Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The fox cried even harder, her entire being shivering in fear as if she was already picturing herself made into a dish on the silver-haired youth’s table.
“I’m not hungry yet, just send me the girl,” Su Yu said indifferently.
The rotund priest grinned until his chubby cheeks were squeezed. “Hehe. Alright, come on. Send her to the young man, and do as he requests when he feels like eating.”
The two burly men seized the fox and sent her to Su Yu’s side, and presented a key-shaped amulet to him with both hands. “This is the key that opens the seal. Do keep it properly, sir. As long as the seal remains closed, she’ll lose the ability to fight.”
“Alright.” Su Yu placed the key on the table haphazardly and continued watching the ongoing auction of foods down there.
“Haha, the second course… I believe all of you will be interested too. He came from the Underground Dragon Tribe…” The fat priest introduced with a smile.
Before he finished, another piece of a leaf fell.
Falling with it was Su Yu’s uncompromising voice, “No matter what happens, send him to me.”
Overjoyed, the fat priest hurriedly ordered, “Send them to him!”
His actions dissatisfied others.
A Grand Wizard with the head of a golden snake threatened, “Brother, can you finish two all by yourself?”
Su Yu remained unfazed. “You’re in no place to be concerned about whether or not I can finish them! If you want them, then stick to the rules!”
“Humph! You’re trying to compare resources with me! I, Gentleman Golden Snake, have never feared anyone!” The snake-headed Grand Wizard tossed down a 500-year-old precious fruit.
The fat priest’s eyes shone brightly as he changed his mind. “Gentleman Golden Snake offers a higher price, sir. I’m afraid according to the rules…”
Swish!
The fat priest’s mouth hung open and his eyes went wide. Hundreds of Soul-stabilizing Leaves a thousand years of age fell like snowflakes, forming a thick layer on the stage.
The inn was completely silent. Were those… top-grade treasured leaves? Why did he throw them all over the place as if they were unwanted trash that could be simply cast away?
The fat priest gulped down the lump in his throat, his eyes wide.
Gentleman Golden Snake sat as motionless as a stone sculpture, staring at the priceless treasured leaves.
“I’m taking all the remaining foods that they have in store. If you don’t like it, then present more resources!” Su Yu looked down at the people.
His domineering, wanton, arrogant words greatly intimidated them. Despite their anger, they didn’t dare to speak.
Could a person who squandered away such a tremendous amount of resources be so simple?
At least they couldn’t offend him!
The fat priest nodded as if he were a chick pecking at the rice on the ground. “My Lord! I’ll send you all the foods today! Prepare the orders!”
Crash!
A group of burly men came in one after another and stood in a line behind Su Yu, escorting more than ten kinds of goods. It was truly a spectacular sight.
With more than 20 keys in his hands, Su Yu glanced around at them one by one. When he saw the last one, a creature restrained by three seals, he was stunned for a second.
When Xueying noticed the person, he also gasped in shock. “Wuxin Helm Leader!!”
If that slovenly, middle-aged woman with her head lowered quietly and unkempt hair wasn’t the Wuxin Helm Leader, who had betrayed the Saint lady Temple and chose the Chu Clan of the Fan Capital’s side? Who else could she be?
Su Yu asked, “You’re the most unique food of the day?”
Wuxin Helm Leader couldn’t look Su Yu and Xueying in the eye. She kept her head hung low, her face full of bitterness and remorse.
Pow!
At that moment, the fat priest’s face tensed as he strongly slapped on Wuxin Helm Leader on the cheek. “Lowly slave, he is asking you a question!”
With instinctive fear, Wuxin Helm Leader shuddered as she frantically answered, “Yes!”
The once noble First Helm Leader of the Saint Lady Temple had been now tamed into such a state by an unremarkable Grand Wizard. It was truly incredulous.
It was clear that in the fortnight in which she left, she had been ruthlessly tormented in the Fan Capital.
Su Yu and Xueying exchanged glances with mixed and complicated feelings.
