Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 153 Citywide Search, Seven Stars Invitation

As soon as he finished speaking, a violent aura suddenly erupted from Xue Shan. The pressure of a peak-level Condensation Sea Realm cultivator instantly filled the entire tavern, causing the tables and chairs to creak. Some of the lower-level rogue cultivators turned pale and even found it difficult to breathe.

Who in the entire Qingzhou Prefecture didn't know that the Mad Saber Xue Shan was a stubborn man who wouldn't listen to reason?

Normally, you can treat him like a brother and drink with him without any problem. But if anyone dares to put on airs in front of him or use their status to intimidate him, he won't care about you at all.

"Old Xue! Old Xue! Calm down, calm down!" Constable Wang quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, "Miss Xiao is just following orders and doing her job properly, don't get so angry."

As he spoke, he turned to Xiao Zhanbai and winked at her, then lowered his voice and said, "Miss Xiao, that's just how Old Xue is. If you talk to him nicely, he'll cooperate."

Xiao Zhanbai frowned almost imperceptibly, but ultimately gave Constable Wang some face, toning down his sharp edge somewhat.

She also knew that Xue Shan was a well-known leader of independent cultivators in the city, and that pushing him too far without solid evidence would not benefit the investigation of Tianjian Manor.

Xue Shan snorted coldly, and his imposing aura slowly receded, instantly easing the pressure in the tavern.

He picked up the wine bowl again, without even looking at Xiao Zhanbai, and said to Constable Wang, "Constable Wang, it's not that I'm not giving you face, but I've been drinking in this tavern all night without leaving it. My waiter and all the customers in this room can testify to that."

"Besides, didn't your people already come and ask once? What, you don't trust your own people and insist that this Fairy Xiao personally interrogate them again?"

His words made Constable Wang somewhat embarrassed, and he could only manage a couple of dry laughs.

Xiao Zhanbai remained expressionless and said coldly, "It's just routine business. Since there are witnesses, we will naturally verify them. However, until the murderer is found, your suspicion has not been cleared. So for the time being, you'd better stay in the city obediently and don't let us not be able to find you."

That was quite a blunt statement, full of warning.

Xue Shan laughed out loud, his laughter full of mockery.

"What a joke! I, Xue Shan, have nothing to hide. Why would I be afraid of your investigation? My Worry-Relieving Tavern is right here. It's not that it can't be found. It's your Heavenly Sword Manor that will end up not even finding a trace of the murderer. That would be truly shameful!"

"You!" A disciple from Tianjian Manor behind Xiao Zhanbai was furious and put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

Xiao Zhanbai stopped the disciples behind him, gave Xue Shan a deep look, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"I hope you can stay this stubborn forever."

After saying that, she didn't say anything more, turned around and left, clean and efficient.

Constable Wang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Xue Shan, sighed, and then quickly left.

The oppressive atmosphere only gradually dissipated after the two figures completely disappeared from the tavern entrance.

"Pah! What a piece of crap!" A rogue cultivator spat on the ground.

"Exactly, she's still too green to put on airs in front of Lao Xue!"

"But what exactly happened that warranted such a large-scale operation, even requiring Xiao Zhanbai to personally intervene?"

The tavern was noisy again, with everyone speculating about what had happened the night before.

Xue Shan, who was supposed to be the focus of attention, was unusually quiet at this moment.

He stopped drinking and just sat there, stroking the rim of the cold wine bowl with his fingers, his eyes deep and unfocused, lost in thought.

Is Tianjian Manor investigating a master swordsman?
Someone died in the city last night at midnight? And at the hands of a skilled knife user?
Xue Shan quickly went through this information in his mind.

He knew almost all the skilled swordsmen in Qingzhou City, and the fact that Tianjian Manor valued him so highly meant that his strength was not something that ordinary people could possess.

who can that be?

Xue Shan thought of several names, but then rejected them one by one.

Those guys either don't have the guts or the ability.

But for some reason, Xue Shan felt no anger at being suspected; instead, a strange sense of...admiration welled up within him.
That's right, it's about appreciation.

In this Qingzhou prefecture, right under the nose of Tianjian Manor, they can kill without hesitation and leave no trace, disappearing quietly into the distance.

