Chapter 43: Stop Blowing Smoke

Wei Huo and Wei Hai had advanced into mid-stage Qi Refining several years ago, and they often trained outside. Their life-bound artifacts were also special, so they considered themselves capable. They never imagined that not long after sneaking into Zhaoge, just as they were commenting on the layout inside, they would be caught.

Originally, they had looked down on Zhaoge’s Xuanyuan Guards. They had not expected that when several people surrounded them, their strength would be so astonishing that they were beaten senseless on the spot.

The two were captured by Fan Huilan with a net, then held at blade point by Guo Qianshan, and together they were brought before Chi Yixuan.

In truth, according to Guo Qianshan’s way of thinking, petty thieves like these were not qualified to appear before the Boss. They could have captured them outside, locked them in the prison, and reported to the Boss in the daytime. Unfortunately, the moment they discovered these two petty thieves, the Boss ordered them brought over, so everyone could only obey.

Unexpectedly, even after being escorted to the small house, the two were still noisy and unconvinced. Guo Qianshan gave them a cold glare, but could not be bothered to argue with them. Wan Tianyou said, “The moment you came in, your footprints were all over the place. Did you think we were blind?”

It turned out that over the past few days, Zhaoge’s spiritual qi had risen dramatically, turning the desert into an oasis and drawing countless gazes and probes. Guo Qianshan and the others believed that although they had the protection of the array, they still could not relax Zhaoge’s defenses. Otherwise, what use were Xuanyuan Guards like them?

So after discussing it for a while, they carefully arranged guards to rotate day and night, and also set up some traps. The powder scattered at the entrance was one such trap. This powder was called Immortal Lure, a very elegant name. In reality, it was only an unranked ordinary grass. After it was ground into powder and scattered around the inner edge of the valley, as long as someone stepped on it and picked up the powder, their footprints would be fully visible to practitioners.

Tonight, it was Wan Tianyou’s turn to lead the watch. Every fifteen minutes, he would circulate spiritual power to his eyes and observe the main roads inside Zhaoge. One moment there had been nothing, but the next moment, he saw two sets of faintly glowing footprints constantly moving through the night, yet he could not see any people at all.

Wan Tianyou’s eyes had gone wide on the spot, but he did not dare make a sound and alert the outsiders. He quietly called Guo Qianshan and the others over. Unexpectedly, just as they were preparing to surround the intruders, they received the Boss’s transmission…

Hearing Wan Tianyou’s words, then looking at the unknown powder that had indeed stuck to the soles of their feet, the expressions on the Wei brothers’ faces instantly became very colorful. Wei Hai looked anxiously toward his older brother, while Wei Huo thought to himself that these people were indeed cunning. No wonder they could deceive a Perfected One. The brothers could not let these people deal with them for no clear reason.

So Wei Huo said, “We merely admired Zhaoge’s master’s bearing and wished to pay him a visit, but you stopped us and refused to let us in. We had no choice but to use a foolish method. After we came in, we also behaved properly and dutifully. We did not damage a single blade of grass or tree inside Zhaoge, nor did we take away even a needle or thread. We are absolutely not people with ulterior motives. Even if we were wrong, our crime does not deserve death. I have heard that Zhaoge has always acted generously. Surely you cannot kill us here over this.”

Guo Qianshan heard that he seemed courteous, but in truth his words concealed needles in cotton. So if they dealt with a thief who had sneaked in, they would also end up with the charge of being ungenerous?

Whether he was generous or not, Guo Qianshan had never considered such things in the past. In the Easternmost Continent, whoever had the higher cultivation was the one with reason on their side.

But now that they were helping the Boss conquer the world, they could not ignore the Boss’s reputation.

Guo Qianshan glanced coldly at the two of them and said to Wan Tianyou, “Don’t waste words with them. Bring them before the Boss.”

Rather than looking afraid, Wei Huo and Wei Hai were delighted.

Wan Tianyou saw that their expressions seemed a little off, and before dragging them inside, he kicked each of them once and told them to behave.

Wei Huo and Wei Hai both cried out in pain. Wei Hai cursed a few times, while Wei Huo said nothing.

…

By this time, Chi Yixuan had already returned to the small house. With no snacks, he could only drink some bland tea. When the pair of brothers, one fat and one thin, were escorted in, he was wondering whether he should open a teleportation gate to Immortal Continent to scrounge up some snacks.

At this moment, the Wei brothers naturally did not know that the person sitting before them was the same person who had just been in front of the mystic armor beetle cage. They knew even less that Chi Yixuan had already heard every quiet complaint they had made earlier. As soon as they came in and saw a handsome young man in blue sitting there drinking tea, while the Xuanyuan Guards treated him with utmost respect, they were shocked to discover that the rumored Perfected One was actually this young.

