229: Chapter 12 Hidden Murderous Intent 229: Chapter 12 Hidden Murderous Intent Chen Jingxuan stood up and heated a pot of new tea.
“Mr.
Xie, I have not yet had the chance to congratulate you in person.”
As he sat back down, a smile played across his face, “Congratulations on becoming the new master of Xuanshui Cave Heaven.”
“It’s nothing noteworthy.”
Xie Xuanyi shook his head.
He noticed that when Chen Jingxuan returned to his seat, he was holding an object in his hand.
It was a beautifully crafted iron ship, only the size of a palm, but it replicated the “Po Lu Hao” perfectly, down to the carved windows on the ship’s belly.
Chen Jingxuan placed the iron ship on top of the jade case.
Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow: “Po Lu Hao?”
“Yes.”
Chen Jingxuan smiled and said, “The You Hai King has passed away, and this big ship has sunk in the Carp Tide River…
I always felt it was a pity.”
There were many precious Dao patterns on the Po Lu Hao, a legacy gifted by Emperor Chu to Chu Lin.
The library studies the art of “Sky Surveillance,” and in addition, they also delve into Dao patterns and formations.
Xie Xuanyi asked, “This wouldn’t happen to have been made using the ‘Perfect Instrument,’ would it?”
Chen Jingxuan just smiled and did not answer.
He gently flicked his sleeve, and the miniature Po Lu Hao trembled lightly.
The gold threads above the library oscillated with the sound of slicing through the wind, and an invisible force lifted the small ship.
It swayed precariously as it rode the threads of destiny upwards, re-creating the scene from the battle at Qing State, with its sails fluttering and strands of Dao patterns converging above the Po Lu Hao.
The threads of fate turned into a vast tide of the sea, lifting it up.
The Perfect Instrument was responsible for “capturing” those Dao patterns…
one by one breaking them down.
“The methods of a Sky Surveillance Practitioner are indeed unimaginable,”
Xie Xuanyi remarked with awe, “Even the remains of the iron ship that were blasted to pieces can still be ‘restored’ through such means.”
“That’s nothing.”
Chen Jingxuan shook his head, laughing at himself, “It’s just restoring some information about an inanimate object through inferential methods…
It’s just restoring an iron ship, not bringing a dead person back to life.”
The joke wasn’t funny.
“”
Xie Xuanyi could only pretend not to notice the implication in Chen Jingxuan’s words.
The Little National Master laughed a bit and changed the subject proactively, “Mr.
Xie, did you come today for the matter of the city gate’s question to fist?”
“Yes, but not entirely.”
Xie Xuanyi said, “I have several questions to trouble the Little National Master with.”
“Oh, more than one question?” Chen Jingxuan raised his tea.
“Before coming to the Imperial City, I met a small shopkeeper from Fang Yuan Fang who called himself ‘Snow Master.’
Xie Xuanyi slid the book from his chest forward and spoke evenly, “This is from ‘Snow Master.’ Would you like to take a look?”
“???”
Chen Jingxuan glanced at the book cover, his expression quite splendid.
This guy is doing it on purpose, right?
Bringing up exactly what shouldn’t be mentioned!
“I will pass on the book.
The Snow Master you mentioned…
does exist.”
The Little National Master took a sip of tea and slowly said, “Fang Yuan Fang has four small shopkeepers, said to be ‘Wind,’ ‘Fire,’ ‘Snow,’ and ‘Wood.’ Two in Nanli, and two in Da Chu.
All four small shopkeepers are of the Yin God Realm and hardly ever meet.
They only follow the orders of the Big Shopkeeper.”
“Who is Fang Yuan Fang’s Big Shopkeeper?” Xie Xuanyi asked solemnly.
“Unclear.”
Chen Jingxuan replied calmly, “The business of Fang Yuan Fang has only started to thrive over the past ten years.
Some people say the Big Shopkeeper is a prominent noble from the Nanli kingdom to the south, others say the Big Shopkeeper has a wealth in Da Chu not inferior to a king of different surnames.
There are varied and unverifiable rumors about the Big Shopkeeper’s identity.”
