The Peddler's Exclusive Art

Zhang Gunli truly had not anticipated that Feng Chongli would show up. Today, his only goal had been to claim the foremost talented woman of Puluo Province and spend a thoroughly satisfying night with Shen Rongqing. Never had he expected that Shen Rongqing would stake her very life just to stage this little performance for him. It truly was a well-crafted act. Before coming, Zhang Gunli had received word of Ma the Fifth's death. Believing it to be true, he had taken no precautions when coming here to collect the debt. Yet being unprepared did not mean he was about to suffer a loss. In all his years of debt collecting, Zhang Gunli had encountered countless unexpected situations. Surprised as he was, he felt little real concern. Looking at Feng Chongli, Zhang Gunli offered a faint smile. "Zhang Gunli, Feng Chongli—both our names carry the character *Li* for gain. Though we walk different pathways, our methods of handling business are actually quite alike." At that, Zhang Gunli fell silent for a moment, his tone turning somewhat heavier. "Brother Feng, what is this all about? We are both businessmen. Isn't this just over a bit of money? Was there any need to make things so ugly between us?" He Jiaqing shook his head. "That was hardly just 'a bit of money.' When Brother Feng told me the figure, even I felt troubled on his behalf." Zhang Gunli extended his right hand and pointed a finger at He Jiaqing. "Brat, there is no place for you to speak here, nor will you ever have the chance to speak again." With that, Zhang Gunli turned his gaze back to Feng Chongli. "Back when you borrowed the funds, the terms regarding interest were spelled out plain as day. If you thought my rate was too steep, you shouldn't have borrowed from me. I didn't hold a knife to your throat, did I? "Now you claim you can't pay. Even that isn't beyond negotiation. If you'd just spoken a few gentle words to your elder brother, do you think I'd really drive you to death or something?" He Jiaqing let out a cold laugh. "Zhang Gunli, over all these years, how many people haven't you driven to death?" "He Jiaqing, I just told you, you have no say here!" Zhang Gunli pulled an IOU slip from his robes. He had countless IOUs in hand—some from fresh transactions struck today, others from old ledgers spanning centuries. Yet with a mere rub of his fingers, Zhang Gunli knew exactly which note belonged to whom. "Brother Feng, this IOU is yours. I'll lay it right here. Kill He Jiaqing right now, and I will tear up this promissory note on the spot. From then on, we'll be square and owe each other nothing. "Otherwise, I will collect your debt right this instant. And if you cannot pay, don't blame me for being ruthless!" The moment his words fell, coils of dense smoke rose from the IOU. Feng Chongli's limbs grew unimaginably heavy, rendering him entirely unable to move for a time. Loan Cultivator art: Mountain of Debt Bearing Down. It was as though a colossal mountain peak was pressing down on Feng Chongli, restricting his every action. Feng Chongli tried to activate a Merchant Cultivator art to break the pressure of the Mountain of Debt, but Zhang Gunli saw through his intention. Zhang Gunli casually scratched a line across the IOU, and Feng Chongli found himself unable to execute any art whatsoever. Loan Cultivator art: Scraping Bones and Pulling Sinews. "Brother Feng, you owe me money, yet you still want to raise a hand against me? Do you fancy your bones and sinews tough enough? If I scrape away just a couple more layers, it will cost you your life. Do you believe me? "My offer still stands. As long as you kill He Jiaqing, we wipe the slate clean. Otherwise—" *Clang!* *Crash!* He Jiaqing pulled a lever, and the floorboards of the residence's second floor split open to both sides. An entire floor's worth of silver dollars poured down toward the first level like a torrential cascade. Had Shen Rongqing not dodged swiftly, she might well have been battered and gravely injured. He Jiaqing looked at Zhang Gunli. "The money Brother Feng owes you is paid in full." Zhang Gunli froze. He had never expected He Jiaqing to be so thoroughly prepared. Even if the boy had produced a check, Zhang Gunli could have refused to acknowledge it, claiming it was a forgery. Yet with stacks of real silver dollars gleaming right before his eyes, Zhang Gunli could hardly lie through his teeth. There was no question of authenticity; both Feng Chongli and Zhang Gunli were experts at assessing the purity and weight of silver dollars. But Zhang Gunli could not accept the