Chapter 137 - Washing Hands (Part I) (Patreon)

“Benefactor, please appraise my move!”

Wang Chen rushed forward, throwing a palm strike toward Lucian. They were inside the annex building filled with sand, used for training.

Interesting, Lucian thought, parrying the strike and immediately shifting his hand to immobilize Wang Chen before throwing him to the ground.

Eating dirt from the indoor courtyard’s soil, Wang Chen coughed as he stood back up and brushed off his clothes.

“Not bad,” Lucian said with a nod. “Be mindful of your shoulders and legs. You also need to strengthen your stance so you are not overpowered so easily.”

While giving pointers to Wang Chen, Lucian thought, Wei Zhang should be coming today.

It had been two days since Zhi Jian had visited the Bo Merchant Chamber. This also meant that Lucian had barely fed on blood and had been forced to cultivate through the natural method, gathering Qi and feeling almost no sense of growth. For two days.

After he had waited for his mind to recover, Lucian sought out Wang Chen and proposed that they train together. Through this, he was giving Wang Chen an outlet for frustration and a feeling of growth, while also delaying any youthful acts of stupidity. All while he waited for reports and the hidden pieces to move.

Nonetheless, Lucian was surprised by his training with Wang Chen.

He has grown accustomed to his ghoulish body, Lucian thought, watching Wang Chen practice a new palm strike. And it appears that, although his meridians are not functioning properly without a Spiritual Root, they are helping him somehow.

Wang Chen was practicing palm strikes from a mortal martial art manual he had purchased. Normally, it would take a common person a thousand attempts to reach minor mastery of such a technique. However, Wang Chen had need only half that number.

Lucian was certain Wang Chen had not possessed such talent while they traveled through the Azure Magpie Forest. As a result, he theorized that the young man's cultivation growth was also enhancing his comprehension of martial arts.

After several hours of training, Wang Chen was drenched in sweat, panting heavily. His fat and muscles trembled under the strain, while Lucian's body looked as if made of marble.

“It’s been... too long... since I... uh... felt this tired,” Wang Chen said between breaths, collapsing onto the ground.

Standing above him, Lucian shook his head. “Train more. Sleep for six hours, work for six, train for six, and study for six. Through discipline, you will reach your goals.”

Groaning, Wang Chen asked, “What about having fun and eating? What about taking a bath?”

“Be creative. You will find a solution,” Lucian replied, turning toward the main annex building. “I'm going out. Visitors have arrived. And do not forget, choose a subject to study. Do not allow your mind to fall behind your body.”

With those words, Lucian put on his black robe, concealing his body, and headed toward the warehouse. After a while, he entered the main building, passed through the servants, and arrived at Grandmaster Miao’s office.

Wei Zhang, who was being served tea by Grandmaster Miao, looked up as soon as Lucian entered and cupped his hands.

“Fellow Daoist Bo Xian, I’m happy to see you,” Wei Zhang said with a smile. “I wished to come sooner, but the number of tasks was endless.”

Looking at Wei Zhang’s smile, Lucian immediately understood that the process of absorbing the Shadow Alliance was at least partially complete.

Nodding in greeting, he sat beside the two men and said, “You must have come with news regarding my meeting with Vice-Lord Verdant Creek.”

Aware of Lucian’s complete lack of decorum and etiquette, Wei Zhang suppressed a sigh and set down his teacup.

“Very well. Because of the festival and the recent changes within the Feathered Serpent Castle, My Lady has not had time to meet you. However, she wishes to remedy that.”

With a flick of his wrist, Wei Zhang produced a bamboo slip from his sleeve and sent it floating toward Lucian.

Catching it, Lucian felt no Qi coming from the item at first and opened it with a push. Inside was a sheet of white paper emitting a faint wave of Qi.

Interesting, some recipients can block Qi, he thought, looking at the paper and at the bamboo slip with a curious gaze.

Seeing Lucian’s curious look, Wei Zhang coughed and explained, “This is Silk Paper, infused with a counter-investigative technique. Through it, My Lady will inform you of the most suitable time to meet. If Fellow Daoist is available, simply tear the paper to signal your agreement.”

Humming in acknowledgment, Lucian closed the bamboo slip and tucked it inside his robes. He understood that pressing for more information would be unwise and fruitless. The paper itself was essentially Vice-Lord Verdant Creek’s way of indicating that only the two of them would know the meeting’s time and location.

