Chapter 477: Adding Fuel to the Fire

Shi Chun’s judgment was correct regarding the enormous transaction for the ‘Desolate Blade.’ The Tianyi branch of the Demonic Dao was indeed willing to pay any price.

Ultimately, it was due to Xu Anchang’s leak in the Divine Fire Domain. This leak revealed that whichever of the three factions acquired the ‘Desolate Blade’ would gain command over the entire Demonic Dao. This information was incredibly valuable, and it was precisely because of it that he dared to demand such an exorbitant price.

Therefore, it didn’t take long for the Demonic Dao to get ready; the transaction was quickly completed within a short period.

Surprisingly, the transaction took place inside the inn.

Even more surprisingly, the person they traded with was the innkeeper of the very inn where they were staying.

He was a portly man who looked amiable and prosperous. Shi Chun had entered and exited the inn many times, never imagining that this person was part of the Demonic Dao.

This made Shi Chun carefully recall the details of their check-in. He felt there must have been some reason for choosing this particular inn; it couldn’t have been such a coincidence. Surely not every inn on the entire island was run by the Demonic Dao?

After the transaction, as soon as they returned to their room, Feng and Xiang, who had followed them in, spoke. The former was grinning, while the latter, with a hint of sarcasm, remarked, “You really hit the jackpot this time.”

Shi Chun, however, gazed at her with a tender, lingering look. “Lan’er, the more I earn, the more you earn. Isn’t my money your money? Or are you saying you never intended to be my woman?”

Xiang Lan’er immediately countered, extending her hand. “Alright, then give me half first.”

Shi Chun replied seriously, “No problem, but I can’t give it to you now. To prevent anyone from doubting the authenticity of this transaction, I need to keep the money on hand for inspection. It won’t be too late to give it to you after some time, once this matter blows over.”

He didn't hand over the money, but he did reach out, grasping her soft hand, and said with an air of deep affection, “Lan’er, for our future, we must prioritize the bigger picture!”

Feng Chi, standing by, couldn’t help but burst into laughter. She liked the young man more and more the longer she watched him.

Xiang Lan’er saw his caressing hand and instinctively thought of her bottom being touched. She quickly pulled her hand back, looking as if she found it dirty.

Now, she didn’t even want to pretend in front of Shi Chun. Before, she would have played along to keep him in check.

It was genuinely difficult to keep him in check now. He was constantly getting physical, even starting to take off her pants. How could she possibly cooperate with that?

She was now somewhat afraid to meet him alone. He possessed a magic item that bound her, and if he used it, she would be completely at his mercy.

Her superiors had already made it clear that she could sacrifice her charm, but she feared it might not even be effective. She also couldn’t explain the reason clearly to them.

Someone who could spend the night with Bian Weiying and then turn around and propose to her, coupled with his cunning nature, left her feeling utterly uncertain.

With someone like Bian Weikang, sacrificing her charm would have been worth it; she wouldn’t have lost out emotionally.

But with Shi Chun, if she dared to make such a sacrifice, it might truly become a sacrifice in vain.

After maintaining a slight distance, she said, “Let’s talk business. Your superiors want to know the details of what happened in the Divine Fire Domain. You need to write a detailed account.”

Shi Chun scoffed and retorted, “Why should I? I’m not one of your people, and you’re not one of mine.”

With that, he turned and walked away, not bothering to offer any explanation.

He already had other ways to contact the Demonic Dao, more than one, in fact. He wasn’t dependent on Xiang Lan’er.

His willingness to be forceful with Xiang Lan’er was not without such underlying reasons.

Feng Chi was indifferent, looking at Xiang Lan’er with a slightly teasing expression, waiting to see if she would go beg him.

The island had become much quieter. Shi Chun took Wu Jinliang directly to the best inn on the island to visit Lan Qiaoyan. He had already contacted Miao Yilan with a mother-child talisman to arrange the meeting.

If he hadn’t given them advance notice, Lan Qiaoyan and her daughter would have almost left.

He found the target room and knocked. Miao Yilan opened the door.

Seeing the two of them, Miao Yilan couldn’t help but smile, then turned and called out, “Mother, they’re here.”

As the two entered after exchanging greetings, Miao Yilan felt a little surprised. Shi Chun’s usual glib remarks upon seeing her were absent.

