TGCFNM -Chapter 269 The Problem Is Big

Gui Wushuang and Yuan Luo were so startled that they both instinctively took half a step back.

Chu Ling gave an awkward smile and clapped her hands happily. “Senior Brother Yuan Luo, long time no see. And this handsome—well… if I’m not mistaken, you must be Gui Wushuang, Young Master Gui, whom I’ve seen on the streets before.”

A perfect smile appeared on Yuan Luo’s face. “So it’s Magistrate Chu and Master Wan. Have you come to see me about something?”

Wan Sanjin immediately nodded. “Yes, we have!”

Chu Ling’s smile stiffened as she turned her head toward Wan Sanjin, her voice seemingly squeezed through her teeth. “What business would that be?”

Wan Sanjin suddenly raised a hand to rub his eyes and said pitifully, “Sigh, obtaining the invitation by chance was a tremendous blessing. But unfortunately, my skills are shallow. Entering the treasure vault this time will surely be fraught with danger, so I was hoping to go together with you…”

“Huh?” Yuan Luo was taken aback.

Wan Sanjin looked up at the sky in a forlorn manner. “At home, Father trusts my elder brother. Everything goes to him. So I’ve always wanted to accomplish something on my own—so Father can see my hard work and sincerity.”

Ghost Scholar couldn’t help but close his eyes: Who would believe something like that? The people opposite them weren’t fools.

Chu Ling maintained her stiff smile. She also knew the two of them wouldn’t believe it, but at this point, they could only brace themselves and continue.

She gave a light cough and said seriously, “After we arrived here, we noticed that acquaintances were standing in groups of two or three. It’s obvious they’re planning to act together. When the time comes, some can defend while others attack—clear division of labor, much safer.”

Wan Sanjin immediately caught on and added, “I think the physiognomy of the four of us is extremely compatible. If we move together, it will definitely be safer.”

Yuan Luo finally couldn’t maintain his smile and merely stared at Chu Ling with stiff lips. “I’m afraid my junior brothers didn’t explain clearly. The area around Snow Mountain has already been cleared—there’s no danger. It’s just that opening the treasure vault requires everyone to work together, so it may take a bit more effort.”

Chu Ling let out an “Ah,” smiling awkwardly. Now what?

“Let’s go together,” Gui Wushuang suddenly spoke.

Yuan Luo turned his head in surprise, watching the man whose expression was usually eternally icy transform into a frown of helpless disdain. “Wushuang?”

“They really are… both foolish and pitiful.” Gui Wushuang shook his head and turned his back, as if unable to bear looking at them any longer.

Yuan Luo could only say, “Then… all right.”

Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin exchanged a look, rubbed their faces, and shamelessly stayed. Gui Wushuang turned back around as well.

In the small circle, the four of them stood facing one another in silence.

Wan Sanjin, wanting to break the awkwardness, looked at them and said, “Actually, my family is extremely wealthy.”

Yuan Luo: “Hm?” Hm?!

Chu Ling awkwardly chimed in, “I have a silver mine.”

Yuan Luo: “…”

Gui Wushuang frowned. “My Cloud Palace has an entire field of Moonfall Flowers. A single blossom is worth a thousand gold!”

Yuan Luo stammered, “W-we… we have… lots of swords.”

Wan Sanjin let out a “Wow!” “You have so many swords—do you sell them?”

Yuan Luo laughed heartily. “Not for sale.”

Chu Ling twitched her lips. No, this couldn’t go on like this.

“Today, when Forensic Su returned, he gave a detailed account of the autopsy on the Blood Corpse. Based on the case I encountered earlier in Changzhou, as well as the Nangong Jue case, I’d say there’s about an eighty percent chance the murderer is Bai Zhuoxing,” Chu Ling said.

Yuan Luo also frowned. “Master mentioned this as well. He even told me: it was Magistrate Chu who said Bai Zhuoxing had come to Tianjian Mountain.”

Chu Ling nodded. “That’s right. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gifted the Stone Lotus to request that Tianjian Sect capture Bai Zhuoxing.”

