Chapter 79: Jinsheng (2)

“You’re going to suffer a bloody disaster today, oh.”

When Yuan Xiaoqing was squatting by the lake drawing water, that youth’s cunning laughter still echoed in his mind. He resentfully threw the water skin into the lake, gritting his teeth as he cursed: “Bloody your head! Let’s see who dies first!”

“Xiao Qing, don’t throw tantrums wildly.” Yuan Xiaozhu gathered up her long hair and shoved the water bag into the lake. The icy, transparent lake water washed over her wrists. “Those two are not to be provoked. Listen to Master, do not get into conflicts with them again. What’s more…”

The young girl’s long brows furrowed. Recalling the scene she had witnessed in the night, her body trembled involuntarily. “They won’t live much longer either. Earning money is the priority.”

“En.” Yuan Xiaoqing pinched his fingers to calculate the numbers. “We still have a debt of seven hundred and twenty spiritual pearls remaining. Today I’ll go do odd jobs at the Pearl Pavilion first. Tonight, I’ll go to the Ghost Market again to see if there are any new jobs. If push comes to shove, I’ll risk going to ‘that place’ again to take a look; maybe I can scavenge something valuable.”

“Only a little over seven hundred left, it will be fast.” The youth raised his head, his pair of eyes looking at his older sister brightly. “We will be able to leave this place very soon.”

The morning sun had not yet risen, and dots of stars dotted the sky. Behind them lay an entire city of flowing gold-like lights. The sky was about to brighten, and the bustling excitement was about to disperse. The market streets were filled with revelers heading home, reeking of alcohol all over, stumbling and staggering. Sometimes, shiny, glittering beads would drop from their bodies, only to be stepped on with one foot and wedged into the crevices.

Yuan Xiaoqing quickly ran over and dug the beads out of the ground. Holding up the spiritual pearl, he waved his hand toward Yuan Xiaozhu. “Now it’s seven hundred and nineteen.”

Yuan Xiaozhu laughed lightly. “Come back quickly, it’s almost dawn.”

They still had many things to do today. Working at the Pearl Pavilion paid three spiritual pearls a day and included one meal. At night, the Rakshasa Ghost Market would regularly post bounties. If their luck was good, they could take some small jobs that others didn’t want; a small one could fetch around twenty spiritual pearls, a larger one could reach up to a hundred. When the sun was at its peak and no one came out, they could risk climbing over the sand dunes to the bone pile on the other side. That was where the merchant guilds discarded corpses. They could strip the clothes off those corpses or take the spiritual artifacts left behind to the Ghost Market for consignment sale.

Although it was a bit dangerous, it was an income after all.

Master said that the places south outside of Jialing City were not as scorchingly hot and desolate as this place. Over there, the green fields stretched as far as the eye could see, and the water sources weren’t a dead lake like this one. The water there was alive, the mountains were high, there were flowers in all four seasons, and there wasn’t wind and sand flying all over the sky. Going to the Central Province, or even the Cloud Province would be fine. The Immortal Alliance was there; it was peaceful and stable. They would no longer have to live days of precarious survival, licking blood from the edge of a blade.

Holding his older sister’s hand, Yuan Xiaoqing stuffed the spiritual pearl into her pocket. They walked into a long alley—a dark and narrow long alley. The tip of his nose keenly detected a strong stench of blood.

The siblings both stopped in their tracks. It was too dark here, there were no lights. Behind them was the noisy market street, where the muddled shouts of drunkards could be heard. But in front of them, there was the sound of someone gasping for breath: “Haa… Haa… Haa…“

There was also the sound of flowing water. The thick, foul smell of blood flowed through the dark alley. In the shadows lay a person—a luxuriously dressed man, with disheveled hair and a dirty face. There was a narrow mark on his neck, and blood flowed like a fountain.

On his outstretched fingers, he wore three rings, sparkling in the darkness.

“Save…” A slurred, indistinct sound came from that person’s mouth. “Save… Save…”

The siblings exchanged a glance. They remained completely motionless until that person breathed his last. Then, they stepped forward nimbly and looted all of his treasures.

The moment the sunlight broke through the horizon, they ran along the Tear Lake holding the heavy spiritual pearls.

The red gemstones were like sugar cubes packed in a jar, flashing with dazzling light under the sun. Yuan Xiaoqing observed them against the sun, his eyes shining. He smiled smugly, “Who said I’d have a bloody disaster? I’m clearly striking it rich today!”

