Ch 182: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Xie Feng saw that Chen Dong had woken up and asked vaguely, “Start talking.”

Chen Dong sneered. “Talk about what? I never expected you two to actually get Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion to hand me over. How did you even know I was in their hands? What did you trade with them? The Qingyun Sect has already declined, even Junior Sister has started pawning jewelry. What else could you possibly have that’s worth exchanging? Could it be that you gave Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion the secret manual Master had hidden?”

Xie Yun’er snapped, “Nonsense! How could we give away our father’s legacy so easily?”

Xie Feng, however, was confused. “You said you were in Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’s custody? When did you end up in their hands? Did they rescue you?”

Hearing this, Chen Dong also sensed something was off. These two seemed completely unaware of his situation. Then how had he ended up here? A flash of inspiration struck him, and he quickly changed his approach, putting on a pleading expression.

“Second Junior Brother, Junior Sister, I was wrong before. Let me kneel before Master’s grave and atone. Just let me go.

“After Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion rescued me, I’ve been helping them authenticate martial arts manuals, weapons, and medicines. I’ve seen all their best treasures. I know a lot about them—I can tell you everything. Just spare me.”

Xie Feng and Xie Yun’er exchanged glances. They hadn’t expected Chen Dong to be working for Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Xie Yun’er was puzzled. “Why would Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion need you for that?”

“Because they don’t know martial arts and probably couldn’t find anyone else in time. I just happened to be in their custody and didn’t dare resist. They have many strange drugs—I nearly died at their hands. The Qingyun Sect is already struggling to survive in the martial world. Now with this mysterious Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion rising, rather than fight against them, why don’t we rebuild our sect together and carry on Master’s legacy?”

Knowing he was in deep trouble, Chen Dong pleaded for his life in nearly every sentence.

Xie Yun’er thought for a moment and asked, “Did you see a young woman…”

“You mean the Young Pavilion Master of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion? She left not long before I blacked out,” Chen Dong said cautiously. “Wait, do you know her? No wonder she sent me here. Did you strike a deal with her? That flashlight in your hand—you got it from her, didn’t you? What exactly are you planning?”

Xie Feng and Xie Yun’er looked at the flashlights in their hands, and an absurd thought crossed their minds—could Shen Yunxuan be the Young Pavilion Master of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion?

They had been curious about Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, but with everything that had happened today, they hadn’t had time to visit the Yue Lai Inn. Now, realizing that Shen Yunxuan might be the Young Pavilion Master, they couldn’t resist the urge to go and find out.

Xie Feng said, “We can’t sleep anyway. Let’s go to the inn and see if Second Sister is still there.”

Xie Yun’er nodded. “Yes, I need to thank her in person.”

Chen Dong, still bound, looked baffled. “What ‘Second Sister’? ‘Elder Sister’? Who are you talking about? You mean that Young Pavilion Master?” He found the idea laughable—even he didn’t believe it. How could the powerful Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’s Young Pavilion Master have sworn siblinghood with these two?

Xie Feng and Xie Yun’er glanced at him. They had no intention of letting him go this time. Xie Feng pressed a dagger to his throat. “Tell us exactly what happened between when you were captured and when you were sent here. Leave nothing out.”

The blade cut into Chen Dong’s skin, and seeing blood, he dared not resist. He had no choice but to spill everything.

As soon as he finished, Xie Yun’er drew her soft sword from her waist and drove it straight through Chen Dong’s heart.

Chen Dong coughed up blood, veins bulging on his forehead as he glared at them. Slowly, he collapsed and breathed his last. He died without ever figuring out whether they were truly connected to Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, how they got their flashlights, or why he had been sent here.

“Let’s go to the inn and see for ourselves,” Xie Feng said. They grabbed their weapons and hurried out, hoping to see Shen Yunxuan before she left. Her kindness to them was immeasurable.

But when they arrived at the inn, they found it surrounded by a crowd—including people from the city lord’s mansion.

Xie Feng grabbed someone at random. “What’s going on here?”

“You haven’t heard? The Demon Cult tried to capture Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’s people, but Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion killed one and wounded another. Then they packed up and left.”

“Can you believe how despicable the Demon Cult is? Everyone was still trading, and they showed up trying to seize people. They even attacked a young hero.”

