Chapter 1252: The Competition Begins
Who the newly appointed Guardian of the Jingling Continent Underworld Office was, the entire Underworld Office knew. After all, the appointment of every Guardian, regardless of which continent they hailed from, was enough to cause a sensation throughout the Underworld Office. So, even without Yang Haoran stating it directly, Jiang Dashi still knew who Yang Haoran was referring to when he spoke of the Guardian.
Jiang Dashi didn't know why Yang Haoran would suddenly pose such a question. To him, it seemed completely unrelated to the day's events, which only deepened the perplexity on his face compared to before Yang Haoran had even spoken. On the other hand, Xu Meijing, hearing Yang Haoran suddenly ask Jiang Dashi such a question, subtly stiffened, her brows furrowing as if something had dawned on her. However, Xu Meijing remained silent, instead turning her gaze to Jiang Dashi, waiting to see how he would answer Yang Haoran.
If even Jiang Dashi couldn't fathom why Yang Haoran would suddenly ask such a question, then Gu Yi and the other three naturally understood even less. However, none of the four spoke up in this setting, nor did they make the slightest sound, instead collectively fixing their gazes upon Jiang Dashi.
Jiang Dashi, naturally sensing their gazes, dismissed the confusion from his face and pondered seriously for a moment. Finally, with a wry smile, he shook his head at Yang Haoran. "You've truly stumped me with that question. Given my strength and status, I don't have access to the Guardian level. So, as for the relationships Guardians share with one another, I genuinely don't know. What made you suddenly decide to inquire about this?"
Yang Haoran felt no disappointment at not getting the answer he sought from Jiang Dashi, as he hadn't held much hope when he first posed the question. Faced with Jiang Dashi's counter-question, Yang Haoran hesitated for a moment, then replied with a faint smile. "This newly appointed Huo Laoban and I are not on the same path. If he has a good relationship with Lord Lu Tianhe, then the Heavenly River Apothecary's people coming to cause trouble at my Stillness Apothecary and slandering us would be more than just simple business competition."
Yang Haoran had not initially intended to say this, but after a brief thought, he decided to voice it anyway. However, his words were primarily directed at Gu Yi and the other three, not Jiang Dashi. Gu Yi and her companions were different from Jiang Dashi; they were his people. If they were unaware of his relationship with Huo Laoban, and one day Huo Laoban or his associates came calling, Gu Yi and the others might drop their guard, mistakenly assuming them to be Yang Haoran's friends, which could lead to them suffering losses.
After hearing Yang Haoran's words, aside from Ban Kui, who remained as stoic as ever, the expressions of the other three, including Gu Yi, shifted to varying degrees. The most significant change in expression, however, belonged to Jiang Dashi. As a Ghost Official, Jiang Dashi understood full well what a Guardian represented. Yang Haoran was an Underworld Official of Jingling Continent, while Huo Laoban was a newly appointed Guardian of Jingling Continent. Their status and position were simply incomparable to Yang Haoran, an Underworld Official. Since Yang Haoran had personally stated that they were not on the same path, it implied a considerable enmity between the two, which in his view, was far from a good thing.
Jiang Dashi's significant change in expression wasn't due to worrying about himself, but rather about Yang Haoran. Provoking a Guardian was incomparably more serious than provoking an Underworld Official or Ghost Official of the same rank. Yang Haoran observed the reactions of all five, a faint smile playing on his lips, his demeanor perfectly at ease. "Just keep this in mind. I'll figure out how to handle the rest. You all just focus on what you need to do."
Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, Jiang Dashi showed no surprise or unexpected reaction; instead, the worry on his face visibly diminished. Jiang Dashi knew what martial arts competition Yang Haoran was referring to: naturally, the competition hosted by the Jingling Continent Underworld Office. To participate in this competition, one had to be an Underworld Official from Jingling Continent and must have opened both their Heaven and Earth Souls. The fact that both Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing were participating implied that their current strengths had both reached the stage of having opened their Heaven and Earth Souls.
