Chapter 568: Helping to Chase a Woman

"One hundred of them, really one hundred, and so many! They’re all in stock, definitely all leftover stock from that person. There’s no mistake, absolutely no mistake..."

Grandma Qi muttered excitedly as she hobbled around in circles with her cane inside the cage.

Outside the cage, Yin Fei, who witnessed this, was filled with speculation and doubt. He had just returned from the contact point given by the other party with a message to convey: the materials had been obtained, a full hundred "fish," and he was asked if they were sure they wanted all of them to be made into dishes.

Observing Grandma Qi’s reaction, he realized that the so-called "fish" were far from ordinary.

After making an effort to calm herself, Grandma Qi approached the bars of the cage and affirmed in a low voice, "Tell them to use all the materials they have."

"Understood," Yin Fei replied.

At the North Mountain Hub, Jiang You'er quickly ascended to the second floor, stopping behind Huang Ye, who stood with his hands clasped behind his back by the window. He bowed and greeted, "My Lord."

Huang Ye slowly said, "Pass the word down: we're temporarily withdrawing from Shi Chun's affairs. We will only observe; no one is allowed to act without permission."

Jiang You'er was surprised. "Withdraw? Is that an order from above?"

"Alas," Huang Ye sighed, "That person fell into a trap, was severely wounded by Fu Que, and their identity was exposed. The higher-ups are worried that relevant parties have been alerted and that a net might be waiting for us. After careful consideration, they decided to pull back and observe."

Since it was a decision from above, it had to be obeyed. However, Jiang You'er still expressed regret, saying, "It might have been a secret that could control Situ Gu. Giving up like this seems a great pity."

Huang Ye replied, "The higher-ups naturally have their reasons. We just need to follow orders."

"Yes," Jiang You'er assented.

The vast grassland scenery at the foot of Mount Shen, near Yaoshan City, greatly invigorated Li Hongjiu, who had just arrived.

Standing on the undulating waves of grass, watching the green expanse like an ocean, feeling himself sway with the wind, and his heart expanding to encompass the vast heavens and earth, how could he be without wine?

He immediately took out his wine flask and took two big gulps.

As it turned out, it would have been better if he hadn't drunk it. The moment he did, his mood was instantly unsettled, and he returned to reality. The reason was simple: after drinking the two jars of fine wine Shi Chun had sent, this wine tasted off. He hadn't gotten used to it yet, and knowing that more good wine was soon available, he was no longer willing to settle.

Losing interest in the scenery, he looked towards Yaoshan City in the distance, deciding it was more important to see Shi Chun first. Even if that scoundrel was unreliable, surely he wasn't lying about having more fine wine, was he?

Just the promise of ample fine wine from the other party, if true, would make the trip worthwhile for him.

He immediately flew off.

Before long, he landed just outside the West Gate of the city.

Looking around, he followed Shi Chun's instructions, entered the city through the West Gate, and walked all the way to a very prominent sign at a crossroads to wait.

Soon, a man walked up to him. He looked somewhat familiar. After observing him for a moment, the man smiled and asked, "You're Mr. Li, aren't you? I'm Xiao Sheng. Do you remember me?"

Both had simple disguises, slightly altering their appearance.

Li Hongjiu did recognize Xiao Sheng; after all, they had spent some time together. After identifying him, he let out an "Oh" and directly asked, "Where's Shi Chun?"

Xiao Sheng gestured with his hand and said, "The Chief is currently occupied. He sent me to guide Mr. Li."

He knew very well that in their current situation, the Chief would not easily show himself without thoroughly observing Li Hongjiu from all angles, front, back, and sides.

Li Hongjiu glanced at the bustling surroundings but said little. He gave a slight nod and followed him.

However, the further they walked, the more something felt off. It wasn't until they exited the city through another gate and found themselves once again on the vast grassland that he had to stop and ask, "Where exactly are you taking me?"

He also took out a parent-child talisman to contact Shi Chun, asking what this was all about.

Shi Chun told him simply and directly that he had offended too many people and had to be careful, assuring him that if he just followed, nothing would happen.

Li Hongjiu found this message amusing. So, that scoundrel knew he had many enemies, too. Was it worth putting himself in such a situation just to get ahead?

"Your Chief isn't just hiding nearby, is he?" Li Hongjiu quipped, looking around with a playful expression.

Hitting the mark, Xiao Sheng smiled but didn't answer. He produced a wind scale and activated it, directly sweeping Li Hongjiu up into the air and away.

Across the vast, boundless grassland, Xiao Sheng circled a few times with Li Hongjiu before heading directly towards the direction of Dazhi City.

In their sight, the vast greenery on the ground suddenly looked as if a layer of skin had been peeled away, revealing a desolate and ugly landscape of ash residue. As cultivators, they could tell at a glance it was the ruins of a great battle.