Yuan Luo frowned. “The Sect Leader has already made it clear—if Bai Zhuoxing is sighted, Tianjian Sect will spare no cost to kill him on the spot.”

Chu Ling gave a soft hum, her gaze sharpening slightly. “This man is ruthless and full of tricks. When the time comes, we all need to be careful.”

Yuan Luo replied gently, “Indeed. But since Tianjian Sect will handle this matter, Magistrate Chu only needs to stand a little farther away. You won’t be in danger.”

Chu Ling laughed awkwardly, cleared her throat, and changed the subject. “What do you mean by joining forces to open the treasure vault? Is the door very heavy?” If it’s heavy, I should’ve brought Xiao Hua along…

“The door is rather strange,” Yuan Luo explained after a brief pause. “It must be opened using internal energy, so everyone needs to combine their strength.”

He continued, “Actually, fewer people would suffice. That way we could also pay out less Divine Water. But with too few people, once internal energy is exhausted—and being inside another sect’s territory—it’s inevitable that people would feel uneasy.”

Chu Ling thought that made sense.

Gui Wushuang looked at Yuan Luo. “You don’t have to give me that one bottle of Divine Water. Yun Palace doesn’t lack it.”

“I lack it!” Wan Sanjin immediately interjected. “We’re seriously short of it… Father trusts my elder brother. I’ve got nothing…”

“Take it! And shut up!” Gui Wushuang snapped through clenched teeth.

Chu Ling tilted her head slightly, glanced around at the others, and asked in a low voice, “Are these martial artists… good people?”

Gui Wushuang frowned. “In the martial world, there’s no such thing as good or bad people. The one with the bigger fist is the strong one. If you lose and your entire sect gets wiped out, then either you kill your way back—or you wait to die. In the martial world, it’s kill or be killed. There are no good people.”

Yuan Luo couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, “Wushuang, you can actually say that many words at once?”

Gui Wushuang immediately fell silent again.

Chu Ling rebutted, “That’s not necessarily true. Take the two new subordinates I just recruited—they even went to a martial-arts tournament for marriage just to serve as cannon fodder. They’re weak, have no money, and can’t beat anyone in a fight. People like that can’t be considered bad.”

Yuan Luo paused. “That’s… true.”

Chu Ling lowered her voice again. “Are all these people very strong? Are there any who are mid-level? Or even below mid-level?”

Yuan Luo looked at her in astonishment, brows knitted. “Magistrate Chu? You… what are you planning?”

Wan Sanjin immediately denied it. “We’re not planning anything. Just look at our faces—they’re practically stamped with the word ‘kindness.’”

Gui Wushuang sized the two of them up, then suddenly let out a soft scoff. “They’re gathering information. They want to rob the Divine Water?”

“How could we? Impossible.” Chu Ling gave an awkward laugh in denial.

Wan Sanjin waved his hands seriously. “We’re good people.”

At that moment, Yuan Luo suddenly looked at them and smiled—a smile with just a trace more sincerity than before. “If you’re robbing it… that’s fine.”

“Really?” Chu Ling asked. “You’re not lying to me?”

Yuan Luo nodded earnestly. “Rather than letting those with ulterior motives take the Divine Water, it would be better to give it to Magistrate Chu, who gifted us the Stone Lotus.”

Wan Sanjin asked excitedly, “Will you help?”

Yuan Luo shook his head. “No. I’m still a disciple of Tianjian Mountain. I must remain fair and impartial. But if someone pursues the matter afterward, I, Yuan Luo, swear that Tianjian Sect will protect the two of you.”

Gui Wushuang said leisurely, “Yuan Luo is the senior disciple. When he swears an oath, it carries weight. You two can go ahead boldly.”

Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin clapped hands in celebration. Heaven was truly on their side—this could actually work.

At that moment, Yuan Luo looked at the two of them with some concern and muttered softly, “Are these two… really all right?”

Gui Wushuang let out a faint scoff. “The problem is huge.”