account. He'd hoped Dai Xiao would also pay upfront—but the guy was clever enough to promise payment after success.
Not that it would matter—Ding planned to switch cities and change his name once this job was done.
"I'll text it to you—it's right on the Jiangbei–Jiangnan border," Ding said, taking out his phone.
As for Xu Mu, he'd originally considered bringing Meng Wanyue along.
But thinking the Fengs might target them, he messaged her instead: protect Ye Tong and Ye Yu.
Meng Wanyue agreed at once. With Xu Mu not at the office, she preferred staying with Ye Tong anyway.
Once Xu Mu finished arranging things, he drove toward the destination.
Navigation said four to five hours—he'd arrive around noon.
On the expressway, bored, he tried calling Xu Ningbing again.
No answer.
Xu Mu cursed under his breath. That woman really did want a beating.
Four to five hours passed in a blink. He reached the area right on schedule—around 12:30 p.m.
He looked up at the deep mountains nearby—untouched, primordial.
Driving in was impossible.
So he headed to a nearby county town.
At a hotel on the edge, he spotted an S-Class Mercedes—the plate was Xu Ningbing's.
He parked beside it and went straight inside.
"Hello, sir," the front desk greeted with a smile.
"I'm looking for Xu Ningbing. Is she checked in here?" Xu Mu showed his ID card. "I'm her younger brother. You can confirm our registered address."
"Is something wrong?" the clerk asked, curious.
"She ran away from home," Xu Mu sighed.
"Hehe, Miss Xu did check in, but after dropping her luggage, she left with a backpack," the clerk said—noon was slow; it was easy to remember.
"Thanks."
Outside, Xu Mu called again—still no answer.
He pulled up the photos she'd sent: one looked like a cave mouth.
"Great… don't tell me this is a relic?"
Given what he knew of the story, Xu Mu was stunned. He knew exactly what that could mean.