Reborn Medicine King

"I think it's still a bit risky. He does have an estate outside the palace, but it's heavily guarded. If you get too close, the guards will spot you."    

"Don't worry, I have a plan. I'll go by myself, and you can wait here for Fang Xiang. Even if I'm discovered, I'm confident I can get away."    

Wan Chengfeng didn't press further. He sketched a simple map of the royal city on the ground, marking a few prominent buildings, especially the palace, and finally pointed out an area.    

"This is where Xingtian Yong's estate is. You'll see it when you get nearby. I was invited there once, so I have some impression of it. If you go, be careful. Don't underestimate the guards in the city; there might be some very skilled fighters among them. If anything seems off, just turn around and leave. With your disguise skills, they won't catch you easily."    

Jiang Fann memorized the general location of the estate and then used his shoe to erase the map.    

"Once Fang Xiang returns, you can wait for me around here. After I get back, I'll head to the basin to set up the formation. If you have any plans, Wan, feel free to share them with me."    

Wan Chengfeng reminded him once more, "Be careful."    

Jiang Fann nodded, then turned and flew toward the royal city.    

On the way, he had already made up his mind. He was well aware of the vast power difference between himself and the dynasty.    

Although Xiao Mo was formidable enough to handle one of the top experts within the dynasty, the remaining masters were still capable of taking him down. Therefore, addressing this issue required dealing with Xing Tianyong, at least to make him wary enough not to act recklessly.    

Outside the city gates, Jiang Fann had once again disguised himself with a new appearance and headed straight into the city. Due to the city's reputation, there were no checks at the gates. The city was confident in its deterrent power, knowing that no one would be foolish enough to provoke them—it would be akin to seeking their own demise.    

Jiang Fann moved toward the direction of the palace since Xing Tianyong's estate was also in that area. The city was vast, and it took him a good half-hour of weaving through the streets to reach the vicinity of Xing Tianyong's estate.    

Even at night, the city was brightly lit, with people bustling about the streets, making it hardly different from daytime. However, near Xing Tianyong's estate, due to its special status, there were very few passersby, making anyone approaching quite conspicuous.    

Upon arriving, Jiang Fann first used his spiritual sense to assess the situation. However, he was quickly detected by another spiritual sense from within the estate, forcing him to hide in the shadows nearby. Soon, an elderly man emerged from the gate, looking toward where Jiang Fann had been. The man frowned, his eyes filled with a hint of confusion, but he did not locate the source of the spiritual sense that had swept over the courtyard.    

Jiang Fann could tell that the old man was quite formidable; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to lock onto Jiang's spiritual sense so quickly. It was clear that the old man was tasked with guarding this estate and was doing so diligently.    

The four guards at the gate showed great respect for the old man. After exchanging a few whispered words with him, they stood even straighter, their eyes scanning the surroundings for anything suspicious. The old man was evidently on high alert.    

There was no chance of sneaking in through the main entrance, so Jiang Fann surveyed the area, hoping to find an opportunity in one of the other alleys.    

As he approached a narrow alley, he noticed a stall set up deep within it. A young man leaned casually against it, absentmindedly fiddling with a piece of jade. The stall was laden with various items, yet there were no passersby in the alley. Clearly, this wasn't just a vendor; the young man was likely a lookout, placed there by the estate.    

Jiang Fann checked out another narrow alley nearby and found a similar setup: another young man with a stall, full of apparent vulnerabilities. Yet, these very flaws made it difficult for Jiang Fann to approach unnoticed.    

"Who would've thought that even in this city, they'd be so wary of outsiders?" he mused.    

Jiang Fann muttered to himself, then crouched down, attempting to channel his spiritual strength into the ground. He wanted to sense the grand formation of the royal city, hoping it might help him understand the situation within the estate. However, as soon as he made contact with the formation, Lin Zhan quickly warned him.    

"Young Master, the formation here is extremely sensitive. Many formation masters are operating it simultaneously, and we’ll be discovered quickly. This formation is far more powerful than those in the royal cities of the Nine Desolations. You might need to reach the Reincarnation Realm to avoid detection."    

Jiang Fann had no choice but to withdraw his spiritual strength. The situation in this royal city was proving to be quite challenging for him. He then turned to Lin Zhan and the others.    

"How’s the design of your formation coming along? Do you have any good plans?"    

Lin Zhan replied, "The area is large enough, and we’ve prepared two plans for you, Young Master. It’s up to you to choose which one to use."    

"Tell me what materials you need right now. If anything is missing, we can have Fang Xiang prepare it while he’s in the city, saving us another trip later."    

Lin Zhan then projected the list of materials into Jiang Fann’s mind. Since Jiang Fann hadn’t started his actions yet, he rummaged through his Hundred Treasures Bag. He found that he was missing only three materials, so he contacted Fang Xiang to have him purchase them from the guild.    

Fang Xiang acknowledged the request and didn’t respond further.    

