Chapter 856: Entangled in the Current Situation

"Someone was willing to pay with high-grade spirit stones to recruit helpers..."

Qin Sang’s expression shifted with surprise as he read the contents of the Sound Transmission Talisman.

Checking the date, he realized it had been left several months ago, back when he was still with Granny Yue and the others on their rescue mission.

The talisman did not specify the purpose of the recruitment, only stating that if Qin Sang was interested, he should visit the shop for details.

So much time had passed that the person had likely already found enough helpers.

Qin Sang felt a pang of regret, thinking he had missed the opportunity.

Yet, after weighing it for a moment, he decided to visit the shop regardless. Such chances were rare; perhaps they had not yet begun their venture.

The other talismans contained nothing urgent. Qin Sang sealed his cave dwelling and headed toward the market. He removed his hood and walked through Tianxing City with his true identity.

The shop was open. The shopkeeper was startled when Qin Sang stepped inside and hurriedly rose to greet him. "Daoist Qin, where have you been? I haven’t heard from you in so long."

"I shut myself away in a life-or-death seclusion. After coming out, I discovered the talisman you left and came straight here," Qin Sang replied calmly as he sat down.

He had resolved to keep his identities separate and not allow them to overlap. Thus, he concealed everything about his journey to the Demonic Sea.

The more matters he came into contact with, the more he realized how many secrets lurked within Seven-Kill Hall. Too many powers and affairs were entangled, too intricate to unravel.

Naturally, he wished to avoid being drawn in, but the world did not bend to personal will. All he could do was prepare. Should one identity become compromised, he could rely on the other, remaining clean and able to move freely.

The shopkeeper blinked, then nodded in sudden realization. "Ah, I nearly forgot. Daoist Qin must be referring to that matter."

"Is the one recruiting still here? I am in urgent need of high-grade spirit stones, as you know. Opportunities like this are not easy to come by," Qin Sang asked, leaning forward.

The shopkeeper shook his head and sipped his tea. "That I cannot say for sure. Daoist Qin, I delivered that talisman months ago. At the time, the client asked me to recommend trustworthy cultivators of notable strength, and you were the first who came to mind. But since you never responded, I had to tell him plainly, and I never followed up afterward. It seems your seclusion came at an unfortunate time."

Seeing Qin Sang’s disappointment, the shopkeeper thought for a moment and added, "Daoist Qin, let me try to contact them again. You should return to your cave dwelling and await news. With the Demonic Sea in chaos, no one can leave, only enter. This has made the Inner Sea tense, and many cultivators fled Tianxing Island, fearing conscription. A cultivator of your caliber is hard to find. I recall the recruiter’s requirements were very strict. It is possible they still lack the people they need."

"Then I must thank you, Daoist," Qin Sang said, rising from his seat and clasping his hands. After a brief exchange of courtesies, he left for the auction house.

Once Qin Sang departed, the shopkeeper tapped his fingers lightly on the table, pondered for a moment, then shut the shop door and hurried away.

Before long, he arrived at a secluded courtyard on the outskirts of Tianxing City and knocked on the gate.

"Come in," a deep voice called from within.

The shopkeeper pushed the door open. Inside stood a man in black robes. It was the same one who had sold the high-grade spirit stones to Qin Sang. Bowing respectfully, the shopkeeper asked, "Senior Brother, is there any news from Eldest Senior Brother[1]?"

"Not yet."

The black-robed man shook his head slightly. "But it should come soon. The Demonic Sea is no trivial matter. Every human faction has been drawn in, and their experts drafted to guard the islands. This presents us with an opportunity. For Eldest Senior Brother, prying out information will be effortless. Pity that Master is also trapped in the Demonic Sea. If not, we could have launched a direct assault and spared ourselves the trouble."

The shopkeeper asked in alarm, "Master certainly cannot come? All our arrangements, are all the rogue cultivators we bribed wasted?"

The black-robed man sighed. "A man's plans can't compare to the heavens' plans. Though our master foresaw the demonic beasts stirring and the sea’s situation worsening, he did not predict such a massive outbreak. The demon race has gone mad. That grand witch priest, though powerful, is an incompetent woman. She allowed the demons to breach Tianwu Island, nearly losing the teleportation array. Master became trapped because of it. Without him, we cannot storm another sect.

"Even if we seize the treasure, we would never suppress the rogues. Still, our work has not been in vain. Such an opportunity comes once in a century. Eldest Senior Brother has already sent word. Master ordered us to find the treasure’s whereabouts at all costs, whether by stealth or force. Eldest Senior Brother is calculating carefully. Apart from us, no one knows the treasure’s secrets. Our chances remain strong. Master will also break free of Tianwu Island soon. When that time comes, manpower will be needed. Keep those rogues in reserve for now..."

The shopkeeper let out a breath of relief. "That is good. To aid Master and ease his burdens, our efforts have not been wasted."

The black-robed man glanced at him. "Do not worry. Master will not mistreat those who contribute. I have already reported everything you have done in full. Master knows. Now, what brought you here today?"

"There is one matter. Senior Brother, do you recall the man who bought the high-grade spirit stones from you? It turns out he was in a seclusion. He just emerged, saw the talisman, and came to me at once. He is without doubt a pure rogue cultivator. But I do not know whether you still have use for him...." the shopkeeper whispered.

The black-robed man remembered. "Oh? That one? His cultivation was at the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm, was it not?"

The shopkeeper confirmed. "Yes. Though he was in seclusion, his advancement seems minimal. Likely he was polishing some Dao Technique. For a rogue cultivator to reach this realm, his strength will not be lacking, and his courage is bold."

The black-robed man grunted, then mused. "According to our original plan, whether to involve him or not was optional. But with Master unable to act personally, it will be difficult for only a few of us to suppress late-stage Core Formation experts. Those rogues, after taking our benefits, could betray us at any moment. Fortunately, we kept our true purpose hidden from them. Otherwise, it would be hard to end things cleanly. Someone like the one surnamed Qin is easier to control. Still, the final decision on how to proceed and how many people to recruit must wait for Eldest Senior Brother’s word..."

"Then what is your opinion, Senior Brother?"

"Bring him in. What are a few high-grade spirit stones compared to the treasure Master seeks?" The black-robed man struck the table decisively.

The shopkeeper’s face lit with joy. "I already told him to wait at his cave dwelling for news. In a few days, come by my shop and I’ll summon him."

The black-robed man nodded.

Meanwhile, Qin Sang was making his way to the auction house. Seeing how desolate the market had become, he began to wonder whether it might be wiser to leave Tianxing Island for a while and avoid the storm altogether.

1. the title given to the senior brother who is the most senior in terms of cultivation. ☜