settlement—if he did, he would lose all leverage over Feng Chongli. Zhang Gunli said, "Old Feng, let me give you a fair warning. You're merely robbing Peter to pay Paul. Settling my account won't do you any good. The money you owe He Jiaqing will still have to be repaid, and this kid is even more sinister and vicious than I am! "As long as you kill He Jiaqing, you won't need to repay me a single copper. I'll tear up the IOU directly. That is the only way to treat both the symptoms and the root cause!" He Jiaqing sneered. "You say you'll tear it up, and that's that? What happens when you turn around and refuse to honor your word? Where will Brother Feng go to find justice?" Zhang Gunli's expression darkened. "He Jiaqing, I've told you twice now, you have no business—" He Jiaqing cut him off. "Right now, you are the one with no business speaking! Empty words and bare teeth—anything you say is utter nonsense. I have placed genuine, solid silver right here!" These words were meant for Feng Chongli's ears. The two had agreed beforehand to join hands against Zhang Gunli, but before the battle truly unfolded, anything could happen. If Feng Chongli wavered or changed his mind, He Jiaqing wouldn't even have a chance to escape. Now that He Jiaqing had paid off the debt on his behalf, it all came down to how Feng Chongli would react. Zhang Gunli clutched the IOU tightly. "Old Feng, it's not that I refuse to take your money. It's that I haven't counted the sum. Until I verify the count, I cannot hand over this IOU." Zhang Gunli intended to stall, but Feng Chongli refused to be taken advantage of. "When it comes to counting money, both of us are masters of the trade. This sum is more than enough. Accounts settled, goods cleared, neither owing the other a thing. Elder Brother Zhang, trying to blackmail me further would be crossing the line." The IOU in Zhang Gunli's hand suddenly burst into flames. Feng Chongli's art—Accounts Settled, Goods Cleared—took effect. Regardless of whether Zhang Gunli agreed, the debt was officially paid. Having lost the IOU, Zhang Gunli had effectively lost his control over Feng Chongli. Yet he remained confident in his ability to command the situation. More than half of a Loan Cultivator's arts relied upon IOUs, but throughout history, countless people had repaid their debts, retrieved their contracts, and promptly turned around to seek bloody vengeance. Even without the deed, Zhang Gunli possessed other means. Without the slightest rush, he continued negotiating with Feng Chongli. "Brother Feng, the money is repaid, and the IOU is destroyed. It seems this matter no longer has anything to do with you." He had hit the nail right on the head. One couldn't even fault him for being underhanded, because what he said was true. With his debt resolved, Feng Chongli had no obligation to fight for He Jiaqing. He could walk away at any second. A man like Zhang Gunli would certainly have done exactly that. Feng Chongli, however, was cut from a different cloth. "I do honest business. I don't run along the same track as usurers like you. In business, I value integrity above all. Old Zhang, lend me your head for a moment, so I may repay Young Master He's kindness!" With a flick of Feng Chongli's fingers, the beads of his abacus clattered fiercely. With every sharp click, layers of flesh and blood burst across Zhang Gunli's body. Merchant Cultivator art: Calculating to the Last Penny. Feng Chongli tallied the accounts on his end, while Zhang Gunli took the beating on his. The faster the beads moved, the more brutal the assault became. Seeing his body battered into a bloody mess, Zhang Gunli remained completely unperturbed. Dozens of silver dollars rose into the air around him and hurtled toward Feng Chongli. This was the Loan Cultivator art: Presenting Riches—a Loan Cultivator taking the initiative to gift you money to spend. It was an exceedingly sinister art. Some people remained on high alert against Loan Cultivators, refusing to borrow anything from them, yet a Loan Cultivator could use this move to force a loan upon them. These silver dollars now belonged to Zhang Gunli. The moment they struck Feng Chongli, they would burrow straight into his flesh. Once inside his body, they would be counted as a disbursed loan. Because there was no IOU, their binding power over Feng Chongli would be somewhat weaker. Yet in a clash at this level, the slightest restraint could cost one's life. Feng Chongli immediately ceased Calculating to the Last Penny and dodged the incoming silver dollars with haste. Those dozens of silver dollars still