Chapter 284: Chapter 284 Infiltrating the Zheng Family_1
What monkey business are you up to?
Even A’Qing could tell something was amiss, but he couldn’t figure out why.
If Jin Baowen thought he had found a powerful backer and wanted to forcefully take Shen Yi’s natural treasures, why didn’t he simply hide inside when they were right at the doorstep? Why the need for such a superfluous and poorly executed ploy?
Jin Baowen struggled to his feet and instinctively looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with a trace of panic.
Clearly, he too realized that such behavior would definitely make Shen Yi misunderstand him.
But he had come here as a loose cultivator.
Behaving too humbly and explaining everything on the spot would just give him away.
When engaging in duplicitous actions, there’s no turning back. If he ended up displeasing both sides, he feared his life would be in danger.
And those two gatekeeping lads, their strength was so vast and formidable, how bizarre!
At this thought, Jin Baowen hurriedly averted his gaze, adopting an outraged demeanor, “Absurd! I have been a long-time marital relative of the Zheng Family, on what grounds do you bar me outside! My loyalty to the Zheng Family is absolute. These gentlemen are esteemed friends I recently met, who have heard of the Zheng Family’s reputation and have specifically come to visit. Do not lose courtesy to such a degree!”
Although his words revolved around the Zheng Family, his true loyalty lay with someone else.
A peculiar expression flickered across Xu Wanyun’s face.
She surreptitiously glanced at the youth beside her.
What kind of ability did he have, to have frightened the old man into such a state?
Shen Yi’s suspicion from the start was not on Jin Baowen, but on the two young gatekeepers.
In that instant, when they had made their move, there was no fluctuation of their qi.
Such a scene was not unfamiliar to Shen Yi.
After all, he had relied on refinement martial arts along the way, not needing to mobilize qi when striking, and had taken advantage of this many times, deeply versed in this technique.
However, refinement martial arts relied not on talent but on time-consuming and painstaking effort, needing a large amount of time to accumulate.
Jin Baowen was closely related to the Zheng Family. If it really was refinement martial arts, he couldn’t be completely ignorant of it. When he was pushed to the ground just now, he wouldn’t have shown a moment of bewildered panic.
There were things that could enhance the progress of learning refinement martial arts, after all.
For instance, Vajra Gate once had a Vajra Bodhi Treasure Tree.
Either the Zheng Family possessed some kind of treasured plant or they had mastered a technique similar to refinement martial arts.
Whichever the case, Shen Yi found it very interesting.
The two gatekeepers suddenly sneered.
Then, standing aloofly with their arms folded, they said indifferently, “The family head said he isn’t seeing guests. Your little bit of face isn’t compelling here. Take whoever has come to visit from whichever family back with you.”
Jin Baowen was momentarily stunned, then suddenly realized, seeing the two men’s serious demeanor, it seemed they weren’t specifically targeting him.
He became somewhat anxious.
If he couldn’t bring Shen Yi into the Zheng Family today, returning those natural treasures was the least of his worries. If Shen Yi thought he had been deceived and in a fit of anger killed him, that was a real possibility.
Jin Baowen lowered his voice, “These are a family of loose cultivators, their cultivation has reached the Primordial level. They have now emerged from their seclusion, preparing to find a backer. I have gone to great lengths to bring them to the Zheng Family… Please make an exception for us.”
Loose cultivators usually epitomized hardship.
But there are exceptions.
Such as those with an indifferent nature, hidden from the world, who very well might possess not just impressive strength but also unique techniques.
Most powers wouldn’t easily turn them away at the door.
Upon hearing this, the two gatekeepers slowly lowered their arms.
They then exchanged a glance.
They probably had guessed the presence of a Primordial Grandmaster on the wooden boat, but hadn’t expected them to be loose cultivators.
Loose cultivators meant no background… and no concern for consequences.
The person on the left nodded and turned to enter the mountain villa.
“What kind of strength do forces usually have?”
Shen Yi glanced sideways at the two women beside him.
A’Qing was about to speak, but her aunt preempted her, “Out here, so-called first-rate powers can almost be equated to the Deification Transcendent Realm. Either they possess a real Deification Transcendent Realm cultivator, or they have means equivalent to that realm. At the very least, they can invite a Deification Transcendent Realm powerhouse to back them up.”
“Clearly, the Zheng Family is the latter.”
“Even if a real Deification Transcendent Realm cultivator comes looking for trouble, they can hold their own for a while with the mountain-protecting array until help arrives from the Mysterious Light Cave.”
Xu Wanyun continued, “Above first-rate, there are only the Immortal Sect and forces like the Great Qian, with at least ten Deification Transcendent Realm cultivators anchoring their power. They are behemoths of their regions, untouchable by others. You’d best stay far away from them; cultivators from such forces look down on everyone else, viewing us as mere meat for their use.”
Shen Yi could now be sure that this woman, like A’Qing, gathered her information from books.
As for the Great Qian, forget about having ten of them; apart from himself, there was only one other, who was foolish and dim-witted.
The title of this supreme power was already a misnomer.
“By the way, why do you ask this?”
Xu Wanyun suddenly came to her senses, her brows furrowing slightly in surprise, “You couldn’t possibly be thinking of stealing their Year Wood… Stop joking; even if you invite an actual Deification Transcendent Realm expert, I doubt they would dare make such a request.”
Shen Yi was not a brute who only knew slaughter.
Even if he decided to steal, he would first have to see if the item was of any use to him; otherwise, wouldn’t it be a waste of Incense Willpower?
With that thought, he communicated with Qinghua through his divine soul.
“How much longer do you need?”
“My lord, ten days will suffice. Qinghua will return as soon as possible; please wait for me…”
Listening to Qinghua’s fearful tone, as if afraid of being replaced, Shen Yi directly cut off the other’s rambling.
About half an incense stick’s worth of time later.
The person guarding the mountain villa gate leisurely took out a jade slip and, after listening to the message, cupped his hands towards the sky, “Please come in.”
Jin Baowen’s face immediately lit up with a smile as he walked in, but just as he took a step, he was pushed back out by someone holding his arm.
“I asked for the Grandmaster to come in, not you. Get lost,” the gatekeeper said, sparing him a disdainful glance.
Jin Baowen’s expression changed uncertainly as he sneakily glanced into the villa.
He felt as if these people were hiding something. If he could sneak in and pick up some news, wouldn’t he be able to sell it for a good price later?
Now, he didn’t want to leave.
“Grandmaster Shen and I are good friends; he is accustomed to having me by his side…”
Upon hearing this, the gatekeeper looked at the old man with a half-smile, pondered for a moment, then moved aside to make way, “Fine.”
Xu Wanyun retracted her flying boat.
The three descended from the sky and followed the gatekeeper into the mountain villa.
“May I ask for the esteemed Grandmaster’s surname?”
When walking abroad, one usually adopts a pseudonym.
But there are exceptions, such as when nobody knows your real name at all.
Shen Yi was in just such a position.
Nobody who knew his name, whether from the Mysterious Light Cave or the Thousand Demon Cave, was left alive. Plus, he had only been cultivating for just over a year.
As a result, though a Middle Realm Mixed Yuan Grandmaster, he was completely nameless.