Chapter 635: Oath Chain

He Lingchuan started to make things up: "Do you know the ruins of Thousand Star City?" "I know. It was the old capital of the Ancient Yuan Kingdom." Famous in the world because of the war of national destruction more than a hundred years ago.

"In the ruins of Thousand Star City, illusions occasionally appear after wild sandstorms and rain, reappearing the war of destruction of the Yuan Kingdom." He Lingchuan shrugged, "What I saw was about the same, just happening in another place."

Fang Canran licked his lips, although he knew the other party was setting a hook for him, he couldn't help but ask: "Where?"

"Not in the Beijia Kingdom." He Lingchuan laughed, "Further west, further west."

"What did you see?"

"I saw Shao Jian traveling through the ancient city. Oh, that place was very prosperous more than a hundred years ago, not comparable to Lingxu City, but more orderly and prosperous than most cities."

To pry open Fang Canran's mouth, he had to make him believe that both of them were related to Shao Jian.

People who understood Shao Jian's life probably wouldn't find it difficult to guess where the "ancient city west of Beijia" he mentioned was.

"I also saw Shao Jian talking to a friend in a secret room, saying he had a daughter, seven years old, nickname Yanzi, full name Yingying." He Lingchuan said slowly, "He smiled until his teeth were visible, full of pride."

He sighed: "Although he himself was obsessed with revenge, he hoped his daughter Shao Yingying would be safe and smooth, just living the life of an ordinary person." He Lingchuan still remembered Shao Jian talking about his daughter, the look of light in his eyes.

Fang Canran was silent: "Anything else?"

"He said when he took his daughter to visit the West Street Temple Fair in Linhe City, Xuan Kingdom, he asked someone to tell his fortune. The divination given by the other party was the fourteen words I said earlier." He Lingchuan pretended to be enlightened here, "Oh right, the Xuan Kingdom is long gone, and I don't know if this Linhe City still exists."

So when Fang Canran heard the place name "Linhe City," he knew He Lingchuan was playing with him.

Fang Canran swallowed, thought for a long while before asking:

"In other words, everything you saw was accidental, and has no connection with you coming to Lingxu City?"

"You know, I was entrusted by the Chiyan Crown Prince to investigate the case, and only came to Lingxu City by chance." He Lingchuan said word by word, "But seeing this signet ring on your hand, I feel that I still have to ask clearly."

Fang Canran immediately asked back: "Why ask clearly, what does Shao Jian have to do with you?"

"Of course it's related." He Lingchuan whispered, "He never stood at the forefront of history, but disrupted the order of the God Realm. So broadly speaking, what he did is related to everyone. Thanks to him, the speed at which spiritual energy disappears between heaven and earth has slowed down; from more than a hundred years ago to sixty years ago, Emperor Flowing Pulp was a frequent visitor to the human world."

Fang Canran listened with a blank face, his heart churning.

Honestly speaking, the relationship between the God Realm and the human world, and between Emperor Flowing Pulp and spiritual energy, is not shocking secrets among true top-level figures; after all, there are many smart people in the world, and those who know pretend to be confused.

But He Xiao could accurately state the connection between Emperor Flowing Pulp and Shao Jian; this was terrifying! This meant that the youth in front of him understood Shao Jian's life and beliefs quite well.

Fang Canran even felt that he had become transparent in front of He Xiao. This feeling of fear that his ancestors for eight generations had been seen through made his heart ice-cold.

Where did such a person emerge from, poking through the secrets he carefully guarded one by one?

He Lingchuan stared at him and said again: "I say these things because I hope Manager Fang understands that I have no malice toward you; otherwise, I would have gone to the Tiangong to report you long ago. You also know the attitude of the Heavenly God and the Demon Emperor toward the descendants of the Yuan Kingdom, especially those related to Shao Jian; whether I told the truth or not, they would take you down at the first opportunity and interrogate you strictly!"

If Fang Canran hadn't attacked him first, he would have wanted to observe cautiously; after all, he already had enough trouble.

But Fang Canran poked through this layer of window paper first, so He Lingchuan wanted to go with the flow. He didn't require Shao Jian's descendants to become his friends, but he needed help.

He had too few helpers in Lingxu City. It just so happened that this action was difficult to complete on his own.

Fang Canran had worked hard in Lingxu for many years, and his resources and connections were far richer than his; if he could borrow them, it would be a good helper.

Of course, first, both sides had to have a foundation of honest mutual trust, which was the most difficult step to cross.

Fang Canran didn't speak.

It was indeed as He Xiao said, but whenever it involved the Ancient Yuan Kingdom, Lingxu City would go crazy and be unreasonable; that reaction could only be described as "stress," not to mention the name "Shao Jian"...

This youth seemed to know the Tiangong Cloud Envoy; as long as he went to Bai Ziqi and said a few extra words, the thunder would come down.

The Grand Manager of the Golden Horn family, ordinary people think he is very powerful, but in reality, he is worthless in front of divine power! He turned many thoughts in his heart: "Why don't you report me?"

"No matter how others comment, I admire Mr. Shao's character, and even more do not hope his descendants will be persecuted again." He Lingchuan said sternly, "Of course, we still have to calculate the losses you caused me tonight."

