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"Alright, alright, just try to stay away from Fang Jiu next time," people nearby advised one after another.
"Young Sect Master," Xu Zimo rotated the wine cup in his hand, muttering to himself.
...
After Li Kui had eaten and drunk his fill, the sky outside had gradually darkened.
He left the inn and started walking home.
When he reached a sparsely populated alley, he saw a bald man in a Taoist robe walking toward him.
Maybe it was because of the unusual attire, Li Kui glanced at him a few more times. As the two passed by each other, he suddenly blacked out and collapsed.
When Li Kui opened his eyes again, he found himself in a small alley with three people standing in front of him.
Startled, he quickly asked, "Who are you? I’ve never offended anyone."
"I ask, you answer. Got it?" Xu Zimo said.
Li Kui quickly nodded, not daring to hesitate.
"Who is Fang Jiu?" Xu Zimo asked.
"H-He’s a disciple of the Heavenly Bond Cult," Li Kui replied immediately.
"And what’s the story between this so-called Young Master Tianxun and Fang Jiu?" Xu Zimo wanted to confirm.
"Young Master Tianxun is the heir to the Heavenly Bond Cult, the future Cult Master," Li Kui answered.
"Fang Jiu was just a local thug around here who never did any proper work. But for some reason, he caught Young Master Tianxun’s attention and was brought into his inner circle."
"Where can I find Fang Jiu?" Xu Zimo asked.
"The casino, he comes out irregularly every month, but he never misses the casino when he does," Li Kui replied.
"Any other time, he stays inside the Heavenly Bond Cult and can’t be seen."
"Have him draw Fang Jiu’s portrait," Xu Zimo patted Monk Great Wisdom on the shoulder and said softly.
"Then kill him."
...
The weather in the Mortal Dust Palace was unpredictable.
One moment it was blazing sun, and the next it started snowing.
But clearly, people here were used to such weather.
That day, the sky was gloomy, with dark clouds covering the entire sky.
It gave a stifling feeling, as if a storm was about to break.
Beneath the clouds, small raindrops seemed to be falling.
The casino in the marketplace was always the most lively.
It was packed with people shouting and yelling nonstop.
Fang Jiu walked out of the casino, having had bad luck that day and lost a lot.
But the casino owner knew how to keep relationships and refunded all the losses in full.
He was short and thin, wearing a blue long robe.
He had a traditional long braid at the back, and walked with an air of arrogance.
Two men followed behind him.
One was burly and muscular.
The other had eyes like an eagle, sharp and stern, meticulous in demeanor.
One look at them, and it was clear they weren’t ordinary people.
"Let’s go. Time to head back," Fang Jiu said to the two men.
They gave no response, simply following him like bodyguards.
As the three walked halfway, Monk Great Wisdom staggered past them with a wine jug in hand.
"A flash from its sheath, the blade descends from the heavens," he recited softly, holding a curved blade and admiring it.
As the blade was slowly drawn from its sheath, a sharp glow and a surge of blade aura overflowed.
"Good blade," he praised, then swaggered off ahead.
Watching Monk Great Wisdom leave, Fang Jiu slowly stopped and said, "Follow him."
"Fang Jiu, the Young Master told us not to cause trouble," the burly man said.
"Did you see that blade? What do you think?" Fang Jiu asked.
"Didn’t get a full look, but just from the aura, it’s definitely a top-tier weapon," the eagle-eyed man replied.
"The Young Master has always liked using blades. If we present it to him, we’ll be rewarded," Fang Jiu said. "That Daoist doesn’t look like he earned it fairly anyway."
The two hesitated for a moment, unsure.
"If you hesitate any longer, that Taoist will be gone," Fang Jiu added.
His own cultivation was weak, so he relied entirely on the two of them and didn’t dare pursue alone.
"Let’s go," the two exchanged a glance, then quickly followed Fang Jiu toward Monk Great Wisdom.
...
Because there were too many people in Heavenly Bond City, Xu Zimo didn’t plan to make a move on the streets.
Monk Great Wisdom deliberately walked toward a less crowded area, finally stopping in a remote alley.
"Run, huh? Didn’t think you could run so well," Fang Jiu said, panting as he looked at Monk Great Wisdom.
"Do you need something from this poor Taoist?" Monk Great Wisdom turned around calmly and asked.
"I’m very interested in that blade of yours and plan to buy it with one spirit crystal," Fang Jiu said.
"Sorry, but that blade doesn’t belong to me," Monk Great Wisdom shook his head and tossed the curved blade toward Fang Jiu.
In midair, the blade turned into a streak of light, flying past the three and returning to Xu Zimo, who stood behind them.
"Damn," seeing themselves caught in a pincer by Monk Great Wisdom and Xu Zimo, blocked in the alley, the three immediately understood it was a setup.
"Who are you people?" the eagle-eyed man asked calmly.
"You’d best get on the ground first," Xu Zimo said with a smile.
He raised his hand and suppressed them directly.
With spiritforce surging, the three had no time to react and instantly felt paralyzed.
Their faces turned pale with fear, cold sweat pouring from their foreheads.
After sealing their meridians, Xu Zimo smiled and said, "Now we can talk."
"I meant no offense at all, sirs. Whatever you need, just say the word. I’d go through fire and water," Fang Jiu quickly said.
"I want to meet your Young Sect Master," Xu Zimo smiled.
"Well…" Fang Jiu hesitated.
"What, is there a problem?" Xu Zimo asked.
"N-No, it’s just that the Young Sect Master is always inside the sect. I can’t bring him out," Fang Jiu replied nervously.
"Then take me into the Heavenly Bond Cult," Xu Zimo said.
"Huh?" Fang Jiu froze, then reacted in shock.
"You, you want to enter our sect?"
"You three have only two choices: either take me to your Young Sect Master, or die here and wait for him to clean up the mess," Xu Zimo said.
"Choose."
"Then we…" Fang Jiu glanced at the other two, then said.
"We’ll take you to meet the Cult Master."
Xu Zimo smiled and took out three pills, giving one to each of them.
"This is the Myriad Worm Heart-Eating Pill. After we see your Young Sect Master, I’ll give you the antidote. If anyone lies to me, you can imagine the consequences."