To a cultivator, the years passed by very quickly. In the blink of an eye, a whole year had passed. However, it seemed as though last year's incident in Suppressing Tenth Hall during the handover of the annual tribute had only just happened yesterday.
For this year's handover, neither Miao Yi, Zhao Fei, nor Sikong Wuwei attended. They had sent a message to the Hall Master beforehand telling him straight up that they wished to avoid meeting Xu Jinsong for the time being, for fear that the air would be awkward between them. Shen Huaixin obliged.
Their three Manors had each sent a squadron to carry the annual tribute over to Suppressing Tenth Hall. Once his troops had returned, Miao Yi immediately called for Mu Tailai and Hu Defu—who were tasked with leading the troops—and asked about the situation.
Within the main hall, after reading through the signoff document on the tribute given to Mu Tailai and Hu Defu, Miao Yi raised his hand and gestured them to sit down and talk. He casually asked, "Were you able to hand over the tribute smoothly?"
They replied, "Everything went smoothly!"
Miao Yi then asked, "The three Advisors didn't try to make things hard on you?"
They shook their heads, "We were also worried about this before we left for Suppressing Tenth Hall, and were afraid that we would fail the Manor Head's task. However, the three Advisors didn't say anything at all. As a result, our mission was completed rather smoothly."
"Good!" Miao Yi nodded, then continued, "How is Advisor Xu's injury?"
'Is he actually being nice and showing concern for the enemy?' Mu Tailai and Hu Defu looked at one another, then the former replied, "A whole year has passed after all. Even if his recovery was slow, his injuries are mostly healed. From the looks of it, he seemed fine enough!"
Miao Yi couldn't help his surprise. He asked, "Then he's already grown back his severed arm?"
'So that's what he's concerned about. I seem to have heard that the person who chopped off Advisor Xu's arm was this very man before me!' Mu Tailai replied, "No, not yet. His arm has not regrown!"
Miao Yi finally heaved a sigh of relief. After being heavily wounded by him in a single battle, Xu Jinsong probably wouldn't be bold enough to come looking for trouble without first making a full recovery...
Suppressing Tenth City, Suppressing Tenth Hall. This was a major city with a population of over five million people, and also the vassal city of Hall Master Shen Huaixin.
Within the quiet streets of the city sat the branch shop of the Celestial Nation's Chamber of Commerce. After making his payment, Xu Jinsong opened a jade box, and lying quietly inside of it was a Glorious Star Immortal Herb that was half a meter long.
With the passing of a year, all his wounds besides the severed arm had fully recovered. Just like how Mu Tailai had reported to Miao Yi.
After making sure that the goods were fine, Xu Jinsong closed up the box and tucked it away. He cast his gaze at the fair, well-shaven man facing him and asked, "Chu Zhehui, why did you have me come all the way here for this? Don't tell me the sum was too little for me to call you over?"
In front of him, Chu Zhehui hurriedly cupped his fists and said, "Advisor Xu, your words hurt me deeply. If you think the price of a Glorious Star Immortal Herb is considered a small deal, then there's a little too many of such small deals in the world. The reason I called you here this time is because there is someone else who would like to talk about a different deal with you."
Xu Jinsong looked around, but found nothing amiss in the trade room. He blankly responded, "Ohh? Who is the expert who wishes to talk business with me?"
"Please wait a moment, Advisor Xu! I'll go get them right away." Chu Zhehui cupped his fists and excused himself, then quickly stood up and left the room.
Xu Jinsong waited on his own for a short while, when the doors to the room were opened, and a middle-aged woman walked in. Her hair was tied up high in a bun, and she adorned a black silk dress. As she stepped inside the room, she turned around and shut the door, then gracefully made her way to sit right in front of Xu Jinsong.
"Don't tell me the person that Chu Zhehui wanted me to meet was Manager Su? If it's you, then why did he need to be so secretive about it? We're old acquaintances anyway." Xu Jinsong huffed. He knew the identity of the woman sitting before him. The Manager for the Chamber of Commerce's Suppressing Tenth City branch by the name of Su Yanran. This was not their first time meeting each other.
Su Yanran smiled, "Yes, it's me. It's just that some things don't exactly comply with the rules of the Chamber of Commerce, so it's best to be a little careful."
