Chapter 489: Since You Are Courting Death, Then I Will Grant Your Wish

Zuo Fan’s demands quickly caused quite a stir at the banquet.

This drew the displeasure of the Sect Leader and the various Peak Masters.

Their displeasure was directed not only at Shen Chen, but at Zuo Fan as well.

Something like this could have been handled privately. There was no need to make such an ugly public scene.

After all, it wasn’t just the Yanghuang Sect present; the other eight major sects were there too.

In addition, there were also renowned and powerful families. The moment it was said, it couldn’t be kept quiet, so the matter blew up immediately.

Under this pressure, they couldn’t just raise the issue and then drop it lightly. Doing so would not only damage the Yanghuang Sect’s reputation but also affect its internal unity.

Someone won first place under everyone’s watchful eyes, but now he was supposed to give it up because of his poor background? Is that reasonable?

It was worth noting that there were many disciples like Zuo Fan, orphans raised by the Yanghuang Sect from a young age. They even made up the majority of the lower and middle ranks, and there were quite a few in the upper echelons as well.

Displeased or not, this sort of trend had to be stopped immediately. Otherwise, the other eight major sects would follow up with all sorts of schemes against the Yanghuang Sect.

Even if it wouldn’t lead to the sect’s collapse, it would still suffer a heavy blow.

Subsequently, Shen Chen, his parents, and their affiliated forces were detained and investigated, but the results wouldn’t be resolved overnight.

If their background was powerful enough, they would most likely get a slap on the wrist as a warning, and then the matter would be downplayed.

After all, the Yanghuang Sect’s upper echelons had more to consider. The fact that the Shen Family had such power meant they had a solid foundation; they couldn’t be dealt with so straightforwardly.

Because of this, the banquet ended early.

Afterward, everyone went their separate ways.

Qi Suian returned to his candy shop to continue lazing around.

However, business had become extremely brisk. But Qi Suian stuck to his usual habits.

This popularity didn’t last long. After two or three days of hype, it died down and returned to how it was before.

Not everyone was willing to travel all the way to Azure Flame Peak just for a piece of candy. The customer base remained the local commoners and the disciples of Azure Flame Peak.

“A rare guest. To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit, Peak Master? You truly honor my humble shop.”

In the afternoon, Qi Suian looked up and saw Shi Hanwen arrive, so he spoke up.

“I can’t compare to you, Boss Tang. Your Tang’s Candy Shop is now famous throughout the nine sects,” Shi Hanwen teased after arriving.

He then sat down and said, “Zuo Fan said he was able to win the championship because he received your guidance?”

“I wouldn’t dare call it guidance. I’m not a Spirit Master, I just gave a little help,” Qi Suian replied.

Since the end of the grand competition, Qi Suian had only seen Zuo Fan once. He had been sent to the Red Flame Spirit Realm for training.

The Zuo Fan of today was already a candidate for Sect Leader of the Yanghuang Sect. As long as he developed well, he would have the qualifications to compete for the position.

“I’m very curious. What exactly was this ‘little help’ you gave? It’s incredible that it could allow an underdog like him to advance by leaps and bounds to take first place.”

“The Sect Leader also asked Zuo Fan, but he wouldn’t say.”

“So, I had no choice but to come and ask you,” Shi Hanwen said.

Qi Suian picked up the tea beside him, took a sip, and then said, “I see great potential in him, so I gave him two Spiritual Techniques passed down in my family.”

“These two Spiritual Techniques are a perfect match for the Blazing Flame Sword Qi, which is why he became so strong.”

Shi Hanwen heard Qi Suian’s explanation and, while he accepted it, he knew it wasn’t the whole story.

“The Spiritual Techniques make sense. That’s convincing enough for me.”

“But I’ve made inquiries. Zuo Fan’s aptitude isn’t good. Even with two Spiritual Techniques to compensate, he couldn’t have reached such a level.”

“His aptitude has been improved.” As someone who could become a Peak Master, Shi Hanwen certainly had a discerning eye.

He saw through to the heart of the matter at a glance.

It was only because his own level was too low that he couldn’t perceive the Pure Yang Fire Seed between Zuo Fan’s brows.

“One of my Spiritual Techniques can improve a person’s aptitude.” Qi Suian wasn’t lying; the *Pure Yang Wuji Heart Method* he had written did indeed have this function.

It was just that to fully utilize it, one needed the Pure Yang Fire Seed.

“These two Spiritual Techniques of yours are extraordinary. That’s why the Sect Leader sent me to ask if you’d be willing to hand them over to the Yanghuang Sect.”

“You can name your price.” Shi Hanwen had naturally come here with a goal in mind.

In truth, he and Sect Leader Xu Ziyang had already guessed this was a possibility, but they couldn’t say it openly.

Moreover, this was a fortuitous opportunity that Zuo Fan had obtained as a disciple.

If Zuo Fan was willing to hand it over, that would be for the best. If he wasn’t, they couldn’t force him to.

They couldn’t set that kind of precedent, or the Yanghuang Sect would descend into chaos.

Therefore, after some discussion, they quickly zeroed in on Qi Suian, the owner of Tang’s Candy Shop.

Shi Hanwen had probed, Qi Suian hadn’t hidden anything, and so they had arrived at this point.

“‘You can name your price’ just means you won’t necessarily agree to it,” Qi Suian commented, then continued, “I imagine that when Stone Peak Master came here, you already had a price in mind.”

“Why don’t you name that price?”

Shi Hanwen wasn’t particularly surprised to hear Qi Suian say this. He then said, “Two benefits.”

“Your candy shop can become a directly-affiliated business of the Yanghuang Sect. You won’t have to worry about anyone coming to cause trouble.”

“And in the future, your descendants for the next three generations can all directly become disciples of the Yanghuang Sect.”

