Chapter 163: The Founding Emperor

"The Young Master Chu speaks truly," Liu Bai said at once. "Zhao Ming Hui will reward you handsomely afterward."

"Don't talk about afterward—I want to know right now what this 'handsome reward' is," Chu Danqing replied coldly. "An inside traitor leaked secrets. The court is hunting us."

"This isn't a simple matter. I despise that witch empress, but that doesn't mean I'm willing to risk my life for it."

Liu Bai's expression didn't change at all upon hearing this.

"You're right—I was rash," Liu Bai said. His intention was for Chu Danqing to go to their leader, Chen Jiunan, himself.

Saying this, he pulled out a token and handed it to Chu Danqing.

"This was granted to me when I earned merit. It allows you to choose one Class-B item from Zhao Ming Hui's treasure vault," Liu Bai placed it on the table.

Chu Danqing touched it, and a property window appeared.

【Zhao Ming Hui Class-B Exchange Token】

【Type: Exchange Item】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Effect: After unlocking the Zhao Ming Hui faction shop, you may exchange it unconditionally for one Excellent-tier item】

（Note: You have not unlocked the faction shop. Cannot be used.

"Good item," Chu Danqing praised first, then shifted tone. "But you're calculating."

"I'm not one of you Zhao Ming Hui people. Where am I supposed to exchange this?"

The faction shop meant joining Zhao Ming Hui—and then finding a way to unlock it.

It looked like a gift, but in truth, they wanted to bind Chu Danqing to Zhao Ming Hui.

Otherwise, how could he use it?

From every angle, Zhao Ming Hui was a faction born from the political struggle between the Great Shuo Emperor and the Empress Dowager.

They pledged loyalty to imperial authority but received no official recognition or support—instead branded as rebels.

It was like a pig looking in the mirror: hated by both sides.

When Chu Danqing chose a faction, it had to be either a mighty tree or one with enough idealism and unity.

He had to gain something—either profit or environment.

He pushed it back casually. "Give me something else."

"Once given, it cannot be taken back," Liu Bai said calmly. "Young Master Chu, name your price. As long as it's not unreasonable, I'll find a way to get it for you."

Chu Danqing didn't refuse—he took it outright.

He wouldn't join Zhao Ming Hui, but he could sell it.

In this trial, besides him, there were two other Dimension Apostles.

One was the man in casual attire who joined the Provincial Governor's office; the other, a wizard-like figure whose gender was unknown—possibly a potential customer.

Even if he couldn't sell it, if he saved their leader Chen Jiunan, he could go to him with this token and demand payment—wouldn't the man pay?

He was a leader of a major faction. He wouldn't be that stingy.

"Since you've accepted it, just make up the difference," Chu Danqing said. He didn't know what Liu Bai had, so he'd gauge his sincerity.

Liu Bai thought for a moment, then ordered someone to bring a piece of inner armor.

【Xuan Lin Armor】

【Type: Equipment · Inner Armor】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Durability: 100/100】

【Defense: 30】

【Scale Reflection (Passive): When struck by melee attack, inflict 50 damage to attacker. Cooldown: 10 seconds】

【Equipment Requirement: Strength 5, Constitution 5】

"This is a treasure armor I acquired by chance in the city. What do you think, Young Master Chu?" Liu Bai said.

"I'm not picky. I'll take it," Chu Danqing glanced at it—he could equip it.

He was short on inner armor to boost defense.

As for Fine-tier gear? Don't even dream of it. Liu Bai might not even have any.

"Where do I meet your alliance leader in three days?" Chu Danqing asked.

Liu Bai didn't hide it: "If nothing goes wrong en route, wait at Lanpo Relay Station, twenty li north of Beimen."

"They'll arrive around dawn."

The time was uncertain, but the location was precise.

"Understood," Chu Danqing replied. "I'll bring your leader into the city intact."

"But I have one question," Chu Danqing said. "Even if your leader enters Lin Yuan City, how do you guarantee his safety?"

"Every official in Lin Yuan City is the witch empress's man," Chu Danqing thought this was suicide.

They were hunted outside the city—entering it would be like a turtle trapped in a jar.

"That depends on your skill, Young Master Chu," Liu Bai smiled. "If you annihilate the pursuers, our leader can change his appearance inside the city. How will they even begin to look?"

The buyer is never as shrewd as the seller—they'd clearly counted on Chu Danqing's strength. No wonder they were so generous.

"What if I fail?" Chu Danqing asked.

"Our leader is blessed by heaven—he won't come to harm," Liu Bai replied. His words implied backup plans.

They weren't afraid he'd fail—otherwise, why come to Lin Yuan City at all?

Before they decided to come, Chu Danqing hadn't even been considered.

"Fine. I'll clean it up thoroughly," Chu Danqing said. He'd accepted the mission and gained an A-rank side quest—he had no intention of slacking.

"Then I'll take my leave. In three days, I'll bring your leader to you."