Having almost fully recovered from the previous soul damage, Lucian’s thoughts spun through his mind as he said, “We have less than two weeks until the festival. I believe Obsidian Sea will bring the external expert, if there is one, before then.”

Grandmaster Miao nodded, his eyes shining as he followed Lucian’s reasoning.

“It would be the best move for her. After the City Lord’s announcements and the Three Supreme Decrees, the other sects will start moving, and whoever tries to come here to help will be... Unwell.”

Awaiting some news, both Lucian and Grandmaster Miao looked at their guest.

Wei Zhang sipped his tea and ate a red-colored leaf wrapped around white flesh. After swallowing and noticing the two men staring at him, he said, “There has been a change.”

Lucian frowned, and Grandmaster Miao cocked an eyebrow.

“Because of certain new developments, Madame Ching is now tied to the Military Faction under My Lady,” Wei Zhang said, clicking his tongue. “The other factions believe she gave the Shadow Alliance to us of her own accord and are no longer willing to trust her.”

Grandmaster Miao smirked and asked with ridicule, “Oh? Are you telling me I should stay out of the Sect Tournament because your Military Faction has become too fortunate and cannot possibly hoard every spot?”

Meanwhile, Lucian thought, This makes sense. Information about the Shadow Alliance being sold leaked before the City Council could act, and from the Whore’s words, they had decided to be absorbed by the Military Faction. However, if Madame Ching didn’t orchestrate it, who did? 

Intrigued by the hidden methods of Vice-Lord Verdant Creek, Lucian remained silent.

After finishing his tea, Wei Zhang chose to answer Grandmaster Miao carefully.

“That is not what I meant, Fellow Daoist Miao,” he said, licking his lips. “A melon forced off the vine will not be sweet. Madame Ching is not happy with the situation. She lost too much.”

Grandmaster Miao nodded, a faint smile on his lips as he thought about those words.

And to Lucian, the reason behind Madame Ching’s unhappiness was obvious.

She must have made promises to each faction, gathering benefits without angering anyone, he thought. But now she lost the favors of two-thirds of the City Council while being forced to remain close to the subordinates she betrayed. Such an unfortunate woman.

If he were in her shoes, he would not be happy either, nor would he accept such a situation for long.

“You want us to make a move on her instead of the external expert?” Grandmaster Miao asked, breaking the silence.

“Are you confident in killing her with the help of three or four Foundation Establishment experts in a direct fight?” Wei Zhang asked in return, eating a yellow fruit.

To Lucian’s surprise, Grandmaster Miao shook his head.

“Not at all. She excels in defensive, investigative, and movement techniques. I know little about her true combat strength, but killing her without a trap is out of the question.”

So she did not become the leader of the Shadow Alliance without reason, Lucian thought with an inward nod. For her to command both the Shadow Alliance and the Deep Shadow Fleet, and still inspire fear after spending almost ten years away from the city, she cannot be weak.

“My Lady shares the same sentiment,” Wei Zhang said. “Instead of turning Madame Ching into our enemy, she wants to share benefits with her. Why not hear what she wants and show her that both the Feathered Serpent Castle and the Bo Merchant Chamber can help her achieve it?”

Grandmaster Miao narrowed his eyes. He could not help but glance at Lucian, part of him fearing that this entire situation had been orchestrated by the latter. The truth was, he had a way to deal with Madame Ching. Despite his words, he had already begun laying a trap!

Over the last two days, however, he had been debating whether to proceed, especially after learning that Lucian could be backed by an Ancestor.  Amidst his uncertainty, Wei Zhang arrived and was now proposing that all parties work together.

Grandmaster Miao even recalled how, before Wei Zhang clarified matters months ago, he had always suspected Lucian of colluding with both the Feathered Serpent Castle and Madame Ching.

And now, here they were, discussing how to tie all forces together with the Bo Merchant Chamber.

The more Grandmaster Miao thought about it, the more he felt that Lucian was shrouded in secrets, extending invisible hands throughout Three Feathers City in preparation for some terrifying move.

Meanwhile, Lucian tapped the armrest of his chair, his thoughts moving in a completely different direction.

