Chapter 734: A Huge Surprise

Liu Changqing had been recruited.

This was beyond doubt.

As an individual spirit refiner who had cultivated alone to the Zhan Dao level, in all honesty, Liu Changqing had once received olive branches from various major forces but never intended to submit to anyone.

Yet now, he had no choice.

The Ghost Beast incident had thrown his life into complete chaos.

Xu Shao's invitation...

And Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, this organization bold enough to harbor Ghost Beasts...

After desperately inquiring and making contacts over this period, this was the only group that seemed suitable for Liu Changqing to continue surviving in.

It wasn't that their conditions were overwhelmingly tempting...

Liu Changqing wasn't foolish; he knew that in this matter, Xu Shao hadn't really invested anything.

Xu Shao's role was merely that of a middleman, facilitating communication between him and the Ghost Beasts—two entities that couldn't coexist.

But ultimately, this wasn't something that could be measured by benefits.

It was a matter of life and death!

Apart from accepting, Liu Changqing had no other option.

For Xu Xiaoshou, Tian Shang Di Yi Lou also had no choice but to accept Liu Changqing, even though he knew nothing about the man's character or conduct.

Yet things turned out to be so dramatic...

From the moment Liu Changqing stepped into this private room, from the instant he discovered that Tian Shang Di Yi Lou was harboring Ghost Beasts,

the outcome for both sides seemed predestined.

Xu Xiaoshou never even considered letting Liu Changqing leave.

He knew that doing so would bring even greater risks.

The only way to release someone who knew the secret of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou harboring Ghost Beasts was to send out a corpse...

And Liu Changqing was fully aware of this!

He didn't doubt that Tian Shang Di Yi Lou had the capability to kill him.

After all, this was a force backed by a Semi-Saint's descendant.

Everyone involved was smart, so some things didn't need to be spelled out.

Once the overt interests and the underlying mutual dependencies were stripped away,

mutual commitment was the only inevitable result.

"Xu Shao!"

Taking the scroll, Liu Changqing seemed to be accepting the olive branch from a major force he once scorned, but more like grasping the last straw of salvation after drowning. His expression was solemn and serious as he said in a low voice, "This old man has made contact with 'it.'"

As he spoke, faint patterns of Tianji Dao appeared on his body.

Clearly, he was receiving the Duohuo inheritance.

Xu Xiaoshou smiled and said, "Excellent, truly excellent, Liu xiansheng..."

"Xu Shao, no need to call me Liu xiansheng—just call me Changqing." Now that Liu Changqing had decided to embrace his new identity and understood his current situation, his tone carried a sense of reverence.

After all, this was a Semi-Saint force, and joining it wasn't a loss for him.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't stand on ceremony: "Alright, Xiao Qing, in that case, what about your Zhi Xu object?"

Liu Changqing's face twitched.

This Xu Shao was really straightforward!

Xiao Qing...

How could he use such a name?

"This old man has one."

Liu Changqing took a deep breath, trying to adapt to the younger generation's way of speaking, and said, "After 'it' possessed me, it gave me this tower, which can perfectly conceal my aura."

As he spoke, Liu Changqing touched the small tower pendant at his waist.

The tower had nine levels, its Dao rhythm hidden, and its power fully contained.

It looked like an ordinary ornament, and Xu Xiaoshou hadn't even noticed it before.

"Having a Zhi Xu object makes things easier."

Seeing this item, Xu Xiaoshou breathed a sigh of relief.

If Liu Changqing didn't have one, he really wouldn't know where to find it.

Of course, thinking back, if Liu Changqing lacked such an object, he probably couldn't have survived as a Ghost Beast host in a mixed place like Wang Cheng for over a month.

"You should chat with him first about the precautions for being a Ghost Beast host. Xin Xiaoku probably knows far more about it than you do." Xu Xiaoshou pointed to Xin Gugu.

He completely handed Liu Changqing over to Xin Gugu to handle.

Given their personalities, they probably wouldn't cause a scene like openly inquiring about Ghost Beasts at the trade meeting.

After the transmission ended, Mu Zixi, Xiao Wanfeng, and even Liu Lu all looked over eagerly.

Including the high-level members of Ye Mao secretly monitoring the screens.

Everyone knew that the private time just now was for Liu Changqing and Xu Shao to finalize the last additional terms of the deal.

"How did it go?" Mu Zixi asked.

"Liu xiansheng is very satisfied and has even taken a liking to our Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, deciding to join," Xu Shao nodded in response.

