Chapter Eight: Still a Precious Treasure

Dantai Mingjing.

A disciple cast out from the Buddhist order, his monastic name was Mingjing. After renouncing the Buddhist path, he reclaimed his family surname, Dantai, yet continued to use his monastic name. Thus, people across the land knew him only as Dantai Mingjing. As for his original name, no one knew.

He ranked third on the Azure Cloud List, having cultivated for over sixty years. Rumor had it he had reached the Tribulation Crossing stage, a monster among monsters.

He was a man of peculiar habits.

In battle, he exchanged only three moves—three moves to decide life and death. Few survived past the third strike. On the rare occasion someone endured all three, Dantai Mingjing would immediately admit defeat.

When asked why, he replied, "I only know these three moves."

But yielding did not always resolve matters. Many died at his hands, and so many came seeking vengeance. At such times, surrender was useless.

Someone tried to kill him, only to discover that beyond those three moves, he possessed another skill—a body-forging technique that rendered him unkillable.

Unable to slay him, his enemies found themselves chased endlessly, as those three moves, while limited, were lethal if you could not kill him. Even if you survived, exhaustion would claim you.

In time, none wished to provoke him. It was a blessing if he did not trouble others.

He Laosan, upon seeing the monk before him, knew trouble had arrived. He could only rise and offer a nervous smile: "Please don't take offense, Young Hero Dantai. We brothers spoke carelessly, meant no disrespect. As for the 'Withered Leaf' you mentioned, perhaps there's been a mistake. The owner of this escort shipment isn't Withered Leaf..."

Before he finished, a golden light struck his chest. The staff twisted gently, and He Laosan's chest caved in with a sickening crunch.

Blood splattered everywhere.

A round hole appeared in He Laosan’s chest, blood spurting from it onto Liao Buping.

The other members of the escort agency turned ashen, as if their gall had burst from fright.

Liao Buping gritted his teeth and said, "If I answer as He Laosan did, will my fate be the same?"

Dantai Mingjing smiled faintly, "The fruit follows the seed."

Liao Buping sighed, "Withered Leaf did come to our agency. He entrusted us to deliver something south. I’ll give it to you now."

He produced a black package from his robes and placed it on the table.

"This is Withered Leaf's property. Will you spare me, Young Hero Dantai?"

Dantai Mingjing suddenly said, "I've lost interest in the item. Benefactor, let us exchange three moves instead."

Liao Buping shook his head repeatedly, "My skills are feeble. I wouldn’t last three moves—one would end me as He Laosan. Please, take the package."

"I won't."

Liao Buping’s face turned pale, "Is there any other option?"

Dantai Mingjing pondered and replied, "There might be a way. You love boasting, but there’s no ox hide here—only a horse outside. Please, go boast to the horse hide."

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Liao Buping’s face shifted from blue to white. After a long silence, he finally gritted his teeth and walked toward the door.

A soft laugh escaped Chao Jin’er.

She truly hadn’t expected Liao Buping would actually go to blow on a horse’s hide. It seemed boasting was best kept in check.

Yet with that chuckle, Dantai Mingjing’s gaze fell upon her. At the corner sat a middle-aged couple—the woman had just laughed, and the man was carving a wooden figure with a kitchen knife.

Dantai Mingjing’s pupils narrowed, and he smiled, "I did not expect to meet experts here. Forgive my discourtesy."

"Are you two here for Withered Leaf’s item?"

His eyes were fixed on Chao Jin’er. As for Lu Zhou, carving away, Dantai Mingjing ignored him entirely, seeing no distinction between him and Liao Buping.

Chao Jin’er shook her head, "No."

She would never admit it.

Lu Zhou continued to focus on his carving, as if Dantai Mingjing’s question had nothing to do with him.

Dantai Mingjing seemed relieved, "That’s good. Otherwise, it would be troublesome."

Chao Jin’er asked, "I’m just curious. If you want Withered Leaf’s item, why not go straight to him? Why trouble these escorts?"

