Chapter 517: Cooperation (Part 2)

Chapter 517: Chapter 340: Cooperation (Part 2)

Looks like this Lotus Lantern Dharma Assembly is going to be very lively.

Zhao Xuanqi was greatly looking forward to seeing the techniques of the different Martial Arts Schools in this world.

Next, the attendees discussed the Celestial Nine Pavilion, the Divine Weapon Tomb, and some arrangements for the upcoming Lotus Lantern Dharma Assembly. Someone then suggested a friendly sparring session. However, the venue was small, so everyone held back and didn’t use their true strength.

This kind of sparring had little to do with a New Disciple like Zhao Xuanqi, who had only joined a few months ago. After watching a few matches, he lost interest and stopped paying attention.

The small gathering lasted for about four hours. South Mansion normally had a curfew, but since the district was now filled with disciples from various schools, the officials turned a blind eye, as long as no major disturbances occurred.

The crowd dispersed, each returning to their respective inns. The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, the sect didn’t have many arrangements for the Blood Strengthening realm disciples. He Xijun was now preparing to advance to the Refining the Internal Organs realm and had a heavy daily training schedule, spending the entire morning cultivating. The other disciples invited Zhao Xuanqi to stroll around the city with them, but he politely declined.

He planned to walk around and explore the city by himself.

After reporting to a Steward from the sect, Zhao Xuanqi left the inn. He wasn’t wearing the signature plain robes of the Red Heart Sect, but had changed into casual clothes. He walked through South Mansion, personally experiencing the local culture and customs.

Of course, he also habitually familiarized himself with the surrounding streets, alleys, and terrain.

Hm?

He hadn’t been exploring the city for long when his sharp intuition seemed to sense something. His heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained impassive as he continued forward as usual.

And at the same time, just as Zhao Xuanqi was weaving through the streets and alleys, a woman in a white casual dress, her face concealed by a thin veil, was tailing him from a distance, watching his every move.

This person was none other than Zhuang Li of Miaoyin Hall.

Ever since she learned Zhao Xuanqi’s true identity last night, she had been thinking about how to contact him privately. This was the perfect opportunity.

“He’s discovered you.”

The voice in her mind spoke abruptly.

Zhuang Li’s expression shifted at those words. She looked in Zhao Xuanqi’s direction and saw that his behavior was no different than before. However, his route was consciously leading him away from the bustling areas and toward sparsely populated alleys. There were plenty of pedestrians around, but Zhao Xuanqi moved through the crowd with extreme speed.

‘I’ve done my best to hide my aura. From this far away, and without revealing any ill intent, with such a dense crowd… he can still detect something is wrong?’

‘What terrifying Spiritual Sense.’

“Since he’s actively heading toward a deserted alley, there’s no need for you to hide anymore. It’s useless.”

The cold voice said.

Zhuang Li nodded. No longer hesitating, she continued to follow.

One walked, the other followed. Within a few dozen breaths, Zhao Xuanqi entered a deserted alley. Zhuang Li followed immediately, but after rounding a corner, she came to an abrupt halt.

Zhao Xuanqi was standing just five steps in front of her. A dangerous glint shone in his eyes as he watched her like a wild beast. In an instant, a suffocating chill rose from the depths of her heart.

“You knew you were exposed, yet you still followed. I can’t imagine what’s so special about a minor figure like me that’s worth tailing.”

Zhao Xuanqi stared at Zhuang Li’s veiled face, his eyes narrowing slightly. He felt a sense of familiarity.

“You’re no minor figure. A genius secretly cultivated by the Red Heart Sect who made a name for himself in the Heqing Martial Realm because of the Ghost City incident—how could you be considered a minor figure?”

Zhuang Li quickly recovered from the oppressive feeling and spoke with a light laugh. As a sign of goodwill, she took the initiative to remove her veil, revealing her face.

‘Zhuang Li from Miaoyin Hall? So it is her.’

In truth, he didn’t need her to remove her veil. The moment he heard her voice, Zhao Xuanqi had already recognized her.