He was answering his junior sister, but indirectly speaking to the people from Ye Mao.

Liu Lu was shocked.

Another Zhan Dao expert was joining Tian Shang Di Yi Lou?

In just a few days...

The expansion speed of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou's strength was alarmingly fast!

Liu Lu's reaction was the same as that of the Ye Mao high-level members.

But Mu Zixi didn't think that way.

The young girl furrowed her brows and scrutinized Liu Changqing up and down, her gaze lingering on his beast mask as she muttered, "We don't even know what he looks like, and you're letting this shady old guy slip in?"

Liu Changqing, who was just trying to engage with Xin Gugu and learn from the experience, froze on the spot, his body stiffening.

Liu Lu was dumbfounded by what he heard, his jaw nearly dropping.

Goodness...

This was a Zhan Dao expert!

How could this little lady speak like that? Wasn't this offending him?

Even if you were the second master of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, as a junior in innate terms, you shouldn't treat a Zhan Dao guest elder like this, right?

He was joining Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, not marrying into it!

He had his dignity!

Yet before Liu Lu could finish his internal complaint, an even more astonishing sight unfolded before his eyes.

Liu Changqing removed his beast mask, asked Xin Gugu something, and then forced a smile onto his aged face.

It was clear that the smile was stiff and awkward!

But Liu Changqing maintained it and earnestly explained, "Mu guniang, no need to worry. This old man... is very amicable."

Liu Lu: ???

Mu Zixi: ???

Xiao Wanfeng: ???

At that moment, even Yuan Haisheng and Nangong Yin, who were closely monitoring Room 209 from backstage, were startled.

Who was Liu Changqing?

A Zhan Dao expert!

In Dong Tian Wang Cheng...

No, even in the Sheng Shen Hall headquarters, he would have a place.

Why would he go to such lengths, putting on such an ugly smile for a young girl?

Mu Zixi had just been muttering to herself, never expecting the old man to take it so seriously.

She was taken aback and quickly scurried behind Xu Xiaoshou, grabbing his robe and stammering, "Xu..."

Xu Xiaoshou flicked her forehead with his finger, making the girl wince and curse under her breath.

"Liu xiansheng, you're too kind. She's just a brat who speaks without thinking—we can ignore her."

Turning his head, Xu Xiaoshou looked at Liu Changqing with utmost seriousness: "This young master invited you to join Tian Shang Di Yi Lou because I value your strength..."

Then he pointed at his junior sister, "If this undisciplined little one offends you in the future, feel free to teach her a lesson without holding back."

At that moment, Xu Xiaoshou felt like he was channeling Liu Huangshu, almost wanting to throw his junior sister to the ground.

"Cursed, passive points, 1, 1, 1, 1..."

How could this old man dare? Liu Changqing thought to himself.

He had just asked Xin Gugu and learned from him that this girl was like a treasured ancestor in Tian Shang Di Yi Lou.

Otherwise, why would they treat her that way?

But since Xu Shao was giving him face now, Liu Changqing felt he had received the respect he deserved and breathed a sigh of relief.

As a Ghost Beast host joining Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, he had thought his Zhan Dao dignity was gone, but Xu Shao's treatment showed he was a person of substance.

This wasn't just some rumored Semi-Saint "playboy" force.

It was an organization that gave due respect to those of corresponding status and treated all subordinates equally, with the demeanor of a great power!

Since they were showing respect, Liu Changqing, having decided to commit, no longer hesitated: "Xu Shao, you don't need to call me Liu xiansheng anymore. Joining Tian Shang Di Yi Lou is this old man's own wish. If there's anything you need, just say the word."

Xu Xiaoshou's eyebrows twitched.

He had only meant to give Liu Changqing face in front of others.

Unexpectedly, by offering a way out,

Liu Changqing seemed to pledge unwavering loyalty.

In that case, Xu Xiaoshou decided not to be coy.

"Good!" He waved his hand. "That's settled then. Xiao Qing, stay here for now, study the scroll, and later follow this young master out of here!"

Liu Changqing nodded calmly, no longer bothered by the nickname "Xiao Qing."

Mu Zixi, Xiao Wanfeng, and Liu Lu on the side were once again stunned.

They thought having a Zhan Dao expert join was shocking enough.

But... Xiao Qing?

In just a short chat, had Xu Shao and Liu Changqing gotten this close?

In the background, Nangong Yin and Yuan Haisheng exchanged glances, their expressions filled with confusion and bewilderment.

