Chapter 70: Looking for Yin
Mo Ya forced a smile. "Before I answer that question, there's something Mo Ya wants to ask, sir. What if Mo Ya goes back on his word and chooses to run away?"
"Is that answer still important now?" Qin Xuan retorted, throwing out the recruitment card that belonged solely to Mo Ya.
"You're right." Mo Ya reached out to catch it.
He examined the strange card, surprised that it bore his own portrait. This was no mere invitation; it was a bespoke summons. The decision had already been made. He bit his finger, just as Nong Yu had done before, and let a drop of blood fall onto the card.
A scene that shocked Mo Ya appeared. Bai Feng, seeing Mo Ya actually sign, stubbornly bit his finger as well and let his blood drip onto the card.
"Why put yourself through this?" Mo Ya felt both touched and a little helpless. "Now that Ji Wuye is dead, Nightfall is leaderless. You could completely seize this opportunity to break free and escape this quagmire."
Bai Feng said proudly, "Where I go is none of your business. Bai Feng believes his abilities are no less than Mo Ya's. This man is strong, stronger than Ji Wuye. I am willing to follow the strong."
He then turned to face Qin Xuan. "I am willing to follow sir, please grant my request."
As he spoke, Bai Feng knelt on one knee before Qin Xuan.
Mo Ya shook his head with a bitter smile and knelt with him. "Please grant our request, sir."
"I'm not short of useful mouths to feed under me. Do as you please." Qin Xuan retrieved the cards and glanced sideways at Bai Feng.
[System Introduction: [Nightfall organization, Hundred Birds member Bai Feng, 17 years old. Spirit Power Level 47 (internal cultivation converted to Spirit Power). Spirit: White Phoenix (unawakened). Talent S+. Loyalty 100, Favorability: 60]]
No matter what, Bai Feng's skills were not weak, and his talent was even above Mo Ya's. Since he chose to offer himself for free, there was no reason to refuse.
Nong Yu looked in shock at the two kneeling on the ground, then at Ji Wuye's corpse, and finally her gaze settled on Qin Xuan. A feeling of being utterly bewildered instantly surged in her heart.
Good heavens. This scoundrel, from the very beginning, never intended to let Ji Wuye off.
Nor did he intend to make things difficult for his companions; instead, he set a trap, waiting for them to fall into it.
She should have realized it long ago. Qin Xuan was no simple villain; he was a cold, calculating strategist. He had manipulated the death of Han's feared General to simultaneously recruit his most valuable assets.
She thought back to his willingness to spare the innocent maids of the Sparrow Pavilion. How could such a person be a villain of extreme wickedness?
Thinking of this, Nong Yu didn't know whether she should be relieved or sorrowful.
The relief was that the person she was to serve from now on did not seem to be a truly evil person, at least not a needlessly cruel one like Ji Wuye.
The sorrow was that, from beginning to end, she had been manipulated by Qin Xuan. Every move, every fear, had been anticipated and leveraged. She felt like a puppet whose strings had just been passed to a new, far more inscrutable master.
"Alright, relax. I'm not a bad person, and I won't make you do things like murder and arson every day. I believe in the future, you'll be glad of your choice today."
After Qin Xuan finished speaking, a white light emanated from his body and then spread out.
It instantly covered the entire room.
A strange, disorienting pull yanked at Mo Ya, Bai Feng, and Nong Yu. The acrid smell of smoke and burning ash from the Sparrow Pavilion vanished, instantly replaced by the fresh scent of pine and clean, untainted air. The roar of the inferno was gone, leaving only the sound of a gentle night breeze.
By the time the white light dissipated, they were no longer in Han, no longer surrounded by fire and death. They stood in a dense forest under a foreign night sky.
Only Ji Wuye's corpse and battle saber remained in the ruined room.
And that Sparrow Pavilion, the moment they left, collapsed with a crash and was engulfed by the great fire.
Poor General Ji Wuye of Han, who had held immense power in Han for over a decade, died without even a single line of dialogue. He only made an appearance, and that was in the form of a corpse.
"...That's roughly it. These are the 'Spirit Beast Encyclopedia' and the upper and middle volumes of the 'Spirit Master Cultivation Manual' that I compiled myself, as well as the notes my wife took when learning the Douluo Continent language and script. The annotations are in Qin Kingdom script, which you, as assassins, should recognize."
As soon as he returned to the Douluo Continent, Qin Xuan put away the 40,000-year-old Windchaser Left Leg Bone rewarded for recruiting Mo Ya. He wasted no time.
First, he had to explain the very concept of 'Spirits' to the three bewildered recruits, who were still reeling from the sudden, jarring teleportation between worlds.
"This world operates on a power called Spirit Power," Qin Xuan had explained, his voice patient but firm. "Your internal cultivation from your old world has been converted, giving you a starting foundation. But to truly grow, you need to awaken your Spirit."
He then began the Spirit Awakening ceremony for them, one by one.
Nong Yu, still pale and trembling slightly, went first. Qin Xuan placed a blue awakening crystal onto her palm and channeled his own Spirit Power into it.
Light particles gathered around her. A deep, resonant hum filled the air, and an elegant, dark-wood Zither (Guqin) materialized in her hands. It was the very instrument she played at the Zilan Pavilion, but now it thrummed with a new, latent energy. It was a silent, beautiful, yet deadly Spirit.
