Chapter 530: Joining the Ranks

The YoungMaster frowned at these words, but immediately laughed: "Well said. What is my status? Using the term 'human trafficker' for me is beneath my dignity. I truly ruined my own reputation just now. If not for the Deep Shadow Society, this YoungMaster would never sell people, only buy them; I am merely a buyer."

Chi Mingjing did not accept his attempt to smooth things over, saying directly: "Human traffickers have a certain scent, it is disgusting. I know it the moment I smell it. Before, at Baorenwu's place, I felt like vomiting every single moment. This camp is very clean, and I feel quite at ease."

The YoungMaster exchanged a glance with the white-haired person and stopped bickering over the topic of whether they were human traffickers, instead raising an eyebrow: "You have quite some nerve! You've already entered, yet you dare to say such things? Do you think the world is only unwelcoming to you because of human traffickers? Your attitude is detestable. With one word from this YoungMaster, I could ensure you never walk out of this camp."

Chi Mingjing's expression remained calm as she said: "You misunderstand, Excellency. The reason I speak without reservation is that I have cast life and death aside, so it no longer matters. From the moment I entered the camp, I held the resolve to succeed or die. Because I must return to Wangliang Mountain."

The YoungMaster sneered even more, just about to say, 'Do you think everything in the world goes according to your wishes?' when the white-haired person beside him suddenly said: "You say you are going back? Back to Wangliang Mountain? You say you came out of Wangliang Mountain? Stop spouting nonsense. Just as you said we don't have the scent of human traffickers, you also don't have the scent of Wangliang Mountain. You are not only arrogant, but also insincere."

Chi Mingjing said: "I know you can smell the scent of Wangliang Mountain; after all, you are a person of Wangliang Mountain." Addressing the white-haired person, she unconsciously switched to honorifics, far more respectful than she was toward the YoungMaster, "I am not a person of Wangliang Mountain, but my late mentor came from Wangliang Mountain. Now, he has passed away. Back then, he told me he had unfinished business at Wangliang Mountain, and if not resolved, he feared he could not rest in peace. Therefore, no matter what, I must go back. To collect his belongings and fulfill his wish. This is both his wish and mine."

At this moment, the handsome manservant who had brought her in laughed: "Oh, so you want to go back to inherit an estate? That is indeed a major matter."

Chi Mingjing's eyes narrowed, and she looked at him coldly, her gaze filled with murderous intent, like a sharp sword.

By rights, the handsome manservant was not a Sword Guest, and the pressure of a Sword Guest should have crushed him from the Soul, leaving him swaying and in a sorry state. But he did not care at all, showing no reaction whatsoever.

This indifference was not a display of firm willpower, but true unconcern; Chi Mingjing's Momentum posed no threat to him at all.

Chi Mingjing felt a secret jolt and gradually withdrew her Momentum, thinking: This camp is full of hidden talents! Not only do the two people sitting above exceed her in strength, but even these two green-robed manservants are no ordinary people.

Even the woman sitting beside the YoungMaster with shifting eyes, and even the servant burning the fire outside, could be figures hiding their true colors; this place is a true den of tigers and wolves!

Just as she had said, she came here with the resolve to succeed or die; although the people opposite her were unfathomable, she was not afraid, nor did she intend to retreat.

It was just that her attitude needed to be more polite.

She said slowly: "I do not wish to inherit my teacher's estate. Saying this might be disrespectful to my late teacher; what he could give me, he already bestowed upon me in my childhood. He enabled my rebirth, and I will never forget it. But what he did not give me back then, even if it were useful at the time, I do not need now. Even if he were to return from the dead and hand it to me himself, I would not accept it. I only want to do something for him now, such as making up for his regrets while he was alive. If he has other heirs, I am very willing to transfer all the estate to them; I do not covet even a tiny bit."

She spoke sincerely, and the lazy YoungMaster said: "Hmm, that doesn't sound like Alie. I also believe you are not a person blinded by greed—but what does this have to do with us? Why should we accept you? Just because of the deep bond between you and your dead teacher? Because you see injustice and kill without mercy? Because your origins are unknown and your nature is hard to judge?"

Chi Mingjing was not in a hurry, saying: "I naturally would not ask for a ride for nothing. If it were for merchants joining the Deep Shadow Society, I would say I am willing to pay a reward. Over these many years, I have saved up some wealth that should satisfy ordinary people. But you should be people of Wangliang Mountain..."

As she spoke, her gaze lingered on the white-haired person's white hair, and she said: "That makes it even more convenient. My teacher left me information, as well as some relics he left at Wangliang Mountain back then. Some have lost their meaning as times have changed. But some are still precious, for example... they can help you seize an estate."

The YoungMaster and the white-haired person exchanged glances again and laughed out loud, saying: "Seize an estate? Do you know who I am? I am an estate owner; this YoungMaster is going back to inherit an estate. Would I covet your estate?"

Chi Mingjing said: "Good things like estates are limited in Wangliang Mountain. Isn't it better to have more?"

The YoungMaster shook his head and said: "Indeed, who would complain about having too much wealth? But this YoungMaster happens to have a nature that is indifferent to fame and wealth; as long as I have enough, I am too lazy to bother. If you were to hand over a ready-made estate, I would not decline, but if you only provide information and expect us to go and snatch it ourselves, I really am too lazy to move."

