Chapter Forty-Four: To Think She Was a Little Heiress After All

After Su Jian completely sealed the final opening, the solemn expression he had worn finally relaxed. Although he had not managed to eliminate Pei Ao Yun this time, the suffering of living in misery would be even more tormenting. Let the man wait in the luxurious chamber he had so carefully prepared, counting down the days until his lifespan was exhausted. Death is not the most terrifying thing; waiting for death is.

Su Jian glanced at Zhao Qian Xue, who seemed somewhat reluctant to leave, as though she had not had enough fun. “What is it… Haven’t you had your fill?” he asked.

Zhao Qian Xue denied it at once. “Not at all…”

Ah, a woman who says one thing and means another.

Su Jian did not press the matter further, but before leaving, he sensed something was amiss. Although no one could rescue Pei Ao Yun from this predicament, the Alliance of the Righteous would likely try to move the bedrock as well. So he set to work, reinforcing it with additional layers of bedrock. In moments, the thickness increased by dozens of irregular strata. It could not be stored in a spatial ring, and moving it would not be easy—at least several cultivators at the Nascent Soul stage would be required to shift it. As for transporting it back to the Alliance, that would be even more difficult.

Without delay, Su Jian continued on his journey with Zhao Qian Xue. The threat from the Alliance was temporarily resolved, and Su Jian motioned for Zhao Qian Xue to take him away on her sword. Based on Pei Ao Yun’s reaction moments ago, most of the cultivators who entered Lingzhou with the Alliance had likely perished beneath the lake of the City Lord’s Mansion.

Su Jian held Zhao Qian Xue’s waist tightly, racing toward Yingdu with all his strength. Along the way, his thoughts were many. The threat of the Alliance had never been truly resolved, and he was never one to passively endure misfortune. One must learn to strike first in such matters. His initial plan had been to summon another player to assist him, but after this experience, he realized his approach could be adjusted. It would be a pity not to make use of the Treasure Pavilion. Nevertheless, he still needed to summon a player as his helper; he could not do it himself, lest trouble find him.

Pei Ao Yun, after all, possessed the cultivation of the Nascent Soul stage and was unlikely to be impoverished. Furthermore, Su Jian now held Su Hen Li’s spatial ring, which would likely be enough to amass fifty thousand units of spiritual power.

Immediately, Su Jian withdrew Pei Ao Yun’s spatial ring and examined its contents, surprised by what he found. “I didn’t expect her to be such a little rich lady—carrying seven or eight hundred spirit stones, a mid-grade spiritual weapon, and a wealth of cultivation resources…” Among Nascent Soul cultivators, this was a considerable fortune.

[Conversion of spiritual power successful. Current remaining spiritual power: 51,560.]

Not too much, not too little—just over fifty thousand units. For now, there was no need to use Su Hen Li’s spatial ring. Yet Su Jian was not in a hurry to summon a player; he had already suspected that the summoned player would appear somewhere close to his own location. Before long, they had left the borders of Lingzhou entirely.

Su Jian could not help but reflect. Just days ago, when he first arrived, he had been full of worry, but now his circumstances were entirely different. Though his cultivation had not improved much, at least he no longer feared any Nascent Soul cultivator. Still, he must not grow complacent. Cultivators had countless means of survival, honed over centuries or millennia—each one possessed some method to preserve their life. Take Pei Ao Yun’s protective golden light, for instance; it had caught him completely off guard.

In short, the greatest danger in this world was arrogance and recklessness. Without prudence, no matter how powerful one’s golden finger, the end would most likely come so swiftly that one would not even know how they died.

...

As the sun set and dusk approached, Lord Tiger left the City Lord’s Mansion, his rage still simmering. Ouyang Ke had ruined his plans, and though disaster had been averted in the end, nothing could compensate for what had nearly occurred.

Just then, something stirred in his arms. Lord Tiger narrowed his eyes and flashed into a deep alleyway. After ensuring he was alone, he drew out a communication jade tablet from his robes. The tablet was stained with mud and looked somewhat yellowed, but it still functioned.

A mischievous-looking girl’s image appeared on the tablet. “Tiger, how goes the investigation I assigned you?”

Lord Tiger hesitated. “Master, there are no leads yet.”

The girl’s gaze grew cold. “Fool, they’ve already left the city!”

Lord Tiger fell silent. He had been watching the City Lord’s Mansion closely and had not noticed Su Jian and Zhao Qian Xue leaving.

They must have slipped out while he was at the bottom of the lake.

The girl sighed, her face weary. “They’re probably heading toward Yingdu. I hope this time there are no more mistakes. Otherwise, a foolish beast like you has no reason to keep living.”

Lord Tiger trembled and replied earnestly, “There will be no unexpected incidents this time!”

The girl frowned. “I care nothing for your assurances. I want results.”

She repeated her instructions, still uneasy: “Your main task is to follow them, track their exact movements, but do not let them notice you. Su Jian is not as simple as he appears.”

“Yes!” he replied.

Though he agreed, Lord Tiger inwardly cursed his luck. This task was truly troublesome. He could not even approach them, let alone use his divine sense.

He could not understand his master’s caution—her cultivation was low, and by rights, she should not be so wary.

Lord Tiger dared not delay any longer and set off toward Yingdu. But as he passed the place outside the city where Pei Ao Yun was trapped, he was immediately drawn to the scene below the clouds.

He could not recall these objects being here a few days prior.

Lord Tiger eyed the spectacle with suspicion. “Looks like meteorite iron from beyond the heavens—a fine material for forging weapons.”

His expression brightened and he prepared to store the bedrock in his spatial ring, but the object remained immovable.

Lord Tiger cried out in surprise. “What is this thing?”

There were exceedingly few things in the world that could not be stored in a spatial ring, and all of them were treasures. Yet faced with this enormous object, he was at a loss.

He still had important duties and could not linger, but fortune was right before him and he was unwilling to leave empty-handed.

As he pondered, several figures appeared in the distance, approaching rapidly.

Lord Tiger frowned. He had not expected to attract attention so quickly.

“Where did this filthy beggar come from? Get lost—this is no place for you!”