Chapter 519 - Ling Ya’s Lair
Chen Qing laughed heartily. “Tell me, what is the first principle of The Scavenger’s Treasure Manual?”
Once again, that quick-witted disciple stole the lead. “Master, it’s luck!”
Chen Qing turned solemn. “Wrong! It’s luck, luck, and still luck! Whether it’s a fortuitous encounter or a stroke of destiny, as long as you’re lucky, you don’t need to move. It’ll come to you on its own! Just like back when I was young... A fortunate man need not rush because an unfortunate one will run his legs off!”
Looking back on the past, he sighed with emotion. Just then, the two streaks of light finally descended, crashing down about half a li ahead of Chen Qing. A heaven-shaking boom shook the place.
Chen Qing shook his head, flushed with excitement. “After falling from such a distance, they’re definitely dead! Come on, time to get down to business!”
With a flourish of his sleeve, he led his three disciples over. Moments later, the four had arrived at the edge of a pit dozens of zhang across. Inside was the bloodied Gu Han, mangled beyond recognition, with the charred black Chongming lying beside him. The rooster’s tail feathers were gone, making him look like a bald, scraggly fowl. Neither of them moved a muscle.
Gu Han had sustained such severe damage to his divine soul that he’d fallen unconscious, while Chongming had exhausted too much power and was simply too tired, so he fell asleep.
Chen Qing was taken aback. “A chicken? How is there a chicken here?”
Then, he sighed with feeling. “Pathetic, truly pathetic. This fellow must have ventured deep into the center of Luori Mountain seeking fortune. Unfortunately, he was unlucky and died. It seems that his loss is my gain. Being a scavenger really is the best!”
He’d already arrived before Gu Han.
One of the disciples sighed. “Master, there’s not much to be had here. This man doesn’t even have a storage ring.”
Beside Gu Han, there was only that battered black sword.
Chen Qing scolded again, “Idiot! What’s another principle of the manual? It’s to not be greedy. How many times have I told you! A mosquito’s leg is still meat! A single essence crystal is still money! How do you think I cultivated to the Transcendent realm? Where did all those resources come from? They came from saving bit by bit, one essence crystal at a time!”
He pointed at the black sword. “No matter how beat-up this sword is, it should still fetch ten or even twenty thousand essence crystals! And this chicken...”
Then, he pointed at Chongming. “How rare is it for a chicken to grow into a demon! Roast it or stew it, and it should help improve your cultivation somewhat!”
These words left the three disciples captivated, brimming with admiration. As expected of a scavenger with three hundred years of experience!
Ignoring them, Chen Qing reached out to the black sword, but it didn’t budge. The sword spirit was resisting him.
Chen Qing didn’t understand, but his face lit up with delight. “It’s pretty heavy? It must be made from some extraordinary materials! This is no longer a matter of ten or twenty thousand essence crystals...”
In his good cheer, he decided to impart something not recorded in the manual, “Remember, scavenging depends on the person. The higher their status, the less you should touch their belongings. Otherwise, when the forces behind them come knocking, you won’t even know how you died. Many scavengers have met their end because they were greedy, couldn’t keep their hands in check, picked up something they shouldn’t have, and brought disaster upon themselves.”
The three disciples listened in rapt fascination. The master was teaching real skills now, so they had to listen carefully and not miss a single word.
“Judging by the looks of it, their attire...” He glanced at Gu Han, who was drenched in blood, and felt a bit awkward. “Ahem, I can’t really tell what this one’s wearing, but he probably doesn’t have much of a background...”
One of the disciples seemed to think of something. “Master, could he be from the Profound Sword Sect? That’s a first-rate power. Everyone there is a sword cultivator.”
Another disciple shook his head. “No. Look how poor he is, and his sword is so broken. How could he be from the Profound Sword Sect?”
Chen Qing hesitated. Could he really be from the Profound Sword Sect?
If so, even if this man was dead, he wouldn’t be someone Chen Qing could afford to provoke.
Just then, the last disciple stared at Gu Han’s left hand. “Master, look! There’s something in his hand!”
Chen Qing gave him a look of approval. “Good. That’s some keen observation you have!”
With that, he reached out to pry open Gu Han’s hand. “Taking it or not can wait, first let’s see what it is—”
Upon sensing an external aura approaching, Gu Han’s eyes snapped open instantly, meeting Chen Qing’s gaze head-on. His gaze was sharp, overbearing, and had a hint of killing intent so tangible it was nearly solid.
Chen Qing swallowed hard. He’s not dead? And that aura just now feels like saint might? He’s a Saint realm cultivator!
His heart seized with terror, and he instinctively stepped back several paces. Scavenging right from a Saint realm cultivator, who isn’t even dead... Stay calm, me!
He drew a deep breath. With years of scavenging experience, he had a way to handle this situation. The Scavenger's Manual, Thirty-Fifth Principle: Play dumb! Hide the truth and slip away!
He forced himself to say, “Senior, I was passing by and saw that you were injured, so—”
Gu Han struggled to sit up, the sharpness and killing intent in his eyes gradually fading as he regained his wits. “Where am I?”
Chen Qing was taken aback as he thought to himself, You flew in from the very heart of the mountain range, and you don’t know where this is?
“This... is Luori Mountain.”
Gu Han frowned deeply, glancing to the side. “Luori Mountain?”
Upon seeing that Chongming seemed to be asleep, he breathed a quiet sigh of relief. “Is this the Southern Border?”
Of the five domains, the Southern Border was the only one he’d never been to. However, looking at the attire of the people before him, and the sky above as bright as a mirror, he had a nagging feeling something was off.
Chen Qing was baffled. “Southern Border? What place is that? Senior, forgive my ignorance. I’ve traveled little and have never heard of any such place in the Tiannan Realm—”
Gu Han’s gaze sharpened once more. “What?!”
Although he was gravely wounded, the killing intent emanating from him still left Chen Qing breathless. As for the three disciples, they had already collapsed into a heap under that pressure.
Gu Han fixed his stare on Chen Qing. “Say that again! Where am I?”
“Tian-Tiannan Realm.”
“Do you know Ling Ya?”
Chen Qing trembled with fear. “Master Ling Ya? I’ve heard of him, of course, but I’ve never actually met him...”
Gu Han fell silent. Tiannan Realm, Ling Ya’s lair!
He’d never imagined he would end up here. After a long while, his emotions gradually settled.
He glanced at Chen Qing, then at himself, as if comparing something. “Take it off!”
Chen Qing was instantly dumbfounded. “Senior, t-take what off?”
“Your clothes!”
The three disciples felt their scalps tingle with horror. Oh no! Master is about to be humiliated!
Sweat poured down Chen Qing’s forehead. He silently chanted, Stay calm, stay calm, I have a plan, I have a plan. That’s right! Principle 108 of the manual, when faced with someone unreasonable, never resist. Just surrender immediately, and give them whatever they want!
On instinct, he glanced back over his shoulder. But I really can’t give up my dignity!
He twisted into an odd posture, concealing a certain part of himself. Closing his eyes, he braced himself as he trembled. “Senior, h-how about you just kill me instead?”