Generally speaking, a person’s appearance became fixed after Foundation Establishment. The later someone reached Foundation Establishment, the older they appeared. Of course, there were also youth-preserving pills, but a person’s experience would be written on their face. The youth of someone who had taken a youth-preserving pill was still different from genuine youth.

The two became even more certain of their guess that Chi Yixuan came from a famous sect in Immortal Continent, and they grew even more determined to become his trusted aides.

After Guo Qianshan and the others came in, they stood to one side to prevent the two from being rude to the Boss. Who would have thought that after the two entered, they would immediately kneel and kowtow, say a whole pile of nonsense, and even complain to his face, saying that these people had blocked the Boss’s eyes and ears, deliberately chosen useless people to come in and fool the Boss, and were attempting to monopolize Zhaoge’s benefits for themselves.

Everyone listened until anger flared in them. Guo Qianshan held himself back and did not move, but in truth, killing intent had already risen in his heart.

Wan Tianyou was more impulsive. He cursed that they were spouting nonsense and was about to rush up and give them a few more kicks on the spot, only to be stopped when Fan Huilan reached out and pulled him back.

Wan Tianyou looked at Fan Huilan in shock. “Sister Fan, are we just supposed to let them slander us?”

Fan Huilan motioned for him to lower his voice, then said quickly and quietly, “How long have you followed the Boss? Would the Boss believe outsiders like this? The Boss hasn’t even said anything yet. Are you trying to overstep your authority?”

Wan Tianyou’s face went white. Knowing he had made a mistake, he lowered his head and knelt on the ground. Guo Qianshan, standing to the side, glanced at them, his eyes full of disapproval.

Fan Huilan understood what that look meant, and also quickly realized that her own actions had been improper. Wan Tianyou had been impulsive, but it was also inappropriate for her and Wan Tianyou to whisper to each other there. So she also knelt on the ground.

At this moment, Chi Yixuan was chatting with his life-bound artifact, asking it what was going on with these two people. There were some minor matters his subordinates would not deliberately report to him, and he could not eagerly go and ask either, in case they imagined all sorts of things again. Therefore, whenever something happened, he still often went to his life-bound artifact.

The life-bound artifact briefly explained: “Many people came to apply for jobs during the day. These two failed to cut in line, felt they had been insulted, and have very strong opinions about Zhaoge’s staff.”

Chi Yixuan had been transmigrated here for quite a while now, and he felt that there was already nothing that could shock him. But when he heard this, he was still deeply astonished. They felt insulted just because they were not allowed to cut in line? What kind of people were these?

When he lifted his head again, he found that Fan Huilan and Wan Tianyou were both kneeling on the ground, and Guo Qianshan also looked as if he had failed to discipline his subordinates properly. The sight made Chi Yixuan’s teeth ache. “Get up, all of you. I’ve already said that I don’t do this kind of thing here. Getting one good thing done makes me happier than seeing you kneel here eight hundred times.”

Only then did the two stand up, and they saw that the Boss was already looking toward the two petty thieves, his expression rarely warm.

Both of them froze and shut their mouths without making another sound.

In the eyes of those below, a superior’s pleasant expression was almost equivalent to approval of oneself. Therefore, when Chi Yixuan ordered that the two be untied and given seats, the Wei Huo and Wei Hai brothers were nearly beaming with joy, believing that they had already gained this Perfected One’s trust.

“You said they were perfunctory and careless in selecting people. How did you see that?” Chi Yixuan asked.

This time, Wei Hai rushed to answer first. “I even specifically asked them today. They said other people were better than us because those people had a sincere heart. Whether someone is sincere or not, how can that be seen at a glance? Isn’t that perfunctory enough?”

Chi Yixuan thought, with the Book of Truth around, whether other people were truly sincere was unknown, but what they promised was definitely the truth! Although what was true now would not necessarily remain true forever, it was still more reliable than people who lied to his face while applying for a job!

He then asked about their life-bound artifacts.

Wei Huo and Wei Hai looked at each other. Unexpectedly, without saying much, they took out their life-bound artifacts. These two people, who did not look alike at all, were actually twins, and their life-bound artifacts were almost identical as well. Both were a layer of transparent gelatinous substance. When they wrapped this substance around their bodies, they achieved an invisibility effect. Unfortunately, their current cultivation was too low, so they could not hide their footprints.

But there were no two completely identical life-bound artifacts in this world. Chi Yixuan knew that the two had concealed part of the truth, but their honesty in this much alone was already quite surprising. Now that matters had reached this point, there was nothing else to ask. Chi Yixuan smiled and said, “You two are indeed talented, but Zhaoge has Zhaoge’s rules. If we let this pass so lightly, the more than ten thousand people in the valley will be hard to manage in the future!”

