Chapter 1037 - 872: Rumors on the Wind

At the Central Bowan Building in Nanshan Royal City, Miao Dingyi, who had returned from the Heavenly Capital, was carefully instructing his trusted subordinate, Hu Cong.

Due to his familiarity with Shi Chun, the Heavenly Court had entrusted the task of handling the situation in Yanfu Continent to Miao Dingyi.

Before the assignment, he had been questioned about whether he knew that Shi Chun's mount could locate the sandalwood gold veins. Miao Dingyi, who had not reported this previously, naturally denied any knowledge of it before receiving the task.

Having reached Miao Dingyi's level, he normally wouldn't engage in such life-and-death battles anymore, so he delegated the task to Hu Cong to execute.

Despite Hu Cong's name sounding imposing, he appeared to be a plain-looking middle-aged man, dressed neatly, and exuded a sense of decorum in his speech and actions.

"Most of the people arranged by the Heavenly Court haven't met Shi Chun. Bring Cui Cai along as well."

"Understood." Hu Cong accepted the order.

His mission differed slightly from those of other factions because Shi Chun was with the Heavenly Court, enabling him to requisition the mount directly. If delayed, he would have to compete for it.

After watching Hu Cong depart, Miao Dingyi paced to the window, looking out and sighing softly. He hadn't anticipated the situation taking such a turn, and he was at a loss as to how it happened.

Initially, he planned to secretly gain control of the mount's abilities after confirmation. Now, the opportunity had slipped from his grasp.

Under the resplendent starlit sky, the excavation of the second sandalwood gold vein was still booming.

Sitting alone on a nearby sand dune and pondering for three full days, Shi Chun finally stood up, calling out, "Jinliang."

Wu Jinliang, equally troubled and in deep thought, rose upon hearing the call and flew over to his side, sighing before uttering a word.

Shi Chun said gravely, "I intend to go arrange for support; I'll leave this place to you."

Wu Jinliang, suddenly attentive, asked anxiously, "Do you have a plan?"

Shi Chun replied, "There are many plans. The difficult part is having the best of both worlds. After much consideration, the only option is for Huang Yingying to disguise herself and make a break for it. You stay here, continue mining with San, and I'll go out to handle Miao Dingyi, saying San is suppressed in Yanfu Continent and of no use. We'll agree on a two-year timeframe. When the time comes, no matter how much gold we've mined, you let Huang Yingying take as much gold as she can and break out."

Wu Jinliang was taken aback, "Aren't you overestimating Huang Yingying? He's only been cultivating the Demon Book for about a year. How can he break through the advanced defensive array with his current strength?"

"I have some insight into breaking arrays," Shi Chun said, pulling out a metal umbrella to hand over, "Once Huang Yingying reaches the edge of the exit, she can carefully initiate the 'Beidou Refusal Array.' If the defensive array can't withstand its power, it should break open, allowing Huang Yingying to escape amid the chaos. If it can't break through, she should quickly retreat to Yanfu Continent."

Wu Jinliang was stunned for a moment, slowly taking the umbrella and then expressing concern, "I'm just worried that if Huang Yingying breaks out, she might not escape being hunted down!"

Shi Chun: "Do you think I'm going out for show? I said I would provide support, and I'm going to figure out a way. With two years to prepare, it shouldn't be a big problem. The Two Realms Channel outside isn't an issue, so why worry about her escaping?"

Wu Jinliang remained worried, "When we came in, everyone left their Lifebound Lantern outside. How can we cover up if someone is missing when we leave?"

Shi Chun: "You don't need to worry about that. Huang Yingying is just going out, not dead. I'll find a way to resolve it. If all else fails, see if we can organize a team under a different identity to bring her back in."

Wu Jinliang: "Taking out so much money, it's too risky to fill Young Master Nan's gap with it."

Shi Chun: "You're overthinking it. As long as we have money, that's not an issue. Do you think Young Master Nan wouldn't have a way to clean it up himself?"

Hearing this, Wu Jinliang pondered for a moment, then nodded, "That's true. He's probably done this kind of thing a lot with those people." Then he cheered up, excitedly slapping his leg, "Alright, you go out and arrange the support; leave this to me. I'll make sure Huang Yingying takes several mountains of gold out with her."

Having confirmed the route, the two immediately began discussing the details…

On the streets of Heavenly Domain Dingnan Prefecture, the uproar regarding Commander Shi Chun was in full swing. However, it hadn't significantly affected the burgeoning prosperity. As for the many impoverished individuals, what good would hearing the news do them? Most remained incapable of changing the situation or themselves, and could only continue on as they were.

In a newly opened tailor's shop, also selling ready-made clothes, Feng Chi, visiting for the first time, was attended by the owner herself.

After selecting a few outfits and entering to change, the shopkeeper suddenly whispered, "The second-floor window of the hotel opposite directly faces my second-floor window. We can see each other if something comes up."

She implied that in uncertain situations, where there was no contact but visibility, it facilitated safe communication via the Mother-child Talisman.

She was the one sent by the Demon Path's Tianyi Sect to liaise with Feng Chi.

They would avoid meeting as much as possible in the future, and Feng Chi was here to identify her.

Feng Chi nodded slightly, carefully observing her without saying much.

The shopkeeper suddenly chuckled, "The Battle of Great Pardon wasn't that long ago; how could you not recognize me?"

Just as Feng Chi found the woman's voice familiar, she suddenly recalled the woman who claimed to be her predecessor Holy Daughter, exclaiming in surprise, "Su Mian?"

The shopkeeper nodded and smiled, "It's me. My face has been altered a bit; it's understandable if you didn't recognize me."

Feng Chi asked in surprise, "How did you end up here?"

