Chapter 175: Information about the Original Manager of Antique Shop Zero

Chapter 175 -172: Information about the Original Manager of Antique Shop Zero

When Jiang Chaosheng heard Elder Niu Bizi’s identity, understanding dawned on him.

No wonder Taiping Dao could block his perception of Taboo Items.

It turned out that Taboo Item 1-01, Niu Lang, was the one pulling the strings.

No Taboo Item ranked 01 was ever a simple character.

Jiang Chaosheng glanced at Niu Lang.

“The revival of the South Sea Taboo Items, the Yin Soldiers blocking the road—was this all part of your plan?”

As his voice fell.

The downpour intensified.

The Jing River Dragon King and Su Daji stared murderously at Niu Lang.

Though Jiang Chaosheng’s tone was casual, this insidious plot could have very well led to his eternal damnation!

Niu Lang hastily bowed slightly and said earnestly:

“This was all Prince Heng acting on his own accord. It has nothing to do with me!”

Jiang Chaosheng scoffed.

“If it has nothing to do with you, why come here looking for trouble?”

Niu Lang was silent for a moment, then bowed again.

“Sir, could you please release Prince Heng? Then you and I can have a proper chat.”

Jiang Chaosheng currently had two choices.

First, fight Niu Lang and contain him.

Second, learn the secrets of the Taboo Items and Taiping Dao from Niu Lang.

The first choice was a bit difficult.

Jiang Chaosheng would never forget the time he had come closest to death.

The Sea Train incident.

The terror of the Sea Coachman still made his heart pound with fear even now.

The Jing River Dragon King had nearly been annihilated, and Su Daji, despite using every trick up her sleeve, had been unable to contend with it.

If he hadn’t found the Sea Train’s key item at the critical moment and brought it back to Antique Shop Zero in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable!

Those ranked near the top, especially number one, were no simple characters.

Their combat prowess was likely on par with that of a god.

Niu Lang was possibly even more difficult to handle than the Sea Coachman.

After all, the Sea Coachman was not sentient; its mind was filled with nothing but brutal violence.

Niu Lang was different. He possessed his own intelligence.

‘A Taboo Item that has walked the Human World for thousands of years… Heaven knows what trump cards it might have?’

Jiang Chaosheng was actually willing to try fighting Niu Lang.

He now had the complete version of the Scythe of Death and the Original Sin Desire Snake.

He hadn’t remained stagnant himself.

He just felt that if he wasn’t one hundred percent certain he could eliminate Niu Lang, the fight would be meaningless.

After all, a vicious battle awaited him in the South Sea.

In truth, Jiang Chaosheng was also willing to talk with Niu Lang.

He wanted to see if he could find out the secrets of the Taboo Items, and the secrets of the Dusk of the Gods.

Also, Niu Lang’s willingness to support Taiping Dao was highly suspicious.

Niu Lang could block a Manager’s perception, and his own combat power was at the apex of the Human World. It was safe to say he could do as he pleased.

‘If I were Niu Lang, I definitely wouldn’t be so bored as to meddle in the affairs of the Human World.’

‘Was Niu Lang using Taiping Dao to set up some kind of scheme?’

After waiting a long while without a reply from Jiang Chaosheng, Niu Lang bowed deeply again.

“Sir, are you willing to release Prince Heng and speak with me?”

Jiang Chaosheng said:

“Alright.”

Niu Lang breathed a sigh of relief.

Prince Heng, whose heart had been in his throat, finally felt it settle. He hurriedly gave Jiang Chaosheng a fist-and-palm salute.

“Thank you, Sir!”

Jiang Chaosheng looked at Prince Heng, his eyes cold and indifferent.

Prince Heng’s heart tightened once more.

Jiang Chaosheng swung the Scythe of Death.

SCHLICK!

The sound of flesh being torn from bone rang out.

Prince Heng’s head was severed by the Scythe of Death!

Foul blood sprayed across the ground.

But Prince Heng did not die.

He was an Undead Creature; as long as his head was preserved, he couldn’t be considered truly dead.

But… if only his head remained, it was equivalent to losing all his Cultivation!

