Chapter 291: Ying Wu

Chapter 291: Ying Wu

He had originally thought that a Heaven List master like Ying Wu would be elusive, appearing only in lofty, cold, and dignified fashion—yet here he was, personally visiting to inquire about his health, his voice cheerful and utterly without airs.

Zhao Changhe felt a surge of goodwill and said, “How dare I trouble Fifth Master to come here in person? Please, come in.”

The door opened, and a kindly, smiling middle-aged man stepped inside, even offering a cupped-fist salute first: “In this battle at Yanmen, Young Master Zhao has shaken the world. Such a brilliant young talent brings joy at first sight. If only scoundrels like Sha Qi could learn half of Young Master Zhao’s qualities…”

Zhao Changhe blinked. This tone—why did it feel like dealing with a genial merchant? Smiling upon meeting, heaping flattery right away.

Slightly plump, yet with handsome features, he even seemed rather endearing…

Was this really the eighth on the Heaven List? Could it be Sha Qi in disguise?

Well… the two of them first reached a consensus on Sha Qi—great minds thought alike.

Ying Wu was also infected and blinked, then suddenly laughed: “Does Young Master Zhao think I resemble a merchant?”

“Uh…”

“But why would Young Master Zhao think I am not a merchant?”

Zhao Changhe scratched his head: “Because… you’re rather mysterious? And the Heaven List name is intimidating.”

Ying Wu sat down familiarly on the chair Cui Wenjing had just vacated, leaned back comfortably, and said leisurely, “But no matter how mysterious a merchant is, he’s still a merchant. It’s just that the business we do is a bit different from others… Keeping a stern face isn’t good for business.”

Zhao Changhe smiled: “Makes sense.”

No wonder from Sha Qi to San Niang, including the gambling house boss Jin Jiu in the capital, none of them had stern expressions. It seemed the subordinates followed the leader, overturning his understanding of intelligence organizations.

Speaking of which, his business was quite international—he even had cooperative ventures with the Temple to seek out secret realms…

Thinking of this, Zhao Changhe tapped his head: “Fifth Master has come for the Luanshan Stone Secret Realm, I presume? The entrance is actually…”

Ying Wu waved his hand: “No rush. Visiting the sick is visiting the sick; I’m not here to demand promises fulfilled—how unsightly would that be?”

“Uh… my injuries are nothing serious; a few days of rest and I’ll be fine.” Zhao Changhe wouldn’t take the polite refusal seriously and quickly reported the formation on the mountainside.

After all, this fellow had mentioned better medicine than the Cui family’s, selling it for a single coin—yet so far, not a single hair had been produced. Don’t assume that just because he smiles and is easygoing, he’s a pushover; clearly, he’s the type who won’t show his hand without seeing the rabbit.

“Big Dipper Formation, Basalt Stone…” Ying Wu listened to the location, very satisfied with Zhao Changhe’s trustworthiness. He stared blankly at the ceiling for a long while, then suddenly chuckled: “Something from the Four Symbols Sect. No wonder San Niang was so anxious.”

Zhao Changhe: “…”

So San Niang was from the Four Symbols Sect—Ying Wu knew it all too well.

But perhaps their respective goals didn’t necessarily conflict, so he turned a blind eye.

None of the Heaven List masters were easy to deal with; thinking they could be fooled would be a mistake. Whether San Niang was aware of this was uncertain, but likely she was—after all, San Niang plus Zhuque were not to be trifled with, and Ying Wu had to tread carefully, each with their own tacit understanding.

Ying Wu suddenly said, “Earlier I mentioned our business is rather special… Perhaps Young Master Zhao doesn’t know, but we are quite similar to you.”

Zhao Changhe: “Huh?”

How could this chubby, adorable shopkeeper look resemble me in any way? Could it be that we both have ties to the Four Symbols Sect?

Then Ying Wu said leisurely, “A long time ago, my brothers and I started out in a business with no capital—doesn’t that match your time in the mountain stronghold? We were all outlaws…”

Zhao Changhe: “…”

“Later, as secret realm disputes arose and martial arts flourished, we gradually shifted from treasure-hunting to pursuing ancient secrets, our footprints spanning the north and south of the Great River. In essence, doesn’t that also align with your current path?”

Zhao Changhe thought to himself that this wasn’t quite the same—it was merely that the pursuit of martial arts converged in the end, always pointing to those same things. Their neutral stance, indifferent to worldly affairs, was actually closer to Xia Longyuan’s.

But then Ying Wu continued: “Perhaps you think we are neutral, selling intelligence for money—that’s a bit of a misunderstanding. All our strongholds in the northern frontier, including San Niang’s, have never sold Xia military intelligence to the barbarians, let alone grain or military supplies. On the contrary, we have sold to the Xia side—you yourself have benefited, so you should know.”

Zhao Changhe was genuinely taken aback: “Don’t tell me Fifth Master actually harbors loyalty to Great Xia?”

Ying Wu laughed dryly: “What loyalty are you talking about… To put it bluntly, does Xia Longyuan’s conduct deserve my loyalty?”

