Chapter 587: Just Do It This Way

Chu Jingting scratched his beard, looking a bit awkward. "I haven't met them yet; I'm still waiting for a reply," he said. "After 'Grandma' messaged me, I came over first."

Wu Jinliang, who was eating and drinking nearby, asked in confusion, "What do you mean 'waiting for a reply'?"

Chu Jingting, sitting cross-legged, shifted his legs and explained earnestly, "It's like this: The reason I know about Yu Xuanbing is that the place where people send him letters for transactions is in the 'Yin-Yang Realm' within the territory of Zhuyong Hall. Anyone who wants to hire him can send a letter detailing the target they want eliminated into the 'Yin-Yang Realm'. If he reviews the letter and finds the job acceptable, he'll contact you. Otherwise, there will be no reply whatsoever."

Shi Chun listened, intrigued. "This supposed transaction method of his, from receiving the letter to contacting the employer, seems very easy for someone to set a trap. Is there something else to it?"

Chu Jingting explained, "The Chief Boss says that, perhaps because he doesn't know about the 'Yin-Yang Realm'. Each of the Ten Halls of the Underworld has an extremely strange 'Yin-Yang Realm'. The power of yin and yang in these places is governed by the laws of the Grand Dao, making them inaccessible to ordinary people. Innumerable yin and yang energies constantly shift and evolve within them, and an ordinary person entering cannot control the boundaries of yin and yang.

For instance, if we enter and stay in the Yang part, it's fine. But if we intrude into the Yin part, our Yang energy will instantly dissipate, leading to death. The same applies if a Yin spirit intrudes into the Yang part.

However, this Yu Xuanbing possesses a magical art, which seems to be called 'Spirit Splitting and Subtle Control Art'. According to those who have seen it, it's a human-shaped mist clone. He can use this clone to enter the 'Yin-Yang Realm' and avoid certain death. Inside, he investigates the letters, and after selecting a transaction target, he can then use the clone to negotiate the deal with the employer. He is truly traceless and phantom-like, impossible to catch."

Wu Jinliang, who had been listening, chuckled. "No wonder he became such a renowned assassin in the cultivation world even before reaching his current cultivation level. So, he has this kind of ability."

As he spoke, he gestured to Shi Chun with his fingers. "Chun, look, you'd be hard-pressed to find more than a few people in the entire cultivation world who are willing to work as enforcers even after reaching the Celestial Immortal realm. He's wanted in the Underworld and not tolerated in the Human Realm either. Plus, he has a family, and his family remaining in the Underworld is practically like hostages. I have to say, Old Man Chu really found a good target for an enforcer."

Chu Jingting, after hearing this, repeatedly waved his hand, looking embarrassed. "It sounds good on paper, but in practice, we've encountered significant problems. We can't contact him at all, and we don't know what kind of deal would make him feel secure enough or entice him to make contact. I estimate that the ten thousand taels were wasted."

Wu Jinliang chewed on something and asked, "What do you mean by 'wasting ten thousand taels'?"

Lao Changtai, who was nearby, chimed in, "It's Yu Xuanbing's rule that the letter must include ten thousand taels of money. The reason is understandable: it prevents just anyone from sending letters into the 'Yin-Yang Realm' to harass him."

Wu Jinliang's expression was stunned as he asked, "So, even if he doesn't take the job, he won't return the money?"

Chu Jingting gave a wry smile. "What are you thinking? Do you expect a master like him to make a special trip just to return money for you? He wouldn't stoop to that."

"Damn it," Wu Jinliang grumbled, tapping the table towards Shi Chun. "Chun, see? This is a truly capital-free business. He could do nothing but go to the 'Yin-Yang Realm' and just collect money. I say, Chu, is this information reliable? It's not someone using Yu Xuanbing's name just to run this no-capital business, is it?"

Chu Jingting shook his head in denial. "Those in the Underworld with the ability to enter the 'Yin-Yang Realm' are few and far between. Would someone at that level bother earning money this way? If anyone is willing to earn money this way and has the ability, it's probably only him. Besides, this has been verified by the masterminds and employers of several solved murder cases, so it should be accurate."