Once they arrived here, Dazhi City was not far off.

Before long, the two landed outside Dazhi City.

Li Hongjiu looked at the name on the city wall and asked, "Is he here?"

Xiao Sheng replied, "The Chief said that Mr. Li would surely think he had ill intentions bringing you here, and that Mr. Li would also wonder why we're meeting here. The Chief also said that Mr. Li is a smart man, and he might not believe what we say ourselves. Rather than meeting with a misunderstanding, it's better for Mr. Li to first inquire about what the Chief has been doing here, and then meet."

Li Hongjiu frowned slightly. Just as he was about to speak, Xiao Sheng added, "The Chief previously went by the alias 'Wang Ping' and lived here in seclusion for a full year or two."

Li Hongjiu was taken aback. That scoundrel came here a year or two ago?

Staying here under an alias for so long, he was curious about what Shi Chun had been doing.

Led by Xiao Sheng's outstretched hand, a somewhat curious Li Hongjiu followed him into the city.

At this point, Xiao Sheng transformed into a guide, explaining the general layout of Dazhi City along the way.

As they passed the entrance of "Chaoyue Hall," Xiao Sheng quietly informed him, "The Chief used to do odd jobs in this guy's library for over a year."

Doing odd jobs in a library? Li Hongjiu was bewildered. Why play such elaborate games?

Next, Li Hongjiu was to inquire with people in the vicinity himself to confirm the story, so that it couldn't be claimed that everything was pre-arranged. After all, they couldn't possibly arrange everyone in this entire district beforehand.

In fact, the people around didn't truly know the full story of Wang Ping, the odd-job man. As they chatted, they naturally brought up a series of recent changes that had occurred at the library.

Afterward, Xiao Sheng took him to the entrance of "Xunbao Studio" and informed him that Shi Chun had secretly instructed them to open this shop.

Curious, Li Hongjiu then inquired and learned about the "Death-Defying Incense" story that Xunbao Studio had concocted earlier.

Further on, they arrived outside "Bai's Rice Shop," whose main door remained tightly shut. Xiao Sheng then informed him that Shi Chun, under his alias, and Wu Jinliang were still considered employees of this rice shop.

"Hmm?" Li Hongjiu was surprised. "Wu Jinliang is here too?"

He was certainly familiar with Wu Jinliang. If he hadn't been severely wounded by that scoundrel's "back-hand punch" back then, how could he have fallen into Shi Chun's hands and gotten into all those messy situations?

Xiao Sheng whispered, "Yes, he's here. He used to tend horses and do odd jobs at a stable outside the city. Later, masters clashed outside, and the stable was instantly reduced to ashes, gone."

Doing odd jobs at a stable? Li Hongjiu was secretly surprised and wondered, what exactly were those two scoundrels up to, spending so much time and patiently biding their time?

He had a faint feeling that a huge pit was waiting for him to fall into.

Of course, since he had been allowed to verify things himself, he naturally also had to inquire about the situation of Bai's Rice Shop in the vicinity.

He couldn't ascertain the specifics, as outsiders didn't know the true details; they only saw superficial changes and were unaware of the inside story. But at least it made him realize that the affairs between the library, the rice shop, and Xunbao Studio were connected, and they were all linked to Shi Chun's group.

He grew increasingly curious about what that scoundrel was really plotting here.

Whatever was being plotted, he was already on guard. Drinking was fine, but he wouldn't agree to anything else; he absolutely would not fall into any traps.

The two, each with their own ulterior motives, continued walking through the streets and alleys. As they passed a quiet, secluded small alley, Li Hongjiu suddenly stopped, his nostrils flaring. He turned his head to look at a nearby courtyard gate, faintly detecting a familiar scent of wine.

He turned back to look at Xiao Sheng, who was accompanying him.

"The Chief was right, Mr. Li's sense of smell is indeed keen," Xiao Sheng said with a smile, walking to the door. He opened the courtyard gate and gestured invitingly. "The Chief has been awaiting your arrival for a long time."

Li Hongjiu paused, a hint of wariness in his eyes. He slowly ascended the steps and crossed the threshold. At the entrance of the main hall at the far end of the small courtyard, a familiar face appeared and waved to him, "Brother Jiu, come quickly! Good wine and food are ready."

Who else could it be but Shi Chun?

Li Hongjiu let out a sarcastic chuckle and started walking. After only a few steps, he looked back to see Xiao Sheng closing the door with both hands, effectively isolating himself outside. Clearly, this was to give the people inside space for a private conversation.

Shi Chun, who had run down the steps, looked as if he wanted to embrace him. "Brother Jiu, I've finally seen you! I've missed you terribly."

