Archfiend

Chapter 173: Eight Outer Sects (1) 

“This Zhao still has a small matter to inquire.” In the room, Zhao Wuye did his best not to be awkward: “Fellow Daoist is a cultivator of Mingshui Province, yes?”

Xu Yangyi swept an eye over him and said indifferently: “Correct.”

“In that case… your connections in Mingshui Province are also pretty good?”

“They’re okay.”

Zhao Wuye inhaled deeply and heaped out a smile to his greatest possible extent: “I don’t know… but is Fellow Daoist familiar with the Xingtian Legion’s Commander Xu?”

Xu Yangyi was dazed. This sensation… was somewhat queer. “Are you looking for him for business?” He asked, cool and collected.

Zhao Wuye gritted his teeth: “To be honest, the Zhao Clan has a descendant with natural Netherpiece Pupils. In this descent to the deadland, the Zhao Clan is also bringing him. His aptitude is uncommon and to leave him in the Zhao Clan is a true waste of talent. I want… to have Commander Xu take a look…”

The crook of Xu Yangyi’s mouth gently raised upwards: “Why don’t you go find him in person?”

Zhao Wuye’s complexion was faintly red: “Commander Xu is a noble man busy in his work. Me and him… really aren’t familiar…” He was embarrassed to say that he had went today, yet hadn’t dared to go up.

Xu Yangyi studied him with seemingly deeply meaning and then chuckled after ages: “In fact, you and him have some destiny.” Not waiting for Zhao Wuye to react, he laughed as he walked closer to the other: “Fellow Daoist Xu, how about I show you a magic trick?”

Once he worked together with the Zhao Clan, his identity as Xu Yangyi was bound to be exposed. It would be better to let them know in advance and also give them a good strike of the alarm bell. He didn’t want them to think that he was a loner and come up with a few ideas that shouldn’t be raised.

The cultivation world… always ignored the issue of life and death in a secret realm.

“Oh?” Zhao Wuye was fairly unable to make sense of this. Where was the logic in Xu Yangyi’s words? However, his puzzlement lasted for less than three seconds. On the fourth second, he saw to his shock… the man before his eyes began to turn young and his stature even started to grow taller. The shape of his face and build also began to transform!

After a second, he was dumbfounded on the spot, his eyes wide and mouth foolish. He sensed both his legs weaken a bit!

“Fellow Daoist Zhao.” Xu Yangyi who had returned to his original appearance laughed faintly and cupped his hands: “I did say that our predestined fate is not shallow.”

Thump! Zhao Wuye’s buttocks landed on the sofa, his eyes were wide like a copper bell, and his mouth hung so that a chicken egg could be squeezed in. He simply dared not believe in everything before his eyes! He was itching to walk forward and forcefully pinch Xu Yangyi’s face to see whether or not this was still the Thousand Illusions!

The person… he had originally crossed hands with… was that monster from today? The opponent… he had even wanted to capture back then? Inter him to a permanent silence and seize the treasure? This time, the Zhao Clan was working together with the Xingtian Legion? The person… he had made a request to seek was done in the other’s presence?

In a wink of time, the emotions in his heart were terribly complex and excited, originating from the formidability of the partner that the Zhao Clan was joining with now! Breaching the endless honeycomb wall and advancing a step further to the deadland’s true entrance was imminent in arrival!

Once… the Zhao Clan stealthily excavated a passage to the deadland below, perhaps a tiny little leak from Danxia Temple… would still be enough to allow the Zhao Clan to become a first-rate clan!

His awkwardness came from the fact that the person he had requested was right in front of him. He had obviously went today, yet dared not go on stage at all.

His vigilance stemmed from the Xingtian Legion’s battle lineup… He had personally observed the Xingtian Legion’s recruitment ceremony. Not to mention the other freaks, merely Xu Yangyi and his apprentice brother—two disciples of a Core Formation master—were absolutely not something that the Zhao Clan could provoke!

This time, from the instant Xu Yangyi revealed his true face, the post-descent leadership role had already been noiselessly settled.

“What?” Xu Yangyi sat down straightforwardly, enjoying the changes of Zhao Wuye’s face with full interest: “Fellow Daoist Zhao, didn’t you want to find me?”

The expression on Zhao Wuye’s face had went from shock to hesitation and then to a sincere smile that piled up high on his face, multicolored and gorgeously brilliant, all in no more than a second. In the next second, he immediately laughed heartily and cupped his hands: “So I was in the presence of Fellow Daoist Xu, it is an honor to meet you at last! A true honor I have long looked forward to!”

