Chapter 162: Chapter 151: Paying Respect to the Mountain, the Gods and Buddhas, and the Evil Ghosts

Earth-level Lower Grade.

Aside from not having seen intelligence of this grade for many days, Chen Yi was more concerned with its content.

At a time like this, the only major event the Hidden Guard could be plotting was likely the burning of the Three Towns.

’Ge the Third is helping Xiao Dongchen, distancing himself from the Xiao Mansion to the point of disregarding his own reputation.’

’He’s really gone to great lengths.’

’But I can’t shake the feeling that Ge the Third’s recent methods are a bit strange compared to before.’

Chen Yi clearly remembered that Ge the Third’s mission was supposed to be him, the "Fledgling."

But recently, Ge the Third hadn’t appeared at the Marquis’s Mansion, and he had rarely even shown his face to Chen Yi.

As he thought about it, an idea sparked in his mind.

’Could my appointment as an Instructor at Guiyun Academy also be part of the Hidden Guard’s plan for me?’

’But according to my previous deductions, this "Fledgling" was supposed to make a name for himself within the Xiao Family and gradually build up power.’

’And to do that, I’d need a corresponding status, strength, and reputation or prestige...’

’Prestige?’

Chen Yi finally understood. A strange expression appeared on his face as he grinned.

’It’s actually quite possible.’

If he had just kept a low profile at Guiyun Academy, being an ordinary Instructor teaching Calligraphy, he naturally wouldn’t have gained any fame or prestige.

At most, he might have earned a reputation for being "diligent and responsible."

But more likely, those with ulterior motives or people who disliked him would have labeled him as "muddling through" or "lacking ambition."

There would have been no way to get a good reputation.

But the current situation was different—in just one lesson, he had taught a student to achieve success in the Calligraphy Dao.

He not only earned the approval of Mr. Yue Ming and others at the academy but also attracted visits from numerous Noble Families in Shu State.

For example, Madam Zhang of the Tang Family, Madam Sun of the Bai Family, and others.

Then there were the other great Noble Families who had sought out the Xiao Family these past few days.

In order to have their family’s children learn the Calligraphy Dao from him, they had truly stopped at nothing.

They hadn’t just approached Xiao Wan’er; people had even gone to the Old Master, Second Master Xiao Wang, and Third Master Xiao Shen.

With all this, even if Chen Yi were to now deny that Ma Guan’s Minor Success in the Calligraphy Dao was his doing, it would probably be useless.

’A single miscalculation on my part actually gave the Hidden Guard the false impression that I intended to use Guiyun Academy to make a name for myself.’

After figuring it out, Chen Yi couldn’t help but give a wry, helpless smile.

His original intention was merely to teach something genuine, to allow those students a glimpse into the gateway of the Calligraphy Dao.

He had never expected things to unfold like this.

He pondered for a moment.

Chen Yi shook his head to himself. ’Still, this is good too.’

’If this can make the Hidden Guard shift their attention away from me for a while, it’s not a bad thing.’

’At least it’s better than the Hidden Guard coming to cause trouble time and again.’

Most importantly, he could take advantage of the misunderstanding to do other things in secret.

At this thought, Chen Yi confirmed the time for tomorrow night—the hour of Hai—and then resumed his Cultivation of the Four Symbols Skill.

’I have to go take a look to be at ease.’

...

「Half an hour later.」

Under a sky shrouded in dark clouds, just as Chen Yi had predicted, a heavy rain began to fall after a bout of thunder and lightning.

It brought a welcome cooldown to a Shu State that had been scorched by the sun for days.

Amidst the RUMBLING, the rain PATTERED and SPLASHED against the eaves and flagstones, creating a noisy din.

But when Liu Lang came to the window and saw the downpour outside Hundred Herbs Hall, he grinned in admiration. "What great weather."

A torrential downpour like this was something he wouldn’t have dared to even imagine back when he was still in the Northern Desert.

