Chapter 120: Help Me Do Something

Zhao Xiyan had a few cups of tea before leaving.

Chen Ming watched her depart, then drank the last sip of tea, savoring the slight bitterness and returning sweetness.

After sitting a while longer, estimating that Zhao Xiyan had gone far enough, he returned to the house, blew out the lamp, changed into night attire, and quietly stepped out.

He moved swiftly.

Along the way, Chen Ming noticed a few others traveling the same path.

They merely glanced at each other from a distance before diverging their routes and avoiding further interaction.

Half an hour later, the northern part of the city was reached.

Outside the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion, all was quiet.

The overgrown wall, covered with all sorts of vegetation, isolated the mansion, which had been abandoned for over twenty years.

Dressed in night attire, Chen Ming arrived at the front gate and raised his hand to knock twice.

Bang bang.

In the stillness of the night, the knocking echoed far and wide.

He spoke, "Senior Shang, it’s me. I’ve come to see you."

After waiting a moment, he took a deep breath and pushed at the gate with his hand.

This Senior Shang was a thick thigh he had managed to cling onto.

Without knowing Senior Shang’s current condition, he could not feel at ease.

Especially given how complicated the situation had become.

That Third Grade expert from the Qin Family had entered the city more than a month ago, yet Senior Shang hadn’t made a move. If something had happened, it must’ve occurred before that.

At present, the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion shouldn’t pose much danger.

So thought Chen Ming, though he still felt a little nervous.

"Is that you?"

Just as his hand touched the gate, a voice suddenly came from the side.

Someone was there?

Chen Ming’s hair stood on end, and he instinctively grasped the sword hilt. But he quickly recognized the owner of the voice and relaxed his grip.

He turned around—behind him stood a white-clad woman of ethereal beauty, her face veiled. In the moonlight, she looked like a banished celestial being.

Chen Ming asked in surprise, "Miss Su, why are you here?"

This white-clad woman was a disciple of Heaven's Path Alliance.

Three months ago, tricked by Du Caiyue, she had protected him for two days.

The people from the Blood Demon Sect had all been captured and long sent to the capital. Why was she still in Qingfeng City?

Her gaze was like lightning. "I should be the one asking you that—what are you doing here?"

In a flash of thought, Chen Ming decided to be honest. "I’m here to find a senior. What about you, Miss?"

"You know Shang Jianfei? But your true qi doesn’t come from Qinghe Sword Sect,"she remarked with some suspicion.

It seemed she not only knew Senior Shang, but also his background well.

Chances were, Senior Shang’s identity wasn’t much of a secret to those major sects.

How good it must feel to be from a major sect.

Chen Ming felt envious and said, "You’re here to see Senior Shang too? Then let’s go together."

With this disciple from Heaven's Path Alliance around, the safety level would greatly increase.

Not just because of her strength, but also because of Heaven's Path Alliance’s notorious protectiveness.

Hurt a junior member, and the elders would definitely come for you.

And if you managed to kill the elder as well—congratulations.

A sword would soon descend from the heavens and turn you into dust.

As Chen Ming spoke, he gave the gate a strong push.

With a creak, the gate slowly opened.

The white-clad woman looked at the opening gate and fell silent for two seconds. "You actually… opened it?"

Seeing her unusually startled reaction, Chen Ming involuntarily swallowed, looking at the eerily quiet courtyard behind the door. He let out an awkward laugh. "I didn’t even push that hard…"

Judging by her reaction, the door wasn’t supposed to open.

Now that it did, what did that mean?

She seemed to realize the same.

Suddenly, she dashed forward, disappearing through the gate.

Chen Ming didn’t hesitate and followed.

With her scouting ahead, what was there to fear?

……

Inside the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion, deathly silence reigned.

Not a single sign of life was visible, casting an eerie and foreboding atmosphere.

Chen Ming felt that something was off.

He had been here many times before, but never had he experienced such a feeling.

"Something must have happened here."

The further he walked in, the thicker that deathly stillness became.

The white-clad woman walking ahead of him seemed as if she had been here before and headed straight in the direction of the courtyard where Senior Shang resided.

Before long, the two arrived outside the courtyard, one in front and one behind, stopping simultaneously.

At the entrance to the courtyard, one white and one green stream of true force intertwined, blocking their path.

After reaching the Third Grade, one's true qi would transform into true force—indestructible, with immense power.

"Two streams of true force! There’s indeed an enemy here."

Seeing this, Chen Ming first felt relieved—it proved Senior Shang was still alive. But then, his heart tightened.

He suddenly realized who the owner of the other force was…

So, Miss Su wasn’t here to find Senior Shang.

She was here for her master—the owner of that other force.

Entangled with Senior Shang was a Heaven's Path Alliance expert!

Chen Ming sighed inwardly.

People from Heaven's Path Alliance really were as meddlesome as the rumors said. They had come to deal with people from the Blood Demon Sect, and somehow ended up at the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion.

