Chapter 98
But the pair of young men and women before him, just by the way they exuded their inner energy, left him feeling alarmed.
Is this the genius of Qingyuan Sect?
And...
Why are you so skilled at covering your tracks?
Well, they even come in a pair—one male and one female.
Xiao Qin tidied up the tables and chairs, scratching his head:
“Do you think we forgot something?”
“Not at all, what could we forget?”
Li Mo glanced around.
Everything was reduced to ashes; what could possibly be overlooked?
There was definitely no oversight.
...
Meanwhile.
In the center of Ziyang City.
In the grand hall of the government office, people from various sects were raising their cups and enjoying a lavish feast.
“By the way, why haven’t those from Qingyuan Sect arrived yet?”
“Seriously, it’s their own business at the foot of their mountain, and yet we have to worry about it.”
“Uh, with Shang Wu leading the team, how reliable can you expect it to be?”
The crowd from other sects was buzzing with chatter.
“Alas, the peace of Ziyang City relies on all of you.”
The Lord of Ziyang stood up, his gaze shifting slightly as he raised a toast to everyone.
“Cui Fu Zhu is being too modest.”
“Upholding justice is indeed our duty.”
---
Chapter 95: The Hot Pot Restaurant Opens
In a hidden chamber behind the government office.
Compared to the raucous front hall, this place was much quieter.
At the table sat a young man in a white robe, his expression dark as he poured himself a drink.
If he stepped outside, he would surely be recognized.
Yin Huacheng.
Before long.
The door to the hidden chamber creaked open, and Cui Fu Zhu slightly channeled his energy, causing the smell of alcohol on him to dissipate, as if the drunkenness in his eyes was sucked into a vortex, vanishing without a trace.
In an instant, his previously drunken appearance transformed back into one of sharp clarity.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Yin Huacheng. I’ve been quite busy with official matters; I deserve a reprimand.”
Cui Fu Zhu smiled as he sat down across from Yin Huacheng, pouring him a cup of tea.
Yin Huacheng squinted at the teacup, and after downing it in one gulp, he chuckled lightly:
“Just the two of us here, why bother with the pretense? Or have you been in this position for so long that you’ve started to believe it yourself?”
“Cui Judge?”
Cui Fu Zhu’s smile gradually faded.
After pouring himself a cup of tea, he said:
“Li Mo and Ying Bing didn’t come today; you’ve been waiting in vain, Yin Huacheng.”
“Didn’t come?”
Yin Huacheng tapped his fingers on the table:
“No matter, just let me know the moment you find them.”
“I’m here for another matter.”
“The goods I ordered from the Demon Summoning Sect—aren’t they due by now, considering the weather?”
“This matter needs to be addressed; you wouldn’t dare to offer some trivial items and claim they’re insufficient, would you?”
As he spoke, Yin Huacheng’s tone took on a hint of interrogation.
“With the current tension, if our business leaks even a bit, my position as lord will be over.”
“The higher-ups will hold me accountable; I can’t afford to be careless.”
Cui Fu Zhu seemed a bit weary, squinting as he spoke.
Yin Huacheng’s expression shifted between dark and light.
The business they referred to was not the collaboration between the Drizzle Tower and the Demon Summoning Sect.
Rather, it was a private deal between Cui Fu Zhu and his father.
Yet Yin Huacheng pressed on:
“Aren’t you keeping all the sect members in the government office? They’re right under your nose; what’s there to fear?”
“They’re under my nose, but I’m also under theirs.”
Cui Fu Zhu slammed his teacup down on the table, forcing a smile that didn’t reach his eyes:
“I’ll send someone to figure out the business; I’ll give you a result. I’ve already informed your father about this in advance.”
“Best to do so.”
Yin Huacheng snorted coldly:
“If you mess up something important for the sect, the one coming to talk to you won’t be me.”
With that, he suddenly stood up and left.
Cui Fu Zhu watched his retreating figure, sneering.
“Yin Huacheng has turned out to be such a fool.”
He fell silent, fiddling with the teacup in his hand.
Time passed.
After an unknown duration, a knock suddenly echoed through the hidden chamber.
“Who is it?”
A voice, thin as a thread, drifted in, unheard by anyone but Cui Fu Zhu.
“It’s me.” The voice came again.
“Come in.”
