Chapter 0461: Junior City Master
Xu Liangzhi calmly sat in the centre of the hall on the second floor of the Rootless Black City’s Trade Union; n.o.body knew anything about his current thoughts.
He had just received the details about the matter between Ning Cheng and the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce; moreover, he also realised that it had a direct relationship with him. Six years ago, he saw a Crucible Transformation Female Cultivator called Yan Ji at the Receiving Heaven’s Stone. Yan Ji already was a kingdom-toppling beauty within an ordinary mainland, not to mention within the Void where even birds would not choose to s.h.i.t. Naturally, he took an immediate fancy to Yan Ji.
Goukang Yeshan of the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce, to help him get her, had teamed up with the people from his City Master’s Mansion, which ended with Yan Ji forced off the Receiving Heaven’s Stone. This act was the root of all the hatred.
The battle between Ning Cheng and Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce had already concluded the moment when the two Plundering Life Realm Experts, Si Pingxuan, and the Chamber of Commerce’s a.s.sociation Head Pu Leng perished at his hands. At the same time, the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce’s base also ended up levelled to the ground by Ning Cheng soon after, who even placed a ‘Plot for sale’ sign over it. After knowing that news, the survivors from Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce’s Merchant Houses, along with the Rest Stop’s caretakers within the Rootless Black City, immediately chose to abandon their posts and escape. Which ultimately led to Ning Cheng seizing all those domains for himself with the same obnoxious sign, ‘Plot for sale’.
Throughout the entire process, no one dared to stop him. Although the Auspicious Star Chamber of Commerce’s Deputy a.s.sociation Head desperately asked everyone’s help in dealing with Ning Cheng; however, no one responded.
The matter from six years ago resulted in the death of Goukang Yeshan as an accomplice; at the same time, Goukang Yeshan’s Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce also faced annihilation because of it. However, the main culprit, him, still did not encounter anything. Xu Liangzhi was not an idiot. He absolutely did not think that Ning Cheng feared him thereby not daring enough to come looking for him.
A person who could exterminate the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce by himself obviously would not feel afraid of him, a Junior City Master. Moreover, Xu Liangzhi also was not an idiot; he would not directly go to this Ning Cheng’s Immortal Cave to attack him like Pu Leng. At the same time, he knew that his own strength did not exceed that of the entire Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce. Once he dared to attack Ning Cheng’s Immortal Cave, then he would most likely end up in the same state as the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce, while also giving the other party a genuine excuse for counterattacking.
For him to sit on an equal footing with someone like Pu Leng, it was not just on the virtue of his strength, but because of his father, Xu Kai’s power, and also by the prestige of the City Master’s mansion that he managed.
Xu Liangzhi did not know for how long he sat there in a trance, before he suddenly stood up and spoke, “Go into the Void and search for other Black Essence Stone Mines for now. I’m going to visit the City Master’s mansion.”
……
Anyone who lived in the Rootless Black City knew that a significant event had occurred in the city. It was all because of a new cultivator by the name of Ning Cheng, who had single-handedly extinguished the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce and had even a.s.signed the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce’s domains as his own. No one chose to object to it, despite the discontent over his actions.
Although the land in the Central City District was expensive and extremely difficult to purchase, no one dared to touch the domains under Ning Cheng. In the same way, no one came to find trouble with Ning Cheng. Lest they end up with ‘donating’ their own territories to Ning Cheng.
Talks of this matter spread throughout the city, causing everybody in the town to soon know about it.
Although a few thought that matter had come to its conclusion with Ning Cheng extinguishing the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce; however, many knew that this matter was just the beginning.
Moreover, the people who knew about the core of this matter all knew that this incident had indeed not reached its end. Ning Cheng, who apparently possessed a character that liked to extract his revenge thoroughly, would never let go of the primary culprit, Xu Liangzhi, after destroying the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce.
As long as one stayed in the Rootless Black City, no one would willingly ignore the City Master’s mansion of the Rootless Black City. That was because it housed the most mysterious and the most powerful person in the Rootless Black City. None other than the City Master Xu Kai of the Rootless Black City.
