Chapter 675: The Great Buddha of the First Pavilion in the Sky
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Young Master Xu, aren’t you afraid that the Holy Divine Palace will pursue the matter?”
Yuan Haisheng didn’t answer at all. He said with a smile, “Young Master Xu, do you know that the Holy Divine Palace doesn’t want to publicize the news that you are going to spread? What they are afraid of is causing an even greater disturbance.”
“Did the Holy Divine Palace give you money to seal the news?” Xu Xiaoshou asked.
“No,” Yuan Haisheng replied.
“You won’t accept the money I give you?”
“It’s not a question of whether I’ll accept it or not. This a serious matter that can’t be solved with money.”
Xu Xiaoshou smirked when he heard that. “Hehe, then I’d like to know whether the Night Cat is surnamed ‘Night’ or ‘Holy’. As an intelligence organization, why would you be afraid of the Holy Divine Palace?”
Yuan Haisheng narrowed his eyes and did not answer.
However, at this moment, there were some doubts in his heart.
Yuan Haisheng thought that Xu Xiaoshou would have the decorum of a disciple from a large Demi-Saint family regardless of how reckless he might appear.
It was possible that Xu Xiaoshou was a p.a.w.n that the Demi-Saint family used to expand their powers in the in the Northern Region.
However, from their conversation, it seemed that Xu Xiaoshou did not care about the Holy Divine Palace in the slightest.
Just as Young Master Xu had said, as an intelligence organization, the Night Cat wasn’t worried about the Holy Divine Palace taking revenge against them for spreading the news.
The Night Cat had too many tricks up its sleeve. There was no way the Holy Divine Palace could trace any rumors back to them.
However, after some probing, the person who surprised Yuan Haisheng was Young Master Xu.
Young Master Xu was fearless. His actions seemed to express that he was here to cause trouble in Dongtianw.a.n.g City.
But…
“Is it really that simple?” Yuan Haisheng was doubtful. He tried to figure out Young Master Xu’s deeper intentions.
“Can we talk about it or not?”
Xu Xiaoshou did not give Yuan Haisheng any more time.
He yawned and said, “I’m talking about you Night Cats. Can’t you act like normal people? At this time, I should be asleep, but I’m still wasting time on you guys.”
“So…”
“If you can speak, then go ahead. If not, get lost! Hesitating like this makes you seem like a sissy!” Xu Xiaoshou gave Yuan Haisheng an ultimatum.
Liu Lu was terrified as he listened from the side.
Young Master Xu was really daring. Although Manager Yuan was only at the cultivation level of the sovereign stage, he was able to reach the position of the Fourth Manager by relying on a variety of methods that were even more terrifying than just cultivation level.
He had several subordinates at the cutting path stage, let alone the sovereign stage.
Normally, how could Yuan Haisheng endure such rudeness and anger?
Wouldn’t this seem like someone wanting to cripple someone else the moment they stepped out of the door?
However, Yuan Haisheng did not have the slightest bit of anger after hearing what Young Master Xu said tonight. In fact, Liu Lu could actually see a trace of admiration for Young Master Xu in his eyes.
“How terrifying…”
Liu Lu felt that he was not suited to be here.
He did not know why the Fourth Manager and Young Master Xu did not block him during such an important conversation. Liu Lu did not even have the qualifications to step into the meeting room and speak.
“How big of a consequence can Young Master Xu bear?” Yuan Haisheng asked after a moment of silence.
“For example?” Xu Xiaoshou did not answer and directly asked back.
Yuan Haisheng smiled. This kid was learning quite quickly.
“A counter-attack from the Holy Divine Palace, for example. They may trace rumors back to their source and uproot both your strength and that of the Night Cat,” he said.
Xu Xiaoshou rolled his eyes and shook his head.
“It won’t be that bad.”
“At this crucial moment where the royal city is facing trials and tribulations, most of the attention of the Holy Divine Palace will be diverted elsewhere, whether they want to or not.”
“I also believe in order for you Night Cats to live in the royal city for such a long time, you all must have your own means of survival.”
“As for me…”
Xu Xiaoshou merely shrugged when he mentioned himself. “I don’t need your special care and concern. I have my own methofs. You can just use the money to carry out the tasks.”
Yuan Haisheng was about to speak when Xu Xiaoshou interrupted him.
