Looting [Seeking Follow-up Reads]

He Sheng did his utmost to maintain a calm exterior, but inside, his thoughts were already churning like storm-tossed seas.

He had never imagined that the disguise he had considered foolproof would be seen through by a mere mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator.

It left him both startled and suspicious, while also making him see Kou Xiang'er in a new light.

He had in fact felt something strange earlier. Wu Feng's memories clearly showed no illicit affair with Kou Xiang'er, so why had she acted like a woman madly consumed by a forbidden romance the moment they met?

So it seems Kou Xiang'er saw through my disguise the instant we met and realized I wasn't the real Wu Feng. Yet she quickly made up her mind to curry favor with me, fawn over me in every way, and even offer up her virginity, all to beg for a sliver of hope at survival.

It had to be said that this woman was exceptionally decisive.

It seems this woman has seen far too many filthy and cruel things. Otherwise, she would not instinctively assume that once a Foundation Establishment cultivator disguised as Wu Feng came to her door, she had no chance of survival—that she had to offer her body and everything she knew in exchange for me sparing her life.

This also indirectly proved the iron law of the cultivation world: strength reigned supreme!

When blades met at close quarters, lower cultivators did not dare harbor the slightest thought of resisting higher cultivators.

To be honest, if Kou Xiang'er had not suddenly begged for mercy, He Sheng would never have realized that his disguise had been exposed.

Nor would he have realized that, from beginning to end, he had never once harbored any intent to kill this little maidservant.

It seems I'm still utterly out of place in this world.

He Sheng mocked himself inwardly.

He still carried the values of his previous life and had yet to truly understand the cruel law of the jungle in this world.

But on second thought, wasn't Kou Xiang'er precisely the pawn he needed?

He had just come up with a way to use Wu Feng's identity to lay out a scheme in reverse and utterly bring down Lin Wanrou. What he lacked was an insider thoroughly familiar with the Lower River branch who could cooperate with him.

An idea stirred in He Sheng's heart. At once, he put on the sinister fury of an old monster whose identity had been exposed.

He let out a sinister cackle, and the pressure of Foundation Establishment burst forth like something tangible, completely enveloping Kou Xiang'er's delicate body.

Under that powerful pressure, Kou Xiang'er felt as if she had fallen into an icy abyss. Her entire body trembled like a fallen leaf in the wind, and even breathing became incomparably difficult.

"Spare your life?

That isn't impossible. But what can you give me?"

He Sheng's voice was hoarse, like gravel grinding together.

"As long as Senior commands it, Xiang'er will do everything in her power..."

Kou Xiang'er fought back the suffocating sensation as she stammered, her forehead pressed tightly against the cold floor.

"Fine. There is indeed something you can do."

Seeing that the moment was right, He Sheng withdrew some of his pressure and deliberately infused his voice with greedy desire.

"Where are the Lower River branch's account books? I want the real internal ledgers, not the kind of accounts meant to fool ghosts!"

He Sheng's plan was simple enough. Since Lin Wanrou had borrowed a knife to kill someone, he would borrow a corpse to return the soul—using Wu Feng's identity and joining forces with Kou Xiang'er to put on a fine show of the guard stealing from within!

But since this was a raid, he naturally had to consult the books. He intended not only to strip the Lower River branch's stored goods clean, but also to take every magical artifact displayed in the shop, every so-called treasure that held the store together, and even the spirit stones recorded in the accounts. He did not intend to leave behind a single coin.

He refused to believe that after he pulled off something like this, Lin Wanrou could still sit securely in her position as the person in charge of the Lower River branch!

And besides...

He Sheng sneered inwardly.

At his words, Kou Xiang'er's face changed drastically, and her lips began to tremble violently of their own accord.

She had guessed that "Wu Feng" had come with ill intentions, but she had never expected his appetite to be so immense that he actually wanted to wipe out an entire branch of the Celestial Sea Commerce Association.

If she truly helped the "Wu Feng" before her loot the Lower River branch, then forget continuing as Lin Wanrou's maidservant—she likely would not have a place to hide anywhere within Supreme Mystery Orthodox Unity's territory. The Celestial Sea Commerce Association's kill order would leave her nowhere to flee.

But did she have a choice?

Behind her lay a bottomless abyss; before her stood a man-eating tiger.

Kou Xiang'er gritted her teeth. As if she had exhausted every shred of strength in her body, she said in a trembling voice:

"Half a month ago, Xiang'er accompanied Sixth Miss in conducting this season's inventory and reconciling the accounts.

Xiang'er can assist Senior in stripping the Lower River branch bare. The gains should amount to no less than one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones.

But..."

Kou Xiang'er paused there, as though she had gathered her courage, and also as though she were watching for the reaction of the "Wu Feng" before her.

Yet what she had not expected was that when she secretly raised her eyes to look, she vaguely caught a trace of disappointment in "Wu Feng's" eyes.

He Sheng was indeed somewhat disappointed.

Wasn't this a major commerce association whose reach spanned three states?

Didn't it have countless ties to the Eight Views Sect, the colossal sect of Supreme Mystery Orthodox Unity?