The only thing unclear was why this expert of Heaven's Path Alliance was interfering with Senior Shang’s matters.

"Master! You really are here."

The white-clad woman’s tone carried some emotion.

Chen Ming thought to himself, so it’s her master.

No wonder.

He had wondered how Heaven's Path Alliance could let such a naive and trusting girl roam the martial world—turns out, she was following her master.

Then he thought again, her master didn’t seem too reliable either.

Coming to confront Senior Shang without even informing his disciple, leaving her searching for months.

Then, seeing the white-clad woman adopting a listening posture but hearing no sound, he guessed her master must be transmitting his voice telepathically.

"Your cultivation has progressed faster than I expected."

Suddenly, an old voice echoed in his ears.

It was indeed Senior Shang’s voice, though no longer stammering like last time.

Chen Ming immediately straightened up, knowing that Senior Shang must have something to instruct him, hence calling him in.

The white-clad woman had been searching for her master for months.

Even after finding the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion, she had been unable to enter.

This alone showed that Senior Shang had suppressed the Heaven's Path Alliance expert.

"I want you to do me a favor."

Chen Ming’s heart shook.

What kind of favor did this senior need from him? But he had no way to transmit sound, so after glancing at the white-clad woman who kept nodding, he could only nod as well.

Since he had asked, Chen Ming could only agree for now.

"When you’ve cultivated the 《Blazing Sun Divine Art》 to the Fourth Grade, come find me and help me with something."

Chen Ming couldn’t help but glance again at the white-clad woman ahead, wondering, would the senior really still be around by then?

It was as if Shang Jianfei saw through his thoughts and transmitted, "You don’t need to worry about her. She won’t report this to Heaven's Path Alliance."

This truly surprised Chen Ming.

What kind of method did Senior Shang possess to ensure her obedience?

Could it be…

As his thoughts wandered, a streak of green and a streak of white light flew out from the courtyard and hovered before him.

Shang Jianfei’s voice rang out again, "This is your reward."

Chen Ming’s heart jolted. To give a reward before the task—Senior Shang truly kept to his word.

Looking carefully, he saw that within the two streams of true force were two items. Inside the white force was a metallic token bearing the character ‘Yuan.’

Within the green force was a small sword made of white jade.

He reached out his hand, the true force dispersed, and the two items fell into his palm.

"Now, you may leave. Before reaching the Fourth Grade, do not return here."

Although Chen Ming didn’t know what use these two items held, anything given by an expert above First Grade surely couldn’t be ordinary.

He respectfully bowed toward the courtyard, then decisively turned and left.

……

As soon as Chen Ming exited the Sea-Calming King’s Mansion, he activated his movement technique and dashed toward home.

Right now, he just wanted to get back quickly and study what those two items were for.

After traveling some distance, he suddenly stopped and turned around, politely asking, "Miss Su, why are you following me?"

Senior Shang hadn’t silenced the white-clad woman.

To be honest, this didn’t surprise him.

Clearly, the token wrapped in white true force had been given by that Heaven's Path Alliance expert.

This small detail showed that the Heaven's Path Alliance expert must have reached some kind of agreement with Senior Shang.

Which raised the question—why would they cooperate? Weren’t they supposed to be opponents?

The more he thought about it, the more unsettling it became.

The white-clad woman stopped four or five meters behind him, her clear gaze filled with determination. "Master instructed me to stay by your side, not leaving even half a step, until you reach the Fourth Grade."

"Last time, Miss Su said that men and women should maintain distance. That it’s improper to stay too close."

The white-clad woman replied calmly, "This is my master’s order."

Seeing her like this, Chen Ming suddenly understood.

No wonder Senior Shang dared to give the reward in advance—he had sent someone to keep an eye on him.

If he dared to go back on his word, he would likely face the blade of this Heaven's Path Alliance disciple.

He coaxed gently, "Have you thought about why your master wants you to follow me? What exactly happened between him and Senior Shang?"

The white-clad woman’s gaze didn’t waver. She only said, "Whatever Master instructs me to do, I will do."

"……"

Chen Ming was speechless.

He didn’t know what kind of brainwashing her master had done to make her this obedient.

Still unwilling to give up, he said, "You following me like this will cause many inconveniences."

The white-clad woman replied, "When there are crowds, I will keep hidden."

Seeing that she wouldn’t yield no matter what, Chen Ming gave up.

He couldn’t beat her anyway. He figured if she wanted to follow him, let her. Treating her as a free bodyguard didn’t sound too bad.

With that thought, he stopped paying attention to her and continued on his way.

……

By the time Chen Ming returned home, it was already the third night watch.

The white-clad woman followed him the whole way. When she climbed over the wall into the Chen Residence, she didn’t hesitate at all.

She followed him into his courtyard, but when she saw him enter the house, she hesitated, did not go in, and stayed in the courtyard.

Seeing that she wasn’t entering, Chen Ming closed the door. He didn’t light a lamp.

He just sat in front of the bed and took out the two items for a closer look.

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