Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1048: Chapter 92: There Is No Path to Becoming an Immortal in This World (54)

Faint red mist was emanating from Da Zhe, who was lying on the sofa.

It was quickly absorbed by the pendant on the necklace around Da Zhe’s neck. This key-shaped pendant is the Zhanlu Sword… and the faint red mist emanating from Da Zhe gradually decreased until it no longer appeared.

He yawned, sat up, and loosened his neck, feeling refreshed, as if a weight had been lifted.

“You’re awake.”

“Ms. You Ye.”

Da Zhe quickly stood up.

The maid, smiling, approached Da Zhe and glanced at the pendant on his neck, “Zhanlu is a sword of righteousness. Although mastering the sword’s power swiftly comes through killing, excessive killing isn’t good. Therefore, it instinctively helps purify the excess murderous energy from your body.”

Da Zhe came to a realization, no wonder that heavy feeling had almost disappeared after a nap.

“What are we going to do now?” Da Zhe asked, feeling invigorated.

“Come with me.”

The maid then took Da Zhe to the boss’s study — a place Da Zhe had visited a few times, so it wasn’t unfamiliar to him.

What exactly did this study resemble?

It was like an old bookstore hidden deep in a street corner that sold a wide variety of old books, even those difficult to find on the market.

Under Da Zhe’s curious gaze, the maid walked to a bookshelf and gestured with her hand — the thick hardcover books on the shelf trembled slightly. Soon, a thick ledger flew out from the upper right corner of the bookshelf and landed in You Ye’s hand.

As the maid flipped through the hefty ledger, she turned around.

“What is this?” Da Zhe asked curiously.

You Ye looked up with a smile and said, “An old ledger… this is our next task.”

Her pale fingers gently stroked a page of the ledger, causing wisps of smoke to float from the page, forming words in the air before Da Zhe.

Staring at the softly floating words, Da Zhe was dazed.

But the words soon turned back into wisps of smoke and dissipated from Da Zhe’s sight.

“Did you see it clearly?” You Ye asked softly.

Da Zhe nodded instinctively, then, with a strange look, said, “This… is this a transaction from two thousand years ago?”

It seemed that this maid had only been around for three or four hundred years?

You Ye nodded and said, “To be precise, it’s an incomplete transaction… and the client’s items need to be fulfilled soon.”

Da Zhe, rubbing his chin in a daze, asked, “How much did this client pay?”

“There’s always an equivalent exchange.” You Ye laughed softly, “All we need to do is fulfill the client’s request, nothing more.”

“Does our boss know this?” Da Zhe asked curiously.

“The master is very diligent,” the maid said softly, “When he first took over, he went through many ledgers to prepare for this transaction early on… for example, passing the Zhanlu Sword to you, making you a Black Soul envoy.”

Da Zhe scratched his head, “I heard from Sister Number 18 that among the Black Soul envoys, some are quite intimidating… wouldn’t it be better for them to handle this than me as a rookie?”

“They’re all on vacation.” You Ye said calmly, “The master’s intention is not to interrupt their vacation. Besides, many Black Soul envoys have been depleted, so it’s time to add more… this is probably considered from various aspects.”

Da Zhe pondered thoughtfully.

At this point, You Ye closed the ledger in her hand and returned it to its original place.

She seemed to ponder for a moment and then retrieved a much thinner ledger from another bookshelf. However, she didn’t open this ledger. Instead, she opened a small twisted space and tossed the small ledger into it.

Da Zhe watched curiously but didn’t ask further questions.

You Ye continued, “The Black Soul envoys come in different roles. Besides seeking clients, there are those like you who focus more on combat, and others specialize in collection. There’s a guy whose vacation is ending soon, so I’m preparing for his tasks in advance.”

The person who would be assigned work by this maid… is probably not going to be happy right?

“Then, let’s head out.”

“Oh… okay!” Da Zhe nodded quickly.

…

…

Wolong Mountain Villa.

Yun Hui had prepared some bird’s nest porridge and personally brought it to Mr. Blind’s side.