This gemstone must be a spiritual artifact. If put up for sale in the Ghost Market, who knows, it might be exchanged for over a hundred spiritual pearls!

Someone died in Jialing City.

For people to die in a lawless zone like this had always been normal. Murders, vendettas, bounties, debts, or just offending someone you shouldn’t have with a word or action—being chopped up like radishes or sliced like mutton was all very normal.

The only abnormal thing was that the person who died this time was the chief steward of the Silver Moon Ancient Assembly.

This morning, the chief steward of Silver Moon was found lying in a dark alley. His head had been almost completely severed, blood had pooled all over the ground, and his divine soul was entirely annihilated.

The man who died was a twelfth-tier powerhouse. Although he couldn’t compare to those heavenly prodigies of the Immortal Sects in the Central Province, his strength was enough to dominate a region. Even if he faced the Leader of the Immortal Alliance head-on, he would be fully capable of holding his own for a bit.

Yet against all reason, everything in Jialing City had been perfectly normal last night. Not even an extra gust of wind had blown. The Tear Lake was tranquil without a ripple. At the place where the corpse was found, there were not even signs of a struggle. No spiritual energy had even been used. Only a few messy footprints were found at the scene.

To silently assassinate a twelfth-tier cultivator—in the entirety of the Nine Provinces, those who could accomplish this were few and far between.

The entire city was shaken.

What followed next was the turmoil and slaughter triggered by the annexation of factions.

Voices of opposition boiled over, shaking the heavens.

Internal strife broke out within the Silver Moon Ancient Assembly, and other merchant alliances also wanted to grab a piece of the pie. Underneath, dark tides surged, and the surface was not peaceful either. Right now, the head of the family was dead, and the new assembly master hadn’t established enough authority to command obedience. During the daytime, a group of people could be seen fighting their way from the south of the city to the north. Flying swords and talisman arrays flew wildly in the sky. Gale-force winds, hail, and lightning churned until the heavens and earth were dark and the sun and moon lost their light.

He Tingtong moved a table near the window and tilted his head up to watch that group of mighty figures battle back and forth. Fu Fengyan sat across from him, currently sitting cross-legged in meditation, muttering words under his breath. It was just that whenever he lifted his eyes, his mind would always wander, spacing out while staring at He Tingtong.

It wouldn’t take long before his breathing became chaotic, and he would pop another Heart-Clearing Pill.

He Tingtong: “…Eat them sparingly, there’s still two months left.”

“En, I’ll try my best.” Sitting in place, Fu Fengyan hung his head, looking very lacking in energy. He felt his chest was hollow, torn open into a massive void of nothingness. The blood within his body boiled and burned. His entire person was like a parched flower, sapped of spirit from being baked by the scorching sun.

“How about I go down for a walk? You stay by yourself, don’t think too much.” He Tingtong stood up, walking to the door, not forgetting to remind him: “If it’s really unbearable, solve it yourself with your hand?”

Fu Fengyan sprawled over the table, his eyes hollow, looking like he had nothing left to live for.

He took a look at his own hand, then listlessly put it back down and began silently reciting the Heart-Clearing Incantation.

It wasn’t until the afternoon that the tightly closed main doors of the Immortal Alliance station were kicked open. Yuan Xiaoqing, covered in blood, was tossed into the main hall, lying prone on the ground with a feeble breath.

Daoist Zhuji stood in the main hall, pinching his horsetail whisk. Looking at the crowd of people who had charged in aggressively, his normally genial, fat face uncharacteristically dropped its smile. Staring icily at the group, he asked: “Fellow Daoists, what is the meaning of this?”

“Daoist Master Xuanji, this concubine coming to disturb you is truly out of having no other choice.” The main doors stood wide open, and a charmingly beautiful woman dressed in mourning clothes for a parent walked in slowly. She tucked a white flower at her temples; her pair of eyes were red from crying. She said mournfully: “My husband was murdered by a treacherous villain this morning, dying an unclear death. One shichen (two hours) later, his ring seal was found in the Ghost Market. Upon my investigation, I actually discovered that it was this little friend here who took my husband’s item and put it up for resale in the Ghost Market.”

