Book 1 - Chapter 105: Request for Assistance

Chapter 105: Request for Assistance

Upon returning to the Su Clan’s palace, Su Chen first went to visit Tang Hongrui to ask her about the current circumstances and to confirm that no problems had occurred while he was gone before he was finally able to relax.

After Su Feihu had taken over, the atmosphere of the Su Clan had greatly changed. Today, no one in the Su Clan took aim at Su Chen like they had before.

Even without Su Feihu’s support of Su Chen, they would not have dare to to do it.

Su Chen was a Young Master with a vicious record: he’d had a servant beaten to death, ruined an Aunt’s countenance, and dared to oppose his own father. He had also entered and returned from the Scarlet Mountain Range three times in a row.

If one were to say that in the past there were still some who were unaware of his standing, then now, after all the things that had happened in the past few years, no one dared to compete with Su Chen anymore.

After visiting his mother, Su Chen returned to his Dustsift Courtyard.

Mingshu and Zhou Hong were both incredibly excited to see Su Chen return. Su Chen tested the progress of their cultivation.

Mingshu had just begun cultivating and was only in the first layer of body tempering. His improvement was not too fast. However, Zhou Hong had cultivated before, but he had always lacked a good method as well as resources because of his demotion a few years ago. Thus, he had always been stuck at the eight layer of Body Tempering. After Su Chen had given him a cultivation method and some money, Zhou Hong’s improvement was quite rapid. He had actually broken through to the ninth layer not long ago.

Su Chen was extremely satisfied. He encouraged Zhou Hong and told him that once he entered the Qi Drawing realm, he would pass him a few Origin Skills. Zhou Hong was extremely excited when he heard this.

After briefing the two of them, he made them retreat. Su Chen then returned to his own room before saying, “Okay, the others have all gone, you can come out now.”

Night Demon’s figure quietly appeared.

She gazed at Su Chen with shock. “My breath-restraining technique has already reached the stage of large success, and while I was hidden I made sure to slow my heartbeat. I even controlled my body’s temperature and breathing. Even people with sight wouldn’t be able to detect it, so how did you?”

Su Chen replied calmly, “Oh, every time I return, you are usually waiting for me inside my room. Thus, I was just carelessly calling out just as a test. I didn’t expect that you actually were here.”

“You……” Night Demon almost spit out a mouthful of blood.

She fiercely stared at him before saying, “The aura of your Origin Energy has become thicker again. It seems like your strength has increased quite a bit.

“If my strength didn’t increase, what point would there be in going to the Scarlet Mountain Range?”

“Hmph.” Night Demon sat down on Su Chen’s large recliner, which was made of rosewood and had nine beasts carved on it. “I came looking for you because there’s something we need your help with.”

“Unsurprising. In any case, if it isn’t you helping me, it’s me helping you. But everything is done according to the previous rules. If you want my help, you need to pay a price.”

“What do you want?”

“That depends on what you want me to do.”

Night Demon thought for a moment, then said, “I heard that you want to attend the Hidden Dragon Institute’s enrollment exam?”

Upon hearing the name “Hidden Dragon Institute,” Su Chen smiled with great meaning.

The Hidden Dragon Institute was Long Sang Country’s number one Origin Qi Scholar school, located in the Long Coiling City. The people that came from that school could all be considered Heaven’s Chosens, whose futures were unlimited.

Every year, the Hidden Dragon Institute did not accept many students. To only accept no more than a thousand students from such a large country implied that each one was the best of the best. The position that Northface City held in Long Sang Country meant that they would only obtain an admission opportunity every ten years, and they would not accept more than four individuals.

Regardless of whether it was Su Chen, Lin Yemao, or anyone else, their main goal was still the Hidden Dragon Institute.

However, based on Night Demon’s question, Su Chen knew that there was a deeper intention hidden.

Su Chen nodded his head and said, “Yes. What is it?”

“Do you remember how you first met us?” Night Demon asked.

“Of course, how could I forget. I unintentionally overheard Old Sang and Lin Xie’s conversation,” Su Chen replied.

“That’s right. Then, you should have heard of the term ‘Spirit Burying Terrace’, right?”

Su Chen nodded his head.

Night Demon continued, “The Spirit Burying Terrace is a secret location that the organization has been trying to find and open for a long time. Originally, because we didn’t want this matter to be exposed, I was sent to kill you. You were quite smart, however, and left behind a backdoor. In the end, I wasn’t able to kill you; instead, we became friends, and we began to cooperate with each other.”

“Yes. Perhaps it is simply the whims of Fate; no one could have expected that the situation would develop to this point,” Su Chen pretended to sigh. Despite knowing what she would say, he asked, “Then, what next?”

“Originally, the organization’s intention was that upon opening the Spirit Burying Terrace and obtaining the things inside, the matter could be finished. However, we didn’t anticipate that there would be an unexpected occurrence.”

“An unexpected occurrence?” Su Chen appeared extremely shocked. “What unexpected occurrence? Does it have something to do with me?”

“It has nothing to do with you,” Night Demon shook her head. She said angrily, “The Hidden Dragon Institute…… Some bastard changed the location of this year’s enrollment competition to the Red Peak Range.”

When Su Chen heard this, he laughed in his heart.

Moving the Hidden Dragon battle to the Red Peak Range was definitely due to Gu Qingluo’s scheme.

Gu Qingluo’s older brother, Gu Weichen, was the general of the chariot troops of Long Sang Country, head of the Jade Mountain Barracks, and he was also one of the geniuses that belonged to the Hidden Dragon Institute. He was the Hidden Dragon Institute’s He Yushu’s personal disciple. The character for “jade” in the Jade Mountain Barracks was related to He Yushu 1

With this kind of connection, as long as Gu Weichen politely let the Hidden Dragon Institute know about changing the location of the Hidden Dragon battle in Northface City, it was easily achievable for him.