Wolong Mountain Villa is used to entertain visitors from the Taoism-cultivated field, and the ingredients here are top-tier — apparently, not all people from the Taoism-cultivated field fast, many still choose to eat, and they have strict requirements on ingredients.

“Daoist Master Qingxiazi, please have some food to replenish your vitality.”

“That’s very thoughtful.”

Mr. Blind, who had awakened from meditation, nodded. After a period of recuperation, he looked slightly better, though he still seemed like a patient recovering from a severe illness and spoke weakly.

Watching Mr. Blind eat slowly, Yun Hui had many questions in his mind but held back from speaking — for example, this Daoist Master Qingxiazi, who was known as a great criminal in the Taoism-cultivated field, yet still received the Management Bureau’s preferential treatment.

Even at his request, the higher-ups of the Management Bureau had disturbed a senior during his secluded cultivation late at night.

“You’re curious about my relationship with the Management Bureau, aren’t you?” Mr. Blind, after taking a few sips of bird’s nest porridge, paused his hand.

Yun Hui hesitated for a moment before nodding, but then quickly said, “I have many doubts in my heart.”

Mr. Blind was silent for a while, then suddenly asked, “Are you a disciple of Kunlun? Under whose tutelage?”

Yun Hui hurriedly replied, “My master is Daoist Daofeng, under Master Baijie’s mentorship.”

“Daofeng, huh…” Mr. Blind’s expression shifted slightly, facing Yun Hui, “How is your master… doing?”

“To be honest, my master passed away ten years ago.” Yun Hui’s expression turned somber, “My master sustained severe injuries in the past, and it was Master who used various methods to maintain her vitality, but ultimately nothing could be done.”

“Daofeng, she was Mr. Bai Jie’s closed-door disciple.” Mr. Blind said softly.

“Senior, did you know my master?” Yun Hui’s attitude became more respectful.

“I did, and…” Mr. Blind was silent for a long time, then suddenly said, “If I told you that your master was seriously injured and ultimately passed away because of my fault, what would you think?”

Yun Hui was suddenly taken aback, then took a deep breath, his voice slightly heavy, “Senior, I just reviewed some files from the Management Bureau, especially regarding you. But most of the information is encrypted, and with my current clearance, I can’t access it… Logically, you have been expelled by the Shenzhou Dao Realm, yet the Management Bureau treats you as a distinguished guest… I’m really puzzled.”

Mr. Blind sighed and said, “You clearly want to know about your master, but you’re asking about my relationship with the Management Bureau… You have a good disciple-grandson, Mr. Bai Jie.”

Yun Hui said seriously, “I heard from the people at the villa that Grandmaster has visited you several times in the past few days… Since Grandmaster knows you, and has done nothing to you… I dare not overstep.”

“Alright then.” Mr. Blind sighed, “Since you’re Daofeng’s disciple, there’s no harm in telling you. The reason the Management Bureau treats me specially is that I once arranged some Feng Shui matters for them. Beneath today’s capital, a massive Feng Shui formation was set to suppress the New Kingdom’s fate. Over the decades, the New Kingdom’s development partly relied on that underground formation in the capital… Do you understand now?”

Yun Hui suddenly opened his eyes wide, his shock indescribable… If what this felon Qingxia Zi said weren’t false, then his contribution to the current country would be hard to quantify.

Ordinary people might not believe in Feng Shui metaphysics, but as someone from the Taoism-cultivated field, Yun Hui understood Feng Shui metaphysics well.

Setting up a Feng Shui formation for the New Kingdom, enhancing its national fortune, this felon is instead a great benefactor to the country!

After all, the Management Bureau and the Taoism-cultivated field are two different systems… No wonder a call from Qingxia Zi can cause such attention from the Management Bureau’s top echelon…

“Heaven’s timing, Earth’s advantage, and human harmony.” Mr. Blind shook his head and said, “All I could create were Heaven’s timing and Earth’s advantage, but ultimately, development relies on people. This New Kingdom… this nation, if not for a group of people willing to toil for the country, it wouldn’t have developed to this point. As they say, things are man-made, people are fundamental, all I did was help the situation along.”

