In Li City, General Xu Shouyi wielded significant power, but his influence did not extend to the martial academy. By the time he received news of Protectorate Gao’s arrival in Li City and Wu Yuan lifting the 10,000-catty test stone, it was already quite late.
He sought an audience with Headmaster Zhang Da as soon as possible, but was met with a closed door! Headmaster Zhang Da didn’t offer an explanation, let alone meet him face-to-face. He had even returned the Qi Enhancement Pills that Xu Shouyi had gifted to him.
His attitude already said it all. He was cutting ties!
Wu Yuan, did he really just lift a 10,000-catty boulder? Lifting such a weight alone should not make Zhang Da so fearful. Xu Shouyi had some doubts.
So what if a fourteen-year-old had a strength of 10,000 catties? It was true that his talent was extraordinary. As long as he continued to develop at a normal pace, it was practically a given that he could become a first-rate Adept. But that would only happen many years in the future!
Moreover, martial artists faced life-and-death trials as well as went on adventures across the world, which meant high casualty rates!
So what if he becomes a first-rate Adept? Even someone like Gao Yu, who ranks among the strongest first-rate Adepts and is even nearing the Savant expert level, wouldn’t dare to kill a general of defense like me.
And I also have Master’s protection!
I still have the potential to raise my strength. In the future, I might even become a first-rate Adept. Xu Shouyi was rather confident in himself.
The higher one’s physical constitution, the slower their body’s decline. For second-rate Adepts and first-rate Adepts, they typically only started to show signs of aging after 60, and living to 100 wasn’t uncommon if they avoided serious injuries.
As for Land Rankers, even at the age of a hundred, their vitality remained at its peak, although the period of recovery from injuries might be longer.
All this only goes to show that Wu Yuan’s talent isn’t just limited to what he’s shown, it’s even more frightening!
This conclusion only caused him further distress. What should he do?
Grudges, once forged, are hard to dissolve! Perhaps, I should confess my guilt to the sect. But manipulating the martial academy major tournament is a capital offense! Even if I confess willingly, and even if Master helps plead my case, I fear it will mean a life of imprisonment, and the doom of my family!
Would Xu Shouyi be willing to take this path?
Or, I could stall! Bet on the fact that Zhang Da will not confess, bet that the sect won’t find out, bet that Wu Yuan will not have the capability to retaliate in the future, while also keeping an eye on that mongrel, Jiang Dongque.
To put it plainly, this path would be akin to waiting for death! This wasn’t Xu Shouyi’s style.
Kill! A murderous intent protruded from Xu Shouyi’s eyes. Wu Yuan is the key to this matter. As long as Wu Yuan is killed, what can a single Wu Clan do? Overturn the heavens?
But I cannot mobilize the Southdream Army, I cannot even mobilize my own family guards. Xu Shouyi closed his eyes. Wu Yuan is now valued by the sect, once he dies, the sect will go mad. I can’t leave a single trace of evidence. If they find out it was me, I will be done for.
Soon, Xu Shouyi opened his eyes. “Liu Ye!”
Clang~ The door to the hall opened and Liu Ye walked in, bowing slightly, “General.”
“Abandon the plan to assassinate Wu Yuan.” Xu Shouyi said quietly, “Abandon all plans against the Wu Clan, destroy all evidence.”
“Abandon everything?” Liu Ye was slightly surprised, then acknowledged, “Understood.” He didn’t need to understand the reason, he just had to follow orders.
“You may leave, summon Steward Xu.” Xu Shouyi commanded.
Liu Ye withdrew. Soon, Steward Xu arrived in the hall. By then, servants had already cleaned up the entire hall.
“Prepare 10,000 silver taels. Tomorrow morning, deliver it to the Wu Clan, the one where Wu Yuan resides.” Xu Shouyi spoke slowly, “As a celebration gift for Wu Yuan’s admission to the sect!”
“10,000 silver taels? For the Wu Clan?” Steward Xu was hugely surprised. He was giving away such a huge sum of silver?
“You may continue your duties.” Xu Shouyi offered no explanation, dismissing all his guards and servants.
Only Xu Shouyi remained in the hall. After ensuring there was no one around, he entered a side hall, opened a hidden compartment, and retrieved a completely black set of attire. After donning it, only his eyes were visible.
He walked into another side chamber. From a large chest, he withdrew all the gold notes and most of the silver notes. To maintain his status as a general of defense, he had to entertain guests, reward his subordinates, and enjoy personal luxuries. All these required funds.
How frustrating. I, a dignified general of defense, must approach an underground organization?
He understood that the price for engaging such an organization was immense, but it was the most secure method.
Having prepared everything, he switched the lights off.
“I am going to rest. No one is to disturb me without my command,” Xu Shouyi issued his orders.
“Yes!” answered the distant guards.
Xu Shouyi transformed into a shadow, melting into the darkness as he silently evaded the heavy security of the Xu Manor. As a second-rate Adept who knew the arrangement of the Xu Manor inside out, none of the guards could detect him.
He wove through many secluded streets and alleys before finally arriving in the south of the city.
Here was an unassuming tavern. A large red lantern hung at the entrance, one missing, the other dirty and dim, seemingly on the verge of being extinguished, it appeared terribly run-down!
Those unaware would see nothing more than a dilapidated tavern here. Yet, the high-ranking figures of Li City knew the significance of this place.
This was none other than a stronghold of the Ninedeaths Circle in Li City!
Ninedeaths Circle? Wrapped in black attire, Xu Shouyi stared at the large, red lantern, a hint of doubt in his heart. Was this really the place? He went over the information he had received again, but there was no mistake.
