Chapter 48 The Spirit Beast Trader
Holy crap!
A girl's surprised voice came from behind.
Elder Shi Hua, who was watching the little monkey drink the honey milk and preparing to gather more information, suddenly looked up. She could recognize the little girl's voice.
But when she saw that Lou Yuqing's mouth was tightly closed, a look of confusion flashed in her eyes. Could it be that she had just hallucinated?
Those with experience had already pricked up their ears. For some reason, Wei Houming noticed Shi Hua's expression and observed a slight change.
A subtle sense of accomplishment welled up inside him. See? No matter how calm one is on a normal day, one has to be stunned when faced with something so unprecedented.
Lou Yuqing was flipping through Ruan Qingzhu's posts in a skipping manner. When she scrolled down to the bottom, it suddenly dawned on her what was written there.
The person who injured Ruan Qingzhu was a spirit beast dealer who wanted to buy the little monkey from her.
A spirit beast dealer?!
Everyone's eyes widened in disbelief.
They initially thought it was Ruan Qingzhu's enemies seeking revenge, which had caused Ruan Qingzhu to be injured. They were completely taken aback when they were suddenly involved in the business.
Shi Hua snapped out of her daze and, upon hearing Lou Yuqing's shocking revelation, felt a surge of emotions and instinctively wanted to ask her questions.
How did you find out? Who is that spirit beast dealer? Why do you want to buy the little monkey?
A series of questions appeared in Shi Hua's mind, but before she could speak, a terrifying force enveloped her, as if it would crush her body at any moment, causing her to break out in a cold sweat.
She could feel that this oppressive force was even greater than that of her Uncle Zixiao back then!
Shi Hua quickly dismissed the thought of speaking, and the sword hanging over her head vanished as if it had never existed.
When Shi Hua looked at Lou Yuqing again, her eyes held a complex expression. When she first met this girl at the Spirit Beast Garden, she simply felt that the girl was pleasing to the eye.
Unexpectedly, the other party had such a fate.
Shi Hua calmly surveyed the entire room, and everyone's gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, fell on the little girl, clearly having heard her thoughts.
Thinking of this, Shi Hua calmed down and prepared to listen to what the little girl had to say.
Ruan Qingzhu refused the man's request.
Si Nidie and the others breathed a sigh of relief. They knew they hadn't misjudged Ruan Qingzhu. They had developed feelings for her, so how could they bear to sell the little monkey?
The little monkey is a descendant of the guardian spirit beast of the mountain. To trade it is to trample on the sect's reputation. Fortunately, Ruan Qingzhu did not agree.
Since Ruan Qingzhu was able to make such a choice without knowing the little monkey's identity, she is even less likely to do so now.
But Lou Yuqing changed the subject.
However, the situation is not optimistic.
Shortly after Ruan Qingzhu refused that person, he brought her ordinary parents to live with him, ostensibly to take care of them, but in reality to kidnap them and force Ruan Qingzhu to compromise.
Si Nidie's heart sank; this method was too dirty.
Those who cultivate the Tao also begin their cultivation from ordinary people. They have fathers and mothers; they cannot spring out of a rock. It would be understandable if the parents had cultivation, but Ruan Qingzhu's parents clearly did not.
The unspoken rule in the cultivation world is that mortals should not be affected, but some unscrupulous cultivators don't care whether someone is a mortal or not; they will do anything as long as it benefits them.
Ruan Qingzhu was facing such a reckless person.
Si Nidie put herself in their shoes and felt suffocated. If her parents were implicated and their lives were threatened, could she still maintain her original beliefs?
This is a question without an answer.
Si Nidie could only be thankful that her parents were cultivators, capable of protecting themselves, and that they had the support of their families, so they wouldn't easily fall into such a situation.
Ruan Qingzhu wavered.
Her purpose in cultivating Taoism was simple: first, to provide a better life for her parents; and second, to yearn for the world of immortals.
When Ruan Qingzhu entered the Wendao Sect, her parents received silver from the sect, enough to ensure their livelihood for the rest of their lives. With no more worries, Ruan Qingzhu devoted herself wholeheartedly to pursuing the Great Dao.