“Come in,” Lan Qiaoyan said, smiling a welcome from her seat in the hall, her large, round eyes still bright.

“Madam,” Shi Chun said with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting.

“Madam,” Wu Jinliang stammered hesitantly, somewhat intimidated. He used to call her ‘Mother,’ but after others discovered he called many people ‘Mother,’ he was ordered to stop.

When Lan Qiaoyan saw the big fellow, she still felt a surge of irritation. Most people he called ‘Mother’ hadn’t come to a good end, so it would be strange if she were pleased.

However, her gaze fell upon Shi Chun, and a smile returned to her face. “Have a seat. You did well this time, winning first place again.”

Shi Chun wasn’t modest; he sat down and laughed, “It’s all thanks to your good fortune, Madam. As long as you’re present, I can win. Otherwise, it would be difficult to say.”

Wu Jinliang didn’t dare to sit and honestly stood to the side.

Lan Qiaoyan chuckled, “That flattery is a bit excessive.”

Then she dropped her smile and asked, “How is it that I heard the Stargazing Pavilion wanted to arrest you? And something about you being involved with the Demonic Sect? Is everything alright now?”

Shi Chun pointed to his head. “Madam, I’m completely baffled by that too. You know my origins best. I was stunned at the time. Then Mulan Qingqing intervened; she was unhappy about losing to me at the Celestial Meteorite Assembly and wanted another match. After that, her father, Mulan Jin, released me. I’m also puzzled, is dealing with the Demonic Dao really so careless these days?”

“Oh, really…” Lan Qiaoyan was quite surprised and sensed something fishy about the matter. She then asked, “I heard those artifact-refining sects were pursuing you, seeking the secret methods of divine fire. How could they let you go so easily?”

Shi Chun chuckled lightly, “In this matter, I was just a pawn, merely used by Situ Gu.”

“Situ Gu? How did Situ Gu get involved again?” Lan Qiaoyan was curious, and Miao Yilan beside her was equally so.

Shi Chun waved his hand. “The situation is complicated, and I can’t say much. In any case, those major sects are all entangled with Situ Gu now, so it has nothing to do with me anymore.”

Seeing that he was reluctant to elaborate, Lan Qiaoyan didn’t press further. She nodded and said, “It’s good that you’ve returned alive and well.”

Shi Chun didn’t want to dwell on the matter either. He took out a metal-like heart from a decorative cosmos bag, stood up, walked over to Miao Yilan, and presented it with a smile. “I didn’t find anything decent in the Divine Fire Domain. This was refined by our sect master during the competition, and it’s considered the first item he refined after establishing the Bright Mountain Sect. I think it’s quite special, Yilan, don’t despise it.”

As soon as the object appeared, Lan Qiaoyan and her daughter’s eyes lit up, finding it quite novel.

Fortunately, they had previously heard the expert surnamed Wang speak about it, knowing that this item was significant; otherwise, they might not have taken it seriously.

“Oh, you really don’t have to anymore,” Miao Yilan said, though her hand accepted it and placed it on a nearby coffee table.

Actually, she was quite used to and relaxed when with Shi Chun. Her conversations and laughter flowed naturally; her intellect, her spontaneity, she was simply herself. It was much easier than maintaining a front in front of Gong Shaoci, perhaps because she cared more about the latter.

She also knew that she couldn’t refuse Shi Chun’s gifts. If she said no, he would suggest that she thought the item was poor quality and just throw it away.

Lan Qiaoyan was also accustomed to him giving gifts to her daughter and thought this one was acceptable. After all, it wasn’t anything valuable, more like a casual souvenir. The item he sent last time, however, was quite frightening; it scared her entire family into silence.

After presenting the gift, Shi Chun sat back down and asked, “Madam, is Young Master Gong still on the island?”

Lan Qiaoyan replied, “Yes, he should be with his father. Why do you ask?”

Shi Chun: “I need to talk to him about something. Could you help me contact him?”

Miao Yilan interjected curiously, “Why are you looking for him?”

Shi Chun gave a wry smile. “He was the one who came to find me, and things got a bit unpleasant. Later, I heard from Young Master Nan about his relationship with Yilan, so I thought about it and decided to let it go, out of respect for Madam. He can have what he wants.”