That audacity and those methods are truly exhilarating!
"Hehe..." Xue Shan chuckled softly, downed the strong liquor in his bowl in one gulp, and then said in a low voice.

"No matter who you are, I'll offer you a bowl of wine!"

Early the next morning, Qingzhou City awoke from its slumber and returned to its usual bustling state.

The stall area was still bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder.

"Brother Chen Ye, look, look! There are more patrols now!" Yun Heqing said to Chen Ye in a low voice, his eyes filled with nervousness.

Chen Ye followed his gaze.

Sure enough, there were many more disciples from Tianjian Manor and soldiers from Qingzhou Prefecture patrolling the streets.

They moved in groups of three or five, their steps were orderly, and their sharp eyes scanned every pedestrian. The checks became exceptionally strict, and occasionally they would stop some cultivators who looked suspicious and question them carefully.

"What's there to be afraid of?" Su Yuanman said nonchalantly, munching on a candied hawthorn. "We haven't done anything wrong, what are they going to do to us?"

Chen Ye simply gave a faint "hmm," his face revealing no emotion.

He understood that this was because Tianjian Manor couldn't find the murderer, which was why they were so on edge.

This also proved that he had not been exposed, which reassured him.

Thinking of this, Chen Ye patted Yun Heqing on the shoulder, "Alright, stop looking, let's get to work."

"Alright!" Yun Heqing immediately perked up, throwing his fear of the government to the winds. After all, making money was the most important thing!
Now, the three-person team works together more and more seamlessly, and their business is booming.

During this time, they also heard a lot of gossip about the city-wide search.

"Have you heard? It seems they arrested several Blood Soul Sect spies in the west of the city last night!"

"That's not all! I heard that even the leader of the Black Fiend Sect was cornered in a rat hole by the Demon Slayer Division and beaten terribly!"

"Tsk tsk, Tianjian Manor is really angry this time. They're going to dig three feet into the ground! I wonder which unlucky guy got into such big trouble."

Hearing these discussions, Yun Heqing shrank back again, while Su Yuan listened with great interest, only Chen Ye remained calm and composed.

He couldn't wait for Tianjian Manor and Qingzhou Prefecture to make an even bigger commotion and uncover as many monsters and demons as possible.

In this way, everyone's attention will be drawn to these exposed individuals, while he will actually become safer.

As the sun sets, another busy day comes to an end.

The three packed up their stall and prepared to return to the inn.

Today's harvest was quite good again. Yun Heqing's mouth was almost stretched to his ears as he hummed an off-key tune all the way. Su Yuan also ate her candied hawthorns with great satisfaction.

Looking at these two lively characters, Chen Ye felt a rare sense of relaxation.

However, he knew very well that the trade fair was nearing its end and many cultivators were leaving, so the days of quietly making big money wouldn't last much longer.

But that's enough. The silver he's saved up over this period is enough for him to cultivate for a long time.

Moreover, Chen Ye had a vague premonition during his recent cultivation that he should be able to break through to the Sea Condensation Realm soon.

If others knew about this cultivation speed, they would probably be astonished, but Chen Ye was not surprised. After all, his career advancement would also bring about an increase in cultivation level, and the two complemented each other.

Just as Chen Ye was pondering what to do next, two figures suddenly appeared at the entrance of the alley ahead, blocking his way.

The two people, a man and a woman, were dressed in matching light blue outfits. The clothes were made of fine material and were well-tailored. A pattern of the Big Dipper was embroidered in silver thread on the chest.

Both of them looked very young; the man was handsome and the woman was beautiful, and they both exuded a shrewd and capable air.

Although they were merely standing there, the faint energy fluctuations emanating from them indicated that they were at least cultivators at the Unimpeded Realm. Seeing this, Chen Ye stopped, his eyes turning cold.

Yun Heqing, who was standing next to her, turned pale with fright and quickly hid behind Su Yuan, who was eating candied hawthorn.

As for Su Yuan, her round face instantly turned very serious. She swallowed the candied hawthorn in her mouth in two bites and said coldly, "What are you doing?"

These past two days have been incredibly lucrative, making Su Yuan so enamored with the feeling of running a stall that she naturally wouldn't allow anyone to disturb her from making money.