Madame Ching’s actions make no sense, he thought, narrowing his eyes. Something has changed. I suspect the others can feel it as well, but they believe it is merely part of some greater plan of hers. However, what if it is not? What could push that woman to become meek and go so far as to sell the Shadow Alliance for a Sect Tournament spot?

Lucian would never forget that he had, in a way, warned Madame Ching about the Tidal Massacre, yet she had chosen not to seize any advantage from the situation. He simply could not accept that one of the powerhouses of Three Feathers City would remain idle and refuse to reap the rewards without a reason.

Settling his thoughts, he said, “Let’s discuss it further after the festival. First, we should guarantee Grandmaster Miao’s spot.”

Sending Lucian a cold glance, Grandmaster Miao nodded. “Indeed. Having all of us meet before the festival, even in secret, would alarm the City Council.”

“And it would show Obsidian Sea that we are working together, making it much harder to move against the invited expert,” Lucian added.

The other two nodded. If the early-stage Core Formation Vice-Lord Obsidian Sea learned of their plans, she would pin them down and assist whoever she intended to invite.

Suddenly, Wei Zhang shook his head.

“Remember, we do not know whether she is inviting anyone, or where they would come from. At the end of the day, it could be a hidden expert from within the city.”

Grandmaster Miao shook his head and pointed at Lucian.

“Impossible. I agree with what he said last time. If she didn’t invite me, then she is looking for someone from outside. In this city, Kun Fei Xing and Obsidian Sea are the heaven, while I'm the earth.”

Both Wei Zhang and Lucian were surprised by Grandmaster Miao’s manner of speaking, inwardly feeling that his conviction and self-confidence were greater than the last time they had spoken.

Finishing his tea, Wei Zhang stood and cupped his hands.

“Very well. We are still looking into who she intends to choose. The moment we have a name, we will contact you.”

As usual, with his farewell, Silent Mountain Wei Zhang turned invisible, his Qi dissipating alongside his image.

After the guest disappeared, Lucian stood and nodded to Grandmaster Miao, also preparing to leave.

“Wait,” Grandmaster Miao said, standing as well. “I noticed you always have to call for my servants whenever you need something, since yours are constantly occupied. So I arranged a personal servant for you. I hope she is to your liking.”

Frowning, Lucian said, “There is no need.”

“Please, treat it as a way to make things easier for me,” Grandmaster Miao replied with a smile.

Staring into the man’s eyes, Lucian nodded slowly and turned to leave. It did not take long for him to discover whom Grandmaster Miao had been referring to. He could perceive her before he got in front of his room and inhaled the scent of her perfume mixed with the faint smell of a ghoul.

Lucian stopped in front of the kneeling Chen Yuan and looked down in silence.

“This lowly servant greets Young Master Bo Xian,” Chen Yuan said, her pale skin and gray eyes enhancing her beauty.

Walking past her, Lucian said, “Go check on the people I asked to be delivered in place of the war prisoners.”

Blinking, Chen Yuan turned her head slightly and watched Lucian close his chamber's doors.

Adjusting her dress, which revealed generous cleavage, and quickly checking her makeup in a small mirror, she bit her lip. She couldn't help but doubt her beauty for a while. After shaking her head, she took a deep breath and, with eyes colder than usual, went to carry out Lucian’s orders.

Both of them knew she was not a mere servant.

She was a test.

A way for Grandmaster Miao to observe Lucian’s influence over a ghoul, while also allowing Lucian to do whatever he wished with her.

And Lucian couldn't care less for such a test.

Inside his room, he adjusted his plans, thinking that tonight he should check on the mental seeds planted among the common people and see what benefits they had yielded. He had waited a bit longer than he planned to check on what happened during the clash between the Shadow Alliance and the City Council.

After that, his plate would still be far too full.

Facilitating Wang Chen’s advancement, improving his own cultivation, finding a hunting ground for blood, meeting Zhi Jian without exposing himself, rescuing Bai Xiaomeng, planning a move against a Foundation Establishment expert, meeting with Verdant Creek, ensuring the sewage project advanced, and preparing for both the festival and the Sect Tournament were all tasks he should do, even if in different orders.

If he could find the time to care about Chen Yuan, he would rather spend that time cultivating!

In Lucian’s eyes, she was no different from a blade of grass. Whether he stepped on her, walked past her, glanced at her, or ignored her entirely, it made no difference.

He had places to go, and so he would walk past the grass and move on.