Chapter 34: Where are you Going
The trio returned to the guest courtyard, where Chen Haunt and the others had been waiting. The moment Chen Haunt's eyes landed on Lordi Payne, his blood ran cold, then boiled. Lordi Payne was swaggering in, his arm casually draped around Chen Mave's waist, their bodies so close they might as well have been glued together. Chen Haunt froze, his mind struggling to process the sight. Then, like a spark igniting dry tinder, rage flared within him.
This punk dares to grope his sister?! The thought roared in his mind. He had only instructed Chen Mave to be nice to Lordi Payne, to deceive him, to lull him into a false sense of security—all for the purpose of using his flesh and soul to refine the Summon Soul Banner. But this... this was beyond the plan. How dare this lowlife lay his hands on her, and in public no less?!
His fists clenched, his knuckles whitening as he took a step forward, ready to tear Lordi Payne apart. But before he could act, Gum Torin shot him a subtle, warning glance. The message was clear: Not now.
Chen Haunt forced himself to take a deep breath, his jaw tightening as he reined in his fury. Gum Torin cleared his throat, his voice calm but firm as he broke the tension. "It's getting late," he said, his tone measured. "You two should go and rest."
Lordi Payne agreed instantly. With a hand still resting on Chen Mave's waist, he steered her toward his courtyard. Chen Mave, for her part, didn't resist, though her expression was unreadable.
Chen Haunt's face darkened, his anger simmering just beneath the surface. But he held back. Once Lordi Payne and Chen Mave were out of earshot, he turned to Gum Torin, his voice low and seething. "What the hell is going on?"
Gum Torin shook his head, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. "The brat knows nothing about our plan. He's completely in the dark."
Chen Haunt's brow furrowed, but Gum Torin continued before he could interrupt. "When Chen Mave and I found him, he was sipping tea in the market, completely at ease. There was no hint of him trying to flee. In fact, it was he who suggested coming back to the mansion. He's smitten with your sister's charm, dreaming she's fallen for him. This is perfect for our next move."
Chen Haunt's eyes narrowed, and Gum Torin pressed on. "Think about it. Using a dead corpse for the banner's blood sacrifice versus using a live, vibrant cultivator for the ritual? It's night and day difference. A cultivator brimming with vitality will maximize the banner's potential—top-tier quality. But if we kill him now and use his corpse, the banner's power will be diminished. That's why we've been working to gain his trust since the day we rented the Corpse Cloud."
Chen Haunt's rage began to ebb as the logic sank in. He nodded grudgingly, though the image of Lordi Payne's hand on his sister's waist still burned in his mind.
Not until the ritual is complete. He had put too much effort into this to botch it now. If Lordi Payne catches wind of his plan, the punk fight tooth and nail. Even if they only manage to control Lordi Payne by cutting off one of his arm or a leg—it'll diminish the banner's value. They can't afford that.