The laughter was a bit stuff, and Xu Yangyi smiled, inwardly guessing if it was a Core Formation master, Zhao Wuye’s laughter at this moment would be akin to a spring sun turning into snowfall, a fierce whirlwind of acting.

Really, there sure is an advantage to living so long, eh… Thickness of face can’t be tempered through the world’s affairs and can’t be learned...

Yet at this moment, the three people in front of the surveillance monitor were even more sluggish than Zhao Wuye! They were only mortals; how such a genuine shapeshifter be met?!

“This… is an immortal master?” The young lord’s gaze was like fire, watching the screen with a burning heat. Even though his remarks were already of enormous power in Beisan Province’s underworld, a single word worth nine cauldrons, in regards to such scifi-like power that transcended human sense, he still felt his heart smolder fervently. At the same time, he was dripping with cold sweat! [1]

“Immortal master… It’s an immortal master! This is a real immortal master!” An elderly man was so excited that his beard trembled in disarray: “Young Master Lin, by no means is this like those bragging, swindling so-called immortal masters from before! This is a real immortal!”

The young lord didn’t speak. Those bragging swindlers had long since been delivered to a desolate countryside area by him.

In the room, Xu Yangyi laughed and nodded: “Zhao Ziqi, huh…”

Zhao Wuye’s gaze became even more fiery, impatiently looking at Xu Yangyi! The opportunity of the Xingtian Legion was right in front of his eyes! 

Xu Yangyi had the appetite to deliberately keep Zhao Wuye suspended for a few seconds until the forced smile on the other’s face was soon unable to persevere. He then chuckled deplorably: “If his display at Danxia Temple this time isn’t bad, I’ll let him in, alright?”

“Thank you, Fellow Daoist!!!” Zhao Wuye took a long and deep sigh in his heart. For the first time, he wholeheartedly bowed to the floor.

“In that case, I’ll see you in three months.” Xu Yangyi laughed: “I hope the Zhao Clan doesn’t disappoint me.”

“We certainly won’t betray Fellow Daoist’s great expectations!”

Xu Yangyi laughed as he pushed open the door, yet his smile grew frosty. At the door, there were five or six tall men in black suits standing. Their faces were grave and stern, and upon seeing Zhao Wuye and Xu Yangyi come out, they bowed deeply: “Immortal masters, the young lord had us wait here respectfully.”

“You were monitoring us?” Zhao Wuye swiftly calmed down from ecstacy. The look in his eyes flickered, and killing intent suddenly appeared.

“This was also the young lord’s command.” A tall man bowed: “In addition, he requests the immortal masters to sit to your comfort. The young lord and his two grand uncles will soon arrive.”

Xu Yangyi and Zhao Wuye weren’t people of the mundane world. Naturally, they didn’t understand the principles of the dark rivers and lakes of the underworld. In the same vein, they moreover didn’t care. [2]

“Oh?” Xu Yangyi also laughed, his smile rather dangerous: “And if I say no?”

The several tall men didn’t speak. Their figures simply moved swiftly and obstructed the door path.

At the same time, the door of a room at the side opened, and a fat middle-aged man walked out in satisfaction. With a glance, he was lightning fast to rationally pull back and close the door.

“Chief Hu.” Just as he shut the door, his forehead slick with sweat, a sweet voice was heard. Two soft jade hands coiled around his neck: “What’s going on? Are you unwilling to part from me?”

“Don’t talk nonsense!” Chief Hu gasped coldly: “Someone didn’t grow a set of eyes and provoked the Azure Dragon Group; the outside is a big mess!”

“Oh?” The woman was stunned and said excitedly: “Who?” There’s someone who still dares to provoke the Azure Dragon Group in the northeast? Outside, right? I’ll go take a look!”

“Are you suicidal?!” Chief Hu was so scared he grabbed on to her and said firmly: “You might not want to live! But I still do!” 

He walked across the whole room in disorientation. This was the Azure Dragon Group… The northeast province’s underground boss. He HAD to sell them face… If there really is a big stir outside and the public security bureau intervenes, but I’m discovered here… W-what am I going to do! His heart pounded like a drum. He leaned against the door, his throat dry, and looked outside through the peephole.

