The Eternal Soaring Sword

Chapter 43 - The human heart is half hidden, half revealed

Late at night, Daoist Yi Qing quietly walked out of the front gate of the Qing Xuan Temple. He walked quickly and looked around like a thief. At this moment, he no longer had the elegance before.

Currently, there was no one else on the streets of Qing Rong except for the still brightly lit pleasure house. The charming laughter of the women resounded, luring the hearts of the men passing by.

Daoist Yi Qing followed the dark path and turned left and right. Sometimes, he would look back to check if anyone was following him.

After walking for a while, he turned into a remote alley and arrived in front of a simple house. He gently knocked on the wooden door.

"Who is this?"

A low and alert voice came from behind the wooden door.

Hearing the movements in the room, Daoist Yi Qing quickly replied, "It's me, Yi Qing." 

The wooden door opened slowly, revealing a sly-eyed man. Her hair was rolled but gave off a very messy feeling. His face was narrow like a mouse and a few strands of his beard were dangling. He's ugly no matter how you look at him. However, his dark eyes were very lively at night.

The man was slightly surprised that Daoist Yi Qing came to his place in the middle of the night and acted cautiously like a ghost. He opened the wooden door and let Daoist Yi Qing enter the room.

The items in the room were very simple, no different from an ordinary family home. A table, two chairs, a wooden bed, and four walls. However, there was a bookcase in the corner of the room that was very eye-catching.

The sly-eyed man was nicknamed the Money Rat, and he was also a cultivator. His cultivation level was not high and he usually acted like a thief. He would kill and steal treasures to trade to Yi Qing for pills to increase his cultivation level. After some time, the two of them got along well.

Daoist Yi Qing closed the door and pointed to the bookshelf. He said in a mysterious tone, "Let's go inside to talk, I came here to ask you something."

The ugly and sly looking man disagreed. His already small eyes were now a line as he frowned. His expression was rather impatient, “What problem do you need to be so mysterious that we need to go inside to talk? What kind of deal have we never done before?”

Daoist Yi Qing ignored the man nicknamed the Money Rat and walked to the bookshelf. He turned the handle on it.

A heavy and muffled voice echoed as the bookshelves opened on both sides, revealing a dark hole. The light in the room only allowed one to see the layers of stairs that descended. He headed down and looked very familiar with the place. It seems like he comes here often.

Money Rat could not do anything against Daoist Yi Qing, so he helplessly shook his head and followed her into a secret path.

The narrow secret passageway only allowed two people to pass side by side. After walking 20 meters, light came from the front, and after turning around the corner, the light from the pearls illuminated the room. It was a stone room measuring about a dozen square meters. It was filled with money and treasures, as well as some spirit stones used by cultivators.

The surroundings were illuminated using Night Light Pearls. When the pearl shone on Daoist Yi Qing, she no longer had such an elegant temperament when she was with Zhao Jiuge.

Money Rat's black clothes coupled with his ugly face were even more eye-catching in this small room illuminated by pearls.

“Speak, why do you have to be so mysterious that we have to come here? What's the deal?” Upon arriving, the Money Rat could no longer hold back his impatience and complained.

Daoist Yi Qing stroked his beard with a smile on his face. Seeing that he had soaked the appetite of the Money Rat, he said in a mysterious tone, "Hehe, you don't know, but yesterday, I received a big problem." After that, he just smiled and did not continue.

As Money Rat frowned and was about to speak out of impatience, Daoist Yi Qing continued, “Yesterday, the villagers from a nearby village said that they were haunted and asked me to go check. Guess what I found."

Money Rat could not speak a word, but his appetite was again lured. He learned this time and no longer asked.

Sure enough, after waiting for a while and seeing the Money Rat unwilling to ask, Daoist Yi Qing could not help it and continued.

“I found a girl and a boy. Do not look down on their young age, their cultivation is not weak. My guess is that they are juniors of some families who are out to train. The young man had a jade token that I could not see, but I thought it was something good. The girl wore a hairpin that looked like a good treasure. It always shines.”

After pausing for a while, Daoist Yi Qing narrowed his eyes as he looked at Money Rat. He was waiting for Money Rat to inquire about the deal.

He had not expected the Money Rat to show no reaction and expression. Even after hearing that the deal had arrived, Money Rat remained indifferent.

Daoist Yi Daoist became anxious when he saw the expression of the Money Rat. He said in an encouraging tone, “How? They are young and easily deceived. I assume that they also have a lot of other good things. We will divide the loot evenly. After all these years, do you still not believe me? If you agree, we need to make a plan.”

Just when Daoist Yi Qing was about to explode out of impatience, Money Rat finally spoke.

Money Rat squinted and said in a displeased tone, “Hmph, how do I not know you? If it's really simple and easy, why are you cooperating with me? You'll swallow it alone for a long time! ” 

After hearing this, Daoist Yi Qing revealed a shy smile and her old face turned slightly red. He looked at Money Rat and said, "How about this: we'll split it 50/50 this time, but the next time I refine some pills, I'll give you some extra."