Mo Ya was next. He stepped forward, his expression complex. As Qin Xuan activated the crystal, a sharp, metallic ring echoed. A sword appeared in Mo Ya's grasp. It was not just any sword; it was his namesake, the dark, slender blade 'Mo Ya'. The sword vibrated, a cold, familiar energy that was now intrinsically part of his soul.
Finally, it was Bai Feng's turn. He stepped up with a mix of arrogance and curiosity.
The moment Qin Xuan's power touched him, the reaction was the most dramatic. A blinding white light erupted, and a clear, piercing cry echoed through the forest. A majestic, ethereal White Phoenix manifested behind him, spreading its incorporeal wings. It was a Spirit of immense grace and speed.
Bai Feng's eyes widened, his usual pride replaced by genuine awe as he felt the new power pulsing within him.
After the shock of the awakenings subsided, Qin Xuan briefly introduced the customs of the Douluo Continent and began to assign them tasks, handing over the prepared manuals.
"Although I don't have to be an assassin anymore, I still don't feel happy." Mo Ya looked at the two thick stacks of paper books in his hand, feeling overwhelmed. This new world came with complicated new rules.
Bai Feng, standing nearby and rubbing his head, nodded in deep agreement. He had just watched a spirit bird emerge from his own body, and now he was expected to read textbooks.
"What, do you two have any opinions?" Qin Xuan said in a deep voice.
"No, no..." Mo Ya and Bai Feng quickly replied, shaking their heads like rattles.
After a brief period of interaction, they had already generally understood Qin Xuan's temperament. He wasn't easy to get along with, and certainly not a 'good' person.
But it depended on who he was compared to.
Compared to that scoundrel Ji Wuye, this new master was simply a living Bodhisattva of great compassion.
"Remember, I'll give you a maximum of half a year to learn the language and the basics of this world's cultivation," Qin Xuan deliberately emphasized. He then took out three drawings from his storage spirit tool.
The first two were portraits of Tang Hao and Tang Xiao. Their personal histories were also recorded on them. The last one was a map of the Douluo Continent.
He had obtained all of these through Spirit Hall channels.
Qin Xuan made a quick calculation. In another half a year, 'Haozi' would turn 34. According to his memory, Tang Hao met Ah Yin when he was 35.
Time was pressing, and intercepting was imminent.
And in the next half year, Qian Xunji would forcibly take Bibi Dong, so Qin Xuan had to wait in Spirit City and couldn't leave.
Therefore, he could only entrust the task of finding Ah Yin to Mo Ya and Bai Feng.
After all, the main job of these two was tracking.
"Sir, this is...?" Mo Ya was stunned. Find a man? According to sir's temperament, shouldn't he be looking for a beautiful woman?
Qin Xuan said, "This is your second task. On the portrait, the younger one is called Tang Hao, and the one with the long beard is called Tang Xiao. They are brothers, both from the Clear Sky Sect, and are known as the Hao Tian Twin Stars. They are very famous in the Spirit Master's world and act in a high-profile manner, so they are not difficult to find."
"What you need to do is follow them. They will be adventuring. Pay attention to the Soul Beast Forests they might pass through. Your target is a young girl with blue hair, a Blue Silver Grass Spirit, and who is very beautiful..."
Qin Xuan paused, adding the crucial detail. "Remember, you need to pay special attention to forests where the Blue Silver Grass is particularly lush."
Freed from the shackles of Nightfall, Mo Ya gradually returned to his true nature. Upon hearing Qin Xuan ask them to find a beautiful woman, he looked meaningfully at Jingni and Nong Yu, and said somewhat mischievously, "Your subordinate understands, your subordinate understands. Once found, I will immediately send her to sir."
Slap—
Qin Xuan flicked Mo Ya's head. "Nonsense! Once found, immediately send me a message to notify me. Also, before I arrive, try to delay the meeting time between those two Tangs and the girl as much as possible."
What does sir want to do? Bai Feng looked at Mo Ya in confusion. Having spent many years together, they already understood each other's thoughts.
With just a glance, Mo Ya knew what Bai Feng wanted to ask. He rubbed his head, which had been stung by the flick, and shook his head, as if to say, you're still young, you'll know when you grow up.
Bai Feng rolled his eyes in return, turned around, and went to find a quiet place to read.
Finally, only Nong Yu was left.
She pointed to herself with some trepidation, "Sir, what do I need to do?"
"You..." Qin Xuan scrutinized Nong Yu from head to toe. She was curvaceous and seemed good for bearing children. His gaze turned to Jingni. "Madam, as a personal maid, what do you think she should do?"
After the conversation just now, Jingni already knew about Nong Yu's tragic experience.
Although she felt some sympathy, it also depended on the situation.
How could she not know what Qin Xuan's true intentions were? There were many people with tragic backgrounds; if she were ugly, would he save her?
So she gave a 'Qin Xuan-style' answer, "Naturally, she should do what a personal maid should do. During the day, help take care of A Yan, and at night, if my husband needs anything, take care of him."
As soon as these words came out, Nong Yu's small face instantly turned pale. It was over. Even madam said so. As expected, she had just escaped the wolf's den only to enter the tiger's lair.
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