"Stop beating around the bush. Just tell me what you want!" Xu Jinsong was a little irritated. The Chamber of Commerce and the local administration never interfered in one another's business, so he had no idea what this woman was planning to do.
Su Yanran was a little confused, "Didn't Chu Zhehui tell you that I'm here to make a deal with you, Advisor?"
"Manager Su, there's no point in speaking riddles between intelligent people. If there really was some kind of trade, then it can be easily dealt with between me and Chu Zhehui. There's no need for you to get involved. What are you plotting?"
"Advisor Xu, don't you think you're being a little too hasty? I am indeed trying to make a trade with you." Su Yanran raised her slender finger, then pointed at Xu Jinsong's hollow sleeve. She said, "It's a deal that would help you restore your severed arm."
Xu Jinsong's eyes brightened slightly. He chuckled, "Then I'd really like to hear what you have to say. What sort of deal are you going to give me to help restore my severed arm?"
Su Yanran sighed, "Haa! I've also heard the tragic stories about you, Advisor Xu. I'm just a little curious. Don't you wish to take revenge for that severed arm?"
Naturally, this was not a topic that Xu Jinsong was happy to discuss. His face darkened as he replied, "What does my revenge have to do with you?"
Su Yanran smiled, "Advisor Xu, if the only thing stopping you from taking revenge is the rules of the administration, then rest assured. Someone is willing to help you settle this vendetta, and eliminate Miao Yi, Zhao Fei, and Sikong Wuwei for you!"
"There's actually something that's this convenient?" Xu Jinsong scoffed.
Su Yanran then pointed to his storage ring and said, "If you wish to recover that severed arm of yours, I'm afraid just a thousand-year old immortal herb is not enough. However, if you had a ten thousand-year old Glorious Star Immortal Herb or two Spiritual Recovery Pills, then you can definitely restore that arm in one go. A certain someone heard that Advisor Xu was patient enough to recover his arm slowly, and guessed that maybe you were short on funds. As such, they are willing to lend you a hand."
"Then I'd really like to know who this kind soul could be."
"That's not something I can say."
Xu Jinsong wasn't a fool. He shook his head and said, "I don't believe in lucky coincidences. Cut to the chase. What do you need me to do?"
Su Yanran leaned forward slightly and rested her arms on the table in front of her. She whispered, "You only need to find an excuse to force the three of them out of Celestial Nation territory. After that, someone will naturally help you take care of them."
Xu Jinsong raised an eyebrow at this. He immediately guessed that the person who wished to kill Miao Yi and the others were most likely afraid to breach the rules of the administration. After all, everyone knew that those three Manor Heads were assigned by the Celestial Sage's command, and their individual domains each make up ten million followers. They weren't just any minor characters. If they were killed under unusual circumstances within the Celestial Nation's domain, then news of it would immediately spread across the nation. The higher-ups would definitely get to the bottom of it, and wouldn't rest until they did. The other party evidently knew how troublesome this would be as well, so they didn't dare to make their move recklessly.
Xu Jinsong scoffed, "Those bastards don't even have the slightest hint of respect for me. How could I possibly send them out of the Celestial Nation?"
"That's not true. As long as you're willing to lend us a hand, then there will naturally be someone to create an opportunity from the outside and set up the perfect conditions for Advisor Xu to send those three away."
"Forgive my ignorance, but I can't think of any way that would be convenient for me to send those three out of our nation's borders."
Su Yanran suddenly switched to voice transmission and conveyed, "Let's say for example, the legendary Netherdragon Ship of Flowing Clouds Dune Sea has resurfaced, and there is a need for a group of capable individuals to scout it out."
Xu Jinsong was taken aback. He asked curiously, "Then what excuse can I use to delegate the three of them specifically?"
"Let's say for example that your domain was coincidentally selected to send a group of people over." Su Yanran revealed a teasing look as she smiled and said, "Forgive me for being blunt, but in these parts, there aren't many cultivators who could be considered capable individuals. In contrast, those three that just came back from the Sea of Constellations Subjugation Crusade couldn't be a better fit for such a task. Is this not a good enough excuse for you, Advisor Xu? As long as you put some more thought into it, I believe it shouldn't be too difficult for you to come up with something."
