Trafford's Trading Club

Chapter 1046: How Could There Be a Path to Immortality in This World? (54)

A faint red mist slowly drifted from Da Zhe’s body as he lay on the sofa.

It was quickly absorbed by the pendant hanging from the necklace around his neck—a pendant in the shape of a key, which was in fact the Zhanlu Sword. As the red mist continued to be absorbed, it gradually diminished until it stopped completely.

He yawned, sat up, and loosened his neck a little. He felt refreshed, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

“You're awake.”

“Miss You Ye.”

Da Zhe quickly stood up.

Miss Maid walked up to him with a gentle smile, glanced at the pendant around his neck, and said, “Zhanlu is a sword of royal virtue. While killing is the fastest way to master its power, excessive slaughter is harmful. So the sword instinctively purifies the excessive killing intent from your body.”

Da Zhe suddenly understood—no wonder that heavy, oppressive feeling had almost vanished after a nap.

“What are we doing now?” Da Zhe asked, feeling clear-headed.

“Come with me.”Miss Maid led Da Zhe to the Boss’s study—a room he’d been to several times, so it wasn’t unfamiliar.

What was the study like, exactly?

It resembled one of those hidden, old bookstores tucked away in a corner of the city, filled with all sorts of rare and out-of-print volumes.

Miss Maid walked straight to a bookshelf and motioned with her hand. The thick hardcovers on the shelf trembled slightly, and soon, a hefty ledger flew out from the upper right corner and landed in her hand.

She flipped through it as she turned to face Da Zhe.

“What’s that?” Da Zhe asked curiously.

You Ye looked up and smiled. “An old ledger… and it’s what we’ll be working on next.”

Her pale finger traced a page in the heavy book, releasing a wisp of smoke. Words began to form from the smoke and hovered before Da Zhe’s eyes.

He stared at the floating characters in a daze.

Then, just as quickly, the words turned back into mist and vanished.

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

Da Zhe subconsciously nodded, then said with a strange expression, “This... this is a transaction from two thousand years ago?”

Wasn’t Miss Maid only created three or four hundred years ago?

You Ye nodded. “More precisely, it’s a transaction that hasn’t been completed yet. What the customer requested must be fulfilled now.”

Da Zhe rubbed his chin, dazed. “This customer… just how much did they pay?”

“There is always an equivalent exchange,” You Ye said with a light laugh. “Our job is simply to fulfill the customer’s request. Nothing more.”

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

“The Master is very studious,” Miss Maid said gently. “When he took over, he reviewed many old ledgers. To fulfill this transaction, he started preparing early… for example, giving you Zhanlu and making you a Black Soul Envoy.”

Da Zhe scratched his head. “I heard from Sister No. 18 that some of the Black Soul Envoys are terrifying. Wouldn’t it be better to send them instead of a newbie like me?”

“They’re all on vacation,” You Ye replied calmly. “The Master doesn’t intend to cut their holidays short. Besides, we’ve recently lost quite a few Envoys—it’s time to recruit more. A mix of considerations.”

Da Zhe fell into thought.

Miss Maid closed the heavy ledger and returned it to its place.

After a moment of reflection, she pulled out a much thinner book from another shelf. She didn’t open it but instead opened a small distorted space and tossed the booklet inside.

Da Zhe watched curiously but didn’t ask.

You Ye said, “There are different types of Black Soul Envoys. Some look for clients, some—like you—handle combat, and others focus on collecting debts. One of them is finishing his vacation soon, so I’m prepping him for his next assignment.”

Whoever just got assigned by Miss Maid… probably isn’t very happy right now.

“Let’s go.”

“Oh… right!” Da Zhe quickly nodded.

...

...

Crouching Dragon Estate.

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

The Crouching Dragon Estate was a place meant to host members of the Daoist World, so the ingredients used were of the highest quality—apparently, not all Daoists practiced fasting. Many still ate, and their standards for food were notoriously strict.

“Daoist Qingxiaozi, have some to replenish your energy.”

“Much appreciated.”

Mr. Blind nodded as he emerged from meditation. He looked better after some rest, though he still resembled a man recovering from serious illness, his voice weak and feeble.

Yun Hui had many questions in his heart as he watched Mr. Blind slowly eat, but he held them back—for example, how a criminal of the Daoist World could receive such treatment from the Management Bureau.

And just because of one request from this man, the Bureau's superiors even disturbed a secluded martial-path elder in the middle of the night…

“You’re curious, aren’t you—about my relationship with the Management Bureau,” Mr. Blind said after sipping some porridge.

Yun Hui hesitated, then nodded. But realizing this elder was blind, he quickly added, “I do have many doubts in my heart.”

Mr. Blind was silent for a moment before suddenly asking, “You’re a disciple of Kunlun? Whose student are you?”

“My master is Daoist Daofeng, disciple of Patriarch Baijie,” Yun Hui replied respectfully.

“Daofeng…” Mr. Blind’s expression shifted slightly as he faced Yun Hui. “And how is your master now?”

“To be honest… my master passed away ten years ago,” Yun Hui said with some sadness. “He suffered grave injuries long ago. My grandmaster did everything he could to preserve his life, but in the end, it wasn’t enough.”

“Daofeng… was Mr. Baijie’s final disciple,” Mr. Blind murmured.

“Senior, you knew my master?” Yun Hui’s tone grew even more respectful.

“I did. And…” Mr. Blind paused for a long time, then said quietly, “What if I told you your master’s death—his injuries and passing—was because of me? What would you say then?”

