Dealing with the Mysterious Heaven Sect was no different from going to war, and the most feared situation in battle was not knowing where the enemy was or how strong they were.
Now, Chen Shijie and Zhao Xing were discussing the preliminary preparations. He had originally been very confident in this plan, but after chatting with Zhao Xing, he realized that he had not prepared sufficiently.
As their conversation continued, Chen Shijie found that the preparations he needed to make had doubled by the time night fell, yet the plan had become simpler instead.
In fact, the plan didn’t need to be overly complicated; as long as there were enough preparations, executing the plan would be quite simple.
“Alright, let’s call it a day for now,” Chen Shijie said, rubbing his eyes. “You should be careful lately and try not to leave the city. If you must go out, inform me or Xue Wenzhong.”
“Understood,” Zhao Xing nodded.
Previously, he had not intended to get involved in the Mysterious Heaven Sect incident, but now that he was involved, he needed to be well-prepared.
Although Chen Shijie was the tall figure leading the charge, Zhao Xing, being shorter, could not rely solely on him. Ultimately, one must be strong enough to face everything without fear!
The next morning, Zhao Xing brought the Lynx to Huai Liu Courtyard for cultivation.
“I am now at the Upper Ninth Grade. Although my realm is limited, there is still room for improvement in my spells,” Zhao Xing looked at his status panel.
The mid-tier Four Seasonal Techniques, Yin Wind, Summon Thunder, and Nine Turns were not yet perfected.
The Ice Rain technique was perfected, but there was still room for improvement. If he could continue to comprehend it, he could break through the limits and enhance the power of his spells beyond Nine Turns.
“The Four Seasonal Techniques still lack the mid-tier Cloud Technique.”
“The Earth Advantage Sect’s spell only has one, the Earth Vein Comprehensive Essence. If I could obtain the Cao family’s Land Splitting Technique, that would be great.”
“My self-created mid-tier Thunder Technique also has room for improvement.”
“Additionally, I should try the mid-tier Scarecrow Technique.”
It was very difficult to achieve breakthroughs in spells in a short time.
Currently, normal cultivation at mid-tier perfection had reached a certain bottleneck, and progress had stagnated. A breakthrough required the right timing.
For those not yet perfected in Nine Turns, practicing for a day might not even yield a single point of progress.
“If I want to break through in a short time, I can only spend money!” Zhao Xing thought to himself.
“Meow?” The Lynx blinked in confusion, wondering what spending money meant. Could it be eaten?
“It can’t be eaten, and during this time, you can only eat Tianyuan Pears. I need to save money,” Zhao Xing said as he placed the Lynx into the bamboo box and stood up to leave.
He brought the Lynx to knock on the door of the Zong Mansion.
The doorman did not recognize Zhao Xing and looked him over, “Young Master, who are you looking for?”
“I’m looking for Zong Shichang. Please inform him that Zhao Xing is here for a visit.”
“Oh? Zhao Si Jia, please come in quickly. The young master has said that you don’t need to announce your arrival,” the doorman immediately welcomed Zhao Xing in warmly.
“Thank you.”
Once inside, the doorman quickly summoned a servant to announce Zhao Xing, while another steward led Zhao Xing through the corridor.
The Zong family’s residence occupied a large portion of East Zheng Street.
Inside, the corridors, pavilions, water pavilions, and rock gardens were almost dazzling to the eyes.
It took seven or eight minutes of walking through the corridors to meet Zong Shichang!
When they finally met, Zong Shichang was fishing at his water pavilion, and a table of food was already prepared beside him.
“Zhao Si Jia, welcome, welcome.” Zong Shichang put away his fishing rod, called for a towel to wipe his hands, and said, “Please, have a seat.”
“Zong Da Shao, is your life really this simple and dull?” Zhao Xing glanced at the abundant dishes.
For two people, there were twenty to thirty dishes, and even food for the Lynx was prepared!
Zong Shichang shook his head, “You are a distinguished guest and it’s your first visit, so it should be more extravagant. However, since you didn’t notify me in advance, we can only make do with this.”
“Since I’m here, I must have dinner before leaving. No! Let me stay the night!”
Zhao Xing was somewhat surprised; he felt Zong Shichang was being overly enthusiastic.
This was his first visit, and they had only exchanged nods before; was this too polite?
However, he didn’t say much; he still needed Zong Shichang’s help.
Moreover, the Lynx could also enjoy a free meal, so why not?
