Chapter 114: A Fixed Price, Thirty Pieces

The bright moon hung high in the sky.

The weather seemed to be turning cooler, with the forest wind rustling and the moonlight casting a cold glow.

In such a pleasant moment, with wind but no rain, few people would choose to keep their doors tightly shut and go to bed early. Most would step out into the courtyard to enjoy the beautiful scenery and fine evening.

Two figures, one in black and one in white, flew from the direction of the council hall toward the back mountain, appearing quite hurried.

"Are you sure Xu Xiaoshou really intruded into the inner courtyard?" Chao Shu still couldn't believe Yuan Tuo's words. As he skimmed over the treetops, a layer of small ice crystals formed on the branches.

Yuan Tuo's sleeves rustled in the strong wind. He glanced at him lightly and said,

"Whether he intruded or not is beside the point. He's definitely in the inner courtyard right now, and my intelligence is reliable."

"Even if he was secretly recruited into the inner courtyard, and it's not public yet, so neither you nor I know about it, that still makes it an intrusion!"

"The inner courtyard has thirty-three enforcers. If someone makes a mistake and kills him... In just three days, this is our only opportunity. Do you want to let it slip?"

Yuan Tuo sneered with disdain. "Or do you think he'll just run out of Ling Palace for you to kill?"

Chao Shu fell silent, his figure leaping through the forest without slowing down. "Why are you telling me all this? Do you have a grudge against Xu Xiaoshou?"

"No... I wouldn't tell you these things!" Yuan Tuo paused, thinking of the message from Lan Xinzi, and sighed softly. "But I won't kill him."

"You're just using me!"

"That's right."

Yuan Tuo surprisingly didn't deny it. "But if I make a move, he'd at most end up severely injured and sent to the punishment platform. He could still enter Tianxuan Men. You, on the other hand... you'd never get the chance."

Chao Shu clenched his fists, knowing his weakness had been seized. Tianxuan Men was an opportunity he'd waited three years for—he couldn't miss it again.

But killing someone in the inner courtyard, even with such a lofty excuse...

"Does Xu Xiaoshou really have no connections?"

"None."

"Is that true?"

"Absolutely!"

To put his mind at ease, Yuan Tuo added, "If he had connections, would he have won the championship and still been kept out of the inner courtyard?"

Chao Shu suddenly stopped, his killing intent solidifying as ice crystals formed under his feet, transforming the treetops.

Yuan Tuo flew back from ahead, feeling a bit anxious. Why did he stop?

They were in the middle of this—if you won't act, do I have to do it myself?

What a waste of a perfect tool...

"At most, I'll find someone to help you mitigate the punishment." Yuan Tuo tried to sound sincere.

Chao Shu ignored him and pulled out a portrait, glancing at a tall, thin young man not far below, who was looking around curiously.

"Is that him?"

Yuan Tuo followed his gaze and was stunned. "Xu Xiaoshou?"

"What's he doing here?"

Xu Xiaoshou really couldn't sleep.

Even after taking a cold shower later, he still couldn't sleep.

He figured it was because he'd stayed up late so often, messing up his biological clock. Though he felt a bit tired on the surface, as soon as he closed his eyes, his mind perked up.

Yeah, that must be it!

With the spiritual site selected and his mind at ease, he went out for a walk to enjoy the surroundings and plan an escape route—just in case he needed it someday.

After all, there are always troublemakers out to get me!

A figure in white landed in front of him, radiating killing intent.

Xu Xiaoshou: "..."

Seriously? It’s happening now?

There wasn't even a heavy rain, and this wasn't some deserted grove in the outer courtyard—he'd seen several inner courtyard disciples along the way!

How dare you?

"You’re Xu Xiaoshou?" Chao Shu asked coldly.

"I'm not."

"Passive value received from suspicion: 1."

Xu Xiaoshou blinked his big eyes innocently: "My name is Wen Ming. I have two friends meeting me here..."

