After the Immortal Disappeared

Chapter 447: Chapter 446: Just Want to Start Something Big

”What of it?” Fushan Yue certainly remembered.

”You said you saw it in your father’s study,” Hee Lingchuan said. ”My final condition is that you find that information for me. Of course, if other books have related content, I want all of them too!”

’Ever since that night, he had been obsessed with the secret behind the Black Flood Dragon Pattern, always wanting to get to the bottom of it. But the risk of sneaking into the Chiyan King’s Imperial Study was too great. It was better to let the Crown Prince of Chiyan give it a try.’

’Besides, that place was a vast ocean of books. God only knew which nook or cranny the book he wanted was hidden in.’

”Huh? What do you want that book fo—” Fushan Yue’s gaze fell on the hilt of the sword at Hee Lingchuan’s waist, and he suddenly understood. ”You think the Imperial Study is that easy to get into?”

”For the man you are now, it should be a piece of cake, right?”

Fushan Yue was reluctant, but after a moment’s thought, he had no choice but to agree.

’It’s just a bit of time,’ he thought. ’And I have plenty of that.’

So, the three Profound Crystals were the deposit. The rest would be collected after Hee Lingchuan completed the job.

This meant that after the task was done, Fushan Yue still had to pay Hee Lingchuan with three types of precious materials, as well as the writings about the Black Flood Dragon Pattern.

Even with Fushan Yue’s noble status, he felt the sting of the expense.

But this was the first task his father, the King, had given him since he killed Fushan Ji. He had to complete it, or his competence would be questioned.

’Hee Lingchuan was right. If it were an easy job, his furious old man wouldn’t have assigned it to him.’

Hee Lingchuan snatched the Profound Crystals and put them away before smiling. ”Why not find someone else? Don’t tell me the great Crown Prince has no one under his command.”

’From the Demon Nest Swamp until now, it had been nothing but expenses and almost no income. He was flat broke.’

’Of course, what he lacked even more were Profound Crystals—a treasure that money couldn’t buy. Their uses were many and varied, but to name the most basic one:’

’The golden armor copper man could finally be activated.’

’He could have borrowed money from Lil Qingge, but seeing the way she smiled at him, he had no doubt that if she got vicious, she would skin him, break his bones, and swallow him whole.’

’And that’s why he liked Fushan Yue, this crude... and extravagantly rich employer!’

Fushan Yue hesitated before saying, ”My people are all out on assignment. As for the new ones who’ve pledged allegiance, I don’t trust them.”

”Actually, this Messenger’s disappearance directly led to a missed strategic opportunity on the Eastern Front, and the negative consequences still haven’t been eliminated. I heard the Emperor has flown into a thunderous rage twice over it. Therefore, this matter must be investigated thoroughly. It can’t just be swept under the rug.”

”And where did this Messenger disappear?”

”No idea.”

”...”

”This White-shouldered Eagle also has a tuft of white feathers on its chest,” Fushan Yue said, also finding the situation tricky. ”The last time anyone saw it was in Taian City to the north. Coincidentally, you’ll be passing through there on your way north.”

”You might also run into some obstacles.” He sighed. ”I need you to... leave no stone unturned! That was my father’s exact phrase.”

”Obstacles?” Hee Lingchuan caught the hidden meaning. ”For instance?”

”The White-shouldered Eagle’s flight path was top secret. Very few people knew it... even I didn’t at the time.” Since Hee Lingchuan had already agreed, and Fushan Yue knew him to be a man of his word, he stopped holding back. ”I’m hoping it was an accident, but if it wasn’t, the mole is most likely in Lingxu City. If I use Chiyan’s officials to investigate, their hands will be tied.”

’Lingxu City holds power over all the Vassal Demon Kingdoms. Who doesn’t know you can’t afford to offend the nobles of Lingxu City?’

’Subordinates don’t defy superiors. It’s a universal truth.’

