Chapter 37: Keeping Vigil

Daliang had always been in chaos, and Su Chen did not know why.

Great sects of the martial world and hidden mysterious cults wanted Daliang to fall, and now even the neighboring state of Dazhou was meddling, despite the two nations having lived in peace for three hundred years.

In front of the funeral shop, Su Chen pondered for a long while before deciding not to get involved. He turned and headed toward another funeral hall.

Soon after.

Su Chen was kicked out.

"Three hundred taels of silver and you want a burial in the outskirts, and you want a grand funeral too? What are you dreaming about? Land in the outskirts is worth its weight in gold; even the poorest grave costs a thousand taels..."

The funeral shop worker spoke with biting sarcasm, barely concealing the contempt for a pauper on his face.

"Is it that expensive?"

Three hundred taels was already a lot.

This was the money Su Chen had painstakingly saved over the past three years by treating palace maids and eunuchs. He hadn't expected he wouldn't even be able to afford a decent grave.

Just as Su Chen was preparing to return to the palace to steal a few treasures to sell, he spotted a Black Tiger mark in a corner of the Imperial City streets, with a Black Lotus beside it...

The Black Tiger mark represented the Cult Leader, while the Black Lotus represented a Saint.

This was a meeting between a faction of the Cult Leader and a Black Lotus Saint. The rank was high—at least a Purple-Clad Protector.

"In the Black Abyss, there is a Cult Leader and a Saint. The Cult Leader is First-Rank, commanding three thousand Demon-Ghost followers, with three Second-Rank Purple-Clad Protectors under his command; the Saint is a peak Second-Rank, commanding many secret spies, with three Third-Rank Black-Clad Envoys under their command..."

"Three years ago, the two great sects of the martial world vanished, and the Black Abyss was heavily wounded by its involvement. Yet, someone still dares to remain in the Imperial Palace, and at the level of a Purple-Clad Envoy?"

He was only Second-Rank; Su Chen was not afraid. He had just dealt with a peak Second-Rank expert of the Fury-Gang Realm.

Since he had nothing better to do.

It would be good to go and "strike it rich" a little.

The blame for the chaos in the Imperial Palace had to be pinned squarely on the Black Lotus Saint; he could not let anyone know that it was related to him, Su Chen.

His hair and beard rippled.

Su Chen transformed into the likeness of a Black Lotus, wearing ink-black robes with deep, mysterious eyes. Appearing to be in his forties, a bamboo token hung from his waist. Following the guidance, he arrived at a shop.

This was precisely the perfume and soap shop where, three years ago, Su Chen had killed a Black-Clad Envoy, assumed the identity of Huang Ba, and returned to the Imperial Palace.

"This is actually a Black Abyss stronghold?"

Su Chen was ushered inside.

In the innermost hall.

There were three people.

The leader wore purple robes and had a full beard. With every breath, his exhalation came out like a white ribbon of mist; he was a Second-Rank Viscera Realm expert.

Beside him sat a girl of about seventeen or eighteen, wearing a gold hairpin and exuding an air of nobility. She was none other than the Princess of Yunyang.

As for the last person.

Wearing a Shura Ghost Mask, he was a Third-Rank leader of the Demon-Ghost followers. For some reason, he was sitting opposite a Second-Rank Purple-Clad Protector.

"Su Han, your brother betrayed the cult, an unpardonable sin. But the Cult Leader has set aside past grievances; not only has he provided for your cultivation, but he has also given you this opportunity. Are you willing?"

"For the sake of the grand plan, I shall not fail the mission! Daliang should have died long ago."

"Very well."

"Then enter the palace."

These three seemed to be plotting something. Su Chen only caught fragments of their conversation. The name Su Han sounded vaguely familiar, but Su Chen couldn't quite place it.

As Su Chen walked into the inner hall, the three fell silent instantly. Princess Yunyang bowed her head somewhat humbly before him, but the Purple-Clad Protector was incensed.

"Black Lotus, what madness is this?"

"Do you realize the Cult Leader is still recovering from his injuries in the palace? You went mad and killed the First Red-Robed, causing such a massive commotion. Do you want all our brothers to be wiped out by the Daliang soldiers?"

To this.

Su Chen remained indifferent. Sitting at the head of the room, he said nothing, merely observing the three before letting out a cold sneer.

"What does it have to do with me?"

"Heh."

"That old bastard actually didn't die three years ago? He's recovering in the deep palace just like me? The fact that the Demon-Ghost followers were all killed has nothing to do with me..."