Chi Mingjing said unhurriedly: "Indeed, the wealth of the world is all the same, but estates are not all the same. Since you are from Wangliang Mountain, you naturally know that the status of an estate is not determined by the amount of wealth or sword slaves, but by the relationship with me... with Lord Wangliang."

Perhaps influenced by her late teacher, she was very respectful toward Wangliang. Although she did not call him 'Master' like those inside Wangliang Mountain, she added an honorific: "Only an estate favored by Lord Wangliang has a voice in Wangliang Mountain and can request communication with Lord Wangliang. Ordinary estates are merely tenants of Wangliang Mountain. Even if they are beaten into dust, no one will care. And the clue I hold now is an estate that can lead directly to the top—Changyi Manor."

There was silence in the tent for a moment, and the white-haired person said: "Oh, tell me about it."

Chi Mingjing stayed in the large tent for a long time, and in the end, she exchanged for an identity within the team.

The so-called identity was that of a servant in the team, equivalent to Weise and the others. Doing odd jobs in the team, it was essentially similar to her status in Baorenwu's team before.

It could only be this way; what else? Let her be a bodyguard as a Sword Guest?

That was certainly impossible; the number of Sword Guests in the team was limited, and adding one more would never pass the screening of Wangliang Mountain.

Should they drive away one of their own prepared Sword Guests for her, cutting off their own arm?

Actually, logically speaking, as a Sword Guest, she would not pass the entrance guard of Wangliang Mountain, but fortunately, Chi Mingjing had a method to completely seal her strength, making her look like an ordinary person; in fact, if she did not undo the seal, she could only exert the strength of an ordinary person.

This sealing ability did not seem to be Sword Art, at least not her own Sword Art; it looked very perfect, at least none of the people opposite her could see any flaws.

Chi Mingjing said that if anyone had a need to hide their strength, she could also help them seal it, ensuring it was flawless. However, everyone refused—this was not a question of need, but a question of trust. No one would hand over their power to a stranger they had just met.

Thus, this group on the edge of Liangzhou changed from eleven people to twelve.

Once Chi Mingjing obtained her temporary identity proof, Weise led her out of the tent and assigned her a small tent of her own. From then on, in every camp, she could sleep inside it.

Actually, according to her apparent status, she should not live in a tent alone. But no one was willing to share a tent with her. If she were a man, she could have lived with the two boy servants, but she was a woman, and the two girl servants each had their own secrets and refused to live with outsiders, so she had to live alone, which was good for everyone.

Anyway, this team was somewhat informal, and they could disband once they reached Wangliang Mountain.

After Chi Mingjing went out, the green-robed manservant who remained behind gently pulled a switch in the tent, and an invisible Array immediately covered the large tent, separating the inside from the outside to ensure that information would never leak.

Confirming the safety inside, the handsome manservant said: "Junior brother, you seem a bit moved; could it be that you knew her before? A friend from your past?"

He was speaking to the white-haired person who looked to be of some age, and naturally, the white-haired person answered him, his voice quite young, different from the accent of the middle-aged man before:

"Indeed, I should have met her. And I should have met her dead teacher as well. But we are definitely not friends. Her master's death has to do with me, and I was also ambushed by her master; calling us enemies is not an exaggeration. If her master hadn't died back then, I would definitely have taken revenge if I saw him today. The hatred is even greater than that of Baorenwu. As for her personally, I have only had contact with her, no grudges."

The handsome manservant was thoughtful and said: "So there is a grudge? This woman seems to treat her master as family; do you have a blood feud with her? There might be trouble in the future; perhaps we should eliminate the root of the problem."

The white-haired person said: "I don't consider myself to have a grudge against her, and I won't vent my anger on her because of her teacher's affairs. I also won't bring it up unnecessarily to create complications. When our positions are the same and our interests align, we can cooperate. But if she recognizes me and insists on settling scores regardless of right or wrong, then she should help pay the debt her master owed back then."

The handsome manservant said: "It really is you, Azhao."

Tang Zhao, who was called Azhao by the handsome manservant and was disguised as the white-haired person, smiled and said: "At least the information she brought is still useful. We are still at the stage of taking one step and seeing one step after entering Wangliang Mountain; she can make us take one step and see two steps. From this point of view, she is worth keeping. But her strength is not bad, and I am afraid Weise cannot keep an eye on her. I ask Senior brother to put in some effort and specifically keep an eye on her."

The one Tang Zhao called Senior brother was naturally Jiang Shenyi. Although he was not a Sword Guest, he had made remarkable progress in studying the Soul these days and had further developed himself; his comprehensive strength was not inferior to a Sword Guest, and coupled with Weise's alertness and adaptability, it was more than enough to keep an eye on a Chi Mingjing.

Jiang Shenyi agreed, and Tang Zhao immediately added: "According to the schedule, tomorrow night we will arrive at Yulang, the transit point before Wangliang Mountain. Let's confirm the plan one last time, call Laofeng, Aqin, and the others over, and let's have one final meeting; it can be considered a final mobilization."