Tang Ya, Codename [Green Vine]

Then Xuan Zi changed the subject. "Mu Jin tells me you even applied to take electives in the Soul Tool Department?"

Gu Mingyuan nodded. "The Golden Jade Body excels in a head-on fight, but it lacks ranged attacks, mobility, and control. Soul Tools can fill those gaps. Besides... the Tang Sect I want to build can't cling to the same old Hidden Weapons from ten thousand years ago."

Xuan Zi offered no opinion on the Tang Sect's history. With a turn of his wrist, he took a red card edged with exquisite gold patterns from his Storage Soul Tool and tossed it to Gu Mingyuan.

"This is Treasure Pavilion's top-tier Red-Level VIP Card."

"Show it at the Treasure Appreciation Auction, and you can take any one treasure for free each year, regardless of price. For anything else sold directly by the pavilion, your Black-Level Sea God Token and this card combine to bring the price down to thirty percent."

Gu Mingyuan caught the red card, his fingers pausing for a moment.

He understood exactly how much this privilege was worth.

In the original story, the academy had granted this privilege to win over Huo Yuhao. Now Xuan Zi had placed it in his hands himself.

"Thank you, Xuan Zi." Gu Mingyuan tucked the card into his clothes.

Xuan Zi waved a hand. "Don't thank me yet. This isn't a gift with no strings attached. The academy's higher-ups will be watching what you take from the auction and how you use this privilege. Don't waste good treasures, and don't squander your talent."

With that, Xuan Zi lingered no longer. He turned and strolled toward Sea God Lake.

Gu Mingyuan remained where he was, rubbing his thumb over the cool red card in his palm. He couldn't help chuckling.

The old man did as he pleased, but he certainly got things done. For now, he seemed all right.

If I ever take control of the Holy Spirit Cult, I could leave him a seat as a grand elder in its Hall of Worship.

It would suit him.

After the afternoon classes ended, Mu Jin pressed a black invitation stamped with gold onto the desk.

"Tonight, at the hour of the Dog. Second floor of Treasure Pavilion. The Treasure Appreciation Auction is for the Outer Court's core disciples only." Mu Jin tapped the desk. "Don't be late."

Gu Mingyuan picked up the invitation and ran a finger over its raised dark-gold patterns. His eyes flickered.

He knew how valuable this auction was. With the top-tier red card Xuan Zi had just given him, he could take one exhibit for free tonight. His combined privileges would also let him buy any other treasures at the rock-bottom price of thirty percent.

Gu Mingyuan put away the invitation and headed to Class One's Training Ground, where he found Cao Jinxuan and Zhou Sichen preparing to go to the dining hall.

All three were now recognized by the Martial Soul Department as Outer Court core disciples. Cao Jinxuan and Zhou Sichen had each received an ordinary red invitation. They compared times and agreed to meet at Treasure Pavilion's entrance at the hour of the Dog.

"I have some personal business in South City. Go eat without me. See you tonight."

With that, Gu Mingyuan left the academy alone and disappeared into the dusk-lit streets of Shrek City.

On a secluded street corner in South City stood Spring Return Apothecary.

The front door was half closed. The gray-clad attendant behind the counter had the same vacant eyes as before. At the sound of footsteps, he turned mechanically, shut the shop door, hung up a wooden "Closed" sign, then led Gu Mingyuan down to the third underground level.

Gu Mingyuan made a practiced cut across his palm, letting blood drip into the groove in the statue's base.

Crimson light flared deep within the secret chamber, and a phantom rapidly took shape in midair.

"So soon? What is it?"

Gu Mingyuan looked up, helplessness showing on his face. "There's been a problem with the recruitment plan we settled on."

The atmosphere chilled. "Were you discovered?"

"My cover wasn't blown." Gu Mingyuan shook his head.

"I used the Tang Sect's name as cover in South City. But yesterday, Tang Ya, the actual Tang Sect leader at Shrek, came to my door. She brought Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao, and the others straight to my courtyard. We fought, and the commotion drew the academy's higher-ups."

He paused, weaving truth and lies together.

"The academy forbade me from using the Tang Sect's name to contact or recruit any more students who'd been eliminated."

Feng Ling did not believe him at once. The phantom leaned forward slightly, and a crushing wave of spiritual power settled on Gu Mingyuan's shoulders.

"You aren't using this as an excuse to stall, are you?" A dangerous edge entered her voice.

Gu Mingyuan gave a bitter smile. "Tang Ya, Bei Bei, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xu Sanshi, who was assisting the city guards at the time, were all there. If the cult wants to check, any informant in Shrek City can tell you how much of a scene it caused yesterday."

The chamber fell silent for several breaths. The phantom withdrew her spiritual pressure, accepting his explanation.

"If Shrek is watching that closely, lie low for now," the phantom said coldly.

"Stop wasting your energy on a bunch of eliminated failures. Numbers don't matter. Value does."

That was exactly what Gu Mingyuan had been waiting to hear from her.

"Speaking of value, I did find a worthwhile target."

"Who?"

"Tang Ya, leader of the Tang Sect," Gu Mingyuan said with a smile.

Feng Ling frowned slightly. The name clearly meant nothing to her. "Cultivation? Martial Soul?"

"A Soul Elder, a little over level thirty. Her Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass."

The phantom paused, then gave a soft laugh. "Ten thousand years later, and the so-called Tang Sect is still playing with Blue Silver Grass? A little girl with a useless Martial Soul was worth coming here to report?"

"What if her Blue Silver Grass could devour life force to fuel her cultivation?"

The laughter stopped abruptly.

"Are you certain?"

"Absolutely." Gu Mingyuan looked straight at the phantom.

"She hasn't fully gone down that path yet, but she's close. The Ironblood Sect killed her parents and seized what remained of the Tang Sect's holdings. Everyone around her, including Huo Yuhao, is advancing rapidly. She alone is stuck at Soul Elder because of her useless Martial Soul."

"Her obsession with revenge, the burden of restoring her sect, and the widening gap between her strength and everyone else's. Bit by bit, those things will drive her into a corner."

The phantom stared at Gu Mingyuan for a long time without speaking.

Ordinary Blue Silver Grass was hardly fit for compost. But a dark Blue Silver Grass that could devour life and feed on blood and vengeance was another matter.

What was more, Tang Ya was a student in Shrek's Outer Court and the rightful leader of the Tang Sect. Her identity alone offered the Holy Spirit Cult plenty of ways to use her.

"Put her on the Grade-A Watchlist. Her provisional codename is [Green Vine]."

Feng Ling made her decision at once. "For now, your task is to watch her in secret. Keep track of her cultivation, any changes in her relationship with Bei Bei, and the Ironblood Sect's movements. Remember, do not approach her without authorization. We cannot alert her too soon."

Fifteen minutes later, Gu Mingyuan stepped out of the apothecary into the cool night breeze.

He stopped and weighed the Storage Ring full of Gold Soul Coins in his hand. Another two hundred thousand.

The night deepened.

In the center of Shrek City, Treasure Pavilion was already ablaze with light, its glow brightening half the night sky.

Gu Mingyuan put away the Soul Tool, straightened his collar, and strode toward their meeting place.