Xiao Ai turned to Jiang Fann and said, "Are you planning to sneak into the estate or set up a formation? I might have some good ideas to help you."    

"I'm not planning to sneak in. If I'm discovered, it'll be hard to get out. I just want to set up a formation to let him know I'm here."    

Xiao Ai replied, "Setting up a formation is simple. You can carve it onto a piece of spiritual jade, like the teleportation array we did before. It might use more materials, but it ensures you won't be detected. You can toss it in from a distance or have someone deliver it to his place. It'll definitely surprise him."    

Hearing Xiao Ai's suggestion, Jiang Fann smiled. She had indeed given him a lot to think about.    

He glanced around and noticed a window on the second floor of a nearby inn that offered a clear view of the estate. He headed straight for the inn.    

Since it was nighttime, the innkeeper gave Jiang Fann a curious look. However, Jiang Fann was in disguise, so the innkeeper didn't recognize him.    

Jiang Fann chose a room on the second floor, planning to craft the formation there. Staying on the street corner during the day would look suspicious and might catch the attention of the estate's guards. The inn was a much safer option, and he could also keep an eye on the estate from there.    

The night passed without incident. Jiang Fann had already completed the array, when Fang Xiang suddenly called him through the Spirit Attached Jade.    

“Hey, Jiang, are you in the capital right now?”    

Jiang Fann quickly replied, “I’m near the Xingtian Warrior’s villa, keeping an eye on things. Did something happen on your end? I can head over right away.”    

“No need, I’ll come to you.”    

“Yuelai Inn!”    

“Got it!”    

About twenty minutes later, a disguised Fang Xiang arrived at Jiang Fann’s inn. Jiang was already waiting in the dining area downstairs, having ordered some food and drinks. He discreetly set up an inhibition, anticipating Fang Xiang’s arrival.    

Once inside the inhibition, Fang Xiang sat down immediately. From his serious expression, it was clear he had some news, and it probably wasn’t good.    

Fang Xiang didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point.    

“Jiang, do you know Hong Yifeng?”    

“The Young Master of the Hong Sect! I met him in the secret realm. We traveled together for a while, and he was there when we helped Brother Wan out of trouble.”    

Fang Xiang nodded, recalling that he was also in the secret realm at the time and had paid special attention to Jiang Fann’s interactions. He knew Hong Yifeng and Jiang Fann had been on good terms.    

With a serious tone, he continued, “Six months ago, Hong Yifeng was captured and brought here by Xingtian Warrior’s men. He’s been unheard of since. However, this information was deliberately leaked by Xingtian Warrior’s people, likely to lure you out.”    

Jiang Fann frowned slightly, clearly not expecting Xing Tianyong to target someone he had only traveled with for a short time.    

Fang Xiang said, "Although Hong Yifeng is a young master, the power of the Hong Zheng Clan is like an ant trying to shake a tree compared to the dynasty. Plus, the Hong Zheng Clan isn't under the dynasty's jurisdiction. They don't even have a chance to come here and demand his return. His father came all the way here but left without even seeing him. Now, Hong Yifeng has vanished without a trace; no one knows if he's dead or alive."    

As he spoke, he handed over the three materials Jiang Fann had asked him to buy yesterday. "Here are the materials."    

Jiang Fann took the materials, a flicker of coldness in his eyes, but Fang Xiang wasn't worried that Jiang Fann would lose his cool and rush to Xing Tianyong's estate.    

As for Jiang Fann, after putting away the materials, he didn't respond. Instead, he retrieved Hong Yifeng's Spirit Attached Jade from his Hundred Treasures Bag. Since it hadn't been too long, he remembered to take one piece.    

The jade still carried Hong Yifeng's aura, indicating he wasn't in immediate danger, but the aura was weak, suggesting his physical condition wasn't good. At least it proved that Hong Yifeng was in bad shape, likely with significant injuries.    

Using his spiritual sense to locate Hong Yifeng, he found no barriers blocking his perception. Hong Yifeng was only a few hundred yards away, right within that estate.    

Jiang Fann put away the Spirit Attached Jade from Hong Yifeng and looked at Fang Xiang.    

"Seems like I'm a bit of a jinx. Just traveling together for a few days, and I get caught up in this mess. Has Xingtian Yong made any moves against others?"    

Fang Xiang replied, "Among the cultivators you've been in close contact with, besides me and Brother Wan, they haven't found many others. Hong Yifeng was known to have a good relationship with you, so he got caught up in it. He's definitely in the villa now. I know you won't just leave him be, but you should think it through first."    

He chuckled and continued, "As for being a jinx, what's that got to do with you? Without following you, I might have spent decades trying to reach such heights in cultivation. Brother Wan regaining two centuries of cultivation is nothing short of miraculous! As for Hong Yifeng, this is probably just a hurdle in his fate. Once it's over, things will likely go smoothly for him!"