The mother and daughter exchanged surprised glances, immediately realizing it was related to the ‘Desolate Blade.’

Lan Qiaoyan cautiously asked, “What happened?”

“It’s nothing much. It’s about those three treasures from the artifact-refining competition. He took a liking to the ‘Desolate Blade’ and offered two billion to buy it, but unfortunately, he was a step too late. I had already sold it for five billion…”

Shi Chun recounted the entire incident in detail, based on facts, which, for Gong Shaoci, amounted to very unflattering remarks.

He talked about how Gong Shaoci became enraged when he couldn’t force him to reveal the buyer, spoke of Lei Ying’s assault, and even mentioned Gong Shaoci’s parting words, “You benefited from the Miao family today.” He even embellished the story, stating directly that Lei Ying’s assault was instigated by a look from Gong Shaoci on the spot.

He wasn’t saying all this to seek revenge on Gong Shaoci; he wasn’t a three-year-old child, and such so-called revenge held no meaning for him. He didn’t want to marry Miao Yilan, so it wasn’t even about jealousy.

He simply wanted the Miao family to know what kind of person Gong Shaoci truly was.

Furthermore, behind the pursuit of the ‘Desolate Blade,’ the Demonic Dao might be involved. If the Miao family got entangled, they could face eternal ruin.

If it weren’t for remembering Lan Qiaoyan’s help during the final tribulation when he left the Living Prison, he wouldn’t have played the villain today. Because if Gong Shaoci found out, it truly could mean offending him to the point of no return.

Of course, he knew he had already offended him.

Wu Jinliang, listening nearby, grinned, wanting to chuckle, but didn’t dare to in front of Lan Qiaoyan.

He wished he could get rid of Gong Shaoci as soon as possible and had long sworn that the day the Gong family member fell into his hands, he would make them regret it.

After the narration, Lan Qiaoyan’s brows furrowed deeply, her heart filled with surprise. She truly hadn’t expected Gong Shaoci to be such a person; this was different from what they usually saw and heard about him.

Miao Yilan, too, had a face full of unspoken words, and her gaze towards Shi Chun showed suspicion, wondering if it was some kind of jealousy.

Lan Qiaoyan wouldn’t argue with Shi Chun either. She stopped her daughter with a glance and, after hearing the account, mused, “His attempt to buy the ‘Desolate Blade’ from you was an act of filial piety. Perhaps he was a bit too impatient.”

“Filial piety?” Shi Chun keenly caught the keyword.

Lan Qiaoyan briefly explained, “His father was also watching your competition in the mirror. When he saw the ‘Desolate Blade’ appear, he expressed his liking for it. So, Gong Shaoci said he knew you and went to buy it, but unexpectedly, he was a step too late, leading to the unpleasantness.”

“So his father wanted it, oh…” Shi Chun uttered a thoughtful “oh.” The fact that there was a difference of several billion in price was casually glossed over by her as “a step too late and an unpleasant incident.” He understood then that he should keep quiet.

Lan Qiaoyan tilted her head, signaling, “Lanlan, contact Shaoci and ask him to come over. Just tell him Shi Chun is here looking for him.”

Miao Yilan nodded, immediately took out a mother-child talisman to make contact, and received a quick reply. Looking up again, she told Shi Chun, “He’ll be right over.”

Indeed, he arrived very soon; a knock at the door sounded shortly after.

The door opened, and as Gong Shaoci entered, Lei Ying could still be seen peeking in from outside.

Seeing Shi Chun present, the refined Gong Shaoci’s eyes flashed with vigilance. He also worried that Shi Chun would complain. Earlier, if he hadn’t been concerned about the incident escalating and reaching the Miao family, he might not have given up so easily then.

In fact, his father had just severely scolded him for resorting to violence.

Was it really necessary? He was also seething with suppressed anger from being scolded.

He still maintained his composure as he greeted the mother and daughter.

Shi Chun, who had just reported on him, also proactively cupped his hands and offered a conciliatory smile. “Brother Gong.”

Gong Shaoci smiled and nodded in acknowledgment, asking, “Brother Chun, what can I do for you?”