As Xu Jinsong contemplated the underlying notions, he couldn't help his shock. Who exactly were these people who wanted Miao Yi and the others dead? Spreading the rumor on Flowing Cloud Dunes Sea wasn't the scary part. What's scary was that these people were able to get the higher-ups on this side to send people over. Logically speaking, someone capable of doing such a thing could easily take care of Miao Yi and the others. All they needed to do was send them somewhere dangerous and the problem would be settled. Yet, they were doing things in such a roundabout manner. This was a little too unusual.
Things were a little too mysterious, and Xu Jinsong couldn't help shuddering. Since the other party had such capabilities, they wouldn't kill him after the deed was done… would they?
It was a little risky for him to get too deeply involved in this matter. He immediately stood up and scoffed, "Why do I need to go so far to eliminate those three? If I want to take revenge, then I'll do it myself. I much prefer settling my vendettas with my own two hands! I will pretend I didn't hear what you said today. I won't tell it to anyone either. So long!"
Su Yanran had yet to realize that her words had frightened the other party. Hearing Xu Jinsong say that he wished to take revenge himself, she also stood up and smiled, "Then I shall await for your good news, Advisor Xu. If things don't go as smoothly as you hope, you are welcome to look for me anytime. I am always available."
Xu Jinsong didn't want to continue on this topic. Even though he wanted Miao Yi and the others dead, he didn't want to risk his life to do so. For someone from the Chamber of Commerce to suddenly come to him and say they were going to help him take revenge, and even made everything so mysterious on top of that, it gave him chills just thinking about it. He wanted absolutely nothing to do with this affair, and hurriedly took his leave...
In the blink of an eye, two more years had passed. Sitting cross-legged within his silent quarters, Miao Yi let out a smile as the mark of a Blue Lotus Third Grade cultivation shone on his forehead.
As he predicted, after breaking through to the Third Grade, his refining speed had gone up once again from four orbs a day to five. He would also need to refine about 10,240 Orbs of Will to break through to Blue Lotus Fourth Grade. He expected that he should be able to reach this stage in five and a half years.
After roughly doing the calculations, he immediately tossed in another Orb of Will into his mouth and resumed his cultivation...
On a certain day five years later, Miao Yi was speculating that it wouldn't be long before he broke through to Blue Lotus Fourth Grade, when suddenly, Qian'Er's voice came from the outside, "Master!"
Miao Yi slowly opened his eyes and asked, "What's the matter?"
After hearing his response, Qian'Er and Xue'Er entered the room. They looked a little hesitant to speak.
Miao Yi grew a little anxious at the sight of this. He immediately put his cultivation to a stop and got down from the bed and asked, "Did something happen outside?"
The two girls shook their heads, and Xue'Er said, "Wen Fang came by just now. She left not too long ago."
Miao Yi was thinking that the Suppressing Tenth Hall's three Advisors were at it again, but it turns out, it was just Wen Fang. He got a little nervous for nothing. However, as he thought about it, he couldn't help feeling curious. Why would the two girls interrupt his closed-door cultivation just because of Wen Fang? He asked, "What happened?"
Qian'Er replied, "Wen Fang told us about something just now. However, we're not sure if she did it intentionally, or if we're just overthinking things."
Miao Yi asked curiously, "What did she say?"
Xue'Er answered, "She said that both Master Zhao Fei and Master Sikong had looked for her to procure three pieces of Fretless Fruits."
Miao Yi pondered over the matter, then slowly nodded and said, "They're both at the Blue Lotus Ninth Grade. This isn't too surprising. They're probably just preparing for their breakthrough to the Red Lotus realm. Any cultivator would need a Fretless Fruit to break through to the Red Lotus realm. It's just that some cultivators might only need one fruit, whereas others would require a few extra. Typically, three would be enough. The two of you should know about this as well. What's so wrong about that?"
Qian'Er shook her head and said, "Master, this is not the point of the story. As Wen Fang was talking about the other two Masters, she started mentioning Master Yan Beihong as well. She said that she had just come back from his place, and told us that there was something strange with the Fretless Fruit that he'd bought."