Chapter 92: Chapter 91: A Mission

The atmosphere in the stone chamber instantly grew quiet and tense.

For some reason, as He Bai was lost in thought, his eyelid started twitching uncontrollably again.

He looked up at Wu Chen and found the young man staring at him, his face devoid of expression.

Those indifferent eyes held no emotion, as if looking at a dead man!

He Bai’s face paled in horror. Under that gaze, he felt like he was being stalked by a ferocious tiger, his life in peril at any moment!

’I’m at the third level of the Jade Bone Realm, yet I’m feeling this way!’

’Could this young man already possess the strength of the Jade Bone Realm’s Mid Stage?!’

At this thought, He Bai’s terror suddenly turned into delight.

But the chilling intent in the air grew more bone-piercing. He knew if he didn’t explain himself for trapping the other man in the stone chamber, he would likely die right here.

He Bai hurriedly pushed the bright red silver banknote on the stone table toward Wu Chen and said:

"Young Master Wu, I’m returning this one-thousand-tael silver banknote to you. I have another matter of great importance to discuss!"

As his voice fell, the coldness in the air dissipated, and the feeling of needles pricking his skin gradually faded.

"What is it?" Wu Chen raised an eyebrow. He looked at the thousand taels of silver returned to him on the table but didn’t completely let his guard down.

"Sigh!"

He Bai first let out a deep sigh, his whole demeanor appearing much more dejected:

"It’s about what I mentioned to you before, Young Master Wu—the matter of my medicinal herbs being stolen."

"So, Hall Master Hee wants me to go retrieve this batch of herbs?"

Hearing that it involved killing, Wu Chen relaxed considerably. Compared to a lot of convoluted affairs, killing was the simplest.

He asked impatiently, "Where are the bandits?"

"In this vast world, where would I find them?"

He Bai shook his head and said:

"I was hoping to ask you, Young Master, to accompany me in transporting another batch of medicinal herbs back."

He actually had his suspicions. The previous robbery was most likely the work of other Martial Arts Halls in the city.

They had always been competing, both openly and secretly, but this year the conflict had become much sharper.

He had also considered whether to hire someone from the black market or find an escort agency in the city to transport the herbs again.

But thinking of how the other major establishments had vast resources and eyes and ears everywhere, he feared that news of him leaving the city to transport herbs again would spread like wildfire before he even stepped out his door.

In the end, the herbs would just fall into someone else’s hands.

But now that Wu Chen had come to learn Martial Arts and had displayed such extraordinary strength, an idea instantly struck him:

Have this young man named Wu Chen accompany him out of the city to purchase the medicinal herbs.

If they could settle this matter quickly today, they could leave the city tonight.

With the strength the young man had shown, perhaps they really could succeed in transporting the herbs back to Mountain Mist City!

"Transport medicinal herbs?"

Wu Chen stroked his chin thoughtfully and didn’t agree right away.

He was considering the round-trip travel time. After all, a transport job to Cangwu City or other places was bound to take a while.

It would likely take ten days to half a month before he could return.

And the one thing he lacked most right now was time.

In ten days to half a month, if he could still trade money for Martial Arts, he could easily spend that time in Mountain Mist City searching for them instead.

If things went well, he could acquire another bone-forging Martial Art, which would allow him to increase his strength once more.

So, Wu Chen faced two choices: earn money or increase his strength?

Obviously, the latter was more important.

Therefore, it didn’t matter if he earned this thousand taels or not.

"Young Master Wu, this thousand taels is just a deposit!"

Seeing Wu Chen’s hesitation, there was no way He Bai would let this opportunity slip by. He hurriedly said, "Upon successful completion, there will be a treasure as an additional reward!"

"Hm? A treasure!"

Hearing the word "treasure," Wu Chen’s interest was piqued. "A Qiankun Bag?"

"Well..."

He Bai scratched his head in embarrassment. If he had something like that, transporting goods wouldn’t be so troublesome.

Seeing his expression, Wu Chen knew he had been getting ahead of himself. It seemed things like the Qiankun Bag were not common.

He really had lucked out.

’When Lin Gaoyuan gave this thing to me, he was probably worried that word would get out one day, afraid that a single Qiankun Bag could bring about the extermination of his entire family.’

Wu Chen thought for a moment and felt this was highly possible.

The Qiankun Bag was indeed a rare treasure. The fact that someone like He Bai, a Jade Bone Realm cultivator, didn’t have one was proof enough.

In a world like this, killing a minor family in Fenglin County to seize it seemed all too normal.

Hearing it wasn’t a Qiankun Bag, Wu Chen lost most of his interest in the treasure He Bai mentioned.

"Hall Master Hee, by the way, where are you purchasing these medicinal herbs? How long would a round trip take?"

He changed the subject to the itinerary, considering whether it was necessary to accept this task.

"The herbs are purchased in a town near Cangwu City."

Hearing this question, He Bai’s eyes lit up.

After all, having been a hall master for so many years and having dealt with countless people, he naturally understood the key to Wu Chen’s hesitation from his question.

