“Hey, don’t go…” Ding Hao waved his hand, wanting to get to the bottom of the matter.
However, the skinny coarse-looking old man ran frantically without looking back. Like a wild dog off its leash, he was so fast that each stride he took was several hundred meters long. In the blink of an eye, he had vanished into the distant forest.
“We seem to know each other. Come, let’s talk.” Ding Hao went after him, taking long strides.
The others exchanged glances, not knowing what had happened.
Suddenly, a man in the crowd who had just bartered his Precious Weapon for a map seemed to have realized something. He yelled, “Oh no, don’t go, old creature! You took away my top-grade Precious Weapon without giving me a map. Come back…”
As he spoke, he ran after the man.
Unfortunately, Ding Hao and the coarse-looking old man were both very fast. In the blink of an eye, they had vanished into the distance, and he could not catch up with them.
“Who’s that old man? Why is he so fast? Could he have extraordinary strength?” Someone cried out in astonishment.
“It isn’t just this old man. That brawny man with a square face and the black cat also has horrific strength. He disappeared in the blink of an eye,” another man said.
“Since Ding Hao from the Northern Region achieved fame in that battle, many juniors have begun imitating him. They’re starting to rear cats as pets. The brawny man with a square face has a black cat. He’s obviously imitating Ding Hao with his white cat…”
“If you blindly imitate others, how can you walk your own path? Such a man is not worth mentioning at all.”
…
Ding Hao raced madly all the way and soon saw the back of the skinny coarse-looking old man.
“Don’t go…” Ding Hao suddenly quickened his pace, dashed over like lightning, and grabbed the robe on the man’s back.
“Stinking lad, let go.” The coarse-looking old man ran wildly. With a loud rip, Ding Hao had torn his clothes.
Ding Hao’s figure flashed and he instantly intercepted the man.
“You stinking brat, why are you chasing me? I have already given you the map.” The skinny old man was out of breath as he ran. He said furiously, “You even tore my clothes. Do you know how expensive they are? If you continue coming after me, I will scream molest!”
Ding Hao laughed and said, “Scream then. We’re in a deserted place. No one will care even if you scream yourself hoarse.”
The skinny coarse-looking old man was at a loss for words. “I don’t know you. Why are you chasing me?”
“I went after you since you were running. Tell me, why did you run?” Ding Hao asked.
“Well…” The skinny old man was speechless.
Ding Hao smiled and asked tentatively, “Sir, you look like an old friend of mine. We could be acquainted.”
“Acquainted? I don’t know you at all.” The coarse-looking old man immediately denied any acquaintance.
Ding Hao laughed and said, “Well, don’t deny it, you swindler! How dare you come to the Divine Central Continent and deceive us! You conned me of 500 gold ingots for a useless saber manual. Mr. Tianshu, I recognize you. Don’t deny it.”
“What are you talking about? That ‘One Saber to Begin Your Journey Technique’ of mine is a really…” As he said this, the coarse-looking old man suddenly realized he had made a slip of the tongue. He stared at Ding Hao, howling angrily, “You bastard, you set me up.”
“Haha, you admitted it yourself, didn’t you?” Ding Hao chuckled loudly. “Why do you look so different now? You look like another man altogether. If it weren’t for that obscene and treacherous air that you cannot hide, I wouldn’t have recognized you.”
“You don’t know how to talk, do you, lad? I’m upright and above board. How dare you call me obscene and vulgar!” The skinny old man yelled eccentrically with great dissatisfaction.
As he spoke, he opened his mouth and shook his head. The skin and bones of his face began to twitch as if they were melting. Soon, the twitching stopped, and his whole face had changed into another person’s, that same profiteer whom Ding Hao had known before—Tianshu.
It was a little magic trick that could change his bone structure and facial muscles, making him look completely different.
These slight changes could help disguise his appearance and demeanor. But the transformation was not complete.
Tianshu shook his head to get used to the changes. He was again that same swindler in the back hills of the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect. Then he quickly changed his robes and suddenly turned into another man. Those who had bought his maps would not have recognized him even if they scrutinized his features for three days and three nights.
“How did you become like this, lad?” Tianshu looked at Ding Hao, now with a square, fleshy face, and then looked at Evil Moon covered in black mud. He asked, “And that useless cat, who’s always greedy for food and sleep—why is it now black? It’s getting uglier and uglier.”
“Meow, you b*stard conman, you want a fight, don’t you?” Evil Moon, who was already quite depressed, flashed its sharp claws with a meow, as if its tail had been stepped on.
Ding Hao smiled. “Lately, I have gained a little fame. I’m afraid my admirers got a little crazy, so I changed my appearance. What about you? You’re a conman. Did you cheat too many people and get chased all over the world? This must be why you have to change your facial features, right?”
