Chapter 141 - 121: The Person Behind the Scenes

Chapter 141: Chapter 121: The Person Behind the Scenes

Time flew by. In mid-April, Zhao Zuo went to the Ministry of Affairs Hall to turn in fifteen Lower Grade Magical Artifacts, fulfilling his quota. He received one hundred and fifty Contribution Points and two Yellow Bud Pills.

Unfortunately, before he could even get his hands on the Contribution Points, they were deducted to pay off his debt.

He still owed one hundred Contribution Points for the Golden Fire Refining World Scripture. He would be able to pay it off completely next month with some left over. After that, he could start saving up Contribution Points to purchase the part of the Golden Fire Refining World Scripture for the Nourishing Body stage, and from there, set his sights on the Foundation Establishment Realm.

The person behind the scenes hadn’t contacted Liu Heng in the past few days. They were very cautious and had likely given up on working with Liu Heng, finding a new Outer Sect disciple to replace him.

Zhao Zuo couldn’t help but feel a little discouraged. Since he couldn’t use Liu Heng to lure out the person behind the scenes, his only option was to take the risk himself and act as bait.

Inside the Earth Fire Chamber, Liu Heng was polishing a Lower Grade Magical Artifact with a focused expression.

When a few more days passed and the person still hadn’t contacted him, Liu Heng understood that they had chosen to find a new partner rather than risk interacting with him. He couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.

"Help me keep an eye on Zhao Qingmeng’s old courtyard. If a new disciple moves in, let me know. Also... don’t take any reckless risks," Zhao Zuo instructed carefully.

"As you command." A wave of gratitude washed over Liu Heng.

In truth, Zhao Zuo’s reason for saying this was simple: Liu Heng was a very useful tool. With his help, the speed of refining Lower Grade Magical Artifacts more than tripled, and it also saved Zhao Zuo some stamina that he could use for other things.

"I’m leaving first. You can leave in a bit," Zhao Zuo added.

"Is there anything else I can do? For example, I could investigate that person’s identity. I’ve been in the Outer Sect for many years and have a few connections," Liu Heng added. The main reason he had so readily submitted and offered the Master-Servant Contract back then was the vast difference in their statuses.

Even though Zhao Zuo had only recently become an Inner Sect Disciple, it was as if he had stepped into a world that Liu Heng could never hope to reach.

"There’s no need to do anything else. After all, the enemy is in the shadows while you are out in the open." Zhao Zuo shook his head, stopping him.

After leaving the Earth Fire Chamber, Zhao Zuo returned directly to the Inner Sect’s territory. Five days had passed since he had last taken a Purifying Spirit Pill. This time, he planned to try the Yellow Bud Pill, which had a much stronger medicinal effect.

He had waited five days to prevent any conflict between the medicinal properties of the two pills. While it wouldn’t cause injury, if they canceled each other out and wasted the Yellow Bud Pill’s potency, the loss would far outweigh the gain. After all, his monthly quota was only two of them.

Zhao Zuo had considered spending some Spirit Stones to buy Yellow Bud Pills, but he couldn’t find any way to do so. These were pills that directly affected one’s Cultivation. Unless someone had lost their mind, they would never put them up for sale.

He had heard that three Inner Sect Disciples at Qi Cultivation Perfection in the Moyun Sect had once established three factions to profit by forcibly buying other disciples’ Yellow Bud Pills at low prices. But now... those factions had been annihilated by Chen Xiaorong, and their core members were exiled to mine Spirit Stones for ten years.

Zhao Zuo would sometimes silently thank Chen Xiaorong for creating a fair and safe environment for him. More often, however, he felt an inexplicable worry for her. If Chen Xiaorong ever lost her current power, this fair environment would surely be destroyed in short order.

That night, Zhao Zuo sat cross-legged on his bed in his room.

A couple of feet in front of him sat a bronze incense burner, inside which burned some Concentration Incense.

This kind of auxiliary consumable helped one enter a state of deep meditation more quickly, enhancing the absorption of the Yellow Bud Pill so that none of its medicinal potency was wasted.

While waiting for the Concentration Incense to burn, Zhao Zuo took out his Communication Jade.

"I’ll be leaving the Moyun Sect tomorrow afternoon. That person will very likely make a move," Zhao Zuo said.

"Okay. I’ll lie in wait in the area surrounding the Moyun Sect tomorrow. Be careful," came Shen Yunjiao’s concerned voice.

"Alright, it’s settled," Zhao Zuo replied. ’Man makes the plans, and man should see them through. With the Spring and Autumn Cicada’s death-substitution ability as a safety net, combined with the Soul-Shaking Bell and the Sky-Breaking Saber—which is as powerful as an Upper Grade Magical Artifact—plus the formidable physique provided by the Golden Body Technique, he refused to believe he could fail.’

"Get a good rest tonight," Shen Yunjiao added.

Zhao Zuo was a little surprised. ’Based on Shen Yunjiao’s usual personality, she should have brought up how they would divide the spoils—specifically, what to do with their target’s Storage Bag.’

’The fact that she didn’t bring it up probably means she’s planning to hit me with an exorbitant demand when we meet tomorrow,’ Zhao Zuo thought. This was mainly because his image of Shen Yunjiao as being obsessed with money was just too deeply ingrained.

"Let’s discuss how we’ll split the loot," Zhao Zuo said, taking the initiative.

"Oh, okay," Shen Yunjiao replied. "Let’s just split it fifty-fifty."

"Let’s do seventy-thirty. You take seventy percent, I’ll take thirty. I have more ways to earn Spirit Stones than you do," Zhao Zuo said. Shen Yunjiao knew he could refine Lower Grade Magical Artifacts, so this was a reasonable thing to say.

"No, let’s just do fifty-fifty," Shen Yunjiao repeated, her tone firm.

"Alright, then." Zhao Zuo didn’t press the issue. ’He was actually quite confident in his own strength and didn’t believe he was much weaker than his opponent. Asking Shen Yunjiao for help was more of a precaution—better safe than sorry.’

Zhao Zuo put away the Communication Jade, breathing in the faint scent of sandalwood in the air as he began to adjust his state.

Meanwhile, Shen Yunjiao tossed the now-silent Communication Jade into her Storage Bag, annoyed. ’She really didn’t understand... what happened to the Zhao Zuo who loved to just chat idly on the Communication Jade whenever he had free time!’