Chapter 585: Duanmu Ya
Zhang Ruochen deliberately concealed the aura on his body. Not even Mo Hanlin, let alone a powerhouse at the Fish-Dragon Ninth Transformation, could see through Zhang Ruochen’s true identity.
Mo Hanlin withdrew and went to report to the proprietress.
Zhang Ruochen sat on the second floor of the main hall, waiting quietly.
Two rather beautiful maids walked over. One of them, about sixteen or seventeen years old, had delicate skin and soft, charming eyes. She held a crystal-clear teapot and poured a cup of clear tea for Zhang Ruochen.
Wisps of hot white steam rose from the jade teacup.
The other maid, slightly older, around eighteen or nineteen, cast a flirtatious glance at Zhang Ruochen. Then, she placed a dark-golden book on the table beside him.
The book recorded the prices of various pills, True Martial Treasures, and Barbarian Beasts from Qingxuan Pavilion, arranged in a table for easy reference.
If Zhang Ruochen wanted to purchase other cultivation resources, he could simply mark them on the table, and a maid would bring them to him.
Other martial artists did not enjoy such treatment. But who could blame them? Zhang Ruochen had come straight in wanting to buy Sacred Stones.
Such a big client naturally had to be well attended to.
The older maid cast Zhang Ruochen a meaningful look and said softly, “Sir, do you need to purchase anything?”
If Zhang Ruochen bought a lot, they would naturally receive a share of the commission. Especially with a client like this, even a few purchases of cultivation resources could earn them a substantial fortune.
Zhang Ruochen picked up the book, flipped through it a few times, then put it down. “I’ll discuss it directly with the proprietress when she comes out.”
The two maids showed disappointed expressions and retreated behind Zhang Ruochen.
…
Inside the depths of Qingxuan Pavilion, on a tower filled with pills, Qin Ya and Duanmu Xingling were sitting opposite each other.
Qin Ya wore a large red phoenix-embroidered long dress. She sat on a chair made of golden-thread nanmu, her hair coiled high with three golden hairpins. Her bright eyes, crimson lips, and skin so delicate it seemed it might break at a touch—her full, proud chest, though covered by a layer of red gauze, still revealed an alluring outline.
Qin Ya’s gaze was like autumn water, quite captivating. She smiled and said, “Since your identity has been exposed, don’t go back to the Holy Academy. Go straight to Jiuyou City and let the High Priestess remove the seal on your body, restoring your status as a Holy Maiden.”
Duanmu Xingling seemed not to hear Qin Ya’s words at all. Her eyes were vacant, her eye sockets red and swollen. She pouted slightly, her voice choked with sobs: “Aunt, I went to Huangshi Plain. All that’s left there is a cooled lava lake and collapsed mountains… not even… a single bone… could I find. Aunt, is he… really dead?”
Seeing Duanmu Xingling’s state, Qin Ya grew worried. “The Jiuyou Sword Saint acted personally. Even a Saint would find it hard to survive. Lingxi, the dead cannot be brought back. You must pull yourself together.”
Duanmu Xingling shook her head vigorously. “But he was so outstanding, the Heir of Time and Space. How could he… die? It’s impossible… definitely… impossible…”
It seemed even she didn’t quite believe her own words. Her voice grew weaker and weaker until it faded away entirely.
Qin Ya stood up gracefully, her gaze looking into the distance. “Since ancient times, how many extraordinary talents have been born? But more than half of those geniuses fell before they could truly grow. The path of Sainthood is full of danger and uncertainty. No matter how outstanding one is, if they don’t become a Saint, they are ultimately just an ant to be slaughtered at will.”
“Lingxi, you are the Holy Maiden of the Moon-Worshipping Cult. How can you sink into despair like this?”
Duanmu Xingling’s real name was “Mu Lingxi,” and she was a descendant of the Mu Clan.
In fact, Qin Ya was the true member of the Duanmu Clan, originally named “Duanmu Ya.”
Back when the Moon Worship Demon Sect decided to send Mu Lingxi undercover into the Martial Market Bank, they knew the bank would investigate her background.
So, initially, they had to send Mu Lingxi to the Martial Market Bank in the Demon Ridge, using the alias “Duanmu Xingling” as a cover.
Because the Demon Ridge was remote and not valued by the Martial Market Bank, even if they investigated, it would be hard to find any flaws.
As for Duanmu Ya, Mo Hanlin, and the others, they infiltrated the Demon Ridge to protect Mu Lingxi’s safety, shielding her until she entered the Holy Academy.
After Mu Lingxi entered the Holy Academy as Duanmu Xingling, Duanmu Ya naturally withdrew and returned to the Eastern Domain Evil Land.
Sending a Holy Maiden undercover into the Holy Academy was, of course, quite risky. But if Mu Lingxi could one day cultivate to become a Saint and enter the upper echelons of the Martial Market Bank, it would bring immense returns to the Demon Sect.
Mo Hanlin climbed the pill tower and came behind Duanmu Ya, bowing respectfully. “Chief, a mysterious young man has come to Qingxuan Pavilion and wants to buy Sacred Stones.”
“Buy Sacred Stones?”
A sharp gleam flashed in Duanmu Ya’s eyes. She immediately asked, “What is this person’s background? Someone from the Blood Cloud Sect? The Liangyi Sect? Or from the Black Market First Class Hall?”
