"Innate Middle Period?" Shen Xuanran was taken aback.
Although she had previously deduced that Jiang Ce might possess Innate strength, she thought he had only just broken through.
Shen Xuanran's long eyelashes fluttered.
"Father, who do you think is more formidable, him or the Great Protector?"
Shen Fuli considered the question deeply. "Although the Great Protector is also at the Innate Middle Period, he has been cultivating at this level for many years and is on the verge of breaking through to the Seventh Stage."
"Comparing the two, Jiang Ce is likely still a bit inferior due to his youth. But it is precisely because of his youth that his potential is boundless," Shen Fuli added. "He's an Innate Martial Artist in his early twenties and a divine healer. It's no wonder the Wang Family from Capital City is so anxious."
"My daughter, you must seize this opportunity. Getting a firm hold on Jiang Ce is our ticket out of East Sea City!" he urged.
"...Okay."
「...」
After leaving the room, Jiang Ce hurriedly descended the stairs.
As he was going down, a middle-aged man was coming up at the same time. Jiang Ce frowned, noticing that the man was continuously sizing him up. He could also tell that the man's own strength was not weak.
"Can I help you?" Jiang Ce asked, confused.
After gazing at Jiang Ce for a long while, the man finally smiled. "No, nothing. I just wanted to ask where the restroom is."
How strange. Although the man was odd, Jiang Ce was in too much of a rush to dwell on it. He quickly left the hotel, hailed a taxi, and headed for the freeway.
By this time, the freeway was completely blocked.
A chain collision had involved over thirty vehicles, and medics were continuously carrying the injured away on stretchers.
Since the taxi could not proceed, Jiang Ce got out and ran along the road on foot.
He eventually reached the head of the pile-up.
The Rolls-Royce was hardly recognizable. Its entire engine compartment was caved in, and the car's body was compressed out of shape.
A sense of dread washed over Jiang Ce.
He hurried to the window to look inside.
However, there was no one in the car.
"Young man, this is an accident scene. Please leave," a traffic police officer said as he approached.
"Officer, what about the people in this car?" Jiang Ce asked anxiously. "Were they taken to the hospital?"
The traffic officer frowned. "Do you know the people who were inside?"
"Yes," Jiang Ce replied.
Seeing Jiang Ce's sincere expression, the officer said, "There was nobody in the car when I arrived. I didn't see any injured individuals."
"This chain reaction started with this Rolls-Royce. If you know the owner, please have them contact us immediately."
No one? Jiang Ce was stunned.
Logically, Wang Xinyao's butler, Uncle Jiang, was a Martial Artist. Based on what Jiang Ce had seen of his strength before, he was likely at the Postnatal Eighth Stage. With that kind of power, it was certainly possible for him to have escaped with Wang Xinyao the moment the crash occurred.
But why would they flee? Were they trying to avoid taking responsibility?
That was clearly impossible.
Suddenly, Jiang Ce noticed something was wrong.
He saw a huge hole in the wheel of the Rolls-Royce.
It was this hole that caused the tire to blow out. At high speed, the car had instantly lost control and crashed into the barrier.
Realizing something was amiss, Jiang Ce hurried forward to investigate. He soon found a heavy iron stone in the wreckage.
Indeed, this wasn't a vehicle malfunction; it was intentional sabotage!
To precisely hit a tire with an iron ball while a car was moving at high speed was certainly not something an ordinary person could do.
This was the work of a Martial Artist! Could someone be trying to assassinate Wang Xinyao? Did she and Uncle Jiang disappear to evade their pursuers, or have they already been kidnapped?
Neither possibility was a good outcome.
Jiang Ce looked around, but there was no surveillance on this section of the elevated road.
Wait! The Dragon Seeking Skill!
The Xuanyuan inheritance contained such a divination technique. It could be used for locating auspicious sites and tracking down criminals! Perhaps he could use this to find Wang Xinyao's whereabouts.
The knowledge in his mind sprang into action. Jiang Ce visualized Wang Xinyao's appearance, casually picked up a few pebbles, and tossed them to the ground.
The Kan position!
Kan represents water, gullies, and concealment. It is also the blood hexagram. Gullies are waterways, meaning Wang Xinyao should be near water at this moment, and the blood hexagram signifies great danger!
Wang Xinyao was still in peril; he needed to find her as quickly as possible!
Jiang Ce looked up and soon spotted a river not far away. According to the hexagram, she should be over there.
"Sir, what are you doing here? Do you know the car owner or not? If you don't, please don't obstruct our work," the traffic police officer said, walking over again.
Jiang Ce ignored him and dashed towards the river.
Wang Xinyao, wait for me. You... must not come to any harm!
「On the other side.」
Wang Xinyao was being pulled along by her butler, Jiang He, as they fled through the river, the water washing away the faint scent of blood.
Both of them were injured.
Jiang He was in particularly bad shape. His abdomen had been pierced, leaving a large hole, and blood was spilling everywhere.
Behind them, more than a dozen men dressed in black were in hot pursuit.
"Miss Wang, stop running. You can't escape," the leader of the men in black said with a mocking expression, as if playing a game of cat and mouse.
"Miss, run along the river! As soon as you get a chance, call for help! I'll cover the rear!" Jiang He decided instantly.
"No, Uncle Jiang! What will happen to you if I run away?"
Wang Xinyao's mind went blank with panic as she clung tightly to Jiang He.
"Sigh, there's no time! Run!"
With no alternative, Jiang He pushed Wang Xinyao away forcefully, shouting at her to flee.
"Stop your shoving. Neither of you is getting away!"
A dagger flew through the air, aimed straight at Wang Xinyao.
Jiang He's eyes widened. He threw himself forward with all his might, taking the blow meant for her.
"Uncle Jiang!"
Jiang He fell to the ground, spitting up blood. His eyes were wide as he called out indistinctly, "Run... Miss, run! If you don't escape, my sacrifice... will be for nothing! This old servant won't be able to rest in peace!"
Tears blurred her vision as Wang Xinyao nodded emphatically.
"Uncle Jiang, I'll run. You have to hold on. I'll find someone to rescue you."
Wiping her tears, Wang Xinyao endured the pain in her bare feet and scrambled through the pebble-strewn river in a desperate escape.
The leader of the men in black snorted coldly. "A desperate struggle."
He kicked off with his legs and lunged toward Wang Xinyao. But as he passed Jiang He, the butler, who had been on the brink of death, seemed to experience a final burst of life.
With a loud shout, veins bulging on his neck, he wrapped his arms firmly around the leader's leg.
"Old fool, let go!"
Using the last of his strength, Jiang He roared, "Miss, run!"
"Fuck you! I'll kill you!"
A fierce light flashed in his eyes. The leader of the men in black pulled the dagger from Jiang He's body and plunged it violently toward his head.
"NO!!"
Seeing this, Wang Xinyao was overcome with a heart-wrenching despair.
Just as the man in black, his face contorted in a crazed expression, was about to drive the dagger through Jiang He's head, a furious roar thundered like a clap of thunder.
"Get the hell away from him!"