With Prince Heng’s head impaled on the tip of the Scythe of Death, Jiang Chaosheng gave it a hard fling, sending the head flying into the air.

In mid-air, Prince Heng’s face was filled with despair.

‘My body is gone, my body is gone!’

‘This means the Extraordinary Power I worked so hard to cultivate has all vanished into thin air!’

Niu Lang sighed, stretched out his hand, and released his Magical Power.

Prince Heng’s head was pulled onto the auspicious cloud by Niu Lang.

Prince Heng’s head, its eyes vacant, muttered endlessly:

“It’s gone. Everything is gone. I have nothing left.”

Niu Lang snorted coldly.

“You nearly ruined Sir’s important business!

For Sir to have spared you is a blessing you earned over three lifetimes!”

Niu Lang said this very loudly.

Jiang Chaosheng scoffed inwardly.

He knew Niu Lang was saying this for his benefit.

‘A gesture of goodwill?’

Niu Lang flicked a finger.

Prince Heng’s head fell into the wide sleeve of Niu Lang’s Daoist Robe.

The sleeve of the Daoist Robe was like a spatial artifact; there was no sign at all that it held a large head.

Jiang Chaosheng’s eyes narrowed slightly.

‘The legendary Universe in a Sleeve?’

Niu Lang guided the auspicious cloud to the mountaintop and sat down on the ground.

Jiang Chaosheng didn’t stand on ceremony. He retracted the Scythe of Death, walked over to Niu Lang, and sat down candidly.

Niu Lang said:

“Sir, if you have any questions, please ask. I will answer anything I know.”

Jiang Chaosheng said:

“What is your relationship with Antique Shop Zero?”

The relationship Jiang Chaosheng was referring to was not the one between Antique Shop Zero and Taboo Items, but something else entirely.

Niu Lang was stunned.

“What?”

Jiang Chaosheng added:

“Your friend… which generation’s Manager of Antique Shop Zero was he?”

Niu Lang looked at Jiang Chaosheng in disbelief.

“Sir, how did you know…?”

Jiang Chaosheng chuckled lightly.

“Only someone who was an intimate friend of a Manager could know so much about Antique Shop Zero.”

Antique Shop Zero once had five rules, posted on the shelves in the back room, visible only to the Manager.

The shop was protected by the power of its rules. No matter if they were Immortals, Demons, and Monsters, none could deduce the shop’s rules through divination.

The higher-ups of Taiping Dao knew about Antique Shop Zero’s Curse, and that information must have come from Niu Lang.

‘How could Niu Lang have known?’

‘Of course, some foolish Manager must have told Niu Lang his weakness.’

“An intimate friend…”

Niu Lang repeated the words, a look of reminiscence in his eyes. After a long moment, a thousand emotions coalesced into a single sigh.

“Sigh… The first Manager of Antique Shop Zero, Mr. Fan, and I were friends who had faced life and death together.”

Jiang Chaosheng committed the name “Mr. Fan” to memory.

The Managers of Antique Shop Zero were never willing to reveal their own names.

After leaving Antique Shop Zero, they only hoped to live ordinary lives, undisturbed by anyone.

Jiang Chaosheng said:

“Tell me about him.”

Niu Lang took a deep breath.

“I once experienced a war.

In that battle, I lost almost all my memories.

Until the early Han Dynasty, I wandered in a daze, like a lost spirit.

Later, I met Mr. Fan.

Mr. Fan said he was going to contain me, to lock me away in Antique Shop Zero for all eternity.”

A trace of gratitude appeared in Niu Lang’s eyes.

“Mr. Fan was a good man. He was moved by my devotion to my love and ultimately let me go.

Come to think of it, Mr. Fan and I were kindred spirits.”

Jiang Chaosheng raised an eyebrow.

“Love? Kindred spirits?”

According to the records in the Antique Shop Zero Manager’s journal.

Niu Lang and Zhi Nv had what could only be described as a relationship of mutual love and destruction.

The web of love and hate between them was as tangled as a messy fishing net.

‘Even if one were to assume there was true love between Niu Lang and Zhi Nv, what did that have to do with the first Manager?’