bookpower Chapter 191: 49 Everyone Knows
Chapter 191: 49 Everyone Knows
Chapter 191: Chapter 49 Everyone Knows
The room where the Heavenly Destiny Hall Master resided.
Seated quietly at the table, Han Xiao watched as the green porcelain teapot before him bubbled noisily with steam, soon followed by a rich fragrance of tea that lingered all around.
“Excellent tea!” Picking up the teacup, Vice Hall Master Chai Yunsheng sniffed it and couldn’t help but exclaim.
Stroking his beard with a light laugh, Han Xiao said, “Of course, this small variety hails from the East Mountain, gathered by young girls born at the hour of the rabbit on the fifth day of the ninth month amidst thick fog, using their mouths to pick. Each year, Han Yuan City receives no more than five kilograms. I’m usually reluctant to drink it myself, so consider yourself lucky to taste it!”
“That goes without saying. You seem so pleased, Hall Master—could it be there’s some good news?” Chai Yunsheng looked on curiously.
After sipping his tea, Han Xiao exhaled deeply and said, “Of course, it’s good news. Feng Zhaoting and Ling Buyang have been competing for so long, and without any mishaps, the outcome for the vice hall master position should be resolved!”
Chai Yunsheng’s eyes lit up, “Who among the two... would succeed?”
Han Xiao laughed heartily, “Both of them, regardless of cultivation, talent, and their backing sects are almost identical. What’s in a title? If each had one, how would it matter?”
Chai Yunsheng was stunned, “They can both get it? Didn’t you distinctly say before that there was only one position, urging them to compete?”
Han Xiao explained, “Only through competition can the Heavenly Destiny Hall excel. Not only in previous tests, but as vice hall masters, they will also face evaluations to see who is more suitable. If not, the title of vice hall master can be revoked.”
Competition would ensure balance and draw a continual stream of strength.
Chai Yunsheng nodded, though not quite understanding but realizing it must relate to their cultivation methods, he didn’t ask further. Just as he was about to continue his tea, he saw Han Xiao’s composed face suddenly turn deathly pale.
Spurt!
A spurt of fresh blood sprayed out, and his body wobbled uncontrollably for a moment. His powerful presence, flickering like a candle flame, dimmed significantly in an instant.
“Hall Master, what’s wrong?”
Springing to his feet, Chai Yunsheng looked around warily.
Clenching his fist, Han Xiao gritted his teeth, “My cultivation has backfired... Quickly check, have Feng Zhaoting and Ling Buyang started fighting?”
He had always been mediating between the two, reaping considerable benefits. A backlash like this had to be related to them.
It couldn’t be that Ling Buyang relied on a forged grade-1 pill to make a breakthrough and went after Feng Zhaoting to defeat him, could it?
Only an overwhelmingly victory, breaking the balance, could induce such a severe backlash!
Before his words fell, Elder Liu Bingshan rushed in, bowed, and cupped his hands in respect upon seeing the two.
“Dean, Vice Dean... there’s trouble. We just received news that Elder Feng Zhaoting has been assassinated!”
“Feng Zhaoting... is dead?”
His vision darkening, Han Xiao fretted, “Who killed him? Could it be... Ling Buyang? He has quite the nerve!”
No wonder the backlash was so severe—the balance had been completely shattered!
“It wasn’t Elder Ling. According to the news from the Wanxiang Sect, it was Li Yue’an who killed Elder Feng and collected the reward!” Liu Bingshan hurriedly explained.
With a pale face seething with anger, Han Xiao fumed, “A wandering cultivator, I’ve been lenient with him so far—how dare he slay a vice hall master of our Heavenly Destiny Hall! Hall Master Chai, find this man immediately. I will eradicate this scourge and shatter his body into ten thousand pieces...”
Choosing the two as candidates for vice head was based precisely on this consideration.
“Yes!” Chai Yunsheng nodded and left, with Liu Bingshan not daring to say more and following closely behind.
Once the two had left, the room was once again left with only Han Xiao, who then looked into the distance, his eyes narrowing slightly.
If one’s cultivation has reached the Ninefold Source Pool, every single advancement is extremely complex. Within such a short period, the enemy managed to kill Feng Zhaoting effortlessly, a rate of progress that seems a bit too rapid!
...
Meanwhile, in Han Yuan City at the royal palace, Han Qianchou, clad in python robes, looked at the report in his hands and fell into silence.
“To kill Feng Zhaoting so easily, Li Yue’an, it seems Ling Buyang has gained tremendous benefits on his return to the Zhou Yi Dynasty!”
He sighed, picked up another memorial, and glanced at it, his eyebrows knitting together.
“Others might not know, not even Qian Ye, but I was informed in advance. The guy Qian Ye is going to fight in the duel is this person! A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall, what folly!”
If it had been the former Ling Buyang, fighting would be no issue, as he did not think the other could defeat his own martial-obsessed brother. But now, Ling Buyang is continuously killing powerful figures like Feng Zhaoting and Li Yue’an, which is quite terrifying!
Han Qianchou gestured with a wave of his hand, “Li Daban, take my Han Ming Armor to Qian Ye, and tell him to be sure to wear it during the duel!”
“Yes!” Eunuch Li arrived and quickly commanded, with a little eunuch hurriedly departing.
“Forget it, I’ll go there myself!”
After pondering for a moment, Han Qianchou stood up.
“Your Majesty, is it really appropriate for you to personally visit the black market?” Eunuch Li’s face stiffened, and he bowed hurriedly.
Han Qianchou shook his head, “What’s inappropriate about it? In my youth, I also participated in such competitions. Li Daban, go fetch another scroll for me, and after I change my appearance, no one will know!”
Eunuch Li had no choice but to nod, “Yes!”
...
Today’s black market was extraordinarily lively, far surpassing what it had been three days before.
Theoretically, shouldn’t the black market be highly secretive, with only a very small number of people able to find it and trade there? Why are there so many now?
“The so-called ‘black market’ is just a term used in the open. Do you really think the Han Yuan royal family doesn’t know about it?”
Seeing Zhang Xuan’s confusion, Fu Yingying revealed a cold smile, “To tell you the truth, not only do they know, but this place also has their share in it. Every year, at least half of our income flows into the royal family. Otherwise... being reported three times only means relocating and reopening somewhere else, without the staff being affected in the slightest!”
Zhang Xuan nodded.
Indeed, no wonder Sun Qiang had just arrived and already received news about the black market. It turned out that it’s only named “black” but isn’t hidden from the public at all!
It’s similar to certain establishments in his previous life, with solid backing openly operating in busy districts. If raids were too intense, at most they’d close, only to reopen a few days later and continue business as if unscathed.
“Let’s go, let’s go have an evaluation of your odds!”
Without continuing the conversation, Fu Yingying smiled slightly.
Truth be told, she too was curious. This consistently low-profile person, revealing his true cultivation, stacked up against King Ping Yuan’s odds, which would be greater, which smaller?