Dantai Mingjing replied, "Because the item is not with Withered Leaf."

Chao Jin’er smiled, "He gave it to the escort agency?"

"Yes."

She paused, pointing to the package on the table, "Is that the item?"

Dantai Mingjing looked Chao Jin’er up and down, glanced at the package, and shook his head, "No. The item is much larger—this package wouldn’t hold it."

As he spoke, Liao Buping suddenly understood why Dantai Mingjing refused the package after he'd handed it over.

He hurriedly explained, "Withered Leaf only gave our agency this one thing."

Indeed, Withered Leaf had entrusted only this item, which he accepted personally. The Golden Lion Escort Agency had a century of reputation—no deception here.

Dantai Mingjing sighed, "So I’ve been deceived. Withered Leaf has likely absconded with the item."

Chao Jin’er also sighed inwardly.

She glanced at Lu Zhou across from her. If Dantai Mingjing’s reasoning was correct, then Lu Zhou had likely been deceived as well.

From the start, Withered Leaf’s visit to the Golden Lion Escort Agency was merely a ruse.

The agency’s commission was meant to attract attention, a clever diversion.

According to Dantai Mingjing, the item Withered Leaf had stolen was a great treasure.

And now, Withered Leaf, bearing such a treasure, had vanished. King Kong Temple sought him, the Thousand Ox Guards pursued him—even Dantai Mingjing was searching.

Where could he go?

Chao Jin’er wondered silently.

At her side, Lu Zhou spoke calmly, "Monk, since you haven’t found what you’re after, why not sit down and wait? Perhaps it will turn up."

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Dantai Mingjing suddenly laughed, "That makes sense."

He walked to the counter, tapping it with his finger, "Warm a jug of wine for me and slice two platters of beef—place them at their table."

He pointed to Lu Zhou’s table.

The attendant cowered beneath the counter, teeth chattering, unable to speak, only nodding frantically.

He had no time to wonder whether monks drank or ate meat. After all, this monk killed people—drinking and eating meat was trivial by comparison.

Chao Jin’er glanced at Lu Zhou and instantly grasped his intention.

Dantai Mingjing sought Withered Leaf’s item; Lu Zhou sought Withered Leaf’s life. Their goals were not at odds—both were looking for Withered Leaf. Sitting together might yield more information.

Although their mission included reclaiming King Kong Temple’s treasure, that was only a supplementary task.

The real mission was to hunt down Withered Leaf.

For Lu Zhou, his interest lay in—

What exactly was that great treasure?

Chao Jin’er watched as Dantai Mingjing approached, quietly forming a protective spell. No matter what, this monk was a killer. She herself was fearless, but she must protect Lu Zhou.

At that moment, Liao Buping, previously ignored, suddenly lunged, stabbing his sword at Dantai Mingjing’s back.

No matter how high a cultivator’s realm, without true energy guarding the body, such a blow could kill Dantai Mingjing, for no cultivator could circulate true energy every moment.

Below the Immortal Yuan realm, all bodies were mortal flesh.

As the sword was about to pierce Dantai Mingjing, Liao Buping cried out, dropping his sword with a clang.

Clutching his wrist, he stared in disbelief at the kitchen knife embedded in it.

All his true energy had been focused in his hands, yet his opponent broke it with a single strike.

The owner of the knife was Lu Zhou, who had been calmly carving wood. He possessed only the Guiyuan realm in cultivation.

"You... Who are you?" Liao Buping stared at Lu Zhou.

Dantai Mingjing glanced back, saw blood streaming from Liao Buping’s wrist, and after a brief look, turned to sit before Lu Zhou.

"As a monk, I am curious. With your ability, are you not afraid of trouble?"

Lu Zhou smiled serenely.

"Afraid. I’ve always feared trouble above all."

"But what you should really wonder is—when you were about to let him live, why did he still try to kill you?"

"And with his skill, is he not afraid of trouble himself?"

Dantai Mingjing’s brows knit tightly. He realized he had been stumped.

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