But Ruan Qingzhu never expected that the next time she saw her parents, it would be in that man's hands.
As Lou Yuqing's inner thoughts resonated, audio and video were simultaneously played.
In the scene, Ruan Qingzhu and a cultivator wearing a black cloak stand facing each other. Behind him are two terrified old men, their bodies trembling and tears streaming down their faces.
Ruan Qingzhu clenched her fists, and everyone could see the veins bulging on the back of her hands, clearly indicating that she was extremely angry. However, after a moment, she helplessly loosened her fists.
The reason is clear to everyone: their cultivation level is too low to win. However, seeing such a thing happen with their own eyes, they couldn't help but be infected by this emotion, and more or less, anger surfaced in them.
Ruan Qingzhu is a disciple of their Wendao Sect, yet this person dares to run wild on the sect's territory!
Shi Hua frowned slightly. How did this black-cloaked cultivator know that the little monkey was a spirit ape?
Yes, she had already seen through the other party's intentions.
If it were just for an ordinary spirit beast, this person wouldn't have gone to such lengths. After the deal fell through, he even went to the mortal realm to coerce Ruan Qingzhu's parents.
He must have known the value of the little monkey to do this, but how could an outsider like him know about what's going on inside the sect?
Unsurprisingly, there was an inside traitor!
Thinking of this, Shi Hua's eyes turned cold.
Ling Yunxiao had the same guess in his heart. By peeling back the layers of these few words and combining them with Ruan Qingzhu's performance, it was not hard to think that the black-cloaked cultivator had an inside accomplice.
[Strange, why didn't Ruan Qingzhu tell the sect?]
[If this matter had been reported from the beginning and received the sect's protection, this person wouldn't have been able to cause any trouble.]
Suddenly, Lou Yuqing's expression froze, and she screamed inwardly.
[Wait, there's a traitor in the sect! He leaked Ruan Qingzhu's private information, and the black-cloaked cultivator used it to threaten her, scaring her so much that she no longer trusts the sect and fears being murdered.]
Anyone would be terrified in this situation. Even in modern times, people would be horrified if their accounts were opened, let alone in this world where lives are at stake.
Ling Yunxiao: As expected.
The group looked at each other in bewilderment.
Damn it, who's the traitor?!
Lou Yuqing quickly gave everyone the answer.
[This traitor was a manager surnamed Chen at the Spirit Beast Garden. He accidentally saw the little monkey display its supernatural powers, took it to heart, and after making many inquiries, confirmed that the little monkey was a spirit ape.]
The psychic apes are incredibly powerful and rarely tamed by humans. Here, a weak young ape has appeared; if it could be sold, the price would be immeasurable.
For a moment, Steward Chen thought of the sect's guardian spirit beast, but his greed blinded him to it all, and he was determined to possess the little monkey.
He found a black market dealer who specialized in trading spirit beasts and agreed to split the profits 80/20 after the deal was done.
[Get lost! Why don't you just sell your two hundred pounds of fat! Trying to negotiate with a tiger for its skin? How could you even think of that? Aren't you afraid of being sold off yourself?]
Lou Yuqing was cursing enthusiastically when she realized something.
[Wait a minute, this Manager Chen seems to know his stuff. He can find the spirit beast dealer in the black market so easily. Could it be...?]
The group exchanged glances, sensing that something big was about to happen.
[As expected! This isn't the first time Steward Chen has done this. Shortly after he arrived at the Spirit Beast Garden, he attacked the sect's spirit beasts.]
At that time, two cranes in the spirit beast garden went berserk and started fighting, barely clinging to life. Thanks to the doctors' treatment, they were finally saved.
The next day, one of the cranes' condition deteriorated rapidly, and it soon died. No one suspected anything, because the crane was already in poor condition.
[But what they didn't know was that the crane hadn't actually died. Manager Chen had given it medicine to suppress its life force, and later, once the crane had recovered, he sold it on the black market for a huge profit.]
Shi Hua's face darkened, and her anger surged.
Good! Such a scoundrel has emerged from the Spirit Beast Garden, daring to resell the sect's spirit beasts. If we don't skin this person alive, we'll change her name!
