Chapter 485: Senior Brother, Interlocking Schemers
Ye Anping followed Kong Huayuan up to a private room on the third floor of Hong Yan Pavilion. The interior was rather ostentatiously decorated, with several scantily clad female attendants standing respectfully in a corner.
After seating himself, Kong Huayuan summoned a server to bring a pot of wine. His gaze lingered for a moment on Feng Yu Die, who was standing behind Ye Anping with her head bowed and eyes fixed on her own toes. He then chuckled and said, “Please forgive the incident on the street earlier. That brat was just trying to help and ended up causing trouble. Seeing you walking with an Immortal Cultivator woman, we really thought you were an infiltrator.”
“The Spiritual Restraint Ring on her neck is so conspicuous. Your subordinate’s eyesight doesn’t seem to be very good…”
“Heh heh… That’s true.”
Kong Huayuan shrugged indifferently and studied Ye Anping for a moment before squinting and asking, “May I know your name, sir?”
Observing his gaze, Ye Anping immediately understood that this was a probing question. The Killing Aura emanating from him now was from Gu Mingxin. Low-level cultivators might not be able to sense it, but it was almost impossible for a Nascent Soul stage cultivator like Kong Huayuan to not recognize it as belonging to the Tian Mo Sect.
Ye Anping pondered for a moment, then calmly replied, “Liang Liu.”
“Hmm… A Nascent Soul cultivator with the surname Liang,” Kong Huayuan pouted, squinting and probing further, “May I ask which sect you are a disciple of?”
“Elder of the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect.”
Kong Huayuan’s eyes darkened slightly, and after a moment’s hesitation, he asked, “Shouldn’t the Elder of the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect be Zhou Huxing, Elder Zhou?”
“Heh…” Ye Anping let out a cold laugh and disdainfully tilted his head back. “Young Master Kong, if you doubt my identity, you may say so directly. When the Ghost Spirit Sect attacked Donghuang previously, Elder Fu of the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect died at the hands of the Young Master Gu. I merely inherited Elder Fu’s mantle.”
As he spoke, Ye Anping pinched the left hand of Gu Mingxin behind his waist, intensifying the Killing Aura around him.
Hearing Ye Anping’s explanation and sensing the considerable increase in his aura, Kong Huayuan quickly stopped asking questions. He cupped his hands and apologized, “Brother Liang, please do not be angry. In this current climate, I am forced to be cautious. I hear the Immortal Families are planning to retake Donghuang, and moreover, the Young Master of the Tian Mo Sect has betrayed us and defected. I am merely being prudent.”
“…”
Ye Anping’s expression remained imperturbable. After a moment of thought, he raised his hand, grasped the mask on his face, and removed it, placing it on the table.
At this gesture, Kong Huayuan’s vigilance visibly lessened by another third. Upon seeing Ye Anping’s face, he was even slightly surprised. “Wow… Brother Liang, you are quite handsome.”
“Indeed.”
Kong Huayuan was momentarily speechless. After a brief pause, he looked at Feng Yu Die beside him and asked, “Then, may I ask, Brother Liang, how is it that you, an Elder of the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect, are bringing an Immortal Cultivator into the Central Domain?”
“We just returned from the Southern Domain and were passing through.”
Ye Anping’s expression was calm. He raised his right hand, drawing Kong Huayuan’s attention to Feng Yu Die, and was about to deliver the excuse he had prepared.
However, as his hand lifted, Feng Yu Die suddenly took a step forward and placed her chin on his palm.
?
Ye Anping was slightly taken aback and looked at her with his eyes.
—What are you doing?
Feng Yu Die weakly replied with her eyes.
—Aren’t I supposed to be acting as your maid?
Ye Anping didn’t quite grasp Feng Yu Die’s train of thought but reacted quickly, seizing the opportunity and playing along. He gently stroked her chin with his finger a couple of times, then grabbed Feng Yu Die by her collar and pulled her down, making her lie on his lap.
