Chapter 130: The Shameless Dark Pavilion
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“You two better have something important to tell me, or be ready to face my wrath.”
Wang Qian’s icy words seemed to be squeezed through gritted teeth, each syllable carrying a chilling edge. His latest alchemy attempt had ended in an explosion, leaving him in a foul mood. Now, with someone daring to disturb him at such a time, they unwittingly became perfect outlets for his frustration.
Tian Han and Guo Ming En inwardly groaned. They hadn’t wanted to interrupt Wang Qian either, but the situation had spiraled out of control, leaving them no choice.
“Junior Brother Wang Qian, the Dark Pavilion just sent a message…” Tian Han began cautiously.
“The Dark Pavilion?” Wang Qian, preoccupied with his recent alchemy work, took a moment to recall the bounty he had posted through them. His eyes lit up. “Yu Zhao is dead? How did it happen? Did they bring her body back?”
Tian Han hesitated. “Yu Zhao isn’t dead.”
“Not dead?” Wang Qian’s expression darkened as he looked at him disdainfully. “Then why are you here? Hoping for a reward?”
Tian Han gritted his teeth and pressed on. “The Dark Pavilion said no assassin is willing to take on the task of eliminating Yu Zhao. They’ve decided to withdraw the bounty…and they don’t intend to return the reward money.”
Wang Qian exploded in rage. “They failed to complete the mission! What right do they have to keep the bounty?”
“Because…because…” Tian Han stammered, unsure if it was due to nervousness or fear.
Wang Qian pointed at Guo Ming En. “You explain!”
Guo Ming En’s face was bitter. “Yu Zhao killed all the assassins they sent after her. The Dark Pavilion suffered heavy losses, so they’re withholding the bounty as compensation.”
Wang Qian was momentarily stunned, unsure whether to be more shocked at Yu Zhao’s fighting prowess or at the Dark Pavilion’s audacity.
“Say that again. Who killed whom?”
“Yu Zhao killed all the assassins.”
“She’s only at the late Foundation Establishment stage! How could she possibly do that?”
“She’s reached the Golden Core stage,” Guo Ming En clarified reluctantly.
“But even a Golden Core cultivator shouldn’t…”
Wang Qian suddenly recalled Yu Zhao’s master: Master Qing Yan, renowned as the Number One in Cultivation. As the personal disciple of such a formidable figure, it was only natural that Yu Zhao would live up to that reputation, if not surpass it.
A cold chill washed over Wang Qian as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over him. The assassins of the Dark Pavilion were now too terrified to take another contract on Yu Zhao. It was likely that Yu Zhao’s ferocity had left them utterly paralyzed with fear.
And if Yu Zhao discovered that it was Wang Qian who had posted the bounty? His days would surely be numbered.
No, he thought with rising dread. Yu Zhao probably already knew. In his initial fury, he had sent Tian Han to the Dark Pavilion immediately after clashing with Yu Zhao, without considering the consequences. It wouldn’t take much for someone as sharp as Yu Zhao to piece it all together.
The more Wang Qian thought about it, the more frightened he became. A bead of cold sweat slid down his temple.
“Junior Brother Wang Qian, only the heavens, the earth, and we three know about this,” Guo Ming En said, trying to sound reassuring. “As long as we deny it, Yu Zhao, no matter how powerful, wouldn’t dare challenge the Green Wood Sect directly.”
Seeing Wang Qian so panicked, Guo Ming En felt a flicker of contempt but kept his tone gentle. He and Tian Han knew they could only rely on Wang Qian now. If he lost his composure, it would spell trouble for them all.
“But what about the Dark Pavilion?” Wang Qian was still uneasy.
“The Dark Pavilion wouldn’t dare inform Yu Zhao either, not unless they wanted to antagonize both the Green Wood Sect and the Five Elements Dao Sect,” Tian Han asserted with confidence.
Guo Ming En nodded vigorously in agreement.
Wang Qian’s expression finally eased. “If that’s the case, we’ll act as if this never happened. No one is to mention it again, especially in front of Mu Ye.”
“Understood,” the two replied in unison.
Guo Ming En added with a fawning smile, “Junior Brother Wang Qian, both Senior Brother Tian and I have always been on your side. The position of Young Sect Master is yours by right.”
Tian Han chimed in, “Exactly! Once you become Young Sect Master, don’t forget to support us, Junior Brother Wang.”
“Hahaha, of course, of course!” Wang Qian laughed, his mood lightened.
Having forged a shared secret, Wang Qian suddenly found the two men more agreeable. When he ascended to the position of Young Sect Master, he would undoubtedly need loyal subordinates. Though Tian Han and Guo Ming En were of mediocre talent, they could still serve as useful pawns.
The three men, each scheming in their own minds, shared a moment of uneasy camaraderie.
…
Black Armor City
As Yu Zhao and Ji Han Zhou entered Black Armor City, their first impression was the silence. The wide streets lined with shops bustling with cultivators coming and going portrayed an air of liveliness, yet there wasn’t a single sound. The eerie stillness was unsettling.
Ji Han Zhou lowered his voice instinctively as he asked, “Senior Sister Yu, is it because Black Armor City is close to the Marsh Forest that the locals prefer silence?”
Yu Zhao shook her head. “I’m not sure. Let’s find an inn first and gather some information.”
“Alright.”
The two weren’t the picky type and were about to settle on the first inn they found when they noticed a crowd of cultivators gathered outside an inn ahead. Exchanging a glance, they immediately joined the crowd to investigate.
“It’s the fourth case this month, isn’t it?” a man muttered.
“More than that—three others entered the Marsh Forest and never returned. At least seven people have been lost.”
“It’s bizarre. I’ve stayed at this inn before without any issues. Why are all these strange incidents happening now? If more people die, who’ll dare stay here?”
“Who’d dare? Only someone courting death!”
The murmurs continued as the crowd discussed recent events. Inside the inn, the owner was negotiating with the city guards. After much persuasion—and plenty of Spirit Stones—he managed to have the guards take away the latest corpse. Sitting dejectedly at the inn’s doorstep, the owner let out a heavy sigh.
It wasn’t clear who had cursed the inn so maliciously, but guests had been dying one after another in peculiar ways. One succumbed to a cultivation mishap, bleeding from all seven orifices. Another, practicing Gu Insect rearing, was bitten to death by their own insects. The most unfortunate one had a nightmare that triggered a fatal panic attack—he literally scared himself to death in his sleep. Who would believe such tales? And yet, they were true.
Initially, there were still some fearless individuals willing to test their luck, but after today’s death, even the boldest had fled. Now, the inn was empty, save for the staff and a dog in the backyard.
“Oh, which deity did I offend?” the owner groaned.
Yu Zhao and Ji Han Zhou listened carefully, piecing together what had transpired. Though intrigued, they had no intention of risking their lives over mere curiosity. That was, until Yu Zhao overheard someone in the crowd mention a familiar name.
“Good thing Fairy Ye left early. She avoided the curse.”
Fairy Ye?
Yu Zhao’s eyes sharpened as she zeroed in on the speaker. In the cultivation world, it wasn’t uncommon for names to overlap, especially surnames. However, her instincts told her this “Fairy Ye” was none other than Ye Cong Xin.
When parting ways with Lan Zi Yu, Yu Zhao had sensed the distant auras of Su Ming and Ye Cong Xin. Judging by their trajectory, there was a high probability they had stopped in Black Armor City.
Approaching the man, Yu Zhao asked in an admiring tone, “Fellow cultivator, are you referring to Ye Cong Xin, the Fairy Ye?”
“You know Fairy Ye too!”