5 Chapter 5: Secrets

A moment later.

Yu Xian dug out a small wooden box from under a big tree in the backyard of the inn.

The most dangerous place is also the safest place. No one would have thought that Chen Xiao would put his entire fortune in an inn.

Yu Xian opened the wooden box, inside were five gold bars and two handwritten copies of ancient texts.

One was a Cultivation Technique called the "Eternal Youth Technique", which could prolong life and improve health after a long period of practice. However, like his Innate Qi Refinement Technique, it was just a common low-level cultivation method in the Cultivation World.

The other was the "Poison Scripture", the lifetime research of a certain cultivator on poisons.

"I was too greedy."

Yu Xian looked at the contents of the box without much disappointment.

As he had guessed, Chen Xiao had obtained the legacy of a cultivator who passed away, which was the foundation of his current achievements.

However, cultivators who came to the Mortal World to pass away were more than likely not very accomplished in the Cultivation World. It was already pretty good to have something left behind.

If he hadn't awakened his cheats, he would be even worse off than them. It would already be quite good if he could leave a diary behind after a hundred years, let alone wish for spirit stones. What a daydream.

He casually flipped through the Poison Scripture and found that it contained introductions to various poisons and methods of poisoning.

Some of the poisons were even effective against Cultivators.

Chen Xiao's Five Poison Palms were derived from this Poison Scripture. He took a unique approach, extracting the toxicity of the Five Poisons into his True Qi, turning himself into a poison man.

Although it reduced his lifespan, it also greatly enhanced his combat capabilities. Ordinary Innate Martial Artists would unknowingly be poisoned after a brief encounter with him.

As for Chen Xiao's grudge with Duke Fu's Mansion, he had not concealed it.

Thirteen years ago, the Chen family angered Duke Fu and was annihilated on charges of treason.

Chen Xiao miraculously escaped and fell off a cliff, accidentally entering the Cave Mansion of a deceased cultivator. He obtained two secret books, eight low-grade spirit stones, and learned about the existence of the Cultivation World through the cultivator's final words.

Chen Xiao had thought that he could become a legendary cultivator.

But despite the assistance of spirit stones, his cultivation of the Eternal Youth Technique for two and a half years still yielded minimal results. Even if he continued to cultivate, he might not be able to break through to the Qi Cultivation Realm even if he used up all of his spirit stones.

He still had a great feud to avenge and dared not gamble on this possibility.

So Chen Xiao resolutely switched to cultivating his family martial arts.

Perhaps it was the foundation laid by the previous Eternal Youth Technique and spirit stones. His martial arts cultivation progressed quickly; within five years, he became an Innate Master with the help of spirit stones to attract spiritual energy from heaven and earth.

After breaking through to the Innate level, he practiced in the society for several years, comprehending his own Innate Martial Technique - the Five Poison Palms, based on the Poison Scripture, and then wanted to return for revenge.

That's when the story began.

The girl was Chen Xiao's little sister.

Before Chen Xiao's failed assassination attempt and his escape, he had visited the Chen family's former ruins for remembrance and happened to meet his younger sister, who had come to pay respects to their ancestors after hearing that Duke Fu was seriously injured in an assassination attempt.

It turned out that his little sister had been exchanged for a former servant's child back then.

After reuniting after a long separation, the siblings were reluctant to leave each other. Chen Xiao, confident in his martial prowess, underestimated the strength of Duke Fu's Mansion and ended up in today's situation.

Yu Xian listened without surging emotions in his heart.

If Chen Xiao had managed to escape today, perhaps it would have been the rise of a protagonist.

Unfortunately, there are no ifs and so he had to be relegated to a supporting role.

...

Duke Fu's Mansion.

Chen Xiao and his sister knelt in humiliation in front of Duke Fu, looking miserable. At this moment, they had lost all the momentum they had once displayed during the chaotic battle in the streets.

Yu Xian sat on the side, watching coldly.

Although he appeared to be leisurely drinking tea, he was secretly vigilant and took this as a warning.

Although his Fireball Technique could instantly melt an Innate Martial Artist caught off guard with a single hit, he had limited mana and could only cast a few Fireballs.

If he were to face Chen Xiao's situation today, with his meager spiritual technique reserves, his mana would be exhausted and he would most likely end up kneeling too.

If there were two more Innate Martial Artists assisting the enemy...

Thinking about that scene, Yu Xian immediately felt a chill down his spine, and made up his mind to continue keeping a low profile.

No wonder those low-level cultivators were unwilling to come to the Mortal World. If they were killed by a group of ordinary people, they would definitely die with their eyes wide open.

Fortunately, once the late-stage Qi Cultivation is reached, the spiritual sense can control objects outside the body; with the help of magic artifacts, one can begin to withstand group attacks.

With his cultivation partner Yulan's help, even if he cherished his body, averaging one cultivation point a day, it would only take about half a year to break through to the late-stage Qi Cultivation.

But where would the magic artifacts come from?

Yu Xian was caught in a happy dilemma.

Meanwhile.

Duke Fu's face was ashen, yet somewhat relieved. "Chen Xiao, did you ever think of today when you tried to assassinate me?"

Chen Xiao kept his head down without saying a word.

At this time, anything he said would just be the howling of a defeated dog. The supply officer, Yu Xian, had already demonstrated that earlier.