Most of the time, the Northern Desert was under a blazing sun, and a hot wind would kick up endless yellow sand.

Forget rain; you were lucky if the heavens showed mercy and didn’t whip up a sandstorm.

But it was in that harsh environment that Liu Lang had managed to break through with his Saber Dao to the Great Success Realm.

As Liu Lang thought about the past, he suddenly sighed.

’In the end, I was just a frog in a well.’

’I deserved to be defeated in a single move.’

That night, Xiao Jinghong had been ruthless. He not only defeated him in one move but also completely shattered his arrogance.

Liu Lang recalled the fleeting brilliance of that blade strike. He felt a mix of awe and dejection, muttering to himself that it was useless to dwell on it.

One had to look forward.

Just as his master, "Sword Ghost," had said, while you’re young, you should measure the world with your footsteps—travel far and see much.

If everything went smoothly along the way, then he should try to walk the path of invincibility.

If he encountered setbacks, it wasn’t a bad thing. As long as he was still alive, overcoming that hurdle would lead to a smooth road ahead.

’Master, you old man, you should have cut me down a notch back then. Then I wouldn’t have become so arrogant and conceited.’

When Liu Lang remembered what he had said to Black Tooth before, even his face, as thick as a city wall, couldn’t help but burn with shame.

"The winner lives, the loser dies. This is called ’proving the Dao’."

’What kind of Dao was I proving?’

It was clearly just him having it easy for too long, underestimating the heroes of the world, and deluding himself into thinking he could walk the path of invincibility.

’I bet when Black Tooth sees me again, he won’t be able to resist mocking me.’

Liu Lang muttered to himself, grimacing as if he had a toothache. He then threw on a raincoat, put on a bamboo hat, and walked out of Hundred Herbs Hall.

He had now returned to his original appearance, but the cynical, arrogant smile was gone from his face.

In its place was only the composure of a man who had suffered a blow.

Even as he strolled through the downpour, he no longer swayed from side to side as he used to. Instead, he walked with steady steps, gradually disappearing into the night.

「About half an hour later.」

Liu Lang bypassed the West Market and arrived at a deep, dark alley in the west of the city, near Yanhua Lane.

This was a place where filth and corruption hid within Shu State Prefecture City.

It housed horse bandits from Poshisu Country, peddlers and porters who traveled year-round between the Barbarian Race and the Wei Dynasty, and also notorious villains wanted by the Jianghu.

In comparison, the people in the east of the city who had come to Shu State from elsewhere to make a living could be considered law-abiding citizens.

The reason these villains could hide here without being rounded up by the Government Office was, naturally, because they were protected by people who made a living from this sort of thing. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

As the saying goes, money makes the world go round.

As long as enough silver was spent, forget just finding a hiding place for some villains—there were plenty of people willing to do even more vicious deeds.

Black Tooth was one of them.

He was not only the Chief Steward of this den of iniquity but also a member of the famous Jianghu organization, Bright Moon Building.

And he wasn’t just an ordinary member; he was the Elder in charge of all intelligence for Shu State.

Furthermore, because Black Tooth had a reputation for keeping his word, many Jianghu people who knew of him would come to "pay their respects" upon arriving in Shu State.

Even some Noble Families and people with official positions had close ties with him.

Just as Liu Jing of the Jing State Liu Family had relied on him to find Liu Lang and the people from the Illusory Sound Sect.

Similarly, Liu Lang had come here to find this very Black Tooth, a man with connections in both the light and the dark.

In the pouring rain, Liu Lang glanced around and then reached out to knock three times on a nearby wall.

Two long, one short—a request to see Black Tooth.

A moment later, an indifferent voice echoed in the alley. "What is your mountain gate?"

"Northern Desert, Liu Lang."

"Are you here to bow to the mountain gate, to the gods and buddhas, or to the evil ghosts?"

Liu Lang paused, then clasped his hands. "The evil ghosts."

To bow to the mountain gate meant seeking protection. To bow to the gods and buddhas meant the matter involved officialdom or the great families.

