Treasures

By the time Kang Dabao heard the commotion and reached the courtyard, the other three were already there: two standing, one lying down.

Daoist Wu's scrawny body lay on the ground, his Storage Bag already taken.

His corpse had been severed in two at the hips. His eyes bulged as though they might pop out, and his pale face had turned a ghastly purple, filled with terror. He had died a miserable death.

The dead man's face was an ugly sight, and the three living men looked no better.

Daoist Wu's abilities were not weak; everyone had at least taken it for granted that he was stronger than Kang Dabao.

"What do you two Daoist brothers think? Who could have killed Brother Wu?" Gu Laoliu was again the first to break the silence.

"Damned bad luck." Niu Gui'er looked displeased and muttered a curse, offering no answer.

He had done his share of killing for treasure, but had rarely had to collect a corpse. Yet the man had died on his property, leaving him no choice.

First, he summoned a descendant from his mortal family and sent him to report the matter to the stewards of Great Zhai Market.

Then he took a paper horse from his sleeve, held two fingers together like a sword, and fixed it in midair, tracing several strokes over it.

Moments later, the palm-sized paper horse swelled into the shape of a fine steed as tall as a grown man. It let out a long whinny and galloped out of the courtyard on its long legs.

It was going to carry the news to Pine Forest Temple. Apart from Daoist Wu, there was another cultivator at the temple now: the "sister-in-law" in the tale of "murdering his brother and stealing his sister-in-law."

"Was he killed by a blade or sword Law Artifact?" Gu Laoliu asked gravely.

"Not necessarily. If a formidable body cultivator struck with a hand blade, the wound would be just as smooth.

"Judging by Daoist Wu's wound, there also seem to be traces of scorching. That would explain why, though his body was cut in two, not a drop of blood splashed out."

Kang Dabao frowned. Such methods were far beyond his own.

"He just had to die and dirty this piece of Lord Niu's land."

Niu Gui'er did not care what had killed Daoist Wu. He only resented the man for dying in his courtyard and causing him so much trouble.

The other two were not surprised by his coldness. They asked themselves what they would have done in the same situation and reckoned it would have been much the same.

"Are the stewards of Great Zhai Market fond of meddling?" Gu Laoliu's Five Birds Mountain was some distance from White Sand County, and he had never visited this market before, so he knew little about the people there.

"If Steward Zhai San is still in charge, the death of a great household's scion or an immortal sect disciple in these parts would probably turn the whole Great Zhai Market upside down as they investigated.

"But for people like you and me, it'll cost three to five Spirit Stones at most to have the place cleaned up."

Kang Dabao spoke lightly, thinking it no great matter. Low-level cultivators' lives were as cheap as grass; if a wild cultivator like Daoist Wu, with no backing whatsoever, died, he died. Nothing could be more ordinary.

Generally speaking, markets appointed formidable figures as stewards, whose main duty was to maintain order. Larger markets might even have their own cultivator Dao soldiers.

But whether large or small, markets generally forbade fighting, to say nothing of a cultivator losing his life.

After all, if things got ugly, the market's reputation would suffer, and so would business.

As a merchant renting a shop there, Niu Gui'er was being prudent in reporting the matter.

If he had dared bury the body on the spot, neither Kang Dabao nor Gu Laoliu had any friendship with him to speak of. Who knew whether those two might report him for a reward?

Reporting it himself cost one price; if the stewards caught the scent and came looking on their own, the price would be quite another.

Before long, Niu Gui'er's mortal descendant returned with a Zhai Household member at the Early Qi Refining Stage.

The man yawned as he walked, his steps unsteady. The heavy scent of rouge and powder about him nearly made the servant leading him cough aloud.

Daoist Wu had clearly only just died; his body was still warm.

Yet the Zhai Household member pinched his nose and raised his sleeve to cover half his face before slowly approaching to within one step of Daoist Wu.

After taking no more than two or three cursory glances, he shot everyone present a look of disgust. Then he spoke in a thin, high-pitched voice:

"Find somewhere to bury him. It's the perfect time to listen to music at the pleasure houses, yet I've had the bad luck to come and deal with this accursed business.

"Shopkeeper Niu, whether or not this filthy deed was yours, Third Clan Uncle says only that you were lucky the Zhai Household didn't catch you in the act.

"Remember, this matter ends here. If word gets out, Shopkeeper Niu, you'd best consider the consequences.

"But my steward clan uncle also asked me to pass on a message: a man can't be lucky every time. In future, Shopkeeper Niu had best do more honest business and conduct himself properly."

The message meant that the steward of Great Zhai Market had already decided Niu Gui'er was the killer, which was only to be expected.

Daoist Wu was merely a Rogue Cultivator who had come to Niu Gui'er's place under the pretext of visiting a friend. It would have been strange indeed for the market steward to go to the trouble of finding the real killer for someone like him.

Whether Niu Gui'er had anything to do with it or not, the yellow mud had already been smeared on his backside.

After Niu Gui'er saw the Zhai Household member out and returned with a dark face, Gu Laoliu and Kang Dabao resumed discussing Daoist Wu's death.

"Did the killer break into the courtyard and ambush Daoist Wu?" Gu Laoliu examined the traces in the courtyard.

"I don't think so." Kang Dabao shook his head and pointed at the ground beneath Daoist Wu's body.

"If this person struck in the courtyard, cutting Daoist Wu in two with one blow, yet controlled the force so precisely that it harmed only Daoist Wu and not a blade of grass or a tree beyond him...

