That shout gave Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang quite a fright. What the hell, there's still someone else?
Soon, a figure moved in the woods behind her, and before long, a person dressed in a style very familiar to Shi Chun and the other popped out.
One could say they were in rags; their clothes were not only torn but also very old.
The newcomer saw the person nailed to the tree and Cen Futong wailing on the ground, clearly somewhat startled.
This person was short, very thin, with dark skin. Coupled with their attire, Shi Chun and the other immediately associated them with the Land of Exile.
And they were also familiar with this person's appearance. Wu Jinliang only glanced back and exclaimed, “Skinny Monkey, why are you here?”
The man known as Skinny Monkey grinned, showing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and nodded, greeting them rather demurely, “You two robbed me clean, it was hard for me to get back on my feet.
But I, Monkey, am ultimately blessed; good fortune fell from the sky. Last night, someone suddenly found me, gave me a windfall, and then I came out.”
These words greatly shocked Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang. This was clearly someone brought to verify their identities.
The key point was that they had only arrived in Zhaotian City yesterday, and only contacted Liyun Tower around noon. Someone was sent into the Living Prison that very night, found their acquaintance, and brought him out.
Such power to freely enter and exit the Living Prison could not be ordinary.
This didn't seem like something a mere pleasure house in Zhaotian City could accomplish.
Combined with Feng Chi and Xiang Lan'er's mysterious behavior, Shi Chun suddenly felt like he had stirred up a huge mess.
Instant regret.
This time, he was truly regretful. He knew he had probably provoked people he shouldn't have, and people and matters far beyond his imagination.
He wished he could slap himself. If he had the chance not to extend his hand in the Land of Exile, he would have cut himself off from others, but this wasn't the Living Prison.
He had to change his habit of wanting to reach out whenever he saw an opportunity.
But he was also very helpless.
Who knew that taking over a pleasure house selling people would get him into such trouble? He felt that things outside were too complicated.
However, regret was useless.
Right now, it was like being in the Land of Exile; the most important thing was to save his life and survive first!
Skinny Monkey looked at the situation of the two holding a hostage, then exclaimed again, “I say, you two, how come you're still doing your old trade even out here? I heard that if you're caught doing this outside, you'll be severely punished! It looks like you can't do anything else besides robbery.”
Wu Jinliang snorted, “Chuntian, this idiot doesn't even know he's stepped into a pit and is about to be silenced, yet he still thinks it's a blessing from heaven.”
He deliberately spoke loudly, deliberately saying it for the other side to hear.
In terms of cunning, he was second to none.
Sure enough, when Skinny Monkey heard this, even with his dark skin, one could see his face change. He nervously looked at Feng Chi.
Feng Chi ignored him and asked a redundant question, “Is it them?”
Skinny Monkey nodded subserviently, “That's right, it's them. The one holding the hostage is the former Chief of East Nine Plains, Shi Chun.
The tall one with the large saber is Shi Chun's number one lackey, Wu Jinliang. Don't let his height fool you; he's actually the most petty and the worst person in the entire East Nine Plains.”
Such slander, it was as if he feared he wouldn't die! Wu Jinliang immediately cursed, “My badness lies in shouldn't have met your mother, creating such a disaster as you. Chuntian, I told you, we shouldn't have let him go back then.”
Shi Chun: “He's neither too much nor too little; why bother with someone about to die?”
These words again frightened Skinny Monkey, who secretly glanced at Feng Chi beside him.
Shi Chun shook the Xiang Lan'er he was holding and asked loudly, “Who exactly are you two?”
Feng Chi ignored him.
Right now, she only wanted to figure out Shi Chun's background so she could decide how to act. The key was that she didn't know how the Holy Maiden was captured, because it was too bizarre, so bizarre that she didn't dare to act rashly.
If there was some hidden trick, she worried that a reckless move on her part would endanger the Holy Maiden's life.
She wouldn't be as reckless as Shi Chun and his group, daring to reach out indiscriminately whether they should or shouldn't.
She continued to ask Skinny Monkey, “Are they related to Far-Gazing Tower?”
Skinny Monkey nodded repeatedly, “Yes, they're quite close. Shi Chun is pursuing the daughter of the proprietress, Lan Qiaoyan…”
He also understood that this woman was extraordinary.
Anyone who could casually reach into the Living Prison to retrieve people couldn't be ordinary. So, he spilled the beans, detailing the story of Shi Chun pursuing Miao Yilan.
He didn't mention the story of Wu Jinliang calling for his mother. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but he truly didn't know.
Primarily, Wu Jinliang himself didn't dare to use Lan Qiaoyan's name indiscriminately in the Living Prison. Calling her privately was fine, but he dared not spread it, as he frequently engaged in robbery.
After hearing Skinny Monkey's account, Feng Chi still harbored doubts. Was it really that simple? Why would someone of such ordinary status go to Wukang Mountain?
There was clearly still something fishy about this!
She suddenly spread her five claws, grabbing through the air.
Cen Futong, who was wailing on the ground, flew over with a whoosh.
A living person weighing over a hundred catties was thus snatched through the air.
This level of cultivation was truly shocking, making the hostage-holding Shi Chun even more unwilling to relax his guard.
The key was that the opponent's cultivation was too high.
He didn't even dare to run. The slightest flaw could cost him his life.