A shadow suddenly slipped in close to the ground.
The shadow twisted a few times before solidifying into a human form.
This person wore a loose monk’s robe and had a smiling Buddha face mask.
“Judge, the front hall’s tasks have been completed.”
The voice beneath the Buddha mask was indistinguishable as male or female.
“Hmm, I have a personal matter to entrust to you.”
“Since it’s personal, why not hang a red flower in the dark building?”
The one wearing the Buddha mask replied.
In the Drizzle Tower, money speaks louder than relationships; aside from the main tower master, there were no hierarchies among others.
Even a top-tier assassin couldn’t command a low-ranking killer.
“Even if I hang a red flower, who in the city besides you, Xiao Mi Tuo, can put my mind at ease?”
“Let’s skip the formalities; what do you say?”
Cui Fu Zhu pulled out a bag from his robe.
Xiao Mi Tuo raised a hand to take the bag into his palm, sensing it briefly before stowing it away, clearly satisfied with the reward.
“Please go on.”
“The city is getting more chaotic; I’ll need you to fish in troubled waters, snatch some orphaned children, and send them to my private residence.”
“A small task.”
Xiao Mi Tuo agreed.
With the deal struck, the two began to chat casually.
“Do you have anyone in mind for this trial?”
“The Three Fiends of Huai Mountain, Feisha Dao He Bin, Qianluo Shou Chu He, and Night Ghost Liu Heng all have a chance to survive until the end.”
“The Three Fiends of Huai Mountain you mentioned? They died this afternoon; it seems they weren’t a match for Zuo Qiu Yang.”
Seeing the other party’s disbelief, Cui Fu Zhu pulled out a ledger from his robe.
This was a special ledger issued by the main tower, capable of sensing the auras of those in the front hall.
“Take a look for yourself.”
“......”
Xiao Mi Tuo glanced at it and then raised his head.
The smiling Buddha face seemed to say, ‘Do you think I’m blind?’
Cui Fu Zhu raised an eyebrow, looking down to inspect.
To his surprise, the names of the Three Fiends of Huai Mountain were still clearly listed in the ledger.
He had distinctly seen their names vanish earlier.
Could it be that there was a problem with the front hall’s tasks?
If just one was an issue, that would be fine, but three at once?
As a master of the Divine Vision realm, he surely couldn’t be mistaken, could he?
...
In the relay station.
The relay station had been cleaned to perfection.
[You have a reward waiting to be claimed.]
[Claim successful.]
[Investment feedback: Ruyi Technique.]
[Ruyi Technique]: “Can change one’s form, alter appearance, and even modify aura; even those in the Divine Vision realm would find it impossible to detect any flaws.”
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“I have the Wuxiang Liuli Sha, so I needn’t worry.”
Li Mo looked up at the others.
Those daring enough to participate in the Interstice Trial were mostly seasoned veterans.
If they didn’t conceal themselves, they would be easily recognized.
“I have a technique that alters appearance and aura; even those in the Divine Vision realm can’t see through it.”
Li Mo pulled out a piece of parchment.
“Ruyi Technique?”
Xiao Qin gazed at this remarkable martial art.
The Thousand Forms Martial Sovereign had told him that this was a rare find.
Ying Bing lowered her gaze, taking it in her hands.
After just a moment of observation, her aura gradually faded away.
Li Mo had been wondering if this counted as an investment.
Unfortunately, since it wasn’t something they needed, the system didn’t send any notification.
Thus, the relay station gained new staff: a waiter, a cook, a boss, and a boss’s wife.
As for why they needed a cook...
Because Li Mo had provided Xiao Qin with the hot pot base recipe.
His thinking was simple.
The better the business, the more people would come.
Those preparing to participate in the trial would surely gather in popular places to collect information.
So the relay station transformed into a hot pot restaurant.
...
A few days later.
“Hmm? Wasn’t this originally a relay station?”
A convoy of bodyguards halted outside the relay station... oh no, the hot pot restaurant.
“Given the current tension, we should enter the city and discuss things there.”
“Exactly, that’s why we should gather some information before entering the city.”
“Good point.”
“So... are you sure it’s not because the aroma inside is too enticing?”
The head of the convoy stared at the name of the hot pot restaurant:
[Happy and Joyful.]
After a moment, he nodded.
“Let’s stay here for the night.”
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