”But you’re different! You can investigate as boldly as you please. I’ll bear any and all consequences.”

Hee Lingchuan rolled his eyes at him.

’No wonder this guy insisted on him being the Special Envoy. He was chosen precisely because he’s an outsider with no vested interests in the Beiga Kingdom.’

”And what if you can’t bear them?”

Fushan Yue laughed heartily. ”If I can’t bear them, it means the Chiyan Kingdom can’t bear them. And in that case, Lingxu City will have to think twice.”

Hee Lingchuan said unhurriedly, ”I’m just afraid that when you can’t handle the heat, you’ll cut off your tail to survive. And that I’ll be that ’tail’.”

”Don’t you worry.” Fushan Yue’s smile vanished, and his expression turned serious. ”If I’m fine, you’ll be fine. No matter who gets in your way, just invoke the name of the Chiyan King. As for the rest of the pressure—” He patted his chest. ”I’ll handle it!”

Hee Lingchuan gave a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ”You’re just trying to stir up some major trouble, aren’t you?”

Fushan Yue threw an arm around his shoulder. ”Brother, you get me!”

Hee Lingchuan sighed. ”I really shouldn’t have gotten mixed up in this mess.”

’How could he not see it by now? There was probably some conflict between the Chiyan Kingdom and Lingxu City. As a Vassal Demon Kingdom, Chiyan was looking for an excuse to cause some trouble for Lingxu City and express its dissatisfaction.’

’Between the superior and the subordinate, the ruler and the subject, there is always a delicate balance.’

”If I’m going to investigate, I need authority.” Hee Lingchuan held out his hand. First money, now power.

Fushan Yue was already prepared. He handed over a blood-red plaque. ”This is a Special Envoy Token made from my blood. It reacts to Primordial Power. You can show it to any official, high or low, that you meet along the way. It’s as if I were there myself. In a pinch, you can even mobilize a few military units, though their numbers will be limited. Mobilizing a large army requires a Kui Talisman.”

Hee Lingchuan wasn’t a Chiyan person, nor was he an official there, so he couldn’t carry one of their Official Tokens. This was Fushan Yue’s workaround.

”I’ll give you a guard, too.” Fushan Yue opened the window and snapped his fingers. A tiger’s head appeared outside, its eyes like copper bells, staring at Hee Lingchuan.

”This isn’t Uncle Da, is it?” Hee Lingchuan remembered injuring Uncle Da. Besides, the one before him had darker fur, a larger build, and puffed-up white whiskers on its cheeks.

”Nope, this is Uncle Da’s son, Jiao Yu.” Fushan Yue snapped his fingers at the Tiger Demon. ”This is Hee Xiao. Your old man was defeated by him!”

’...’ ’Wasn’t he just trying to stir up trouble?’

But the fierce tiger, Jiao Yu, only stared intently at Hee Lingchuan for a few moments before leaping through the window. It stood its ground, showing neither resentment nor anger.

”His Hundred Mountains Clan respects the strong. Your worries are unnecessary. With him around, you can act as you see fit within my kingdom’s borders.” Fushan Yue continued, ”I can also show you the information Fushan Ji collected. Any other requests?”

Hee Lingchuan thought for a moment. ”Got any Bird Demons?”

’He’d wanted a Bird Demon for a long time.’

...

After Fushan Yue left, Hee Lingchuan instructed an inn attendant to buy twenty catties of fresh beef. ”No bones, and get the belly cuts if you can.”

This was dinner for his new subordinate, Jiao Yu.

Of course, Jiao Yu had a salary and would pay for it himself.

The fresh meat was still bloody when it arrived. The fierce tiger feasted on it ravenously.

As Hee Lingchuan watched the tiger eat, the door to the adjacent room opened, and Lil Qingge walked out.

”Has Young Master Fushan gone back already?” She leaned against the doorframe, also watching the tiger’s ’mukbang’. ”You didn’t get yourself into any trouble, did you?”

”Why do you ask?”