inflicted several wounds, but fortunately, he was agile enough to prevent a single coin from burrowing into his flesh. Zhang Gunli had sustained heavy injuries of his own, but when he knocked the two walnuts in his palm together, the wounds across his body rapidly closed and knit whole, restoring him completely. Feng Chongli stared at the walnuts in Zhang Gunli's hand. Zhang Gunli rolled the pair in his palm. "With this dharma treasure in hand, you cannot harm me in the slightest." Feng Chongli had seen him rolling those two walnuts every day without ever knowing their purpose; who would have thought the objects were so formidable? Snatching the treasure from his grasp would be terribly difficult, but failing to do so meant being unable to hurt Zhang Gunli. Just as Feng Chongli was pondering a countermeasure, He Jiaqing spoke up. "Brother Feng, don't fall for it. Those two walnuts aren't a dharma treasure—they are the keys to his vault. "The wounds on his body healed because he swapped in a fresh set of flesh and skin. He has plenty of flesh and skin stored inside his vault. Brother Feng, keep attacking! Let's test him and see just how long he can hold out!" Feng Chongli flicked the abacus beads once more, and the art of Calculating to the Last Penny crashed down upon Zhang Gunli anew. The art appeared simple, yet it was extraordinarily difficult to fend off—one of the Merchant Cultivator's definitive killing moves. As Zhang Gunli parried the technique, he glanced toward He Jiaqing, genuinely surprised that this young man knew him so intimately. That pair of walnuts truly was the key to his vault. Since Zhang Gunli could lend out flesh and blood, he naturally needed flesh and blood to be repaid, and thus kept a supply stored away. However, such flesh could not endure endless attrition from magical arts. Zhang Gunli swept a foot forward, and the mountainous pile of silver dollars across the room took to the air. The Presenting Riches art could not manipulate so many external objects at once. Feng Chongli found it strange and muttered, "Is that a Strength Cultivator art?" Zhang Gunli laughed. "Sharp eyes! Since I can borrow cultivation from a hundred schools, I naturally know the methods of a hundred schools. Brother Feng, look closely—if just a single silver dollar hits you, I can take your life!" Dodging the silver dollars was not difficult; what Feng Chongli truly feared was Zhang Gunli's follow-up. He Jiaqing called out, "Brother Feng, don't overthink it. The one he wants to deal with isn't you—he's trying to use those silver dollars to slaughter me." Zhang Gunli nodded. "You talk too much and meddle too much. You truly deserve to die." Before his voice had even faded, the silver dollars shot toward He Jiaqing. Yet before they could graze his person, every single coin plummeted helplessly to the ground. Zhang Gunli froze. He Jiaqing smiled and said, "You don't know the arts of a hundred schools; you simply used a Strength Cultivator dharma treasure. The Loan Cultivator pathway has its rules: external objects may be shared, but cultivation must remain untouched. "The things you store—gold, silver, dharma treasures, flesh, internal organs, bones—are all external objects. If you want them, you keep them for yourself and bear your own gains and losses. "Only things tied directly to cultivation can you lend outward while never using them yourself—including arts and raw combat power. That is an iron rule of your pathway. Am I wrong?" As Feng Chongli traded blows with Zhang Gunli, he listened to He Jiaqing lay bare Zhang Gunli's fighting methods. This benefited Feng Chongli immensely. Mid-combat, he had already formulated several strategies to counter Zhang Gunli. Forcing Feng Chongli back, Zhang Gunli turned his eyes on He Jiaqing. "Young man, just how much thought did you pour into seeking revenge against me?" He Jiaqing smiled. "To take your life, no amount of thought is wasted." Zhang Gunli squeezed the walnuts. A man and a woman descended from above, flanking He Jiaqing to besiege him from both sides. He Jiaqing stood his ground without making a move. As the pair approached, instead of striking at He Jiaqing, they turned on each other and began fighting furiously. The man still wanted to attack He Jiaqing, but the woman struck out at the man. He Jiaqing chuckled. "Old Zhang, this is a pair of craft cultivator puppets, isn't it? You lack craft cultivator arts, so you can only leave them to fight on their own instincts. But I possess craft cultivator arts, and now these puppets belong to me." As soon as he spoke, the male puppet