Having said that, Su Chen looked at Princess Yunyang and commanded

"Bring me three thousand taels in silver notes."

Princess Yunyang ran forward, nodding in agreement, and quickly returned from the front hall with three notes of a thousand taels each.

That the Cult Leader and the Saint were at odds, like fire and water, was something known throughout the cult. If he were to sit there listening obediently to a Purple-Clad Protector, that would be the real problem.

What Su Chen hadn't expected was that the Cult Leader was still alive. He had thought that all the dozen or so First-Rank Minor Grandmasters who had charged into the palace with Zhang Gui three years ago had perished.

"You!"

The Purple-Clad Protector was furious, but he dared not say more. He then spoke in a stiff tone.

"The Cult Leader has orders."

"The Black Abyss has suffered a great calamity; the brothers of the cult must be of one mind. Since the Saint is still alive, please go to the Ziyang Palace to meet him. There are important matters to discuss regarding the 'Holy Land'..."

Ziyang Palace was a deserted, cold palace.

As for the Holy Land.

Su Chen remembered it. Legend had it that within the Black Abyss Holy Land, there were countless cultivation manuals, divine weapons, precious herbs, and miraculous pills, as well as heavenly soldiers and generals. Most importantly, an ancestor of the Black Abyss lay sleeping within...

Once the ancestor awoke, he could stir the winds and clouds of the world as if they were mere playthings...

"Hah!"

"We'll see if I have the time."

Su Chen gave a cold laugh, took the three thousand taels, and left with a flick of his sleeve.

This mannerism was identical to that of the Black Abyss Saint.

With a turn.

Su Chen transformed into a different appearance and slipped into the funeral hall. He exchanged the silver notes for silver coins and secured the burial plot in the outskirts that he had prepared for Chen Ge.

Late at night.

The wind and snow gradually ceased.

Su Chen returned to the Imperial Palace, transformed into the likeness of Xu Ge, and slipped into the pharmacy. Dressed in mourning clothes, he continued to keep vigil for Old Man Chen, constantly burning spirit money. He showed none of the aura of a powerful assassin who had thrown the palace into chaos.

Outside the pharmacy.

Hundreds of secret guards and Imperial soldiers were patrolling, knocking on doors one by one to search for any potentially hidden assassins.

"Move aside!"

"Imperial soldiers on duty, searching for assassins!"

The aggressive soldiers rushed in, turning the mourning hall into a mess. They even lifted the coffin lid to inspect Chen Ge's remains.

"Officers, please do not disturb the deceased..."

Su Chen stepped forward to try and stop them, but he was kicked away by a fierce soldier, a trace of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Bad luck, just another dead old eunuch!"

"Hmm? What's this..."

"Hehe, I didn't expect such a pleasant surprise."

The soldiers smashed the jar inside the coffin, their faces lighting up with joy. Right in front of Su Chen, they divided the three hundred taels of silver contained in the jar.

"Master Xu, please endure it..."

At that moment, the young eunuch Ji Yun rushed over. He stopped the furious Su Chen, shielding him and smiling apologetically at the soldiers.

"Gentlemen, please take it as an offering to you. Whether there is an assassin here or not, there is no need to bring such bad luck upon yourselves..."

The soldiers eventually left.

Ji Yun looked at the ruined mourning hall, then at the indignant Su Chen, and couldn't help but advise him.

"Master Xu, we are just lowly eunuchs of the black-robe rank with no cultivation and no backing. We simply cannot stand up to these Imperial soldiers. Old Man Chen is gone, but you still have to live..."

"In the palace, suffering a little loss is better than losing your life..."

"The manager is already pressing us. When exactly are we supposed to hand over Old Man Chen's remains..."

To this.

Su Chen remained stubbornly unmoved.

"We agreed to keep vigil for Old Man Chen for three days, so it will be three days!"

"Not a single day less."

"You should go. I will deal with the manager."

Ji Yun left with a sigh.

Leaving Su Chen alone in the pharmacy's mourning hall to clean up the mess.

On the other side.

After leaving the pharmacy, Ji Yun ran toward the soldiers. In an instant, his expression changed. He turned back toward the pharmacy and let out a mocking sneer.

"Without Old Man Chen to protect you, you're just a lowly eunuch. If you dare to let wealth slip away, don't blame me."

He then rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"I was right, wasn't I?"

"Chen Ge is dead, and I saw with my own eyes that there was three hundred taels of silver in the coffin. I'm the one who provided this information; I should get at least thirty taels..."