According to the news circulating around, Xu Kai had gone into seclusion several hundred years ago and has not appeared since. However, forty years ago, a monk arrived at the Rootless Black City. With an unknown reason, this monk unexpectedly decided to kill Xu Liangzhi within the Rootless Black City.
As a result, Xu Kai, who had gone into seclusion several hundred years ago, finally came out for the first time; he not only managed to save Xu Liangzhi’s Life Essence in the shortest possible time, he even rushed out of the Rootless Black City and killed that monk in the Void. After Xu Kai helped Xu Liangzhi reform his corporeal body, he once again went into seclusion.
Although this matter looked ordinary; however, no one dared to belittle it. That was because the monk was a Plundering Life Realm powerhouse; otherwise, he couldn’t have managed to kill Xu Liangzhi. Yet such a powerhouse in the Plunder Life Realm, even after entering the Void, still couldn’t escape the pursuit and the subsequent brutal ma.s.sacre by Xu Kai.
Therefore, one should never look at Xu Kai being a no-show. As long as he still stayed in the Rootless Black City, the Rootless Black City’s City Master Mansion remained the most influential power within the city.
Now that Xu Liangzhi of the Rootless Black City did not take any action, Ning Cheng also did not go out actively looking for Xu Liangzhi. Everyone had their gazes trained over his movements. At the very least, he had to wait until this matter settled down somewhat; or at least until someone actually dared to come to purchase those domains from Ning Cheng.
……
In the City Master’s prefecture of the Rootless Black City, Xu Liangzhi summoned all the expendable powerhouses that he could to his place.
“Junior City Master, do we also need to head into the Void to seek out the Black Essence Stone Mines?” The one who spoke was a Crucible Transformation 7th Level guard standing close to Xu Liangzhi. He followed Xu Liangzhi for dozens of years and was a loyal and devoted subject of his.
“What are your views?” Xu Liangzhi shot a glance at the guard before speaking.
The guard hesitated for a moment before speaking up, “I think that Ning Cheng is too arrogant. If we head out now, maybe he might take the chance to track us.”
“Do you think I’m afraid of that Ning Cheng?” Xu Liangzhi’s tone and expression still were calm.
The guard quickly spoke out in a frightened voice, “No, how can the City Master’s Mansion fear a puny Sea Opening Realm Cultivator? My opinion is, even if we don’t fear ten thousand of them, a contingency is still needed.”
“Are you perhaps looking forward to me leaving the Rootless Black City or do you really want to just dig out Black Essence Stone Mines?”
“Aah…..”
Xu Liangzhi ignored the guard’s reaction and tapped the table in front of him with a finger as he spoke up in an ordinary yet homely tone, “Forty years ago, a person going by the name of Monk Shen destroyed my corporeal body. My father then killed that Monk Shen……”
The guard still kept his head lowered and listened to the words of the Junior City Master in front of him.
Having said those words, Xu Liangzhi then suddenly looked up at the guard and asked, “Shen Zimo, when your master destroyed my corporeal body, I decided that I had to keep someone like you by my side. Do you know why?”
Hearing Xu Liangzhi’s words, the guard’s countenance immediately changed, as he subconsciously took a few steps back. However, he did not show any vacant expression. Since the opposite party already knew his name, it also meant all of his work had already gone up in smoke.
“You don’t need to begin. There simply would not be any chance that you could exploit with your cultivation. If I want to kill you, I wouldn’t need to even lift a single finger.” Xu Liangzhi spoke out indifferently.
The guard then suddenly brought out a black lamp, before he spoke up in a cold tone, “Xu Liangzhi, I already had an inkling that you already knew that I was Monk Shen’s disciple.”
However, he did not immediately attack. He knew that Xu Liangzhi did not lie to him. Xu Liangzhi had guards everywhere. With just his cultivation of Crucible Transformation 7th Level, he just would not be able to stir up any waves.
Xu Liangzhi stood up and unexpectedly turned his back to Shen Zimo before speaking up, “The people I have offended in my life are more than you could even imagine. The only reason I allowed you to stay at my side is to keep me reminded of maintaining my guard up at all times. Fortunately, over all these years, I think I did quite a good job. At the very least, those people who want me dead have already turned into bones. It’s all because of you; I should actually thank you for all of it.”