“Even you don’t know?” Xie Xuanyi was somewhat surprised, glancing at the golden sea supporting the Po Lu Hao.
“Although a Sky Surveillance Practitioner can use ‘threads of fate’ to peer into the future, it comes at a cost.”
Seeing Xie Xuanyi looking up, Chen Jingxuan said helplessly, “Looking once means living many fewer years…
The identity of Fang Yuan Fang’s Big Shopkeeper is not important to me.
It’s just a business pavilion, and if those nobles in the palace don’t care, why should I?”
Indeed.
Using one’s lifespan to investigate the identity of Fang Yuan Fang’s Big Shopkeeper is truly an unwise thing to do.
“Moreover…”
Chen Jingxuan took a sip of tea and said leisurely, “Very soon, the list of the new ‘Ten Haos’ will be announced to the world.
By then, the identity of Fang Yuan Fang’s Big Shopkeeper will naturally reveal itself.”
Following the Battle of Drinking Poison.
To consolidate its fortune and stabilize the state, the upper echelons of both the Da Chu and Da Li kingdoms held discussions.
Every sixty years, they elevate the ten “heroes” with the most influence in the whole Human Race, lifting them to the pinnacle of worldly fame.
This is the Ten Haos.
The Ten Haos symbolize not just personal status but also the power of the backing sects and noble families.
Of course.
For the sake of fairness, and due to some unspeakable special reasons, members of the royal families of Da Chu and Da Li will not appear on the Ten Haos list.
Likewise, some “forbidden ones” with unshakable relations to the royal family will also not show up.
On the list of the last Ten Haos.
The Qin Ancestor did not appear.
Besides, due to the limited number of places, only the strongest from the same power will appear if there are multiple powerful contenders.
For instance, although Wangyou Island has two top-tier beings…
only that crude martial artist could occupy a spot on the Ten Haos list.
Furthermore.
Zhao Chunyang did not appear on the Ten Haos list…
not because he wasn’t strong enough.
Quite the contrary.
Zhao Chunyang was more than strong enough.
The reason he was not on the list is that Da Sui Sword Palace does not need to occupy one of the “Ten Haos” to prove its worth!
The Taoist sect, Sword Palace, and Fan Yin Temple, these three powers, all transcend the Ten Haos!
Therefore, the last edition of the rankings didn’t include these three transcendent powers at all.
“Unless something unexpected happens, the new Ten Elites will definitely include Fang Yuan Workshop,” Xie Xuanyi said.
Chen Jingxuan felt a bit sentimental, “The new Ten Elites, they really are determined quickly…
A jiazi, it’s indeed fleeting.”
“State Preceptor, since you’re reluctant to read this storybook, it means you already know about the relationship between the Qin Family and Fang Yuan Workshop.”
Xie Xuanyi returned to the previous topic, puzzled he asked, “Qin Baihuang is using your name for his stories.
Aren’t you planning to take any measures?”
“Take measures…”
Chen Jingxuan let out a bitter laugh, “What can I do about such matters?
Break Qin Baihuang’s legs?
Or dismantle the Fang Yuan Workshop?”
Xie Xuanyi fell silent.
Since the supporter behind this incident was the master of Fang Yuan Workshop.
Then there really wasn’t much Chen Jingxuan could do.
Now, the person writing the story was Qin Baihuang.
If Qin Baihuang really stopped writing, perhaps that would be the real disaster.
“After my trip to Qing State, when I returned to the Imperial City, I met with him,” Chen Jingxuan sighed, “All I could do was to make this fellow write a better story…
I told him, if this story ever comes to an end one day, he must write a satisfying, perfect ending to it.”
“…”
Xie Xuanyi opened his mouth to speak but hesitated.
The story of the Little National Master and the Pavilion Master, in reality, is hard to end perfectly.
For this pair, the obstacles are far too many.
“Let’s not talk about this.”
The Little National Master shook his head and took out a jade scroll from his chest, pushing it in front of Xie Xuanyi.
“What’s this?”
“These are some pieces of information Sang Zheng collected today on Xining Street,” Chen Jingxuan explained.