Su Mian's smile contained a hint of bitterness, "The other two sects already know about me. Do you think I can still return to my original sect and conceal my identity? Su Mian is dead."

Feng Chi fell silent. As someone from the channel, she knew such a hidden lifestyle was entirely normal.

Now aware of the other party's identity, she couldn't help but ask, "Is that Demon Altar still in the Extreme Abyss?"

Su Mian: "The demon altar was moved before the Extreme Abyss closed, but this is not the demonic altar that the Three Sects want. The world that opened after the altar disappeared and cannot be found, only then could the base of the altar be moved out by the Three Families. Otherwise, the existence of one world cannot be stored in ordinary storage space."

Feng Chi was surprised, "How did the world inside the demon altar disappear so suddenly?"

Su Mian: "I don't know. The Three Sects should still be investigating this matter. I guess they won't easily give up without getting results. But that is not our concern now. What the higher-ups want to know is what exactly is going on with Shi Chun's mount, as it has caused such a commotion."

Feng Chi sighed: "I've repeatedly said it, I really don't know if that mount can see the sandalwood gold veins. It might be a rumor, anyway Shi Chun has never mentioned it."

Su Mian: "Considering such a big financial hole in the Dingnan Prefecture, it's somewhat credible. Otherwise, the Five Families wouldn't have reacted so strongly. As for your suggestion to organize a team to support Shi Chun, the higher-ups can't do it, not because they can't afford the 'Gold Collection Order' money, but because the Five Families have already made a move. Who dares to take a share now? Forcing it would be too suspicious, impossible to do."

The Demon Path dared not intervene to help, Feng Chi was silent and worried. What kind of power are those Five Families? Even a fool knows that Shi Chun is about to face great danger...

In a small town, by a shimmering lake, dense green willows cast shadows.

A fenced garden filled with vibrant fruits and vegetables. There was no fence by the lakeside, stone steps were laid down, and a woman returned to the garden with a wooden basin after washing clothes.

A little girl of about four or five squatted beside a large melon, gently stroking it. The woman crossed the garden, smiled warmly, and went to hang clothes behind the house.

This house was both her home and her shop.

The shop sold paper crafts, and various lanterns hung under the eaves along the street, swaying in the wind.

Inside the shop, a tall, thin man with long, slender fingers was skillfully weaving bamboo strips, periodically stopping to space out.

If Shi Chun were here, he would recognize him as the owner of a certain stonecutter shop in the Netherworld.

Now the stonecutter had become a bamboo craftsman.

After hanging the clothes, the woman came into the front shop, noticed him spacing out, and softly said: "Let me do it. Go check on Little Qing; she wants to pick that unripe melon again."

"Okay." The man came back to his senses, wiped his hands with a cloth beside him, and left.

At the back hall's doorway, he leaned against the door frame, watching the little girl enjoy herself in the garden, unable to resist pulling out a jade scroll as wide as a fingertip, gently tracing it in his hand.

There's a mysterious assassin organization in the Cultivation World called the "Blood Shadow Pavilion." In fact, he was one of the founders.

Thus, he knew many secrets of the Blood Shadow Pavilion, such as the true purpose of its establishment was not just for that bit of commission, but to grasp some secrets between life and death. As for how those secrets would be used by those behind the scenes, he didn't know.

For self-preservation, he secretly left a backdoor in the Blood Shadow Pavilion, so secrets controlled by the Pavilion would appear with a shadow clone, delivering them to a very safe place, like books sent from the Netherworld to the Yin Yang Realm.

After eight hundred years, he emerged from the Netherworld, intending to stay away from the Blood Shadow Pavilion, never to touch it again.

However, life's unexpected, even the calmest life will have waves. You don't provoke others, others will provoke you.

Still for self-preservation, he began visiting that secret delivery point irregularly. By reviewing the secrets accumulated over eight hundred years, he found useful information that quietly helped resolve his troubles.

Recently, he saw a surprising message. In the jade scroll he was touching, someone hired killers from the Blood Shadow Pavilion to assassinate Shi Chun. Though the assassination failed, the employer's identity had been uncovered by the Pavilion and was recorded in the jade scroll.

Originally he didn't plan to intervene, believing he had severed ties with Shi Chun, but recent rumors caused him unease.

Though this is a remote small town, some rumors can still reach this corner. Many in the town were discussing the matter, several major forces were preparing to act against Shi Chun.

The sudden outbreak of rumors was not simple, evidently unfavorable to Shi Chun. He wasn't sure if it related to the employer in the jade scroll.

He didn't care about Shi Chun's fate; what worried him was Shi Chun falling into irresistible hands, potentially exposing his whereabouts.

He also wasn't sure if this news would help Shi Chun resolve the crisis.

Should he deliver it to Shi Chun's side, he hesitated greatly.

"Dad." Her daughter's calling pulled him back. She had caught a butterfly, waving it in her hand for him to see.

After taking his wife from the Netherworld to live in seclusion here, her body was finally nurtured to good health, thus they had their daughter.

His daughter's innocence and charm made him take a deep breath, prompting him to make a decision to avoid the trouble, deciding to send the jade scroll over to Shi Chun's side, hoping it could help resolve the crisis.

He then returned to the front shop, approached his wife who was pasting paper onto frames, and whispered: "I have to go out for a few days."

His wife looked up at him, then lightly nodded.

She knew he had his reasons for going out, no need to ask, even if asked, he wouldn't tell.

In her husband's words, the less known, the better.

After packing up, the man left the house quietly.

From the shop diagonally opposite, a woman lying on a lounge chair chewing dried fruit narrowed her eyes, watched him leave, then continued eating and drinking.