“I’ll take them away first. Are you alright with that?” Su Yu asked the fat priest.
The fat priest beamed like a blooming flower. “Of course, of course! All of them belong to you now, my Lord. Whenever you feel like eating them, just bring them over. The chefs here will make them into any cuisine you ask of them.”
“All of you, come with me.” Su Yu walked down the stairs without looking back.
The fat priest offered to lead his way generously, “Goodbye! Take care, my Lord. Do come again when you get the chance, my Lord!”
Su Yu led the line of people to a remote, quiet place. His gaze stayed on Wuxin Helm Leader. “The rest of you may leave, you stay.”
With a wave of his hand, he distributed the keys to them.
They were stunned for a moment. When they were certain that Su Yu was messing with them, they expressed their gratitude by kowtowing to Su Yu as if they had received the greatest amnesty, then scurried away.
While toying with the last remaining key in his hand, Su Yu cooly said, “As the old saying goes, when all the cunning hares are killed, the hounds will be cooked and eaten.”
“But sometimes, the cunning hares don’t die, and the hounds get cooked first. Wuxin Helm Leader, any thoughts on that?”
Wuxin Helm Leader lifted her gaze abruptly, her eyes filled with bitter hatred. “It was because of you! Had you not appeared, I wouldn’t be in such a predicament!”
Pow!
A loud slap could be heard clearly, but it wasn’t Su Yu who slapped her. It was Xueying.
Wuxin Helm Leader’s cheek was seared, a clear palm print emerging.
Wuxin Helm Leader mocked herself, “Hit me! hit me with all you’ve got! I used to treat you ill in the past, now that I have ended up in such a disheveled state, it is time for you to seek revenge!”
Strangely, Wuxin Helm Leader seemed to know who Xueying was.
Xueying said placidly, “This slap wasn’t for me, but for the Temple Mistress. You have misunderstood her kind efforts.”
As he spoke, he retrieved a jade letter and hurled it to Wuxin Helm Leader.
“What more do you have to show me now? Do you think I’d forgive that old fellow?” Wuxin Helm Leader kept sneering.
Xueying only passed the jade letter without saying a single word.
Wuxin Helm Leader laughed coldly and shot a glance at the jade letter. That single glance made the smile on her face freeze like frost.
“The Saint Lady Temple is launching a reformation of policies to abolish the position of Helm Leaders and establish Left and Right Cabinets instead, so they may supervise one another.”
“The Saint Lady will assume the office of the Left Cabinet Leader, while Wuxin will hold the post of the Right Cabinet Leader…”
Upon seeing that, Wuxin Helm Leader’s face froze.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. This is all just a lie you made up, right? That old woman has set her mind up to abolish me!” Wuxin Helm Leader questioned in disbelief.
Xueying said, “I suppose you would not mistake the soul scent left personally by the Temple Mistress as that of someone else. As for whether she intended to abolish you, it was all just in your head.”
“Given how the Temple Mistress is, if she wanted to abolish you, would she even give you a chance to betray her and side with the enemy?”
Wuxin Helm Leader was stunned. He had a point. If someone as wise and the Temple Mistress had wanted to eliminate her, how could she not take precaution against her betrayal?
But she had never raised her guards against her. That was enough proof that she had no intention of repealing her post, but she would continue to put her in an important position.
When she finally understood it all, the looks on Wuxin Helm Leader’s face kept changing rapidly.
Contrition, remorse, repentance, shame. All of those finally turned into two streaks of tears trickling from her eyes.
“I… I regret all that I’ve done to her!”
She had always treated her kindly, yet she selfishly sided with the enemy and nearly ruined the Saint Lady Temple.
Xueying said, “The Temple Mistress once said that if you are willing to return, you will still be welcomed.”
With bitter tears, Wuxin Helm Leader shook her head. “What more courage do I have left to face her and my own people?”
