Chapter 254 : The Transaction
Chapter 254: The Transaction
“Master Yuan actually recognized her?”
Chen Ming saw that thread of scrutiny in Yu Haitang’s eyes and felt a chill in his chest; she truly had been too perceptive. A faint, perfectly timed look of surprise crossed his face. “Miss Yu, could it be that you know this Junior Sister Huo?”
“Of course I knew her.”
When Yu Haitang saw his reaction, the scrutiny in her eyes vanished and she smiled. “Junior Sister Huo was my husband’s junior sister; she could be considered my junior sister as well. Junior sister looks unwell — did something happen?”
Chen Ming said, “What a coincidence to have such a connection. On my way here I saw Junior Sister Huo being cornered and interrogated by members of her sect together with people from the White Feather Sect. She was forced into a corner and attempted to draw her sword to slit her own throat. I could not stand by, so I saved her.”
“You mean that actually happened!”
Yu Haitang flushed with anger. “I think the Xiaoshui Sect has grown tired of living — how dare they treat Junior Sister Huo like that. Fortunately you were unharmed, otherwise I would have left not a single dog or fowl from the Xiaoshui Sword Sect alive.”
Huo Qianqian hurried to say, “Miss Yu, please calm your anger. Senior has already punished them. After all, you are of the same sect; I beg you not to make things difficult for them.”
“You, you’re simply too kind-hearted — that is why they dared bully you without restraint. When my husband was alive they had praised you to the skies. When he was gone, they turned their faces and trampled you into the dirt. People who cling to power like that — it would be best to kill them all.”
Huo Qianqian’s face had gone pale when Yu Haitang mentioned killing; the words were not merely talk and could be acted upon, which made her tremble inwardly. She hastened, “Please, Miss Yu, for Chen Senior’s sake, do not pursue this with the Xiaoshui Sect.”
She bowed deeply as she spoke.
A narrow smile flashed in Yu Haitang’s eyes as she said, “Call me sister-in-law and I will promise not to make trouble for them.”
Huo Qianqian froze, her mouth slightly open; that word “sister-in-law” would not come out no matter how she tried.
“What, you still refuse to call me your sister-in-law? Fine.” Yu Haitang shook her head and laughed softly. “Come to think of it, this was my oversight that caused some of your troubles. You were pressured because of Li Jinchuan, weren’t you?”
Huo Qianqian kept her head lowered and only nodded.
Yu Haitang said, “Li Jinchuan is right next door now — do you want to see him?”
“What? You rescued Junior Brother Li?”
Huo Qianqian was both surprised and delighted.
She had few relatives left; in Jiangzhou City the only person she had a connection with was Li Jinchuan. Learning that he was safe naturally made her heart glad.
“He was someone my husband valued. How could I allow him to be seized by those from the White Feather Sect? Really — do you think a selfish, vicious woman like me would offend an entire sect just to save someone?”
Huo Qianqian felt ashamed at Yu Haitang’s words. “You flatter me, Miss Yu. I will go see Junior Brother Li.”
With that she left as if fleeing.
Chen Ming watched from the side and shook his head inwardly; in both strength and verbal sparring Huo Qianqian was no match for Yu Haitang.
Only the two of them remained in the room.
Yu Haitang said, “Thank you, Master Yuan, for saving her.”
“It was nothing.”
He did not pursue the subject and moved on to business. “I was presumptuous to come; I actually had a request.”
“Oh?”
Yu Haitang fixed her exquisite eyes on him and teased, “Oh? Master Yuan, as leader of Jin Yutang, with so many talented people under you, you actually come to plead with a secluded lady like me. It seems a tad frivolous.”
Chen Ming cut straight to the point. “You know what kind of sect leader I am, Miss Yu. I will not spar words with you. I ask you to take action with me — to kill someone.”
Yu Haitang laughed. “You don’t mean you want me to join you in killing Sun Chuxian, do you? I am only a third-grade; how could I be his match?”
“Not him. It is someone else, someone likely stronger than Sun Chuxian.”
“Could it be the first-grade expert who once pursued you and the Ninth of the Jiang family?”
“Exactly.”
“That was a first-grade Purple-Robed of the Six Doors!” Yu Haitang looked at him as if he were mad.
One had to know that Pan Zhiyuan, the top figure of Jiangzhou, was a first-grade Purple-Robed. This person’s rank was comparable to Pan Zhiyuan; even if he were not a provincial official, he was certainly high up in the Six Doors. Even if the two of them managed to kill him, the consequence would be being placed on the Six Doors’ wanted list; they might even draw the attention of a red-clad super-grade old monster.
Suicide was one thing, but not this kind of suicide.
Chen Ming said, “Don’t worry. Since I dared to kill him, I naturally don’t fear the pursuit of the Six Doors Authority. To be frank, that man made a grave mistake on a recent mission, causing the deaths of four Third Grade Gold-Robed Inspectors. He even tried to kill me to silence me. Soon, he’ll be dismissed and investigated. Killing him might even earn a reward in Xiazhou.”
After listening, Yu Haitang made no comment. She lazily said, “And what benefit does killing him bring me?”