“Think about it. There’s no need to rush to answer me.”
“But before you speak, you have to know that the matter of the Abyss Island is not a secret. The people at the bottom don’t know about it, but I don’t believe that you all have no idea. The highest faction in the imperial city doesn’t know about it either.”
“What the Night Cats want to do is just to add fuel to the fire and make more people vigilant. How big of a deal is that?”
Vigilant… Yuan Haisheng was amused by Young Master Xu’s words.
Yuan Haisheng realized that Young Master Xu was not making things up for nothing. He really wanted to stir up trouble in Dongtianw.a.n.g City.
He immediately said, “There’s no need for me to think about it anymore. Young Master Xu, how much can you afford?”
Was this a promise?
Xu Xiaoshou was delighted.
He knew how terrifying it was to spread such ‘rumors’. In fact, Xu Xiaoshou did not really think that that the Night Cat would accept the mission.
After all, the Holy Divine Palace had been established for a long time. Not every supreme faction in the world had the courage to face them head-on.
However, Yuan Haisheng’s boldness seemed to have far exceeded Xu Xiaoshou’s expectations.
“Name your price.”
Xu Xiaoshou said after he pondered for a moment.
He didn’t know what the market price of obtaining such information was. However, Xu Xiaoshou knew that the information needed in order to stir up trouble in Dongtianw.a.n.g City and complete the mission of the Bazhun’an was not going to come cheap.
“This much.” Yuan Haisheng raised three fingers.
Xu Xiaoshou stared at the three fingers and said in a low voice, “Thirty thousand spirit crystals?”
Liu Lu snorted and lost his footing as he slipped.
Even Yuan Haisheng’s eyebrows furrowed at this moment.
“Too much?” Xu Xiaoshou asked.
Seeing that Yuan Haisheng seemed as though he was going to explode, he immediately added, “Or too little?”
“What do you think?” Yuan Haisheng was very angry.
Internally, Yuan Haisheng remarked in his thoughts, “This was too much of a bargain! One couldn’t slash the prices just like this! Causing trouble under the watchful eyes of the Holy Divine Palace was a huge risk. Thirty thousand spirit crystals was far too little! Did Xu Xiaoshou think that he was giving alms to the poor?”
“Just name your price. You’re dawdling like a woman.” Xu Xiaoshou leaned against the back of the chair, not interested in beating around the bush with Yuan Haisheng
Liu Lu was once again frightened by Young Master Xu’s arrogant words. He was afraid to continue listening, fearing that they would start fighting if they did not come to an agreement soon.
Yuan Haisheng did not care.
“Three billion.” He said indifferently,
“What?” Xu Xiaoshou slammed the table and stood up. His eyes were wide with anger. “You’re kidding me! Three billion, that’s daylight robbery!”
“That’s the price. There isn’t much more to say.” Yuan Haisheng smiled as he watched Young Master Xu in his act.
“I don’t have any money!”
“If you didn’t have money, you wouldn’t have come to the Night Cat.”
“I can’t afford three billion!”
“You can. Your net worth is far more than that even if you only had Amber Juice.”
Amber Juice… Xu Xiaoshou’s feigned anger froze for a moment.
The Night Cat knew something!
Xu Xiaoshou firmly believed that since he hadn’t actually obtained the Amber Juice yet, the Plenty Gold Company wouldn’t announce it out loud. In fact, they would even keep the transaction with him a secret.
But the Night Cat still got the information..
“Well, the Amber Juice is my business, not a bargaining chip that you Night Cats use to increase the price,” Xu Xiaoshou admitted generously.
Yuan Haisheng was once again surprised that Young Master Xu could be so calm and not be led astray by him. Yet he continued to insist firmly, “This is the market price. If we can’t get three billion, the Night Cats won’t accept such a risk.”
Xu Xiaoshou’s eyes flickered.
To be honest, it was not that he could not afford three billion.
However, Xu Xiaoshou could not accept the fact that the pace of their negotiations had been mostly controlled by Yuan Haisheng.
If Yuan Haisheng took control like this, Xu Xiaoshou would be seen as soft and weak, If there were any changes in the future, however small, it was very likely that Yuan Haisheng would unilaterally terminate the agreement and push all the blame onto Xu Xiaoshou himself.
