Chapter 108: The Visitor (Part II)

A figure as graceful as jade emerged slowly from the shadows by the wall. Two leaves that had been swirling in the air burst like soap bubbles, vanishing with a soft “puff.”

Qian Ye could only offer a helpless smile. He sheathed his Shining Fang and said, “Zining, how did you find me here? And please, stop messing with my alarm system. That sound is not very pleasant to hear.”

Song Zining was standing there with great interest, waving his right hand back and forth, controlling a hazy ball of primordial force that moved from the top of the wall to the ground, flashing up and down. Each time he waved his hand, the alarm devices set up in this area would emit a shriek. To Qian Ye, it sounded as if people were jumping into the courtyard.

Song Zining stopped and smiled at Qian Ye, “It’s quite simple. You must have been with Wei Po Tian these past two days. Finding him means finding you. That muscle-brained idiot doesn’t understand the need for secrecy; he probably wants the whole world to know where he is.”

Hearing Song Zining’s harsh words about Wei Po Tian, Qian Ye felt a headache coming on. “Zining…” The two had been on bad terms since the Heavenly Spring Hunt, and their relationship had only worsened after misunderstandings were cleared up. While Song Zining always maintained the image of a refined and suave scion, he lost all composure whenever Wei Po Tian was mentioned.

Song Zining said, “Am I wrong? Even on Wei family territory, you still found yourself in danger. Hmph, the expeditionary force dared to cross regions and use two regiments to attack their assets, and the local garrison didn’t even make a sound. The Wei family is really bringing shame to the name of high-class families. They should just stay quietly in the Far East Province.”

Qian Ye realized that Song Zining already knew about what happened in the Far East Heavy Industry mining area. He explained, “It started because of me.” Seeing that Song Zining’s anger hadn’t subsided, he couldn’t help but say with a bitter smile, “Zining, when we first met, you told me that the Marquis of Bo Wang’s heir wasn’t stupid.”

Song Zining said, “I was telling you to be wary of him, not to think that a person who looks naive is a good person. And even if he’s not stupid, does it mean he won’t do foolish things?”

Qian Ye finally understood that he couldn’t convince Song Zining on this matter and that continuing the conversation would only add fuel to the fire. He invited Song Zining inside, asking, “Why are you here so late? Have you made progress on your side?”

Song Zining stepped into the room, glanced around at the simple furnishings, and saw Qian Ye’s headache still hadn’t gone away. He refrained from commenting on the living conditions and said, “My matters are progressing very smoothly. I’ll tell you in detail later. Remember when I said I was going to get something important? This is the gift I prepared for you.”

“What is it?” Qian Ye was curious. Something that Song Zining took seriously must have its unique value.

Song Zining lightly clapped his hands three times. His actions were gentle, seemingly without much strength, but the clapping sound traveled far. Qian Ye then heard the alarm in the courtyard go off twice. In an instant, two figures, entirely cloaked in black robes, entered the room.

The aura of these two mysterious figures wasn’t particularly strong, roughly between level three and five.

Song Zining pointed to the two and said, “These are the gifts I prepared for you. Why don’t you take off your hoods?”

The two followed his instructions and removed their hoods, revealing two identical, beautiful faces. They were a pair of twin girls, young, lovely, and pure as clear spring water.

Song Zining smiled, “What do you think? They’re pretty nice, right? They’re only sixteen years old, but they’re already level four. They’ve undergone strict training from a young age in everything from assassination and combat to miscellaneous worldly knowledge. Such fine goods are limited in the entire empire. As soon as I got the news, I rushed over and managed to buy these two.”

“Bought them?”

“Yes. They are mermaid slaves, carefully selected and rigorously trained by the Hidden Spring Mercantile. You may have heard of Hidden Spring; they are one of the top commercial groups in the empire, heavily involved in the slave trade. They are famous for training various types of slaves. I bought them at an auction they held on the Evernight Continent.”