How to put it? These two “benefits” were utterly lacking in sincerity.

The first was just taking his shop for nothing. Afterward, the ownership would belong to the Yanghuang Sect. If someone decided to make an issue of it one day, they could take the shop away completely.

The second was even more absurd. Qi Suian didn’t even have any children. A guaranteed spot like this was completely useless to him, and it was only limited to three generations.

Qi Suian’s two Spiritual Techniques were valuable enough to take the Yanghuang Sect to a whole new level.

“Stone Peak Master’s first benefit is meant to imply that while the Shen Family can’t touch Zuo Fan, they *can* touch an outsider candy maker like me, right?” Qi Suian immediately understood the other party’s meaning.

It was nothing more than a test of Qi Suian’s “sincerity.”

In any case, Qi Suian wasn’t a disciple of the Yanghuang Sect; he was just an outsider.

If he gave it to them, everyone would be happy, and the Yanghuang Sect would grant him a bit of face.

But if he didn’t, they had plenty of ways to make him hand it over, and they could even take his life afterward.

The Yanghuang Sect was indeed the number one sect in the world, but that didn’t mean everyone in it was righteous and upstanding. There was plenty of filth hiding within.

It was just that everyone usually cared about saving face, so they hadn’t torn off the masks of civility.

Now that Qi Suian was unwilling to give them face, they had no reason to give him any face either.

“You can’t put it that way. This is for your own good, Boss Tang,” Shi Hanwen replied.

As for the idea that without Qi Suian, no one could do their cosmetic enhancements?

The upper echelons of the Yanghuang Sect had survived this long; how could any of them be foolish enough to sacrifice their tangible interests for some fake appearances?

It was best to have those enhancements as long as it didn’t interfere with their interests. But now, compared to the Spiritual Techniques, they were practically worthless.

According to the speculation of Yanghuang Sect’s Leader, Xu Ziyang, the two Spiritual Techniques Zuo Fan possessed were in no way inferior to their own Sect’s Spiritual Techniques.

As the number one sect in the world, they only possessed two such techniques. For an ordinary person like Qi Suian to have an equal number, they would certainly have to “safeguard” them for him.

“These two Spiritual Techniques are extraordinary. For them to remain with you, Boss Tang, is also a kind of danger.”

“On the other hand, if you hand them over to us, the Yanghuang Sect, not only can they be put to their best use, but we can also guarantee your safety, Boss Tang.” Shi Hanwen dropped the act and directly demanded them, albeit phrased a bit more euphemistically.

And his tone carried a hint of a threat.

But Qi Suian shook his head. “I can give them to you, yes. Bring me the heads of everyone in the Shen Family, from top to bottom, and lay them before me. I’ll give you the original copies immediately.”

“For real?” Shi Hanwen hadn’t expected him to be so straightforward.

“Yes, for real,” Qi Suian said with a faint smile.

‘As if my things are so easy to take.’

‘When the time comes, I’ll just need to make a few slight modifications, and these two Spiritual Techniques will have all sorts of flaws.’

‘They might even have side effects like shortening one’s lifespan, causing physical harm, and so on.’

“I’m just an ordinary person. Where would I get the nerve to deceive you, Stone Peak Master?”

Qi Suian’s change in attitude made Shi Hanwen suspicious. “You’re not planning to give us incomplete versions, are you?”

“How could I? They’ll be absolutely complete. However, I have to tell you in advance that the cultivation of Spiritual Techniques varies from person to person. You know this as well.”

“Zuo Fan could master it, but I couldn’t. You’ve seen that for yourself.”

“So if the disciples of the Yanghuang Sect can’t master them, or run into any problems while practicing, it has nothing to do with me.” Qi Suian was giving him a heads-up.

He planned to add negative side effects to the two Spiritual Techniques while preserving their primary effects.

“That’s natural. As long as you guarantee they are authentic and complete, any failure to master them or problems that arise from practicing will have nothing to do with you, Boss Tang.” Shi Hanwen had his own conditions, too.

If Qi Suian gave them fakes or deliberately modified versions, they certainly wouldn’t let him off the hook.

“I’m giving you the original copies,” Qi Suian said nonchalantly.

Qi Suian was, of course, skilled in the art of aging things.

His skill might not have been master-level, but it was more than enough to fool them.

“Good. It’s a deal. Before nightfall, I will let you see the heads of everyone in the Shen Family.”

“And from now on, no one will disturb your business, Boss Tang,” Shi Hanwen declared, sealing the deal.

They didn’t care whether Qi Suian lived or died. As long as the Spiritual Techniques fell into their hands, it wasn’t absolutely necessary to silence him.

If something could happen to a person right at the foot of Azure Flame Peak, it would mean the Yanghuang Sect was in its twilight years.

If the number one sect in the world couldn’t even protect one person, they shouldn’t be worrying about the Spiritual Techniques leaking. They should be worrying about their own future.

“That’s it? No support or promotion?” Qi Suian added.

“Of course, of course.” Once the matter was settled, Shi Hanwen’s expression was no longer serious but became amiable. “Boss Tang, your cosmetic designs aren’t just appreciated by our Yanghuang Sect. Plenty of people from the other sects fancy them as well.”

“When the time comes, I’ll have to rely on you for an introduction, Boss Tang.”

Shi Hanwen was truly adaptable, changing his tune in an instant.

“Not at all, not at all. Then I must thank you, Stone Peak Master, for helping to build that bridge,” Qi Suian said, taking the olive branch. “For this one session with you, Stone Peak Master, I won’t charge a fee.”

“How could I accept that? Business is business.” Shi Hanwen’s face suddenly turned stern. “Today’s matter was all thanks to you, Boss Tang, and future business will also rely on you.”

“There’s no reason not to charge a fee.”