Just as Su Yuan was about to release the Gu poison, she heard the man smile and say, "Young lady, please don't misunderstand."

"We mean no harm; we just want to make friends with this Brother Chen Ye."

His gaze passed over Su Yuan and landed on Chen Ye behind her.

"Want to be friends with me?" Chen Ye raised an eyebrow slightly.

“That’s right.” The man nodded, cupped his hands in greeting to Chen Ye, and was very polite. “I am Lu Feng, and this is my companion Lin Yue. We are from the Seven Star Pavilion.”

"Seven Star Pavilion?" Chen Ye searched his mind for the name, but found nothing.

Clearly, this is not a major sect with a prominent reputation in Qingzhou.

“It’s normal that you don’t know about the Seven Star Pavilion. After all, our Seven Star Pavilion is just a loose alliance of treasure hunters, aiming to exchange resources, share information, and cooperate for mutual benefit,” Lu Feng explained with a smile. “And we have been observing Brother Chen Ye for some time now.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye felt a chill run down his spine.

Sure enough, despite his best efforts to keep a low profile, he was still being watched!
"Brother Chen Ye's insight is truly admirable." Lin Yue, who was standing next to him, also spoke up. Her voice was clear and pleasant, with a hint of laughter, and she was very approachable.

"Almost every time he makes a purchase, he manages to find a priceless treasure. Even the veterans in the pavilion would find it difficult to achieve this."

Chen Ye's expression remained unchanged. He looked at Lu Feng and Lin Yue and said calmly, "So? What exactly are you trying to say?"

Lu Feng's smile widened: "It's like this, our sect leader greatly admires you, Brother Chen Ye, so he specially sent us here to invite you and your two friends to have a drink at Zuixianlou, so that everyone can get to know each other and talk about some things."

"No need!" Chen Ye declined the dinner invitation without hesitation. "Let's talk here. If I'm interested, we can discuss the next steps. If not, we can go our separate ways and save each other's time."

His attitude was very direct, even somewhat impolite.

Lu Feng and Lin Yue exchanged a glance, seemingly unsurprised by Chen Ye's reaction.

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Feng nodded and said, "Alright, since Brother Chen Ye is a straightforward person, I won't beat around the bush."

He gathered his thoughts and said, "Brother Chen Ye, you have indeed made a lot of money in the stall area these past two days by relying on your good eye, but you should also know that this kind of small-scale operation is ultimately not up to par. After all, the really good stuff will not end up in the stalls outside."

"Our Seven Star Pavilion is different. We have our own information channels and a dedicated team to explore various ancient ruins and cultivator caves. Therefore, we come into contact with opportunities and treasures that ordinary rogue cultivators would never encounter in their entire lives."

"Therefore, we sincerely invite Brother Chen Ye to join our Seven Star Pavilion." Lu Feng's eyes became eager. "With your discerning eye, coupled with the platform and resources of our Seven Star Pavilion, a powerful alliance like this will undoubtedly lead to limitless achievements in the future!"

“That’s right,” Lin Yue added. “Join us and you’ll no longer be fighting alone. You’ll have the entire Seven Star Pavilion backing you up. Moreover, the treasures you find will be distributed according to your contributions, absolutely fair and just. We guarantee that your earnings will be ten times, or even a hundred times, higher than what you’re making by setting up a stall now!”

These words were extremely tempting, yet Chen Ye's face remained calm and composed.

He knew very well that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Despite their flowery words, what they really meant was that my ability to repeatedly find bargains lately had caught their eye.

Chen Ye would never join any organization for a pittance, since his keen insight came from his own magic touch, which was his biggest secret and he would never reveal it to anyone.

Therefore, he shook his head after a brief moment of thought, "Thank you both for your high regard, and thank you for your kindness, Pavilion Master."

Chen Ye's tone was calm, but his attitude was firm: "However, I may have to disappoint you."

"Why?" Lu Feng's smile froze, and he asked with some confusion, "Brother Chen Ye, don't you think this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity? You...."

