Chapter 351 - 232: Déjà Vu

Chapter 351: Chapter 232: Déjà Vu

The Four Jade Refining Treasures, as wonderful as they were, were still just inanimate objects. Moreover, they were part of an agreement between his grandfather and the higher-ups of the Bright Jade Alliance; it was uncertain how much of that benefit would even trickle down to him.

But the Yu Fei before him was a genuine backer to have. This kind of top figure from the Celestial Pride Class would very likely become a Martial Saint in the future. If he established a friendship with him while he was still on the rise, wouldn’t that be far better than the Four Jade Refining Treasures?

From that perspective, losing the Four Jade Refining Treasures was actually a stroke of luck!

Zhang Wenji had called it a simple meal, but it was actually of an extremely high standard. Many of the dishes were made from rare ingredients that Yu Fei had never seen before, and they contained immense energy.

Yu Fei wasn’t greedy, however. Under Xiaohai’s daily care, his diet had become quite extensive, so he wouldn’t lose his composure over a single meal.

Throughout the banquet, Zhang Wenji did his utmost to curry favor, constantly praising Yu Fei. He even tactfully implied that the Zhang Family, for all its troubles, had little left but merit points and could sponsor Yu Fei.

This wasn’t an empty boast. Although the Zhang Family lacked treasures, they had a considerable amount of merit points. The annual dividend from the Bright Jade Alliance alone was a substantial sum, even if most of it was given away.

Sensing Zhang Wenji’s fervent enthusiasm, Yu Fei was inwardly amused. ’It’s true I’m short on merit points, but I wouldn’t stoop to taking them from him, especially since I had other motives for accepting this mission.’

One reason for this mission was the promised reward: the Cyan Immortal Jade. It was a high-grade soft jade that he would need in the future after mastering his Melt Gold Jade Body Skill.

The second reason was to see if he could find a way into the Golden Jade Gang Realm. He had a premonition that to cultivate the Melt Gold Jade Body Skill after he mastered his current Cultivation Technique, he would need the help of this realm.

The Zhang Family was once a core member of the Bright Jade Alliance, so they should have some connections.

Merit points were hard to earn, but there was no need to tie himself to the Zhang Family. He much preferred a simple transaction.

"Brother Yu Fei, do you have any leads yet?"

Zhang Ai suddenly looked up and asked curiously.

"Yu’er, don’t be rude!" Zhang Wenji feigned anger.

Yu Fei chuckled. "Mr. Zhang, there’s no need for that. Zhang Ai is exceptionally talented. We might even be schoolmates in the future!"

Zhang Wenji suddenly burst out laughing. "Now that would be a wonderful thing!"

Emboldened, Zhang Ai asked Yu Fei again, "You still haven’t answered me!"

Yu Fei turned to look at the young woman. ’She has a good personality,’ he thought. ’At this banquet table, only Zhang Wenji is fervently friendly, and Zhang Ai also shows a faint goodwill. The rest are all filled with endless malice, varying only in its intensity.’

Liou Yuechan’s animosity was the weakest. In fact, it couldn’t really be called malice—she just looked down on him.

As for Tan Wen, Zhang Wenji’s eldest disciple, though he was also smiling happily, Yu Fei could see the fires of jealousy burning in his heart. The rest of the master’s disciples were much the same.

Yu Fei could accept all of this. It was only human nature. ℯℯ𝑙.

Only this Mr. Ma truly puzzled him.

’From the moment we first met, as soon as the old fellow learned I was here specifically for the theft of the Vast Sea Pearl, his malice grew thicker—a malice so strong it was as if he wanted me dead. This guy is trouble.’

An idea sparked in Yu Fei’s mind. ’I’m not an expert at investigating cases, but sniffing out people with ulterior motives? That’s right up my alley.’

Just then, in response to Zhang Ai’s question, Yu Fei’s calm gaze slowly swept over everyone, lingering for an extra moment on Mr. Ma.

He spoke with extreme confidence, "I already have some leads. The thief’s methods are just too clumsy; you all simply haven’t seen this kind of thing before. Tonight, I’ll go get a friend of mine who’s more of a professional. I’ll bring him to the scene tomorrow, and we’ll catch the culprit in no time!

Zhang Ai, don’t you worry. This won’t delay your cultivation!"

Hearing him say this, Zhang Ai’s eyebrows curved, and a brilliant smile lit up her face.

Yu Fei could see that Zhang Ai had been well-protected and well-educated by her father.

"Brother Yu Fei, is the Celestial Pride Positioning Competition difficult?"

As she spoke, the young girl started asking him for more details.

"It’s not that it’s difficult, but you have to be mentally prepared. And if you have enough stamina, don’t neglect your own combat strength..."

Meeting Zhang Ai’s expectant gaze, Yu Fei gave a general overview of the preparations needed to get a good result in the positioning competition, but he didn’t reveal the specific format.

He had later learned that the core principles were similar every year. As long as one could cultivate the Ox Subduing Pile Skill and the Six Harmonies Killing Fist to the point of perfection, the lowest placement one could get was a B-rank, which guaranteed entry into the Celestial Pride Class. For those with insufficient stamina, there was no need for specialized training.

When the moon had risen high in the sky, Yu Fei stood up to take his leave from Zhang Wenji.

"Mr. Zhang, I’ll go find my friend now. I’ll bring him over at sunrise tomorrow and will definitely give you a proper resolution. Please, rest assured!"

With that, he shouldered his saber, Zhanming, and with a leap, vanished into the night, leaving no trace.

Liou Yuechan was a bit skeptical. "Wenji, does this Yu Fei really have a plan? He only looked around for a little while!"

Hearing Yu Fei’s words, Zhang Wenji was also overjoyed. ’It would be best to forge a connection with Yu Fei. But if he can find all Four Jade Refining Treasures, wouldn’t that be a guaranteed safety net?’ he thought.

"Chan’er, do you think his title as a combat class leader in the Celestial Pride Class is just for show? Every year in the Yu Kingdom, out of tens of millions of martial arts students, only a handful make it. Do you think you and I can even begin to imagine the methods of someone with that kind of generational talent?

Even when my father was alive, he would have had to receive such a person with the utmost seriousness!"

Liou Yuechan’s expression shifted, and her tone changed immediately. "Oh, that’s good then. I wonder what kind of vile thief would do something so despicable."

While they were speaking, Mr. Ma also stood up to leave.

"Patriarch, I’ll be taking my leave as well. The ancestral hall still needs someone to guard it. I shouldn’t have even come to the banquet; it would be a huge problem if something else happened over there!"

Zhang Wenji immediately tried to persuade him, "Mr. Ma, you’re being too formal. If it were anyone else, it would be fine, but we rarely get the chance to interact with someone like Yu Fei. Now that we’ve met him, it’s good to at least become a familiar face. Who knows, we might need his help someday."