"This statement is correct; benefits must be promised."

Seeing that an unyielding matter finally yielded, Shi Chun immediately perked up. He no longer cared about Wu Jinliang's doubts. Using his hands and feet together, he crawled a few steps to sit beside her. His eyes shone brightly, "Really?"

Xiang Laner gazed into his eyes, "If what you say is true, then mine is also true."

The remaining implication was naturally that if you were false, she would be false too.

Shi Chun probably understood but still confirmed, "What do you mean?"

Xiang Laner, "If the purpose of your going to Wukang Mountain is as simple as you say, then what I say is also true."

Shi Chun intended to go to Wukang Mountain under the pretense of searching for someone, which was definitely false. Nevertheless, he assuredly wouldn't admit it and guaranteed, "It couldn't be truer. If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do."

Xiang Laner, "Then what I say is also true; let me go."

"This..." Shi Chun still hesitated. "If I let you go just like this, and you break your word and turn on us, what then?"

Wu Jinliang nodded at the side, "Exactly, exactly."

Xiang Laner, "We are cooperating now, so you needn't fear Weikang waking up. You can wake up Weikang first and have him remove the restrictions on me. With him watching, you can surely rest easy, right?"

Shi Chun couldn't help but give a wry smile. He had considered this method long ago; it was inherently unreliable. "Rest easy with what? That scoundrel would love nothing more than to grovel at your feet. Once you are free, even if you kill us in front of him, whatever you say afterward, he will still believe you."

Wu Jinliang again nodded at the side, "Exactly, exactly. We need something more foolproof."

Xiang Laner's mood now visibly stabilized much more, and she calmly said, "You don't trust the Three Veins Alliance, you don't trust a deed of sale, and you still don't trust waking up Weikang. You are overly suspicious. What exactly do you trust? Since you trust neither side, why keep me at all?"

Shi Chun thought to himself, did you think I wanted to keep you around? With Feng Chi gone, among the people of the Demon Path, I only know you. My cultivation depends solely on you.

He said gravely, "I trust nothing else, only your promise. As long as you guarantee my safety and lead me into Wukang Mountain, I will let you go. Whatever happens afterward, be it fortune or calamity, will be my own fault. I am willing to stake my life on it."

Wu Jinliang found these words familiar, he looked at the sky; after all, he didn't believe Chun Tian would easily gamble his life on a stranger's promise.

Xiang Laner then stared at Shi Chun for a while and finally said slowly, "I promise that if the purpose of your going to Wukang Mountain is as simple as you say, once you remove the restrictions on me, I won't trouble you, guarantee your safety, and take you into Wukang Mountain. After entering the mountain, as long as we don't bother each other, we will not trouble each other. So, are you satisfied?"

"Good, straightforward!" Shi Chun clapped in approval, his face blooming into a smile. All this time on the run, he had been waiting for her to relent with a promise; he already had plans for what to do next. Without another word, he stood up and pulled out the bank notes he had just stuffed into his bag, walked to the side and waved to Wu Jinliang.

Wu Jinliang did not know why Shi Chun was pulling out money, but he followed anyway.

The two of them walked to the side and hid behind a tree. After Shi Chun whispered instructions to Wu Jinliang, he handed him the bank note worth one hundred thousand gold.

Wu Jinliang, taking the money, emerged from behind the tree, glanced at Xiang Laner, then leapt into the woods, embarking on another exhausting journey without hesitation.

Shi Chun leisurely strolled back between Xiang Laner and Bian Weikang, then laid down comfortably, using his knife as a pillow under his head and humming a rustic tune while swinging his crossed legs.

After waiting a while, Xiang Laner spoke again, "Aren't you going to let me go? Are you planning to break your word?"

Shi Chun, "No hurry, just wait a bit longer. Once my brother has gone far enough, I will release you."

Xiang Laner understood immediately, realizing he was making preparations should things go wrong. If there were any deception, someone would expose the events that transpired and reveal Xiang Laner's identity from the Demon Path, certainly sabotaging her plans in Wukang Mountain. This restriction was more significant than any deed of sale, and it could be considered a double insurance along with the deed of sale.

She said with contempt, "Is this what you call trusting only my promise?"

He guessed correctly, but Shi Chun wouldn't admit it and earnestly said, "Miss Xiang, you might be misunderstanding something. I can gamble my life, but I can't let my brother gamble his. I've just told him to leave first."

He thought to himself, it's better if you know, I feared that you wouldn't.

Well then, that also explains it; Xiang Laner kept silent.

Yet, Shi Chun did not, "Who is that dirty old man?"

"I don't know."

"He said he saw you at the Cloud Building."

"I haven't seen him. With his distinguished appearance, I would naturally remember if I had."

"Maybe Feng Chi would know, but who knows what her situation is now," Shi Chun sighed. With that old man's terrifying power, it seemed likely that Feng Chi's life was hanging by a thread.

