“This...”
For some reason, the name had seemed like a fun idea when they first came up with it, but now that they actually had to introduce themselves, she suddenly didn't know how to say it.
Jiang Yao spoke up brightly, “We are disciples of the Night-Unlocked-Gate.”
“Night-Unlocked...”
Zhou Fei looked at Jiang Yao suspiciously, then turned his gaze back to Gu Ningyun.
“The Night-Unlocked-Gate?” Were these five kids pulling his leg?
Gu Ningyun fought the urge to cover her face. “Yes.”
After forcing out that single word of confirmation, she felt a bit more natural. “Our sect has always kept a low profile. It’s normal that you haven't heard of it, Daoist.”
“Your sect...”
Zhou Fei paused. “Your sect's name is certainly different from most. When I was young, I traveled through the mortal realm with my elder brother and heard a certain legend. It was said that there was a Peach Blossom Spring deep in the mountains where the people were of such noble character that no one would pick up lost items on the road, and no one would lock their doors at night. Hearing your sect's name now reminds me of that legend.”
As soon as Zhou Fei said this, Gu Ningyun’s internal guard rose even higher.
According to Zhou Fei, he was an inner sect disciple of the Ten Directions Sect. Although it was unclear why he had come to this Border City to serve as City Lord, a disciple of a major power like the Ten Directions Sect shouldn't be so complimentary toward disciples of a small sect like theirs. Showing a smiling face and offering deliberate praise usually meant there was an ulterior motive.
Gu Ningyun couldn't help but wonder what Zhou Fei wanted from them.
After thinking it through, the only thing they had truly exposed was their strength.
Gu Ningyun smiled but said nothing, leaving Mu Chenze to step forward and engage in the social dance with Zhou Fei.
Mu Chenze was a disciple of a cultivation family, and unlike the silent Jun Luo, he was quite comfortable handling these types of guarded conversations. He was a natural at it.
It didn't take long for Zhou Fei to reach his limit and reveal his purpose.
“Since you all possess such extraordinary strength, I wonder if you would be willing to help me with a small favor? Naturally, I will offer a generous gift in return.”
Mu Chenze looked a bit hesitant. “We are only passing through this place.”
“Please, listen to me before you decide,” Zhou Fei said.
“I'm sure you’ve heard about the situation in Border City during your stay. Previously, I was assigned to guard this city due to certain circumstances. I can only leave this place once I’ve dealt with the two local gangs and brought Border City under the actual control of the City Lord's Manor. Now that Zuo Hu is being hunted and Wu Chao has lost an arm, it is the perfect time to eliminate them. Your strength is formidable; what I want is for you to help me hold back his gang members while I duel Wu Chao.”
Mu Chenze asked, “Why us? Does the City Lord's Manor have no one else to use?”
“To be honest, that is exactly the case.”
A flash of shame crossed Zhou Fei’s face. “Although my brother and I are of the direct line of the Zhou family, our branch actually only consists of me, my brother, and my father. Ever since my father was injured and went into secluded cultivation, and my second uncle took over as acting family head, the people of the second branch have become increasingly arrogant. Because the second branch has significant influence within the Ten Directions Sect, life has been very difficult for my brother and me. My assignment to Border City was actually a result of the second branch’s schemes. To allow me to atone for my supposed mistakes, the Ten Directions Sect sent me here as City Lord. I can only return to the sect if I purge Border City without seeking help from my family or the sect. Because this is a punishment, I am the only one in this massive City Lord's Manor.”
Seeing that Gu Ningyun and the others remained silent, Zhou Fei continued, “Having been oppressed and plotted against by the second branch since childhood, I have no one I can trust besides my father and brother. I am asking for your help for two reasons. First, this is the first time the two gangs have suffered such heavy losses; the opportunity is once-in-a-lifetime. If I wait for Wu Chao to reattach his arm, I might not be able to defeat him. Second, you saved me at the mass grave, and you are very powerful. I don't need you to kill for me; you only need to block the gang members for a while. I will handle Wu Chao and his confidants myself.”
Zhou Fei lowered his voice slightly. “Have you heard of the Shocking Thunder Platform?”
“Rumor has it that the Zhou family of Conghe City possesses a Shocking Thunder Platform. Every time someone in the clan breaks through and faces a thunder tribulation, they use this platform to absorb the aftershocks of the heavenly lightning. Due to the materials and the way it was forged, the lightning, which contains the power of heaven and earth, becomes much milder. When the younger generation of the clan needs it, they can use the Shocking Thunder Platform for body tempering.”
Since thunder tribulations could not be hidden, the existence of the Shocking Thunder Platform was naturally no secret. As a member of a cultivation family, Mu Chenze had heard of it.
Zhou Fei nodded. “Exactly. If you are willing to help, I can lend you the Shocking Thunder Platform.”
He produced a scroll. “I can record everything I’ve said into a contract scroll and sign it with you. Once both sides have fulfilled the requirements, the contract will automatically dissolve.”
Mu Chenze sent a quiet divine sense transmission. “Cultivators only face heavenly thunder tribulations starting from the Golden Core stage. Although we have practiced body tempering, using the energy of a thunder tribulation to temper the body is truly a rare opportunity. Besides improving our constitutions, it allows our bodies to adapt to the power of heavenly lightning in advance. It will make things much safer when we face our first Golden Core tribulation in the future.”
“If this thing is so good, why hasn't anyone stolen it?” Jiang Yao suddenly transmitted.
Mu Chenze replied, “Naturally, people have tried. But the Zhou family is backed by the Ten Directions Sect, which is how they’ve kept the Shocking Thunder Platform safe.”
In that case, going there wasn't a bad idea.
In fact, Gu Ningyun had already suspected that Zhou Fei wanted their help to eliminate the Spirit Snake Gang. After all, according to the news from Zuo Hu’s spies, Wu Chao also knew that Zhou Fei had taken the Soul-Nourishing Flower. Zuo Hu and the spies had seen it with their own eyes; Zhou Fei had no way to explain it away. Once Wu Chao recovered—or perhaps even before then—the Spirit Snake Gang would likely set traps in Border City waiting for Zhou Fei’s return. For the Spirit Snake Gang, a treasure as precious as the Soul-Nourishing Flower was worth the risk. As long as they cleaned up the aftermath well and didn't give the Ten Directions Sect reason to suspect them, they wouldn't suffer any consequences. As for the sect sending another City Lord, to them, it would just be a matter of bribing someone else.
Gu Ningyun guessed that Zhou Fei’s urgency to wipe out the Spirit Snake Gang was partly due to this as well.
After the five of them finished their discussion, Mu Chenze stepped forward to negotiate the terms of the contract with Zhou Fei:
Zhou Fei invited Gu Ningyun, Wen Xuan, Mu Chenze, Jiang Yao, and Jun Luo to assist him.
While Zhou Fei was killing Wu Chao, the group would block the rest of the Spirit Snake Gang.
While Zhou Fei was killing Wu Chao’s twenty confidants, the group would help block the other gang members to ensure they did not interfere with the duel.
Regardless of the final outcome, as long as the five of them performed their blocking duties, Zhou Fei would lend them the Shocking Thunder Platform.
Usage time: Until the body tempering effect reaches its limit.
Note: During the contract period, neither party may harm the other.
If the contract is violated, their Dao hearts will shatter, and their cultivation will never progress another inch.
Once both parties fulfilled their promises and the five of them left Conghe City, the contract would be automatically dissolved.
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