Yun Zishan

The next morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten.

Before it was time for Myriad Things Come to open for business, Yang Ning rubbed his bleary eyes, holding a enamel mug with toothpaste on his toothbrush, wearing a white undershirt and floral shorts as he pushed open the room door.

"Whoa!"

Qiao Bin, crouching by the door smoking, startled him.

Yang Ning waved away the smoke and looked at the cigarette butts scattered on the ground.

Qiao Bin looked up, heavy dark circles hanging under his eyes.

"Brother Ning, I'll clean up these butts in a bit. I'm here to buy a Green Bull Drink."

With that, Qiao Bin pulled a Spirit Stone from his chest and placed it in a nearby basket.

Yang Ning casually took a bottle of Green Bull from a cardboard box beside him and handed it to Qiao Bin: "You... didn't sleep all night?"

Qiao Bin silently nodded, twisted off the cap, lit another cigarette, and took a sip of Green Bull followed by a drag, letting the tension in his nerves ease slightly.

"Last night, my juniors and I interrogated that undercover agent all night, even used the Soul Searching Technique that tears the Primordial Spirit. Any more and he'd be ruined. But after the whole night, we got nothing."

Yang Ning pretended to crouch beside Qiao Bin, brushing his teeth nonchalantly.

"Is it that urgent? To interrogate him so relentlessly?"

Qiao Bin gave a bitter laugh and took another deep drag.

"Brother Ning, you might not know. The Old Sect Master is currently selecting the next Sect Master candidate. Our Hall Master, the Dan Peak Peak Master, and the Jade Maiden Peak Peak Master are all competing, with the gap razor-thin. The Sect Master assigned the task of dismantling the Demon Cult's spy network to our Law Enforcement Hall—it's a golden opportunity for our Hall Master."

Qiao Bin finished one cigarette and lit another.

"If that undercover agent spills his handler, our Hall Master will wipe out the entire Demonic Sect's spy network. Then the Sect Master and Supreme Elders will surely favor our Hall Master.

At that point, our hall's disciples will coordinate and spread the word. Hall Master Yun becomes Sect Master Yun—one person rises to power, and all those connected follow suit... The benefits for our Law Enforcement Hall down the line will be incalculable.

But... if that undercover agent refuses to talk... things get tricky..."

Yang Ning had long heard about the competition for the next Sword Sect Sect Master. He nodded in understanding, took a gulp of water, swished the foam in his mouth, and spat it out.

Then Yang Ning pretended to ponder for a moment: "People from the Demon Cult are all tough nuts—the entire Cultivation World knows that."

"No kidding," Qiao Bin nodded.

"But..." Yang Ning's lips curled up.

"I might have some ideas."

Qiao Bin's eyes went wide, and he instantly stood up: "Really... you mean it!?"

Yang Ning thought for a moment: "But I can't guarantee anything, either."

Qiao Bin nervously began pacing back and forth. The things Yang Ning had here left a deep impression on him—many goods, like Lanzhou and Essential Oil, had greatly helped his Immortal Path. Even though Qiao Bin, as the Senior Disciple Brother of the Law Enforcement Hall, was much older than Yang Ning, he still called him "Brother Ning" every time.

"Brother Ning, wait a moment. I'll head back to the sect and find our Hall Master to get approval."

Yang Ning immediately waved his hand: "Eh, forget it, forget it. I thought it over, and it's too much trouble. Going to your Law Enforcement Hall means closing up shop and losing income. Pretend I didn't say anything."

Qiao Bin wasn't about to let the hope that had just risen slip away.

He grabbed Yang Ning's arm, his eyes bloodshot: "Brother Ning, Brother Ning, just wait half a Shichen for me! I'll definitely be back before you open. As for your losses, as long as Sun Kai talks, these Spirit Stones are nothing!"

Yang Ning hesitated, and to Qiao Bin, that moment stretched as long as a year.

Finally, Yang Ning nodded with great reluctance: "Alright."

The next instant, Qiao Bin had summoned a cloud and sped off toward the Law Enforcement Hall.

Yang Ning reached out and waved away the dust Qiao Bin had kicked up, then silently walked over, picked up a plastic broom and dustpan, and began sweeping up the cigarette butts.

For the next half Shichen, Yang Ning kept sweeping back and forth in front of the shop.

As the sun slowly rose, cultivators began to trickle along the bamboo forest path to the open space in front of Myriad Things Come. Usually, they'd line up at the shop door, waiting for Yang Ning to open.

But today, everyone gathered on the other side of the open space, whispering among themselves.

There was Yang Ning, holding a broom and dustpan, repeatedly sweeping ground that had long been clean.

A Dan Peak cultivator wondered: "What's Boss Yang up to...?"

A Beast Taming Peak disciple shook his head: "Not sure. Maybe Brother Ning has something on his mind?"

A Mission Hall cultivator guessed: "Could it be relationship trouble?"

But a Female Disciple from Jade Maiden Peak shook her head, looking at Yang Ning with an admiring expression: "Even though Brother Ning's wearing an undershirt and big shorts, looking a bit rustic, he's handsome and loaded. Who wouldn't want to be Brother Ning's Cultivation Partner?"

A Ruthless Peak disciple snorted coldly: "Just admit you're after Boss Yang's money. The guy's a mortal—you're just hoping all those Spirit Stones will be yours in a Hundred Years."

The Jade Maiden Peak Female Disciple shot a vicious glare at the Ruthless Peak disciple: "Does your Ruthless Peak think there's only profit in the world, no feelings?"

"Isn't that the truth?"

"Hey, you want me to teach you a lesson?"

"My sword is no slouch either!"

Just as the argument was escalating, a chill wind swept through, and everyone felt a sudden cold. Dark clouds gathered, blotting out the sky.

"No way..."