”He’s the Crown Prince now. Whatever he wanted to talk to you about in private must be a secret.”

’This woman is incredibly sharp.’ Seeing her charming smile, Hee Lingchuan smiled back and said, ”A White-shouldered Eagle Messenger sent from Lingxu City disappeared within the Chiyan Realm, and Fushan Yue wants my help to look into it.”

Lil Qingge’s expression tightened, and her smile faded. ”It involves Lingxu City? Shouldn’t you reconsider?”

”I’ve already taken the job.” Hee Lingchuan spread his hands. ”He’s just paying too much, and I’m short on cash. I couldn’t say no.”

”If you’re short on cash, why didn’t you come to me?” Lil Qingge shot him a look, her eyes like rippling water that could stir a person’s very soul.

But she knew he was just joking.

”White-shouldered Eagles only carry top-secret intelligence. This is no small matter,” Lil Qingge said seriously. ”Anything to do with Lingxu City must be handled with extreme caution. You’re an outsider. Why get involved in this mess?”

’If he were just a drifting outsider, he would naturally avoid such a vortex. But Hee Lingchuan couldn’t tell her that when he heard Fushan Yue’s request, he was reminded of the Red General’s words:’

’If you have a powerful enemy that you cannot avoid, then observe it and study it while you are still beneath its notice. The more you understand it, the more powerful you yourself will become.’

’His own idea went a step further:’

’Join it!’

’Hee Lingchuan refused to believe that an Empire that had existed for six hundred years didn’t have its own chronic illnesses.’

’But as a passerby just glancing at the flowers from horseback, all one could see was the surface.’

’Fushan Yue’s commission was an opportunity. Hee Lingchuan had to dive deep, using the privileges granted by the Chiyan Royal Authority as his Amulet to test the turbulent undercurrents.’

’What’s more, although his day-and-night Cultivation had progressed rapidly, he was already beginning to sense the presence of a barrier.’

’This was a problem every Martial Artist had to face.’

’He practiced ”Wave Slash.” Only by confronting monstrous waves and violent tempests could he hope to break through the barrier and advance courageously. This didn’t just refer to physical opponents, but more importantly, to the tempering of his Mental Realm.’

’He had to be the one to strike the waters midstream, to brave the waves that could halt even a flying boat.’

”It’s precisely because I’m an outsider that I have to seize this opportunity.” Hee Lingchuan scratched his head with a youth’s characteristic nonchalance. ”Fortune favors the bold. If I want to make a name for myself, isn’t Beiga the best place to do it?”

’To work for royalty and get close to the upper echelons of society—isn’t this the dream of countless talented young people?’

Lil Qingge gave him a deep look.

’For someone his age, the answer seemed impeccable. Young and hot-blooded—who didn’t yearn for a meteoric rise? Besides, Eldest Young Master Hee had always had an impulsive and bold personality.’

’But would the Crown Prince of Chiyan entrust such an important case to someone with that kind of personality?’

’There were too many contradictions about this young man.’

”Alright, then. I wish you luck.” Lil Qingge’s gaze flickered, and she mentioned casually, ”By the way, are you still going back to the Yuan Kingdom?”

”Ah, it looks like I won’t be able to go back anytime soon.”

”Want me to send a message to your family for you?”

”Well...” Hee Lingchuan thought for a moment. ”Alright. Then I’ll have to trouble you, my Lord.”

’How could he say ”no” or ”don’t”?’

’This woman was really something else. He’d just given her the cold shoulder, and she immediately turned around to probe and counterattack.’

Lil Qingge smiled. ”It’s no trouble at all.”

A thought struck Hee Lingchuan, and he asked, ”By the way, my Lord, why are you going to Lingxu City this time? I got too drunk last time, I can’t even remember.”

”To find someone.”

”My Lord, you truly have friends all over the world.”

”This person... you might have met them, too.”

Hee Lingchuan was intensely curious. ”Who?”