“Can I pet it?” Zong Shichang looked at the Lynx, clearly fond of it, wanting to reach out.
“Wait until it finishes eating,” Zhao Xing smiled, “Once it’s comfortable, it will be fine to pet.”
“True.” Zong Shichang poured wine for Zhao Xing, “Come, let’s drink together?”
“If we’re drinking, let’s use big cups; otherwise, it won’t be fun!”
Zong Shichang was taken aback, then laughed heartily, “Good! You’re indeed straightforward. Someone, bring out my Water Moon Glazed Cup!”
With the big cups brought out, Zhao Xing was not polite at all. Regardless of whether it was a Water Moon Glazed Cup, he filled it up and began to eat and drink with Zong Da Shao.
After taking the Giant Whale Pill, his physique had improved significantly, and drinking with someone like Zong Da Shao was no challenge at all.
Before long, Zong Da Shao was already half-drunk, while Zhao Xing was merely tipsy.
Seeing that they were in a suitable state, Zhao Xing began to discuss business.
“Zong Da Shao, I have something to ask you for help with.”
“Of course! I must help!” Zong Shichang said boldly, “Just say it, and I will do my utmost to assist you!”
He was waiting for Zhao Xing to speak, not worried about his needs, but rather fearing he had none.
Otherwise, what about the promise made to Lu Qian?
“I want to purchase an Enlightening Painting. I’m too lazy to run to Nanyang County, and in Grain City, I believe only your family has the connections.” Zhao Xing said.
“Enlightening Painting?” Zong Shichang waved his hand, “How many levels do you need? I have some third-level ones at my residence in Grain City, covering various aspects. I can gift you a few scrolls!”
“Third-level won’t do; I need fourth-level.”
Upon hearing it was a fourth-level Enlightening Painting, Zong Shichang’s drunkenness faded a bit: “Fourth-level, that’s a bit difficult.”
He was wealthy, but even with money, he couldn’t just give away a fourth-level Enlightening Painting.
Those things were not cheap.
Zhao Xing smiled, “I’m not trying to take advantage of you, of course, I’ll pay. As long as Brother Zong can find a way, that would be a great help.”
This was the truth; in terms of business, Chen Shijie was not as good as the Zong family. He was not a local and had no roots in Nanyang County.
Zong Shichang nodded, “It’s not that I’m stingy, but fourth-level Enlightening Paintings are rarely circulated in the market. Generally, they are collected by major families, waiting for the right price, and only circulate within small internal circles.”
“Of course, I can guarantee that whatever price I Zong Shichang can obtain, I will give you the same price.”
Zhao Xing asked, “What’s the price for a fourth-level Enlightening Painting?”
Zong Shichang scratched his head and then called out, “Uncle Tang, come here for a moment!”
Before long, a middle-aged man in a long gown arrived at the water pavilion.
“Young Master.”
“Uncle Tang, what’s the usual price for a fourth-level Enlightening Painting?”
Steward Tang pondered, “Young Master, it depends on the quality and type.”
“Typically, martial arts secret techniques are cheaper, while spell-related Enlightening Paintings are more expensive.”
“Among them, the most expensive are those related to ritual cultivation, music cultivation, mechanism masters, and alchemists.”
Zong Shichang asked, “What about the Agricultural Affairs Bureau?”
Steward Tang replied, “That depends on the requirements.”
Zong Shichang turned to Zhao Xing, “What are your requirements?”
Zhao Xing said, “If it’s related to the Four Seasonal Techniques, I most want the Cloud Technique’s Enlightening Painting, followed by the Rain Technique.”
“For Earth Advantage spells, I want the Land Splitting Technique, Earth Zang Technique, Subterranean Palace Technique, and Xuan Earth Technique; anything else is unnecessary.”
“Additionally, I prefer defensive and crowd-control auxiliary paintings, with offensive ones being secondary.”
Zong Shichang looked at Steward Tang, “Did you remember all that?”
Steward Tang nodded, “I’ve noted everything down. I’ll go inquire right away.”
Zong Shichang asked, “Can you find out?”
Steward Tang contemplated, “For Earth Advantage spells, seeking the Cao family will definitely yield results. As for the Four Seasonal Techniques, my father has prepared some for you, but in the county, we can just send someone to ask.”
Zong Shichang was overjoyed, “Good, good, good! This is a top priority; Uncle Tang, you must pay attention.”
