Volume 1 Chapter 48: Plan and Improvement

Hook, line, and sinker. Just mention the opportunity to make money, and this girl's eyes transform into spirit stones.

Pausing for a moment, Ye Anping continued, "In short, I'll send you to the main headquarters of the Seven Killers Sect. After you're inside, go to the bedroom of the Sect Master and take the spirit stones from his storage pouch. I don't know how much there is, but it's definitely a substantial amount."

"...?"

Six dot floated above Feng Yudie's head as she looked at him with a speechless expression, thinking he was joking.

However, Ye Anping's expression was anything but joking.

After exchanging glances for a while, Feng Yudie couldn't help but ask, "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely serious."

"... So, you want me to go to the home of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, take his storage pouch, and then escape?"

"Yes."

Feng Yudie smiled, drained the tea from her cup in one gulp, stood up, cupped her fist in a polite salute, and turned to leave.

"This young lady has no plans to be a sacrifice. Farewell!"

She had just pulled open the latch of the door when Ye Anping raised a hand and closed the latch again with a flick of his finger.

"What are you doing?"

Ye Anping sighed softly and, with another flick of his finger, took out a massive map from his waist pouch and spread it out on the table. "This is the map of the Heavenly Machine Fortress in the Seven Killers Sect's main headquarters. I've marked the traps that could threaten you. If you follow this route, I guarantee you'll have a smooth journey."

Feng Yudie hesitated for a moment, then approached and carefully examined the map he had taken out.

The map depicted three dodecagonal regions, each subdivided into numerous small rooms by intricate lines. Almost every room was labeled with its purpose.

True to Ye Anping's words, there were many triangular symbols marked, each accompanied by a note. For example: "Contains four flame-spewing mechanical beasts resembling lizards. Vulnerable to thunder-based spells; can be broken using thunder talismans."

As Feng Yudie looked at it, she couldn't utter a word due to her surprise.

Even Xiaotian wore a surprised expression.

It quickly took out its own volume of the Heavenly Dao Scriptures and started searching. It found the map of the Heavenly Machine Fortress, but upon comparing it with the map Ye Anping had provided, it noticed many differences.

『It's different from the Heavenly Dao Scriptures…』

Hearing Xiaotian's murmur, Feng Yudie found an excuse to question, "I've seen the map of the... Heavenly Machine Fortress before, and it's different from what I've seen."

Ye Anping glanced at Xiaotian, sighed softly, and explained, "The map you saw should be the previous Heavenly Machine Fortress. The map I have here is the current one."

"... How do you know?"

Ye Anping shrugged and explained, "The Heavenly Machine Fortress is an ancient site left behind by ancient cultivators. It has existed for tens of thousands of years, endured earthquakes and landslides, and ended up buried underground. Over a thousand years ago, the first Sect Master of the Seven Killers Sect found it, deciphered its mechanisms, claimed it as their own, and that's how the Seven Killers Sect came into being."

Xiaotian listened and quickly flipped through the leaves, finding the page about the "Seven Killers Sect." It discovered that Ye Anping's account closely matched the first paragraph recorded in the Heavenly Dao Scriptures.

This wasn't the first time something like this has happened!

Even Pei Lingxue's written test answers were like this!

At this point, Xiaotian began to suspect whether Ye Anping also had a copy of the Heavenly Dao Scriptures.

But leaving aside the fact that it hadn't heard of any second volume of the Heavenly Dao Scriptures existing in the world.

Throughout history, those who possessed the Heavenly Dao Scriptures were Heaven's Mandate, and without exception, they all possessed Heaven's Spiritual Roots, each one of them are incomparable geniuses.

And this lad Ye was just an ordinary cultivator with dual spiritual roots, and he didn't have any particularly remarkable opportunities either.

But just in case...

Just in case Ye Anping did indeed possess another volume of the Heavenly Dao Scriptures, then he must surely be able to see it, and he and Feng Yudie were destined to be interlinked...

『Hey! Ye lad, are you able to see me but pretend not to?!』 Xiaotian floated from above Feng Yudie's head to right in front of Ye Anping, grabbing onto his face.

This wasn't the first time Xiaotian had asked Ye Anping this question, but when It had asked it before, Feng Yudie was still unconscious.

