Chapter 192: Immortal Vine

"Forgive my embarrassing display, Marquis."

Fang Jingchen smiled awkwardly. "Since it’s a fake coin, I don’t want it."

"Stop with these underhanded tricks. You’re only embarrassing yourself."

Li Qian pinched the fake coin between two fingers. The moment he finished speaking, the copper coin snapped in two.

Even though Li Qian had just arrived, he quickly deduced their intentions upon seeing Fang Jingchen from the Fujiao Gang and Master Liu from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

Those last words were clearly a warning.

Fang Jingchen didn’t dare to argue. He simply lowered his head and left.

Master Liu also scurried away in disgrace, drawing jeers and ridicule from the crowd.

"Thank you, Marquis."

Lu Bai cupped his fist. "Otherwise, this would have been very difficult to clear up."

"It was nothing."

Li Qian smiled slightly. "I’ve often heard Yue’er mention you. Since we happened to meet today, let’s go have a meal at Wangjiang Tower together."

"As you wish, Marquis."

Lu Bai nodded, picked up the Red Emperor Mother Coin from the table, and said, "Marquis, this ancient coin is for you."

"You keep it."

Li Qian smiled.

"This is too valuable."

Lu Bai was indeed short one Red Emperor Mother Coin, but he felt it wasn’t right to take such an item for free.

"It’s just an ancient coin. No matter how valuable, it’s not as important as Yue’er’s life."

Li Qian smiled. "I’ve heard you’ve been collecting these ancient coins. I presume it’s to forge a Five Emperors Gold Coin Sword for dealing with evil, correct?"

"Yes."

Lu Bai nodded.

Li Qian asked, "How many are you still missing?"

Lu Bai calculated in his head. "I’m still short twenty-three."

Li Qian said, "I happen to have some at home. I’ll have them sent over to you later."

"Marquis, this..."

Lu Bai was momentarily overwhelmed by the favor.

Li Qian smiled. "I only collect these ancient coins for fun; I have no use for them. They’re just wasted sitting with me. In your hands, however, they can be used to slay evil and fulfill their purpose."

During the battle at the ruined temple, Lu Bai had cleanly eliminated Zhao Wuji and his entire group.

He had handled the matter perfectly, which greatly pleased Li Qian.

If even one person had escaped, Li Yue’er’s reputation might have been tarnished, and by extension, the Marquis’s Mansion could have faced public censure.

Moreover, after hearing about the events in Bluestone City from Li Tianxing, Li Qian had come to admire Lu Bai greatly.

As Li Qian’s family and Lu Bai entered Wangjiang Tower, the surrounding crowd gradually dispersed.

"Why is the Fujiao Gang looking for trouble with Lord Lu this time?"

"I heard the investigation into the Fujiao Gang’s recent trafficking was because Lu Bai targeted one of their Squad Leaders, captured him, interrogated him about the matter, and sent him to the Government Office. That’s how they became enemies."

"No wonder. This Lord Xiaolu is quite righteous, willing to offend the Fujiao Gang for the sake of those refugees."

"Well, he is an Evil Exterminator Guard and he knows Marquis Li. We can’t compare."

Below Wangjiang Tower, a dishevelled, grimy porter listened to the crowd’s chatter, lost in thought.

After a simple meal at Wangjiang Tower, the sky had already darkened.

Li Qian’s family left on their own.

Lu Bai went across the street to pack up his stall.

Someone asked, "Lord Lu, are you coming back tomorrow?"

"I won’t be setting up a stall anymore."

Lu Bai waved his hand.

’I’ve been targeted by the Fujiao Gang. If I keep this stall open, it’ll just lead to more trouble.’

’As for the remaining Five Emperors Coins, I’ll see what Li Qian can provide and collect the rest slowly. There’s no rush.’

’From now on, I’ll just stay at the Evil Extermination Bureau and focus on my cultivation.’

Not far away, a porter with disheveled hair limped towards him. Before he even got close, a foul stench washed over Lu Bai.

