My Apprentice Is Too Diligent

Chapter 20: Accomplice

"Liu Ji, what's wrong with you?"

Zhou Shunkang looked at Liu Ji in surprise, glanced at Chen Wuji and Nie Shuangshuang who were walking away, and asked in confusion, "Those two just now, the tall man is the master of Hidden Dragon Gate, Chen Wuji, right? Liu Ji, are you familiar with him?"

"No, I don't know him."

Liu Ji's gaze flickered, trying to remain calm, and he said, "I don't know Chen Wuji, I've just heard that he's very strong. He has already reached the Body Refining Seventh Layer and killed 'King Spear' Luobotu on the street. He's very powerful."

"He is indeed powerful."

Zhou Shunkang nodded and sighed, "Luobotu, the 'King Spear,' is not an ordinary Body Refining Seventh Layer. It is said that he has already achieved Blood Transformation and is close to perfection. I didn't expect him to be killed by Chen Wuji, who just broke through. Master Chen has been low-key for ten years, but now he's making a big splash and shocking the whole city! He's really amazing!"

"Yes," Liu Ji sighed, his face filled with worry.

Zhou Shunkang didn't notice and continued, "Do you think I can become Chen Wuji's disciple if I go and ask him now?"

Before Liu Ji could respond, he added, "It seems unlikely."

"Chen Wuji's disciples are all around ten years old, and he has already taken them in."

"He doesn't care about adults like us."

"But it makes sense. Whether a person has talent and potential can be known without waiting for adulthood."

"It's a pity. We can't cling to his thigh."

Zhou Shunkang sighed with emotion.

Liu Ji didn't respond and walked in silence.

After Zhou Shunkang sighed, he changed the topic and nudged Liu Ji with his elbow, teasingly saying, "By the way, how was the taste of that little beauty you brought home last time?"

"Not great," Liu Ji replied casually.

"Really? She seemed pretty satisfied to me," Zhou Shunkang said suspiciously, "Could it be that you couldn't satisfy her, Liu Ji? Hehe..."

"You're thinking too much," Liu Ji quickened his pace and didn't want to talk about it anymore. "I have something to do, I'll go first."

"Oh, so you're shy now," Zhou Shunkang followed behind, "Don't walk so fast, tell me, how was it really..."

The two of them headed straight to the county government office.

When they arrived at the government office, Zhou Shunkang continued to be active, chatting with people and bragging.

Liu Ji, on the other hand, remained silent and frowned.

When the government office closed in the evening, his frown didn't ease.

Night fell.

Liu Ji walked home under the bright lights of countless households.

He looked worried and remained vigilant of his surroundings.

It wasn't until he stood at his doorstep that he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

He took out his keys and prepared to open the door.

Bang!

His neck suddenly hurt, and he lost consciousness.

...

There were buzzing insects in his ears, and the night wind brushed against his face.

Liu Ji woke up in a daze.

Opening his eyes, he found himself lying on a spacious stone slab, with a silver moon hanging high above his head. Moonlight gently sprinkled around, illuminating the surrounding area and the shadowy trees.

The mountains?

How did I end up in the mountains?

Liu Ji was shocked. He tried to get up but found that his joints had been dislocated!

When he tried to speak, it felt like his throat was blocked by a lump of air.

"Awake?"

A calm voice came from above.

Liu Ji's body stiffened, and he immediately closed his eyes.

"I know you're awake."

Chen Wuji's voice sounded lightly, "Tell me, why are you so afraid of me?"

Liu Ji remained silent, not even breathing.

"Don't want to talk?"

Chen Wuji coldly shouted, "Fine, I'll give you a taste of pain."

Liu Ji's body trembled.

But in the next moment, accompanied by the sound of bones shifting and cracking, excruciating pain surged from his limbs and spread throughout his body.

"Ugh!!"

Intense pain caused Liu Ji's eyes to widen, his eyeballs became bloodshot and bulged out.

His body kept trembling, his face turned pale, and sweat poured down like rain.

His throat was blocked, he wanted to scream but couldn't make much sound.

It took a full cup of tea's time for this wave of pain to disappear.

"Hu, huchī, hu~"

Liu Ji, drenched in sweat, lay on the stone slab, his voice trembling, hoarsely spoke, "I... I say..."

"Very well."

Facing Liu Ji's terrified and resentful gaze, Chen Wuji calmly said, "Tell me why you're so afraid of me?"

At noon, when taking Nie Shuangshuang home, they ran into Liu Ji at the corner of the street.

In that instant, Liu Ji's heart raced, filled with astonishment, horror, and fear... Chen Wuji captured all these emotions.

At that moment, Chen Wuji quickly searched his original memories and confirmed that he didn't know Liu Ji.

But Liu Ji was afraid of him, terrified to death.

It was obvious that something was wrong!

"I... I am one of Yang Qin's men."

As soon as Liu Ji spoke, Chen Wuji understood why he was afraid of him.

Liu Ji was one of Yang Qin's subordinates, most likely involved in the investigation, theft, and murder plan, and was one of the operatives.

Now that Kong Kong'er and Yang Qin were missing.

As long as Liu Ji wasn't stupid, he would understand that the disappearance of these two people was related to Chen Wuji!

Because of this, he was afraid that Chen Wuji would come looking for him and he would passively disappear.

As for why he didn't report it.

First, Liu Ji had no evidence.

Second, even if he reported Chen Wuji, the county government might not arrest him.

Because even Yang Qin, who was at the Body Refining Eighth Layer, had disappeared.

If the arrest failed or the news leaked, that would be a real dead end!

...

"So you're one of Yang Qin's men."

Chen Wuji calmly spoke, "In that case, you also know about the jade pendant?"

"No... I don't know." Liu Ji weakly and hoarsely replied, "I... I just followed Yang Qin's orders, I... I brought Kong Kong'er from Zilian Mountain County and obtained the Dream Incense."

Dream Incense?

Chen Wuji was slightly surprised, "Do you know where to get Dream Incense?"

"The... The Third Master of the black market has a channel." Liu Ji gasped and answered, "I... I obtained the Dream Incense from him."

"What is the true identity of this Third Master?" Chen Wuji asked again.

"I... I don't know." Liu Ji hoarsely responded, "Yang... Yang Qin knows a little, if he wants to find the Third Master, he can only go to the black market."

"I see."

Chen Wuji murmured, after a moment, he asked again, "Besides Yang Qin, who else was involved in the plot to harm me?"

"No... no one else." Liu Ji cooperated as much as possible, "Just a few of us."

Very good!

Chen Wuji, who had been observing Liu Ji's mental and emotional fluctuations, clenched his fist secretly.

No lies!

The hidden danger of the jade pendant was basically eliminated.

Feeling relieved in his heart, on the surface, Chen Wuji remained calm and continued to ask, "Who does Yang Qin have close contact with?"

"Well... there are quite a few." Liu Ji gasped.

"I mean the important and most secretive ones!" Chen Wuji clarified.

"Xiong Zengtong and Zhao Feihu!"

Liu Ji blurted out.

Chen Wuji's eyes lit up, "Is this Xiong Zengtong referring to the leader of the Xiong Gang? And Zhao Feihu, the owner of the Black Tiger Martial Arts Hall?"

"Yes... it's them." Liu Ji confirmed.

"Are you sure?"

"Ce... certain." Liu Ji hoarsely replied, "I... I've seen Yang Qin secretly meeting with Xiong Zengtong and Zhao Feihu several times."

It was certain!

Xiong Zengtong, Zhao Feihu, and Yang Qin were a group!

(End of this chapter)