Book 9: Chapter 29: Book and Chest
What was it that this expert still wasn’t willing to let go of even in his current condition?
Lin Xi walked over.
This sunken cheeked yellow-robed daoist’s blood had already almost completely flowed out. At his final moments, because of the slight shaking from Lin Xi walking over to him, his body that was kneeling on the ground lost its balance, powerlessly falling to the side.
However, his hand that reached into his bosom gripped extremely tightly, to the point where only after using a bit of strength, did Lin Xi gradually pry open his fingers that were gradually turning ice-cold.
The yellow-robed daoist was grabbing a book.
Lin Xi opened up this book. After giving it a skim, his brows furrowed. He looked at this yellow-robed daoist who already stopped breathing, inwardly sighing as he said, “Turns out it was just because you wanted to take over his business… just for things like wealth, you were still unwilling even in death, isn’t it a bit too pitiful…”
Previously, Lin Xi was wondering why this yellow-robed daoist was so unresigned, wondering if there were any pill medicines or powerful cultivation methods that he didn’t have time to cultivate yet. The moment he saw a book, he became a bit excited, thinking that there was definitely some powerful cultivation methods recorded within, but this book had nothing to do with cultivation.
This book only recorded names, their methods of contact, as well as the social connections they used and the businesses they conducted.
This was a great market without light, just like one made from countless underground ants and bugs, businesses that Yunqin’s people who lived under sunlight couldn’t see.
Qin Zhiyan spent three years of time to cut himself off from this lightless black market, as well as the world of violence and grudges, withdrawing from this world. However, this yellow-robed daoist had already followed at Qin Zhiyan’s side for an unknown amount of time, already clearly investigating many paths along the easternmost underground black market network.
As long as some of his own men were arranged, this yellow-robed daoist might easily take over Qin Zhiyan’s position and make up for the opening Qin Zhiyan’s withdrawal made.
Perhaps because he still wanted to learn some more things from Qin Zhiyan, or perhaps purely because of their friendship, this yellow-robed daoist followed Qin Zhiyan on this final journey. This yellow-robed daoist longed greatly for his future wealth and status in the world of darkness, not willing to let go even in death.
Lin Xi looked at this yellow-robed daoist’s corpse, shaking his head with a light sigh. However, his brows also suddenly furrowed a bit tighter.
It was because he suddenly thought of Chi Xiaoye, thought of some agreements he made with Chi Xiaoye.
He suddenly realized that some people and paths recorded in this book, even some bandits that reached behind Dragon Snake Mountain Range, might be of some use to him in the future.
Purely because he felt like there might be some use in the future, Lin Xi didn’t hand this book over to Black Tiger Slayer, instead directly throwing it into his sleeves without any hesitation.
He was the commander of this mission and this powerful yellow-robed daoist was killed by him, so no one felt any criticisms towards Lin Xi’s movements.
Everyone only looked at Lin Xi, waiting for his next orders.
Lin Xi was about to walk away, but suddenly thought of something. He froze and then turned around to look at Meng Bai who was following behind him with his head hung, carrying a flat chest, asking with a voice only the two of them could hear, “Has the academy told you anything?”
Meng Bai didn’t fully wake up from the fighting that happened just now yet. Moreover, right now, he didn’t even dare look at the bloody corpses all around them, fearing that he would vomit and humiliate himself even further. When he heard Lin Xi’s words, he only looked at Lin Xi’s feet, saying with a trembling voice, “They only told me to hand over this chest to you… also to have us bring these carriages to Scorching Sun City. There would be someone from a money farm who will take over from there and then we will obtain some silvers… After that, we will be completely free from our identity as the plundering ten wolves, heading far out to Noble Cloud Province’s Sparrow Lord City. At that time, there will naturally be another troop who will rendezvous with us.”
“Chest?”
Lin Xi stared blankly for a moment and then he immediately understood that this should be the new soul weapon bow Tong Wei told him about.
“Then help me carry it for a bit longer… I’ll take a look at it when we set out again… Also, why do you seem to have gotten a bit fatter again…”
When he saw this little fatty whose face was exceptionally pale, nose even covered in sweat, Lin Xi quietly said this. Everyone could tell that Meng Bai was truly timid, to the extent where not even Lin Xi noticed how Meng Bai made his way underneath the carriage just now.
This type of fatty, carrying this chest, moving along the carriage bottom that wasn’t all that tall, it was quite the miraculous thing for Lin Xi too.
However, it was precisely because Meng Bai was truly cowardly, but because he was still his good friend, that he still followed behind, moreover pulling him back at the crucial moment. This was already enough for Lin Xi to not look down on this cowardly fatty at all , instead feeling a bit moved.
“We are to bring this carriage fleet’s contents to the outskirts of Scorching Sun City. At the time, someone from a money farm will take over.”
“Black Tiger Slayer, you all tidy up these carriages, I’m going to pay this Sir Qin a visit.”