Even if he uttered some satisfying words, what difference would it make? He wasn't afraid to die, but his sister would suffer if he angered them.

"Bring him to the dungeon, keep a close watch on him, and don't let anyone near him without my orders."

Duke Fu waved his hand to give orders.

Although he wanted to kill Chen Xiao on the spot, Chen Xiao was still needed to help him remove the poison from his body.

Doctor Huang's Detoxification Pill could only suppress, not eradicate the poison. Ultimately, the person who tied the bell must untie it. Despite his display of magnanimity in front of the Princess Consort, who would wish to die if they could avoid it?

Before he could be suppressed, Chen Xiao suddenly struggled and shouted to Yu Xian:

"Tributor Yu, don't forget what you promised me! Otherwise, I won't let you off even as a ghost!"

"Oh, I wonder what Tributor Yu promised this assassin?"

Duke Fu looked at Yu Xian, with profound meaning in his gaze.

With Chen Xiao being apprehended, his greatest threat was gone, and Yu Xian's status as an Innate Master was no longer as important in his eyes.

Yu Xian knew that his interrogation of Chen Xiao could not be hidden from Duke Fu's watchful eyes, so he was quite candid at the moment.

"I took something from him and promised to spare his little sister's life. So I hope Your Highness will do me this favor."

Duke Fu fell silent.

A moment later, he stared at the girl kneeling on the ground and said calmly:

"If Tributor Yu can persuade Chen Xiao to remove the poison from me, I will grant you this favor."

Yu Xian considered and didn't say that he could try it. Instead, he showed a troubled expression: "Chen Xiao is now relying on this bottom line to save his life, I'm afraid he would rather die than submit. I can only promise to do my best."

Duke Fu squeezed out a smile on his face, nodded and said, "Just do your best. I am not a bullying person."

"Thank you for Your Highness's understanding. I take my leave."

Yu Xian took his leave.

He didn't ask about the reward for capturing Chen Xiao, and Duke Fu didn't mention it either.

This was the tacit understanding between the two, meaning that the matter of interrogating Chen Xiao privately and obtaining things from him was overlooked.

After a while, Duke Fu suddenly asked in a soft voice, "What did Yuxian get from Chen Xiao?"

Seeing the girl kneeling on the ground, Chen Xiao's sister raised her head, looking cold and stern, with none of the softness of a weak sister.

"Reporting to Your Highness, it's two spirit stones, two secret books of cultivators, and five gold bars."

"It seems that Chen Xiao really treated you as his sister."

Duke Fu smiled and looked into the distance, with a touch of reminiscence on his face.

"Back then, I left a piece of leisure chess behind, not expecting it to come in handy. Since Tributor Yu wants to protect you, you can follow him in the future, Chen Yi."

"Yes!"

The girl, who was once an unknown name and now called Chen Yi, retreated respectfully.

There weren't many coincidences in this world.

The biggest mistake that Chen Xiao made was revealing his identity while assassinating Duke Fu.

He never thought that Duke Fu would keep the old servants of the Chen family and use them in a scheme, making Chen Yi play the role of Chen Xiao's younger sister and wait at the ruins of the Chen family.

As a result, Duke Fu had the opportunity to layout and mobilize his troops.

Yu Xian's involvement was just a coincidence.

Even without Yu Xian, Chen Xiao would not have escaped the game set by Duke Fu today.

"However, it's another inheritance left by a cultivator..."

Duke Fu coughed lightly and, with a longing look in his eyes, murmured, "What kind of world would that be?"

For the royal family, cultivators were not a big secret. The barrier between the Cultivation World and the Mortal World was not absolute.

The royal bloodline of the Yue Kingdom would be checked for potential when they were young, and those with excellent potential would be sent into the Cultivation World for further cultivation.

Once their cultivation reached a high level, they would be able to support the royal family.

The other mortal dynasties were no different, relying on the backing of cultivation families from the Cultivation World to maintain their dynastic fortunes.

Otherwise, ordinary mortal emperors would not be able to resist the mysterious power of cultivators. They would be overthrown and killed by conspiracies and usurpation.

After all, even if mosquito meat is scarce, it's still meat. Mortal resources are the same.

Perhaps a Golden Core expert wouldn't care, but Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment cultivators would not be willing to let it go.

When Duke Fu was a teenager, his potential was also tested, but he was not suitable for cultivation, so he stayed in the mortal world as a leisurely prince.

His brother, who now sits on the throne, is likely similar to him. After all, princes who want to cultivate are not allowed to become emperors because they would use the country's resources to pave their way for cultivation, which goes against the interests of the cultivation families behind the royal family.

But his emperor brother somehow persuaded the supervisory Immortal Master of the royal family, and boldly began to cultivate.

In Duke Fu's view, that was the way to chaos. The current turmoil in the Yue Kingdom was proof.

...

Yu Xian, who had left, naturally didn't know these secrets.

After he transmigrated, he had been simply farming.

His circle was so small, how could he understand the entanglements between mortal dynasties and cultivation families behind them?

As soon as he heard that cultivators in the mortal world could act like lords, he immediately ran over.

Fortunately, being in his second life made him a cautious person. He didn't take advantage of his status as a cultivator to look down on mortals like pigs and dogs.

Otherwise, by now, fresh soil would probably be added to his grave.

Returning to Building A-2, Yu Xian didn't idle, and started his decadent life as a lord again.

"Yulan, show your talent to Master!"