“They must’ve had their eyes on Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’s weapons—probably wanted to steal them. But they underestimated Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion’s strength. Their weapons were too powerful, and they defeated the Demon Cult members.”

“But now Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion has made an enemy of the Demon Cult. Will they be hunted down?”

“Who knows who will be hunting whom? Did you see their weapons? The tranquilizer guns are actually the weakest of them. They have another type of gun—if you get shot, you start bleeding and suffering immediately. Scared the life out of me.”

“And their Young Pavilion Master—she fired off so many needles at once, turning someone into a human pincushion. What kind of weapon was that? I’ve never seen anything like it!”

Xie Yun’er and Xie Feng exchanged glances. That sounded exactly like the Storm Rain Pear Blossom Needles that Shen Yunxuan had just purchased.

That confirmed it—Shen Yunxuan was the Young Pavilion Master of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

Xie Yun’er suddenly realized everything—no wonder Shen Yunxuan had been eager to buy rare items but had no interest in Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion itself. No wonder she could so casually gift away such treasures, saying they were prepared by her family.

Because Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion was her family.

Xie Yun’er asked anxiously, “What about that Young Pavilion Master? Weren’t they all said to be unskilled in martial arts? Were any of them injured by the Demon Sect members?”

“No, the injured one ran faster than anyone else. I saw him using internal energy to force out the effects of the tranquilizer gun; otherwise, he would have collapsed on the spot. Hmph, such a vile criminal. If he hadn’t escaped so quickly, everyone present would have demanded justice.”

“The City Lord’s Mansion has already sent people to investigate the situation. They might even go after the Demon Sect for retribution. Honestly, I’m still worried. The Demon Sect is known for its dirty tricks and underhanded schemes. The people of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion only have weapons but no martial skills—if they run into trouble outside, things could get dangerous for them.”

As everyone was discussing, they saw City Lord Shen personally arriving with his people. He cupped his hands and said, “I have already gathered information on the situation. Since everyone is so concerned about the people of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, why don’t we go to the Demon Sect’s branch together? If the people of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion have truly been captured, we can rescue them.”

“Great! We’ll go with City Lord Shen!”

Xie Feng and Xie Yun’er naturally followed the crowd.

City Lord Shen led the group swiftly toward the valley outside the city, where the Demon Sect’s branch was located—everyone knew about it. However, the valley was easy to defend and difficult to attack, so no one would ordinarily seek trouble there.

The Martial Arts Tournament was only a month away, and the Demon Sect had started playing tricks. City Lord Shen had been unable to find concrete evidence and didn’t want to engage the Demon Sect head-on, as it would weaken the City Lord’s forces. Now, using the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion incident, with many righteous martial artists enraged, he had the perfect opportunity to rally the people and take action.

If the Demon Sect had truly captured the people from Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, then they would have a just cause for attack. With so many warriors, they could eradicate this branch of the Demon Sect and severely weaken their forces before the Martial Arts Tournament. This would not only rid the martial world of a menace but also enhance the prestige of the City Lord’s Mansion.

The group quickly reached the valley, finding it eerily quiet. However, it was the middle of the night, so the Demon Sect members could simply be asleep. City Lord Shen cautiously led his men forward, stopping near the Demon Sect’s main hall and signaling someone to investigate.

Suddenly, a scout rushed back in alarm. “City Lord! We found several bodies over there. It looks like… it’s the Left Protector of the Demon Sect!”

“What? Take me to see!” City Lord Shen was stunned and hurried forward. When he saw the Left Protector’s face, he could not hide his shock. “It really is the Left Protector of the Demon Sect… He was one of the top martial artists in the world, and now he’s dead?”

Someone exclaimed excitedly, “Look at his forehead! Doesn’t it resemble the wounds caused by the guns from Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion?”

“It’s exactly like that gun! Look at the others—they all have the same wound in the center of their brows. Did the people of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion kill them?” The speaker’s voice was filled with disbelief. The people of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion weren’t martial artists—how had they managed to kill so many members of the Demon Sect? Even the Left Protector?

A chill ran down the crowd’s spines. If this were true, who could stand against the weapons of Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion? Could they now dominate the martial world?

At that moment, scouts who had searched inside the Demon Sect’s base returned, their faces just as shocked. “City Lord, you must come see this! The entire Demon Sect branch has been wiped out—there are no survivors!”

