It took Lu Baiyu quite a bit of time to respond. "No, you can't take him down, and neither can your demihuman." Lu Baiyu's voice trembled slightly. "You're only asking for more trouble."

Shu Yue studied him with narrowed eyes. There was a hint of fear in the old man's eyes, which piqued her curiosity even more. How powerful was that man to turn an elder into such a coward?

So, he's really a Saint rank? Shu Yue wondered.

She had no doubt this time. Judging from what Lu Baiyu said, that man was clearly strong. Even after witnessing Xiao Ran's skills, he was still confident that the mysterious man could not be defeated.

Her mouth twisted into a bitter smile.

This is getting interesting.

She was up against not only a clever but also a strong man who might have already attained the highest rank possible.

But there was still one thing that she was dying to know.

"Is he the same man who bribed you into betraying the clan?"

Lu Baiyu shook his head in response to her question. "No, he isn't; he has nothing to do... with that."

Shu Yue arched a brow. "How am I supposed to believe that?"

"Because I don't even know what clan he belonged to!" Lu Baiyu roared, his face flushing with anger and frustration. "I know nothing about that man, so stop asking me about him! I've already told you what I know."

Shu Yue stared at him in silence for a moment, her face emotionless. Lu Baiyu seemed to be telling the truth this time, so Shu Yue didn't ask him again or press him on it further. It just made sense that the mysterious man would not reveal information that could be used against him. He even toyed with them by wearing different belts to confuse them about his actual rank.

But he gave a specific location where he could be found.

Somehow, Shu Yue was more unease than relieved knowing that information. She found it odd that the man would simply reveal his current location. Unless he was just messing around, as he always did, and it was all a trap.

Or maybe he really wanted to be found.

Perhaps that information was actually meant for her. He knew she was looking for him, so he used Lu Baiyu as an unwitting instrument to inform her of his whereabouts.

She set her mouth in a firm line.

That cunning bastard!

The mysterious man was most likely trying to lead her to the Pipe Forest. It was definitely a trap. Nonetheless, she had to admit he was really clever. He had planned things with precise calculation, and almost everything that had happened since her victory in the sparring match had been manipulated by him.

But Shu Yue couldn't let him continue to play her like a fool. Who knew what that man was up to? Since he knew her true identity, could he have been aware of her plans? Whoever he was, he had to be silenced as early as possible. Shu Yue couldn't risk having him ruin her plans. Not right now, when she hadn't even done anything.

She clutched the sword tightly in her grip. She wasn't going to let him keep pulling the strings. Now that she was aware of what he was trying to do, it wouldn't be hard to counter him. He was tricking her into believing she was winning this game of cat and mouse, and Shu Yue would do the same.

She'd play his game, pretending to fall into his trap. She'd make him feel like he was winning.

Outsmarting a hidden opponent was a tricky situation, so she had to be more careful. She shouldn't appear too naive or too smart. If she played her cards right, she would have the upper hand.

One mistake and it was game over.

As Shu Yue pondered, the image of the man she saw on the street in front of the Lu residence flashed through her mind. A sudden little chill went over her.

Don't tell me that's him?

Shu Yue's brows knitted as she thought about his grey belt and the strange aura he was emitting. Her lips twitched, knowing she might have already met the person she was looking for and hadn't even realized it.

No wonder he didn't look like a mere civilian.

That reminded Shu Yue of one thing.

"Elder Lu," she said. "You mentioned earlier that the man told you something and you assumed it was about me. Can you tell me what he said?"

Lu Baiyu's mouth hardened. He was silent for a moment as she glanced at the sword in Shu Yue's hand. "He warned me not to lay a hand on someone. Now I'm pretty sure he was referring to you. It actually makes sense. You won the sparring match and ended up with the soul-binding scroll. And right after I recruited you to be my disciple, he showed up and warned me. It fits too well to be a coincidence."

That puzzled Shu Yue. "He warned you not to harm me?"

Lu Baiyu nodded stiffly. "Yes, and he also told me not to make things difficult for you, but I did..." He faltered. Despair slowly etched on his face, and his voice trembled with fear. "He might punish me for it. No, he will punish me."

The old man's figure turned into a blurry shape as Shu Yue fell into deep contemplating. She had no doubt that the mysterious man was referring to her after hearing what Lu Baiyu said.

But why would he say that? What kind of game is he actually playing?

The crunch of leaves sounded behind her, interrupting her thoughts. But she didn't have to turn around to check. The scent and presence of Xiao Ran were things she was most familiar with.

Xiao Ran's footsteps came nearer, and then he appeared beside her, his arm brushing lightly against her shoulder. He had one fluffy tail behind him, appearing as an E-rank fox demi-human again.

"All right," Shu Yue said. "I guess we're done here now."

Lu Baiyu looked at her with hopeful eyes. "How about my grandson?"

"Don't worry, I'll keep my promise. He'll be back at your residence before the sun goes down. Unscathed."

Lu Baiyu narrowed his eyes but said nothing.

"Just one more thing before we call it a day," Shu Yue said. "You're the only one who has contact with the Scorpio Clan; we can't tell them you've been caught. Keep playing the role of a traitor. Pretend to be their ally and gather information."

He gave her a look of disbelief. "Are you asking me to be a spy?"

Shu Yue nodded nonchalantly. "Exactly. I want you to be my eyes. This is for the clan's sake. I know you're not that gullible, Elder Lu. I believe you're also aware of Scorpio Clan's true intentions. They want to conquer us, to take control of our land and its people. We can't let that happen." She lazily locked her eyes on his. "If we want to rise again, we need to know about our rivals. Keep in mind that this is also for Lu Rui. If you want him to achieve great things, you, as his grandfather and an elder, must act."

Without waiting for his response, Shu Yue placed Lu Rui's sword on the ground in front of him and ordered Xiao Ran to release him from his binds.

"Don't forget to ask your precious grandson about his day today, will you?" The smile on her face was gentle, yet so menacing.

She didn't ask Xiao Ran to escort Lu Baiyu out of the bamboo forest this time. As soon as the old man disappeared from their sight, Xiao Ran's features softened.

"Young Mistress, are you alright?"

Shu Yue sighed, a small smile on her lips. "I'm fine. I have a lot of things to discuss with you. We have a dangerous enemy at our heels." She looked at Xiao Ran's face, her gaze resting on the line of blood on his cheek. "I'm sorry you have to handle them alone." Shu Yue's voice lowered to a murmur as she reached out and gently touched his wounded cheek.

Xiao Ran's soft gaze met hers. "It's just a small cut, Young Mistress. Please don't be so concerned about me." Nonetheless, he looked pleased. There was the faintest trace of a smile on his lips as he leaned into his master's hand, reveling in her touch.

"You are my precious fox, of course, I'm concerned about you."

Xiao Ran's smile broadened as he covered her hand with his, holding it to his cheek.

Shu Yue's eyes slightly widened, surprised at the unexpected gesture.

As Xiao Ran's warm fingers brushed her wrist, they found her bruise, and his eyes darkened with cold anger. "I will kill whoever lays a hand on you, master." He paused and stared deep into her eyes. "But only if you give me permission."

Shu Yue didn't say anything as she stared back at him. For some reason, she was beginning to worry.

Did she tame him too much?