Chapter 1241: Ding Tianhua of Tongyou City
One of Yang Haoran’s plans involved having Xiang Chuan develop a medicine capable of temporarily boosting Spirit Power within the body. If Xiang Chuan could formulate such a medicine before the competition, it might prove useful when necessary.
Other medicines for healing, restoring physical strength, or enhancing physical power didn't require development, as Xiang Chuan and Feng Xiao were already proficient in concocting them. Only this temporary Spirit Power boosting medicine was something neither of them knew how to create. As for medicines that permanently increased Spirit Power, they naturally had even less ability to produce those.
Yang Haoran did not demand that Xiang Chuan develop a Dānyào capable of permanently enhancing Spirit Power, knowing that such a task was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. It would be an impossible challenge for Xiang Chuan.
Of course, asking Xiang Chuan to develop a temporary Spirit Power boosting medicine within merely twenty-something days was also incredibly difficult, equally a tough challenge for Xiang Chuan. However, comparatively, the latter was slightly simpler.
Regarding this matter, Yang Haoran didn’t insist that Xiang Chuan complete the task by the end of the month. He merely approached it with a "let’s give it a try" mentality. If Xiang Chuan couldn’t complete the mission by the end of the month, he wouldn't blame him, as it was already a bit much to ask of anyone.
Naturally, Yang Haoran didn't tell Xiang Chuan any of this. Given Xiang Chuan’s personality, if he had been told, Yang Haoran estimated that Xiang Chuan would likely not take the matter seriously. By not telling him and pushing him, it might lead to an unexpected surprise.
Yang Haoran left Xiang Chuan's courtyard, leaving Xiang Chuan frozen in place. By the time Xiang Chuan reacted, Yang Haoran was already gone, and Xiang Chuan began to yell, his words brimming with complaints.
By this time, Yang Haoran had returned to his own courtyard. He could faintly hear Xiang Chuan's shouts, as the distance between their courtyards wasn't too far, and neither of them had activated soundproofing formations on their respective homes. It was quite normal to hear Xiang Chuan's voice.
Whether Xiang Chuan’s plan could be put to use depended on whether he could ultimately refine the Dānyào that temporarily boosts Spirit Power before the competition. If he succeeded, then this step of the plan would naturally be useful; if not, it would be of no use at all.
Refining a Dānyào that temporarily boosts Spirit Power was just one of Yang Haoran's plans. Besides this, he naturally had other preparations to make.
He intended to spend some time drawing talismans. Although he could currently only draw Black Talismans, their destructive power was quite limited against Underworld Officials who had opened their Heaven and Earth Souls. However, limited did not mean non-existent. If used at a critical moment, a Black Talisman could still be the key to victory or defeat. Although such a chance was very low, it wasn't impossible, so having more talismans could only be beneficial.
Having more talismans prepared was also one of Yang Haoran’s plans. And the plans he and Xu Meijing had formulated weren't limited to just these two things; there were other arrangements. Therefore, he needed to quickly finish with the talismans and then attend to other matters.
While Yang Haoran was busy implementing his plans, Huo Laoban arrived in Tongyou City.
It was rumored that beneath Tongyou City lay the Underworld Hell, making it the closest point in the mortal realm to the Underworld Hell. In other words, it was a city that could lead to the Underworld Hell.
Such rumors, of course, were spread by ordinary people. Those in the know, especially people from the Underworld Office, naturally scoffed at such nonsense, finding it laughable.
However, ordinary people believed it and spread it with elaborate detail. Over time, many ordinary people came to believe that it was indeed true, and the name Tongyou City came from this belief.
When Luo Yao was still a Guardian, Tongyou City was a major city within his territory, even larger than Gu Mo City. Although it was larger than Gu Mo City, it was not as chaotic. On the contrary, it had always been very peaceful, and the Underworld Office had always been the city's foremost power.