“I’m used to being lazy,” Chen Ye interrupted him. “I don’t like being bound by rules or regulations, nor do I like acting with others. Besides, I don’t even plan to set up this stall anymore. After all, cultivation is the right path. I’m only doing this now because I don’t have the money.”

He paused, then added, "As for the eyesight you mentioned, it's not really that mysterious. It's just a few tricks for identifying materials passed down from our ancestors, plus most of the time it's just guesswork and good luck. If I were to actually go with you to explore any ruins or caves, I'd probably just be a hindrance."

His words were watertight, directly telling the other party that he would not even set up a stall anymore, while attributing his good judgment to skill and luck, thus not giving Lu Feng and Lin Yue any further opportunity to persuade him.

Lu Feng and Lin Yue were both somewhat disappointed upon hearing Chen Ye's answer.

They thought this was a sure thing, after all, the conditions they offered were incredibly attractive to any independent cultivator.

Unexpectedly, Chen Ye refused so decisively.

"Brother Chen Ye, won't you reconsider?" Lin Yue was still somewhat unwilling. "This is really a great opportunity. If we miss it, it might be too late..."

"No need," Chen Ye shook his head. "My mind is made up. Thank you both for your kind offer."

Seeing Chen Ye's resolute attitude, Lu Feng and Lin Yue exchanged a glance, knowing that there was no point in trying to persuade him any further.

"In that case, we won't force you." Lu Feng sighed, his professional smile returning to his face.

"Brother Chen Ye, although we were unable to cooperate this time, the doors of our Seven Star Pavilion will always be open to you. If you ever change your mind or encounter any problems that you cannot solve, you can come to the Seven Star Tower in the east of the city to find us."

"Thank you for your kindness."

Lu Feng and Lin Yue left. Watching their retreating figures, Chen Ye suddenly said, "It seems we can't set up this stall anymore."

Upon hearing this, Su Yuan was greatly anxious. Just as she was about to say something, Yun Heqing stopped her. This usually timid Taoist priest now had a serious look in his eyes and solemnly shook his head at Su Yuan, meaning not to refute.

Su Yuan pouted, but ultimately listened to the advice and said nothing more.

Just as Chen Ye and his two companions returned to the inn, the atmosphere in the courtyard in the west of the city was tense and tense.

The door to the secret room was wide open, and the inside had been ransacked, but a lingering evil aura and the smell of blood could still be smelled.

Xiao Zhanbai stood in the center of the courtyard, dressed in white, her posture upright, but her usually cold and aloof face was now shrouded in an unyielding gloom.

After all, two whole days have passed, and there's only one day left until the deadline given by Young Master Jian Wuchen, yet they haven't even caught a glimpse of the culprit.

In the past two days, she has barely slept, leading the disciples of the Enforcement Hall and the armored soldiers of Qingzhou Prefecture to search the entire city of Qingzhou Prefecture several times over.

She invited all 137 registered swordsmen above the Sea Condensation Realm to have tea.

Xue Shan, the most suspected mad swordsman, was being watched by her men 24 hours a day, with guards even watching him when he went to the outhouse.

But after investigation, everyone was ruled out as a suspect.

The murderer seemed to appear out of thin air and then vanish just as suddenly, leaving no trace in the inescapable net of Qingzhou Prefecture.

But it wouldn't be accurate to say there were absolutely no gains.

During this large-scale search, they uncovered quite a few evil cultivators and demons hiding in the city, including spies from the Blood Soul Sect, branch leaders of the Black Fiend Sect, several womanizers, and notorious bandits who had been wanted by the government for many years. In total, they arrested twenty or thirty people, which can be considered as purifying the security environment of Qingzhou Prefecture.

But none of these are what she wants!

What she wanted was the murderer who dared to kill someone right under the nose of Tianjian Manor and openly challenge the manor's authority!
If she can't find him, she won't be able to explain to the young master of the manor, nor to Elder Jian of the Law Enforcement Hall!
This was undoubtedly a huge humiliation for Xiao Zhanbai, who was always proud and had never been defeated.

"Senior Sister Xiao."

Just then, a disciple from the Enforcement Hall hurried in from outside, his face looking rather grim.

He walked up to Xiao Zhanbai and respectfully handed him a jade slip.

"This is... Elder Jian's order."

(End of this chapter)