After the Ghost City incident ended, he had harbored some suspicions about this woman.

During their final, desperate struggle, the essence of the power she had unleashed seemed to surpass the Blood Strengthening realm. If her power hadn’t spread out, instantly neutralizing the special influence of multiple Evil Spirits and the Evil Cult Statue while also providing a significant boost to everyone’s strength, it would have been questionable whether Ren Fei and the others, in their condition, could have broken through even if they had given it their all.

And that wasn’t the most crucial part. When he destroyed the Evil Cult Statue, causing the entire Ghost City to collapse and everyone to lose control, as the Merit Power surged into his Rebirth Jade, he faintly sensed that some kind of power within the Ghost City had been seized by Zhuang Li.

At first, he thought it was just his imagination. Combined with her previous actions, it made him suspicious, but now he was certain: this Zhuang Li was hiding a great secret.

He had barely interacted with her, yet his ability to hide his Primordial Qi from the Hundred-Star Pill Battle—an ability that had even fooled Qiu Qing’s face-to-face inspection—had been seen through by her.

“So it’s Senior Sister Zhuang of Miaoyin Hall. I wonder what business you have following me? And I’m afraid you have the wrong person, Senior Sister. I’m just a newcomer who recently joined the sect.”

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, but Zhao Xuanqi’s expression betrayed nothing, as he wasn’t sure if Zhuang Li was trying to bluff him.

“Zhao, there’s no need to keep up the act. I wouldn’t have approached you directly if I wasn’t absolutely certain. Don’t worry, I mean you no harm, nor do I want to expose your identity or secrets. Rather, there’s a matter I wish to cooperate with you on, something I’m sure you’ll be very interested in.”

Zhuang Li spoke, focusing her voice into a thin line. Even if a passerby walked by, they wouldn’t be able to hear their conversation.

“Senior Sister Zhuang, I’m really not the person you’re looking for. This is a misunderstanding. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way. South Mansion is a bustling place, and I’d like to explore it more.”

Zhao Xuanqi cupped his fists, turned, and prepared to leave the alley. Even though Zhuang Li had apparently seen through his disguise, so what? ‘She has plenty of secrets herself. Besides, the Red Heart Sect wouldn’t so easily believe an outsider based on her word alone.’

As for the cooperation she mentioned and her true identity, Zhao Xuanqi was indeed interested. However, there were too many strange things about her, and he didn’t want to get involved. As long as he knew she was abnormal, there would be plenty of opportunities to investigate slowly later on.

“Zhao, why the rush to leave? Won’t you hear me out? Blood Food Power… I wonder if you’re interested in that?”

Zhuang Li’s transmitted voice once again entered Zhao Xuanqi’s ears.

‘Blood Food Power?’

Zhao Xuanqi’s gaze flickered and a hundred thoughts raced through his mind, but he didn’t stop walking. He knew what Blood Food Power was—it was closely related to Evil Cultivation. However, it wasn’t of much use to him. Or perhaps it was, but he currently didn’t know how to utilize it.

Seeing Zhao Xuanqi was still determined to leave, Zhuang Li frowned slightly. Just then, the cold voice echoed in her mind once more.

“Then, let me rephrase. Celestial Merit… are you interested in that?”

Zhuang Li repeated the words the cold voice had just spoken to her.

Hearing the word “Merit,” Zhao Xuanqi, who was walking away, couldn’t help but stop dead in his tracks and whip around.

‘Celestial Merit… Merit Power…’

This was something he was deeply entangled with.

Ever since obtaining the Rebirth Jade, he had never made contact with the Divine Court and knew almost nothing about the secrets behind the jade.

Exploring these secrets was one of his most important goals throughout his continuous reincarnations.

Yet this Zhuang Li standing before him actually knew about Celestial Merit, and perhaps even knew a thing or two about the secrets of the Divine Court.

‘Just what is her identity?’

‘Could it be that she’s a Reincarnator, just like me?’

At this thought, a dangerous glint appeared in Zhao Xuanqi’s eyes.