Yun Hui suddenly froze, then took a deep breath. His voice was slightly heavy. "Senior, I just looked through some of the Management Bureau’s archives, especially those related to you. But most of the files are encrypted, and I don’t have the clearance to access them… Logically speaking, you were already expelled from the Divine Land Daoist World, yet the Management Bureau treats you as an honored guest… I truly don’t understand."

Mr. Blind let out a sigh. "You clearly want to know about your master, yet you ask about my relationship with the Management Bureau… You’ve got patience. Baijie raised a good disciple."

Yun Hui responded seriously, "I heard from the villa’s people that a few Heavenly Master Elders have come to visit you recently… Since my grandmaster knows you and hasn’t acted against you, I dare not overstep."

"So be it." Mr. Blind sighed. "You’re Daofeng’s disciple. It’s fine to tell you. The Management Bureau treats me differently because I once helped them with some feng shui matters. Under the capital city lies a massive feng shui formation designed to stabilize the nation's fortune. The country’s growth over the past decades owes much to that formation… Does that make sense to you now?"

Yun Hui’s eyes widened, and his heart surged with shock… If what this criminal Qingxiaozi said was true, then his contributions to the country were immeasurable.

Ordinary people might not believe in feng shui or metaphysics, but as someone from the Daoist World, Yun Hui understood them well.

If this man truly laid a formation that bolstered the nation’s prosperity, then far from being a criminal, he was a national hero.

The Management Bureau and the Daoist World belonged to separate systems… No wonder a single call from Qingxiaozi could command the Bureau’s highest attention.

"Heaven, Earth, and Man must align." Mr. Blind shook his head. "I only set the stage with Heaven and Earth. The nation’s development depends on its people. Without those willing to labor for the country, it wouldn’t have reached where it is today. As the saying goes, it’s people who make things happen. I only added a bit of help."

"Regardless, you’ve served the country." Yun Hui respectfully bowed to Mr. Blind.

But when he looked up, his gaze had turned sharp. "Please, tell me—why was my master gravely injured? How was it related to you?"

Mr. Blind said, "The Dragon Fiend… I made a mistake back then, which led to the Dragon Fiend’s emergence. Its appearance disturbed the entire Divine Land’s Dragon Vein. The True Dragon of Divine Land had to act with full force to suppress it, or there would’ve been chaos. But dealing with the Dragon Fiend fell to us… Your master was injured during that battle. It’s a pity—she might’ve become the next Enlightened Dao Realm cultivator of Divine Land. But the Dragon Fiend shattered her internal arts. Cutting off her path of cultivation."

Yun Hui clenched his fists… Mr. Blind before him was still weak and completely unguarded… If he…

"This porridge’s gone cold. I’ll go reheat it."

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

"I'm sorry."

Yun Hui paused, but didn’t turn around. He only said quietly, "It’s not about who’s at fault or not… What matters is that my master risked everything to save the world. That’s enough for me now."

The door closed.

…

Mr. Blind sat quietly. Outside, wind rustled the parasol tree.

That tree had been planted years ago by Daofeng, using seeds brought from Kunlun.

“Don’t trust love easily, long regret at parting, tears on spring clothes sober the drink too soon.” Mr. Blind walked slowly to the window, leaned on the railing, and murmured, “Time only urges people to grow old…”

“A thousand sorrows are better drowned in a jar of strong wine.”

A cold, low male voice echoed from beneath the tree’s shadow.

Under the moonlight and faint glow, a man slowly approached, dressed in a loose, plain-colored Tang suit, carrying a wine jar. His pace was unhurried, yet he arrived before Mr. Blind in just two steps.

The man looked ordinary, about thirty, though his temples were graying.

"I left in a rush and grabbed an aged jar of wine from the treasury—thought I’d come visit an old friend." He smiled.

Mr. Blind nodded. "Your speed’s not bad."

The man climbed through the window and said casually, "The Bureau wanted to arrange a flight. I said no need. It’s just a few hundred kilometers from the capital to Mt. Tai. Good excuse to exercise."

But as soon as he sat down, he coughed a few times.

Mr. Blind frowned. "You're injured?"

"Lung damage," the man said bluntly. "Got into a fight last year. Almost died. But you know me—if I don’t die, I recover fast. The Bureau assigned over a dozen doctors to tend to me. Honestly, it’s annoying."

Mr. Blind’s tone turned serious. "There aren’t many who can hurt you."

The gray-templed man laughed. "The little princess of Xuanyuan Palace isn’t easy to deal with. Still, that fight was worth it. I nearly died, but she didn’t come out unscathed either. Pity she refused to use the Yellow Emperor’s power—only fought with Jiangshi strength. If she hadn’t, I might already have weeds growing on my grave. Haha! Enough talk—try this wine!"

Mr. Blind shook his head and pulled a small porcelain bottle from his robe, tossing it to the man. "You’re still hurt. Your strength must have dropped. What we’re about to face can’t afford any mistakes."

The man opened the bottle but didn’t drink immediately. He frowned. "It’s really that serious?"

Mr. Blind replied, "Heaven and Earth follow a specific path. We, the Plain-Clothed Daoists, believe that the past, present, and future are already predetermined. It’s like a book already written. You can read everything from it… and realize how everything follows a set rhythm."

The man frowned, curious. "Qingxiaozi, what did you see in that book?"

"War."

"Whose war?"

"Dao, Demon, and Man," Mr. Blind took a deep breath, "and… inside and outside the Divine Land."

( End of Chapter)