Everyone was shocked for a moment, then felt a strong sense of oppression. When they saw Elder Shi Hua's pale face, they immediately became obedient.
Kui Houming, located in the center of the low-pressure zone: "..."
The matter of the crane passed by, and seeing that no one had noticed, Manager Chen began to artificially create battles between spirit beasts. At first, it was ordinary spirit beasts, and then he set his sights on the more precious ones.
Because of the frequent transactions, Manager Chen has maintained a good relationship with the spirit beast dealers over the years. Now they plan to stop after they've finished off the little monkey, since they've secured their wealth for the rest of their lives.
Retire from the life of crime? Don't even think about it!
She'll make them regret it!
Shi Hua suddenly stood up and said, "Houming, come with me. I've found a good-for-nothing scumbag in my Spirit Beast Garden who's been occupying a position without doing his job properly. Go and arrest him!"
Kui Houming said in a deep voice, "Nephew, I obey."
[What's going on? This trashy description sounds a lot like Steward Chen. Could it be that Steward Chen's business of reselling spirit beasts has been exposed ahead of schedule?]
Lou Yuqing looked up, completely bewildered.
Shi Hua pursed her lips. In her anger, she had overlooked this matter. Just as she was trying to figure out how to explain herself, Lou Yuqing's thoughts came through.
[Forget it, it's not a big deal. There's always a discrepancy between reality and the system's version of events; I'm used to it.]
[That's good. It saves me the trouble of rescuing Ruan Qingzhu's parents. As long as we follow the trail from Steward Chen, we can take down the spirit beast dealers and solve the problem at its source.]
Shi Hua: "..." No problem.
She led the group toward the Spirit Beast Garden with a menacing air.
Manager Chen was leisurely leaning back in his recliner, basking in the sun and enjoying the breeze, his hands clasped over his protruding belly, a picture of utter contentment.
Suddenly, his eyelids started twitching uncontrollably, as if something bad was about to happen.
Manager Chen hurriedly straightened up, almost falling to the ground because he stood up too quickly. He had been pampered for many years and had gained a lot of fat, making him less agile when moving.
After thinking for a long time, Manager Chen shook his head. What bad things could happen? Once he sold that spirit monkey, he would leave the Wendao Sect and live a carefree life.
Manager Chen's eyes lit up with excitement. When he first spotted the monkey, he was startled, thinking it was a guardian beast that had given birth. However, after tracking it, he confirmed that the cub had no elders.
He thought to himself, "Isn't this a free gift of spirit stones?"
Ruan Qingzhu had controlled the spirit monkey for many years, but he was unaware of the treasure he possessed, and in the end, the monkey got the benefits.
What followed was a natural progression. Manager Chen contacted the spirit beast dealer and agreed on an 80/20 split. What could the dealer do if he was unhappy about only getting 20%? It was his discerning eye that led to the spirit beast and the successful transaction.
He can succeed with anyone else, so he won't give up his benefits.
To play it safe, they arranged to meet with Ruan Qingzhu to discuss the sale of the spirit monkey. However, this woman refused to listen to reason and insisted on bringing up her parents before she would agree.
Thinking of all the hard work he had put in, Manager Chen smiled coldly. Once he had tricked the spirit monkey into his hands, Ruan Qingzhu and her parents could die.
He firmly believed that only the dead could shut their mouths!
Just as Steward Chen was enjoying the bright future, a loud bang rang out, and the courtyard gate shattered into pieces, crashing to the ground. Some splinters even pierced his flesh.
Looking at the bleeding wound, Manager Chen roared, "Who is it? Get in here!"
"Who are you letting in here?!"
A familiar voice came through.
Manager Chen's pupils suddenly contracted, and when he saw the woman in green at the door, he was terrified: "Elder Shi... Elder Shi Hua, I didn't mean to yell at you, I thought it was..."
Shi Hua's face turned cold: "Shut up!"
Manager Chen shut his mouth, not daring to breathe.
Then, he heard the nightmarish announcement: "Someone reported you to me for reselling the sect's spirit beasts. After investigation by the Enforcement Hall, it was confirmed that this was indeed the case. Recently, you've even set your sights on the offspring of the mountain-guarding spirit beasts. You've got some nerve!"
