Chapter 2247 Raw 2354 : I Swear!
The seemingly calm Yan City had undercurrents flowing. The news of the new envoy inspector chasing away seven of the top ten merchant associations had already spread everywhere.
Each of the seven merchant associations had a Noble Clan backing it. Two of them even had connections with a prince.
When Xiao Chen decided to get rid of the vermin, his actions inevitably kicked up an unavoidable storm.
Benefits were like a person’s flesh. Xiao Chen had taken a knife and cut off the flesh of others, draining their blood.
No one would be able to bear it.
However, with the competition to become the crown prince imminent, none of the princes dared to be careless. No one dared to take the lead.
If they could not finish Xiao Chen in one blow and had to face his revenge, he might end up affecting their bid to become the crown prince.
Losing so much for the sake of so little would not be worth it.
However, the longer this storm was suppressed, the more ferocious it would rage when it finally broke loose. It would not matter how dangerous this invisible undercurrent was.
Xiao Chen’s people did not feel overly anxious. They remained in bitter cultivation. Before leaving the Heavenly Alliance headquarters, they had exchanged for large amounts of resources.
They had Origin Liquid, Medicinal Pills, Cultivation Techniques, and Martial Techniques. Not cultivating with them would be a waste.
If the group could transform these resources into accumulations, its strength would soar significantly.
On this day, the appointed time with Yuan Zhen arrived.
Xiao Chen woke up very early and went straight to the Misty Rain Pavilion.
The Misty Rain Pavilion did not open for business in the morning. When Xiao Chen arrived, Su Ye was leading a group of dancers and musicians in practice.
The formation of the practice startled Xiao Chen.
A total of one hundred women stood on the dance stage. The instruments they held were different.
There were the zither, the flute, the pipe, the bell, the drum, the qin, and many others. However, that was not the most shocking thing. The most shocking thing was that all the instruments were Soul Tools.
That was right. That was to say, there were close to one hundred Soul Tools on the dance stage.
Xiao Chen felt shocked. Even the Smiling Daughter Pavilion probably did not have such a setup.
Soul Tools were not as common as cabbages.
Xiao Chen dared to say that even a Rank 7 sect would not have so many Soul Tools.
“Toot! Toot!”
Pipe music rang out, sounding spirited and ethereal. In mere moments, it drew one deep into it. It was like a red-crowned crane weaving through the clouds, moving around mountains and rivers.
“Tweet! Tweet! Cheep! Chirrup!”
That was the flute, which sounded very melodious, like water babbling over rocks. It was just like two people playing chess. The chess pieces landed as the sound of springwater rang out.
Following that, the sound of the pipa rang out. The player possessed great skill, standing out in the music with the emotions that it provoked.
However, although Xiao Chen was not skilled in music, he could tell that the pipa’s voice was inferior to that of the other Soul Tool instruments.
Usually, such a level would be fine. However, it seemed off amid the group of Soul Tool instruments.
However, Xiao Chen did not feel much concern over it as more instruments rang out simultaneously.
The song quickly changed styles, turning very impassioned, a poetic epic, spreading a myth and showing grandness. It shocked anyone who heard it, causing their hot-bloodedness to surge.
“Clang”
Just at this moment, a sword light appeared at the perfect time.
When the listener’s hot-bloodedness surged, encouraging them to draw their weapons, the sword light appeared.
“Whoosh!”
A saber light appeared. Instantly, the saber light and sword light clashed, moving in tandem with the grand music played by one hundred instruments. This was fresh for the eyes and ears, entrancing anyone who heard and watched.
A clash of the saber and the saber. It was both a saber dance and a sword dance. The ones holding the saber and sword were pretty ladies.
This was the only part Xiao Chen found wanting. While it was nice to watch, it lacked the feeling of the Saber Dao and Sword Dao. The reason was the low cultivations of the two dancers.
If cultivators who comprehended the Sword Dao and Saber Dao accompanied the mystical poetic epic, the effect would be much better.
Su Ye, dressed in a red cheongsam, sat in the center of more than one hundred headliners, appearing very focused as she played the zither.
Her grace, beauty, and skills were not inferior to the headliners around her.
She even had a unique air that attracted attention, like a bright moon amid stars, towering over the rest.
“Clang!”
Suddenly, Su Ye pressed down on the strings, silencing the zither. Then, everyone put down their instruments.
Fatigue and dissatisfaction flashed in Su Ye’s eyes. Then, she waved her hand and said, “Dismissed. We will practice again another day.”
Su Ye did not seem satisfied with the results of the rehearsal, even looking somewhat disappointed.
After the rest left, Su Ye slowly walked over to Xiao Chen’s side and said, “Lord Xiao, you are here early. I have embarrassed myself before you.”
“It’s not an embarrassment. Instead, it was a great eye-opener. It was such a grand collaboration. This is an arduous and thankless task. You want it to appear grand but still maintain perfection. That is nearly impossible. I’m curious. What is Pavilion Master Su trying to do?”
This was truly a great eye-opener, something fresh and new.
However, it was as Xiao Chen said. It was practically impossible to maintain perfection. If that was the case, there was no performance value. It might end up a waste of time, not bringing any profits.
Su Ye smiled abashedly. “Indeed, an arduous and thankless task. However, one needs to pursue something in one’s life. My greatest wish is to merge the ten great ancient pieces and play them while I’m alive.”
