Chapter 254: Kid, Are You Looking for Me?
Following their instructions, the subordinates found a wealthy merchant who had frequent dealings with Master Que Jin. A detailed investigation revealed some interesting facts.
Over the years, the man had been constantly making shady moves. He had the feng shui of his home altered again and again and had even used some unsavory methods against his business rivals.
However, he never openly sought a master's help, which meant someone must have been assisting him in secret.
This person had never shown their face, a fact that drew the Xiao Family's attention.
Afterward, the Xiao Family's subordinates revealed their identity and learned from the merchant that the person in question was none other than Master Que Jin.
The scar on his eye was the telltale sign!
Xiao Ye hadn't expected to find him so quickly.
'But it's all thanks to my subordinates' sharp eyes. Otherwise, we never would have noticed.'
Besides, this Master Que Jin was extremely cautious. He never appeared in person; despite their surveillance, no one had ever seen him.
"Find a way to confirm Master Que Jin's location. If necessary, use extreme measures!"
"Even if you have to torture Master Que Jin's clients, you must make them talk!"
"Yes, sir! I'm on it right away!"
After hanging up, Xiao Ye felt a surge of anxiety.
'It all seems a bit too smooth.'
And if Master Que Jin discovered he was being watched and went into hiding, finding him would become incredibly difficult.
'Maybe I should just go to the Imperial City myself.'
'Try to catch him in one go!'
Just as Xiao Ye was mulling this over, his phone rang again.
This time, it was an unknown number, and the caller ID showed it was from overseas.
Xiao Ye had two phones, and this one wasn't set up for international calls. That meant the number on the screen was a fake!
Xiao Ye frowned slightly and answered the call.
"Kid, are you looking for me?"
A deep, raspy voice came from the other end. Without even seeing the person, Xiao Ye could feel the malice radiating from it.
When a person has done too much evil, it starts to show, whether in their appearance or in other aspects of their being.
This was especially true for a member of the Taoist School who practiced heretical arts!
Xiao Ye had previously met a fallen Taoist master who had once been exceptionally ordinary-looking.
Within a few years, he had developed a sharp-chinned, sunken-cheeked face and a perpetually gloomy expression.
Xiao Ye's heart skipped a beat. "Are you Que Jin?"
"That's right, it's me. But that name... I haven't heard it in many years!"
Xiao Ye leaned back in his chair and spoke with contempt. "So you've been living under a different name. No wonder there's been no news of you for so many years."
"It makes sense. An evil man with a ruined reputation who practices heretical arts—how could you possibly dare to use your own name? If you didn't hide and skulk around, you probably would have been caught long ago!"
The line was silent for a moment before a sinister laugh echoed through.
"Kid, I know you're Xiao Ye, and I know you're Lingxiao Daoist's apprentice. If it weren't for your master, I wouldn't have to be afraid to even use my own name!"
"If it weren't for him back then, I would have been world-famous by now!"
"With your Life-Swapping Technique? You're delusional!" 'Becoming world-famous with a mere heretical art? He's truly dreaming!'
Que Jin's voice suddenly grew sharp. "What do you know! You're just like that Lingxiao Daoist—nothing but a hypocrite!"
"If my Life-Swapping Technique had succeeded, do you have any idea how many people it could have saved?"
"The people I saved were all contributors to society! They're rich and powerful. With just a fraction of their wealth, they could build an orphanage! A school!"
"But those ordinary people, they know nothing and only waste society's resources! What's wrong with using their lives to extend the lives of more useful people?"
Xiao Ye laughed, his eyes filled with ridicule. "What a load of nonsense!"
"An ordinary person's life is the same as a rich and powerful merchant's! All people are born equal. What gives you the right to use their lives to save others?"
"You, especially, have no right to decide anyone's fate! You really think you're some kind of savior, but you're just satisfying your own selfish desires!"
'Isn't Master Que Jin doing all this for his own fame?'
'Becoming world-famous, which he mentioned earlier, is what he truly wants.'
'And the lives of ordinary people are just his stepping stones.'
'It's just as Master said: evil people will always find excuses to justify their actions.'
'The more they do it, the more shameless they are!'
Que Jin knew Xiao Ye wouldn't understand. "You hypocrites, all of you feign ignorance!"
"Don't think I don't know. Aren't you and Lingxiao Daoist also in it for the fame? Why else would you do good deeds? Why do you help the rich? Why don't you help the poor?"
Lingxiao Daoist had always acted on certain conditions.
First, those who came to him for help could not have committed any great evil.
Second, their time must not have been naturally up. Whether it was illness or being plotted against, the cause had to be external.
Third, after he helped them, they were required to constantly do good deeds to accumulate merit.
It was safe to say that Lingxiao Daoist and this Master Que Jin were fundamentally different! The two couldn't even be compared.
Xiao Ye couldn't be bothered to argue with him. It was impossible to reason with a fallen, evil man like him; he wouldn't listen anyway.
"I'll only ask you one thing: Where is Lin Chuxing? And why did you do it back then?"
"I suggest you send her back immediately. Don't make me find you myself, or I'll be taking your life!"
A piercing laugh came from the other end of the line. "Then come and try! Let's see if you can find me!"
"Let me tell you, I went after Lin Chuxing because of you and your master!"
"If it weren't for you two back then, I wouldn't have been forced to flee! That dog Lingxiao Daoist even broke my hand!"
"Our hatred is irreconcilable!"
Que Jin wasn't the least bit worried about Xiao Ye knowing these things. In fact, he spoke freely. "I was watching everything Lingxiao Daoist did back then!"
"I know he took you in, and I know he created that so-called Golden Saber."
"So, I went to Jiangcheng and happened to run into Lin Chuxing."
"I knew your eight-character birth chart, did a little calculation, and realized she is your destined one."
"So of course I had to take her away. I can't deal with that old bastard, but can't I get my revenge through you?"
Of course, Que Jin knew he was no match for Lingxiao Daoist, so he targeted Xiao Ye to get his revenge.
Xiao Ye was just a baby back then. The fact that Que Jin could bring himself to do it was truly vicious!
"If that old bastard hadn't been protecting you, did you really think I would've stopped at just taking someone? I would have performed a ritual long ago to make you die without a proper burial!"