Therefore, Xu Xiaoshou did not argue with Yuan Haisheng anymore. He stood up and took a step back. Xu Xiaoshou looked up and down at the Fourth Manager of the Night Cats, who seemed unafraid as he held a jade flute in his hand.
“There’s something not quite related to our conversation that I want to talk about. Do you think it’s suitable to mention now?” Xu Xiaoshou said as he stared at Yuan Haisheng.
“Feel free to say it, Young Master Xu.” Yuan Haisheng met his gaze.
Xu Xiaoshou chuckled. “It suddenly struck me that if the value of spreading such information is three billion, how much are you, Mr Yuan, the so-called Fourth Manager of the Night Cats, worth? What’s the price on your head?”
With a thump, Liu Lu’s heart suddenly constricted. At this moment, it seemed like his heart stopped beating.
“Is he here? Is he really here? I knew it. It was impossible for the two of them not to fight…” As he thoughts about these things, Liu Lu’s teeth were chattering.
He was afraid.
However, Yuan Haisheng remained calm. He smiled and said, “Young Master Xu, are you threatening me?”
“Threatening? That’s not necessary.” Xu Xiaoshou leaned against the back of the chair. He forced a smile, but his tone was very kind. “I’m just curious. It’s just pure curiosity.”
“Young Master Xu, you can take my head down and sell it.” Yuan Haisheng didn’t move at all. He still sat upright on the simple wooden chair, but he was angry.
Xu Xiaoshou pulled out the Hidden Bitter from his chest right then and cut Yuan Haisheng’s neck.
No one had expected this sudden sword attack.
Even Yuan Haisheng was surprised that Young Master Xu actually dared to pull out the sword at him.
Yuan Haisheng was at the sovereign stage.
On the other hand, Xu Xiaoshou was only master swordsman at most. How dare he?
The sword flew past the edge of the bounded domain that Yuan Haisheng had opened up in that instant. It slashed towards the high beam in the conference hall.
A black figure appeared at that spot. Then, an elder with a sword on his back pinched the sword energy with two fingers.
The sword energy disintegrated as he exerted force from the tip of his fingers.
Xu Xiaoshou sheathed his sword and looked at the old man. “How should I address you, Sir?”
A cold light flashed across Yuan Haisheng’s eyes.
He really didn’t expect Young Master Xu to be able to see the invisible hiding place of the cutting path stage.
This seemed rather mysterious.
If Young Master Xu had bodyguards from the cutting path stage behind him, then that would make sense.
But if Young Master Xu had discovered it himself..
Yuan Haisheng’s spiritual senses scanned the surroundings, but he couldn’t find any trace of the cutting path stage around Young Master Xu. He couldn’t even detect the slightest fluctuation of the Way of the Heavens.
“The Sword Elder.”
Yuan Haisheng wasn’t embarra.s.sed when he was found out. He introduced the Elder. “He’s one of the guards responsible for my personal safety.”
Xu Xiaoshou revealed Yuan Haisheng’s lie with a smile. “He’s the only guard responsible. There aren’t any others.”
Yuan Haisheng was a little shocked.
Yuan Haisheng thought that the First Pavilion in the Sky was really full of hidden powers. The First Pavilion could even be sure that he had only brought one guard at the cutting path stage.
However, it was quite strange when the Sword Elder didn’t fight back immediately even though he was attacked.
The Sword Elder wasn’t good-tempered, and this was especially so since there was a junior who dared to attack him.
Under such circ.u.mstances, there was only one possibility for the Sword Elder to be able to remain calm.
The other party was even stronger!
In other words, there was either more than one person at the cutting path stage behind Young Master Xu. If not, he might even have a backer at the higher void stage!
“This…”
Thinking of this, Yuan Haisheng felt a lingering fear for when he misspoke previously.
A moment ago, Yuan Haisheng had even dared Young Master Xu to take his head off. In the next second, Young Master Xu really did carry it out.
More importantly, if Yuan Haisheng really wanted to fight, there was a high possibility that he wouldn’t be able to defeat the other party.
“Is the Demi-Saint family’s foundation really that terrifying?” Yuan Haisheng admitted that he had been careless this time since it was his first time coming into contact with a demi-saint family.
“Let’s talk!”