stopped fighting as well. Both stood obediently by He Jiaqing's side. This pair of puppets had been crafted by Chu Shaoqiang. Falling on hard times recently and in desperate need of cash, Chu Shaoqiang had borrowed money he couldn't repay and had no choice but to forfeit these puppets to settle the debt. Without craft cultivator arts to direct them, the puppets could only fight autonomously, functioning like wooden automatons that could display at most twenty percent of their full power. Zhang Gunli had intended to use them to tie He Jiaqing down, never expecting the boy to seize both wooden automatons without so much as lifting a hand. Did a Thief Cultivator possess such ability? Even if he could steal arts, he shouldn't be able to wield them with such mastery. Zhang Gunli was thoroughly astonished, yet dared not let his attention wander, for he still had to contend with Feng Chongli. As the two walnuts clicked together, wisps of smoke drifted from Zhang Gunli's form, followed by rising mist, flashing sparks, swirling dust, and faint, echoing chants that wound around him. This was Zhang Gunli's most vicious mode of combat. Far too many people had used dharma treasures to settle debts; his vault was packed with them. He knew how to use every one of them, but no one could foresee which one he would deploy. A surge of dread seized Feng Chongli. He Haisheng standing by the doorway and Shen Rongqing hiding in the corner both felt as though they would perish by Zhang Gunli's hand in the very next second. This was not cowardice on their part; they had fallen under the Loan Cultivator art: Deadly Intimidation. In the business of debt collection, collectors resorted to every conceivable measure, and intimidation was their most common weapon. Zhang Gunli didn't need to do a thing; simply adopting a murderous stance was enough to strike terror into the hearts of everyone present. With the moment ripe, Zhang Gunli prepared to strike. Feng Chongli covered his eyes with both hands, parted them outward, and locked his gaze intently upon Zhang Gunli. With a roll of the walnuts in Zhang Gunli's palm, a matchbox flew into the air. A match sprang out, scraped against the striking surface, and ignited into blazing flames that surged toward Feng Chongli. Feng Chongli had prepared long beforehand. A spittoon flew out from his traveling pack, carrying a jar's worth of thick, stale phlegm that smothered the burning match before the viscous muck engulfed the box itself, holding the matchbox firmly in check. Zhang Gunli was startled. How could Feng Chongli have prepared for that? Had he guessed correctly based on experience? With another click of the walnuts, a tobacco pipe spewed a dense cloud of smoke toward Feng Chongli. Feng Chongli was prepared for that as well. From his sleeve whipped out a sandalwood folding fan. The fan fluttered on its own, whipping up a violent gale that blew the smoke away and rendered the pipe utterly useless. Twice in a row, he had countered in advance. This could no longer be dismissed as sheer luck. Zhang Gunli had told no one of his intentions, nor did he possess any fixed order or pattern when employing his dharma treasures. The only reasonable explanation was that Feng Chongli had seen through his intent and anticipated his actions beforehand. The crucial question was: how had he made that prediction? To say he felt no anxiety at all would be a lie, yet Zhang Gunli remained composed. He held dharma treasures, and he knew Feng Chongli carried no small number himself; Merchant Cultivators traveled far and wide, making it difficult to say whose foundation ran deeper. Yet he knew Feng Chongli's current circumstances were dire. The man had already sold off his better treasures. In a genuine war of attrition and resources, Zhang Gunli had nothing to fear. *Click! Click!* The walnuts knocked together twice, and Zhang Gunli vanished into thin air. This was a concealment treasure. No one could tell what method Zhang Gunli would use next, nor when he would strike. Feng Chongli dismantled the abacus in his hands and whipped his arm with force. The abacus beads flew upward, striking Zhang Gunli squarely overhead. The beads sank into his flesh and detonated in succession. Riddled with wounds, Zhang Gunli leaped toward the window. Fearing that Feng Chongli would pursue, he put distance between them. For the first time, genuine fear toward Feng Chongli stirred in his heart. Feng Chongli had anticipated his intent at every turn, which reminded him of an extraordinarily rare art. "You used Fair to Old and Young Alike?" Feng Chongli