Song Zining pointed at Qian Ye and told the two girls, “From now on, he will be your master. Go and pay respects to your new master.”

The two girls gracefully took a few steps forward and knelt, creating a beautiful, soft curve from their necks to their waists.

“I’m Number Seven,” the girl on the left said.

“I’m Number Nine,” the girl on the right said.

These were odd names. Song Zining explained, “When they entered Hidden Spring, they were still infants and had no names. Each group was distinguished by numbers, which is a tradition and mark of Hidden Spring. If you’re interested, you can give them new names, or you can just use these.”

As he spoke, Song Zining’s smile deepened, and he winked, “They should be quite useful. Do you want to try them out now? Haha!”

“…” Qian Ye was speechless. It seemed that Song Zining had a habit of giving women as gifts, even in the Nether Training Camp. Was this a social tactic for aristocratic scions? It must be quite popular among the upper echelons of the empire.

Qian Ye thought for a moment and said seriously, “Zining, you know I have a lot of problems that I can’t solve. It’s really not suitable to add more people around me.”

“These two are very capable. They won’t be a burden and will be a great help. Although the training from Hidden Spring is a bit exhausting, given their talent, they still have the potential to reach level seven. Level-seven beauties, and a pair at that, where else can you find them?”

While speaking, Song Zining patted Qian Ye on the shoulder.

Suddenly, Qian Ye felt a sharp pain in his shoulder. A fine needle had pierced through his skin, and a cold sensation spread from the puncture site. Startled, he reflexively leaped to the wall, his body instinctively shifting to the side, but the icy feeling had already seeped into his bloodstream like a thread.

Song Zining tossed a thin syringe onto the table and laughed, “Qian Ye, your alertness is really poor, and shouldn’t you counterattack when ambushed?”

Qian Ye was speechless. “Are you disappointed that I didn’t give you a cut with my blade?”

Song Zining chuckled, picking up the syringe and shaking it. “Don’t worry. This drug will add a component to your blood. It has no effect on humans or other beings, but it’s essential for them. If they don’t drink your blood within half a year, they will become restless and live in constant thirst and pain until they go mad.”

Qian Ye was taken aback. “Is this how Hidden Spring controls them?” He understood the principle, similar methods were used in the military for forced confessions.

Song Zining nodded. “Yes. Each mermaid slave of this type from Hidden Spring comes with a special drug, and each batch is unique, unreplicable.”

Finally, Song Zining shrugged. “If you don’t take them with you now, they won’t survive for more than a year.”

Qian Ye shook his head. “Why do this?”

Song Zining smiled. “It’s necessary. Without this method, how would you accept them?” He turned to the two girls. “Alright, you two can go back. Tomorrow, bring the items I prepared for your master and come back.”

Number Seven and Number Nine bowed, put their hoods back on, and silently left, retracing their path over the wall.

Song Zining looked up and saw Qian Ye still standing far away. He waved him over, “Let’s talk about business now.”

He placed an unremarkable wooden box on the table. “This is an ancient scroll I brought from home. It’s said to have existed before the Fate War, when the Song clan wasn’t even established.”

Qian Ye sat down across from Song Zining, reaching out to open the box. He paused, surprised. Such ancient scrolls were considered the treasures of the clan and were never passed on to outsiders.

Song Zining nonchalantly opened the wooden box, revealing three jade tablets bound together. The jade, due to its age, had a dull surface. He took out one, lightly stroking it, and the inner, round, lustrous shine immediately appeared. Even without seeing the content, the quality of the jade tablet alone was priceless.

Song Zining placed the jade tablet in front of Qian Ye, smiling, “This is the real thing. You can throw away the useless Yuanyu Jue from the Yin family.”

Qian Ye was stunned. When aristocratic clans passed on their techniques, elders would transcribe new copies. The Yuanyu Jue from the Yin family was like that. How would Song clan members learn this technique if the real copy was given to him?