“Nonsense. I have always been honest in my business dealings. A man of integrity, never swindling kids or elderly folks. Why would I swindle anyone? You don’t know how many want to do business with me. But you, lad, must have done something shameful—that’s why you have to change your looks. You’re afraid of being pursued by the successors of those super forces from the Divine Central Continent, aren’t you?” The coarse-looking old man looked at Ding Hao gloatingly.
He was indeed well-informed. Obviously, he had heard about what Ding Hao did in the Divine Central Continent.
Ding Hao curled his lips, took out the map he acquired through the barter, and studied it carefully.
To be honest, he quite believed in the authenticity of this mysterious map. After all, its material and contents seemed genuine. But after learning that this coarse-looking old man was actually that conman Tianshu, Ding Hao felt a little uneasy.
This swindler was too cunning. He could not trust him.
Ding Hao would not even believe what he said in his sleep.
“Hey, old fella, is this map genuine or not?” Ding Hao could not tell if it was an imitation. The patterns on the mysterious black beast hide seemed genuine with strange magical powers. It looked authentic.
Tianshu said solemnly, “Of course it’s real. It took me a great deal of effort to get it.”
“Why do I feel that you’re lying?” Ding Hao was still very suspicious.
Given Tianshu’s miserliness, if this map was genuine, he would have gone to the ruins alone to hunt for the treasures. Why would he make so many copies of the map and sell them so that countless others would know its authenticity?
“What do you mean? You stinking lad, do you doubt my integrity?” Uncle Tianshu said angrily.
Ding Hao curled his lips in disdain and muttered in his heart, “You have lost your integrity a long time ago.”
“Why are you showing me that face? If it weren’t for the fact that the environs of the ruins are too dangerous, and that it would be too dangerous for me to go alone, I wouldn’t have sold those maps…” Tianshu said, stamping his foot.
Only now did Ding Hao begin to believe him.
“By the way, is this whole affair about the Sacred Hall true?” Ding Hao tried to get some information out of him. This coarse-looking old man knew quite a lot.
Tianshu rolled his eyes and said, “If it isn’t true, would an old man like me be stupid enough to join the hunt?”
Ding Hao thought for a while and agreed with him.
“Why, are you also interested in the divine hoards of the Sacred Hall ruins?”
Tianshu glanced at Ding Hao and was about to say something, when he suddenly remembered that this guy had always been absurdly lucky. When he was in the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect, he and everyone with him would have all sorts of good fortune. If he were to draw Ding Hao to his side, Tianshu might have the same good luck in his hunt for the divine hoards.
“I’m here to try my luck,” Ding Hao said with a smile.
Tianshu clapped his hands and smiled. “Great! If we join forces, we can definitely unearth the divine hoards in the Sacred Hall ruins. What do you think? Are you interested?”
Ding Hao asked suspiciously, “Didn’t you run away as soon as you saw me?”
“That was just now. Now it’s different. How about it? Wanna join forces with me? I have a lot of exclusive information about the Sacred Hall ruins.” Tianshu smiled like an old fox wagging its tail.
Ding Hao thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright.”
Although Tianshu was not to be trusted, he seemed to be very well-informed and his strength unfathomable. When he was in the Swordsmanship-seeking Sect, Tianshu did help Ding Hao and could be considered his friend. Moreover, this old man had come from the Southern Region and his surname was Muhuang. He might be able to supply Ding Hao with some information about the Southern Muhuang Family.
Of course, the real reason was that Ding Hao was a road idiot. This vast primeval forest was a boundless expanse of ancient trees, a sea of green. If Ding Hao got lost in this terrain, he might be trapped here for three to five years since he had poor pathfinding ability. With Tianshu as his guide, he would not lose his way.
Tianshu was overjoyed.
The two of them made a quick pact. After a brief discussion, they concluded a deal. After that, they went back to the campsite of the Human Clan martial artists.
They decided to follow the others, and act according to circumstances, since the Sacred Hall ruins were after all lurking with danger. The place was almost impossible to find, and they did not mind following other men.
In the twinkling of an eye, the campsite of the Human Clan martial artists was in sight.
From a distance, he saw a group of angry warriors standing at the camp gate, searching for something.
“Young brother, you’re finally back! Did you catch that old conman?” A brawny man saw Ding Hao, and immediately greeted him with a happy smile. It was an expert who had purchase a map using a top-grade Precious Weapon.
“Uh…” Ding Hao glanced at Tianshu beside him and said, “I didn’t catch him. What happened?”
“Dammit! If I see that old bastard swindler again, I will definitely break his leg. He sold me a fake map! We were all conned by him!” The brawny man gnashed his teeth, speaking hatefully.
“A fake map?” Ding Hao took another look at Tianshu by his side.
The latter said indignantly, “What? Was that old fella selling fake maps? We must not spare him!”
The brawny man said with hatred, “Why, were you also conned by that bastard, old brother?”
“Yes. That damned old bastard! He tricked me into giving him a top-grade Precious Weapon. It’s money for my wedding…” Tianshu said, jumping with rage.