“What?!” City Lord Shen rushed into the hall, only to find bodies strewn all over the floor.

They had been tightly bound, and most had the same wounds to the forehead as those outside. Some, however, were covered in wounds, making the crowd shudder. If one gunshot left a single wound, then did that mean these people had been shot dozens of times?

Or was there a gun, like Shen Yunxuan’s needle launcher, that could fire multiple bullets at once? If so, that would be an invincible weapon!

The mere thought of it made the crowd’s blood boil. If they could obtain such divine weapons, who in the martial world could challenge them?

City Lord Shen, however, frowned. If Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion had only one or two such weapons, it was one thing. But what if they had many? That would place Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion in an unchallenged position. What was the point of martial arts mastery if one could be killed before even getting close? If Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion decided to become another Demon Sect, the martial world would descend into chaos.

The scouts searching the rooms returned with more reports. “City Lord, all the rooms have been completely looted. The corpses have nothing on them except their clothes.”

Xie Feng and Xie Yun’er exchanged glances, suddenly understanding where those treasure chests had come from. They decided to hide them well once they got back and to be cautious when using them. If word got out, it would spell disaster.

Still, they never would have guessed that Shen Yunxuan had such immense power. They had worried she might be in danger from the Demon Sect, yet she had already eradicated their branch!

Not only had she eliminated the Demon Sect, but she had also sent them wealth—proof that she truly regarded them as her sworn siblings. They could never betray her secrets. Blending into the crowd, they acted as if they knew nothing.

Just then, a scout made another discovery. “City Lord! These two… they’ve been castrated!”

Xie Yun’er immediately turned to look. She instantly guessed that these must be the ones who had disrespected Shen Yunxuan—and this was their punishment. Serves them right!

Someone frowned and murmured, “Did Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion go too far? Killing this many people, looting the entire base, and then doing this to those two…”

Xie Yun’er retorted, “If they had been captured by the Demon Sect, they would have been subjected to brutal torture, robbed of all their treasures, and suffered unimaginable pain. The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion was merely retaliating—how can you call that too ruthless?”

Xie Feng added, “So many bodies, yet only these two were treated this way. They must have said or done something vile and brought it upon themselves. The Demon Sect members have always been like this—there’s no need to sympathize with them. If you ask me, the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion has been nothing but friendly to us righteous martial artists. They even wiped out a branch of the Demon Sect. This is a great thing!”

The others also nodded in agreement.

“It is indeed a good thing. With the righteous faction growing stronger and the Demon Sect weakening, they’re the ones who will suffer.”

“Hopefully, the Demon Sect will try to take revenge on the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and end up being wiped out completely. Then we can finally have peace of mind.”

“The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion may be mysterious, but they haven’t harmed any innocent people. Their firm stance at the inn earlier was justified—those people were trying to cheat them.”

“In that case, the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion is indeed on the righteous path.”

“That’s right. As long as their powerful weapons aren’t used against innocent people or carelessly distributed, they won’t pose a problem for us.”

“I wonder when the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion will open for business again. I arrived too late today and didn’t manage to exchange anything—what a pity.”

“Haha, I managed to get a few items. If you’re interested, we can negotiate, and I’ll trade you a couple.”

The atmosphere among the crowd lightened significantly. Seeing that there was nothing more to investigate, City Lord Shen cupped his hands and smiled at everyone. “Thank you all for making this trip. Tomorrow, I will have my men send a small token of appreciation. It’s getting late—everyone should return and rest.”

“City Lord Shen is too kind.”

“Let’s all head back.”

“We’re leaving now.”

The crowd dispersed outside the valley, and Xie Feng and Xie Yun’er took one last look before heading back as well.

After they left, Zheng Song controlled a micro-robot to scan the area thoroughly. Once he confirmed that everything was clear, he unlocked the hidden chamber. Shen Yunxuan and her team emerged.

They had not yet returned to their original world, and their stay in this dimension had lasted longer than expected. For safety reasons, they had all taken refuge in the secret chamber. The two hidden chambers were extremely well-concealed—without interrogating the Demon Sect members earlier, they would never have found them.

Outside, they had left several micro-robots disguised as tiny insects, hidden in corners or under leaves, completely unnoticed. These provided excellent surveillance, allowing them to watch as a large group of martial artists arrived, investigated the area for a long time, and then finally left.