The reason the Tongyou City Underworld Office could achieve this, firmly holding the position of the top power with other factions not daring to act presumptuously, was naturally because the Tongyou City Underworld Office was strong enough. And the reason for the Tongyou City Underworld Office's strength lay in its Emissary of Death.
The Emissary of Death of Tongyou City was named Ding Tianhua, a veteran Emissary of Death. Not only was he the most senior in Luo Yao's controlled area, but even looking across the entire Jingling Continent, or even the entire Underworld Office, there were few Emissaries of Death as seasoned as him.
It was true that Underworld Officials did not die naturally, but they could still die from external forces. No one knew how many Emissaries of Death had died since Ding Tianhua became one, but few of the Underworld Officials who became Emissaries of Death with him remained.
Because of his seniority, it was only logical that his strength was also very great, far beyond what younger Underworld Officials could compare to. After all, even if he only absorbed Soul Pills equivalent to his salary each year, younger generations would still need a lot of time to catch up, and that's assuming no accidents occurred along the way. If they died, they would naturally never catch up.
Furthermore, the amount of Soul Pills Ding Tianhua refined each year was far more than the mere amount given to him as a salary by the Underworld.
Huo Laoban's visit to Tongyou City this time was, of course, to meet this Emissary of Death, Ding Tianhua.
In the living room, Huo Laoban sat on the sofa, swirling a glass of red wine. Across from him sat a man of about thirty, also holding a glass of red wine. This man was none other than Ding Tianhua, the head of the Tongyou City Underworld Office.
"Heh heh, Brother Huo, congratulations on becoming a Guardian. Have you come to inspect my work today?"
Ding Tianhua smiled and, after clinking glasses with Huo Laoban, drained the wine in his cup.
The two men put down their wine glasses, and without Ding Tianhua needing to instruct her, a beautiful woman quickly refilled their drinks. Her position was carefully chosen, allowing her to pour without obstructing their line of sight in the slightest.
Neither of them paid any attention to the beauty. Ding Tianhua played with such women daily and had long grown tired of them, so he naturally had no interest. As for Huo Laoban, he was there for a very important matter concerning Ding Tianhua, so his attention certainly wouldn't be on the beauty. Hence, neither of them spared her a glance.
Ding Tianhua’s words brought a hint of awkwardness to Huo Laoban’s smile.
"Heh heh, Divine Emissary Ding, that’s not quite right. You are not only my senior but also my friend. I came here both to pay my respects to a senior and to visit a friend. It has nothing to do with work."
Huo Laoban's attitude was humble, not showing any arrogance or putting on airs despite having become a Guardian while Ding Tianhua was merely an Emissary of Death.
"Hahahahaha, long time no see, Brother Huo. You're still as likable as ever. Those words are truly pleasant to hear! My speaking ability, Ding Tianhua, probably wouldn't catch up to yours even if I studied for a hundred years!"
Ding Tianhua burst into laughter, appearing very happy. After he finished speaking, he raised his wine glass again.
"Brother Huo has traveled a long way, and he's not here to cause me any trouble. This makes me, Ding Tianhua, very happy. Come, let's toast again!"
Huo Laoban didn't refuse, his broad smile looking just as joyful. After their glasses clinked, they both drained their cups again, as was customary.
"Heh heh, the Tongyou City Underworld Office has always been the dominant power in Tongyou City, and its number of Death God believers far surpasses that of other factions in the city. This is a well-known, undisputed fact throughout the Underworld Office. With work progressing so well, who would come looking for trouble with Divine Emissary Ding? Who would have the guts to challenge Divine Emissary Ding?"
After putting down his wine glass, Huo Laoban continued to say with a smile to Ding Tianhua, whose delight only grew at his words.
"Brother Huo is right. Ever since I, Ding Tianhua, took charge of Tongyou City, our Underworld Office has consistently been the number one power here. What other factions would dare to act presumptuously? Anyone who dares to stir up trouble, I’ll beat them until they submit."
At this point, Ding Tianhua offered Huo Laoban a cigarette with a smile. Huo Laoban politely declined, and Ding Tianhua didn't insist, instead lighting one for himself. After taking a puff, he continued to chuckle.
