Chapter 216: Radish Conference
“Then…” The Saintess asked curiously upon hearing this: “If these two people get together, wouldn’t it be possible to… harmonize Yin and Yang?”
“Perhaps.” Sun Yuanlang increasingly did not want to continue this topic, ambiguously replying: “But for hundreds of years, the two paths have been like fire and water, and there has never been such a precedent.” Changing the subject, he said: “Yingxiu doesn’t need to worry too much. The Heavenly Maiden practicing that cultivation method cannot break through to Heavenly Rank. Although your cultivation method progresses slower than hers, as your master, I can guarantee you will steadily enter Heavenly Rank, so don’t fight over this momentary anger. A mere Heavenly Maiden is no threat.”
“Yes, Master.” The Saintess obediently nodded. She also noticed her master’s unusual demeanor and did not dare continue the topic.
“Besides the Heavenly Maiden, what other changes have occurred in the Capital City?” Sun Yuanlang asked again.
“There really is a major event, which I must report to Master.” The Saintess hurriedly said solemnly: “Recently in the Capital City, there are rumors that our sect’s Taiping Token has reappeared in the world.”
“How is that possible?!” Sun Yuanlang’s first reaction was disbelief. He said: “The Taiping Token fell with your Ancestor Master at Lion Garden, and then along with our sect’s supreme treasure, the Nine-Section Staff, was taken by Huangfu Lie into the Royal Treasury!”
“But the Investigative Bureau and the various clans have already mobilized upon hearing the news. The exact information I received says the Taiping Token has fallen into the Initial Emperor’s hands.” The Saintess said very affirmatively.
“Oh?” Sun Yuanlang’s expression changed drastically upon hearing this, sweeping away his earlier dejection. His gaze sharp as a knife, he said: “So, the Royal Treasury has been discovered by someone?!”
“It’s said to have been discovered by a group of grave robbers. Right now, the Investigative Bureau and the various clans are searching the world for those grave robbers.” The Saintess said: “Upon hearing the news, I did not dare slack off and have already ordered our sect’s informants in the Capital City to closely monitor the movements of the Investigative Bureau and the various clans.” She knew that Taiping Dao’s forces in the Capital City were insufficient to contend with the Eight Great Clans, so wisely did not target those grave robbers but instead secretly watched the Investigative Bureau and the various clans to judge the progress of events based on their actions.
Sun Yuanlang pondered for a long time before asking the Saintess: “What about the Nine-Section Staff?”
“No news of the Nine-Section Staff’s whereabouts.” The Saintess gently shook her head.
“This matter is no small thing!” Sun Yuanlang said in a deep voice: “Put the Lu Clan matter aside for now. We must first fully investigate this.”
“Master, I see it differently.” The Saintess furrowed her delicate brows and said carefully: “Luojing City is the stronghold of the Royal Family and the seven clans. It’s hard for our sect to compete with them here. Why not take advantage of their attention being fully on that elusive Founding Emperor’s treasure to strike at the Lu Clan.”
“No!” Sun Yuanlang resolutely said: “Recovering our sect’s sacred object is the top priority for Taiping Dao above all else!”
“Yes, Master…” The Saintess had no choice but to lower her head and fall silent. She did not understand why her masterful and visionary master was so obsessed with those so-called sacred objects? It was the same with the Taiping Sutra’s Gui Scroll, and the same with the Taiping Token and Nine-Section Staff. These years, without these things, had Taiping Dao not survived just the same?
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The Founding Emperor’s treasure was simply too tempting. No one in the world could resist its allure, and heroes from all sides flocked upon hearing the news!
Just as the Saintess Su Yingxiu was welcoming Sun Yuanlang, the two giants of the Capital City’s White Ape Society, Earthwalker and Gu Qi, were also tremblingly welcoming their leader—the White Ape Society’s master, Xuanyuan Wentian!
Xuanyuan Wentian wore a black robe, a ferocious White Ape Mask on his face, his appearance and figure indiscernible. But standing there, he gave Earthwalker and Gu Qi immense pressure.
The two prostrated on the ground, humbly saluting the White Ape Society’s master. Earthwalker, face full of fear, said: “Your disciple has disgraced you, Master. I am willing to receive the punishment of Ten Thousand Ants Gnawing Bones!”