Wu Jinliang thought for a moment, then spread his hands towards Shi Chun. "The candidate seems quite good, and the difficulty in contacting him is real."

Chu Jingting mused, "I'm also inquiring about other suitable candidates."

Shi Chun said, "Since we've confirmed he exists, there's no need to look for anyone else. Someone who has been refined and filtered over hundreds of years is much more reliable than trying to find and vet someone else on short notice. He's the one."

Upon hearing this, Wu Jinliang, seemingly recalling something, subconsciously glanced at Chu Jingting and Lao Changtai.

Chu Jingting, however, sighed. "I'll do my best, but Chief Boss, I truly can't guarantee I'll be able to contact him. The Underworld has been setting traps to catch him, and he's extremely cautious. I also don't have a specific assassination target to offer, so I might have to devise some kind of fake assassination plot. It wouldn't be too late to discuss the real situation when he shows up to negotiate the deal."

Shi Chun calmly said, "No need to make it so complicated. Our few minds aren't as clever as the numerous minds in the Underworld. The Underworld has probably tried every possible trap already. Any fancy tricks we try will likely be useless. You go back and continue waiting for his reply. If it truly doesn't work out, I'll handle things outside first, and then I'll come personally to try."

Chu Jingting nodded. "Alright, if there's nothing else, I'll head back shortly."

Shi Chun then said to Lao Changtai, "Can you quickly find a group of people who deserve to die, and before I leave, capture their souls while leaving their bodies intact? I'll need both the souls and the bodies. I'll use this trip to test whether these things from the Underworld are useful. Logically, they should be, right?"

Lao Changtai quickly asked, "How many do you need?"

Shi Chun replied, "I'm in a hurry to leave, so I'll give you half a day. Is ten or more alright? If you can prepare more, do so."

Lao Changtai couldn't help but reach into his headscarf to scratch his head. "I'm not familiar with this, and I don't know who deserves to die and who doesn't. Randomly killing ten people could cause trouble. Besides, I can't find anyone suitable to help with soul-capturing here. I'm afraid I'll have to go back to Langdangchuan to ask Liao Xi for help."

Chu Jingting chimed in, "There's a Xun Gate right in the city, so returning to Langdangchuan would be quick. Finding Liao Xi is indeed more reliable, and you can come with me on the way back."

Shi Chun said, "Then you two go attend to your tasks. We'll stay here and familiarize ourselves with the situation. Oh, by the way, do you have enough money on you?"

At this, both Chu and Lao chuckled.

Chu Jingting laughed, "More than enough, more than enough. Money is quite valuable here. We haven't spent more than a few tens of thousands in total, and that's considered quite extravagant."

Lao Changtai also laughed, "I, on the other hand, spent over a hundred thousand, most of which went to Pingxi."

Shi Chun said, "Give us some small change."

Chu Jingting exclaimed, "You do need some small change. Taking out a million-value note is too eye-catching, even startling. We all exchanged ours for smaller denominations with Pingxi."

As he spoke, both men took out piles of smaller bills from their persons and placed them on the table.

Without further ado, the two immediately bid farewell and went their separate ways to attend to their duties.

Shi Chun, clad in white robes and a white headscarf, and Wu Jinliang began to stroll around Qiangyu City, slowly grasping the reality of the Underworld beyond what they had read in books.

***

After a rain, the barren land just outside the city was largely covered with a layer of tender green sprouts. It looked exceptionally delicate and beautiful in the evening glow.

The woman in red seemed to greatly enjoy this vitality. She stood on a small mound, eyes closed and head held high, her face conveying pure enjoyment.

"The entire process after the Reverting Soul Tree's departure has been clarified," Alana reported. "The item ended up with a small alchemy sect called 'Zhuling Sect'. The refining materials subsequently collected by this sect, as identified by the Grand Alchemist, are precisely those used to refine the 'Death-Repelling Incense'. It seems the sect leader of Zhuling Sect is personally overseeing the refining process. He has gone deep into a desert, hiding in an isolated bunker to carry out the refining..."