Seeing Qian Ye’s confusion, Song Zining said, “No problem. I’ve already placed a few fakes in the family library.”

“Fakes…” Qian Ye felt a sharp pain in his temples and couldn’t help but touch them. Everything Song Zining said and did tonight left him speechless.

Such a precious family secret, and Song Zining dared to take the original and return fakes. If this was discovered, he would not only be expelled from the family but also possibly stripped of his primordial force and sent to hard labor. Moreover, by his admission, he must have taught the secrets to an outsider without the family’s permission, making Qian Ye a target for the Song clan as well.

Song Zining, however, spoke casually, “Don’t worry. There are over a dozen such ancient scrolls in the library, gathering dust for a thousand years. No one has ever mastered them. We keep them there out of respect for our ancestors. No one bothers to look at them, let alone practice them.”

Qian Ye suddenly found it odd. What did it mean to be “stupid” enough to practice these ancient scrolls? Before he could think further, Song Zining urged, “So, Qian Ye, you must be diligent and achieve success quickly.”

Qian Ye felt beads of sweat forming on his back. If the Song clan, over a thousand years, had failed to master these secrets, how could he? Moreover, Song Zining, usually meticulous and careful, was being reckless. “Zining, why are you doing this?”

Song Zining cut him off, enthusiastically boasting, “You don’t know how difficult it was to deal with that elder in the library. I spent a long time setting up a trap, catching him and his new mistress in bed. That woman is actually the concubine of Lord Xiang Cheng. You can’t imagine how entertaining it was to see that old man leap out of bed with such a shocked expression!”

Qian Ye could only smile bitterly. “Is this… really without consequences?” The elders of the aristocratic clans, even those of other surnames, were not simple people. And to use a marquis’ concubine to entrap a Song clan elder was like playing with fire.

Song Zining casually said, “What consequences? He’s in my grip now. I ask him to handle small matters, and I not only don’t extort him, but I pay him normally. By the way, I’m planning to buy that woman from Xiang Cheng and give her to that old man. He’ll be even more loyal to me.”

A strange feeling flashed through Qian Ye. Song Zining, though seemingly gentle, was resolute and decisive, and he never liked to explain his actions, let alone boast about his underhanded tactics. However, Qian Ye, unfamiliar with the ways of the aristocracy, could only say, “Be very careful.”

Song Zining relaxed in his seat, supporting his head with his hand and lazily said, “Profit comes with risk. For example, I’ve cut off Wu Zhengnan’s supply of black crystal, controlling a significant part of his operations, and paralyzing half of the remaining channels. Once Wu Zhengnan falls, all his trading routes will be in our hands.”

Qian Ye involuntarily frowned. Song Zining seemed to be preparing to inherit these routes. Even if it was just ordinary trade, it was uncomfortable for Qian Ye, who viewed the dark races as blood enemies. And wasn’t toppling Wu Zhengnan about more than just taking over his trading routes? However, trusting Song Zining, Qian Ye didn’t ask, realizing he was instinctively avoiding the question.

Song Zining watched Qian Ye closely, observing his expression, and continued, “You don’t know the benefits. Those resources in Wu Zhengnan’s hands are wasted. If the benefits weren’t so great, how could I have exchanged for so much power and control over these assets and routes? Not even the Song clan’s name could have done that.”

Even Qian Ye, who was not well-versed in politics, sensed something amiss in Song Zining’s words. He raised his eyes in confusion, seeing Song Zining staring at him. His face, though warm and smiling, was like a mask, and his eyes were calm, devoid of warmth.

“Qian Ye, aren’t you afraid I might be the next Wu Zhengnan?”

Qian Ye locked eyes with Song Zining. The suspicion in his obsidian eyes slowly faded. Instead of answering directly, he asked, “Back in the Heavenly Spring Hunting Ground, what would you have done if my Bloodline Power had formed a clan symbol of the Blood Race?”

Song Zining’s expression froze.