Upon hearing the words “Ten Thousand Ants Gnawing Bones,” Gu Qi shuddered like chaff. His originally normal appearance had become this neither human nor ghostly skeletal form precisely after suffering this torture.
“Punishment must certainly be given.” Xuanyuan Wentian’s voice was like clashing metal, inhuman to the ear: “But right now is a time when manpower is needed. The Royal Treasury comes first. Whether you two redeem your merits or add to your crimes depends on this.”
“Thank you, Master, for giving your disciple a chance to atone with merits!” Earthwalker said gratefully, tears streaming: “Your disciple will certainly not disappoint you again!”
“This subordinate thanks the master and will certainly redeem his crimes with merits.” Gu Qi hurriedly said.
Through the White Ape Mask, Xuanyuan Wentian coldly glanced at Gu Qi and said in a deep voice: “If you err again this time, no one can save you!”
“Yes!” Gu Qi shuddered and nodded.
“Go,” Xuanyuan Wentian waved his wide robe sleeve, indisputably saying: “The Royal Treasury—the White Ape Society must get a share!”
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Twenty li outside Luodu City, Niu Family Depression was a secluded small mountain village.
This day, three uninvited guests wearing bamboo hats broke the village’s tranquility. The three arrived outside an unremarkable small courtyard. The leader knocked on the courtyard’s bamboo gate, and an ordinary-looking farmer walked to the doorway.
The leader lifted his bamboo hat slightly, letting the other see his face clearly. The farmer then opened the bamboo gate and let the three in.
The three entered the low, cramped hall, where a chubby man in a cotton cloth robe, looking like a landowner, sat by the stove warming himself. On the stove roasted several yams, the staple food of poor folk to stave off hunger.
As soon as the three entered, the middle-aged man greeted them with a beaming smile: “Arriving early is not as good as arriving on time—the yams are roasted. Come eat them hot.” Without minding the heat, he picked up a segment, peeled off the charred skin, revealing the white, steaming yam flesh, and handed it to the nearest man.
His movements were extremely deft; in the blink of an eye, he peeled three more segments, giving one to each of the other two men. He took one himself, blew on the heat, and ate heartily.
Each of the three held a yam segment, somewhat dumbfounded looking at the fat landowner. One could not help but say in a deep voice: “If not seen with one’s own eyes, who could imagine the world’s richest man hiding in this poor mountain village, eating this coarse food of the poor.”
“Heh heh, whether delicacies or plain coarse tea and rice, once in the belly, it’s all the same.” The fat landowner grinned: “If not seen with one’s own eyes, who could imagine the Southern Dynasties’ fiercest general coming to a small mountain village outside Luojing City to eat yams with me?”
“Hahaha!” The man laughed heartily, removing his bamboo hat to reveal an ordinary face. It was Huan Daoji, who had fought an earth-shattering battle with Xiahou Bubai on Taihu Lake. “Boss Shang is truly a marvelous man.”
The other two men also removed their bamboo hats. One was burly and majestic, with thick brows and phoenix eyes, awe-inspiring without anger—it was Bai Liu Village’s Village Master Zhou Huang.
“This must be Village Master Zhou?” The fat landowner’s eyes lit up, his face showing utmost delight as he smiled: “Truly, seeing is better than hearing a hundred times. To meet two Grandmasters, Shang Yun has no regrets even in death!”
This fat landowner was actually the Merchant Family’s Patriarch, father of Shang Luojia, the fabulously wealthy Shang Yun!
“Boss Shang overpraises,” Zhou Huang said expressionlessly: “Bai Liu Village is now a thing of the past. I, this village master, am merely a lost dog now.”
“Two.” Huan Daoji gave a wry smile, his expression desolate as winter.
“You two need not be so downcast,” Shang Yun shook his head with a smile: “In this world today, outside those eight families, who is not a dog? It’s merely the difference between lackeys and strays.”
“Well said, Boss Shang. You forgo being a good lackey to provoke us two strays—what business do you have?” Huan Daoji said flatly.
“A lackey is still a dog no matter how well off. Of course I want to be human.” Shang Yun looked intently at the two and said in a deep voice: “I want to invite you two to join the Han Society. Together we do something big! Put all those high-and-mighty people under our feet!”
