Du Yanbei wasn’t familiar with those two, Woolong and Ma Xianming; they had merely crossed paths a few times and hardly counted as life-and-death friends.
This time, the initiative for today’s operation was taken by Woolong.
Du Yanbei, captivated by the Thousand-Year Spiritual Milk and perhaps other treasures possessed by Lu Yuanshan, had agreed in a moment of folly.
Now, if he wanted to back out, could he not leave?
As he furrowed his brow, Ma Xianming, who blocked his way, spoke once more, his tone full of hostility.
"Du Yanbei, your words mean nothing to me now. After you leave, it’ll be as if we’ve never met today."
"But since we know each other, don’t blame me for not warning you. If you want to leave, then go, but don’t you dare spread what we’ve discussed, or don’t blame us for turning against you!"
By the last sentence, Ma Xianming’s tone was full of threat.
The room’s atmosphere instantly turned tense.
He feared that if Du Yanbei leaked any information after leaving, it would give Lu Yuanshan and his siblings a chance to prepare, complicating matters.
Who knows if they could deal with the Lu brothers and sisters smoothly.
"Rest assured on this matter."
Understanding Ma Xianming’s concerns, Du Yanbei immediately wore a serious expression and explained.
"I have no ties whatsoever with the Cyan Mountain Sect, and today was my first encounter with the Lu siblings, so their lives or deaths are none of my concern. Why would I spread word of this and offend you?"
"Heh, it’s good you understand."
Still seated, Woolong cracked a sinister smile: "Since you said so, keep your lips sealed!"
"Hmph!" Ma Xianming, hearing this, eased his vigilance somewhat and acknowledged Du Yanbei’s reply with just a cold snort before stepping aside: "Take care, won’t see you out!"
"Since we are somewhat acquainted, there’s still a word of advice I must give you."
Before leaving, Du Yanbei hesitated but spoke up.
"In this matter, when you act, make sure to cover your tracks well; don’t leave any evidence behind. Otherwise, if the Cyan Mountain Sect bears a grudge, you’ll suffer the consequences!"
With those words said, Du Yanbei remained silent and, after one last look at Ma Xianming and Woolong, left the room.
After Du Yanbei’s departure, the atmosphere in the room was silent for quite a while.
Ma Xianming furrowed his brow and was the first to break the silence.
"Brother Woo, do you think this kid Du Yanbei is changing his mind because he sensed something unusual? Should we stop and observe the Lu siblings a bit more?"
"What else is there to observe? Opportunities don’t wait; are we going to wait till they merge with the Dragon and Snake Powder, grow stronger, and then act?"
Woolong raised an eyebrow, expressing some complaint.
"You weren’t thinking carefully either, using Dragon and Snake Powder for exchange, isn’t that nourishing a tiger to one’s peril?"
The Dragon and Snake Powder can enhance the cultivation of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. If Lu Yuanshan or Lu Zhiwei refine and consume it, their strength would undoubtedly increase, escalating the difficulty against them.
"Do you think I want that? I’m running low on resources, you know it too!"
"Besides adding a bottle of Dragon and Snake Powder, what Tier Two or Tier Three treasure can I produce?"
"To exchange for that Celestial Ruins Godslaying Saber, I’ve already given up two Tier Three Middle Grade Spiritual Artifacts, and now I’m completely broke!"
"Enough, let’s act quickly. Your Blazing Heaven Sword and Dragon and Snake Powder are already out there. If we give up now, it’s not worth it."
"That Celestial Ruins Godslaying Saber, after all, came from Liu Qiu Mei. Although her artifact refining mastery isn’t as unfathomable as Elder Jiang’s, within the Chu Kingdom, she’s undoubtedly a refining prodigy!"
As the two discussed, Du Yanbei had already left the inn.
Stepping onto the main street of Celestial South Market, Du Yanbei secretly let out a sigh of relief.
If while still in the room, Ma Xianming and Woolong had suddenly acted to kill and silence him, relying on his own First-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivation would truly be no match.
He might have had to die there.
Fortunately, they didn’t do so.
This being Celestial South Market’s area, with Elder Jiang overseeing it, even a typical Golden Core Ancestor wouldn’t act recklessly, not to mention a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.
Ma Xianming and Woolong had some guts, having committed acts of murdering and seizing treasures, but not enough to act here.
They simply didn’t have the guts.
"Take care of yourselves!"
After one last glance towards the inn, Du Yanbei turned and walked out of the market, ready to return to the Zong Family immediately.
As Ma Xianming and Woolong prepared to proceed according to their plan, Liu Qiu Mei, residing in Cold Mountain Pavilion, was now flying her sword alone towards Nine Cold Mountain.
Crossing three Spirit Veins along the way, she landed outside a grand cave mansion at the summit of Nine Cold Mountain.
"Qiumei seeks an audience with Master!"
She called into the cave mansion, not daring to take another step forward.
After a moment, the restriction on the cave mansion opened, and a female voice drifted from inside.
Liu Qiu Mei, upon hearing this, respectfully entered the cave mansion and immediately saw a stunning beauty who appeared to be in her early twenties.
This woman was sitting cross-legged in a lazy manner.
A pill furnace stood majestically in front of her, with deep purple flames blazing within, emitting a faint medicinal fragrance, clearly refining some sort of elixir.
Seeing this, Liu Qiu Mei stood silently to the side, not daring to disturb her master’s alchemy.
Who would have thought, the mighty Elder Jiang of the Chu Kingdom is actually a woman.
"How did the Trade Conference go?" Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs NoveI(F)ire.net
After a moment of silence, Elder Jiang spoke, her voice very calm, revealing no hints of emotion.
Since Liu Qiu Mei had come, it was a good time to inquire about the results of the conference.
Liu Qiu Mei responded, "To report to Master, the conference progressed fairly well, but... this scroll of the Cyan Wood Longevity Scripture couldn’t be traded away."
"At the time, there was no one present who could produce a Gold Core Level Sword Cultivation Technique."
"Disciple was ineffective, please forgive me, Master."
Liu Qiu Mei took out the Cyan Wood Longevity Scripture, presented it to Elder Jiang, and bowed her head.
In three years of managing Cold Mountain, it was her first time organizing a Trade Conference, never expecting a treasure to go unsold.
And this treasure was specifically instructed by her master to be exchanged for a Golden Core Technique.
"This isn’t your fault."
Elder Jiang said quietly, not hurrying to take the technique, but instead asking.
"Were there any Golden Core Cultivators present at the time? Or which Golden Core influences were there?"
In the Chu Kingdom, there were only a few Golden Core Ancestors who could visit Nine Cold Mountain, Elder Jiang would know immediately.
As for Golden Core influences, they were few and easily guessed.
Now asking this was merely to confirm.