Chapter 809: Way Out

Incorrect.

Why report to the royal court?

The royal court's reach is limited; they couldn't possibly know these trivial matters, yet precisely because they are trivial they are crucial—perhaps I could also wade in the murky waters...

Wu Suzi fell silent for a moment, then exchanged a voice transmission with Xiong Feiyu.

"So Hall Master's meaning is that he wants us to act and save your life?"

"Exactly."

"Then why don't you seek sect protection?" Wu Suzi asked, getting to the core of the matter.

Wu Suzi also worried the affair was too large, likely deeply entangled; how could one act rashly without clarifying it?

"Because Elder Yuan of my sect also knows about this, and Elder Pang Mingde of the Paolong Sacred Land is also scheming, I cannot turn to the sect for help; any such move would likely trap me forever in the Sect Mining Area."

"No wonder," Xiong Feiyu smiled. "There are many eyes watching from outside the City Lord's residence; I wondered who it was."

Yan Buji felt a chill; he knew those were men placed by Yuan Zhen or Pang Mingde.

Wu Suzi thought for a moment: "If so, agreeing to Hall Master is fine, but you must tell us their exact movements."

"No problem, I will deliver the information to you both at the right time, so..."

Xiong Feiyu tossed a map and a token: "This is a map of several demon continents; go wherever you like. Possessing this token lets you travel across demon continents outside the royal court's domain!"

Yan Buji exhaled, his face full of gratitude, and said, "Thank you, City Lord!"

After leaving the City Lord's residence, Yan Buji pretended to carry a heap of items and returned to the tavern.

Taking advantage of the moment, he told several Elders about tonight's events, covering the truth, saying only that the City Lord intended to smuggle a shipment and wanted them to take over.

When the Elders saw the demon trade association's goods that were explicitly prohibited from export that Yan Buji produced, they believed him and began discussing who would accept this boon!

Yan Buji generously shared the profits with all the Elders present, though of course it was all a façade.

"By invoking smuggling, I now have a pretext to legitimately contact Xiong Feiyu. Though I don't know what they're planning, I must also guard against them turning on me."

Yan Buji squinted and produced a messenger talisman.

"Huang Tianshangren."

"Brother Yan, you seek me now—what great trouble have you run into?"

"Help me scout a route; once the matter is settled, I'll give you three million Spiritual Stones," Yan Buji said calmly.

On the other end, Huang Tianshangren's face twitched; he thought to himself that Yan Buji was making a fortune, three million Spiritual Stones was easy to take.

Huang Tianshangren counted on his fingers, frowned, and asked, "Where are you headed?"

"To a demon continent; I'll give you the map later. Help me explore these routes and tell me which is safest."

"No problem."

Yan Buji laughed; though he couldn't fully trust Huang Tianshangren, their rapport was decent, and this time he was paying him to act. Among cultivators who calculate cause and effect, breaking a covenant for personal gain invites Heaven's Punishment.

But nothing is absolute; Yan Buji couldn't tell Huang Tianshangren why he needed the scouting, and he naturally believed the latter wouldn't betray him without cause.

Having reached this point, Yan Buji's plan was essentially complete; now he only needed to wait for Yun Qing to arrive.

It was late, and they weren't in a hurry to return.

Yan Buji returned to the tavern's private room, waved his hand to lay down a sound‑proof seal. He tapped the tabletop with his fingertip, a shrewd glint flashing in his eyes.

"Xiong Feiyu and Wu Suzi agreed far too readily..." he murmured to himself, "The demon race is notoriously deceitful; they can't shelter me on mere words alone."

He took out the demon token and rubbed it in his palm. The token was jet‑black, its front bearing a snarling wolf head, the back covered with dense demon runes. Yan Buji narrowed his eyes, and a strand of spiritual energy gathered at his fingertip, probing the runes!

"Indeed!"

The token concealed a tracking seal; anyone carrying it would have their movements monitored by the demon race. Yan Buji sneered, retrieved a yellowed talisman from his storage ring, and affixed it to the token. The talisman ignited a faint blue flame, gradually eroding the internal seal.

"Trying to surveil me?" he said, tucking away the modified token, "I'll just borrow your help to stir this pool."

The talisman was also one of Yan Buji's collections, designed to dispel seals, but fearing that an instant breach might alert Xiong Feiyu and Wu Suzi, he deliberately throttled its power.

A faint slicing sound came from outside the window. Yan Buji's expression remained unchanged as a blood‑red short blade slipped from his sleeve.

"Hall Master, impressive tactics."

A black silhouette seeped through the window crack, taking human form. The newcomer was cloaked entirely in a black robe, face and origins unknown.

"Who are you?!" Yan Buji said coldly.

"Elder Yuan sent me with a message," the black‑robed voice rasped. "'The plan has changed; three days later at Zi hour, meet at the dried well on the east side of the mining area.'"

Yan Buji was puzzled: "Are you a subordinate of Elder Yuan??"

"Hall Master need not know so much."

"And Pang Mingde has already set out to return to Luohuang Zhou," the black‑robed figure chuckled lowly. "Hall Master shouldn't refuse, right?"

"Naturally not," Yan Buji smiled. "Please tell Elder Yuan I'll arrive on time."

The black‑robed figure dissolved into black mist. Yan Buji stared at the moonlight outside, a flash of blood hue flickering in his eyes.

Three days later, at Zi hour.

Beside the dried well on the east side of the mining area, Yan Buji stood with his hands behind his back. The night wind raised sand, and faint demon‑beast howls drifted from afar.

"You've come."

A voice of Yuan Zhen suddenly echoed from the well. Yan Buji looked down and saw a speck of golden light at the bottom, Yuan Zhen's ethereal projection hovering within.

"Elder Yuan?" Yan Buji asked, puzzled, "Is this... a false body?"

Yuan Zhen's projection sighed, "Pang Mingde is monitoring my movements." He then shifted tone, "Sheng Xin Meng has confirmed that the Primordial Child within Yun Qing is about to awaken. The Great Commerce Association is preparing to send her to the Dao Realm."

Yan Buji's pupils narrowed slightly: "What is the Dao Realm?"

"The Dao Realm is a legendary forbidden place; even great vehicle cultivators who enter face near‑certain death."

"They're insane?"

"No," Yuan Zhen's projection gave a strange smile, "The Dao Realm is the birthplace of the Primordial Child... and the only place that can separate it."

Yan Buji felt a jolt in his heart. So the Great Commerce Association's scheme was this!

"I need you to do something." Yuan Zhen's phantom drew near, "Yun Qing will surely come to you for revenge. When the time comes, send a word to Pang Mingde and lure him to this place——"

A jade slip flew out from the bottom of the well. Yan Buji caught it, swept it with his divine sense, his expression suddenly changed: "Supreme Wind Cave...... This isn't inside the Demon Beast Continent, is it? No matter what, Pang Mingde wouldn't......"

"You just need to say what I wrote above to him."

"Yes......"

"Remember, lure Pang Mingde over." Yuan Zhen's phantom began to fade, "After this succeeds, whether it's the Sacred Heart Alliance or Yun Qing, you won't need to worry anymore."

"Yes, Elder Yuan."

The phantom completely vanished, the dry well returned to darkness. Yan Buji stood where he was, the jade slip in his hand suddenly ignited, turning to ash.

"The Dark Heaven Emperor?" he muttered, then suddenly laughed, "So Yuan Zhen had this idea in mind."

In the distance, the treetops trembled slightly, a black shadow slipped away silently. Yan Buji pretended not to notice, turned and headed toward the mining area.

Yan Buji knew, that was Pang Mingde's spy.....