Alana was calmly reporting the relevant details by her side.

After listening, the woman in red, still with her eyes closed, seemed to murmur to herself, "Has there been any trace of Shi Chun found outside?"

She suspected Shi Chun had already left, because recently, whenever she messaged Shi Chun, no matter how forward the affectionate words she sent, Shi Chun hadn't replied at all. A similar situation occurred after the location tracking incident in Yaoshan City; after that, her contact with Shi Chun was severed. She didn't know if it was Shi Chun's reaction to discovering he was being tracked, or if he had simply left.

Alana didn't know what the woman in red had been secretly involved in with Shi Chun, so she didn't understand why the woman suspected he had left. She reported dutifully, "We have arranged for people to observe everyone known to be associated with Shi Chun, but no trace has been found yet. It's also highly unlikely he left through a Xun Gate in Juku Continent; normally, no one can use disguise to leave through a Xun Gate."

The woman in red, still with her eyes closed, remained silent. She opened her arms, as if embracing the heavens and earth.

***

Refinement Heaven Sect, Two Hills Mountain, the peak belonging to Situ Gu, the foremost figure in artifact refining.

At this time, the mountain was without its master, as he had gone with some high-ranking members of Refinement Heaven Sect to a meeting at the Heavenly Palace. Only some guards remained.

A yellow-bearded man walked leisurely up the mountain. Disciples he encountered along the way respectfully greeted him.

The yellow-bearded man was named Ju Shihong, the head of the Patrol Hall of Refinement Heaven Sect.

Despite his status, when he reached the courtyard entrance at the peak, he was still stopped by the gate-keeping disciples.

Though they stopped him, the two gate-keeping disciples respectfully saluted. "Greetings, Hall Master Ju."

Ju Shihong had no intention of trespassing. He glanced at the scene inside the gate, where faint ripples of energy shimmered, and instructed, "Elder Situ is out on business. You all are to guard this place; do not relax your vigilance."

"Yes, sir," the gate-keeping disciples replied, cupping their hands in salute.

Ju Shihong casually strolled around the entrance for a bit. Upon seeing a female disciple emerge from the courtyard, he turned and descended the mountain first.

Once he reached halfway down the mountain, he stopped under the shade of a tree, hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

Not long after, the female disciple coming down the mountain saw him, also stopped, and saluted, "Greetings, Hall Master Ju."

Ju Shihong immediately questioned her, "Elder Situ isn't here, so you can just run around freely? I heard his female disciple is quite willful; someone needs to keep an eye on her. Do I still need to teach you this?"

The female disciple quickly explained, "The sect is distributing a batch of routine supplies for each mountain today. I only came down the mountain after receiving notification to collect them. Junior Martial Uncle has already been locked in the iron cell by the Elder; she can't get out, so nothing will happen."

Ju Shihong hummed in acknowledgment after hearing this. "If that's the case, then go ahead."

"Yes, sir," the female disciple responded, then excused herself.

Ju Shihong then also descended the mountain. He then flew to the black-awning boat on the lake and picked up his fishing rod again.

The cloaked figure lying inside the boat's canopy sat up again and asked, "How did it go?"

Ju Shihong sighed, "There's a protective array on the mountain, and guards at the entrance. The target has also been locked in the iron cell by Situ Gu. There's absolutely no way to get her out cleverly."

The cloaked figure said in a deep voice, "Such an opportunity is unlikely to come again. You only have two days left."

Ju Shihong sighed again, "Why is everything so rushed? Normally, we'd at least plan it out before acting, wouldn't we?"

The cloaked figure replied, "Don't ask me about matters from above; I'm not clear on them either."

Ju Shihong said, "If it absolutely has to be done, there's only one way: While Situ Gu is away, we could coordinate from inside and out and directly act. But if we do that, I'll definitely be exposed and will have to evacuate with them."

The cloaked figure declared, "Then let's do it that way!"