Xu Wenyu remarked, “Looks like our Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion is going to be famous in the martial world.”

Xu Wen’an voiced his concerns, “Should we really have revealed Yunxuan as the Young Pavilion Master? This will make her a target for the Demon Sect.”

Elder Xu understood his worries. “You’re thinking about the possibility of returning in the future and being hunted by the Demon Sect? That is a valid concern. Once we reach Level Five, we can choose to return. This dimension is quite valuable—if we need martial arts techniques, we will definitely come back.”

Shen Yunxuan thought for a moment, then took out the list of Demon Sect members and waved it. “Before we leave, why don’t we stir up some trouble for the Demon Sect? Half of the people on this list are spies hidden within the righteous factions. If we expose them, the Demon Sect will be thrown into chaos and suffer heavy losses.”

This would be a total declaration of enmity, but it would also deal a massive blow to the Demon Sect’s power.

The team agreed that eliminating evil forces was their duty. Besides, the Demon Sect would never let them off the hook now anyway—better to strike first.

They copied the list several times and, before dawn, posted copies on the city walls, scattered some in the streets, and placed others in front of major sects, inns, and taverns. After completing this, they returned to the hidden chamber and spent the remaining time studying the books they had gathered. Finally, at the same moment they had originally crossed over, their vision blurred, and they vanished from this world.

By then, chaos had erupted throughout the city. As soon as people discovered the list in various locations, they realized it was a full-scale public exposure. The major sects immediately began purging the Demon Sect spies in their midst. Meanwhile, those spies who discovered their identities had been compromised tried to resist or flee.

Everyone was in shock.

“This must be the work of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion!”

“I’ve never seen such ruthless retaliation before. The Demon Sect really asked for it by provoking them.”

“Indeed, unless absolutely necessary, it’s best not to make an enemy of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. Their retribution is beyond anything we can handle.”

“The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion seems to operate under the rule of ‘If you don’t offend me, I won’t offend you.’ As long as we remember not to stir trouble with them, we should be fine.”

“Where exactly is the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion located? I really want to see it for myself! To be able to produce such rare treasures, it must be an extraordinary place.”

Even City Lord Shen was issuing orders. “Keep a close watch for any news of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. The moment they reappear, report to me immediately—I want to meet them personally.”

The Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion had appeared for just a single day, yet it had shaken the entire martial world, leaving a deep and lasting impression before vanishing without a trace.

Fights broke out in many places across the city and even beyond, but no one dared to approach the Demon Sect’s valley. Meanwhile, Shen Yunxuan and her team remained undisturbed, quietly studying until their time in this dimension ended. In the blink of an eye, they were back in the Special Affairs Bureau’s traversal chamber.

Shen Yunxuan quickly counted the team members, ensuring that everyone had returned safely. She let out a sigh of relief and smiled, “Congratulations to us all on a successful traversal mission!”

Everyone exchanged glances, finally relaxing and feeling joyful about their safe return.

The staff members who had been on duty, waiting for their return, stepped forward to report. “Director, this traversal lasted exactly 24 hours, and all members have safely returned.”

Elder Xu nodded with a smile. “Good! Everyone has worked hard. Take a three-day break to rest and adjust. On the first of next month, we’ll continue our traversals.”

“Yes, Director!” The team responded loudly. After gathering for a group photo and completing facial recognition check-ins, they finished all necessary procedures. However, no one was in a hurry to leave—they were all too eager to discuss their achievements and the martial arts they had acquired.

Shen Yunxuan grinned. “Since no one wants to rest just yet, why don’t we go over our results first? Let’s go.”

With that, she raised her hand, and all the items stored in her system inventory appeared on the ground. Several staff members immediately stepped forward, using carts to transport the supplies into the adjacent warehouse. There, a team of well-protected personnel sorted and disinfected the items before sending them to the research labs on the fourth and fifth floors.

Meanwhile, Shen Yunxuan and her team entered the decontamination chambers for sterilization, showered, changed into modern clothing, and then reconvened in the meeting room.

The video footage they had recorded was still being processed and had not yet been delivered. Standing at the front of the room, Shen Yunxuan announced, “I remember the qinggong technique from the hidden chamber most clearly. I’ll demonstrate it now—everyone, record it so you can start practicing over the next three days.”

The group quickly activated their cameras, watching intently as they prepared to learn.

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