Xie Xuanyi took the jade scroll and scanned it silently with his Divine Thought.
Xining Street, Yuanqing Building.
This restaurant has been extremely famous for the past ten years, and many young nobles like to host banquets and enjoy music here.
Lin Yu and Qin Wanyang both appeared there.
Beyond them, there was also a strange figure…
Sang Zheng, a mere quintuple Grotto Heaven state, even with the treasured artifact of the library aiding his spying, could only capture a blurry phantom.
In a loose green shirt and wearing a dazzling green mask, tall and not using the main entrance.
Some people, without needing to meet them, can be guessed by their identities.
“Fang Yuan Workshop, the Wood Master?”
Seeing that mask, Xie Xuanyi thought of the Snow Master.
The two dressed almost identically, making it hard not to recognize their identities.
“Correct.”
Chen Jingxuan spoke softly, “Lin Yu, Qin Wanyang, the Wood Master, they met in Yuanqing Building.
I also found out…
some days ago, the Lin Family’s old master fell seriously ill.
Qin Wanyang went to visit him, and these past few days, the old master’s condition improved significantly.
Connecting these two incidents gives us the reason for today’s City Gate’s fist-asking confrontation.”
“…”
Xie Xuanyi nodded his head in agreement, silently putting away the jade scroll.
Sang Zheng was indeed one of the Dark Children Chen Jingxuan had been quietly nurturing.
His visit to the library this time was the right decision.
What he lacked the most was information.
And the library had the most comprehensive information.
“I always feel that something is strange about Lin Yu’s fist-asking,” Xie Xuanyi pondered before speaking, “On the surface, the design of this situation seems quite simple…
Qin Wanyang invites Lin Yu to start a dispute through ‘fist-asking’.
No matter the outcome, as long as the disciples of the Martial Sect don’t stay calm and continue the fist-asking, then the conflict at the City Gate today will not be settled so quickly.”
Chen Jingxuan smiled at the young man in black, motioning him to continue.
“But that almost seems too crude.”
Xie Xuanyi shook his head and said, “Qin Baihuang shows up, takes Qin Wanyang away.
The Martial Sect’s eldest senior brother doesn’t appear, as long as the dispute at the gates is resolved, and everyone calms down, then all of this…
will come to an end.”
Theoretically, the farce was over.
But in the depths of Xie Xuanyi’s Heart Lake, there was still some uneasiness.
This was why he insisted on visiting the library tonight.
“The fist-asking by Lin Yu is just the beginning,” Chen Jingxuan spoke slowly, “You’re right…
The biggest issue with this setup is that it’s ‘crude’.
If it’s just a fist-asking, even if the Martial Sect really gets angered and Wu Yue is brought forth, what then?”
“Hold on.”
Xie Xuanyi looked puzzled, “What do you mean by that?”
“Speculating with the worst intentions, if the planner hopes for you to be ‘utterly discredited’,” Chen Jingxuan smiled and said, “Could the appearance of Wu Yue achieve that goal?”
“Are you perhaps too confident in me?”
Xie Xuanyi quickly became serious, “I have heard that the eldest senior brother of the Martial Sect has attained Perfect Cave Heaven.”
“Tsk, I’ve heard people say that someone personally declared at the city gates that even if the eldest senior brother of the Martial Sect stepped forward, he wouldn’t be worthy to challenge you,” Chen Jingxuan raised his eyebrow, “I think even if he truly appears, he wouldn’t be your match, right?”
Xie Xuanyi couldn’t help it and tapped the jade table, signalling not to beat around the bush.
“You defeated Xie Sheng in Xuanshui Cave Heaven.
That battle alone was enough to catch everyone’s attention.”
“Those who truly wish to harm you wouldn’t take it lightly,” Chen Jingxuan’s smile gradually faded, his voice becoming serious, “They would spare no expense to destroy you.
Of course, the best opportunity would not be in the Imperial City but…”
He paused.
His gaze shifted northward.
The Northern Hunt.
…
…
(Okay, that’s all for yesterday’s owed update, and also today’s update is complete.
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