Did Chen Haoyu fall for the trap?

Chapter - 9

Days passed and soon the days turned into week, and yet there was no sign of Chen Haoyu. The Immortals, who had initially been brimming with confidence, began to feel the sting of doubt. In the grand hall of Feng Jun's palace, the tension was palpable as they gathered to discuss their next move.

"This is ridiculous," Shui Jian muttered, pacing back and forth. "Where is he? He should have been here by now. The whole celestial realm is buzzing about this event!"

Yueliang Shen leaned back, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Maybe he is just too arrogant to care," he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice. "He thinks he is above all this."

Feng Jun sighed, his usually composed demeanor showing cracks of impatience. "We need to consider the possibility that our bait was not tempting enough. Maybe the lure of goddesses and music is not much in the eyes of someone like him."

"Not tempting enough?" Shui Jian scoffed. "We practically described a paradise! What more could he want?"

Ming Zhao tapped his fingers on the arm of his chair, "What if he is occupied with something else? Some other scheme or plot that requires his attention? Or maybe someone else..." As he said that, Ming Zhao's eyes moved across the room, looking at the other immortals in the hall.

And an unsettling silence swept through the room. The immortals turned to their men and eyed them. And getting the go from their masters, the men hurriedly walked out of the hall to confirm their doubts.

Li Mingzhi nodded slowly. "That's possible. Chen Haoyu has always been unpredictable. He could be involved in something we are not aware of."

The room fell silent as they pondered this. Finally, Feng Jun broke the silence. "We need more information. Clearly, we are missing something crucial. We need to find out what new mess he is up to."

"But how?" Shui Jian asked, exasperated. "He's elusive. We don't even know where to start looking."

Li Mingzhi's eyes gleamed with determination. "We start by looking at his known associates. If he's been busy, they will know something. We need to tighten our surveillance on them, see if any of them slip up."

"But he hardly has any friends in the Immortal Realm. That bastard has manage to make every single men in the Immortal realm his enemy," One Immortal spoke in annoyance. The longer this dragged, the longer Chen Haoyu became unpredictable.

"But there is always someone," Feng Jun spoke up, "I will have my Phoenix scouts keep a closer watch. We will track every move that any person he has ever come in contact with makes."

"And we should spread new rumors," Yueliang Shen suggested. "Different ones. Maybe about powerful artifacts or secret alliances. Something that might draw him out."

Li Mingzhi smiled, albeit grimly. "That won't do," he shook his head, "I doubt he would even care. He has almost reached the pinnacle of strength possible and now all he cares about is..." Li Mingzhi stopped from speaking any further, but everyone in the hall understood what he meant.

"However..." Li Mingzhi continued, sitting with a furrowed brow, drummed his fingers on the table. "There is one thing we are missing. Perhaps he has grown wary," he suggested, though his tone betrayed his frustration. "Chen Haoyu isn't a fool. Maybe he has caught wind that it is a trap. We are after him."

"But how did he find out that we were after him? We took all the necessary measures!" Yueliang Shen wondered aloud, his voice tinged with frustration.

"No, he doesn't know we are after him," Shui Jian said, shaking his head dismissively. "He must be busy with his dirty works, probably with some poor woman," he blurted out, his words dripping with disgust.

"Then we must catch him red-handed and punish him for his crimes!" another immortal declared, the fervor of their collective anger reigniting.

"Then instead of looking around senselessly, we should narrow our search," Li Mingzhi spoke.

"Narrow our search?"

"Instead of looking everywhere, we should search every brothel, every women he has ever laid his hands on and courtesan he has charmed." Li Mingzhi spoke, his eyes gleaming with unknown glint.

"That is a solid plan," agreed an Immortal, nodding thoughtfully. "He does have a weakness for women. How did we not think about it earlier?"

"Our men can keep an eye on every single brothel in the Immortal Realm," offered another Immortal, his voice steady and pragmatic. "I can spread the word discreetly and keep an ear to the ground."

"And we can always bribe the courtesans. They will do everything for money," suggested Feng Jun, his usual cocky grin appearing. "Get them to tell me everything they know. Chen Haoyu is not the only one who can be persuasive, there is something even more tempting."

Yueliang Shen nodded, looking more determined now. "It is settled then. We divide our forces and scour the places he frequents. We will find him for sure."

The room buzzed with renewed energy as the immortals discussed their roles in the plan. They each had their unique skills, honed over centuries, and they were ready to put them to use.

Ming Zhao, who had been quietly observing the conversation, finally spoke. "Remember, we need to handle this delicately. We cannot afford to alert him or cause a scene that might push him further into hiding."

"Agreed," Li Mingzhi said, his eyes serious. "This needs to be a surgical strike. We find him, trap him, and kill him before he can even process what happened."

As the final details were hashed out, the immortals slowly began to rise from their seats. There was a palpable sense of unity in the room, a shared purpose that bound them together.

Feng Jun's palace, usually a place of tranquility, now felt charged with anticipation. One by one, the immortals filed out, their expressions resolute. The plan was in motion, and they were determined to see it through.

Li Mingzhi lingered for a moment, exchanging a glance with Yueliang Shen. "We will get him, this time," he said, his voice low but filled with conviction. "And we will make sure he does not stay alive to defile any more woman anywhere in the Immortal Realm."

"Yes, this time that bastard is a dead meat." Yueliang Shen, the Moon God nodded, his eyes still sharp and hungry for justice.

But at the back of their minds, there was still that lingering thought. Chen Haoyu was a master trickster, always one step ahead, always making a fool out of them. So doubt could not help but creep into their hearts—would this time be any different?

They could only hope.

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