Chapter 87: Seeing Fairy Yun Yan Again

On the reverse side of the jade token, there were only four large characters carved in relief: Hundred Alliance Commerce.

"This is a Hundred Alliance Trade member token. As one of the five alliance heads on Bixie Island, I formally invite you to join the Hundred Alliance Trade."

"What use is this thing?" Wei Yuning weighed the jade token in his hand and asked curiously.

He could sense the presence of a formation within the jade token.

"Naturally it has many uses. However, this lady is in a bad mood today and doesn't feel like telling you! Uncle Da, let's go!" Xue Duoduo turned around and left the Hidden Medicine Hall with the middle-aged burly man.

However, she was clearly smiling all over her face—there was no way to tell her mood was bad at all!

"Boss, we've struck it rich!" Seeing Xue Duoduo and her companion leave the Hidden Medicine Hall, Xue Ying jumped up with excitement.

"Do you know what this is?" Wei Yuning said.

"Of course. Who in business doesn't know the Hundred Alliance Commerce's 'Dragon Boat Jade Token'? It's the mark of a formal member."

"Does it have any use?" Wei Yuning asked.

"The uses are too many. The most important one is that you can freely learn the selling prices of various goods in different regions, and at the same time enjoy the cost-price transportation service provided by the Hundred Alliance Commerce. Besides that, if you want to find any rare treasures, you can seek help through the Hundred Alliance Commerce. Also, the alliance frequently holds internal auctions—only members are eligible to participate. Oh right, and members have the right to select high-quality product partners to join their own distribution channels and collect benefits from it..."

"Wait, stop," Wei Yuning couldn't help interrupting Xue Ying's ceaseless chatter. "What benefit does this Miss Xue get from making me a member?" Wei Yuning asked.

"This... if our Moon Centipede sauce is sold through the commerce alliance's channels, she would receive a certain commission, right?" Xue Ying said uncertainly.

"I wonder how many spirit stones our goods would sell for outside?" Wei Yuning muttered to himself.

"Boss, actually I've heard people say that the top-grade Ten-Mile Fragrance you make tastes even better than pure Moon Centipede sauce. The elders in the sect all love it. Our goods are limited in quantity, so outside they'd be considered scarce. It's hard to say exactly how much, but it would definitely be far higher than our selling price!" Xue Ying said.

"We absolutely cannot let this woman take advantage of us. We won't use the Hundred Alliance Commerce's channels," Hai Yan, who had been silent for a long time by the side, suddenly spoke up.

Xue Ying's body trembled slightly, and she said nothing.

Wei Yuning said helplessly, "Since the Hundred Alliance Commerce has many customers, our goods can certainly fetch the most favorable price. As for that little commission, it's no longer worth worrying about!"

He thought to himself, "When it comes to business, Hai Yan falls far behind Xue Ying. But Hai Yan is absolutely loyal to me, and that matters more than anything!"

It was long past closing time. Since the transaction was complete, the two female cultivators also needed to return and rest.

Xue Ying's dao companion was a cultivator from the Sword Hall, but because of Xue Ying's status, she couldn't go to the Sword Hall and could only live in the disciple dormitory of Guest Arrival Peak.

Even so, she still owed Wei Yuning's help, because within the Cloud Concealment Sect, aside from being a dao companion, she was also a Moon Centipede rearing disciple at the Hundred Flowers Garden of the Spirit Beast Hall. Otherwise, she could only have lived in the mid-hill villa.

Hai Yan and Xue Ying were neighbors, both living in the collective dormitory.

The three parted ways at the Flowing Cloud Plaza.

After the two female cultivators disappeared into the night, Wei Yuning's heart suddenly stirred. He turned around and saw a familiar figure about a dozen meters ahead.

"Martial Uncle Yun Yan, when did you arrive?" he asked in pleasant surprise.

After not seeing her for many days, Fairy Yun Yan's appearance had barely changed, but she had gained an ineffable grace and lost the seductive charm she once had.

"I arrived in the afternoon. I just came from Brother Xuan Bing's place! How have you been lately?" Fairy Yun Yan asked.

"Quite well!" Wei Yuning said.

"Yuning, tell me the truth—where exactly did Qiu Hu and Thus line: Ye Ying go?" Under the moonlight, Fairy Yun Yan looked quietly at Wei Yuning. After a long while, she suddenly asked.

"They... didn't they go to the Extreme Sea for training?" Wei Yuning avoided Fairy Yun Yan's gaze.

This was also the explanation Qiu Hu had given when she left the Cloud Concealment Sect. Her false identity was that she came from an island in the Extreme Sea, so no one doubted it.

"Impossible. I've already poured my maximum spiritual power into using a flying bird messenger. Even if they were in Beast King City, they should have received the message. Either they're already dead, or they've already left the Spirit Beast World. But from your expression, they definitely aren't dead. So there's only one possibility—they've left the Spirit Beast World. Am I right?"

"This..." Wei Yuning was speechless.

For cultivators, whether in secluded cultivation or training, it could be as short as a few months or as long as several years or decades. Apart from family and close friends, no one would pay much attention to this. He hadn't expected Fairy Yun Yan to be the first to notice the problem.

"It was for Thus line: Ye Ying's safety, right?" Yun Yan asked again.

"... Yes, that's right!" Seeing that although Yun Yan had guessed part of it, she was still far from the real answer, Wei Yuning simply admitted it.

"Thus line: Ye Ying becoming your dao companion was also fake, right? She just wanted to escape Yun Long of the Divine Martial Gate, correct?" Yun Yan asked again.

"Yes, that's right!" Wei Yuning found that he was starting to see Fairy Yun Yan in a new light.

"I checked Qiu Hu's background with the sect master and found many suspicious points. Light-element spiritual roots are extremely rare. The native humans of the Spirit Beast World can hardly produce such offspring. She or her parents should have come from another world. So this time, she returned to her own world, and took Thus line: Ye Ying along with her! Am I right?" Yun Yan stared fixedly into Wei Yuning's eyes and pressed him.

"I don't know. I don't know where Qiu Hu came from either!" Wei Yuning was frightened and quickly denied it.

"That girl Qiu Hu really does have secrets. Then, her becoming your dao companion was probably also fake, right?" Yun Yan suddenly sneered.

Wei Yuning was dumbfounded by Fairy Yun Yan's words. He subconsciously asked back, "How do you know?"

Seeing Wei Yuning admit it, Fairy Yun Yan's lips curved upward and she laughed happily: "Brother Xuan Bing and I discussed this for half a day, and it wasn't a waste of effort after all, hehehe!"

"Is Martial Uncle Hong Zhi also this bored? Not doing proper work, worrying about a disciple's romantic matters! As a single... man, he should think about how to find a dao companion for himself!" In his agitation, Wei Yuning almost called Hong Zhi a single dog.

Yun Yan's expression changed, then she snorted, "How dare you gossip about your elders' affairs?"

Ever since entering that fused state that time, Wei Yuning's spiritual perception had become extremely acute. Fairy Yun Yan's momentary shy reaction was clearly captured by him.

"Could it be... you and Martial Uncle Hong Zhi..."

"What nonsense. Neither Brother Xuan Bing nor I will seek dao companions!" Yun Yan's face was slightly red as she said, half shyly and half seriously, "At most, we're fellow daoists!"

From Yun Yan's expression, Wei Yuning felt she was telling the truth.

However, when it came to matters of feeling, ambiguity was the most beautiful.

Once the final step was taken, all kinds of contradictions would breed, and reality would shatter what was once perfect.

In that case, Fairy Yun Yan and Steward Hong Zhi were both wise people.