Lu Bai’s expression remained neutral; he didn’t drive him away.

’These people lead such difficult lives. If they were well-off, who would choose to end up like this?’

"Lo- Lord Lu, I have a treasure here. Could you appraise it for me?"

The porter asked tentatively.

Lu Bai said, "Sorry, I’ve already closed up shop. No more appraisals."

The porter tried again, "Lord, this treasure was passed down from my ancestors. It might be an item from the Immortal Realm. Won’t you take a look?"

Lu Bai just smiled.

’I’ve heard too many stories like that these past few days.’

’Everything people bring for appraisal has some ridiculously grand origin story—always something about being ancient, primeval, or from the Immortal Realm.’

Seeing that Lu Bai was skeptical, the porter set down his two buckets of slop, took the grease-and-dust-covered stick from between them, and offered it with both hands. His eyes held a mix of nervousness, unease, and a sliver of anticipation.

"Lord, this Immortal Vine is incredibly hard. It’s impervious to water and fire. Why don’t you test it?"

Lu Bai gave it a casual glance.

’It couldn’t really be called a stick.’

’It wasn’t perfectly straight, but slightly curved, more like a piece of a vine.’

Lu Bai wasn’t very interested. He asked, "Is there a Cultivation Technique you want to see?"

’I won’t be here tomorrow, so if he wants to see a Cultivation Technique, I might as well show him.’

The porter shook his head.

An idea came to Lu Bai, and he understood. He pulled out five taels of broken silver and offered it to the man. "It’s not much. Spend it wisely."

The porter looked at the silver Lu Bai offered and shook his head again.

’He doesn’t want money either?’

’Or is it not enough?’

Lu Bai raised an eyebrow slightly.

Seeing the porter still stubbornly holding the vine with both hands, Lu Bai felt a bit helpless and shone the Ancient Mirror on it.

The Ancient Mirror suddenly trembled, emitting a faint warmth!

"Hm?"

A jolt went through Lu Bai.

’This has never happened before.’

But no words appeared on the mirror’s surface.

’Even the Ancient Mirror can’t identify this vine’s origin?’

’Strange.’

Lu Bai took the vine, unsheathed his Cyan Cloud Sword, and casually slashed at its tip.

The blade cut through the grime on the surface but failed to scratch the vine itself.

Unconvinced, Lu Bai raised his hand and chopped down hard on the end of the vine.

The blade struck it without much of a sound.

But the Cyan Cloud Sword was repelled!

The vine was completely unharmed.

Lu Bai narrowed his eyes.

’My Cyan Cloud Sword is a Tier Two Supreme Divine Weapon. Even without using the Blood Prohibition Power, it’s a Divine Weapon that can slice through iron as if it were mud and sever a single hair blown across its edge!’

’Forget a piece of vine; even other Tier Two Treasure Artifacts might not have withstood that blow.’

’And more importantly, this vine actually caused the Ancient Mirror to react!’

"This vine of yours... I can’t identify it."

Lu Bai shook his head slightly and asked, "Are you selling?"

"Selling!"

The porter nodded.

Lu Bai asked, "What do you want for it?"

The man had just refused a Cultivation Technique and money; Lu Bai couldn’t guess what he wanted.

The porter said, "I wish to ask a favor of you, Lord."

"What is it?"

Lu Bai asked.

The porter said in a low voice, "There are too many people here, it’s not convenient to speak. In the tenth alley of Songbai Street, in the east of the city, there is an abandoned residence. Please come there alone at the third watch."

Lu Bai remained noncommittal, but a seed of caution was planted in his mind.

’The Fujiao Gang just came looking for trouble today, and now this man shows up out of nowhere, wanting to meet me alone in the middle of the night.’

"I’ll think about it."

Lu Bai gave a vague reply.

The porter noticed that people were starting to pay attention to them. He quickly lowered his head, picked up his two buckets of slop, and limped away into the distance.

Lu Bai finished packing his things and headed towards the Evil Extermination Bureau.