At this point, a hint of disdainful mockery finally flickered in his eyes. To openly criticize the world’s number one, especially when that man might be the speaker’s father—the inherent defiance of a Heaven List master from outlaw origins finally emerged.

But it quickly subsided, replaced by a cheerful smile: “When the ruler sees the people as weeds, the people see the ruler as an enemy—that’s all there is to it. Talk of loyalty is grating; please don’t bring it up.”

Zhao Changhe said helplessly, “Then what is Fifth Master’s reason…”

“To be human is to have feelings.” Ying Wu’s expression softened as he slowly said, “We brothers started together, and we remain brothers forever. For instance, San Niang is the daughter of my sworn elder brother. Since he has passed, whatever faith she chooses to follow is her own business. I don’t mind. If she wants to leave, we part on good terms.”

Zhao Changhe’s expression shifted slightly.

Was this a Heaven List master? Among those he had met so far, none had shown such human warmth—not even old Cui, who valued family interests above all else and was cold in other matters…

And you call yourself a merchant, known for valuing profit over loyalty…

Zhao Changhe almost doubted himself. Could it just be sweet talk?

But a Heaven List master had no need to come before him and put on such an emotional performance…

“We were born on this land, so naturally we have no reason to help outsiders. Human affection is nothing more than this.” Ying Wu leaned back comfortably again and said flatly, “But as for the struggles among the Xia people—you kill me, I kill you—don’t expect me to take sides. Absolute neutrality: intelligence goes to whoever pays, be it emperor or rebel. What do I care? If you think I resemble Xia Longyuan, you might as well say I resemble Bo—their Temple treats tribal conflicts the same way.”

Bo, or to avoid the awkward single character, Bo’e. This was the title of the Great Shaman, not a name. In the grassland tongue, this profession was called Bo. Ordinary shamans might also be respectfully called Bo as a courtesy, but the one universally recognized as Bo was only one.

Second on the Heaven List, the Great Shaman Bo’e.

Following this logic, there was indeed some similarity, though the essence might still differ.

“Alright, pleasantries over.” Ying Wu said with a grin, “I feel Young Master Zhao finds it hard to understand why I came to say all this… But please remember, we are merchants. Saying these things is merely to give the client a foundation, so both sides have a basic understanding for smooth cooperation. Just set aside whatever Heaven List notions you have in your head, and this is perfectly normal business groundwork.”

Zhao Changhe finally came to his senses: “Fifth Master means you have a big business to discuss with me?”

“Exactly.” Ying Wu laughed. “Speaking of intelligence organizations, we aren’t really one. It’s just that our pursuit of secret realms requires extensive information gathering. In that process, we accumulate a great deal of information unrelated to secret realms but still meaningful. We then trade it for needed information, money, or resources, and use the proceeds to buy secret realm information—forming a positive cycle. Over time, it evolved into what it is now. But at its core, we are only after secret realms.”

Zhao Changhe nodded: “I have a general understanding of that.”

This was also why Ying Wu didn’t have the stern or sinister air of other intelligence operatives—they weren’t really in the intelligence business…

“So our real business is secret realm information, or simply buying the secret realms themselves.” Ying Wu said, “From Ancient Sword Lake to Yellow Sand Bazaar, the impression you’ve given me is that you’re interested in the treasures of secret realms, but not in their ownership. For us, we don’t necessarily want the items inside—or only certain specific ones—what we want is the secret realm itself.”

Zhao Changhe understood: “So Fifth Master believes you and I can engage in long-term cooperation.”

Ying Wu smiled: “Isn’t it a match made in heaven?”

Zhao Changhe asked curiously, “I’m just one person. How many secret realms can I find? How could such a vast organization as yours value cooperation with me?”

“Everyone has their own fortune and fate. Some have luck with women, some with money… And I see you as particularly lucky with secret realms. If I’m not mistaken, you found a secret realm in Beimang as well, didn’t you? In the past year, you’ve probably seen more secret realms than most people see in a lifetime. Wouldn’t it be foolish not to cooperate with you?”

Zhao Changhe wanted to retort that the first part was right—he did have luck with women—but as he listened further, he increasingly felt that he truly was lucky with secret realms.

Or rather, he had a connection to antiquity.

That was only natural, given that his transmigration was tied to it.

From this perspective, his quest for ancient secrets could indeed be a long-term partnership with Ying Wu. What he wanted wasn’t treasures—or only certain specific ones—but the ancient information hidden in the secret realms. As for the secret realms themselves, what use were they to him?

Thinking this, he couldn’t help asking, “What does Fifth Master need these spaces for, if you don’t mind telling me?”

Ying Wu said leisurely, “What do you think is the greatest difference between the present and ancient times?”

Zhao Changhe instinctively wanted to say it was the severance of inheritance, leading to fragmentation—and seeking secret realms was precisely to obtain that inheritance. But connecting it to the topic, his mind stirred: “Fifth Master means the difference is that the world is incomplete?”

“Exactly.” Ying Wu clapped his hands and laughed. “Not just incomplete—at most fifty or sixty percent. A vast amount of space is lost, possibly even entire tribes dwelling in them. If someone could find them all… or even just eighty or ninety percent, don’t you think the path of the ancient gods and demons would lie right here?”