nodded. "It is the duty of a businessman." Zhang Gunli could hardly believe it. "That is the exclusive art of the Peddler." Feng Chongli did not answer. Zhang Gunli pressed further. "Are you a direct disciple of the Peddler?" Still, Feng Chongli remained silent. Zhang Gunli no longer wished to fight. He realized he might have gravely underestimated Feng Chongli. He Jiaqing's intimate knowledge of his secrets had already filled him with foreboding, and now he was facing a direct disciple of the Peddler. Continuing this battle would yield him no advantage. If the Peddler himself were drawn here, his life would be forfeit. Rubbing the walnuts, Zhang Gunli intended to summon a treasure to cover his retreat. *Click, click!* The sound was wrong. These were not his walnuts! Zhang Gunli looked down at the two walnuts in his hand, horror washing over him. Someone had swapped them out without his knowledge! He Jiaqing? He was a Thief Cultivator, and his sleight of hand was indeed formidable, but he had been standing right before Zhang Gunli's eyes. Zhang Gunli hadn't seen him move at all. How could he have swapped the walnuts? If the boy truly possessed such skill, he wouldn't have been driven to the brink of death by Lü Huazi in the first place. He had to take those walnuts back. They held his entire life's fortune. Zhang Gunli's figure flickered into view right before He Jiaqing, and he thrust a hand straight into He Jiaqing's chest. Loan Cultivator art: Cracking Bones and Sucking Marrow! This single strike could drain all of He Jiaqing's marrow and blood, and rip away his very soul. He Jiaqing cried out at the top of his lungs, "Save me!" Zhang Gunli was stunned. *That's it?* *He Jiaqing only has this much ability?* Seeing Zhang Gunli charge forward, not only had He Jiaqing failed to dodge, but upon being struck by the art, he hadn't mounted any counter at all? Was this truly He Jiaqing? Feng Chongli made no move to rescue He Jiaqing. He had depleted a great deal of strength and dared not clash head-on with Zhang Gunli again. Nor had He Jiaqing called to him for help. Instead, the young man shouted loudly, "Master, save me!" *Master?* *Who is his master?* Zhang Gunli exerted his full strength, yet sucked in neither marrow nor blood—only a cluster of departed spirits. This was not He Jiaqing. This was a departed soul! No, not a single soul—a ghost servant stitched together from several departed spirits! Because this ghost servant looked so indistinguishable from He Jiaqing, and because he had appeared alongside He Haisheng while He Haisheng stood guard at the doorway, Zhang Gunli had genuinely mistaken him for the real thing. Who was this ghost servant's master? Who possessed such terrifying craft? Could it be that *he* had come— Zhang Gunli dissolved into formlessness once more, resolving to flee the residence without a shred of hesitation. Just as he was about to pass through the wall, someone walked toward him from the other side, smiling warmly. "Old Zhang, where are you off to? An old friend has come to visit—won't you say hello before leaving?" The Smiling-Faced Ghost King, Gui Jianchou! Only now did Zhang Gunli understand the origin of the departed soul he had just seized. It was Gui Jianchou's ghost servant disguised as He Jiaqing! To mimic him so flawlessly, it likely contained an Opera Cultivator! To control the puppets, it must have included a craft cultivator as well. And the earlier Strength Cultivator art had been neutralized too, meaning a Strength Cultivator was blended in there as well. Merging three high-tier departed souls into a single ghost servant was something only Gui Jianchou could achieve. A wave of yin energy swept across him, halting Zhang Gunli in his tracks and completely shattering his concealment art! Zhang Gunli furrowed his brows. "Ah Gui, the debts between us were settled long ago." "The debt was settled, but I remember the grudge!" Gui Jianchou's smile never wavered. "The way you calculated interest nearly bankrupted me completely!" Zhang Gunli gritted his teeth. "Ever since I entered this pathway, that has been the way it is calculated. I never forced you to borrow from me. You accepted the terms back then, so why think of revenge today?" Gui Jianchou chuckled. "Old Zhang, in your heart, you know full well that someone was bound to come for your life sooner or later. With the way you carry yourself, dying by your own trade was only a matter of time." Zhang Gunli countered, "I haven't died after all these years, so why today of all days?" Gui Jianchou nodded. "Right now, neither too early nor too late, happens to be the day you pay with your life. Take my advice and just accept your fate!" "Accept my fate? As if you have the right to tell me that!" Zhang Gunli was not boasting. To have sustained this line of work to this day, he possessed true capability. Gui Jianchou, Ye Jianhuang, Qiao Wuzui—all of them had borrowed from him. Had they come one by one, he would fear none of them. Even with Gui Jianchou and Feng Chongli here together today, Zhang Gunli still possessed the confidence to escape. *Slash!