Chapter 108 - 100: The Magical Artifact’s Advancement

Chapter 108: Chapter 100: The Magical Artifact’s Advancement

"Wha... Why? How..."

The incident happened in a flash. Liu Wuji could only barely turn his head to dodge, but the Sky-Breaking Saber still sliced open his throat. He clapped a hand to the wound, but couldn’t stop the gushing blood. Gasping for breath, his pupils gradually dilated... and lost their light.

Zhao Zuo took a few steps forward to retrieve his Sky-Breaking Saber, his gaze growing complicated. It wasn’t because of his enemy’s death, but because of Chen Xiaorong, who had just appeared nearby.

She was dressed in a long, pale blue dress, her feet hovering a few inches off the ground. Her clothes were completely unstained by dirt, like a fairy descended to the mortal realm.

Zhao Zuo didn’t know what to say. The less than five meters between them felt like an impassable mountain range. The vast gulf in their Cultivation and status made them complete unequals.

"I sensed his murderous intent toward you, so I followed. If you had been outmatched, I would have killed him."

Chen Xiaorong explained, her voice as pleasant as ever, like the clear chime of a spring—gentle, yet full of power. Her eyes were crystal clear.

"Thank you," Zhao Zuo said softly as a warm feeling spread through his chest.

"You plan on retaking the Outer Sect disciple assessment?" Chen Xiaorong took a few steps forward. He couldn’t sense any of the condescension expected from a Senior of the Immortal Path. She spoke to him as if they were friends having a casual conversation, yet he still felt immense pressure.

"That’s right."

"This is my Communication Jade. If you encounter any injustice, you can contact me. But you must not tell anyone I’ve helped you."

"A lot of people in the Moyun Sect don’t like me... You’ll be in danger if you’re associated with me," Chen Xiaorong continued. She did indeed recognize Zhao Zuo from their brief encounters on the Flying Ship and was willing to offer him some help. Unfortunately, she had chosen a path that was destined to turn the whole world against her.

"I understand." Zhao Zuo took the Communication Jade. When he looked up again, Chen Xiaorong was gone. She had arrived like a soft breeze and departed without a stir.

’Always appearing and vanishing like a ghost.’

Zhao Zuo let out a sigh of relief. Talking with Chen Xiaorong always put him under immense pressure, making him tense up involuntarily. With her gone, he felt as if a great weight had been lifted.

He then placed the Communication Jade from Chen Xiaorong into his Storage Bag.

After standing still for a few seconds, he immediately bent down and took Liu Wuji’s Storage Bag. The ice-blue longsword still lay there quietly. It was a Magical Artifact issued by the Moyun Sect, and Zhao Zuo knew that trying to sell it... could bring unnecessary trouble. So, he left it behind.

Zhao Zuo took out some oil, poured it over the corpse, and ignited it with his Mana, doing his best to destroy all evidence.

On the way back, Zhao Zuo used several Cleaning Talismans to eliminate any lingering smells on him. He also took a long, roundabout route to make sure he left no tracks.

Only then did he return to his residence and carefully close the courtyard gate.

Zhao Zuo quietly took stock of the situation. The trip had its share of twists, but he had accomplished all his goals. His mind and body soon relaxed, and a genuine smile touched his lips.

Meanwhile, not long after Zhao Zuo had left, Chen Xiaorong’s figure reappeared. She had never actually left, merely using her Foundation Establishment Divine Thought to deceive his senses. With a casual wave of her pale blue sleeve, the burning corpse was instantly crushed to ash.

Only then did she truly leave. The joy of reuniting with an old acquaintance... quickly faded from her heart.

Zhao Zuo sat silently on the floor of the Earth Fire Chamber, the door locked from the inside. After pulling on a pair of Spirit Silk Gloves, he began to carefully infuse his Mana into Liu Wuji’s Storage Bag.

At first, he could feel a faint resistance from the Storage Bag. Liu Wuji’s lingering Mana was fighting against his own, the two forces canceling each other out. But as time went on, the resistance weakened at a visible rate.

After about ten seconds, Zhao Zuo established a connection with the Storage Bag. It had a capacity of one cubic meter, valued at one hundred Spirit Stones.

"CLATTER..."

Multicolored ores and several hundred Spirit Stones spilled onto the ground. Most were One Tier ores used for refining Magical Artifacts. The variety was wide, but the individual pieces were small; all told, they were worth a little over two hundred Spirit Stones.

In a corner were two cyan Taoist Robes and several women’s underbodices. They were embroidered with various silk-thread patterns: mandarin ducks, lotuses, peonies, Immortal Cranes, and more.

Zhao Zuo’s expression faltered. He immediately tossed the underbodices and Taoist Robes into a nearby brazier, burning them to ash. There was also a diary detailing Liu Wuji’s Cultivation journey and his relationships with senior female sect members... It was more stimulating than any novel.

After flipping through a few pages, Zhao Zuo tossed the books into the brazier. Aside from the Spirit Stones, there were several Pill Medicines with unknown effects. A few of them were Purifying Spirit Pills, but for his own safety, he threw them into the fire as well.

He quickly sorted through his haul and did a mental calculation. He had made off with about four hundred Spirit Stones. It was quite a windfall... and he was extremely satisfied.

After cleaning up the junk, Zhao Zuo gently took out the Communication Jade Chen Xiaorong had given him. He rolled it between his fingers, feeling its faint warmth. This jade meant that he now had backing, but it was a favor he could only call in when faced with injustice.