Shi Chun said, “After you left, Brother Gong, I felt quite regretful. After thinking about it, your integrity is, of course, beyond doubt. Even if I told you who the buyer was, you would naturally keep your word and maintain confidentiality for me. I came here to apologize, hoping you won’t hold it against me. If you are still interested in the buyer, we can discuss it.”

Lan Qiaoyan, holding her teacup, suddenly interjected airily, “Oh, what’s all this about buyers and sellers? What riddle are you two speaking in my presence?”

Miao Yilan instinctively looked at her mother and pursed her lips. Shi Chun had explained everything so clearly earlier; how could her mother not know?

Shi Chun also glanced at Lan Qiaoyan with a hint of surprise.

Hearing this, Gong Shaoci felt relieved. The mother and daughter being unaware meant that Shi Chun hadn’t spoken out of turn. He immediately smiled elegantly and said, “It’s nothing, just about the ‘Desolate Blade.’ I sought to buy it from Brother Chun, but I was a step too late. I wanted to ask the buyer to part with it, but Brother Chun prioritizes integrity and kept quiet. Although I was helpless, I admire his character.”

Seeing him praise Shi Chun, Lan Qiaoyan, who was sipping tea and observing expressions, simply said “Oh.” She then put down her teacup, a smile on her face, but said nothing more. However, her gaze towards Gong Shaoci subtly became a little deeper.

Having discussed what needed to be discussed, Shi Chun didn’t want to beat around the bush anymore. He directly informed him, “You flatter me, Brother Gong. The buyer is none other than the innkeeper of the inn where I’m staying.”

Gong Shaoci was slightly surprised upon hearing this. “That’s no small sum. Can a mere innkeeper really afford that much money?”

Shi Chun scratched the corner of his mouth. “Honestly, I’m surprised too, but the money is real. I have no reason to turn down money. If the payment hadn’t been made, I wouldn’t have sold the item so quickly after acquiring it.”

With that, he cupped his hands toward the others. “The Bright Mountain Sect is still waiting for me to leave. If there are no other instructions, I will take my leave now. We shall meet again if fate allows.”

Naturally, there were no other instructions. Gong Shaoci, in a greatly improved mood, told him to contact him in the future if he ever came to the royal capital of Jambudvīpa, offering to extend his hospitality.

He genuinely seemed to have let go of the previous conflict with Shi Chun.

This was an unexpected pleasant surprise for Shi Chun. He truly hadn’t anticipated Lan Qiaoyan’s feigned ignorance. That single sentence was so crucial and perfectly timed that it instantly resolved the conflict between him and Gong Shaoci.

After seeing his guests off and turning back, Gong Shaoci inadvertently saw Miao Yilan put the metal heart from the coffee table into her pouch.

Miao Yilan had actually hurried to put it away because she didn’t want him to see it. She couldn’t put it in her pocket immediately in front of the gift-giver earlier, but she didn’t realize Gong Shaoci had still seen it.

Gong Shaoci was familiar with the metal heart and instantly guessed who had given it to Miao Yilan. Seeing Miao Yilan quickly put it away, the underlying darkness in his eyes immediately reappeared.

Since he had obtained the buyer’s information and needed to report back to his father, he excused himself after a few polite exchanges.

After seeing the guests out and closing the door, Lan Qiaoyan said, “It’s quiet now. Let’s pack up. Once Shaoci returns, we should also leave.”

Miao Yilan, however, stepped closer and asked, “Mother, why did you cover for Shi Chun earlier? Wouldn’t it have been better for them to confront each other directly? The truth, whether real or fake, would have been obvious with a confrontation.”

As Lan Qiaoyan collected her favorite ornaments, which she carried with her wherever she went in the room, she spoke lightly, “It’s not an absolute issue. What would a confrontation reveal? Just two sides presenting their own arguments. We don’t listen with prejudice or believe without proof. Wasn’t it said there were many people at the scene of the incident? Just have your father investigate, and you’ll know. Besides, you know a confrontation is possible; do you think Shi Chun didn’t know before he came? Couldn’t Young Master Nan have contacted Gong Shaoci? It was too blunt. Knowing your relationship with Gong Shaoci and still speaking so directly, it’s not his style, knowing him for all these years. That fellow had ulterior motives in his words; it felt like he wanted to warn us about something.”