Lin Xi spoke with a voice everyone could hear, and then began to walk towards Qin Zhiyan’s carriage.
According to the information provided, this Justice Sector official was also a cultivator. That was why even now, Lin Xi still reminded himself that he had to always retain his vigilance.
…
In the completely dark carriage’s corner, Qin Zhiyan was shaking all over.
The moment that yellow-robed daoist who he depended on had his throat slit and knelt down on the ground, he already closed the windows and doors, and then shrunk into the corner.
Shouts of killing erupted outside, but then faded again. This process was extremely short, but for him, it was seemingly incredibly long. However, if this was a nightmare, then he wished the doors would never open, let him continue to stay within this carriage.
However, things went completely against his wishes.
The doors were quickly directly opened by someone, the outside radiance shining into the carriage, shining onto his body that was trembling in the corner.
Lin Xi who was no different from the devil appeared before him. Lin Xi calmly looked at him, saying, “If you don’t want to die, then hurry and come out.”
When Qin Zhiyan heard this, a stench was released from beneath him.
He knew that he already defecated his pants because of his extreme fear towards this person. However, he obviously didn’t want to die, so his brain that was already blanking out made him scramble out of the carriage, and then he sat on the ground.
Lin Xi looked at this retired official who crapped his pants, shaking his head helplessly. He knew that even though this Justice Sector official was a cultivator, he was already like an old tiger who had been locked up in a cage, only knowing how to eat and sleep, already losing all of his instincts, no longer posing any threat.
…
Qin Zhiyan’s brain recovered a bit of thinking ability.
He saw that all of those deathsworn soldiers of his had already completely died.
Apart from Lin Xi who stood in front of him and the cowardly fatty next to him, the other assassins didn’t pay him any attention, all of them busy organizing the horses and disassembling the damaged carriages.
One’s life consisted of endless waiting. Meanwhile, Qin Zhiyan already waited for several decades, yet at this time, he saw these several decades of work fall apart completely. Qin Zhiyan couldn’t help but lightly call out with a trembling voice, “I am an official who is leaving office… plundering the fleet of an official is a crime…”
In that instant, many long metal boxes fell out from a disassembled carriage with a crash sound.
Within them, a few iron boxes’ lids slid off while falling. Several resplendent gemstones scattered across the ground.
While looking at those gemstones where any random one could purchase a great courtyard, when he heard Qin Zhiyan’s extremely laughable words, Lin Xi’s brows jumped slightly as he said in mockery, “A corrupt official who is leaving office.”
Qin Zhiyan looked at Lin Xi, his body’s shaking growing even stronger, but couldn’t say anything.
…
A carriage was moved over before Qin Zhiyan.
“You’re not going to kill him?”
Black Tiger Slayer walked up to Lin Xi. Because of the strength and unyielding aura Lin Xi displayed in this battle, as well as his commanding ability, he maintained respect and admiration in his heart. He stood a step behind Lin Xi, bowing slightly.
Lin Xi gave this tall and bald man whose soul force cultivation was even a bit higher than his own a look. Then he also looked at Qin Zhiyan who was sitting on the ground, quietly saying with a voice of disdain, “From the looks of it, even if we don’t kill him, he won’t be able to continue living.”
As if in response to his words, before his voice even disappeared from Black Tiger Slayer’s ears, Qin Zhiyan already began to howl as if he went crazy, “You all are taking all of my stuff… you might as well just end things easy for me, kill me here!”
When he heard Qin Zhiyan’s cry, Black Tiger Slayer sneered. “There is a blade on the ground, if you want to die, you can do the deed yourself… perhaps your death can be a bit more pleasing to the eye.”
Ah!
Qin Zhiyan jumped up from the ground and picked up a black longsword that was not far from him. He began to charge crazily at Lin Xi and Black Tiger Slayer.
Lin Xi and Black Tiger Slayer didn’t move at all, just watching him. Qin Zhiyan only ran a few steps and then stopped, not daring to run anymore.
Ah!
He released a great cry again, stabbing this longsword into his own heart.
“Let’s go.”
Lin Xi didn’t give this retired official who only looked a bit like a cultivator when ending his own life another look. He turned around and then gestured towards Meng Bai, Jiang Xiaoyi and Bian Linghan, having the three of them enter a carriage with him.
When he saw this enemy who wasn’t that strong, moreover not deserving of respect pass away, he didn’t feel a trace of happiness, only a bit of fatigue and disgust.
…
The fleet was reduced to four carriages. They took a different path, quickly heading towards Scorching Sun City.
Bian Linghan already stared at Meng Bai whose head was hung the entire time for a long time. When she saw Meng Bai finally raise his head that was abnormally pale and the sweat that covered his face, she couldn’t help but release a sigh, unable to produce any feelings of criticism either.
Meng Bai removed the chest he kept with him all night, placing it in front of Lin Xi.
Lin Xi patted Meng Bai’s shoulder and then opened up this chest.