If they hadn't known about Liu Changqing beforehand, they might have thought he was a Zhan Dao expert cultivated by the Xu family of the Semi-Saints!

This... this was too absurd!

What on earth had these two discussed in secret?

Without paying attention to the other reactions, Xu Xiaoshou, having handled Liu Changqing's matter, seriously pondered the future of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou.

Bringing Liu Changqing on board was unavoidable.

All Xu Xiaoshou could do was try his best to turn this sudden misfortune into two pieces of good fortune: "Ghost Beasts" and "Zhan Dao."

But Liu Changqing's commotion at the trade meeting had indeed stirred up unnecessary trouble.

First, there were people from Sheng Shen Hall monitoring the trade meeting site.

Though he didn't know who was in Room 1, anyone sent to oversee the event was surely clever.

And as long as they were clever, they wouldn't easily overlook Liu Changqing's inquiry about Ghost Beasts at the trade meeting.

Even if it seemed trivial or improbable to outsiders, the faint possibility it implied—one of them: Liu Changqing as a Ghost Beast host!

Sheng Shen Hall, if they weren't fools, would definitely verify it.

Because according to the Hong Yi's principle: better to kill the wrong one than let one escape.

And after their conversation in Room 209, Liu Changqing unexpectedly chose to join Tian Shang Di Yi Lou on the spot.

Their discussion had been about Ghost Beast intelligence...

All of this was too suggestive!

No matter how reluctant outsiders were to believe it, they couldn't help but wonder: did Tian Shang Di Yi Lou really have ties to Ghost Beasts?

Did they?

No!

Xu Xiaoshou fell into a state of self-deception.

He had to convince even himself of this to pull off hiding the truth from Hong Yi if they came.

In a few days, when Hong Yi showed up, that would be the worst-case scenario he anticipated.

"Could the Zhi Xu object withstand a Hong Yi investigation?"

Xu Xiaoshou watched Xin Gugu and Liu Changqing chatting animatedly and fell into deep thought.

He vaguely remembered that day at Tian Sang Cheng's city lord's mansion, Shou Ye had directly probed and taunted Xin Gugu openly and covertly.

It seemed that even through the Zhi Xu object, he could sense something.

If Hong Yi really came knocking and started sniffing around, could a Ghost Beast host hold up even with a Zhi Xu object?

"I need to think of a way..."

Xu Xiaoshou felt a sense of crisis.

This trade meeting had involved too many things connected to Void Island; Sheng Shen Hall was bound to investigate.

Perhaps after one or two inspections by minor figures, Hong Yi might appear.

So, he had to find a way to completely divert their attention.

At least, before the Wang Cheng trial began, they couldn't trace it back to him.

As for delaying tactics...

Xu Xiaoshou narrowed his eyes.

After thinking it over, he realized options were limited; most ideas popping into his head were strategies from ancient military texts he'd read.

"Attack the east to guard the west?"

"Besiege Wei to rescue Zhao?"

"Repair the plank road by day, travel Chu by night?"

In other words, create a bigger distraction to keep Sheng Shen Hall too busy to care?

So, the question was... where to strike?

In Room 1, the trade meeting was still in full swing.

But by now, the two from Sheng Shen Hall had shifted their focus away from the auction items.

As soon as a faint light flashed on the token at Chu Lisheng's waist, Cheng Ji became alert and asked through voice transmission, "Have the Bai Yi and Hong Yi reinforcements arrived in Wang Cheng?"

Chu Lisheng picked up the token to sense it and nodded: "Cheng Dianzhu, your insight is spot on—they've arrived."

"What about the defenses and great arrays at Yun Lun Mountains?" Cheng Ji asked further.

"They've completed their tasks!"

While communicating with the token, Chu Lisheng replied, "Apart from a portion of personnel still guarding the spirit arrays at places like Pi Xiu Mountain, including members from other branches in the Dong Tian Jie region, most have been mobilized and are ready to act."

Pausing briefly, Chu Lisheng hesitated before asking, "Cheng Dianzhu, when do you plan to close the net?"

"Tonight."

"Tonight?" Chu Lisheng was surprised.

"Yes."

Cheng Ji nodded, massaging his temples:

"True, mobilizing personnel was for defending Wang Cheng trial, but..."

"Ye Mao has gathered so many people for the trade meeting—it's no small effort. We can't let their hard work go to waste."

"Tonight, every participant leaving the trade meeting will undergo cross-examination by Bai Yi and Hong Yi."

"It's going to be exhausting, but... maybe Ye Mao will give us a huge surprise before the Wang Cheng trial?"