Looting an entire branch would only net one hundred thousand spirit stones?

That was not even half of what Brother Piao had earned over more than ten years of operation.

In He Sheng's view, an enormous organization like the Celestial Sea Commerce Association ought to have far more fat to skim, even at a remote branch. Yet reality seemed not to be so.

He Sheng quickly composed himself, thinking that Silver Sand River was, after all, only a small place—he could not expect too much from it.

He merely looked at Kou Xiang'er, putting on a vicious expression as though he would not mind crushing a delicate flower beneath ruthless hands. "Just say whatever you have to say. After all, you and I have already shared the intimacy of flesh. But if you fail to recognize your own station and harbor any improper desires, don't blame this old man... heh heh."

As he spoke, He Sheng curled his five fingers and made an empty-handed gesture of "crushing" at Kou Xiang'er.

Biting her lip, Kou Xiang'er looked at He Sheng with reddened eyes. "Xiang'er has given up everything to help Senior accomplish such a great deed. From now on, I will be a stray dog with no home. Xiang'er does not dare ask Senior to take me in. I only ask that Senior swear a Dao-heart oath: after this matter is done, spare Xiang'er's life, take Xiang'er to Primordial Mist Immortal City, and let Xiang'er board one of the great merchant guilds' inter-state skyfaring treasure vessels, far away from Supreme Mystery Orthodox Unity."

He Sheng considered it. Primordial Mist Immortal City lay more than ten thousand li to the northeast—one would first head north across the Celestial Capital Mountain Range, then continue eastward all the way.

Though Primordial Mist Immortal City was closer to Qi Province, it bordered Xia Province to the east. It had been founded by the Rogue Cultivator Heavenly Centipede True Person and could be called a holy land for Rogue Cultivators within ten thousand li.

A massive sky harbor had been built within the city, with treasure vessels and merchant ships traveling north and south.

It was a place where fish mingled with dragons, a good place to hide.

"Agreed!"

After a moment's thought, He Sheng accepted.

But Kou Xiang'er immediately added, "Furthermore, Xiang'er begs Senior for mercy. Could Senior perhaps share a portion of this haul with Xiang'er, to serve as the foundation for Xiang'er's future livelihood? After doing this, Xiang'er will no longer have any place to stay and can only go south, to Xing and Chu Provinces. The lands under the True Dao of Netherworld Communion are largely ruled by demonic cultivation sects. If Xiang'er goes there alone, every step will be difficult; one misstep, and Xiang'er may become nourishment for demonic cultivators. Therefore, Xiang'er dares to beg Senior, for the sake of our one day as husband and wife, to show a little mercy."

As she spoke, Kou Xiang'er wept like pear blossoms in the rain. Her hands clutched He Sheng's thigh, her head buried against his abdomen, and her tears nearly soaked through his waistband.

He Sheng had never been a person of utterly ruthless resolve, and for a moment his heart wavered.

Yet his reason remained. He knew that his contest with Lin Wanrou allowed no softness, so he hardened his heart and sneered. "One day as husband and wife is still only one day as husband and wife. You don't happen to have any other demands, do you?"

"Xiang'er would not dare!"

Only then did He Sheng say, "Twenty percent! You may take twenty percent of the wealth obtained this time. Afterward, I will take you north to Primordial Mist Immortal City. Once the goods have been divided, we shall go our separate ways!"

With that, He Sheng swore a Dao-heart oath as promised.

Seeing this, Kou Xiang'er knew this was already the best outcome she could secure. She did not try any more tricks and immediately retrieved the true inner ledger from a hidden place.

He Sheng accepted the jade slip. Sweeping it with his divine sense, he began checking the stored magical artifacts, spirit materials, and other goods one by one. He also verified every displayed artifact in the shop and all the spirit stones recorded in the accounts.

At market prices, the goods should have been worth over a hundred thousand spirit stones. However, half of them were finished magical artifacts, and stolen goods like these could only be sold off cheaply and quickly.

That brought their actual value to around one hundred thousand spirit stones indeed.

The goods of the Lower River branch were divided into several parts.

First were the spirit stones. There were only a little over eight thousand spirit stones in the counter.

Next were the various spirit materials kept in reserve, worth roughly forty to fifty thousand spirit stones.

Last came the largest portion: all kinds of magical artifacts, from low-grade artifacts to top-grade artifacts, more than a hundred pieces in all.

By ledger value alone, the magical artifacts were worth around a hundred thousand spirit stones.

But if handled as stolen goods and sold off quickly, they would likely fetch no more than fifty or sixty thousand spirit stones.

The one thing that surprised He Sheng was that the ledger had a separate entry for rare treasures. Only one item was listed within it: Spirit Rhinoceros Grass.

"What is this Spirit Rhinoceros Grass?"

Upon hearing He Sheng's question, Kou Xiang'er immediately replied, "It is a rare treasure that Sixth Miss acquired by chance. It is said that consuming it can slightly improve one's comprehension. Sixth Miss intended to send it to Primordial Mist Immortal City as an auction item for an upcoming auction."

Increase one's comprehension?!

A flash of inspiration crossed He Sheng's mind, and he hurriedly said, "Bring it to me at once."