Ye Anping put on a smirking, dissipated young master’s expression and stroked the back of her head as if he were petting a pet. Facing Kong Huayuan across the table, he said, “I was ordered to go to the Southern Domain to find the hiding place of Young Master Gu. When I passed by the Xuannü Sect, I met this girl. Seeing that she had good aptitude and a pretty appearance, I brought her back with me.”
Kong Huayuan looked at his demeanor and found it unsurvivable. It wasn’t a big deal for Demonic Cultivators to keep one or two Dual Cultivation cauldrons. He himself had seven or eight he had raised from childhood.
However, looking at Feng Yu Die, who was wearing a mask, he raised an eyebrow and asked, “Are you willing to sell her?”
“…”
“I’ve always wanted an Immortal Family cauldron, but they are hard to find. How about it, Brother Liang? Name your price, and I’ll buy this girl from you.”
Although Ye Anping had mentally prepared himself and knew that the trade of cauldrons among Demonic Cultivators was common, hearing these words ignited a spark of anger within him.
He glanced at Feng Yu Die, who was lying on his lap like a puppy, and smiled. “I rather like this girl. I’m not selling.”
“Then so be it. I won’t force it. Heh heh…”
Kong Huayuan showed a hint of regret but shrugged and let it go with a change of tone. “Brother Liang, you mentioned earlier that you were going to the Southern Domain to capture Young Master Gu…”
“Gu Mingxin defected to the Southern Domain after the incident in Donghuang last time. This is not a secret to the Ghost Spirit Sect, is it?”
“Indeed. I once went to the Tian Mo Sect and met her. With her blood-red Killing Aura and being raised by Patriarch Yu Yan from a young age, I never expected her to betray the Tian Mo Sect. A pity…”
“Who knows what benefits the Immortal Families promised her? Heh… I am acting under the orders of Patriarch Yu Yan to bring her back to the Tian Mo Sect, dead or alive.”
“Then Brother Liang has a lead?”
Ye Anping fell silent for a moment, then stared at Kong Huayuan and raised an eyebrow. “Naturally.”
Seeing his raised eyebrow, Kong Huayuan immediately understood the unspoken meaning. He likely needed his help. He smiled and said, “Brother Liang, is there anything I can help you with?”
“I originally intended to go find the leader of Qu Long Village. As it happens, I’ve encountered Young Master Kong…”
“Mmm…”
“Gu Mingxin will be coming to Donghuang recently, and she will very likely pass through Qu Long Village. So, I wanted to set an ambush there to capture her. But since Young Master Kong has met her, you must know that Gu Mingxin is no easy opponent…”
“Indeed. I personally witnessed her, at the Foundation Establishment stage, force Elder He Da of the Tian Mo Sect’s third son to beg for mercy on his knees in public. She is likely a late Core Formation stage cultivator by now.”
“Therefore, I would like to ask for your assistance, Young Master Kong. Could you lend me some Ghost Spirit Sect disciples? If we can capture her here…”
Hearing this, Kong Huayuan stroked his chin and pondered for a moment. “Helping is not a problem, but may I first seek instructions from my father regarding this matter?”
Ye Anping smiled and nodded. “Elder Kong is currently stationed in Donghuang. It is indeed appropriate for him to be informed of this.”
“Heh heh…” Kong Huayuan cupped his hands and raised his wine cup. “Brother Liang, I’ll toast you first.”
Ye Anping glanced at the bloody wine in the cup before him and quickly raised his own cup in return. They both tilted their heads back and drank the wine in one gulp. However, before the wine went down their throats, Ye Anping used his spiritual energy to enclose it and kept it in his mouth.
Outside the window, the waning moon traversed over twenty degrees across the sky curtain.
After one cup of wine, Kong Huayuan seemed to no longer doubt his identity, completely relaxing. He and Ye Anping conversed about almost everything. As the sky neared dawn, he reluctantly bid Ye Anping farewell. “I shall return to Donghuang now. When I come again, I’ll bring two spirited girls for Brother Liang to choose from. How about that?”
“I won’t see you out.”
Ye Anping cupped his hands and smiled, watching Kong Huayuan leave the private room.