"The world is in chaos now, and many cities have been shattered. But look at our Tongyou City; compared to before the chaos, there hasn't been much change. And look at the ordinary people: in many places, they can't even get enough to eat, becoming food for demons and ghosts. But in our Tongyou City, though the quality of life for ordinary people is much worse than before the chaos, at least they have food and their safety is guaranteed. Compared to other cities, our Tongyou City is a rare pure land. Without me, Ding Tianhua, who knows what this Tongyou City would have become."
Ding Tianhua laughed heartily, his words and expression showing a hint of smugness. However, Tongyou City's immunity to the ravages of war wasn't solely due to him, Ding Tianhua; the Tongyou City Administrative Courtyard also played a very capable role. Without the Tongyou City Administrative Courtyard, no matter how strong Ding Tianhua’s personal power was, he couldn't have ensured the food, lodging, and safety of all ordinary people in Tongyou City.
After all, being powerful was one thing, but being able to govern was another. Even with immense power, if one couldn't manage, a large city like Tongyou City would quickly collapse.
Huo Laoban naturally understood this principle very well, but he wasn’t foolish enough to voice it in front of Ding Tianhua. Not only did he not say it, but he even agreed that Ding Tianhua’s words were true.
"Heh heh, Divine Emissary Ding is right. That Tongyou City is what it is today, a pure land in this chaotic world, is all thanks to Divine Emissary Ding's efforts. Without you, Tongyou City would surely have become dilapidated and its people suffering, just like other cities."
Ding Tianhua’s face beamed with a brilliant smile. From his expression, it was clear that he wholeheartedly agreed with Huo Laoban's assessment.
"Brother Huo, let’s not talk about Tongyou City for now. After all, what happens in my Tongyou City is no secret; anyone can easily find out how much I, Ding Tianhua, have contributed here, and how indispensable I am to Tongyou City. Let’s talk about something else."
Ding Tianhua said with a laugh. Huo Laoban nodded, also smiling in response.
"Heh heh, indeed, there's no point in discussing things everyone already knows. Let's talk about something else then. But what should we talk about?"
Huo Laoban said with a smile, even putting on a thoughtful expression at the end, as if contemplating what else to discuss with Ding Tianhua.
"Oh, Brother Huo, do you even need to think about this? Look, it won't be long until our Jingling Continent Underworld Office holds its martial arts competition! This event has not only created a stir within our Jingling Continent Underworld Office, but it has even rocked the entire Underworld Office! Even other factions have learned of it. Is such a major event not exciting enough for us to discuss?"
Ding Tianhua prompted, his tone not only eager but also exuding a strong sense of longing.
Given Huo Laoban's intelligence, how could he possibly run out of conversation topics? The reason he had appeared thoughtful just now was entirely to pique Ding Tianhua’s interest, wanting Ding Tianhua to proactively bring up the matter of the Jingling Continent martial arts competition.
Only in this way would Ding Tianhua not reject the words and suggestions he was about to offer, and would even agree, thus achieving the purpose of his visit.
Now that Ding Tianhua had taken the initiative to mention the upcoming martial arts competition of the Jingling Continent Underworld Office, it played right into his hands.
Though pleased internally, Huo Laoban showed no trace of it, instead displaying a look of sudden realization.
"Heh heh, yes, Divine Emissary Ding is right. What we should discuss now, of course, is the upcoming martial arts competition in our Jingling Continent Underworld Office. This competition is completely different from ordinary ones, and entirely unlike gambling bouts for Soul Pills among Underworld Officials. This competition is for two Guardian positions, which is why it has caused such a huge sensation. Look at me, I was so happy to see Divine Emissary Ding that I actually forgot about this!"
Huo Laoban said with a smile, then proactively raised his glass to toast Ding Tianhua, showing no airs of a Guardian whatsoever.