“Whatever Miss Yu wants—if I have it, I’ll offer it with both hands.”
“What if I want Sect Master Yuan’s Taiyue Sword?”
“You can have it!”
Without any hesitation, Chen Ming tossed over the Taiyue Sword.
Yu Haitang instinctively caught it. Her gaze faltered for a moment—it was the first time she lost composure in front of him.
Her eyes fell on the Taiyue Sword to mask her reaction, as she said, “You’re quite generous. A Peerless Divine Weapon, and you just hand it over like that.”
After she spoke, she tossed the Taiyue Sword back and shook her head. “A Peerless Divine Weapon that has already recognized a master—what use do I have for it?”
Generally speaking, a Peerless Divine Weapon could only have one master at a time. Unless that master died, it wouldn’t recognize another.
In a way, the weapon spirit of a Peerless Divine Weapon was bound to its master.
Yu Haitang’s expression turned more serious. She said, “Since you’ve shown such sincerity, it would be petty of me to refuse. Forget the Taiyue Sword. If you can help me retrieve something, I’ll do this favor for you.”
“All right.”
“You’re not even asking what it is? Just agreeing like that?”
“Miss Yu may speak now.”
“It’s nothing extraordinary. Back in the day, Jin Tai stole a piece of yellow soil from a reclusive clan. It’s now hidden beneath the hall where Sect Master Yuan usually resides.”
“……”
Chen Ming’s tone grew a little odd. “So I still have to make another trip back to Jin Yutang?”
Yu Haitang nodded. “The sooner the better. If you delay, Sun Chuxian might return. You just need to lift the rosewood plank you usually sit on. Underneath it, there’s a keyhole. The Taiyue Sword is the key to open the passage below.”
The more Chen Ming listened, the more wrong it felt. Not only did she know Sun Chuxian’s whereabouts, she even knew where he usually sat.
She had planted a spy inside Jin Yutang—and not a low-level one either.
Yu Haitang said, “When you hand me that item, I’ll go with you to kill that First Grade Purple-Robed Inspector from the Six Doors Authority.”
“Agreed. It’s a deal.”
“It’s a deal.”
…
Before leaving, Chen Ming went next door to tell Huo Qianqian to stay here for the night and that he would come find her tomorrow.
He also took a glance at Li Jinchuan. His injuries were serious, but fortunately not fatal. With Doctor Sun treating him, there likely wouldn’t be any lasting issues.
Feeling reassured, Chen Ming departed.
Upon returning to Jin Yutang, he couldn’t help but feel sentimental. He had thought he’d never set foot here again, yet only a few hours had passed before he had to return.
Taking advantage of Sun Chuxian’s absence, he entered the main hall, ordered everyone to stay away, and shut all the doors and windows tightly.
Only then did he move aside the wooden plank he usually sat on.
Chen Ming discovered that the floor was made of a solid iron slab, with a circular plug embedded in it. Removing the plug revealed a hole.
He drew the Taiyue Sword, scabbard and all, and inserted it. It fit perfectly.
With a twist, mechanical sounds echoed. A crack split open in the floor, widening until a pitch-black tunnel appeared. A staircase spiraled downward into the depths, its end out of sight.
Chen Ming descended the staircase. The deeper he went, the denser the earthen elemental energy became.
“So, the hall above is meant to block the underground elemental force.”
Only now did he understand the purpose of the hall.
In reality, the underground space was where Jin Tai usually cultivated.
“That treasure Tang Yaoyang mentioned is most likely the same one Yu Haitang talked about.”
That thought suddenly struck Chen Ming. Could Tang Yaoyang be Yu Haitang’s spy in Jin Yutang?
It was very possible.
As the thought lingered, he finally reached the bottom. It was an enormous stone chamber, illuminated by dozens of luminous pearls embedded in the walls and ceiling.
The place appeared to have been carved out of a massive boulder.
“Where’s the yellow soil?”
Chen Ming’s gaze swept across the stone chamber, eventually landing on the stone platform at its center.
That was where the earth-elemental energy was most concentrated—almost on par with the depths of the Fire Element Secret Realm.
For someone cultivating the Mysterious Earth True Art, this was a sacred place for training.
“Looks like that yellow soil is just like the Golden Flame—it must be one of the keys protected by the Earth-affinity family to open the False Tomb of Eternal Life.”
No one knew what Jin Tai had gone through back then, how he obtained the Mysterious Earth True Art, or how he came by that yellow soil.
With Jin Tai now dead, those secrets had vanished with him.
“That Golden Flame has nearly been consumed. Only a wisp remains in my Qi Sea—who knows if it’s still usable as a key.”
If the False Tomb of Eternal Life could never be opened again, then perhaps that would be a good thing.
After all, once the tomb appeared, it wouldn’t be long before the Cult of Eternal Life produced another Demon Venerable to plunge the world into chaos.
With that thought, Chen Ming arrived before the stone platform—likely the place where Jin Tai had cultivated. The surface had been worn smooth over time.
He reached out to move the stone platform.
If his guess was right, the yellow soil was hidden beneath it.
Just as his hand touched the platform, a small yellow snake shot out from below and bit into his wrist.