Chapter 650: Li Godslayer?

It was merely a casual remark from Realman Du Cang.

Yet the Steward of Chenping Continent wielded exactly that much influence.

After those two cultivators in light gray daoist robes departed from the Liaolong Ferry, their destination was quite simple.

That was Huangquan City.

Currently the largest and most prosperous city in Liaolong.

A place of pilgrimage for countless cultivators across Chenping Continent.

And within Huangquan City stood the largest intelligence organization on Chenping Continent, a branch of the Yulai Pavilion.

Li Haowen intended to first visit the Yulai Pavilion branch in Huangquan City to learn about the current situation on Chenping Continent during the week he had spent traveling by ferry from Cyclone City Ferry to Liaolong Ferry, before deciding how to return to the Kongshan Sect.

......

Within Huangquan City, unlike ordinary mortal towns, the air was filled with the faint fragrance of spirit herbs and medicinal pills, making one wonder whether the average lifespan of the mortal residents living in this city might be ten or twenty years longer than that of mortals in other secular towns.

Apart from Fusheng City, which hung beyond the seas of Chenping Continent, only Huangquan City, situated at the edge of the Western and Southern Regions of Chenping Continent, most resembled an immortal city.

Among the people walking the streets of Huangquan City, two or three out of every ten would be cultivators clad in daoist robes, and most of these cultivators were of considerable cultivation.

Martial Spring Realm, Qi Sea Realm... even Passable God Realm cultivators could occasionally be encountered.

The Yulai Pavilion in Huangquan City was located at the very center of the city, in its most prosperous district.

It was an immortal pavilion eleven stories tall.

Without hesitation, Li Haowen led He Qingling behind him and stepped directly into this teahouse.

"Greetings, fellow daoists!"

A young cultivator in a cyan daoist robe approached. Li Haowen glanced in the direction of the young cultivator and recognized at a glance that the young man in the cyan daoist robe was at the early Martial Spring Realm.

As Huangquan City was the largest gathering place for rogue cultivators on Chenping Continent, the cultivators passing through were a mixed lot. Thus, it was no easy task for the Yulai Pavilion to maintain control over its establishment in this city.

The waiters responsible for receiving guests in the teahouse were all Martial Spring Realm cultivators.

"What do you need?"

The young cultivator in the cyan daoist robe at the early Martial Spring Realm asked in the direction of Li Haowen and He Qingling.

Li Haowen said nothing, merely waving his hand lightly.

The waiter responsible for receiving guests immediately understood, bowing respectfully toward Li Haowen and He Qingling before stepping aside.

In the main hall of the teahouse, a storyteller was still vividly narrating a tale, and the era of his story was quite ancient.

It was about the glorious achievements of the Falling Star Realman, Su Hongzhen, at the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry eight thousand years ago.

But that was only natural, for Huangquan City was the hometown of the Falling Star Realman, Su Hongzhen. Moreover, with the assassination of the Guardians of the Dao on Du Cang Mountain and the uncertain future of the cultivation world on Chenping Continent, the number of cultivators coming to Huangquan City on pilgrimage had noticeably increased.

Li Haowen first led He Qingling to find an empty table in the main hall, then sat down beside it. After listening to the storyteller for a while, he spoke in a low voice toward He Qingling:

"Wait for me here."

He Qingling made no excessive reaction, merely nodding lightly.

Then Li Haowen stood up and walked toward the waiter who had been receiving guests in the teahouse.

He whispered something into the ear of the young cultivator in the cyan daoist robe at the early Martial Spring Realm, then followed behind him, heading deeper into the teahouse.

......

After passing through a corridor more than forty zhang long, Li Haowen followed the young cultivator at the early Martial Spring Realm to the foot of a staircase.

"Senior, our steward is in the room upstairs."

The young cultivator in the cyan daoist robe said respectfully toward Li Haowen.

He was well aware that the middle-aged man before him, dressed in light gray daoist robes with two long swords hanging at his waist, was far superior to him in cultivation realm.

Having dealt with all kinds of people year-round in this teahouse, it would be impossible not to possess some skill at reading others.

"I understand."

Li Haowen nodded.

The young cultivator in the cyan daoist robe then bowed once more toward Li Haowen before turning around and walking back through the long corridor toward the teahouse.

Li Haowen stepped onto the stairs and raised his hand to knock lightly on the heavy wooden door of the room.

"Enter."

A man's voice full of vigor came from within.

Li Haowen pushed open the wooden door, and once it was fully open, he saw the cultivator sitting inside—a man with graying hair, a somewhat stout build, wearing the daoist robes of the Yulai Pavilion.

He could not completely see through the cultivation realm of this Yulai Pavilion steward before him, only able to infer that the other's cultivation seemed roughly similar to his own.

And clearly, the other party had also sensed that this middle-aged man with graying temples, dressed in light gray daoist robes, was also a Passable God Realm cultivator.

Thus, the somewhat stout Yulai Pavilion steward rose to his feet, smiling as he raised both hands in a bow toward Li Haowen:

"Fellow daoist, a pleasure to meet you. I am the steward of the Yulai Pavilion's Liaolong branch, named Zhang Tao. Might I ask how I should address you?"

"That's not important."

Li Haowen replied calmly:

"I'm only here to buy intelligence, Steward Zhang."

"Of course. Although our Yulai Pavilion always guarantees the privacy of our guests, it's still wise to be cautious when away from home."

Zhang Tao replied.

"If only that were true."

Li Haowen said.

Li Haowen's reaction left Zhang Tao somewhat embarrassed, so he changed the subject, or rather, got to the point:

"So, the intelligence Your Excellency wishes to purchase is..."

"All intelligence related to the recent assassination of Liang Qianbo of Wind Ravine Valley on Chenping Continent."

Li Haowen said flatly.

"This..."

Steward Zhang's expression clearly turned troubled, and then he said:

"Your Excellency, you know this matter involves Du Cang Mountain and the Five Great Sects. How would our Yulai Pavilion, a small temple like this, dare to sell such major intelligence?"

"Then what would it take for you to hand over that intelligence to me?"

Li Haowen said.

The Yulai Pavilion's Steward Zhang shook his head, then said:

"No matter what, I—"

Before he could finish, Li Haowen placed his hand on the sword scabbard wrapped in bandages at his waist, then gave it a slight tremor—

BANG!

With a burst of sound, bandages flew through the room.

"And now?"

Li Haowen's palm gently stroked the scabbards of the two swords at his waist, one black and one white.

Steward Zhang's pupils contracted slightly, and his voice trembled as he muttered quietly:

"...Li Godslayer?"