Wei Huo was a little astonished. Since the Perfected One had already discovered that those people were obeying in public but defying him in private, why did he still want to manage this place?

Because this was completely different from his earlier guess, Wei Huo cautiously did not speak again.

Chi Yixuan ignored whatever expressions they had. “How about this? There is a task at hand. It will be somewhat arduous, but it is also within Zhaoge, and it is closer to the center of the spiritual vein. If you are willing, you can start now. As long as you do not leave, this position will always be yours. It is just that for the first two months, you two will have no salary.”

This… Wasn’t this an iron rice bowl? Wei Hai looked toward his older brother in pleasant surprise.

A person like Wei Huo, who considered himself clever, was instead more likely to be misled by his own cleverness. He was rather suspicious, and only when he heard the final line, “no salary for two months,” did he relax. At once, they both happily accepted the job.

Moreover, merely being able to be closer to the spiritual vein was already a huge gain. Wasn’t it only two months without wages? They could endure it!

Seeing that the two had accepted willingly, Chi Yixuan immediately tossed out two contracts. After watching them sign, he immediately ordered people to send them to their posts.

Originally, Guo Qianshan and the others still could not understand why the Boss was treating two thieves so amiably. When they heard the Boss say to send them to the sewers, Wan Tianyou instantly could not hold back a laugh.

By now, the Wei Huo brothers already believed they had earned the Perfected One’s trust. Hearing Wan Tianyou laugh at them, they did not take it seriously. They felt that the Perfected One was only finding a place for them to temper themselves in order to convince the masses. Once they came out, these people’s good days would be over.

The two brothers calmly entered the sewers. Finding that it was a little dark inside, they even lit a lamp with their own spells.

Wei Hai said happily, “Brother, although this place is narrow and dark, it really is close to the spiritual vein. The spiritual qi is much more active than outside.”

Wei Huo said lightly, “Steady yourself. Do not let those people laugh at us. First meditate. Once we recover our spiritual power, we will search for treasures for the Perfected One.”

At this moment, the two did not feel they had been tricked at all. Not until a rushing, splashing sound came from above their heads, and then something sprayed onto them.

The two brothers: …

On the other side, Guo Qianshan and the others returned to the duty room for the night shift. As soon as the door closed, they began praising him again.

Wan Tianyou vividly described everything that had happened to the other brothers and sisters, then sighed emotionally. “At first, I was worried that the Boss had mistakenly believed them. I didn’t expect that the Boss already had a plan in mind. I’m still too stupid. I almost let those two see me as a joke.” By the end, he was a little dejected.

Fan Huilan comforted him. “Your heart was wholly for the Boss, so it can’t exactly be called wrong. It’s just that you need to be steadier in the future.”

Guo Qianshan said, “The Boss makes brilliant calculations. How could he fail to see through the thoughts of people like that?” He sighed. “The Boss is still kindhearted. He could not bear to kill or harm them.”

But Ma Hongxuan shook his head. “If you think that, you are wrong. The Boss has the ambition of a great swan. Even if he is kindhearted, how could he leave two hidden dangers in the valley? If it was merely that he could not bear to kill, he could have whipped them once and thrown them out of the valley. Why bother putting them into the sewers?”

Only belatedly did Wan Tianyou realize it. “Right! Those two didn’t even know what kind of place the sewers were. They were still happy when they went!”

Everyone’s spirits immediately lifted, and they looked eagerly toward Ma Hongxuan, the most cultured person among them.

Ma Hongxuan said softly, “The sewers are the place where all the residents in the valley discharge dirty water and filth. Those two relied on their cultivation to be unruly and arrogant, not putting mortals in their eyes. But in the Boss’s eyes, all beings are equal. How could he tolerate people like that? He must have wanted those two to suffer a little and comprehend some principles. The Boss hopes they will abandon evil and return to the right path!”

Fan Huilan seemed to understand. Clapping her hands, she said, “Exactly. These two relied on having a little cultivation to bully the weak. Now the mortals they looked down on are relieving themselves over their heads, letting them understand the principle that all beings suffer under power. Only then can they change this rotten habit in the future.”

Guo Qianshan was moved. “Even toward people like that, the Boss takes pains to teach and transform them. The Boss, he…” Rarely, he choked up a little and could not finish.

Wan Tianyou, meanwhile, cried out and covered his head. “I actually failed to understand the Boss’s intention. I’m too stupid.”

…

Chi Yixuan also wanted to cry out loudly for a while. After all, he really, really did not want to watch everyone close the door and praise him!

But his life-bound artifact liked watching it very much. When he did not want to watch, the life-bound artifact played it for its own enjoyment, and it did not turn off the sound either, so Chi Yixuan inevitably heard the whole thing.

Regarding this, he could only be grateful. “Good thing I’m not a balloon. Otherwise, they would have blown me up long ago.”

Next Chapter >