Arc 14: Dayan Empire | Chapter 251: Barter (1)
Translator: Lynn
Sponsored chapter (5/8)
The night pa.s.sed uneventfully, bringing a sense of tranquility.
Xu Ziqing awoke before dawn the next morning. After meditating through the night, his foundation remained solid, unaffected by the previous day’s exhaustion. Looking up, he saw Nan Zhengya, still clad in his black robe, standing and seemingly smiling.
Nan Zhengya said, “Thank you for last night.”
Xu Ziqing shook his head and smiled, brushing off the grat.i.tude.
They exchanged a few words afterwards. Nan Zhengya, needing to run some errands, requested Xu Ziqing’s a.s.sistance with his escape technique.
Xu Ziqing agreed and inquired, “Did the Ghost Spirit Sect fail to track you?”
Nan Zhengya replied, “I lured them out of the city earlier. They must have pursued in a different direction, unaware that I returned.” Initially planning to rest for a few nights and then leave under cover of darkness, Nan Zhengya now intended to depart sooner with Xu Ziqing’s help.
Xu Ziqing responded, “Then let me a.s.sist you, Brother Nan Zhengya.”
Nan Zhengya nodded and offered his sleeve. A green light flashed, causing the vegetation in the courtyard to momentarily float. Hidden by the faint green glow, the two men quietly appeared on a secluded path across the street.
Xu Ziqing prepared to return.
Nan Zhengya remarked, “You are cautious, never asking what I intend to do.”
Xu Ziqing shook his head. “Brother Nan Zhengya’s cultivation far exceeds mine. If even you are so urgent, it’s beyond my concern. I don’t need to know.”
Nan Zhengya chuckled and surprised Xu Ziqing with his next words. “You know that after the Longhang Firm auction, there is a secret underground barter event. It’s highly confidential, known only to a select few. Partic.i.p.ants are divided by rank, and they exchange treasures they urgently need. Many attendees possess valuable items. I’ve remained here for this reason.”
Xu Ziqing looked intrigued. “Brother Nan Zhengya, what do you propose?”
Nan Zhengya continued, “You have used your technique to help me. In return, I can take you with me. Nascent Soul cultivators have valuable items. If you see something you like, I can help you trade for it as a token of grat.i.tude. But if you prefer not to accept any favors, you can refuse.”
He added, “Even if you seek treasures in the Heavenly Secret Realm, you may not find suitable items. However, those old cultivators might have something useful.”
Peeking into Nan Zhengya’s robe, Xu Ziqing saw a fox crouched inside. Its fur was pitch black and exceptionally smooth, with nine long tails tipped in white, exuding a strange and captivating aura. Could this be the Jiuxuan Meihu? He had only encountered one Meihu before, but this one seemed different.
Nan Zhengya confirmed, “This is a new pet of mine. You should recognize it.”
A realization dawned on Xu Ziqing, and everything became clear.
It turned out that after the Fox King separated from them that day, Nan Zhengya had subdued him for some reason, thus gaining access to all the information the Fox King possessed.
Whether it was just a coincidence that they met in Tiancheng Prince Manor this time or not, after meeting, Nan Zhengya already knew about Xu Ziqing’s skills and other details. The conversation they had the previous night was indeed genuine, but within that truth, there were numerous underlying tests.
Xu Ziqing pondered for a while. If his actions and words from the previous night hadn’t aligned with Nan Zhengya’s expectations, the current situation would have been different. He didn’t need to think deeply to realize that Nan Zhengya was temperamental and paranoid. Reflecting on the Fox King’s cunning nature, yet still falling into Nan Zhengya’s hands, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but feel a mix of pity and admiration, musing, “There are always people better than others, and there is always a higher sky.”
Nan Zhengya, losing patience, urged, “Just tell me if you’re going or not. Stop wasting time!”
Feeling pressured, Xu Ziqing blurted out, “I will go.”
Nan Zhengya smiled, “You should have decided earlier. Cultivation is about going against the natural order. If I hesitated like you, I’d have died countless times already.”
Xu Ziqing smiled without refuting. His temperament differed from Nan Zhengya’s. What Nan Zhengya could do was not suitable for him, and their cultivation paths were different. His cautious and guarded approach was his way of spiritual practice. But even though he decided to attend the barter event, he couldn’t just leave without preparation.
Xu Ziqing took out a beast-monitoring card, released Chonghua, and handed him a jade talisman containing his message. He shouldn’t be away for long, but if his Shixiong came looking for him, he needed to know his whereabouts. After ensuring everything was in order, he asked Nan Zhengya, “Brother Nan Zhengya, where is the barter event?”
Nan Zhengya pointed with his sleeve, “Take three streets to the right, then ten houses ahead, there’s an inn with an alleyway beside it. Stop there.”
Following his instructions, Xu Ziqing grasped Nan Zhengya’s sleeve and they swiftly arrived.
The alleyway was dark, and anyone looking in from the outside would feel drowsy. Nan Zhengya lifted his sleeve slightly, revealing an entrance—a formation he had set up. Xu Ziqing followed him in, and the formation closed behind them.
A black light approached, and Xu Ziqing caught a mask, hideous and ghost-like. He asked, “What is this?”
Nan Zhengya, now wearing a mask himself and transformed into a nine-foot-tall green-faced man enveloped in demonic energy, explained, “There are many precious items there. Wear this, or else someone might see your real appearance and kill you halfway.”
Xu Ziqing quickly donned the mask, noticing his entire appearance change. He now exuded an evil aura and looked like a younger version of Nan Zhengya, almost like his nephew.
Nan Zhengya, now in his green-faced form, said, “This demonic energy is just an illusion. You are a monk of the immortal path. Stay behind me and don’t act recklessly. If you get recognized, it won’t be my fault.”
Xu Ziqing naturally answered, “Yes.”
Nan Zhengya continued, “At this kind of barter event, disagreements can lead to violence. You can’t cast techniques, but you can use your demon vines to defend yourself. They are bloodthirsty, but can be controlled. Just be careful with them.”
He explained everything, and though most of it was to prevent trouble, Xu Ziqing felt very grateful.
After the two agreed, they wasted no time.
Nan Zhengya dispelled the formation and led Xu Ziqing out.
Several people were waiting outside the alley, scrutinizing the formation. When they saw the two emerge, some seemed to harbor malicious intentions.
Nan Zhengya released a bit of his aura, instantly changing their expressions. They quickly dispersed, no longer focusing on them.
Xu Ziqing followed Nan Zhengya’s instructions, staying close and silent, so everyone’s attention remained on Nan Zhengya. As a small character in the Yuan Dynasty, Xu Ziqing went unnoticed.
Nan Zhengya, accustomed to this, walked forward confidently, his fierce appearance making him seem even more intimidating, deterring any potential troublemakers.
The two swiftly pa.s.sed through the crowd, entered the hotel, and were led to an internal staircase that opened to a stone door at the end.
When the stone door opened, it was initially pitch black, then lit up, revealing a half-zhang11 zhang = 3.58 metres (11 feet 9 inches) wide corridor descending straight down.
The steward who opened the door said, “This is the pa.s.sageway for the Nascent Soul Cultivators. Please enter.”
Nan Zhengya gave him a fierce look and said, “Hmph! What a trick!” Then he pulled Xu Ziqing’s sleeve and strode in.
After walking about a hundred steps, a floating key appeared in front of them.
Nan Zhengya threw out a whip to wrap around Xu Ziqing and grabbed the key with his other hand. A flash of white light enveloped them, and they disappeared.
Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.
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- 11 zhang = 3.58 metres (11 feet 9 inches)