Cultivation at this level truly meant being able to kill someone with a flick of a finger.
His mind was rapidly contemplating a way to save himself.
Pale-faced Cen Futong had just tried to save himself, just sealed the acupuncture points on his leg wound to prevent excessive blood loss, when he unexpectedly found himself in Feng Chi's hand.
Feng Chi grabbed him by the back of his neck and pressed, “Speak, why did you come to attack my young lady?”
In front of outsiders, she wouldn't call her Holy Maiden; Xiang Lan'er's identity was an extremely confidential matter.
“Money for goods, goods for money. I came to pick up the goods.
He was going to sell Xiang Lan'er to me…”
Cen Futong spilled everything readily, without much coercion, pointing at Shi Chun and explaining the whole sequence of events.
It was better that the truth wasn't spoken; once it was, Feng Chi and Xiang Lan'er were utterly stunned.
Such a thing could actually happen?
These guys, disguised with masks, came just to abduct Xiang Lan'er and give her to Lü Taizhen? And the guy holding Xiang Lan'er intervened in this matter just to earn a price difference? Doing something like this right after coming out of the Land of Exile, was it not too outrageous? How dare they?
They believed Cen Futong was telling the truth; the logic was self-consistent under duress, and Feng Chi truly found a bank note for 200,000 Wood Gold on Cen Futong.
These guys really did come for a money-for-goods exchange!
The problem was, Xiang Lan'er had indeed fallen into their hands.
Feng Chi was a bit speechless. If Xiang Lan'er hadn't ordered those two guys to be dealt with, and if her own people hadn't followed, the esteemed Holy Maiden might genuinely have been sent to Lü Taizhen's bed.
Though, it was unlikely anyway.
“Spineless.” Even with his back turned, Wu Jinliang still spat, naturally cursing Cen Futong, then quickly looked back at the bank note in Feng Chi's hand, feeling unwilling, and mumbled, “Chuntian, that's our money.”
“Two hundred thousand gold…” Skinny Monkey also couldn't help but mumble softly, and a look of admiration actually welled up in his eyes as he looked at Shi Chun.
He truly admired him. To be able to pull off such a grand feat right after leaving the Land of Exile, one job could feed them for three years! He truly lived up to his reputation as the formidable Chief of East Nine Plains.
He didn't feel wronged losing to this fellow.
Shi Chun's mouth twitched.
Cen Futong's words had just reminded him, giving him some confidence in saving himself.
He suddenly, unhurriedly, said loudly, “Brother Cen, I am truly sorry, but I didn't bring that deed of sale.
I originally wanted to hand the person over to you first, let you pay part of the money, and then go elsewhere to pay the other half, and you would naturally get the deed of sale. Now it seems Lü Taizhen won't get the woman in my hands, and I won't get the money in yours.”
Saying this, he shook the warm and soft woman in his arms again, “You also won't be able to enter Wukang Mountain! If you were merely from a pleasure house, and a self-respecting person, there would be a great chance for a reversal. Since you dare to go, you must have made preparations there long ago.
But if my two brothers and I cannot leave alive, the situation will be different, and the matter of your deed of sale will be exposed.
At that time, no matter what methods you try, or whatever arrangements you have in Wukang Mountain, Wukang Mountain will never allow a woman of your background from a pleasure house, and already belonging to someone else, to enter Wukang Mountain.
Bian Jixiong will be even less likely to agree, and even Bian Weikang will have no reason to keep you by his side, because you are someone else's woman.
Heaven's laws are above; without the owner's permission, no matter how bold Wukang Mountain is, they wouldn't dare openly claim another's woman!
Didn't you spend so much effort on Bian Weikang just to use his identity to enter Wukang Mountain? That's all he's good for.”
He inwardly snorted, ‘Exactly the same as my thoughts.’
This was also why he could immediately guess it.
If he still couldn't see that the other party was targeting Wukang Mountain at this point, then he would have been the Chief of East Nine Plains for nothing all those years.
“Wahahaha!” Wu Jinliang let out a burst of incredibly triumphant laughter after hearing this, “Chief is wise! That's right, try and touch us.
How could we be so easily moved?!”
Upon hearing this, Feng Chi couldn't hold back either and shouted to Xiang Lan'er, “Young Lady, didn't you say the deed of sale was destroyed?”
She hoped the other's eyes could tell her the answer.
Xiang Lan'er couldn't move or speak, only her eyes could move, but they darted about randomly, unable to give a clear hint, because she herself wasn't sure anymore.
Shi Chun said loudly, “It was destroyed. I destroyed it with my own hands, right in front of your young lady.
Jinliang, where did you get the ink, paper, and brush to forge that fake deed of sale? Tell them the place clearly. In case we die later, they'll at least have a place to verify it.”
Wu Jinliang, whose back was turned, brandished his large saber, his mouth again grinning almost to the back of his head, chuckling, “I think it was called Lin something-or-other's, I don't remember the exact name, but the place is easy to find. Stationery is one of their main products.
The shopkeeper is an old man with white hair, and there's a large glass cover on the counter. Anyway, it's not far from Liyun Tower.
I remember the shopkeeper wanted to see what I wrote at the time; I just tossed him a Wood Gold coin and told him to stand aside. Chuntian, wasn't I generous? He must have a good impression of me; you can just ask him when you go there, wahahaha!”