It was precisely for this reason that, while Jiang Dashi didn't know the exact extent of Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing's current power, their successful opening of both Heaven and Earth Souls was an undeniable fact. Normally, upon learning that Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing had successfully opened their Heaven and Earth Souls, Jiang Dashi ought to have been astonished. After all, they had only become Emissaries of Death a mere few years ago, and opening their Earth Soul in such a short time was indeed no easy feat, certainly worthy of his surprise. Yet, at this moment, he displayed not a hint of astonishment.
This was because he had already been thoroughly shocked by Xu Meijing and Yang Haoran's current strength before. There was no need to even mention Xu Meijing; her effortlessly dispatching the young man with a single blade, combined with the words she spoke when she gave jade pendants to Gu Yi and her three companions, all sufficiently demonstrated that Xu Meijing's realm had already surpassed the Heaven Soul.
While Yang Haoran hadn't made a move against the young man, nor had he gifted Gu Yi and the others any treasures, Jiang Dashi knew that the power which had suddenly restrained his body outside the shop earlier must have come from Yang Haoran. The sheer strength of that power was something no Heaven Soul Underworld Official could possess. Therefore, he had already known at that time that Yang Haoran must have also successfully opened both his Heaven and Earth Souls.
Because he had already been inwardly stunned by their combined strength, Yang Haoran's words now elicited not the slightest hint of surprise from him. As for why a portion of the worry on his face had diminished, it was naturally because Yang Haoran's words instilled him with confidence. He had a certain understanding of Yang Haoran, and since Yang Haoran dared to speak in such a way, it meant he must have certainly prepared a contingency plan for this matter.
Of course, nothing in this world is absolute. Though he trusted Yang Haoran, he dared not be 100% certain that Yang Haoran could handle this matter flawlessly, for no one could guarantee that unexpected incidents wouldn't occur. Thus, the worry in his heart had only partially lessened, not completely vanished. "The position of Guardian is no small matter for any Underworld Official or Ghost Official. Far too many people aspire to climb to that position. Precisely because of this, the competition will undoubtedly be exceptionally fierce. Since you've decided to participate in this competition, you must prepare even more thoroughly."
Jiang Dashi offered his advice. He was not qualified to participate in this competition because he no longer belonged to the Jingling Continent Underworld Office, nor had he opened his Heaven and Earth Souls, thus rendering him ineligible. Although he was disqualified, Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing would participate, and as their friend, he couldn't help but feel worried. His suggestion was born entirely from genuine concern for the two of them.
"Rest assured, Jiang Dashi," Yang Haoran said with a smile, "Xiao Jing and I have indeed made some preparations for this competition. While we can't say with 100% certainty that we'll seize the Guardian position, there's still hope. There are still a few days before the competition begins, and Xiao Jing and I came to the Underworld in advance precisely to make a bit more preparation for it."
Yang Haoran said with a chuckle. Jiang Dashi listened, thought for a moment, then replied, "A few days will pass in the blink of an eye. Since you still need to prepare for the competition, quickly go and take care of your own affairs. Don't waste time here. In a moment, I will publicly inspect the medicines at your Stillness Apothecary in front of all your customers. Once the results are out, I will report them truthfully and make them public, clearing the name of your Stillness Apothecary."
Yang Haoran nodded with a smile, then said to Jiang Dashi, "Then I'll leave this matter to you, Jiang Dashi. My Underworld phone is always on, so if there's any trouble, you can call me. Xiao Jing and I genuinely need a little more time to prepare some techniques."
Jiang Dashi understood Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing, so not only did he not ask them to stay and assist with the investigation, but he urged them to leave quickly. "Go, go, quickly get to your own business. I'll watch over things here; there shouldn't be much of a problem, and I'll handle it for you quickly."