Sobbing, she knelt to the ground on one knee. In the direction of the Saint Lady Temple, she worshiped three times. “Unfilial pupil Wuxin is unforgivably sorry to you, Temple Mistress, and to the ancestors of the Saint Lady Temple.”
Looking at Wuxin repenting with such sincerity, Su Yu pondered for a moment before throwing the key to the ground. “You’re free now.”
Wuxin did not pick it up immediately but only looked at Su Yu. “Don’t you hate me? I kept compelling you and nearly injured you.”
Su Yu said, “A fault confessed is half redressed. Since you are now aware of your past wrongdoings, why should I still be holding on to it?”
If she could turn over a new leaf, Su Yu would certainly give her a chance of rebirth.
Wuxin had a complicated look in her eyes, and she felt even more ashamed of her mistakes.
Offering him a kowtow, Wuxin said, “Thank you for your great kindness, benefactor. I shall repay you with my life!”
“Okay, now that’s too much,” Su Yu said.
“No, I am serious. If I am not mistaken, you will soon encounter a gruesome calamity, benefactor!” Wuxin said.
Su Yu chortled. “So you’re a fortune-teller?”
“Of course I can’t tell fortunes, but I know a thing or two about nature’s mysteries,” Wuxin said solemnly.
Is that so? Su Yu heard her overtone. With a shift of his gaze, he asked, “Is that the reason you were auctioned as a meal?”
“You are exceptionally clever, benefactor!” Wuxin complimented him before adding, “I overheard the conversation between Chu Long and his son by chance and knew that they were going to hurt you. They got rid of me to ensure that it remained a secret.”
The power of the First Helm Leader of the Saint Lady Temple far surpassed most Level 3 wizards.
Yet Chu Long was ruthless enough to have managed to dispose of her. Chu Long was clearly worried about the news being leaked.
The news must be crucial.
“Oh? Tell me about that. What are the father and son planning to do?” Su Yu asked.
Wuxin had hints of somberness and fear in her eyes. “The father and son are a pair of madmen. They planned to set the location of competition at the Asura Forbidden Lands!”
The Asura Forbidden Lands? Su Yu’s heart thumped forcefully in his chest.
On their way here, they had encountered the Asura Forbidden Lands.
With a surprised glance, they saw the horrifying creatures living in the forbidden lands with great clarity. There were enough of them to devastate the Lost Nation a hundred times over.
“The Chu Clan thought of setting the location there? Are they trying to get Su Yu killed? And is Chu Bawang also going to die alongside him?” Xueying asked in shock.
Wuxin shook her head. “You have no idea! From the past until the present, the Fan Capital and the Sheng Capital have another important role aside from directly listening to the orders of the Sect Master. I don’t know if you guys know much about it.”
Xueying shook his head in bewilderment.
As an outsider, shrewd light gleamed in the depths of Su Yu’s pupils. “You’re saying that role must be guarding the forbidden lands, right?”
Wuxin wore a fascinated, praising look. She had a stronger feeling that Su Yu was extraordinarily clever now. She said, “Exactly!”
“The Saint Capital, the Sheng Capital, and the Fan Capital… The three Great Capitals of the Lost Nation happen to correspond to the three forbidden lands of the Lost Nation.”
“The Fan Capital is responsible for guarding the Asura Forbidden Lands!” Wuxin said with solemn eyes.
“They have been guarding the Asura Forbidden Lands for generations. No one knows how much of the Asura Forbidden Lands they have secretly explored or how much they have learned.”
“I’m afraid that not even the former Sect Masters know as much about the Asura Forbidden Lands as the Fan Capital does.”
“Given that they chose the Asura Forbidden Lands, they would have figured out a way to help Chu Bawang retreat unharmed! Hence, benefactor, you barely stand any chance of survival in this trip, yet your opponent could retreat anytime. It is an obvious trap.”
Upon hearing her words, Su Yu grew much more solemn.
If the competition was to be held at the Asura Forbidden Lands, it would be a gruesome calamity!