Ding Tianhua was not polite either, and he was quite uninhibited. When Huo Laoban toasted him, he readily accepted. After clinking glasses, they naturally drained their cups.
"Brother Huo is now a Guardian, and he was directly promoted by Luo Yao without any selection process. From this, one can see that Luo Yao greatly appreciates you. Everyone knows that you are now Luo Yao's favored person. Since you are close to him, you must know a lot. Can you tell this old brother some inside information about this competition?"
After the two men put down their wine glasses, before Huo Laoban could speak, Ding Tianhua quickly interjected.
Luo Yao was now an Emperor, yet Ding Tianhua addressed him by his given name. This was a great disrespect, but Ding Tianhua seemed not to care, and he pronounced "Luo Yao" with particular familiarity.
As a Guardian under Luo Yao, when someone addressed Luo Yao by his given name in front of him, Huo Laoban should, by rights, be furious. Even if he couldn't show anger due to their friendship, he should at least show some displeasure. Yet, Huo Laoban showed not the slightest hint of dissatisfaction, maintaining his full smile, as if he didn't care at all.
"Heh heh, Divine Emissary Ding and the Emperor are old friends. If you want to know some inside information about this competition, why don't you just ask the Emperor directly? After all, this competition was initiated by the Emperor, and he knows much more than I do."
Huo Laoban said with a smile. Ding Tianhua immediately became displeased upon hearing this, his smile vanishing, and a look of displeasure appearing directly on his face.
"I'm rather unhappy with what Brother Huo just said. Although I became an Emissary of Death at the same time as Luo Yao, and we've known each other for countless years, he and I are definitely not friends."
Ding Tianhua’s words not only revealed his displeasure but also emitted a strong sense of resentment. This resentment was, of course, not directed at Huo Laoban, but clearly at Luo Yao.
"Alas, Divine Emissary Ding, look at you two. You've known each other for countless years, why be like this?"
Huo Laoban sighed, speaking with a helpless expression, as if regretting something.
It would have been better if Huo Laoban hadn’t said that; as soon as he did, the resentment emanating from Ding Tianhua intensified instantly.
"Hmph, he has brains and power, and now he's climbed to the position of Emperor, while I'm still just a small Emissary of Death. The disparity in our status is so vast, how can we still be friends?"
Ding Tianhua asked Huo Laoban. Upon hearing this, Huo Laoban's smile became one of helplessness, and he shook his head slightly.
"Divine Emissary Ding, what you said isn't entirely baseless, but it's not entirely correct either. I still think you need to view this issue correctly."
Huo Laoban's words were ambiguous. He didn't want to offend Ding Tianhua, so he didn't directly deny Ding Tianhua's statement. But at the same time, he didn't want to offend Luo Yao even more, so he didn't dare to say that Ding Tianhua's words were completely correct.
If he fully agreed with Ding Tianhua's statement, and those words somehow reached Luo Yao's ears one day, it would absolutely not be a good thing for him. So he could only speak ambiguously.
When Luo Yao was mentioned, Ding Tianhua was immediately filled with resentment. He even forgot his original intention, which was to inquire about the inside information of this competition.
Huo Laoban’s ambiguous words had no effect on Ding Tianhua. At this moment, the floodgates of resentment in Ding Tianhua’s heart had been completely opened. He would not stop talking until he vented all the resentment within him.
Huo Laoban had known Ding Tianhua for quite some time; Ding Tianhua complaining about Luo Yao to him was also not a new occurrence. He understood Ding Tianhua's personality and this pattern, so he remained silent, waiting for Ding Tianhua to vent all his resentment. Only then could he discuss the next matters with Ding Tianhua.
Otherwise, in Ding Tianhua’s current state, no matter what he said, Ding Tianhua would not listen, and might even direct his anger at him.
So he felt that the best approach was to stay silent and wait for Ding Tianhua to vent all his resentment and dissatisfaction.
It was precisely for this reason that, for the next period, Huo Laoban simply listened to Ding Tianhua's complaints and grievances.
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