Jiang Dashi gave Yang Haoran his assurance. He wasn't lying; for him, simply inspecting whether some medicines were up to standard was indeed no difficult task. As long as Yang Haoran's Stillness Apothecary didn't have any fake medicine, he could quickly resolve the matter. The only issue was that this trouble was instigated by Heavenly River Apothecary, and the boss behind Heavenly River Apothecary was Lu Tianhe, one of the nine great Guardians of the Underworld. Today, Xu Meijing had injured the young man, even almost causing him to undergo soul transformation. This was a resounding slap to Lu Tianhe's face. It was highly probable that Lu Tianhe would send people to Stillness Apothecary to reclaim his lost face. If it truly came to that, Stillness Apothecary's situation would be precarious.
Given Jiang Dashi's status and position, he naturally couldn't challenge a Guardian like Lu Tianhe; the other party wouldn't even grant him the slightest bit of face. He was well aware of this himself. Thus, at this moment, he had already made a decision: after inspecting all the medicines at Stillness Apothecary, as long as there were no issues with them, he would report the matter upwards. If Heavenly River Apothecary truly came to cause trouble at Stillness Apothecary later, he would only be able to ask his direct superior to intervene. However, whether he could actually persuade his superior to act, he had no confidence in, and this too was a problem.
At present, Jiang Dashi did not mention any of these concerns to Yang Haoran; instead, he told Yang Haoran not to worry. The main reason for this was to avoid putting too much psychological pressure on Yang Haoran, lest it affect the martial arts competition that would be held in a few days.
Yang Haoran handed the various medicines he had brought to Gu Yi, then left Stillness Apothecary with Xu Meijing. Jiang Dashi, meanwhile, remained behind. He intended to conduct a second inspection of Stillness Apothecary's medicines in front of all the customers, both to alleviate their concerns and to prove the apothecary's innocence.
Yang Haoran had great confidence in all of Stillness Apothecary's medicines, for he had not adulterated any of them, and thus he did not fear inspection. Unless Feng Xiao and Xiang Chuan had adulterated the medicines they gave him, there would absolutely be no fake medicines. He still had great confidence in both of them. Feng Xiao went without saying, and while Xiang Chuan was rather frivolous, Yang Haoran believed Xiang Chuan wouldn't mess around with something like this.
The reason Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing had first come to Stillness Apothecary was primarily because Xu Meijing wanted to see the place first, and Yang Haoran also needed to restock Stillness Apothecary. Additionally, he wanted the Stillness Apothecary employees to meet Xu Meijing, the boss lady. Thus, after arriving in the Underworld, the two first hurried to Stillness Apothecary.
Now that the stock was replenished and everyone had been introduced, the two naturally had other matters to attend to, as they still needed to make some final preparations for the competition. As for the trouble they had stirred up today, as long as one of them became a Guardian, it would cease to be a problem. Therefore, their most pressing task right now was to make final preparations for the competition, doing their utmost to secure the Guardian position, even if only one of them could achieve it.
If, in the end, neither of them could become a Guardian, Yang Haoran had also considered a countermeasure for how to handle the day's trouble. If he could resolve it himself, he would. If he truly couldn't resolve it, and the other party completely disregarded him, an Emissary of Death, then he would have no choice but to seek out Luo Yao. With Luo Yao's current status as a Great Emperor, he believed the other party would surely show Luo Yao sufficient respect. The key, however, lay in whether Luo Yao would be willing to help.
Ultimately, Yang Haoran felt that his status was still insufficient. If his status and position were higher, who would dare to easily come to his apothecary and cause trouble? Therefore, to solve the problem at its root, he absolutely had to elevate his status and position.
After leaving Stillness Apothecary, Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing had originally planned to submit souls and exchange them for Soul Pills. However, to save time, they postponed this matter until after the competition. The first thing they did after leaving Stillness Apothecary was to spend money to learn Ghost Arts. This was also the last thing they intended to do before the competition, their final measure of preparation for it.
Although the Underworld had no sun or moon, it still had time. A few days quickly passed, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day of the competition.