Time!

"If we ride hard, the trip will take eight or nine days. If we travel day and night with only brief rests, four or five days will be enough!"

He added hastily, "Any faster and the horses won’t be able to take it, which could cause delays..."

"Five days."

Wu Chen could barely accept that amount of time.

After all, not to mention the treasure upon completion, just earning a thousand taels of silver in five days was hard to refuse.

He nodded in agreement, then said, "Hall Master Hee, when do we set off for Cangwu City?"

"If you are free, Young Master Wu, we can leave the city tonight at the beginning of the hai hour. We’ll meet at the south gate of Mountain Mist City."

"..."

The two discussed the general details in the stone chamber for a while longer before the stone door finally opened, and they went their separate ways.

...

"Why are we suddenly leaving the city? What a mess. Stone Ox, keep an eye out for me for a bit. If anyone asks, just say I went to take a piss."

"I’m going back to find your sister-in-law to take care of some urgent business. Otherwise, she’ll be all over me again when I get back from this trip. It’s killing me!"

At the Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall, He Bai gathered a dozen of his most trusted men to prepare for the upcoming trip out of the city to purchase medicinal herbs.

He ordered that no one was to leave the backyard, then turned and left without a backward glance.

A skinny man immediately began to complain bitterly.

He threw an arm around a stout, dark-skinned man who was built like an iron tower, and began to complain in a low voice.

"Stone Ox, you know how it is."

"If I don’t get your sister-in-law settled, she’ll raise hell. Help me cover, and when I get back from this trip, I’ll treat you to a meat feast—eat as much as you want!"

"Alright."

This stout man called Stone Ox had a towering figure, but his face was surprisingly boyish.

Faced with Skinny Zheng’s request, he chuckled and agreed:

"But save some of your strength. If we run into trouble on the road, it won’t do you any good to have weak legs."

"Mind your own damn business!"

Skinny Zheng cursed with a laugh, then walked toward the courtyard wall. When no one was looking, he leaped up and disappeared over the top.

He hurried through the city’s dim alleys, crossed the streets, and soon arrived at a quiet little courtyard. He rushed inside impatiently, not even bothering to close the door.

"What are you doing~"

"Doing you!"

Only the sound of flirtatious moans and whimpers could be heard.

Three minutes later, he pulled up his pants with a satisfied look and walked out of the small courtyard.

Normally, he should have returned to the Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall the way he came.

But strangely, after a wary glance to his left and right, he changed direction several times, his movements becoming furtive and sneaky.

’I wonder how much the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall will reward me for this information: that someone met with the old Hall Master in the stone chamber at noon today, and that he’s arranged for a group to secretly leave the city tonight.’

’Last time, I got two hundred taels of silver just for the news that He Bai was leaving the city to transport herbs. This time, it has to be at least four hundred!’

The skinny man estimated the price of these two pieces of information, feeling he could ask for even more.

After all, if the Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall ran into trouble again, they’d be in danger of shutting down for good.

Meanwhile, the other Martial Arts Halls in the city could take the opportunity to expand.

’The Liuhe Martial Arts Hall has been growing strong in recent years. It’s not impossible that they’ll use this chance to absorb the Pine Wave Martial Arts Hall.’

’When that time comes, and the Liuhe Martial Arts Hall fulfills its promise, I’ll become a prominent figure in Mountain Mist City!’

Skinny Zheng grew more and more smug.

The thought that he hadn’t even finished spending the two hundred taels of silver from last time, and would soon have over three hundred more, with a limitless future ahead—it made his steps lighter.

But soon, after crossing several streets, he froze in place.

In his peripheral vision, he sensed that someone was blocking his path.

Skinny Zheng looked up, and when he got a clear look at the person’s face, his pupils contracted violently.

He recognized this person, though he had only seen him once.

It was the young man who had entered the stone chamber with He Bai during the day!

And it was after their meeting that the plan to leave the city was made!

’This guy might just be here by chance. He couldn’t have discovered anything.’

’Besides, when the old Hall Master was picking men to leave the city, this guy wasn’t around. He couldn’t possibly know I’m one of the people going.’

With this thought, he acted nonchalant and tried to walk past the person in front of him.

But for some reason, he found that with every blink, as if in an illusion, the distant figure would instantly close the distance by ten feet.

After two or three blinks, the person was right in front of him.

Then he felt his throat tighten as the other person’s hand gripped it firmly.

Only then did the skinny man realize something was wrong, but he had no strength to resist, as if all his power was being drained away by the hand on his throat.

He managed to choke out, "Mercy, I’ll never..."

Wu Chen shot him a sidelong glance. "Save it for your Hall Master."

With that, he clenched his five fingers, and the skinny man’s eyes rolled back as he passed out.

Immediately after, Wu Chen pushed his Body Technique to its absolute limit.

Like a gust of wind, he carried the skinny man’s body and vanished into the alley, not attracting the attention of the patrolling officers on the nearby street.

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