“Therefore, you have been spending the profits of the Misty Rain Pavilion on buying Soul Tool instruments?”
A thought occurred to Xiao Chen upon hearing that. Ten percent of the Heavenly Alliance’s goods every year equaled a significant profit.
Su Ye could not possibly spend all that wealth alone. However, if she used the money to purchase these instruments, it would make sense.
“Lord Xiao is overthinking. Even if instruments are cheaper than weapons, the profits from the Heavenly Alliance are not enough to collect so many Soul Tool instruments. Many of these were collected by my mother. However, they are still far from adequate.”
When discussing the Soul Tool instruments, Su Ye did not hide anything, spilling everything.
“Speaking of which, I still have not thanked Pavilion Master Su for helping me resolve the situation last time. Coincidentally, I happen to have a pipa. If you are interested, I can lend it to you.”
Xiao Chen thought for a while before taking out the Medial Grade Soul Tool pipa from the Scarlet Blood Pirate King’s inheritance and handing it to Su Ye.
“Heavenly Peace?”
Su Ye took the pipa and examined it. Then, she started playing it.
Immediately, a pipa piece rang out, flowing like floating clouds and rippling water, as her fingers picked the strings. It sounded melodious and pleasing, penetrating one’s heart.
Xiao Chen felt embarrassed. Previously, he had messed around with it, playing some random tune.
“Great pipa,” Su Ye praised softly, reluctant to part with it as undisguised joy flashed in her eyes.
This was a pure form of joy, just like when Xiao Chen obtained Heavenly Slayer; that had been a pure joy bladesmen had for sabers.
“Lord Xiao, please state your price. No matter how expensive it is, I want it,” Su Ye said softly as a brilliant light flashed in her eyes.
Xiao Chen sighed, “Unfortunately, I intend to give this to my martial nephew to use as a token of love. You can use it for now. However, I’m unable to do anything about it. Otherwise, I would just gift it to you.”
“That is unfortunate.”
Su Ye felt somewhat disappointed. However, she still said happily, “Many thanks, Lord Xiao. Now, Zi Yun will no longer complain and grumble. The person that you are waiting for is already in the private room. He arrived last night.”
“I’ll go over first.”
When Xiao Chen entered the private room, he saw a person with a conical bamboo hat covering his head and face, who had been sitting there for a while already.
Upon seeing Xiao Chen arrive, that person removed his hat, revealing a shiny bald head and a smile. This was the Hidden Spirit Temple’s Yuan Zhen.
“Benefactor Xiao, how have you been?”
Xiao Chen said indifferently, “You can dispense with the formalities. You want the Ethereal Immortal Palace’s key, right? It is yours in the first place; I do not intend to keep holding on to it.”
Yuan Zhen felt disdain in his heart. If it were before, he might still believe him. However, Xiao Chen had already tricked him several times. It would be strange if he still believed Xiao Chen.
“However, you have to tell me where the Ethereal Immortal Palace is predicted to be.”
Yuan Zhen thought to himself, Indeed. Then, he said, “Truth be told, no one knows where the Ethereal Immortal Palace is at this point. They only know its rough location, the Yanwu Dynasty. However, the predictions have never been right before, so it is hard to say how reliable this one is.”
Xiao Chen entered deep thought. Chu Chaoyun had said the same thing. As its name suggests, the Ethereal Immortal Palace is indeed ethereal. Every time a prediction about its appearance was made, it never appeared.
Perhaps it is impossible to predict its actual location.
“It should definitely be in the Yanwu Dynasty. I have heard that the people of the Universe Origin Sect, the Profound Heaven, the Abyssal Underworld, the Xuewu Dynasty, and the other factions with the Ethereal Immortal Palace’s keys have already started making preparations.
Yuan Zhen told Xiao Chen the secrets that he knew, showing his sincerity.
“Ka ca!”
Just at this moment, the door to the private room opened, and Su Ye entered.
Yuan Zhen quickly put his hat back on, covering his shiny bald head in the blink of an eye.
Su Ye gave Yuan Zhen a strange look. Then, she handed Xiao Chen an invitation. “Lord Xiao, here’s an invitation letter for you.”
Xiao Chen received the invitation letter, feeling somewhat suspicious. Then, he thought, The Smiling Daughter Pavilion!
“Who sent the invitation?” Su Ye asked out of curiosity. She did not open the letter and did not know its contents.
Xiao Chen’s expression remained the same as he replied indifferently, “Just an ordinary friend.”
“Oh. I will not disturb you any further, then.” Su Ye found this slightly strange as she turned to leave.
Xiao Chen turned to Yuan Zhen and said, “Come with me to a place, and I will return the Ethereal Immortal Palace’s key.”
Yuan Zhen remained calm upon hearing that, not showing any joy at all. He said indifferently, “Make an oath first.”
Xiao Chen had tricked Yuan Zhen too many times already, so Yuan Zhen no longer trusted him.
“Alright. I, Xiao Chen, swear that as long as you follow me on this invitation, I will return the Ethereal Immortal Palace’s key to you,” Xiao Chen said seriously with a sincere expression.
Only then did Yuan Zhen reveal an expression of joy. He smiled and said, “Alright, I promise you. As long as we are not going to a pleasure quarter, this humble monk will follow you anywhere.”