Chapter 177 – Xuan Core comes out
“Well, alight. You should also go and get some rest.” Jun Wu Yi glanced over at Jun Mo Xie and Qing Han: “Don’t worry, the sky isn’t falling down; and even if does, your Uncle will be here to look after you!”
Qing Han was still whimpering, while Jun Mo Xie’s eyes were flickering with excitement. Suddenly, his lips bent into a crooked smile, almost as if he had been struck by a moment of enlightenment. He slowly glanced towards Jun Wu Yi and said: “I’m going out!”. Jun Mo Xie quickly turned around before either of them could react, and disappeared into the storm outside.
The rain was still pouring heavily outside, and wasn’t showing any signs of stopping any time soon.
The sky had become completely dark.
Even though Jun Wu Yi’s facial expression was calm and collected, his eyes had deepened under the effect of his thoughts.
Qing Han was quietly standing in the dining hall, while her cold and motionless face was still staring at the rain outside the hall. The rain drops would splash onto the ground and scatter, and some would even spray onto her body and face, bringing a strangely cold sensation along with them…..
~ The Li Mansion ~
“There was an attempt on Jun Mo Xie’s life today?” Li You Ran was wearing a mask, but the gleam in his eyes was enough to express his interest in the incident: “Is he dead?”
“No.” A thin and lean black-robed man answered: “A mysterious person appeared at the key moment, and killed several of the assassins. This man was far too powerful, and the assassins were forced to retreat.”
“Do you know who was behind this attempt on Jun Mo Xie’s life?” Li You Ran didn’t care much about Jun Mo Xie’s life in reality since he considered Jun Mo Xie to be of no significance in his own merit. However, he was well aware that the youngster’s life was important to the Jun Family and its followers.
“That is not clear.” The black-robed man lowered his head.
“Then go and find out!” Li You Ran’s cold shout sent the man shivering with fear. Li You Ran’s appearance had been degrading ever since that accident, which is why he had been staying indoors ever since. His temper had started becoming more and more unpredictable with each passing day, which had been becoming increasingly scary for his servants.
Li You Ran walked into his bedroom, pressed his hand against the wall, and pushed. The sound of ‘rolling’ machinery was heard, and then the wall gave-way to a door. An array of wide stone steps seemed to be leading into a basement chamber, and then these stairs started leading back upwards, making it seem as if there was another entrance to this chamber.
Li You Ran slowly walked down and then up these stairs, and soon started hearing the sound of the rain getting more intense, almost as if he was nearing the surface again. Soon enough, Li You Ran’s figure leisurely appeared in a small but secret courtyard.
“Young Li!” There were about ten people in the courtyard, all dressing in white robes. The first one to speak up was a middle aged man, around forty years in age judging by his appearance. His tall, burly body and his sharp eyes exuded a sense of indifference, almost as if he considered himself to be above the rest. A delicate thirty-year old woman was standing behind him, while the remaining men and women were seated on his sides. These people had helped Li You Ran in silencing someone a while ago, and had since become his acquaintances.
“Brother!” Li You Ran respectfully greeted: “There’s no news of the Xuan Core so far, but I’ve spread out a vast network of people, therefore we shouldn’t miss out on any detail. If there’s any new news about this treasure, then we’ll surely be the first ones to know about it! But there’s a rumor that we have to take note of… the words has it that Silver Blizzard City has arrived in the Tian Xiang City, along with several other powers. It is being said that there are at least four Supreme Xuan experts in the Tian Xiang City at the moment, along with countless Sky Xuan experts, which could destabilize the situation completely. Once there’s any news on the Xuan Core, these parties will start fighting against each other…… and we may not have a very bright chance of emerging as champions…..!”
“We may not be as strong as some other parties involved, but given that we have Six Sky Xuan experts, and four peak Earth Xuan experts, I believe that if we were able to get our hands on it before the others, then we could get away with it at full speed, in which case even Yun Bei Chen himself won’t be able to stop us from getting away.” The middle-aged man replied categorically: “You mustn’t worry about that, Young Li.”
“Yes, everything depends on you, Brother.” Li You Ran smiled and said: “I’ve always felt that the Jade Coral’s explosion was a bit strange, and therefore before that time comes, could you please look into the Magnificent Jewel Hall and the other related people?”
A thin man smiled and said: “Young Brother, who are these ‘other related people’ you speak of? My Xuan Qi may not be as high as some of my six brothers, but when it comes to tracking people, I’m confident that even my brothers cannot surpass me!” This man was the leanest amongst the ten, but was also their most agile tracker, and was capable of gathering almost any information in the most discrete of ways.
“There are two more people involved in addition to the Magnificent Jewel Hall; Tang Yuan and Jun Mo Xie. Both of them are inside the Jun mansion at the moment; Tang Yuan is injured at the moment, therefore you must only concentrate on Jun Mo Xie for now…. I have a very strange feeling about that kid.” Even Li You Ran’s mask was unable to conceal his thoughtful expression: “However, both these places are usually very heavily guarded, and so you must be very careful; you mustn’t take their security lightly, brother.”