“Regardless, you have indeed contributed to the country.” Yun Hui respectfully bowed to Mr. Blind.

But when he looked up, his gaze had become fierce, “I still ask you, sir… why did my master suffer those injuries, and how did you contribute to her plight!”

Mr. Blind said, “Dragon Fiend… Years ago, I made a mistake, which ultimately attracted the Dragon Fiend. The appearance of the Dragon Fiend shook the ley line of the entire China. The true dragon of China exerted all its effort to suppress it, or else there would be chaos across the nation. And the Dragon Fiend could only be dealt with by us… Your master was injured while dealing with the Dragon Fiend. It’s a pity… she was very likely to be the next Daoist in the Inquiry Phase of Shenzhou, but her profound attacks were shattered by the Dragon Fiend, leaving no chance for recuperation.”

Yun Hui clenched his fist… the Mr. Blind before him was still weak and defenseless… if…

“This porridge is a bit cold, let me go heat it up.”

As Yun Hui was leaving with the bowl, a faint voice came from behind him.

“I’m sorry.”

Yun Hui stopped but did not turn around, just said softly, “It’s not about who was wrong first… at least now I know that my master saved the world, and for now, that’s enough.”

The sound of the door closing.

…

Mr. Blind sat silently, outside the house, the sound of wind blowing through the Firmiana tree could be heard, rustling.

The tree was planted by Daofeng many years ago, using a seed brought from Kunlun.

“Don’t trust in too much sentiment, lament at the farewell pavilion, tears wet the spring robe, soberness easily comes.” Mr. Blind slowly walked to the window, leaning against the banister, softly reciting, “Time only hastens aging…”

“A thousand worries, ten thousand worries, better to drink a pot of turbid wine.”

Under the shadow of the Firmiana tree, at this time, came a clear and deep male voice.

In the twilight and moonlight, this man gradually walked in, wearing a loose plain Tang suit, holding a pot of wine in his hand, his pace unhurried, but only within two steps’ movement was he before Mr. Blind.

The man’s appearance was ordinary, looking about thirty years old, but with graying temples.

“It was a bit rushed when I came out, so I casually took a bottle of sealed-aged wine from the national treasury, to meet you, an old friend.” The man smiled slightly.

Mr. Blind nodded, “You made quick work of it.”

The man flipped in from outside the window, saying casually, “The people from the Management Bureau said they wanted to arrange a plane, I said no need, from the capital to Mount Tai is just a few hundred kilometers, just right for a bit of exercise.”

But just as the man sat down, he suddenly coughed lightly a few times.

This made Mr. Blind frown, “You’re… injured?”

“Injured my lung.” The man didn’t conceal it, instead speaking boldly, “Last year, I got into a fight, nearly died. But you know me, as long as I don’t die, I recover quickly, it’s just those group of people from the Management Bureau, stopped a dozen doctors, serving me every day, sometimes quite annoying.”

Mr. Blind said seriously, “There aren’t many who can injure you.”

The man with graying temples chuckled, “The little princess of Xuanyuan Palace isn’t the sort to be trifled with. But that fight, I consider it satisfactory. Although I was on the brink of death, that little princess didn’t fare well either. But it’s a pity, that little princess refused to use the Emperor’s Might, only using the power of Ba against me, otherwise, my grave might already be overgrown, haha! Come, let’s not talk, try this aged liquor!”

Mr. Blind shook his head and took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, tossing it in front of the man, “Your injury hasn’t healed, your strength will also drop. What we face next allows no negligence.”

The man opened the porcelain bottle but didn’t immediately take it, just furrowed his brows and asked, “Is it truly that serious?”

Mr. Blind said, “Heaven and Earth have a particular trajectory. We of the Clothed Daoist believe, whether past, present, or future, is already fated. It’s as if there’s a book that was written long ago, you can see everything within this book… you’ll find, everything follows such an orderly path.”

The man furrowed his brows, curiously asking, “Qingxia Zi, what did you see in this book?”

“War.”

“Whose war?”

“Daoists, demons, humans.” Mr. Blind took a deep breath, “And… within and beyond China.”