Chapter 711 216: Someone from the Salvation Society

Xue Caixiang raised the wine cup from the table and drained it in a single gulp. "You don't need to remind me. The mission from the higher-ups is what's most important, and all I care about is finishing it. Don't worry, I know how to get my priorities straight. But you... you get here and instead of going to find Shen Bai, you run off to this tavern to listen to stories and drink. You really don't take this seriously, do you?"

Qu Yongfeng shook his head. "You don't understand. To meet Shen Bai, you first have to know what kind of person he is. We may both be from the Celestial Pride Salvation Society, but if we don't understand his personality, how are we supposed to make a good impression?"

"And if we can't make a good impression, how is this mission supposed to succeed?"

Hearing this, Xue Caixiang said, "You really live up to your reputation, always needing to consider everything so thoroughly. But I think all this overthinking is a waste of time. We should just go straight to the Observatory. Besides, after hearing all this, what's your take on Shen Bai? What kind of man is he to you?"

Qu Yongfeng mused for a moment before saying, "From the legends of the Jianghu and my own extensive inquiries, I've gathered a few things. First, Shen Bai is exceptionally powerful. Second, his personality is mercurial. And third, his methods are incredibly decisive—one might even call them ruthless."

Xue Caixiang frowned. "That assessment makes him sound more like a member of the Demonic Forces."

"You're wrong. His character is nothing like the Demonic Forces."

Qu Yongfeng shook his head. "On the contrary, he's a man of great principle."

"What makes you say that?" Xue Caixiang asked.

Qu Yongfeng shot her a glance. "It's enough that I've reached my conclusion. Why should I explain it to you in detail?"

His words left Xue Caixiang speechless.

Xue Caixiang sneered. "Fine, keep it to yourself. You've gathered enough information now, so shouldn't we be on our way to the Observatory to meet Shen Bai?"

"The sooner we start working with him, the sooner we can finish the mission and bring the great treasure back to the Celestial Pride Salvation Society. That's what truly matters."

Qu Yongfeng downed the wine in his cup, then strode toward the stairs.

"Let's go. It's time we met this Lord Shen. Hopefully, this mission will go smoothly, and we'll be able to acquire more resources for ourselves."

A few moments later, Qu Yongfeng had already descended the stairs.

Xue Caixiang watched his retreating back, then stood up and walked to the ground floor of the tavern, preparing to leave.

"Miss, you two haven't paid your bill yet."

The waiter walked up, blocking Xue Caixiang's path.

Only then did Xue Caixiang realize that Qu Yongfeng had apparently tricked her, leaving her to pay the bill.

'Such a petty trick. How dull.'

A flash of anger rose within her, but she quickly suppressed it.

After paying with her silver coins, she left the tavern and followed Qu Yongfeng, heading toward the Observatory.

However, when she caught up to Qu Yongfeng, she noticed the folded fan in his right hand.

The folded fan was now open, and a faint light seemed to flow across its surface.

"You've never opened this fan before. You always said you were 'cultivating its poetic and artistic soul.' Why open it today?"

Xue Caixiang's delicate brows furrowed as she asked.

A landscape painting was depicted on the fan, giving it a very elegant air.

Qu Yongfeng smiled. "Naturally, I wish to test my strength."

Xue Caixiang's frown deepened. "And how do you plan on testing it?"

Qu Yongfeng didn't answer, but his gaze drifted toward the Observatory.

"Didn't you say we shouldn't cause any trouble?" Xue Caixiang pressed on.

Waving his folded fan, Qu Yongfeng exuded the refined air of a Scholar.

"Testing one's strength isn't causing trouble. I simply wish to have a gentleman's contest with Shen Bai. It's something you wouldn't understand. It is, after all, far too elegant for you."

Anger flashed in Xue Caixiang's eyes. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk in a way that's liable to get you beaten up?"

Qu Yongfeng just laughed, quickening his pace as he headed toward the Observatory.

...

The Observatory was as bustling as ever.

Every member rushed about with hurried steps.

Although the Demonic Forces had now been crushed, the members of the Observatory hadn't relaxed in the slightest. In fact, they had become even busier.

As the saying goes, it's easier to build an enterprise than to maintain one.

No one at the Observatory wanted the peace Lord Shen had worked so hard to achieve to be lost through their own negligence.

That was why, during this time, the members of the Observatory hadn't relaxed for even a moment.

「Inside the five-story building.」

At that moment, Shen Bai gazed at the mist before him, the corners of his lips curling into a deeply satisfied smile.

After such a long time of relentless, non-stop grinding, Shen Bai had finally, on this very day, raised his Infinite Divination Skill to Level 6.