The moment the door was closed, the smile vanished from his face.
He concentrated his spiritual sense and cautiously observed. Seeing that Kong Huayuan had indeed left Hong Yan Pavilion and flown away on his sword, Ye Anping finally let out a sigh of relief. He quickly barred the private room door and then took out a bucket, spitting out the wine he had drunk with Kong Huayuan from his mouth and throat.
“…”
Feng Yu Die, who had been by his side the entire time, rushed over and patted his back. “Young Master Ye…”
“Hu…” Ye Anping spat out the wine he had concealed with his spiritual energy. He turned to look at her and asked, “Why did you put your chin on my hand just now?”
“Wouldn’t that make me seem more like an obedient maid…”
Ye Anping was speechless and sighed. “Remember this from now on: you are a cauldron captured by Liang Liu from the Xuannü Sect in the Southern Domain. If there are outsiders, don’t say a word. Just stand by my side with your head down. And! Don’t put your chin on my hand next time…”
“Oh, hehe…” Feng Yu Die nodded, glanced at the door, and asked, “By the way, what were you talking about with that person just now… an ambush?”
“When Gu Mingxin arrives, we’ll bury him along with her. Kong Xiangmo, the Grand Elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect, is in charge of Donghuang. After killing Kong Huayuan, I can act under his identity.”
“Mmm…” Feng Yu Die pondered for a moment and asked, “So… a hostile takeover?”
“Something like that.”
Ye Anping glanced at Feng Yu Die. After a moment of thought, he stood up, took out a roasted chicken from his storage bag, and placed it on the table. “Here, take it and eat.”
“Hee hee… Thank you, Young Master Ye~”
“Alas…”
Ye Anping tossed the roasted chicken without paying it any mind. He put on the mask he had removed earlier and walked to the window of the private room, looking up outside.
Then, he removed Gu Mingxin’s hand from his waist, pried open her fingers, and wrote on her palm:
—The plan has changed. Come to Qu Long Village.
… …
——
Shortly after, the sun rose in the east.
A spirit sword, trailing bloody light, flew from the south of Donghuang and landed in front of a seven-story pavilion in the center of the city.
The Ghost Spirit Sect disciples rushing around the pavilion immediately ran forward and bowed upon seeing the person on the flying sword. “Senior Brother Kong.”
Kong Huayuan’s face was wreathed in a smile as he glanced at them and asked, “No need for formality. Is my father in the pavilion?”
“Yes, Grand Elder Kong is currently cultivating in the pavilion.”
“No need to announce me. I’ll go up myself.”
“Uh… Yes.”
Kong Huayuan waved his hand, opened his folding fan, and stepped directly through the wooden door of the pavilion, ascending the stairs one by one.
Arriving at the inner door on the top floor of the pavilion, he gently knocked twice. “Father.”
A vexed voice came from within the room. “…Enter!”
When Kong Huayuan pushed open the chamber door, he saw an old man in black with a look of frustrated disappointment on his face, glaring at him.
Kong Xiangmo smelled the alcohol on his son and immediately knew he had been out gallivanting again. His beard trembled, and he slammed his fist on the table.
*Bang—*
“Smelling of alcohol all day, only knowing how to fool around!! I sent you from the Eastern Domain to train properly. Think about what you’ve been doing for over a year!!”
“Ah…” Kong Huayuan was unperturbed. Smiling, he cupped his hands. “Son merely went to Qu Long Village. Their taverns and wines are much better than here in Donghuang. Son even brought some back for you…”
As he spoke, Kong Huayuan directly presented the wine from his storage bag to his father and chuckled, “Father, I came to discuss something with you.”
“Discuss? Out of spirit stones? Or cauldrons?!”
Kong Xiangmo flicked his sleeve, knocking over the wine pot on the table. However, Kong Huayuan showed no surprise, as if he had expected this. He casually swept away the shattered fragments on the ground with his spiritual energy.
Seeing his son’s demeanor, Kong Xiangmo gritted his teeth in anger and demanded, “Why do you think the Ghost Ancestor sent me, the Grand Elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect, to guard Donghuang?”