Outside, Xu Yangyi had already sneered. As for Zhao Wuye, he was casting a sidelong glance at the crowd of men, his finger beginning to slightly bend.

“Do you want to make a move or should I?” Like he was looking at dead men, Zhao Wuye watched the five men before him who had evidently undergone strict training. His eyes were absent of a caution’s sliver, and his voice was terribly grim.

“If it’s not necessary, I don’t like to see blood.” Xu Yangyi merely swept an eye and stowed his gaze. He said indifferently: “Don’t be too heavy-handed. It’ll be no good to damage the virtue of secrecy.”

“Hehe… Do we cultivators still care for the virtue of secrecy?” Zhao Wuye’s gaze chilled. With a swoosh, the five men in front adopted defensive stances in concert, spontaneously stretching their hands into their suits. Their heads were covered in a cold sweat, and they all happened by chance to glance at each other in alarm.

Abnormal… These two people… were too fucking abnormal! Looking at their gazes, it was a kind of sensation difficult to describe, played down in light shades… so why did it seem like a deity in heaven was looking down on mortals of the secular world?

Such a temperament arose on the bodies of the two people in front. It was awfully unsuitable! In particular...

A bald man was at the lead, his forehead quickly secreting cold sweat. He, Qian Qi, had followed the young lord through the rough-and-tumble rivers and mountains for over a dozen years, hacking through alleys one blade at a time as a child. Who didn’t call him seventh uncle on the outside? How many old vagabonds had he personally chopped up? When was he ever a shred fearful? [3]

But now… he sensed an emotion he hadn’t felt for a long time, one known as fear. Noiselessly, it spread through his entire heart. His intuition was clamoring out: Don’t, no matter what don’t make a move! Leave quickly! Otherwise, you’ll die!

However, his feet… were inexplicably… actually shivering a little bit? He, Uncle Qian Qi, was shivering?

“I’ll see you all off on a journey and make you muddled ghosts, alright? When you come into the world, remember to cast yourselves into a good fetus.” Zhao Wuye raised his hand little by little, laughing hollowly: “Don’t use guns and peacefully die… That thing isn’t of the slightest use against the two of us… Unless… you can come up with a small missile now.”

“Immortal masters, please show clemency!” In a spark of a flint, a young voice was heard. In the wake of hurried footsteps, a dignified-looking young man and two elderly man rushed over at a flying speed.

“Young lord?” A man looked at the person running over in shock. What was going on? The young lord’s command was to make certain that these two “immortal masters” stayed and also not to be rude.

However, they didn’t know anything, only understanding that these two people were very important. If the young lord definitely wanted these two people to remain, so as long they got the two people to stay and didn’t overstep their bounds, the young lord certainly wouldn’t say anything. 

They didn’t know that in a span of a several seconds, they had already walked back on the line of life and death.

“Young lord?!” In his room, Chief Hu jumped in fright, almost shouting out.

The eyes of the woman behind him brightened, and she immediately moved closer, her voice tender: “Brother Hu, the young lord has come~ Can I go take a look?”

Chief Hu seemed not to have heard a thing, only his cold sweat became more plentiful!

What on earth was the status of these two men?! To actually be capable of bringing the young lord to appear himself?!

“Immortal masters, the lowly are insensible to rules and customs.” The young lord’s gaze was glimmering, and he walked ahead. He bowed deeply, almost at a right angle: “Azure Dragon Group’s president, Lin Chaofeng. I give my regards to the two immortal masters!”

He bowed and cupped his hands, yet his gesture was very odd. After he cupped his fist, the thumb and index finger of his left hand stretched out, forming the character 八. Specifically, the red blood-drop tattoo on the connecting web of these two fingers was distinctly visible.

[1] “A single word worth nine cauldrons” In ancient Chinese myth, the nine cauldrons were said to be a set of three-legged cauldrons cast by Yu the Great of the Xia dynasty. Later emperors took them as symbols of authority given by the mandate of heaven. More information can be found on wikipedia. Keywords: Nine Tripod Cauldrons

[2] I just want to point out that “Jianghu” or “Rivers and Lakes” has a secondary connotation to underworld gangs and secret societies besides straight up martial arts. 

[3] Qian Qi, if its not clear already, these people are gangsters. They all have gangster names, some of them better than others. Qian Qi is literally “Money Seven”. However, it is also an onomatopoeia in Cantonese for the sound that an old worn-out boat makes. Like a creaking noise. Lending to an idea of experience.