Xu Liangzhi then looked back and spoke up very seriously while looking at Shen Zimo.
Shen Zimo’s face turned pale, only at this moment did he realise that his scheming could not even compare to that of Xu Liangzhi’s; moreover, it wasn’t just a difference of a grade or two. For decades, he had willingly chosen to remain under the other party’s foot, while patiently sharpening his blades, looking for opportunities to take revenge.
However, now that Shen Zimo realised that he now had no chance to achieve his revenge, he no longer bothered to refute. He raised the black lamp in his hands to strike at his own glabella.
However, a strand of red coloured damask silk swept over towards him and entwined itself around Shen Zimo’s wrist; that way, Shen Zimo’s black lamp simply fell short of striking his glabella.
“Xu Liangzhi, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d. Come by yourself if you want to kill me or torture me. Did you think that this grandpa Shen would even show a frown?” Shen Zimo yelled out in anger.
Xu Liangzhi sat down once again and showed a faint smile before speaking, “Why would I kill someone like you? After all these years of keeping you by my side, how could I suddenly have the heart to kill you? It’s a pity though. Not only do I not want to kill you, but you will also be doing me a favour. Go to that Ning Cheng and say this to him. As long as he is willing to stop, I wouldn’t care if I end up eating a small loss. He likes beautiful women, and I like beautiful women. I still have a few pretty female cultivators in this place that I haven’t got my hands on; if he is willing, then I can send them to him at any time.”
“Did you just say that you want me to help you reconcile?” Shen Zimo stared at Xu Liangzhi. He was sure that something was wrong; but as to what was wrong, he could not point to it at all.
“Yes, I just want you to help me convey a few things. Ning Cheng can destroy the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce by himself; it shows that he indeed possesses formidable strength. I hope that he can replace the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce’s base in the Rootless Black City. Also, tell him that the Black Essence Stone Mine that we found this time is full of tens of billions of Black Coin-equivalent of Black Essence Stones. As long as he wishes it, he can take claim half of the Black Essence Stone Mine for himself.” Xu Liangzhi spoke out in a genial tone, without even half a shred of unwillingness in his voice.
Hearing those words, Shen Zimo couldn’t help but subconsciously shiver in fright. He suddenly felt that even if his secret remained unexposed, he would always end up under this person’s shadow. It was indeed a one of a kind sorrow.
…….
The North City District, the area around Ning Cheng’s courtyard, remained incomparably peaceful since the previous explosions. Until this moment, no one dared to disturb them.
Ning Cheng and Ji Luofei had long since prepared themselves to counter any plan the Rootless Black City had for them. The only reason they had not chosen to head out of this place was that they still had no base to speak of within the Void. Moreover, Ning Cheng also knew that as long as he displayed enough strength, then destroying the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce would not count as an earth-shattering event.
At this time, Ning Cheng and Ji Luofei were discussing something while sitting in their courtyard; as for the pit created in the yard because of the explosion, Ji Luofei and Ning Cheng had already filled it back up together.
Ning Cheng had also sorted out the loot that he obtained. Combining everything from the Crucible Transformation Cultivators he killed previously, he now possessed more than 13 million Black Coins in total. Unfortunately, Pu Leng and some of the core members’ rings ended up destroyed with their contents irretrievable. As for the rest of the Magical Weapons and other stuff, Ning Cheng did not find anything suitable and just stored them all aside.
“Huh, it looks like this guy truly is unafraid of death. He even willingly dared to come to me.” Ning Cheng suddenly spoke with a sneer.
Ji Luofei quickly asked, “Who is it?”
“It’s that Crucible Transformation 8th Level Cultivator formerly belonging to the Silver Thunder Chamber of Commerce that managed to escape. He just arrived under disguise. However, using a disguise in front of our Immortal Cave’s Defensive Array is just a dream. Never thought that this person, who managed to escape out of those 11 people, would be so stupid.” Ning Cheng spoke out calmly.
Ji Luofei was about to ask another question when they heard a voice coming from the outside, “Yan Fu comes to request a meet with Brother Ning.”