“Because they value your capabilities?”
“Nonsense!!” Kong Xiangmo roared. “It was I who suggested to Young Master Gu that he lead fifty Core Formation disciples to pursue Xing Tian Division. As a result, not a single one of the fifty Core Formation disciples or Young Master Gu returned!! When the Ghost Ancestor learned of this, he almost ate me alive!! Fortunately, Gu Mingxin took the blame for me, otherwise…”
At this point, Kong Xiangmo stepped forward and poked his son’s chest repeatedly. “Kid, grow up!”
“Yes, yes, yes…” Kong Huayuan shrugged slightly and smiled. “Father, son wants to borrow some Ghost Spirit Sect disciples.”
“For what purpose?”
“To set an ambush and capture Gu Mingxin.”
“Gu Mingxin…”
Upon hearing the name, Kong Xiangmo clearly paused. “How do we capture her? Do you know where she is?”
“Son has reliable information that she will be coming to Donghuang in the next few days.”
The defection of Gu Mingxin, the Young Master of the Tian Mo Sect, to the Immortal path and her betrayal of Yu Yan was already common knowledge among Demonic Cultivators.
Since Gu Mingxin’s escape, Venerable Yu Yan had been so enraged that she had personally refined several Tian Mo Sect elders into blood pills and had issued an order requiring the six demonic sects to bring her back to the Tian Mo Sect, dead or alive.
Unfortunately, none of the six demonic sects had found Gu Mingxin until now.
Kong Xiangmo fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Reliable information? Where did it come from?”
“Son met an Elder of the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect at Qu Long Village previously. After a few drinks, he told me about it.”
“Elder of the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect? Didn’t Fu Yuanhua die at the hands of the Demon Emperor?”
“It should be a newly appointed one, named Liang Liu.”
“Liang Liu… What is his cultivation level?”
“I didn’t use my spiritual sense to check, but he is at least at the early Nascent Soul stage.”
Kong Xiangmo stroked his beard and recalled for a moment.
However, no matter how he thought, he could not recall this name.
He was the Grand Elder of the Ghost Spirit Sect, a Nascent Soul cultivator among Demonic Cultivators. He had heard of most people, but this Liang Liu…
“Nascent Soul? Liang Liu? Tian Mo Sect… does such a person exist?”
Seeing his father’s expression, Kong Huayuan smiled. “Son tested him earlier. The Killing Aura on him is indeed that of a Tian Mo Sect cultivator. Perhaps he only recently formed his Nascent Soul. Besides, it’s normal for you not to know about the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect…”
“…Where should we set the ambush?”
“Qu Long Village.”
“Mmm…”
Kong Xiangmo stroked his beard and pondered for a moment.
If his son was being deceived, then it would serve as a lesson. At worst, it would be a fruitless endeavor, with no real loss.
However, if this information was true, and his son helped capture Gu Mingxin and delivered her to the Tian Mo Sect, he could gain favor with Venerable Yu Yan.
When Gu Mingxin escaped last time, Venerable Yu Yan had been so enraged that she had killed several Tian Mo Sect elders.
Kong Xiangmo felt it wouldn’t hurt to agree. He said, “Go find Elder Chen and have him accompany you.”
“…Then Father, can you give me your sect token?”
“Just go! What do you need a sect token for?! Get out!!”
“Alas… Yes, yes, yes.”
Kong Huayuan shrugged slightly, then bowed with a nonchalant expression. “Then son will take his leave. Father, please carry on… heh heh…”
After his son left, Kong Xiangmo recalled everything his son had said. Stroking his beard, he walked to the window and gazed east.
“Liang Liu… Elder of the Prison Hall of the Tian Mo Sect…”
After muttering the words twice, Kong Xiangmo roared, “Guards!
Two Ghost Spirit Sect disciples immediately entered from outside, knelt on one knee, and cupped their hands in salute.
Kong Xiangmo, with his back to them, commanded, “Send a message to the Tian Mo Sect and inquire about the identity of the current Elder of the Prison Hall.”
“Yes!”
… …