Steward Tang did not leave and asked, “Young Master Zhao, do you have any requirements regarding the price?”
This was to inquire about Zhao Xing’s payment capability.
I can find the items, but can you afford them?
Zong Shichang frowned, “Just go find out. Aim for the top quality of fourth-level items, and ask for the price first.”
“Right, Young Master is correct. I’ll handle it right away.” Steward Tang cupped his hands and took his leave.
With the business settled, Zhao Xing saw that the Lynx had also eaten enough, so he planned to leave.
“Why are you leaving? Didn’t we agree to go to the Moon Viewing Tower in the East City tonight to enjoy the moon?”
“Did we?” Zhao Xing was somewhat confused; he didn’t remember agreeing to that. Was Zong Shichang drunk?
“I’ve already made arrangements,” Zong Shichang said. “During the Moon Festival, we’ll enjoy the moon, and in a few days, during the Harvest Festival, we can play for another day…”
Zhao Xing felt a headache coming on. Brother, are you only thinking about having fun? Aren’t you going to handle any serious matters? He still needed to go down to the jurisdiction to check on the harvest for the Harvest Festival!
Unable to refuse the warm invitation and needing Zong Shichang’s help, Zhao Xing could only say, “Alright. I actually forgot to mention that I brought some items this time, all good things obtained from the mountain.”
“I can’t estimate the price; you see how much they can sell for.”
To buy a fourth-level Enlightening Painting, Zhao Xing had brought silver notes.
However, fearing it wouldn’t be enough, he also brought the treasures obtained last time: the Bamboo Horse, Tiger Soul Blade, Soft Armor, and Sparrow Feather Robe, including the third-level Earth Fiend Pill and the Five Organs Exorcism Pill from the Grand Dream Academy.
He also brought the fourth-level Ice Crystal Pearl he fished from East Lake.
However, he was reluctant to sell this pearl, as after obtaining the Ice Rain spell, it had become useful for enhancing the power of the Ice Rain technique.
“Sure, sure, let me take a look.” Zong Shichang said as Zhao Xing sat down, naturally agreeing to everything.
“Here’s the third-level inferior Bamboo Horse.” Zhao Xing took out the Bamboo Horse.
In its non-activated state, the Bamboo Horse was only as big as a low stool, and the bamboo box was half a person tall, more than enough to hold it.
“The Bamboo Horse Mechanism Beast, but unfortunately, its spirit has weakened significantly,” Zong Shichang observed for a while, “It once nurtured a battle soul, making it a rare item. If used for a long time, it’s still easier to give birth to a battle soul than an ordinary Bamboo Horse. I’d estimate it’s worth around three to four hundred taels. Let’s take a middle number, three hundred and fifty taels.”
Zhao Xing nodded; third-level treasures fluctuated in value between one hundred and five hundred taels. Some were very expensive, while others were relatively cheap, mainly depending on the profession and characteristics.
Items for martial artists were usually cheaper, and the Bamboo Horse was one of the slightly more expensive third-level treasures.
“The Tiger Soul Blade, third-level inferior, mass-produced. These few you have all have slight nicks, which ruin their appearance. The recovery price is about eighty taels each,” Zong Shichang said.
Zhao Xing nodded; this price was also very reasonable.
“The Ming Lou Soft Armor, third-level mid-grade, produced by the Huo family’s blacksmith shop, is of decent quality and has no defects, just a bit old. It can probably sell for around one hundred and sixty taels each.”
Armor is generally more expensive than blades, so this price was also normal.
With four blades, three sets of armor, and the Bamboo Horse, the total came to one thousand one hundred and fifty taels.
Zhao Xing then took out the Sparrow Feather Robe.
Upon seeing the robe, Zong Shichang couldn’t help but be momentarily dazed. The jade pendant around his neck glowed, and he resisted the influence of the robe’s eyes.
“The Sparrow Feather Robe made from Pengque feathers? And there’s a fourth-level feather, a rare item,” Zong Shichang’s eyes sparkled with interest. “This was sold by my family; there are only twelve pieces in Nanyang County.”
Zhao Xing didn’t notice Zong Shichang’s gaze and simply asked, “What’s its value?”
Zong Shichang smiled, “It was sold for two thousand eight hundred taels back then.”
Zhao Xing was overjoyed, “So expensive? That’s comparable to a fourth-level price!”
Zong Shichang said leisurely, “Of course, the price far exceeds the actual value of the treasure, but for women’s items, making ten or even dozens of times the profit is quite common.”