"..." Fang Canran felt relieved in his heart; since the other party started talking about money, his biggest crisis had passed, "Must, I will present fifty thousand taels of silver to Young Master He as a shock-soothing fee."

With money, everything is easy to talk about. A few days ago, in order to buy frost-patterned silver, He Lingchuan had owed a debt to Li Qingge: "The flash thunder you threw out just now is not bad, what is it called?"

"Soul-Shocking Bomb." Fang Canran swallowed, "I have two more, collected from outside more than ten years ago."

"I want five." He Lingchuan pointed to the broken mirror by the door, "This Heart-Piercing Mirror can be repaired, right?"

"..." I'll find someone to repair it and see."

"Fine, it belongs to me after it's repaired."

The treasures this kid wants are all very expensive. But now, what qualifications does Fang Canran have to say no? "By the way, I will need a lot of intelligence in the future, Manager Fang, you have many ways and wide connections—" The last few words were drawn out in tone.

He gave Fang Canran a chance; don't be useless.

Fang Canran closed his eyes: "I will definitely try my best to inquire."

Seeing that the benefits were basically gathered, He Lingchuan rubbed his hands: "Alright, if Brother Fang doesn't find trouble with me later, we can shake hands and make peace now, treating tonight as if nothing happened, how about that?"

Fang Canran looked at him for a long time before nodding: "It's a deal!"

He Lingchuan grabbed the knot on his arm and tugged lightly; the complicated lock suddenly untied itself, so fast that Fang Canran didn't understand what happened, and felt a lightness behind his neck—

He Lingchuan pulled out the silver needle that sealed the acupuncture point.

Fang Canran moved his wrists, looking at He Lingchuan with complex and unclear eyes.

Although he didn't think this youth would kill people at Yuexiang Manor, releasing him so decisively while occupying all the advantages—money and magic weapons are external objects, which didn't count for much at this time—still exceeded Fang Canran's expectations.

On the surface, it seemed like He Lingchuan was expressing sincerity.

But Fang Canran understood that generosity comes from confidence: confidence that he could handle him at any time, and not fear his revenge at all.

Just as He Lingchuan said, it was too simple for him to deal with Fang Canran; he could just go to the Tiangong and report Shao Jian's descendants. But Fang Canran couldn't catch any handle on him.

If it were someone else, they might threaten him to death.

But this youth...

Alas, why did he lose so thoroughly tonight? Fang Canran sighed secretly, pointed out fifty thousand taels of silver notes and handed them over: "Money first, others need to be prepared, I will present them in a few days."

This defaulted that he at least had five more Soul-Shocking Bombs.

The pond fire in the hall was always smoldering, keeping the room warm as spring.

Fang Canran grabbed the cast-iron pot, went outside to fetch a pot of spring water, placed it on the pond fire to boil, and picked up a persimmon by the table, handing one to He Lingchuan: "Want a four-sided persimmon? Produced by that two-hundred-year-old persimmon tree in the back, very sweet."

This kind of persimmon had obvious vertical grooves on the peel, and the whole thing looked like a small cube, not as round as other persimmons.

He Lingchuan waved his hand: "No, the efficacy of the poison-avoiding pill I took has passed."

Fang Canran smiled awkwardly, bowed to him and said: "I have offended you many times before, I hope Young Master He will forgive me!" Then he personally moved a chair over, "Please sit."

This person's mentality adjustment was truly very fast; He Lingchuan wanted to hear his follow-up, so he didn't say a word after sitting down.

Fang Canran said sternly: "I see Young Master He is a person with secrets—just like me."

Both were constantly probing each other, "If we cannot be sincerely trusting, like the conversation at Pianxiang Manor earlier, it is just a waste of time."

He Lingchuan nodded. Without a foundation of trust, there was no way to communicate deeply.

"Then I have a suggestion." Fang Canran went upstairs and came back ten breaths later, with something in his hand.

He Lingchuan was a bit surprised, because this Grand Manager actually brought down a pair of shackles! "This is?"

Fang Canran threw the shackles into the pond fire, took them out after dozens of breaths, and placed them in He Lingchuan's hand.

Cold.

The heat of the flame actually didn't conduct to the shackles at all.

"This is a good thing, called the Oath Chain, a treasure I collected from an overseas alchemist five years ago; there are only two."

He Lingchuan picked it up to check; the two handcuffs were black and heavy, and the chain connecting them was engraved with countless inscriptions, all in Immortal language.

"Ancient object?"

"And it can still be used today." Fang Canran pointed to it, "As soon as you get the chain, you got a prompt, right? This is a strange object burned in the Demon Heart Furnace. Two people who make a contract or a deal each wear one, and then swear to it. If either party fails to execute or breaks the oath, they will suffer severe punishment and die from the backlash of inner demons. This kind of punishment cannot be resisted even by ancient immortals, so it is widely used for making contracts, and the existing quantity is very few. Hmm, if a deadline is set, either party who deliberately delays will also be punished."

There is actually such a treasure? He Lingchuan understood: "Mr. Fang wants to make an agreement with me?"

No wonder Fang Canran didn't fear offending him earlier; it turned out he had long wanted to use this supreme treasure.

"Not bad, let's make a gentleman's agreement, not to harm the other party in any form, that is, not to directly or indirectly attack, report, frame, or betray the other party, otherwise, you will die from the backlash of inner demons."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 636 =====