Before the world fell into chaos, although the Underworld was typically lively, there was still a world of difference compared to when souls were submitted. In the past, Underworld Officials would submit souls at fixed times, and the period around these submissions was when the Underworld was at its most bustling. After the world fell into chaos, Underworld Officials no longer had fixed times for soul submissions; they could come to the Underworld and submit souls at any time. This led to the Underworld being considerably livelier on ordinary days compared to before the chaos, but it still couldn't reach the level of bustle seen during the unified soul submission periods.
Although the Underworld was very lively today, it still didn't reach the level of bustle seen during soul submissions before the world fell into chaos. After all, this competition was for the Jingling Continent Underworld Office, not the entire Underworld Office. Therefore, not all Underworld Officials had come to the Underworld. Furthermore, with the world in chaos, their own managed territories could be attacked at any moment, so even if some Underworld Officials from other continents were interested in this event, they couldn't possibly leave their posts to come to the Underworld to watch this competition. However, compared to ordinary days in the Underworld, today's Underworld was exceptionally lively. Since the world fell into chaos, the Underworld had never been as bustling as it was today.
The Underworld had a dedicated martial arts arena. Before the world fell into chaos, whenever Underworld Officials finished submitting souls, they would seek out opponents for gambling duels, using this method to gain more Soul Pills—though, of course, they might also lose everything. The venue for these gambling duels was precisely the Underworld's specialized martial arts arena.
The Underworld's martial arts arena was vast, capable of accommodating many people dueling at once. The competition organized by the Jingling Continent Underworld Office this time was using this ready-made venue.
At this moment, the martial arts arena was a clamorous sea of people, the spectator stands packed to the brim. Yet, the arena floor itself was utterly empty, not a single soul present.
At the very top of the entire martial arts arena, a dark cloud floated suspended in the air. This dark cloud was no ordinary storm cloud, but a special black cloud condensed from a massive amount of Spirit Power. Upon this black cloud, ten sets of tables and chairs were arranged. All these tables and chairs were crafted from special stone, uniquely shaped and adorned with hanging ghost heads, very much in the style of the Underworld. They exuded a feeling that was both eerie and imposing.
The foremost set of tables and chairs was the largest in volume, its design the most imposing, and its hanging ghost heads the most grotesque. The other nine sets were arranged neatly behind this main set.
Some young women were busying themselves atop this dark cloud. Fine wines, fruits, snacks, and pastries were one by one placed onto the tables by these women. All these items exuded a rich Yin Qi, indicating at a glance that they contained a considerable amount of Pure Yin Qi. Consuming them would undoubtedly enhance one's internal Spirit Power.
These young women were, of course, not the masters of these ten special seats; they were merely attendants serving these ten individuals. As for the masters of these ten seats, not a single one had arrived yet.
Although none of the masters of these ten special seats had appeared yet, the numerous Underworld Officials in the spectator stands below had already begun to make some guesses about their identities.
In the eyes of some Underworld Officials, the foremost position on the dark cloud was most likely prepared for Luo Yao, the newly appointed Great Emperor of the Jingling Continent Underworld Office. As for the nine positions behind it, they should be reserved for Luo Yao's nine Guardians.
If today's competition were merely an ordinary one, then not only would a Great Emperor not appear, but even Guardians would likely be hard-pressed to show up, as they had no leisure to waste time on such matters, nor any interest in paying attention to these minor skirmishes.
However, today's competition was different. Today's competition was the Jingling Continent Underworld Office's Guardian selection, and two Guardians were to be chosen. This was no small matter; it was a major event capable of changing the Jingling Continent Underworld Office, and perhaps even the entire Underworld Office. Hence, the grand scale. It was no surprise that Luo Yao, the Jingling Great Emperor, would attend, nor was it strange for other Guardians to participate.
However, Luo Yao currently only had seven Guardians under him, so why were nine seats prepared? Could it be that two other important figures were invited to watch?
Comments