* A chill swept across Zhang Gunli's back as a deep gash opened down his spine. Mu Yuejuan stood behind him holding a writing brush, its tip still dripping with blood. Zhang Gunli glanced back at her. "Miss Mu, there is no great enmity between us, is there? When I did business with you, I didn't charge you much interest either, did I?" Mu Yuejuan put on an innocent look. "Oh, Brother Zhang, so many people are laying hands on you—why must you pick on little old me?" The way she phrased it... Gui Jianchou laughed. "Old Zhang, saying such words makes me look down on you. Mu Yuejuan truly holds no grudge against you, but there is profit to be had here! "Bustling to and fro, all for profit they go. You, Zhang Gunli, still fail to grasp this simple truth? You are destined to die here today—how could Miss Mu not come along to take a piece of the pie?" "Every last one of you just wants a piece of the pie?" Zhang Gunli swept his gaze across the gathering. Mu Yuejuan sighed with feigned pity. "After you die, I will leave behind a painting for you—*When the Drum Breaks, Ten Thousand Beat Upon It*. So don't hold a grudge against me." "Yes, when the drum breaks, ten thousand beat upon it," Zhang Gunli chuckled bitterly. "Why on earth have you wretched bastards banded together?" "No need to rush with your questions; in a few days, you might just find out." Gui Jianchou waved his hand, and a host of ghost servants pounced upon Zhang Gunli. Adorned with all his dharma treasures, Zhang Gunli fought fiercely against the ghost servants. Meanwhile, Mu Yuejuan painted a nine-headed spirit serpent that coiled tightly around Zhang Gunli. Zhang Gunli tried to use a Water Cultivator treasure to wash away the painted serpent, but his Water Cultivator treasure was gone. He tried to use a Sound Cultivator treasure to drive off the ghost servants, but his Sound Cultivator treasure had vanished as well. One after another, the dharma treasures on his person disappeared, and Zhang Gunli suffered heavy blow upon heavy blow. It was He Jiaqing stealing them—he was still lurking in the shadows! Feng Chongli plunged the dismantled frame of his abacus straight into Zhang Gunli's chest, twisting and churning the crossbeam inside his flesh until Zhang Gunli lost all capacity to resist. Mu Yuejuan flicked her brush repeatedly, swiftly dismembering Zhang Gunli's physical body. Gui Jianchou produced a porcelain bottle, passed a candle flame over its mouth, and drew Zhang Gunli's soul directly inside. Plugging the stopper in place, Zhang Gunli was thoroughly and completely dealt with. A vast spread of IOUs lay scattered across the floor. Mu Yuejuan sighed, "These are all unpaid debts. We've certainly done these debtors a massive favor." Gui Jianchou chuckled. "If you don't want to do them a favor, take the IOUs and carry on his debt-collecting trade in his stead." Mu Yuejuan shook her head. "I'm not touching that business. I have no wish to end up like him. "Besides, I don't know the people on these notes anyway. If they get off easy, so be it. But some advantages cannot be taken for free. Young Master He, don't you agree?" Zhang Gunli had kept all his focus locked on the ghost servant, unaware that the real He Jiaqing had been concealed beneath the mountain of silver dollars all along, swapping the walnuts while Zhang Gunli was locked in combat with Feng Chongli. He Jiaqing stepped out from the pile of silver dollars and cupped his hands to the assembly. "Seniors, I have no intention of taking advantage of any of you. Zhang Gunli's pair of walnuts is in my possession. I shall hand them over for you seniors to keep safe." With that, He Jiaqing handed one walnut to Gui Jianchou. Gui Jianchou blinked in surprise. "To me? You trust me that much?" He Jiaqing nodded. "I have long heard of Senior Ghost King's reputation." Mu Yuejuan pouted displeasedly. "What kind of talk is that? Is my reputation as Hundred Flowers Danqing lesser than his? If I hadn't brokered things from the middle, you wouldn't have pulled this off either, would you?" He Jiaqing handed the other walnut