Worry appeared on Xiang Laner's face.

After waiting for almost an hour, as the sky was changing colors, Shi Chun finally got up and walked over to Bian Weikang, and after some searching, woke him up.

The awakened Bian Weikang looked around and asked, "Where is this?"

Shi Chun shook his head, "I don't know, we were suddenly attacked, and I passed out. I just woke up, oh?" Seeing Xiang Laner as if she had seen a monster, he jumped over, blocked Bian Weikang's view with his back, quickly freed Xiang Laner of her restraints and turned back to say, "Miss Xiang is injured."

Bian Weikang had already dashed over, seeing the wound and blood on Xiang Laner's neck, and also on her chest, he exclaimed in shock, "Laner..."

He reached out to examine her injury.

Having regained her freedom, Xiang Laner blocked his attempt to stand up and shook her head, "It's just a superficial wound, no harm done."

Relieved that it was nothing serious, Bian Weikang still supported her arm, puzzled, "What exactly happened? I was suddenly attacked and knocked unconscious while picking wild fruits, and I didn't even see who it was."

Shi Chun didn't care what had happened; anyway, he had shifted the blame. He let Xiang Laner make up whatever story she wanted while he worried about his own safety, cautious that Xiang Laner might go back on her word and attack him.

In order to get what he wanted, he was indeed taking a risk with his life.

He was also stained with Xiang Laner's blood.

Xiang Laner, uninterested in explaining further, shook her head, "I don't know. I just woke up too. I'm going to tend to my wounds." Turning to leave, she glanced at Shi Chun, who was feigning ignorance.

Bian Weikang initially wanted to help treat her wounds, but upon seeing where Xiang Laner was injured, deemed it inappropriate for a man to intervene given their current relationship and could only nod in concern.

He turned back to Shi Chun and they quietly discussed what might have happened, wondering why Wu Jinliang was missing.

Shi Chun, still evasive, chatting with such people made no sense.

After Xiang Laner had treated her wounds and reappeared, she indeed did not make things difficult for Shi Chun. She even appeared too lazy to give Shi Chun another glance.

In the vast primitive forest, finding a person was like finding a needle in a haystack. Under the joint suggestion of Shi Chun and Xiang Laner, Bian Weikang gave up the search for Wu Jinliang, and the three of them found their bearings and continued toward Wukang Mountain...

Two days later, Miao Yilan, busy writing in the case room, suddenly heard familiar footsteps and turned around to see her mother, smiling as she put down her pen. Just as she was about to stand up, Lan Qiaoyan pressed her shoulder, keeping her seated.

Lan Qiaoyan glanced at what she was writing and also smiled with a nod, "It's clear you're getting more practiced. You seem to have a knack for bookkeeping."

Knowing her mother wouldn't come here casually, Miao Yilan asked curiously, "Mother, is there something wrong?"

Lan Qiaoyan took the ledger and silently flipped through it before asking, "Has Shi Chun repaid the forty thousand Sandalwood Gold he borrowed from you?"

Miao Yilan nodded, "He added an extra ten thousand as interest, paying back fifty thousand in total. Dong delivered it that same evening, fulfilling his promise."

Lan Qiaoyan turned a page and said indifferently, "I heard something. Cao Puqing's nephew, Cen Futong, was found dead. Cao Puqing realized something might have happened when his nephew didn't return on the day of the transaction and sent people to investigate in that direction. Eventually, they found several corpses in the mountains, many gnawed by wild animals. Cao Puqing's nephew's body was buried under rocks, relatively well-preserved, and alongside him was another corpse, which Cao Puqing identified today as coming from the Land of Exile, belonging to someone named Skinny Monkey."

Miao Yilan stood up in astonishment, "Could it have been Shi Chun and the others? Weren't they supposed to be trading? Why would they kill someone?"

Lan Qiaoyan shook her head, "From the scene, it doesn't look like Shi Chun and the others did it, a master striker was involved. Logically, with Shi Chun's wit, he wouldn't do such a thing, knowing that Cao Puqing was aware of the trading party. But Shi Chun has repaid your money, which makes it a bit strange. Cao Puqing is also looking for him now. Moreover, the Cloud Building suddenly changed hands at a low price, and the owner, Feng Chi, has fled."

Stunned, Miao Yilan hurriedly said, "I'll call Dong and Da Shitou to ask about it."

Lan Qiaoyan looked at the ledger, silently agreeing, clearly also interested in clarifying the matter.

Just as Miao Yilan was about to leave, a voice greeted from outside, "Is Master Lan here?"

Lan Qiaoyan tilted her head slightly and called out, "Come in."

A plump-faced man swiftly entered, the local shopkeeper, who after a formal bow, said, "Master Lan, the chief steward of Lv Taizhen, Cao Puqing, is here. He wants to see Dong and Da Shitou. The owner said these two were recommended by you, and wanted to ask for your opinion first."

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