Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1051: Preparations for a performance

Wu Long entered the derelict grotto beneath the city, appearing much the same as his prior visit, yet now imbued with a chilling emptiness.

"Can we bypass all the preliminary arrangements and utilize my Second Dream Realm directly?", Fen Baihu leaped from his shoulder, morphing into an exquisite woman adorned with fox ears and eight bushy tails, her gaze sweeping across their surroundings.

"Heh, while that might hold true when things escalate, the soldiers won't perceive the dream-like state—it closely mimics the adrenaline surge of battle frenzy, and the two can be easily mistaken. However, the crucial moments are the initial stages when focus is paramount, and even more critically, the aftermath," Wu Long's eyes meticulously surveyed the work required to achieve his intended effect. "Imperial inspectors will meticulously examine this area once Chen Hui concludes his part, so we must ensure a seamless deception. Most importantly, it needs to be established beforehand, as we'll lack the time once the 'fighting' concludes."

"Haa~ Very well... Still, you left this place virtually untouched and salvaged all the corpses and materials gathered here. Our task should be minimal, shouldn't it?", Fen Baihu sighed, recognizing his desire for a flawless recreation, capable of deceiving even the most discerning observers. "You even procured a Medical Daoist specializing in forensics from the Feilin Continent to mend the corpses, rendering them unrecognizable as victims of assassination."

"Indeed, it was wise of me to plan for Chen Hui to receive credit for this feat when I was previously clearing this area," Wu Long affirmed, having meticulously preserved every fragment of collected material. "Additionally, we have completed the installation of hidden tracking arrays on the Corrupt Path textbooks, artifacts, and materials, ensuring we can monitor their whereabouts and retrieve them later. Now, perhaps we can also leverage them, along with the funds, to track the illicit trade and smuggling of evidence materials among the Imperial Guards for our new associates at the Treasures of the Sun and Moon Pavilion."

"Heh, won't your financial advisor protest vigorously about reinvesting the money we acquired from this operation?", she inquired with a chuckle, turning towards him.

"He has already amassed considerably more by utilizing it, so it's not as if he hasn't profited. Moreover, it's not as though we are relinquishing it permanently; we will recover it soon enough," Wu Long reciprocated her smile, having heard ample discourse on the matter from Kwon Qianhong. He then gave a slight nod, producing jade slips. His eyes flared as the slips began to glow and emanate heat. "Very well, the time has come to commence."

She offered no verbal reply, but a soft mist began to swirl around them. Soon, a hundred individuals, subordinates of Old Yen trained jointly by him and Butler Bang, stood in precise formations, maintaining identical postures.

"At your command, Valley Master!", a hundred voices proclaimed in perfect unison.

"Herein lie your assignments and the necessary materials," Wu Long acknowledged with a nod, gesturing with his hand. A hundred jade slips, freshly recorded by him, and a hundred spatial rings containing items salvaged from this location ascended into the air before swiftly soaring towards each individual.

"Orders received," the identical chorus of voices responded. The hundred individuals then dispersed in an orderly manner in all directions, fanning out across the grotto and venturing into the surrounding caves.

"So, you have already reached Emerald Falls City," in the subsequent moment, Liang Yuhan materialized from the mist. She too had been tasked with establishing corporeal illusions within the outermost caves, intended to provide the soldiers with a genuine sense of combat from the outset, while Fen Baihu's abilities would mask the ensuing engagements.

The objective was to imbue those initial moments with the acute realism required before the soldiers succumbed to the frenzy of battle.

He drew her into his embrace, sealing their reunion with a kiss. "Forgive me, Yuhan. I understand that task of enveloping corpses with your illusions and animating them is far from pleasant."

"Hehehe, since when have I shied away from such endeavors?", she retorted with a chuckle. Her prior work within the underworld of the Azure Eagle Continent, and her origins in a similarly dark and lawless environment during her past life, had prepared her for this. "Now, leave the arrangements here to me and proceed with your own urgent matters."

She bestowed another soft kiss upon his lips, a smile gracing her features. With delicate hands, she lightly brushed off his shoulders and adjusted his robes before turning to enter the entrance caves, ready to orchestrate the scene.

A wry smile played on his lips as he nodded to Fen Baihu. Together, they vanished into a swirling vortex of multicolored mist.

—

"I see you've arrived first... I encountered delays setting things up over there," Wu Long entered the dim, smoke-filled room of the bar, situated in the city's underbelly—a place he and Chen Hui frequented for their clandestine discussions. He found Chen Hui already seated, maintaining a facade as if the surrounding patrons were unaware of his status as an Imperial Guard.

