Chapter 213: Chapter 179 Kunlun
"I don’t know what country he’s from or what he has experienced. I only know one thing—he utterly despises the world’s evil deeds and spent over a decade of his youth traveling the world, visiting famous mountains and great rivers, seeking out Cultivators and Martial Artists."
"But he didn’t go to learn from a master, or rather, he didn’t need to."
"Any martial art, he only needed to watch once to learn. Cultivation Methods, he could figure out just by reading books."
"He embarked on a path different from all other Cultivators—the path of punishing evil."
"He is obsessive, lost, and solitary. He styles himself a Justice Messenger, punishing those he deems guilty. He believes that fear and intimidation are the best tools to suppress the ugliness in people’s hearts. As long as everyone fears him, criminal acts will eradicate themselves."
"That’s what he thought, and that’s what he did."
"Starting from the most remote and desolate places, he punished corrupt officials, land-grabbing gentry, Monks who drove common people to their deaths through usury, and bandits who claimed mountains as their kingdoms..."
"But the world is simply too vast. Where there is oppression, there is resistance. Every month, every day, the wealthy and wicked die unnatural deaths. He could never expand his influence."
"So, he came to Yu Country, to Chang’an, the most affluent and flourishing city in the world."
The man who called himself Luffy gazed deeply at the tea master behind the counter. "In short, he’s a madman. A madman with strength, a plan, and the drive to act."
"...Is that so."
The tea master nodded stiffly. A Cultivator suspected to be at the Cloud Patrol Realm, afflicted with a paranoid disorder, sneaking into Chang’an and claiming to punish sinners—this news was not good at all.
Inside Chang’an City, things were still manageable with the Yu Kingdom’s Court, the Academic Palace, and the garrison maintaining basic order.
But the Ghost Market harbored filth and vice; who knew how many people the so-called Bettman would deem guilty.
However, the Tea Tasting Pavilion was an intelligence agency, after all. The tea master quickly composed himself and continued to ask, "May I ask where you obtained this information? Can its credibility be guaranteed?"
"As I said, I come from the East Sea and was a pirate for a time," Mo Si’s Ink Silk Clone spoke calmly. "Once, during a storm, I accidentally rescued someone.
"His hair was ink-green, his complexion deathly pale, and he called himself Clown—similar to the Chou role in Nanzhou drama.
"He claimed that Bettman had imprisoned him on a small island in the Endless Sea called Akam. Also on the island were many other ’guilty’ Cultivators Bettman had captured.
"This is the information he told me.
"As for its authenticity, I cannot guarantee it."
"Understood."
The tea master nodded. Although the other party was being evasive and there was no further evidence to substantiate his claims, with the Tea Tasting Pavilion’s intelligence-gathering capabilities, they could always follow the trail to find some clues.
Moreover, Bettman had already infiltrated Chang’an City. Any disturbance would naturally not escape the notice of the Tea Tasting Pavilion.
"Please wait a moment."
The tea master rose, went into the back room, and returned shortly with a copper token engraved with the Tea Tasting Pavilion’s insignia. "This is a credential issued by the Tea Tasting Pavilion for you. With this, you can enter the auction house."
"Thank you."
Li Ang took the waist token, picked up his package, and turned to leave the teahouse.
As soon as he left, the waiter emerged from a side room and approached the counter, whispering to the tea master, "Doctor, should we..."
The waiter made a trailing gesture towards Li Ang’s departing figure.
"No need."
The tea master narrowed his eyes slightly. "Didn’t you notice? The talisman in the shop for detecting Spiritual Power fluctuations didn’t react to him at all.
"His Cultivation is at least at the Cloud Patrol Realm."
The waiter asked softly, "Then we..."
"...Send people to verify it,"
the tea master said in a low voice. "Go through the records from the remote regions of Nanzhou, West Jing, and Yu Country. See if there are any death cases that can be linked.
"Also, create separate files for Luffy, Clown, and Akam Island, based on what was discussed."
Holding his credential, Li Ang felt not the slightest bit of embarrassment for the web of lies he had spun.
The new clue from Mo Si, the Huai Spirit in Chang’an City, and the garrison’s potential future manhunt for Bettman all required Li Ang to make multifaceted preparations.
Multiple false identities were a must, and the more mysterious and difficult their backgrounds were to investigate, the better.
I still need to figure out a way to differentiate Bettman, Luffy, and any subsequent false identities I create. For instance, performing miracles in public, displaying different power systems, or something of the sort...
Li Ang mused leisurely as he arrived before the Yu Zheng Auction House.
The guards at the auction house seemed to have received prior notice; they glanced at the credential and allowed Li Ang to pass.
The interior of the auction house was resplendently luxurious, sparing no expense. Not only was the floor made from precious stone imported from Taixi, but to simulate sunlight, a Sun Pearl was suspended from the domed ceiling.
This was a Second-level Mutated Object, capable of emitting a constant warm glow, dispelling the dampness from below and protecting the precious paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls from erosion.
Good thing it’s a Mutated Object, not uranium-235.
Li Ang shifted his gaze from the Sun Pearl and, guided by an attendant, met the person in charge of the auction house. He stated his intention to purchase Demon Blood.
Demon Blood was a common material used in spellcasting, talisman crafting, and forging. The head of the auction house wasn’t overly surprised and, after a brief discussion, provided a quote.
Fifty thousand strings of coins for two barrels of Second-level Demon Beast blood, or four barrels of Third-level Demon Beast blood.
Li Ang pondered for a moment and chose two barrels of Second-level Demon Beast blood, taking out a large portion of Gold and Silver Ingots from his package to settle the bill.
Fortunately, a war had recently erupted in Japan, a prolific producer of gold and silver, which had caused the prices of gold and silver in Yu Country to rise considerably. Otherwise, the pile of gold and silver Li Ang had brought might have been insufficient.
Since Demon Beast Blood required special containers for storage and transport, the person in charge stated they would need an hour for preparation and asked Li Ang to wait in the main hall.
Since he was already there, Li Ang simply sat down on a chair in the hall and began to look through the list of items prepared for today’s auction.
Third-level demon beast, Li Mu Cattle, one male and one female, starting price five thousand strings of coins.
Fuping Stone Ice Spring Wine, cellar-aged for fifty years, one jar, starting price three hundred strings of coins.
Damn, they even have a Kunlun Slave? Strong physique, uncastrated, speaks the Chang’an dialect, starting price one thousand strings of coins.
Li Ang read through the contents of the small booklet, his expression dark. He had to admit, the nobles of Yu Country certainly knew how to live extravagantly. This young Kunlun Slave, for instance, was listed as having once been the private favorite of a Luoyang noblewoman, who was now reluctantly selling him due to recent financial difficulties, or so the description went.
You city folk really know how to have fun.
Li Ang shook his head and continued reading, when suddenly he came across an interesting item.
Fifty taels of Fine Gold to hire a professional to investigate a case?