Chapter 140 - 120: The Appointment

Chapter 140: Chapter 120: The Appointment

Meanwhile, Liu Heng was already packing up his stall.

Zhao Zuo didn’t linger. He went straight up the steps and returned to his Cave Mansion. Just as he had guessed, the person behind the scenes only wanted to meet with Liu Heng to confirm whether the Punishment Hall had gotten involved.

Before long, the Communication Jade inside his Storage Bag vibrated slightly.

"Younger Brother Zhao, the person didn’t show up," Liu Heng said, his voice tinged with frustration.

Over the past few days, he had come to accept his destiny. The main reason, really, was that he saw in Zhao Zuo an opportunity for his own Foundation Establishment. Zhao Zuo’s talent was far greater than he had ever imagined.

This was a patron worthy of his devoted service. Besides, Liu Heng had already lost the right to choose.

"I understand. He probably just wanted to confirm you were safe," Zhao Zuo instructed after a moment’s thought. "He might contact you again in the next few days. As long as the meeting is inside the sect, go. But if he doesn’t show up next time... then don’t bother going to the appointed place again."

There was a limit to how many times one could be played for a fool. Zhao Zuo had decided that limit was twice. If Liu Heng were to go to the appointed place a third time without complaint, it would surely arouse suspicion.

Excessive eagerness would only expose his true intentions.

"I understand. Next time, I’ll act impatient."

Liu Heng immediately understood Zhao Zuo’s plan. He was the bait, and the key was to convince the mastermind that he hadn’t been captured by the Punishment Hall.

"Just go to the Earth Fire Chamber at noon tomorrow," Zhao Zuo added. "We’ll go at different times."

"As you command," Liu Heng said seriously, his demeanor one of absolute obedience.

Zhao Zuo put away the Communication Jade, his curiosity about the person hiding behind Zhao Qingmeng growing. After all, since transmigrating, this was the first time he had encountered such a cautious Cultivator. It felt like they were playing a game of chess from afar.

Except, Zhao Zuo was currently at a disadvantage. He was essentially playing with an open hand, while his opponent used Zhao Qingmeng’s death to remain hidden in the shadows.

’No, that’s not right.’ Zhao Zuo shook his head. They were on equal footing. His opponent didn’t know that Liu Heng now belonged to him—and was bound by a contract that made betrayal impossible.

After a moment, Zhao Zuo took out the Communication Jade again.

"Are you asleep? Or are you in Cultivation?"

This time, he was contacting Shen Yunjiao. She was his trump card, a Cultivator at the Late Period of Qi Cultivation.

Zhao Zuo held the Communication Jade and waited patiently. About thirty seconds passed before a reply came.

"Not cultivating. I was out, and I just took care of Qian Kaiyun." Shen Yunjiao’s voice was tinged with exhaustion and weakness. It sounded faint, and she seemed short of breath.

"How did he get on your bad side?" Zhao Zuo asked, curious.

"Aren’t you even going to ask if I’m hurt?" Shen Yunjiao’s voice came through, sounding a little reproachful.

Zhao Zuo felt a chill seep through the Communication Jade, and his mind raced.

"Since you didn’t call me for backup, it must mean you were completely confident. Of course you wouldn’t get hurt," Zhao Zuo quickly amended.

Shen Yunjiao huffed softly before continuing.

"He’s been after my Middle Grade Magical Artifact for a while. Breaking through to the Late Period of Qi Cultivation recently gave him the courage to make a move. But what can I say... trash will always be trash."

"So that’s what happened."

Zhao Zuo recalled his own encounter with Qian Kaiyun. The man had tried to haggle the price of a Willow Leaf Dart, worth at least five Spirit Stones, down by half...

A man so greedy was ultimately killed by his own greed.

"So, did you need me for something?" Shen Yunjiao asked casually. As she spoke, she methodically pulled on a pair of gloves and began to expertly loot the corpse.

The gloves were a precaution, in case Qian Kaiyun had used a "Jade and Stone Burn Together" type of poison before he died.

"There is something."

Zhao Zuo proceeded to tell Shen Yunjiao everything that had happened recently, holding nothing back. He even told her about using the Master-Servant Contract to take control of Liu Heng.

"Whoa, whoa, stop. I don’t need the whole saga," Shen Yunjiao interrupted bluntly. "Just get to the point. You know... I don’t like thinking too much."