He bowed. "Greetings, Senior Brother!"

This approach was flawless—it cleared up his identity, mentioned others were coming to make the attacker cautious, and showed proper respect to save face.

If you still attack now, that's just too much!

Chao Shu was momentarily speechless.

If it weren't for the portrait he had, and the secret voice transmission from Yuan Tuo overhead, he might have almost believed it!

"Seal his mouth first, then strike to kill—your chance is limited," came another voice transmission. "The longer you drag it out, the more variables there are."

Once Chao Shu decided, he rarely hesitated.

As Xu Xiaoshou straightened up and before he could move, a layer of ice crystals formed on his feet, sticking him firmly to the ground.

Ice-based ability?

Like Chao Qingteng's?

His pupils contracted. Back in the competition, the opponent's move "Da Han Wu Qi" was still fresh in his memory—it was from that he grasped the essence of "all things as swords"!

"Chi..."

But this wasn't his own courtyard, with no barrier to protect him. Xu Xiaoshou could have called for help, but as soon as he opened his mouth, cracking sounds erupted, and ice crystals froze his face.

The piercing cold instantly seeped in, with ice spreading up and down, freezing his flesh from the outside in—it was far stronger than Chao Qingteng's ability.

This hadn't even touched him or caused snow to fall, yet just a glance could freeze someone to death?

"Passive value from attack: 1."

"Passive value from attack: 1."

Xu Xiaoshou panicked inside. He hated these types who skipped talk and went straight to fighting—no room to bluff at all!

In an instant, an ice sculpture formed, without a single sound.

Chao Shu was puzzled—this guy was weaker than Yuan Tuo had described...

Well, he was just at Lian Ling Jiu Jing realm. Facing one of the inner courtyard's thirty-three enforcers, how could he turn the tables?

He drew a short sword, cautiously not getting too close, and hurled it out with a whoosh.

The sword flew like an arrow, piercing straight toward the ice sculpture.

"Clang!"

The expected penetration didn't happen. Instead, there was a sharp clang, and the short sword was flung back by some immense force.

Chao Shu's eyelids twitched as he dodged, only to see the ice sculpture shatter like a stone rippling a thousand waves, exploding outward with ice shards flying.

"What's going on? 'Inlaid Ice' shouldn't react like that—how did he shatter the ice?" Chao Shu was shocked.

His innate peak spiritual technique acted directly through the void, no seals needed, no contact required, inescapable within his line of sight.

How could it be broken by his own sword?

Flames of Jin Zhao Tian Yan ignited on Xu Xiaoshou, completely dispelling the bone-chilling cold and reclaiming control of his body.

Too strong!

In just a moment, he was completely immobilized. He regretted bowing—such a loss!

And this guy's spiritual technique was terrifying. If it weren't for the short sword shaking the ice, the ice shaking him, and him shaking the cold, which in turn shook the sword, he'd still be trapped!

"An inner courtyard enforcer making a move?" Xu Xiaoshou's tone turned icy.

Chao Shu raised two fingers, and an ice pattern array flashed at his feet. Frost spread rapidly from the ground, then rose from all sides, forming a small "Ice Crystal Barrier" that enclosed the two of them.

"You won't make a sound from in here." He said expressionlessly.

"Why kill me?" Xu Xiaoshou thought of Lan Xinzi. She hadn't acted herself but sent someone—was she trying to shirk responsibility?

Chao Shu shook his head, saying nothing.

"Whatever she paid you, I'll give ten times!"

Chao Shu was taken aback. What payment? He was here for the Tianxuan Men spot.

"A hundred times!"

"I have a lot of Yuan Ting Dan—I can give you ten!"

"Twenty!"

Chao Shu's face darkened, his eyelid twitching. I'm here to take your life, and you're turning this into an auction?

"That's too much!" Xu Xiaoshou took a deep breath.

"Final offer: thirty!"