to Mu Yuejuan. "I will never forget this kindness. With two seniors presiding over the matter, I trust everything will be handled with absolute fairness." Gui Jianchou held one walnut, and Mu Yuejuan held the other. Only by bringing the two walnuts together could Zhang Gunli's treasure vault be unlocked. Given their status, would they truly covet what little Zhang Gunli owned? Covet it they did—immensely. Zhang Gunli possessed no small hoard of extraordinary treasures. Gui Jianchou said, "Miss Mu, Young Master He asked for fairness. Shall you speak the fair word, or shall I?" Mu Yuejuan adjusted her hair. "You have the sweeter tongue. You speak; I'll listen." Gui Jianchou said, "Very well, let us speak of fairness today. First, regarding the money and dharma treasures: Zhang Gunli had quite a fortune, and his treasures are all top-grade. "Among those present, count me as one, Miss Mu as one, Boss Feng as one, and Young Master He as one. The four of us truly contributed effort. These spoils shall be divided among us. Miss Mu, what do you think?" Mu Yuejuan huffed. "Does that even need saying? Did you think you could swallow it all alone and leave the rest behind?" Gui Jianchou continued, "Dividing it is one thing, but it shouldn't be an even split. It must depend on how much effort each person contributed." Mu Yuejuan knitted her brows. "What, did you contribute the most?" Gui Jianchou waved his hand. "I never said I contributed the most. The one who did the most today was Boss Feng. Boss Feng led the charge, took wounds, and broke his own weapon—that abacus clearly can't be used anymore. In money and dharma treasures, Boss Feng takes an extra share. None of you have any objection to that, do you?" He Jiaqing nodded. "I agree." Though slightly reluctant, Mu Yuejuan nodded as well. Gui Jianchou went on, "I lost a ghost servant—one stitched together from an Opera Cultivator, a craft cultivator, and a Strength Cultivator. I don't need to spell out what that costs. I need some compensation. Zhang Gunli's soul belongs to me. Can you all agree to that?" He Jiaqing nodded. "I agree." Mu Yuejuan laughed. "Fine, he's yours. But if you dare turn Zhang Gunli into a ghost servant and end up dying by his hand one day, don't come crying in regret." Gui Jianchou continued, "The fact that our battle went so smoothly today is largely thanks to my contribution. Not to boast, but had I not investigated Zhang Gunli's background beforehand, we might not have been his match today." Mu Yuejuan remarked, "I was just about to ask you about that. Where did you dig up that information? Zhang Gunli always kept his affairs cloaked in secrecy, yet you even knew about the walnuts in his hands down to the finest detail." Gui Jianchou sighed. "To seek revenge, I put in real effort." Mu Yuejuan smiled without replying. What was the use of mere effort? Those were the core secrets upon which Zhang Gunli built his survival; no matter how much effort Gui Jianchou exerted, he could never have uncovered them alone. There was bound to be an expert advising him from the shadows. Who could that expert be? Gui Jianchou continued, "Since I contributed so much, I shall take a bit more. Refining ghost servants requires flesh and blood. All of Zhang Gunli's flesh and blood belongs to me. Are you all willing to agree?" "I agree," He Jiaqing replied readily, though a thought crossed his mind. *Why does Gui Jianchou want Zhang Gunli's flesh and blood? If it were merely to refine ghost servants, there would be no need for so much.* Zhang Gunli's cultivation stood beyond Above the Clouds. He Jiaqing knew all too well the immense value of such flesh and blood—after all, he had once possessed the Xuansheng Red Lotus. Could the whereabouts of the Xuansheng Red Lotus be connected to Gui Jianchou? Having laid everything out clearly, Gui Jianchou cast a sidelong glance at Feng Chongli. *Fair to Old and Young Alike.* *He actually knows the Peddler's exclusive art.* *Should I tell Sun Tiecheng about this?* *Telling him doesn't seem to offer me any benefit.* *Yet if I don't, and Sun Tiecheng suffers a loss because of it, my trouble will be immense—it won't be as simple as having my eggs crushed.* Outside the residence, Boss Lu of the Lu Family Bookstore held two books, hesitating over whether to step through the door. He had come to deliver books to Shen Rongqing, but it appeared he had arrived a step too late. Failing to deliver the books was of little consequence; he could simply deliver them another day. Yet he had overheard a few things—and those things were exceedingly critical.