So when Feng Yudie heard this question, she couldn't help but widen her eyes, and without holding back, she blurted out her astonishment, "Xiaotian, are you saying he can see you?"

"Xiaotian?" Ye Anping feigned confusion, looking left and right, "Who's Xiaotian?"

"Ah..."

『(Stare--)』 Xiaotian crossed its arms, glaring straight at his eyes, almost as if it wanted to press its forehead against his.

Observing Xiaotian's actions, Feng Yudie immediately said, "Don't mind me. If you see me talking to myself in the future, just assume I've gone mad."

"... " Ye Anping's expression remained remarkably calm as he continued, "Before you enter the Heavenly Machine Fortress, crush the Profound Star Sect disciple token. When that happens, a Profound Star Sect elder will come to your rescue."

"Am I really worth that much? Would the Profound Star Sect go against the Seven Killers Sect for me?"

"You are valuable, but not that valuable. So, I have other preparations as well. Rest assured, the Profound Star Sect will indeed come, and most likely, it will be an elder at the Nascent Soul stage."

Feng Yudie pondered for a moment and asked, "Then why don't you just directly inform the Profound Star Sect about the location of the Heavenly Machine Fortress?"

"For one, it's not appropriate for me to do so. Secondly, if I simply provide the information, I wouldn't gain much reward. The benefits would be too low. Thirdly, this way, I can use the opportunity to divert the attention of the Poison Gu Sect to the Profound Star Sect."

"Divert their attention?"

As he spoke, Ye Anping waved his hand and took out Wu You's identity token and his own artifacts from his storage pouch, placing them on the table.

"Keep these things on you. They will search you and take them away, then the Profound Star Sect elder will retrieve them. These things aren't easy to deal with, but after going back and forth like this, when the Poison Gu Sect continues its investigation, they'll only find links to the Seven Killers Sect and the Profound Star Sect. It'll create an additional protective umbrella between us and the Poison Gu Sect."

Feng Yudie glanced at the artifacts on the table, but her gaze returned to Ye Anping's face. Suddenly, she exhaled.

Initially, when she had first met Ye Anping, she thought he was just like those wealthy young masters—flashy but lacking substance.

When Xiaotian had said, 『Being on good terms with this Ye Anping has no drawbacks』 she had found it rather disdainful. But now, it seems that Xiaotian might not have been wrong.

From childhood till now, Feng Yudie hadn't been afraid of anything. Even when she encountered the Poison Gu Sect's Grand Elder last time, she had only felt some panic.

However, at this moment, sitting in front of Ye Anping, she had no desire whatsoever to become enemies with him.

Feng Yudie finally picked up the tea Ye Anping had offered and took a sip. She relaxed fully in her chair and said, "Let's talk about the profit-sharing. You said it would be fifty-fifty, right? We'll go with that. I agree, and I have one more request."

"Go ahead."

"Could you give me a free treatment? I'm curious to experience it. I want to see how you can apply something meant for mortals to cultivators."

At this point, the voice of Bai Yuelin came from outside.

—"Anping~ I've brought back the roasted chicken. Where are you guys?"

Upon hearing it, Ye Anping calmly removed the soundproofing talisman he had placed in the corners. After considering for a moment, he nodded in agreement, "Later, let's eat the roasted chicken first. By the way, I'll continue. These days, come to my shop for lunch and dinner. I'll buy you roasted chicken."

"Ah? Why?"

"Don't worry, I'm not interested in you." Ye Anping gave her a look and said, "In a few days, I'll tie you up and hand you over to that Foundation Establishment stage person you've seen before. He'll take you to the Seven Killers Sect's post station and then onward to the Heavenly Machine Fortress. But at the same time, I'll need to explain to that person how I captured you so that he won't get suspicious."

"Why does that have anything to do with me sitting here for a while?"

"... The reason is simple. I would tell him that I'm captivated by your beauty."

"I've captivated you..." Feng Yudie was somewhat speechless, rolled her eyes at him, and then thought for a moment before playfully saying, "Ye Anping."

"Go on?"

She cupped her cheek and grinned, revealing her teeth.

"If you were a girl from birth, perhaps you really could have captivated me."

Ye Anping looked at her with a speechless expression and retorted, "If I were a girl from birth, I would stay as far away from you as possible."

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