And to bow to the evil ghosts meant it was a matter of life and death.

Murder, arson, pillaging, and the like.

These were the rules of the Bright Moon Building, and they were also Black Tooth’s rules.

After hearing Liu Lang’s reply, the surroundings fell silent once more, leaving only the SPLASHING sound of the rain.

「About half an hour later.」

A person finally appeared. Without speaking, he simply beckoned to Liu Lang.

Liu Lang silently followed him, weaving through streets and alleys.

They left the area of dilapidated, low-slung houses and came to the brightly lit Yanhua Lane.

Liu Lang scanned his surroundings, a hint of emotion showing on his calm face. ’Black Tooth is Black Tooth, all right. He even has businesses here.’

’It made sense upon reflection.’

’For these people hiding in the darkness, establishments like the Qin Building and gambling dens were not only their money-makers but also their hiding places and their public fronts.’

When the black-clothed man led him to the Spring Rain Building, Liu Lang couldn’t help but smile even more brightly.

’Son of a bitch, good thing I got a freebie last time, or I would’ve been at a loss.’

「Not long after.」

Liu Lang went through the back door of the Spring Rain Building and made his way to a hidden room on the top floor.

Along the way, he didn’t see a single girl, not even a shadow of another person.

’It really is well-hidden.’

Liu Lang sized up his surroundings and said with a laugh, "Black Tooth, making me wait in the rain for half an hour is hardly your way of treating a guest."

The words had barely left his mouth when a smooth section of the wall in the quiet room slowly opened, and a slender figure dressed in black brocade walked out.

But his face was covered by an opera mask, revealing only a pair of eyes.

The wall slid shut, becoming seamless again.

Only then did the man speak. "What kind of guest are you?"

"I told you back then not to go looking for Xiao Jinghong. You didn’t listen, causing the Liu Family’s plan to fail and costing me a hefty sum of silver."

Liu Lang took off his bamboo hat, set it aside, and said with a smile:

"With Xie Tingyun of the Celestial Sect helping the Xiao Family, the Liu Family’s affair would have failed even if I had been here."

He said this, but inwardly he was thinking of the mysterious owner of Hundred Herbs Hall.

’With that person’s Medical Dao, who’s to say he couldn’t find an even more powerful Wandering Martial Artist?’

Black Tooth snorted, looking him up and down. "Your injuries have healed?"

"I haven’t heard of any ’Divine Doctor’ passing through Shu State recently. Who treated you?"

"Take a guess."

"Hah. Looks to me like Xiao Jinghong knocked your brains loose, too."

Liu Lang shook his head noncommittally. "It’s not convenient for me to tell you that person’s identity."

He paused, then continued, "I didn’t come here today for idle chat. Let’s talk business."

"Fine. You’re the employer, you call the shots. So, who do you want to kill?"

"I’m not here to kill anyone."

Black Tooth’s eyes instantly turned cold. He stared at him and said icily, "The evil ghosts have been summoned. If you’re not here to kill someone, then I’ll kill you."

Liu Lang smiled, unhurriedly taking a silver note from his robes and slapping it on the table.

"Isn’t there another part to that? ’Money can make even a ghost push a millstone’?"

Black Tooth didn’t speak, nor did he look at the silver note on the table. His gaze only grew colder.

Seeing this, Liu Lang stopped beating around the bush and said directly, "I want to burn the summer grain in the Three Towns. Name your price."

Black Tooth was slightly stunned, asking in surprise, "The Three Towns of Shu State?"

"Of course."

"I’m not taking the job."

"Why not? With your money-grubbing nature, how could you refuse?"

"Because someone has already offered more money to do the same thing—burn the summer grain in the Three Towns."

Liu Lang’s brow furrowed slightly. "Is that true?"

Black Tooth nodded. His gaze fell on the silver note on the table, and he reached out to pick it up, waving it slightly as he spoke:

"Now it’s my turn to ask you."

"Are you willing to take a piece of this business?"