Saying this, Chu Danqing rose and left immediately.

He still had to prepare—he was attending a banquet tonight.

Jia Simou's banquet wasn't a Hongmen Banquet, but it wasn't a proper one either.

"Let me see you off, Young Master Chu," Liu Bai rose to accompany him. Yang Wenju followed.

Once past the mansion gate, Yang Wenju didn't return—he caught up.

"Something you need?" Chu Danqing asked.

He assumed Yang Wenju would join Zhao Ming Hui—otherwise, how could Liu Bai have spoken so openly?

"I came specifically to thank you for saving my life," Yang Wenju said, pulling something from his sleeve. "You made one mistake earlier."

"I am not destitute."

"So I believe you deserve compensation." He handed the item to Chu Danqing.

Chu Danqing initially refused—but when he saw its properties, he slipped it into his pocket.

It was one of the Nine Tripod Maps.

【Bi'an Scroll · Law】

【Type: Equipment · Scroll】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Durability: 100/100】

【Iron Prison Suppressing Evil (Passive): Deal an extra 10 true damage to targets with negative status effects】

【Draw a Prison (Passive): Reduce negative status resistance by 50%】

【Equipment Requirement: None】

The effects were still monstrous—an Excellent-tier item with true damage. Too bad it had restrictions.

Besides, he didn't fight personally. Ten true damage meant nothing to him—and he'd lose half his negative status resistance for nothing.

The scroll depicted a dragon-like creature formed from Shuo Dynasty legal inscriptions, resembling a tiger—Bi'an's form.

"This is my family's ancestral copy of the Shuo legal code, said to have been written by the founding Emperor," Yang Wenju said bitterly. "But don't believe it—if it truly were the Emperor's handwriting, how could it be in my hands?"

"Over the years, I've held my own against Lin Yuan's officials in debate—this scroll's legal code has been indispensable."

"It's saved me from defeat multiple times."

"Even if not written by the founding Emperor, it's an artifact from the dynasty's early days."

"It may be worthless, but it's the most valuable thing I own now."

"Please, Young Master Chu, accept it," Yang Wenju pleaded sincerely.

He knew his situation well—by staying at Liu's mansion, he was already tied to Zhao Ming Hui's sinking ship.

He couldn't leave. He felt unworthy to keep this legal scroll, so he chose to give it to Chu Danqing.

He also resented the injustice done to him. To seek revenge, only Zhao Ming Hui could help.

Appeal to the throne? He'd just be asking for death.

They'd already said Lin Yuan's business was the Empress Dowager's personal wealth. Now she ruled from behind the curtain—the Emperor was a puppet.

What good would an appeal do? It'd be buried, swept under the rug. Once the storm passed, he'd be a corpse in the wilds.

Zhao Ming Hui was his only sliver of hope.

"Fine. We're even," Chu Danqing said without hesitation, took it, and stowed it in his storage space.

Compared to the Pu Lao Scroll, the Bi'an Scroll was useless—he wouldn't equip it.

If Iron Prison Suppressing Evil could add "summoned creatures" to its passive effect, Chu Danqing would equip it without a second thought.

That would mean every attack dealt a mandatory -10 HP true damage. As for the negative status requirement? No problem.

Bai Long's Guardian Home Talent could turn its Curse and Malice effects—reducing all stats and inflicting weakness—into a low-tier aura.

This equipment only requires a negative status to trigger—it doesn't care about strength, so just getting hit is enough.

If you're not powerful enough, what right do you have to reduce negative status resistance by fifty percent?

"You saved my life—how can you speak of even accounts?" Yang Wenju replied.

Chu Danqing merely waved his hand to signal no need for words, then boarded the war chariot and departed.

After watching Chu Danqing leave, Yang Wenju turned and returned to the Liu residence.

Chu Danqing, meanwhile, was pondering something.

"No wonder it's a side quest—it just pushed my progress to two-ninths all at once."

"But these two Nine Tripod Maps are far too coincidental."

Chu Danqing looked at the suffixes of the two Nine Tripod Maps: Coastal Frontier and Legal Code.

They involved maritime smuggling and corruption—perfectly matching the content of these two scrolls.

"Probably not a coincidence," Chu Danqing muttered, slipping on the Xuan Lin Armor right then and there.

Now he possessed three pieces of equipment: the White Fleece Robe, the Silver Scale Cloud Brocade, and the Xuan Lin Armor.

"I need to find a fine-grade summoning armor," Chu Danqing knew that at the preparatory level, excellent-grade was the upper limit.

It still had use at Rank 1, but it shifted from cornerstone to mediocre—neither outstanding nor worthless.

Fine-grade was the standard for top-tier Rank 1 Acolytes.

Each rank upgrade rendered a corresponding quality obsolete.

Rank 1 Acolytes rarely used common-grade items.

"Without the Sprint Class's bonus missions, my income has dropped—I'm not used to it," Chu Danqing calculated his gains; they were truly meager.

(End of Chapter)