“Don’t worry, this man is somehow always able to track down the things even I can’t. He’s a true master of the art.” The middle –aged man smiled as he fiercely stared at his companion.
The woman standing behind the middle-aged man laughed: “Still unable to bear the memories of the past?”
The man hummed twice and then said: “What’s so difficult to bear about it? I was misled by false information, and ended up charging right in… that’s the only reason I ended up getting fooled that one time, else I would have……”
The entire gathering broke into laughter; even Li You Ran couldn’t help flashing a smile, and then he said: “In case even you weren’t able to track it down, then I believe that no one could have. I have full confidence in you, brother.”
The entire room suddenly went quite as a small bell suddenly started ringing in the corner of the room.
Li You Ran’s face immediately changed colors, but… this bell is connected to the main room, it wouldn’t have rung unless there was something extremely urgent! What is happening? This is completely unpredictable….. Is there something my people were unable to handle on their own ah?
“Brothers, please remain seated for some more time while I go back out and check…. although I don’t expect any activity in this pouring rain.” Li You Ran stated in a rather normal tone.
“There’s no need to be so formal young brother, we understand if you have other business to care of.” The middle-aged man replied with a smile.
Li You Ran leisurely went out, and then immediately darted back in; he hastily spoke up before anyone was able to say anything: “That Xuan Core’s Qi has been picked up in the western part of the city; the message is accurate and several high-level Xuan experts are reported to be gathering in the western part of the city as we speak!”
These people had always known Li You Ran to be a very calm and elegant persona; this was the first time that they were witnessing him act and talk in such a hasty manner in the five years of their acquaintance with him!
The ten people simultaneously jumped onto their feet! The middle-aged man waved his hand: “All out; to the west!” the ten silhouettes quickly fled and scuttled away into the wind and the rain. Their blue and brown Xuan Qi lights flashed as they sped through the distance which separated them from their destination, and soon their flickering lights disappeared into the endless rain.
Li You Ran just stood gazing at the misty sky, unable to fathom the reason behind the sadness oppressing his heart.
~ The Western part of the City ~
The young master Jun was sitting inside a small, broken and battered house, with a mask concealed his face. A Xuan Core lay quietly placed on the small table in front of him.
This obviously wasn’t the peak level nine Xuan Core, but the level six Xuan Core which Jun Wu Yi had procured for him earlier. Although it was a rare and precious object, however it wasn’t beyond the reach of a family such as his’.
The Hitman Jun’s earlier words and pledge to defend the dignity and honor of the Jun Family might have been spoken under the effect of an impulse, but his survival instincts were clearly warning him of the impending danger. Even though the Hitman Jun was quite bold and audacious, but faced with the power and might of a force such as the Xue Hun Manor, even his ‘brazen’ heart couldn’t help but beat like a drum.
After all, the Xue Hun Manor’s Li Jue Tian was widely acknowledged to be the second most powerful man alive, and to feel reassured in one’s own strength when faced with an enemy of such power would be absolutely foolish!
But considering all this when faced with this imminent threat was meaningless, and therefore, rather than pondering over such meaningless specifics, Jun Mo Xie was busy trying to find a solution to the problem at hand!
Jun Mo Xie was well aware that provoking the fury of either the Silver Blizzard City or the Xue Hun Manor would be bad enough for him; but at the moment, he was faced with them both at the same time!
It was a matter of life and death now!
Jun Mo Xie simply couldn’t tolerate the shame of the situation attributing to his hot-blooded nature; however it was obvious that he was no match for these two forces. Since I can’t take them head-on, I must trick them! However, how do I come with the right plan?
He was well aware that he couldn’t handle either of the two sides using the ordinary means, and even though he had contemplated several strategies, the overall picture was still a bit vague since he hadn’t been able to come with a feasible plan of action yet…..
During his research of the Xuan Core, Jun Mo Xie had come to realize that the ‘art of unlocking the heaven’s fortune’ was capable of replicating the Xuan Core’s Qi! Obviously, Jun Mo Xie had been devising this strategy ever since.
Jun Mo Xie had conducted several experiments after getting his hands on the level six Xuan Core, and had finally come to realize: No one would be able to identify the true level of the Xuan Core once its outer appearance had been transformed, and it would only seem like a mysterious Xuan Core. Even its internal Qi would be of no use since the ‘art of unlocking the heaven’s fortune’ would render that means of detection useless.
Jun Mo Xie had been waiting for the situation to stabilize a bit, and until Tang Yuan’s health was restored to carry out his plan, and would then use this method to gain profits. However, the matter surrounding the Xue Hun Manor had immediately changed his mind.
The Hitman Jun had decided to start his program early!
He had no time to tarry; none at all!
He needed to add more to his Grandfather and Uncle’s strength if they were to build a solid defense for their protection!
If the Silver Blizzard City was alone powerful enough to scourge the Jun Family for ten years, while toying around with Jun Wu Yi at the same time, then the added pressure from the Xue Hun Manor would make life impossible for them!