Library of Heaven's Path 2: Eternal Fate of the Heavens

Qi Tianming walked into the backyard, sensing something was off, and couldn't help pointing behind him.

"This stool... was it here before?"

"What stool?"

The middle-aged man looked confused, taking a serious look: "It feels like the one from the reception hall. How did it get here? Elder Qi, shouldn't we focus on dealing with Sun Qiang and the others? The guards outside can barely hold on! It's just a stool. I'll have someone move it away later."

"Alright then!"

Qi Tianming also understood that now wasn't the time to be hung up on such trivialities. He hurriedly pushed open the door.

At that moment, Sun Qiang, Yu Xiaoyu, and the others were practicing. Seeing someone enter, they instantly stood up in unison.

Brought here by the guards and kept indoors for days, forbidden to leave, they were understandably puzzled.

"Elder Qi, is there news about the young master and Lord Kong?" Sun Qiang stepped forward.

After days of interaction, he had learned of Qi Tianming's identity.

"Not yet for now. However, people sent by the Crown Prince have arrived, and you must leave this place immediately…"

Qi Tianming explained and then froze again: "Didn't you say you'd move the stool to the hall? How did it end up here?"

The stool from earlier now stood silently not far away, stationary, as if it had just been moved over.

"I haven't instructed anyone yet…"

The middle-aged man was equally dumbfounded.

When they entered earlier, there had only been a few figures in the room. When did this thing make its way over?

As he was puzzling over it and hadn't finished his sentence, the stool suddenly stretched out its four legs, taking two steps to stand in front of Sun Qiang and the others, rubbing itself affectionately against his trouser leg.

"This…"

Qi Tianming and the middle-aged man exchanged glances, simultaneously falling silent.

A stool that could walk? And even rubbed up against someone's leg?

Just as they were reeling from disbelief, Sun Qiang's eyes lit up.

Having followed Zhang Xuan for many years, he naturally recognized the young master's unique spirit enchantment ability. It seemed the young master was not only safe but had also found him.

"Elder Qi, can you disable the formation in the courtyard for a moment?"

After contemplating for a moment and deducing the young master's intentions, Sun Qiang clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

The stool lifted one leg, striking a pose as if giving a thumbs-up.

Suppressing the strange expression on his face, Qi Tianming couldn't help but voice his concern: "The Crown Prince's people are just outside. If the formation is disabled, your presence will likely be discovered instantly…"

The courtyard's formation could block detection, which was why Commander Bai and his men had found nothing despite days of searching. Disabling it would essentially expose them.

As a Wanxiang Sect elder, Qi Tianming knew his own status meant Commander Bai wouldn't dare act rashly toward him. But these people could very well be captured or even killed on the spot.

"It should be fine!" Sun Qiang said hurriedly.

"Elder Qi, I didn't know you had a residence here…"

At that moment, a calm voice echoed, its source less than ten meters away from the backyard.

The Crown Prince's guard leader had clearly begun a forced search. Even with his best efforts to delay, time had run out.

Hearing the steadily approaching footsteps, Qi Tianming knew it was too late to plan an escape. He flipped his palm, revealing an Elder Token, which burst into radiant light. The formation sealing the area instantly ceased operation.

At that moment, the backyard door creaked open with a bang, violently kicked in. Commander Bai appeared in the doorway.

His face was dark as he found Elder Qi standing in the path of their advance, looking displeased. "Commander Bai, as an elder of Wanxiang Sect, is it against the law for me to own several estates? What's your intention in forcing your way in here?"

"Let's see if you can stay this self-righteous a moment from now. Search the place…"

Commander Bai's eyes glimmered with amusement as the people behind him surged forward in unison.

Realizing the other party didn't care about his status and had barged in directly, Elder Qi's expression turned cold. Just as he was bracing for the worst, one of the guards who rushed inside called out.

"Commander, the room is empty!"

Elder Qi froze in disbelief and quickly turned around, only to find the spot where Sun Qiang and the others had been standing mere moments ago empty. Not a single person remained. The four of them had seemingly vanished into thin air, as though they were never there to begin with, leaving only the stool standing quietly in the center, now glaringly conspicuous.

"Empty?"

Not only was Elder Qi stunned, but Commander Bai's eyes narrowed as well.

Unable to locate Sun Qiang and his group, he had sent experts to secretly follow Qi Tianming, eventually leading them here. After a thorough search, he was certain Zhang Xuan's subordinates and disciples were hiding in this residence. Yet now… they found nothing.

"Impossible! Search carefully for hidden doors, mechanisms, or spaces that could house living beings!"

Commander Bai thundered.

"Reporting to the Commander… There are none!" Moments later, a soldier replied.

"Commander Bai, barging into my estate and conducting an unauthorized search—even with the Crown Prince's orders—I will report this to Wanxiang Sect and demand justice!"

Qi Tianming's voice boomed.

Though he didn't understand how Sun Qiang's group vanished, he was certain it had something to do with the stool and the disabled formation.

Commander Bai's face turned grim.

Even with the royal family's authority in Tianli City, there were limits to its reach. Breaking into the private residence of a Wanxiang Sect elder without proper justification would spell trouble for him, no matter his rank.

"We're leaving…"

Knowing there was no way to salvage the situation, Commander Bai, though visibly frustrated, had no choice but to wave his hand and turn to leave.

However, after taking only a few steps, something struck the back of his head, sending him staggering forward. Turning around, he saw the stool rolling on the ground, and his face flushed with rage.

"Qi Tianming, even as a Wanxiang Sect elder, don't you think ambushing the Crown Prince's guard leader crosses a line?"

"I… ambush you?"

Qi Tianming's eye twitched.

He had just seen the stool leap by itself and strike Commander Bai on the back of the head. While the blow didn't cause injury, being humiliated in front of his subordinates clearly enraged the man.

"If it wasn't you, are you claiming the stool leapt on its own?"

Commander Bai roared, but before he could finish, the stool—now lying askew on the floor—suddenly launched itself at his face.

Crash!

The stool shattered upon impact, splinters flying everywhere.

"Qi Tianming, you've gone too far!"

Commander Bai was livid.

It was one thing to be struck on the back of the head, but now his face had been struck, leaving him humiliated beyond belief.

"Uh…"

Staring at the now-destroyed stool, Qi Tianming took a deep breath and solemnly said, "If I told you that the stool disliked you and attacked you of its own accord, having nothing to do with me… would you believe me?"