Zhao Xing was very happy, “How much can second-hand goods sell for?”
Zong Shichang shook his head, “The second-hand price of such luxury items is not high because it’s personal. Of course, you could claim it’s new, but without my family’s auction hype, it would probably only sell for about forty percent of the price.”
“I’ll sell it to you,” Zhao Xing said, “I only want seventy percent.”
Zong Shichang laughed and shook his head, “Brother, take my advice and don’t sell it. Even if you do, I wouldn’t dare to accept it.”
Zhao Xing asked, “Are you saying there will be trouble?”
Zong Shichang blinked, “Not exactly trouble; if I accept it, I’ll be beaten half to death by her.”
Zhao Xing realized, “You know the owner of this treasure?”
Zong Shichang nodded, “Yes, her name is Lu Qian, the young lady of the Lu family in Nanyang. I’ve known her since childhood. She bought this Sparrow Feather Robe for over two thousand taels, and she will also be at the Moon Viewing Tower tonight.”
Zhao Xing tentatively asked, “Brother Zong, your warm hospitality today, could it be that you want to help her get back the robe?”
Zong Shichang laughed, “How could I be such a villain?”
What did that mean?
“She wants to find an opportunity to meet you. From what I know of her, she doesn’t intend to hold you accountable.”
Zong Shichang suddenly winked and whispered, “You’re quite the handsome man with exceptional talent. If you could… how about returning the robe? Do you understand what I mean?”
Zhao Xing understood.
The Sparrow Feather Robe was a personal item, and now that it was in his hands, there were only two possibilities.
One was that Lu Qian had been robbed by him, and the robe was taken away; the other was that Lu Qian had been saved by him, and the robe was given as a gift.
Due to the existence of the Forgetfulness Tablet, no one remembered what had happened.
It was likely that the young lady of the Lu family mistakenly believed it was the latter situation.
Zong Shichang was acting as a matchmaker, implying that he could enjoy the benefits!
Having gained so much fortune from the mountain, Zhao Xing felt that his Fortune would soon decline, and he would inevitably face some misfortunes.
Could it be that it would happen here? A Peach Blossom Calamity?
Zhao Xing said lightly, “I’m not interested in this matter; I won’t be going to the Moon Viewing Tower.”
He planned to avoid unnecessary trouble.
No matter what Lu Qian’s intentions were, staying away was a way to handle it.
Zong Shichang urged, “Don’t! Zhao brother, you must go! If you don’t go, how will I see Liu girl next time?”
Zhao Xing then realized that Zong Shichang had someone he liked and had made a deal with Lu Qian.
The two were both strategists and parties involved.
After Zong Shichang laid everything out, Zhao Xing suddenly changed his mind.
He realized that Lu Qian was quite determined and had not approached Zong Shichang for the first time regarding this matter.
It seemed that even if he didn’t agree this time, she would find some reason to meet him next time.
Since he couldn’t avoid it, he might as well resolve it.
After all, they were still in the city; even if misfortune struck, it wouldn’t be too severe, and there was no danger to his life.
Coincidentally, he hadn’t seen the musicians and dancers for a long time. It was said that these two could perform the dance “Six Songs,” so it wouldn’t hurt to go and see.
“It’s not impossible to go. Since you admire that Liu girl, why don’t I help you a bit?” Zhao Xing suddenly thought of something.
Zong Shichang asked, “How will you help me?”
Zhao Xing said, “I’ll sell you a poem that you can use to express your feelings. You can give it to that Liu girl at tonight’s Moon Viewing Tower banquet.”
Zong Shichang showed little interest; he didn’t think Zhao Xing could come up with a good poem.
Unexpectedly, after Zhao Xing whispered the poem to him, Zong Shichang’s eyes lit up: “Hey? This poem actually has some substance…”
Zhao Xing smiled, “If the musician sets it to music, it can greatly enhance her cultivation. The wider it spreads, the better the effect. Since the Liu girl is a musician, she will definitely like it.”
“If you don’t believe it, you can try it tonight. If it doesn’t achieve the desired effect, I won’t charge you. If you think it’s good, how about this poem being worth a fourth-level Enlightening Painting?”
Zong Shichang didn’t know the ins and outs, but he believed Zhao Xing wouldn’t deceive him. Although he didn’t understand, there were plenty of people who did, so he nodded, “Alright, I’ll buy it!”
(End of Chapter)