This was an underground organization that brought chaos to the world, its influence in the underbelly of the world stretching back a thousand years, inciting the wrath of both heaven and men. Generation after generation of Heavenly Rankers had sought to extinguish it!
Yet, no one had ever succeeded.
Even till now, only within the all-powerful Great Jin did the Ninedeaths Circle keep a low profile. As for other countries and territories of major sects, their strongholds lay in every one of them. Numerous forces and factions were unwilling to provoke such an underground organization. As long as the Ninedeaths Circle did not overstep their boundaries, most turned a blind eye to them.
Xu Shouyi concealed his figure and stepped into the tavern.
“Esteemed guest, our establishment is closed. You may find another place to drink,” a server in plain clothing came forward with due respect, intending to show him out.
“Guests flock from the nine skies and eight directions, how can there be a closing time?” Xu Shouyi asked softly.
“In the circle of death’s embrace, only silver’s touch is accepted. Do you wish to hang a crimson lantern or answer the crimson call?” The server maintained his respectful demeanor.
“Hang a crimson lantern.” Xu Shouyi uttered.
To hang a crimson lantern was to post a bounty. To answer the crimson call, was to accept an assassination request.
“Red dust billows, from whence does our patron hail?” queried the tavern server once again.
“Copper!” Xu Shouyi flipped his palm, revealing an odd token seemingly wrought of copper. On the face of the token was a silhouette of mountains, while the reverse bore a ferocious character for ‘death’!
The Ninedeaths Circle, an elite underground organization, did not simply allow anyone to declare a bounty. One had to be of significant status or demonstrate their might.
As a general of defense, Xu Shouyi was issued the copper kill order. This was the lowest level token.
“Esteemed patron, please exit and turn left, the 21st establishment is where you must enter. Ascend the stairs, and there will be someone responsible for hanging the crimson lanterns.” The server said after verifying the authenticity of the token.
Xu Shouyi nodded. He instantly understood that this decrepit tavern was but a waystation for the Ninedeaths Circle.
He exited the shop. Following the instructions, he arrived at the place, pushed open the door, and ascended the staircase.
On the second floor, there was a single partitioned area. In the darkness, a lady could barely be made out, her figure graceful, but her icy gaze was all too clear.
“To hang a crimson lantern, please provide the exact identity of the target, all known information, and finally state your additional requirements!” The lady commanded coldly.
“I want Wu Yuan of the Wu Clan who established the Wu Xing Fabric Shop dead! He is fourteen years old, a disciple of the county martial academy!” Xu Shouyi declared tersely, “He should possess the skill of a martial virtuoso…” Xu Shouyi shared all the information he knew.
“I’d like for the traces of Wu Yuan’s death to point towards the Great Jin Empire.” Xu Shouyi stated.
When the sect investigates the matter, there has to be a scapegoat. Who better than the Great Jin Empire?
The lady listened intently while her brush danced upon a sheet of paper.
“Please grant us a moment. We need to gather information on our end to ascertain the final sum needed for the bounty,” the lady spoke, slipping the paper into the darkness behind her.
A rustle of sound, and then silence fell.
A long, long while passed.
Just as Xu Shouyi was on the verge of impatience, a note emerged from the darkness and was passed into the woman’s hands.
She received it, casting a quick glance.
“Before I provide the quote, we require an upfront payment of 100 silver taels.” the lady said softly.
“Upfront?” Xu Shouyi furrowed his brows.
“It’s protocol,” the woman calmly stated. “Acquiring various forms of intelligence requires us to expend both time and energy.”
Grinding his teeth, Xu Shouyi extended a silver note. Even a man as powerful as him couldn’t help but curse inwardly at this extortion!
Accepting the silver note, the woman stated plainly, “To kill Wu Yuan as per your request, the price is 200,000 silver taels.”
“200,000 taels?” Xu Shouyi’s eyes widened, a hint of rage seeping into his voice. “Hiring a third-rate Adept only costs a thousand taels! What’s so difficult about killing a martial virtuoso? You dare demand such a hefty sum?”
He was prepared to pay a certain price. But 200,000 silver taels was beyond his expectations. With such a sum, he could even engage a first-rate Adept.
“Killing Wu Yuan is not the hard part.” The woman’s voice did not hold a single shred of emotion, “The difficulty lies in how to forge the evidence, how to ensure our involvement remains undetected by the Cloudstride Sect.”
The news of Wu Yuan’s special recruitment had spread only a short while ago, yet the Ninedeaths Circle already got wind of it. The price of 200,000 silver taels was largely due to the Cloudstride Sect.
The risks involved in assassinating him were high. Assassinating Wu Yuan might only cost the Ninedeaths Circle 10,000 silver taels. But once Wu Yuan was eliminated, if the Cloudstride Sect discovered the involvement of the Ninedeaths Circle, they would certainly retaliate by stamping out the Ninedeaths Circle’s territories, inflicting losses amounting to at least a million taels! Therefore, the final price was set at 200,000 taels.
“200,000 taels? Too expensive! Outrageous!” Xu Shouyi shook his head. Although he had substantial wealth and should be able to afford it, much of it was tied up in fixed assets, unable to be liquidated in a short time.
Moreover, the most important thing was that no evidence would point to him in the subsequent inspections! Once he liquidated his assets, accumulating a large amount of cash, and the sect began to investigate this matter, pointing him out as a suspect, how could he explain himself?
“120,000 taels! That’s the highest price I can afford.” Xu Shouyi gritted his teeth.
“In the Ninedeaths Circle, you may only either hang crimson lanterns or answer the call of crimson, we do not entertain negotiation.” the woman spoke indifferently, “If you do not have enough silver, please leave.”