"To control their strength to such a degree, wouldn't the killer have to be a great cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Realm?"

"More likely one on the verge of Core Formation." Niu Gui'er sneered, plainly showing little interest in investigating Daoist Wu's death.

Then he added mockingly, "If it really were someone like that, the Zhai family's old ancestor and their Attendants would all have to come out to welcome them.

"A chicken at the Middle Qi Refining Stage-such a person could just haul him out and kill him. Who would they be hiding their head and showing their tail for?

"And afterward, they even took his Storage Bag with its paltry few things. Could they have been afraid that the poisonous woman at Pine Forest Temple would inherit her adulterer's property and go find herself another lover to marry?"

"Then Daoist Wu was killed outside the courtyard. But it's only been the time it takes to drink a cup of tea since our gathering ended."

Gu Laoliu frowned, disbelief creeping into his voice.

"It must have been some formidable enemy of his."

Kang Dabao had been worried that, since he had only recently fallen out with Daoist Wu, someone seeking redress might pin the matter on him.

But after reasoning it through, he was delighted. How could he possibly be blamed when he had no such ability?

"All right, that settles Daoist Wu's affair. I'll arrange for someone to prepare his remains and wait for someone from Pine Forest Temple to collect them.

"But we still need to settle the matter of the Four Ghosts of the Liu Household.

"Do we put it aside for now and look for another opportunity, or stick to the appointed time, wait for the other two fellow Daoists, and go through with the deal? I'd like to hear what you two think.

"As I see it, we proceed as planned. Daoist Wu wasn't all that capable; his loss won't keep us from doing business." Niu Gui'er's tone was unpleasant.

His reputation was already ruined because he had made several profits without capital without properly cleaning up afterward.

This time, Daoist Wu had come as a guest at his invitation and lost his life in his courtyard.

Once word got out, how could the cultivators nearby who did not know the details believe he had nothing to do with it?

Of course no one would believe him. Even Kang Dabao and Gu Laoliu, standing right before him, might not.

After this, he, Niu Gui'er, was probably another step closer to the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty's Evil Cultivator List. Perhaps next time, someone would come to take his head.

Kang Dabao fell silent, beginning to think of backing out.

He had never been fond of risking his life, and with Daoist Wu dead, the strength of this makeshift band of motley troops had dropped another notch. It was far too precarious.

Or should I go back tomorrow and coax Third Brother for a few more days?

No, that won't do. That brat has been led astray by the eldest of the He Household; his head is full of schemes to pick up Spirit Stones along the trade routes.

For all I know, he'll sneak off behind my back one day. If I don't equip him with Law Artifacts, how could I set my mind at ease when all he has is a low-grade flying sword?

"I was worried the reward for the Four Ghosts of the Liu Household wouldn't be enough to share. I never expected Brother Wu to be so considerate. It's a good thing, really."

Gu Laoliu once again wore that expression of his, with a smile for everyone he met.

Niu Gui'er turned solemnly to Gu Laoliu. "Brother Gu, you should watch what you say. Don't frighten your little brother here."

At those words, Kang Dabao also frowned, slowly moving his right hand to his Storage Bag.

It had all happened so suddenly that he had almost forgotten that Gu Laoliu, who imprisoned ghosts and refined souls, was also someone who had come close to making the Evil Cultivator List.

"Heh heh, what I mean is, we've finally come across a good deal. It would be a terrible pity if we had to wait for another chance.

"As businessmen, a little hard work is nothing. The Four Ghosts of the Liu Household are mine for the taking." Gu Laoliu spoke slowly, his tone firm.

"That's what I think too. What do you say, Fellow Daoist Kang?" Niu Gui'er asked coldly.

"Things weren't quite right to begin with, and now we have this unexpected business with Daoist Wu. The Four Ghosts of the Liu Household are no easy opponents. It might be better to invite a few fellow cultivators we know to lend a hand.

"But there's no hurry. The appointed day is still three days away. Once Fellow Daoist Bai and Second Sister Song arrive, we can all sit down and discuss it properly."

Kang Dabao was not afraid of the two vicious men and made his wish to back out plain.

"If everyone pursued the Dao like you, Sect Leader Kang, I fear they wouldn't reach Foundation Establishment even with five hundred years to live."

Niu Gui'er sneered and swept his sleeves as he entered his meditation room, tacitly accepting Kang Dabao's suggestion.

"Brother Niu is different from us; he has hope of attaining the Great Dao. Don't take it to heart, Brother Kang. Heh heh, the sight of blood has made this old man terribly dizzy, so I'll return to my room and rest."

After offering Kang Dabao comfort that could have been sincere or not, Gu Laoliu also went back to his room to rest, his hands behind his back.

Kang Dabao spat inwardly. You're dizzy? Would a dung beetle stop eating at the sight of a latrine? Who told you my Dao Path was hopeless? I'm only thirty-three. How can I be the same as an old codger like you? I've got a great Dao Path ahead of me.

Fuming, Kang Dabao cursed his way back to his room and ate some of the dry rations he had brought. He was just about to go to bed when-

Something in his Storage Bag broke free on its own. Before the astonished Kang Dabao could close his mouth, it had smashed through the door and flown straight into the courtyard, striking Daoist Wu's corpse.

In an instant, Daoist Wu's flesh and blood turned to fine dust. A cool breeze blew, and Daoist Wu filled the entire courtyard.