After hearing about the pill, a hint of excitement appeared on the Money Rat's face and his eyes were filled with greed. He quickly said, “Alright, then, it's decided. Even though you are a little greedy, you have kept your promise for many years, so I can trust you. But you have to tell me specifically. ” 

After Daoist Yi Qing heard Money Rat agree, he relaxed a little. Then, when he heard the Money Rat praising him, he revealed a happy smile, but soon he calmed down. His eyes were now filled with greed. “A young man and woman. That woman is around my cultivation level and that man is all around you. We have to plan everything carefully and in detail so that the chances of winning will be very high.”

When they started talking business, the two became very serious because if they failed, it would not be a laughing stock. Money Rat pondered a little and said, “Having a high cultivation level at such a young age means they have to be disciples of some sect or family that are out to practice. In that case, what if a sect or family finds us? What are we gonna do? You know there are many mysterious things we have never heard of.”

"Hehehe!" Daoist Yi Qing chuckled.

After hearing Money Rat's hesitation, he gently shook his head and confidently said, “You don't have to worry about this. Along the way, I try to get on their good side and build a pretty good relationship with them. You still have some Soul Enchanting Incense, right? When I invite them to speak, you secretly light the Enchanting Incense Soul. No matter how strong their spirit power is, if they cannot use it, what is there to fear?”

His eyes shone as he nodded and his hands held onto his long beard. If Zhao Jiuge saw Daoist Yi Qing like this, he would be very surprised.

“You are still more cunning; you can even think of this method. ” After hearing what Daoist Yi Qing said, the Money Rat also started laughing. While he was laughing, he was also pointing at Daoist Yi Qing.

After laughing a little, Money Rat seemed to realize something was amiss.

“I said, Yi Qing, you are trying to trick me again. The Soul Enchanting Incense was extremely valuable and cost several hundred spirit stones. How could I be the one to bear the cost of the Soul Enchanting Incense? After thinking about how he had almost been deceived, the corner of the Money Rat's mouth twitched.

“I'll pay, I'll pay for it, okay? We've worked together many times, and you've always done well. After all these years, you're still too stingy. If you haven't had me for years, how can you have it as good as you do today? I'm afraid you're still in the Blood Movement Realm! ” Seeing how the Money Rat was so narrow-minded, Daoist Yi Qing could not endure the headache.

The Mouse money lowered his head. There was a little gratitude in his eyes. He had to admit that he was relying on Daoist Yi Qing. Back then, he was just a thief who happened to steal a very basic cultivation method and started cultivating. Using his superior physical strength, he started killing and robbing outside the city and trading the items in the city for spirit stones and other materials. However, due to the limitations of his cultivation method, he could only achieve Blood Movement.

In the end, it was Daoist Yi Qing who found him and gave him many pills to help him break through to the Spirit Transformation Realm. Otherwise, he would be trapped in the Blood Movement Realm. Over the years, he had followed Daoist Yi Qing, conspiring against other planners. When one is unsure about the situation, the two will work together, and as a result, he becomes rich over the years. All of that was thanks to Daoist Yi Qing.

Thinking of this, Money Rat inevitably felt sad. A little thief who had obtained a cultivation method by chance had now reached this point in life.

Heaven had opened a window for him so that he could see the world of cultivation, but heaven had also closed a door—his talent did not allow him to reach far. Forget about being immortal, even reaching the point where his lifespan would increase was something beyond his reach.

At most, he could only bully the weak and rely on his strong body compared to a normal person to gain wealth and enjoy life.

For a moment, Money Rat's ugly face showed a hint of loneliness, shame, and apology. He clenched his hand. “Sister Yi Qing, thank you for taking care of this little brother until now. I hope you will continue to take care of this little sister in the future. If there is a good pill, please remember this little brother. If there's anything you need, just give the order, and from now on, I'll no longer say nonsense words. ”

After he finished speaking, he paused for a moment and added, "As long as there is news about the new pill, whatever ingredients you need, I'll help you get it." At this point, money and spirit stones no longer teased the Value of Money. He was only interested in magical treasures and pills to increase his cultivation level.

Daoist Yi Qing walked down the street relying on pills. He specialized in befriending the power to earn money and resources to refine pills to increase his own cultivation level.

Seeing the appearance of Money Rat and hearing his sincere speech, even someone as selfish as Daoist Yi Qing was somewhat moved. He held the hand of Money Rat and nodded. “Confident, I'll do it.”

At this moment, in this small room illuminated by pearls, the heart of an elegant-looking old Daoist and a cunning-eyed thief were connected. Maybe because of mutual benefits, maybe because of a moment of emotion.

No matter what their true thoughts were, they had a very harmonious atmosphere on the surface and no one wanted to destroy it.

Before this, Daoist Yi Qing had planned all of this to deceive Zhao Jiuge and Su by gaining their trust just for their magical treasures.

Then could a cunning and greedy Daoist like Yi Qing really be selfless to share his own interests? Since young, Money Rat lives off of food scraps. In the face of great gains, he would kill to get what he wanted.

After all, the human heart is half hidden, half revealed.