Evergreen Immortal-Chapter 37: Xu Hua Reappears

"That's right. They’re running out of men in the constable squad. I heard the magistrate is furious and swore to kill that scoundrel on the spot. This is the greatest shame Qinghe has seen in years."

"Exactly! It’s been over a decade since Qinghe has had such a vile incident, hasn't it?"

But soon, their conversation shifted from the serial killer to grumbling about the breakfast stall owner raising the price of fried cakes again.

Of course, every day’s conversation would always end with talk about which widow in town had the shapeliest buttocks.

In a dark corner, a bearded man stood silently in the shadows, coldly watching the Heaven-Earth Alliance, a glint of fear flashing in his eyes.

The empty sleeve hanging from his left shoulder was particularly eye-catching.

That’s right, this man was none other than the traitor from Splendid Purity Sect:

Xu Hua.

Today, even Xu Hua’s former sectmates from Splendid Purity Sect probably wouldn’t recognize this scruffy vagrant as the once-dashing and elegant Xu Hua.

"Could it be the stablehand who stole it?"

Xu Hua pondered.

The Branch Master of the Heaven-Earth Alliance was at the peak of the eighth grade.

He was no match for that level.

Yet somehow, a mere stablehand had become a hall master of the Heaven-Earth Alliance, there was definitely something fishy about it. He must have obtained some great fortune, most likely a secret art.

But when he inquired, he learned that this Hall Master Li barely left his residence even once a month.

Xu Hua stared at the Heaven-Earth Alliance’s gate for a long time before finally turning to leave.

If the secret art hadn’t been stolen by that stablehand, then there was nothing he could do. He couldn't exactly barge into Splendid Purity Sect demanding it back.

But giving up?

Impossible.

He had betrayed his sect and ambushed his fellow disciples precisely for that secret art. If the secret art was truly lost, then everything he had done would become a massive joke.

"Li Rui!"

On the other side, in the county office morgue.

Kong Xianian and Zhao Wei stood side by side, their faces extremely grim.

A single gash ran clean across the throat of the corpse, enough to make anyone shudder.

Constable Liu was dead.

Just yesterday.

Same weapon, same wound pattern, they didn’t even need a coroner’s inspection to know it was definitely Xu Hua’s work.

"You’ll pay dearly for this provocation!"

Kong Xianian was livid.

He had been sent to capture Xu Hua, yet before they even found him, Constable Liu, one of his own men was killed. This was a blatant slap in the face.

How could he endure it?

Once news of this reached Splendid Purity Sect, he would surely be laughed at.

Zhao Wei narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Now only Li Rui is left. Why don't we lure the snake out of its hole?"

He grinned.

Xu Hua’s only remaining target was Li Rui. Using Li Rui as bait could definitely draw him out.

Kong Xianian’s eyes lit up.

Zhao Wei continued: "We can lay a trap around the Heaven-Earth Alliance. We’re bound to catch Xu Hua."

"Let’s do it."

Only by capturing Xu Hua quickly could he minimize the damage to his reputation. If he completed the mission before Liu Fu did, he might even gain some favor back at Splendid Purity Sect.

Zhao Wei nodded.

He hadn’t suggested directly throwing Li Rui out as bait.

Even though he had personal grievances with Li Rui, Splendid Purity Sect was far stronger than the Heaven-Earth Alliance. But no sect would disgrace itself by sacrificing its own hall master just to curry favor with another sect.

Even if he wanted to do it, the Branch Master wouldn’t agree.

Later.

"Hall Master Li, with the current operation involving Splendid Purity Sect, how about letting me go?"

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Ying Liu, who had been in a cold war with Li Rui for quite some time, suddenly came knocking.

Li Rui narrowed his eyes slightly. "Vice Hall Master Ying, this is a rare opportunity for merit. I truly don’t want to miss it."

Earlier that morning, he had received word.

The Branch Master had ordered each hall to send one person to assist Splendid Purity Sect in dealing with the Ghost Nether Sect.

As soon as Ying Liu heard, he rushed over.

Although Zhao Wei was biased toward Ying Liu, some things couldn’t be covered up with favoritism. This dispatch order had come directly from the Branch Master and had not gone through the Deputy Branch Master.

Ying Liu said, "Hall Master Li, you’re getting on in years. There's no hope for you to enter Splendid Purity Sect. Why not give me this opportunity instead?"

He was so desperate to seize this chance, because he heard that a major figure from Splendid Purity Sect might personally come to Qinghe to annihilate the Ghost Nether Sect.

If he could perform well and attract that figure’s attention, he might even become a disciple of Splendid Purity Sect.

The Heaven-Earth Alliance was fine but compared to the behemoth that was Splendid Purity Sect, it was nothing.

Didn’t you see that apart from a few aged hall masters, all the other halls had their leaders personally stepping up?

"Vice Hall Master Ying, you're putting me in a difficult position."

Li Rui looked troubled.

Ying Liu’s eyelid twitched.

How could he not see it? Li Rui was clearly raising the price!

Still, thinking about the immense opportunity, Ying Liu gritted his teeth.

"One ninth-grade pill worth three hundred taels."

Li Rui sneered: "Vice Hall Master Ying, are you really willing to let the chance to join Splendid Purity Sect slip away?"

Ying Liu's face darkened.

He had hoped Li Rui didn’t know the inside story about Splendid Purity Sect, but clearly, that hope was shattered. Adding to that, their relationship had long been strained.

If he didn’t cough up a serious sum, this opportunity would definitely slip through his fingers.

Ying Liu hardened his heart: "One eighth-grade spiritual pill!"

But to his dismay, Li Rui still shook his head: "Since Vice Hall Master Ying is not sincere, please leave. Though I am old, I can still eat a whole stone of rice."

Ying Liu’s eyes burned with fury.

Greedy!

This old man was clearly extorting him.

Shameless, hateful!

He cursed Li Rui a thousand times in his heart, but reality forced him to hold back. Right now, he needed Li Rui’s approval, no one else would do.

Ying Liu wasn’t some naive newcomer. No matter how angry he was, he squeezed out a smile without turning hostile.

"Another hundred taels of silver."

"One hundred and eighty taels."

Ying Liu clenched his fists so hard that they turned pale. This time, he was practically betting everything he had.

"Deal!"

Li Rui’s lips curled into a slight smile.

"Congratulations, Vice Hall Master Ying. The spot for Splendid Purity Sect’s mission is yours."

Hearing Li Rui's light and airy words, Ying Liu nearly vomited blood.

The more he looked at this old man, the more he resembled those cunning auctioneers in the city's grand auction houses.

(End of Chapter)