"..." Zhao Zuo felt a pang of helplessness but cut his long-winded explanation short.

"I’m planning to lure him out, using myself as bait. I’ll need you to be my backup."

Zhao Zuo had clashed with the man briefly before. Neither had used their trump cards, and neither had been able to gain an advantage. That’s why... he needed an insurance policy.

"Isn’t that a little risky?" Shen Yunjiao asked, a worried tone in her voice. At the same time, she forcefully ripped the Storage Bag from Qian Kaiyun’s waist and tied it to her own.

"We’ve fought before. He’s not strong enough to completely overwhelm me," Zhao Zuo said calmly. "Besides, this is Cultivation. The path to immortality is paved with danger."

Shen Yunjiao fell silent for a moment. Deciding not to argue, she said,

"Just let me know when you’ve set a date."

"Alright. I’ll let you get back to it."

Zhao Zuo knew this couldn’t be rushed. He could only launch his plan once the man took the initiative and contacted Liu Heng. He would have to fabricate a reason to leave the Moyun Sect, giving the man a perfect opportunity for an ambush.

As it happened, an opportunity was presenting itself: the Shenxiao Hall’s Outer Sect assessment at the beginning of the fifth month. A new batch of disciples would be joining the Outer Sect, and Zhao Zuo was sure the man would seize the chance to act.

Once someone grew accustomed to earning hundreds of Spirit Stones overnight, they would never again be content with the Outer Sect missions, which only paid two hundred contribution points for a month of grueling work.

At that time, Liu Heng would be at the main gate welcoming the new disciples. Therefore, the man would have to confirm Liu Heng’s trustworthiness before the fifth month so he could finalize his plans and select his targets.

This meant... Zhao Zuo still had plenty of opportunities.

Zhao Zuo mentally ran through his plan to lure the snake from its hole, patching up any potential flaws. He then took out a piece of paper and began sketching and writing, striving to make his plan as perfect as he possibly could.

The plan had a simple counter: if the man simply gave up his business of robbing people, Zhao Zuo would have no way to find him.

Zhao Zuo was making a bet—a bet that the man’s greed would overcome his reason, compelling him to take the risk.

The fact that the man had already tried to contact Liu Heng showed he intended to stay in business. And that meant... Zhao Zuo had already half-won his bet.

Zhao Zuo stored his hand-drawn notes in his Storage Bag, sat on his bed, and began to Calm Mind and Gather Qi, adjusting his state. Once his mind was peaceful and free of distractions, he took out a Purifying Spirit Pill, chewed, and swallowed.

As the pill’s medicinal power dissolved in his abdomen, a dense wave of Spiritual Power spread through the Meridians of his entire body. Zhao Zuo immediately activated his Cultivation Technique, absorbing the Spiritual Power and refining it into his own Mana.

As his comprehension of the Golden Fire Refining World Scripture deepened, his Cultivation speed steadily increased. Combined with the richer Heaven and Earth Spiritual Power of the Inner Sect, Zhao Zuo was now cultivating more than twice as fast as he had in the Moyun Workshop.

He estimated that in about six more months, he could attempt his breakthrough to the Late Period of Qi Cultivation.

Elsewhere, Shen Yunjiao casually set Qian Kaiyun’s corpse ablaze. In the fire, the body shriveled like a centuries-old mummy, devoid of all moisture. It curled into a ball, its bulging, twisted eyes fixed on a face etched with agony and terror.

His Mana, Essence Blood, and spirituality had all been devoured by Shen Yunjiao, becoming a stepping stone for her own power.

A crimson glint surfaced in the depths of Shen Yunjiao’s eyes, her pupils seeming to hold an orb of bloody light. A blood-red mist coiled around her, twisting and shrieking, emitting waves of a low, greedy drone.

At this moment, her Cultivation was approaching the eighth layer of Qi Cultivation.

’Soon. I’m about to break through.’ Shen Yunjiao had grown even thinner, her skin now paler than the moonlight pooling on the ground. Yet her face held no trace of joy.

She knew all too well that the Taotie Secret Technique was a door that, once opened, could never be closed. Her own finances could no longer sustain its instinctive Devouring Power. Thus, to prevent it from consuming her own life force and flesh, she had no choice but to treat the corpses of Demon Beasts and Cultivators as just another cultivation resource.

But she could feel it: once she broke through to the eighth layer of Qi Cultivation, the Devouring Power would double again.

What would she do then?

...