However, to the Immortal Temple, this matter brought them a great deal of trouble.

Now that the location for the Hidden Dragon battle had been set at the Red Peak Range, the first thing that Northface City would do would be to lock down the entire surrounding area, preventing others from entering or leaving. They could deal with any Demonic Beasts that appeared, preventing unforeseen circumstances from occurring during the examinations. Additionally, they could supervise others, preventing them from entering first to tamper with the stage.

The Spirit Burying Terrace just so happened to be near the Red Peak Range. For the Hidden Dragon Institute to do this, the Immortal Temple’s schemes to open the Spirit Burying Terrace immediately fizzled out.

Upon hearing Night Demon discuss what had happened, Su Chen pretended to be surprised. “So that’s what happened. Then that really is quite the coincidence…… can you really not wait until after the Hidden Dragon battle to open it?”

“We can’t.” Night Demon shook her head. “The Spirit Burying Terrace is filled with traps, and the Origin Formation can only broken on a specific date in order to enter the Spirit Burying Terrace safely. Otherwise, the secrets hidden inside won’t really appear. And this period of time coincides with the Hidden Dragon battle. If we miss this opportunity, we will need to wait another thousand years.”

As expected, Su Chen said in his heart.

Long before changing the location of the Hidden Dragon battle, Su Chen and Gu Qingluo had guessed that opening the Spirit Burying Terrace was probably also under a time restriction. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have delayed opening it for a thousand years. Nor would they have let Su Chen extort them in this way.

However, the main question was when exactly the Spirit Burying Terrace could be opened. To figure this out, Su Chen and Gu Qingluo had consulted large numbers of references and ancient books, in the end determining that the Spirit Burying Terrace was finished on the twenty second day of the seventh month. That very same date this year was the seven thousandth year since the creation of the Spirit Burying Terrace. When taking into consideration the Immortal Temple’s control over the timing, the snippets of information that he had obtained during unintentional conversation, as well as collecting all kinds of information from various sources, the two finally confirmed that the Spirit Burying Terrace was extremely likely to open on this day.

Thus, the Immortal Palace had completely fallen into the calculations of Su Chen and Gu Qingluo.

At this moment, Su Chen said, “So that’s how it is. Then what do you want me to help you do? The Hidden Dragon battle is not a normal competition. If you want me to bring you in, I don’t have that kind of ability.”

“We don’t need you to bring us in. We just want you to enter in our place.”

“Enter in your place?”

“Yes, enter in our place. As long as you can enter the Spirit Burying Terrace during the duration of the Hidden Dragon battle and help us take out a few things inside.”

“This……” Su Chen hesitated for a moment. “The Hidden Dragon Institute is vital for my advancement in the future. If I am to suffer a defeat in the competition…… No, I cannot agree.”

When Night Demon heard this, she became angrily agitated.

This was the Spirit Burying Terrace! There were great opportunities inside.

The Immortal Temple had spent so much energy to discover its location and how to break it open. Now, they are asking you to go, and you are not willing?

Although his unwillingness truly demonstrated that he had nothing to do with this matter, Night Demon couldn’t help but roll her eyes when she heard this reply of his. “The things in there are much more valuable than the Hidden Dragon Institute by who knows how many times.”

“Hmph, a bunch of stuff buried in the dirt. How could they be useful? What I am looking for is the path to enter the Hidden Dragon Institute. I am not interested in secular riches of gold and silver at all.

You have the gall to say this? Night Demon almost yelled.

Who was the one who extorted us to get our Origin Tools unafraid of death?

Who was the one who hired mercenaries to kill off and swallow up the Shadow Mountain Troops?

Now you say all high and mightily that you are completely focused on traveling the path of cultivation and have no interest in mortal wealth?

Despite her anger, Night Demon could only say with gritted teeth, patiently and systematically, “Trust me, there are definitely good things in that place. If you are willing to help us, I can guarantee that apart from the few things that we want, everything else can belong to you.”

Like hell you can guarantee! Su Chen silently cursed.

That “apart from the few things that we want, everything else can belong to you” was probably the last resort that your organization’s leader had given you, right?

But you actually went directly to the last resort.

If they let someone like you, who has such poor negotiating abilities, make the guarantee that would be strange.

Su Chen said without changing expression, “How do I know what is in there? What if there’s nothing else apart from what you want? Then I’ll just have done your work for free.”

“It won’t happen……” Night Demon hurriedly said.

However, Su Chen had already interrupted her. “The Hidden Dragon battle to me is extremely important. I won’t divide my attention to do something else just for a portion of purely imaginary spoils. Go back and tell them that I can’t help you.”

“Okay.” Night Demon knew that she had no way of convincing Su Chen at this moment, so she could only say, “I will report back to them, but there is no way that we will give up so easily.”

“I don’t care whether or not you give up. In any case, my attitude is already very clear. In addition…… go back and tell your head, I won’t meet with anyone else apart from you.”

“You’re giving me that much face?” Upon hearing this, Night Demon immediately became happy.

“Of course,” Su Chen replied with a laugh.

What a joke! If they switched out stupid you for someone more capable next time, what would I do?

——————————

After sending Night Demon off, Iron Cliff stormed in before Su Chen was even able to sit down and rest.

The first words out of his mouth were, “Something’s happening to Lin Yemao.”

“What is it?” Su Chen was stunned.

`“You’d best come take a look.”

1. The character for “Yu” in He Yushu’s name (玉) means jade.