Xu Xiaoshou returned to his seat. It would be less intimidating once Yuan Haisheng’s guard was forcibly revealed and his strength proved.
Furthermore, the guard was known as the Sword Elder. Xu Xiaoshou believed that even if there were people Yuan Haisheng couldn’t sense, it would be impossible for the Sword Elder not to be able to sense them.
“Feared, Pa.s.sive Points + 2.”
There was a “+2” in the information bar’s pop-up box this time. One was definitely from Liu Lu.
As for the other one, there was no way it could be from Yuan Haisheng, as he was fearless and could not possibly fear himself. Thus it must have been provided by the Sword Elder who had sensed someone else’s existence.
“Three billion. I agree.”
Xu Xiaoshou waved his hand in a rather bold manner.
“Money isn’t the main concern here. You should all know what I want.”
“Once the transaction is completed, there will be some unruly retaliation. I don’t want to see them, and I don’t want to be backstabbed. Once this happens…”
Xu Xiaoshou didn’t speak to Yuan Haisheng. Instead, he looked at the Sword Elder and chuckled, “This little fellow probably doesn’t know the consequences. As an Elder, please advise and guide him.”
Yuan Haisheng was stunned.
Little fellow..
He looked at Liu Lu.
Liu Lu was so scared that he seemed completely invisible in this negotiation.
“Did this mean that the ‘little fellow’ Young Master Xu mentioned refers to me?” Yuan Haisheng thought.
At this moment, Yuan Haisheng was enraged.
He had never seen such a shameless person!
At his age. Xu Xiaoshou could only be considered as Yuan Haisheng’s junior. Yet, he kept calling Yuan Haisheng ‘little fellow’.
Who was Xu Xiaoshou insulting?
But before he could say anything, the Sword Elder pressed down on Yuan Haisheng’s shoulder and said, “Young Master Xu, don’t worry. The Night Cat’s reputation is guaranteed.”
The Elder’s voice was hoa.r.s.e, as if he hadn’t spoken for a very long time.
Outsiders might presume that this was the Sword Elder’s natural voice.
However, Yuan Haisheng was shocked. Ever since Sword Elder arrived as his guard, Yuan Haisheng had only heard him speak twice. Additionally, Sword Elder only spoke when he met someone he couldn’t offend.
In other words, there was a high probability that Young Master Xu’s backer wasn’t at the cutting path, but at the higher void stage!
Yuan Haisheng’s heart trembled.
He once again refreshed his understanding of the Demi-Saint families.
“This junior emerged just to have some fun, and he had to be followed by someone at the higher void stage? What in the world! This did not follow any of the rules of the martial arts world!” Various questions and thoughts ran through Yuan Haisheng’s mind.
Using someone at the innate stage to negotiate, but having another person at the higher void stage to secretly follow him. If this continued, Yuan Haisheng would be finished!
Yuan Haisheng’s emotions were in a mess.
He did not dare to stay in the First Pavilion in the Sky any longer.
After saying a few words of agreement, Yuan Haisheng received the deposit and made a solemn promise that the transaction would be feasible. Then, he left with Sword Elder immediately.
“The higher void stage?”
After safely walking out of the First Pavilion in the Sky, Yuan Haisheng used the moonlight to stabilize his heartbeat and asked with lingering fear.
He could hear the Sword Elder’s heartbeat clearly. It was even more intense than his own.
“I’m afraid it’s not just the higher void stage…”
The Sword Elder opened his mouth again, which was rare for him. It seemed like he could not stop once he started speaking, which was unlike his usual reserved self.
“There’s a Great Buddha sitting in the First Pavilion in the Sky!”
“I used my spiritual senses to spy on it earlier, but the other party did not pursue this rude behavior and let me go calmly, but…”
“But what?” Yuan Haisheng was shocked. For the Sword Elder to call them a ‘Great Buddha’ and for that person to be able to pursue the Sword Elder, their strength must be immeasurable!
“He has been looking at me!”
The Sword Elder looked a bit horrified and said in a hoa.r.s.e voice, “I can feel that he has a powerful existence like a natural enemy. He doesn’t fear my cultivation level at all. I’m afraid… He can completely destroy me with just one strike.”
Yuan Haisheng’s pupils trembled. “One strike?”
The Sword Elder took a deep breath.
“One strike!”