Manager Chen's face turned deathly pale, as if he had lost his parents.
He never expected that at this crucial moment, his misdeeds would be exposed.
"Arrest him!" Shi Hua's gaze was icy.
Enforcement officers were dispatched and arrested the stiff-faced Steward Chen.
Shi Hua exuded a powerful aura and asked calmly, "Confess your accomplices."
"I'll tell you everything," Manager Chen said hastily.
With defeat already decided, Manager Chen knew that there was no point in stubbornly resisting. It didn't matter who had reported him anymore; he was just hoping to receive less punishment.
Shi Hua's mood didn't improve much after she found out the location of the spirit beast dealers. She immediately ordered, "Hou Ming, go and tell your sect master to investigate all the managers of the spirit beast garden. If such things of enriching oneself at the expense of the public and damaging the sect's reputation happen again, kill them without exception!"
After he finished speaking, a murderous aura emanated from him.
Kui Houming stood ready: "Yes!"
Lou Yuqing was shocked, but couldn't help but admire Elder Shi Hua's decisive and efficient actions.
In a town in Heian-kyo.
After leaving Wendao Sect, Ruan Qingzhu rushed here and found a house in a secluded area. She gently knocked on the door.
The gate was opened, but no one was in the courtyard.
The black-cloaked monk sat in the hall, slowly sipping his tea, then glanced at her and snorted coldly, "You're smart enough not to tell anyone else."
Ruan Qingzhu closed the door, her injuries throbbing slightly.
She never wanted to surrender. With her parents kidnapped, she was tormented. She thought she had cultivated immortality and severed ties with the mortal world, but in the end, she still dragged them down with her.
That day, she used a lot of effort to calm herself down, thinking that she would just gloss over it for now and report back to her superiors for further action.
Although she couldn't defeat the black-cloaked cultivator, there were many disciples in the sect who could.
The next moment, the black-cloaked cultivator's cold words shattered her thoughts: "At ten years old, you were found to have three spiritual roots: wood, fire, and earth, and entered the Wendao Sect. At thirteen, you were assigned to Qishan to farm. At fifteen, you performed exceptionally well and became a member of Qishan's management. At seventeen, you encountered that monkey..."
A chill ran down Ruan Qingzhu's spine in an instant. He had recounted all her experiences over the years without a single mistake.
What does this mean? It means he investigated her!
A person who can do this so easily must hold a certain position within the sect.
If she reveals her intention to seek help from the sect, she might die under mysterious circumstances the next moment.
Ruan Qingzhu did not harbor any illusions and returned to Qishan with a heavy heart. During that period, she dreamed about how to find a way to satisfy both sides.
Seeing that she had become thinner, the little monkey stopped running away and stayed by her side. It was so adorable, how could she possibly trick it out of the sect and sell it to a cultivator whose background she didn't know?
At that time, the little monkey had already awakened its supernatural powers and displayed extraordinary abilities.
She thought that the black-cloaked monk must have found out about this news, which was why he had an intermediary invite her to a teahouse while she was out on a mission, offering a high price to buy the little monkey.
If she were a mercenary, she would have already given in to the black-cloaked monk's demands, but she is not that kind of person.
Knowing full well that the black-cloaked monk had ulterior motives, were they really going to push the little monkey into the fire pit?
At this moment, the black-cloaked monk coldly asked, "How did things go?"
Ruan Qingzhu said, "It will be soon."
"Bang!"
The black-cloaked monk put down his teacup and said disdainfully, "Your time is running out. Don't try to play tricks on me; you can't fool me. Besides, your parents are in my hands. If you continue to delay, you'll see if they survive."
He is a hard-hearted person; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to do this job. He doesn't care about his parents and relatives, and he thinks people like Ruan Qingzhu are fools.
They've already cultivated immortality, why should they care about their parents?
However, although he looked down on Ruan Qingzhu, it didn't stop him from using this method to control her.
Ruan Qingzhu swallowed her anger and said, "I know."
She deeply regretted that she should have reported the little monkey's situation to the sect when it displayed its supernatural powers, so that the sect could protect it. But for some reason, she kept it a secret.
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