Mo Hanlin said, “I’ve sent people to investigate, but there’s no result yet.”
Duanmu Ya’s expression turned serious as she began to ponder.
Who would come to Liyuan City to buy Sacred Stones?
Although Liyuan City had a population of several hundred thousand, it was only a medium-sized city in Qingyun Commandery. Why not go to the commandery capital to buy Sacred Stones?
Could it be that the other party knew in advance that Duanmu Ya was in Liyuan City and had come specifically to deal with her?
Duanmu Ya had once been the Demon Sect’s chief of the thirty-six commanderies in the Demon Ridge. Now, reassigned to the Eastern Domain Evil Land, she served as the chief of Qingyun Commandery in Zhuifu Prefecture.
She had come to Liyuan City to rendezvous with the Holy Maiden Mu Lingxi.
It was worth noting that the Black Market First Class Hall had also adopted the governance methods of the First Central Empire, dividing the Eastern Domain Evil Land into twelve prefectures, each further divided into eighteen commanderies.
However, the Eastern Domain Evil Land had no officials like prefectural governors or commandery magistrates, nor a unified army.
Every prefecture and every commandery had clear divisions of power.
For example, Qingyun Commandery, where Zhang Ruochen was now, was a vast territory spanning fifty thousand li from north to south and twenty-eight thousand li from east to west, roughly the size of a high-ranking commandery kingdom.
Qingyun Commandery had over a thousand cities and a population exceeding five hundred million.
The largest evil path force in Qingyun Commandery was called the Blood Cloud Sect, which also acted as the commandery’s ruler. All other evil path forces, large and small, had to obey the Blood Cloud Sect’s orders.
The Iron Lady who had once pursued Zhang Ruochen in the Xuanwu Ruins Realm was the Blood Cloud Sect’s tenth-ranked assassin.
Being able to cultivate an expert like the Iron Lady showed that the Blood Cloud Sect was indeed a formidable evil path sect.
Although Duanmu Ya was the Demon Sect’s chief in Qingyun Commandery, the Demon Sect’s influence in the Eastern Domain Evil Land was not very large, far inferior to the Black Market.
Duanmu Ya pondered for a moment. “Back then, the Black Market invited our Moon-Worshipping Cult into the Eastern Domain Evil Land to jointly resist the imperial court’s attacks. So, the Moon-Worshipping Cult sent a large number of experts into the Eastern Domain Evil Land. Over the course of several hundred years, the cult cultivated a massive following.”
“Now, the Black Market sees our Moon-Worshipping Cult as a threat and wants to drive us out of the Eastern Domain Evil Land.”
Mo Hanlin smiled. “It’s easy to invite a god but hard to send one away. Since our Moon-Worshipping Cult has come to the Eastern Domain Evil Land, we can’t just leave at their whim.”
Duanmu Ya said, “After several hundred years of development, the Black Market’s strength has recovered considerably. Recently, they even retrieved the Nine Phoenix Cauldron, greatly increasing their power. The Black Market no longer needs the cult to help them resist the imperial court’s army. They should be making a move soon.”
Mo Hanlin’s expression shifted. “Chief suspects that young man is someone sent by the Blood Cloud Sect, using the purchase of Sacred Stones as a pretext to test us?”
Duanmu Ya extended her tongue, lightly licking her glossy red lips, and squinted with a smile. “If he wants to test me, then I’ll go test him first. Make the arrangements. I’ll go meet him myself.”
“Very well. I’ll arrange it now.”
Mo Hanlin bowed to Duanmu Ya again and then withdrew.
Duanmu Ya glanced at Mu Lingxi. “Lingxi, do you want to come with me?”
Mu Lingxi’s eyes were still vacant. She rested her chin on her hands and shook her head mechanically.
“Sigh! Think it over. If you make up your mind, come with me to Jiuyou City to see the High Priestess, remove the seal on your body, and restore your original identity.”
Duanmu Ya sighed and descended from the pill tower.
Zhang Ruochen followed Mo Hanlin through a series of corridors into the depths of Qingxuan Pavilion. Finally, by a blue-green pond, he met Duanmu Ya.
At that moment, Duanmu Ya sat in a square pavilion, attended by four maids. In the center of the pavilion, white silk curtains hung down. Zhang Ruochen could only see a graceful, enchanting silhouette.
Zhang Ruochen mobilized his powerful spiritual power and carefully probed. He finally saw the stunning woman behind the curtains—it was Duanmu Xingling’s aunt, Qin Ya.
“Please, sit.” Duanmu Ya’s voice was very soft and alluring.
Zhang Ruochen withdrew his spiritual power and, without being polite, walked into the pavilion and sat on a chair outside the white curtains.
Duanmu Ya’s voice came from behind the curtains again. “Your steps are light and silent, your breathing steady and undisturbed. Your cultivation seems far from ordinary.”
Zhang Ruochen said, “Your cultivation, proprietress, is also far from ordinary.”
Duanmu Ya chuckled. “My surname is Duanmu, single name Ya. How should I address you, sir?”
“Surname Zhang,” Zhang Ruochen said succinctly.
Duanmu Ya continued, “Young Master Zhang, how many Sacred Stones do you wish to purchase?”
“As many as possible,” Zhang Ruochen said.
Duanmu Ya was slightly surprised, but only for a moment. Then she said, “How can I be sure you can afford Sacred Stones?”