"You mentioned you were in a rush, so I hurried as fast as I could", Chen Hui stated, shrugging his shoulders as he observed Wu Long seating himself opposite him and activating the soundproof talisman.

"Why the peculiar stare?", Wu Long inquired, raising an eyebrow at the unusual look he received from Chen Hui.

"I still find it hard to fathom that you were genuinely in the Mortal Transcendence Realm... but putting that aside, I'm also rather perplexed because... I had actually assumed we'd missed our chance for that raid, given how sluggish my cultivation progress has been...", Chen Hui confessed, a hint of awkwardness coloring his expression.

"Heh, ah~, I forgot I had mentioned a limited time window for this operation", Wu Long chuckled, then added, "Yes, I fibbed."

"Wh-what...?"

"Well, it was a harmless untruth. I didn't outright lie; it was partially true. The operation might have indeed become problematic if delayed by over a year. I merely compressed the timeframe to spur you on to cultivate harder", Wu Long elaborated with a laugh. "And it was effective, wasn't it? You might have slightly strained your foundation, but we can address that later."

"You... ! I... ! D-do you have any idea how much I...?", Chen Hui was rendered speechless with exasperation, his facial expressions and body language clearly conveying his inability to articulate his feelings. He then sighed, glancing at Wu Long's easygoing smile. "Haa~... I suppose... it makes no difference now."

He then regarded Wu Long with another peculiar gaze. "But still, how did you accomplish it...? I mean, there were corpses, blood, all of it... that stuff dries up, rots, and decomposes, you know...?"

"You really don't want to know the details," Wu Long responded, shaking his head with a smile and evident sincerity.

"Yes, you're likely correct," Chen Hui agreed instantly. "Fair enough. My role is simply to claim the credit for the accomplishment."

"The time constraint wasn't even the primary issue. I could have preserved the corpses and all evidence in a suitable state for our plan indefinitely", Wu Long clarified. "The real concern was the activity of the Corrupt Path lair itself. If it remained dormant for an extended period, it would have been difficult to keep concealed from other Corrupt Path cultivators. You did apprehend everyone attempting to establish contact with that location, as I instructed, correct? You didn't overlook anyone? Li Weifang's report was somewhat vague, as he was relaying information directly from you."

"Yes, we maintained stringent surveillance. I'm confident we apprehended everyone who sought contact with that lair and kept everything under wraps. They are currently detained and securely guarded by my men at all times," Chen Hui affirmed with a nod. "Though I have been facing some resistance regarding these arrests lately, particularly as the 8th Prince's faction seems eager to find fault with me, none of the individuals I detained were even remotely connected to the Corrupt Path, and some among them are minor nobles."

"Excellent," Wu Long nodded. "The absence of any Corrupt Path practitioners among the detainees is the best possible outcome. It indicates that no other factions of the Corrupt Path have detected any irregularities or disappearances yet. As for those you've captured, they were clients seeking illicit services. Naturally, they wouldn't possess Corrupt Path cultivation techniques. These are the individuals you apprehended during your 'investigation' into this matter," Wu Long explained.

"Ah~~!!! So~ they~... were the ones who led me to that lair~!", a sudden look of understanding dawned on Chen Hui's face, as if he had just experienced an epiphany.

"And you truly believed the excuse that a fortune teller directed you to its location would be accepted by the Imperial Court?", Wu Long remarked with a light laugh, shaking his head.

"How on earth was I supposed to know? I assumed we'd concoct a story about me stumbling upon the place by chance...", Chen Hui grumbled, belatedly realizing that the investigation involving clients seeking the Corrupt Path lair's services, whom he had been actively arresting for months, indeed presented a perfect narrative for how he discovered the lair. He had, unknowingly, been meticulously assembling his own evidence all along.

"Hahaha~!", Wu Long burst into hearty laughter, genuinely amused. "Ah, what a perfect day it is to take a leisurely stroll through the Harbor District, a place I seldom frequent after our initial sweep. Opting for a route so obscure that few are even aware of its existence, I thought I'd tread this particular path today~ purely on a whim~ Hmmm? What's this? A nondescript, closed door? Amidst an alley filled with identical doors? How suspicious~!!! There must be a secret passage concealed behind it, leading underwater, disguised as one of the pillars supporting the Harbor District! And a Corrupt Path lair lurking beneath!!!"

"Alright, alright~ Mock me all you wish~", Chen Hui responded, shaking his head. A smile graced his lips as well, finding humor in the absurdity. His shoulders quivered from the silent laughter he attempted to suppress, but ultimately failed. Soon, both men were roaring with laughter, their voices muffled by the sound-dampening barrier of the talisman.