“But against all reason, this little friend’s mouth is extremely stubborn, biting down on the claim that he knows absolutely nothing.” The woman wiped her tears. “Left with no alternative, I could only subject him to a little interrogation. In this city of Jialing, those capable of silently assassinating my husband can be counted on one’s fingers. I also heard people say he is your beloved disciple. I wonder if Daoist Master Xuanji recognizes him?”

An attendant stepped forward, grabbed Yuan Xiaoqing by the hair, and hoisted the person up, exposing that bruised and swollen face.

At this moment, the youth had lost that arrogant energy of his, resembling a skinned cat. He was bleeding from his mouth and nose. The moment he opened his mouth, he spat out a clump of bloody froth. He looked as if his consciousness was already blurry, twitching from time to time, yet he still mumbled a rebuttal: “I didn’t… I… don’t know…”

The woman extended a finger wrapped in a handkerchief, pinched Yuan Xiaoqing’s face, and asked earnestly: “Daoist Master, do you recognize him?”

Beneath the disheveled black hair, Yuan Xiaoqing’s eyes were blood-red. His two arms hung limply; one look was enough to know the bones were all shattered. Tilting his head up, he stared blankly at Daoist Master Xuanji’s cold face, hearing the other party’s calm voice echo in the main hall: “I recognize him. He’s a hired helper on my end. He usually does some sweeping and cleaning chores. We’re not close.”

The woman released her hand with utmost regret, sobbing, “Then Daoist Master Xuanji is unwilling to help?”

“The Immortal Alliance stationed here has never involved itself in other matters. Guild matters end with the guild; all grievances and grudges are to be resolved by yourselves.” Daoist Master Xuanji’s massive, rotund body remained completely motionless. He didn’t look at Yuan Xiaoqing, merely extending a hand in a gesture, saying only: “Madam Zhezhi, please go back.”

The woman sighed. She wiped her tears, turned around, and said casually: “Kill him.”

The attendant drew his blade and brought it down. When the blade edge was an inch away from the youth’s neck, the long sword was deflected away by a single chopstick. Madam Zhezhi turned around, joy in her eyes. “Daoist Master Xuanji, have you changed your mind?”

“Madam, this youth is but a tier-three petty thief. Even if another hundred of him came, I fear they wouldn’t be able to harm a single hair on your husband.” A youth’s clear and bright voice sounded overhead. The crowd looked up, only to see He Tingtong twirling a wooden chopstick. Pushing off the railing, he flipped down and landed nimbly in the hall. “Madam has lost her husband. At this time, you must be in excruciating pain. However, when seeking revenge to wipe out a grudge, please do not use the innocent to vent your anger.”

Pushing away the blade resting on Yuan Xiaoqing’s neck with one finger, He Tingtong hauled up the youth who was like rotting mud on the ground, smoothed his hair, and pushed the person behind him. He raised his eyes to look at the beauty in mourning clothes before him, saying pitifully: “The Immortal Alliance has always had the responsibility of guarding the Nine Provinces. A murder has occurred here, so naturally, we are duty-bound not to shrink from it.”

The corner of Daoist Master Xuanji’s mouth twitched. He stepped forward, grabbed He Tingtong, and yanked him to the back, whispering: “You wet-behind-the-ears brat, don’t act recklessly. The water in here is very deep. If you die here, I’m not going to care.”

He Tingtong patted his shoulder comfortingly, exuding an aura of awe-inspiring righteousness: “Senior, you can’t say it like that. Seeing someone in mortal danger and not saving them is unworthy of someone from the Immortal Sects. We students of Qingyun Academy are the most warm-hearted. If you won’t manage this case, I will investigate it!”

Daoist Master Xuanji: “…”

Madam Zhezhi’s eyes immediately lit up. Before she could stick herself over to them, Daoist Master Xuanji instantly retreated several steps. “This is what you said yourself. Your Qingyun Academy and my Immortal Alliance have absolutely no relation.”

The main doors opened and closed. He Tingtong, along with everyone else, was thrown entirely out the door. From behind the door, Daoist Master Xuanji’s voice sounded somewhat muffled: “This poor Daoist has suddenly felt an inspiration. Starting today, I am entering closed-door cultivation. I decline all guests.”

“If Little Immortal Lord He wishes to investigate the case, please suit yourself. But remember to write logs regularly.” Through the crack in the door, Daoist Master Xuanji’s gaze carried a hint of pity. “If you die, it’ll also be easier for me to explain to the Sword Master of Guili.”

Subsequently, with a clang, the main doors shut tight, utterly heartless.