Li Hongjiu pushed away the person who was coming close. "Hey, alright, there's no one else here, stop pretending."

He headed straight for the scent of wine inside the hall. Upon entering, he saw a table laden with exquisite dishes and familiar wine jars. He didn't rush to sit down but instead circled the table a few times, simultaneously surveying the surrounding environment.

As he circled, he asked, "You went to all this trouble to trick me into coming here. Speak plainly: how do you intend to use me?"

"Oh, my dear brother, how have I tricked you? If you can name one instance where I've deceived you, I'll immediately commit suicide to apologize!" Shi Chun said, swinging both arms, bringing out a jar of wine in each hand and setting them with a thud on the table. "Isn't there enough fine wine?"

Seeing two more jars of fine wine, Li Hongjiu's eyebrows raised slightly, and his expression visibly softened. He realized that, as expected, at least the promise of ample good wine wasn't a lie.

Shi Chun's enthusiasm remained. Seeing Li Hongjiu hesitant to sit, he personally went over, forcibly pulled him, and pushed him to the seat of honor, then poured wine for him and sat beside him.

Li Hongjiu chuckled, "You brought me here just to invite me to drink? Do you think I'd believe that? If you don't explain clearly, I won't drink this wine. I'm afraid it'll upset my stomach."

Shi Chun, who had been about to raise his cup for a toast, reluctantly put it down and sighed, "Brother Jiu, your insight is sharp, and I won't speak falsehoods before a wise person. Ultimately, I just want to flatter you, Brother Jiu. You know I have no powerful backing, and it wasn't easy to align myself with you. So, naturally, when there are benefits, I think of you first."

Li Hongjiu glanced sideways at him and said, "Speak plainly."

"See, why don't you believe me?" Shi Chun looked helpless, then sighed. "Alright, I'll put it another way. I've taken a liking to a woman and want to win her over, but I'm just a bit short. I need your help, Brother Jiu."

"Chasing a woman?" Li Hongjiu was startled, surveying the other man from head to toe. He truly couldn't fathom how he could help with something like that. If he could help, then surely countless others could, so why specifically him? He immediately voiced his skepticism, "Chaoyue Hall, Xunbao Studio, and now a rice shop—you've painstakingly hidden away for so long, causing all this commotion, all just to chase a woman? Do you expect me to believe that?"

Shi Chun immediately said, "This woman is currently doing odd jobs at Chaoyue Hall. Her background is quite significant; she has a very close maternal uncle, who is a confidant of the Demon Empress. As long as we establish a good relationship with this woman, many things will become much easier."

Li Hongjiu scoffed after hearing this, "So what? What does that have to do with me? I don't understand, and I can't help. Don't come to me."

Shi Chun stood up directly, walked to the side, and with a wave of his hand, a black banner appeared in his grasp out of thin air. He unfurled it dramatically. The banner fluttered, sweeping over a set of chairs and a tea table in the hall, instantly absorbing them into itself. Then, holding the banner with its base on the ground, he asked, "Brother Jiu, do you remember this item well?"

Li Hongjiu, still in a daze, blurted out, "Boundless Banner?"

He remembered this banner very well. Back then, seeing its great power, he had specifically used lightning to deal with it.

So he suddenly remembered: hadn't he destroyed this banner himself?

Shi Chun also said, "Brother Jiu, this banner was originally destroyed by your lightning. Yet now, I have repaired it. Do you know how I did it, Brother Jiu?"

Li Hongjiu, being a master of artifact refining, had the story of Xunbao Studio flash through his mind. He asked suspiciously, "Death-Defying Incense?"

Shi Chun immediately put away the Boundless Banner, quickly walked back to sit beside Li Hongjiu, and whispered, "Brother Jiu, you're truly perceptive; you guessed it right away. Brother Jiu, think about it: you've damaged so many magical artifacts from various sects. Who knows if this secret can be kept forever? What if word gets out? If they really come looking for you, with the Death-Defying Incense in hand, at worst you can just repair their artifacts for them.

With such a benefit, how could I not think of you? I only hope you won't forget your younger brother's kindness in the future.

Of course, I'm also doing this for myself. I still have a few magical artifacts that you damaged and need to repair. If not for that, why would I bother? The problem is, there isn't enough Death-Defying Incense, so I need to get more.

The materials for refining this stuff are hard to come by; they're hidden on Mount Shen, which is protected by an ancient grand formation, so not just anyone can easily go there and mess with it. But that woman's background can easily get us what we need, which is why I'm pursuing her.

Furthermore, where do you think I got all that fine wine? It's all from that woman. I'm sacrificing my charm to get you ample fine wine and also helping you acquire some Death-Defying Incense to prevent future worries. And all you, Brother Jiu, have to do is go through the motions and put on a show to enjoy the benefits. Why wouldn't you do it?"