Free Web NovelChapter 45: Chapter 45: Something Is Fishy
Everyone first offered a few words of comfort to Yang Shu, then all turned their gazes to Yan Chunyu.
Sensing everyone’s eyes on her, Yan Chunyu sighed.
"Since we’ve found the people and confirmed their deaths, let’s report the situation to the Sect first. As for everything else... we’ll report the facts and let the Sect decide what to do!"
After speaking, Yan Chunyu took a special Sound Transmission Talisman from her Storage Bag. She held it between her index and middle fingers, pressed it to the spot between her eyebrows, and closed her eyes. After about ten seconds, she moved it away.
With a flick of her wrist, the Sound Transmission Talisman shot off toward the Profound Origin Sect at high speed.
Yang Shu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He gloated inwardly, admiring his own cunning while sneering at Yan Chunyu and the others:
’Heh, Inner Sect Disciples? They’re just a bunch of naive brats who haven’t seen the world. How could they possibly outwit an old fox like me who’s been around for half a lifetime?
That Seeking Technique really scared me, though. Good thing I used stationery that Jiang Zhuo had used before he died. Otherwise, I would’ve been caught this time!’
Then, Yang Shu feigned sorrow, wiping at his eyes.
"To think my three brothers would end up like this—left for dead in the wilderness with no one to bury them. The Celestial Blade Sect is truly vicious!"
Yan Chunyu said coldly:
"No. Although multiple pieces of evidence point to the Celestial Blade Sect, this matter is of great importance. If handled poorly, it could ignite a conflict between our two sects, leading to extremely dire consequences. We need more confirmation before we can make a final judgment!
Besides, I feel like this has all gone too smoothly. So smoothly that something feels off!"
Yang Shu’s body stiffened for a moment before he instantly returned to normal.
"Senior Sister Yan, are you saying there are still suspicious points about this case?"
"That’s right," Yan Chunyu affirmed.
Yang Shu cursed inwardly but put on a confused expression.
"How could that be? I didn’t think anything seemed out of place."
Yan Chunyu shook her head.
"It’s just a guess. In any case, my mission is complete. Whatever the truth is, as long as the Celestial Blade Sect is involved, it’s out of my hands. From now on, you’re in charge of everything!"
Yang Shu pointed to himself in surprise.
"Me?"
"Yes. The Sect will send someone else to liaise with you. You need to guard these four bodies and wait for the Sect’s investigators."
"What about you all?"
"Us? We’re leaving, of course. Our time is limited. This task is over, so there’s no reason to linger."
As she finished speaking, the Silver Moon Ship flew from her sleeve, growing rapidly in size.
"Get on. It’s time to go!"
With that, she was the first to board it.
’Huh? So soon?’
Jiang Xu was a little stunned, but he followed the others onto the Silver Moon Ship.
Once Jiang Xu and the others were all aboard, Yan Chunyu immediately piloted the Silver Moon Ship away into the distance.
...
Yang Shu watched the departing Silver Moon Ship, his expression dark and uncertain.
The hand stroking his Storage Bag only relaxed after a long moment.
He stood before the four corpses for a while longer, his face etched with worry.
"This is bad, this is bad. I just dealt with one wave, and now another is coming."
"I should have just faked that the three of them escaped the mining area. I never should have dragged the Celestial Blade Sect into this."
"But someone in that group knew the Seeking Technique. If I had just faked it, I’d likely have been exposed... What rotten luck!"
"Back when that Jiang Zhuo discovered I was secretly taking Primordial Magnet Iron, I should have just paid him off with some Spirit Stones instead of killing him outright."
Yang Shu sighed again in dismay and began to think about how to handle the coming ordeal.
"Maybe I should just defect... No, the Sect’s punishment for traitors is too severe. Or maybe fake my death? The old ’golden cicada sheds its shell’ trick? Forget it. I’ll go back and think it over first."
...
"Senior Sister Yan, we’re just leaving like that?"
Zong Ziqi clearly wanted to continue the investigation.
"What happens next is none of our business. I only took this investigation mission in the first place to meet a quota; it was just a convenient pickup.
The goal of this trip is the Little Jade Qilin Fruit. Nothing else matters. freēwebnovel.com
By my calculations, the Little Jade Qilin Fruit will be ripe in just a few days. We should head there as soon as possible."
Jiang Xu agreed with Yan Chunyu.
Although Jiang Xu was almost certain that Yang Shu was the main culprit in this affair.
He had no intention of exposing him directly.
Because Jiang Xu couldn’t explain how he knew.
His Magic was his trump card; he couldn’t reveal it so easily.
He couldn’t just say his gut told him Yang Shu was the murderer, could he?
As for giving Yan Chunyu hints or suggestions...
It wasn’t that he couldn’t; a one-off hint probably would have been fine.
But Yan Chunyu had left too quickly. He simply didn’t have the time.
Besides, even if Jiang Xu said nothing, the people the Sect sent next would probably discover the problem with Yang Shu.
Moreover, Jiang Xu felt that Yan Chunyu also seemed suspicious of Yang Shu. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fled so quickly.
After all, Yang Shu was a Cultivator at the Qi Cultivation Seventh Layer. The Late Stage of Qi Cultivation was significantly stronger than the Middle Stage.
If he developed malicious intent because of Yan Chunyu’s suspicion...
...even with her many treasures, she certainly wouldn’t want to waste them for no good reason over something like this.
What’s more, even if Yan Chunyu escaped unscathed, Jiang Xu and Zong Ziqi would surely face immense danger.
’What a pity,’ Jiang Xu thought. ’The Spiritual Food was excellent. It even raised my Cultivation by a few points. If only I could have it one more time.’
...
「On the way.」
Shan Lanlan once again explained the details of the Little Jade Qilin Fruit mission.
The Little Jade Qilin Fruit grew somewhere on the outskirts of the Endless Forest. Only Yan Chunyu knew the exact location, and she would lead them all there when the time came.
However, the fruit wasn’t ripe yet. There were still four days until it reached maturity.
Therefore, they were currently heading toward a Marketplace—the Purple Profound Celestial Marketplace.
This Marketplace was located near the Endless Forest and was a necessary stop on their way to pick the Little Jade Qilin Fruit.
The Purple Profound Celestial Marketplace was jointly managed and operated by the Three Great Sects adjacent to the Endless Forest.
These Three Great Sects were the Profound Origin Sect, the Celestial Blade Sect, and finally, the Purple Flower Palace.
The Celestial Blade Sect was a sect that revered violence. They held small competitions monthly and large ones annually. Basically, they’d start a fight at the slightest disagreement.
The Profound Origin Sect was an old, established Righteous Sect. It was rather traditional internally, with various "Hundred Arts Pavilions" flourishing, and placed great importance on the Hundred Skills of Cultivation.
As for the Purple Flower Palace, the vast majority of its members were female Immortal Cultivators. The very few male Cultivators it had were exceptionally powerful and were already Dao partners with female Cultivators from within the Palace.
The female Cultivators of the Purple Flower Palace specialized in Yin Yang Fusion and the Dual Cultivation Dao.
The male disciples of the Profound Origin Sect and the Celestial Blade Sect both considered it an honor to find a Dao partner from the Purple Flower Palace, and fights often broke out between the two sects over this very issue.
On this trip to the Purple Profound Celestial Marketplace, Yan Chunyu mentioned she had some things to take care of, so they would be resting there for two days.
Jiang Xu’s spirits lifted as soon as he heard this.
Wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to sell those Cold Ice Talismans he had on hand!
