Chapter 7: The Whereabouts of the Treasure

Gao Wu was thoroughly disgusted by Wu Hai’s words; he never expected to be targeted by such a sleazy request.

He drew his long sword immediately. "If you say something so disgusting again, I’ll kill you right here!"

"Alright, alright! Young hero, please put the sword away!"

The moment Gao Wu drew his blade, the Ghost Market seemed to hit a pause button. Everyone nearby stopped what they were doing and looked over.

"Ah, it’s nothing, nothing! This young hero and I were just joking, just joking!"

While laughing and explaining to the crowd, Wu Hai pulled Gao Wu into a simple stone hut.

"Oh, my dear young master, you cannot brandish weapons in the Ghost Market. Did your elders not teach you such basic rules?"

"Hmph..."

"Fine, fine! I’ll shut up!" Seeing Gao Wu reaching for his sword again, Wu Hai quickly covered his mouth.

"Where are the people from the Xuanming Sect?"

Wu Hai’s eyes darted around. "One thousand taels!"

Gao Wu narrowed his eyes, a fierce glint appearing. Wu Hai quickly shouted, "Nine hundred taels!"

Gao Wu remained silent, and Wu Hai sighed in resignation. "Eight hundred taels, that is truly the lowest I can go!"

"I see you value money more than your life! If we kill you now, do you think you can fight your way out of the Ghost Market?"

"Young hero, the Ghost Tower does not conduct loss-making business; those are the rules, and I dare not break them! Please, pay something so I can have something to account for!"

"Ten taels!"

Wu Hai’s pupils dilated in disbelief.

"Or, young hero, you might as well just kill me!"

"Twenty taels! That is every cent I have on me. If you don't agree, then die!"

"Deal!" Wu Hai blurted out immediately, as if afraid Gao Wu might change his mind. "Money first, information second!"

Gao Wu winced—this guy...

Wu Hai weighed the silver ingot in his hand, beaming. "The Xuanming Sect is at Tunnel 9, Number 13! There are quite a few of them, so be careful!"

With that, he turned to leave the stone hut.

Gao Wu had no clue what "Tunnel 9, Number 13" meant.

"Take us there."

"Hey, young hero, in the world of martial arts, honor is paramount. Our deal did not include a fee for escorting you!"

"Too much talk! Just kill him," Liu Yifei suddenly interjected.

"Let's go, keep up!" The young boy’s attitude changed instantly.

There were many passages within the Ghost Market, intricate and labyrinthine, making it easy to lose one's way. Furthermore, the numbering system the boy mentioned was for internal use only; how could outsiders possibly understand it? It was a clear attempt to bully them as out-of-towners.

"Two guests, a friendly reminder: while my Ghost Tower doesn't fear the Xuanming Sect, they are indeed not to be trifled with. If you two lack proper preparation and end up dead, your sect won't come looking for me for revenge, will they?"

"Rest assured, we know what we are doing."

"That’s good!" The boy’s eyes rolled around incessantly, clearly plotting something else.

After many twists and turns, they stopped at a "courtyard," which was merely an open space simply enclosed by piled stones.

"Jiang Renjie! Someone is here to avenge themselves against you! Come out and die!"

Jiang Renjie, the Benevolent Yama and head of the five Yamas, was forty years old, yet here he was being shouted at by a young boy to come out and die.

"Which dog’s cub dares to bark at the gates of my Xuanming Sect!"

A gaunt, skin-and-bones man emerged from the courtyard, wielding a long black staff, glaring at the boy. This was the third-ranked Yama, the Profound Yama, Jiang Xuanli.

"Haha, Jiang Xuanli, your death is at hand and you don't even know it. It’s hilarious!" The boy rolled around laughing.

"Oh? Since when does your Ghost Tower engage in murder-for-hire?" Jiang Renjie stepped out calmly, his expression grave and naturally imposing.

"Jiang Renjie, it isn't the Ghost Tower that wants to kill you, but this young hero here!" The boy said, pointing triumphantly at Gao Wu.

Gao Wu looked at the boy, astonished. "Kid, when did I say I wanted to kill the Yama? We are old acquaintances; this trip is merely a friendly visit."

Wu Hai’s expression shifted, stunned into silence.

"Return the silver, and I will spare your life."

"..."

The boy painfully retrieved the silver ingot, which had barely warmed in his hand, and reluctantly handed it over to Gao Wu.

"Good boy." Gao Wu grinned and patted the boy’s head, leaving it greasy. "Aren't you going to run? Waiting for the Yama to treat you to dinner?"

The boy snapped out of his daze and bolted.

Jiang Renjie and his men did not pursue Wu Hai but stared at Gao Wu. "And who might you two be?"

"Haha, how could the Yama not recognize his own kin?" Gao Wu chuckled and walked toward the courtyard. Before the two Yamas could react, he was already inside.

Gao Wu mused to himself that the five Yamas were rumored to be played like puppets by the Black and White Impermanence, and now, they certainly did seem a bit dim-witted.

"May I ask where the item you retrieved from the Duke of Tang’s estate is?"

"Who exactly are you people? If you don't speak, don't blame me for being discourteous!"

Gao Wu looked at Liu Yifei, who gave a slight wave of her hand, closing the stone door with nothing but a gust of palm wind.

Jiang Renjie was startled. With his level of cultivation in the Qi-Induction Realm, he could never achieve such a feat. Was this person in the Qi-Sea Realm, or perhaps the even higher Innate Realm?

"Now, can the Benevolent Yama tell me where the object is?"

"This!" After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Renjie sighed. "That day, we received news that the Duke of Tang’s estate was unguarded, so we went with the Saint of Thieves, Wen Tao, to infiltrate it. We succeeded, obtaining not only the Longyuan Map but several other treasures as well! However... however, that Wen Tao ran off with everything. He... he dared to betray the Xuanming Sect!"

Gao Wu couldn't help but think to himself, "The Xuanming Sect is a bunch of turncoats; you five are just the most honest, and therefore the ones who will die the most tragically."

"You haven't found Wen Tao yet?"

"No, I have already sent my three brothers to search in different directions, but there has been no news to this day."

Gao Wu lowered his head in thought. Wen Tao—a mysterious and complex character, a classic opportunist who bent with the wind.

This man was a master grave robber, knowledgeable in geography, Bagua, and the five elements. He was an expert at tracking people, whether living or dead.

Finding such a person would be an arduous task indeed.

After they left the Ghost Market, Liu Yifei asked curiously, "Why didn't you kill them all?"

"Huh? Why would I kill them?"

Gao Wu, lost in thought, was startled. This girl had quite the bloodlust!

"Hmph, these people are committing crimes in the name of the Netherworld Sect; aren't they tarnishing our reputation?"

"Heh, does the name 'Netherworld Sect' even need help being tarnished? It doesn't sound like a group of saints to begin with!"

"Forget it, why do you talk about yourself like that? Since our name is fated and cannot be changed, we can change the meaning of the name!"

Gao Wu looked at Liu Yifei strangely, wondering what had gotten into her.