Chapter 390: Swindlers of the Martial World
Inside the City Lord’s Manor, the lamplight flickered, and the atmosphere was heavy.
Grand Dream Sovereign’s expression was serious, his eyes slightly closed, his mouth chanting, and his hands constantly changing, making him appear quite the part.
However, his back was already drenched in cold sweat.
Panic and unease surged in his heart, making his chanting voice tremble.
What to do?
If he couldn’t divine it, how would the City Lord’s Manor treat him?
He felt a chill all over, his face turning pale. He didn’t even know what medicine the City Lord specifically needed, making it impossible to fabricate an answer.
The City Lord, built like a bear, exuded an immense pressure. He turned his head to stare at Chu Liang and asked, “Master Chu, when will you begin the divination?”
Chu Liang smiled, “City Lord, your Qi and blood are vigorous, and your essence is full. You are clearly not poisoned.”
“Oh? If I’m not poisoned, why would I invite you here?” The City Lord’s voice was deep, his expression unchanged, but a glint flashed in his eyes.
“May I have paper and a brush?” Chu Liang countered with a question.
“Yes!”
The City Lord waved his hand, and a servant immediately brought forth brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Chu Liang picked up the brush, and with swift, dragon-like strokes, he wrote hundreds of characters on the paper.
On the other side, Grand Dream Sovereign felt a chill run down his spine, his chanting becoming quieter. His scalp was numb, and Chu Liang’s previous words echoed in his mind.
Not poisoned?!
If he wasn’t poisoned, how could the City Lord dare to risk the wrath of heaven by inviting them both to perform divination?
What was the reason behind all this?
Grand Dream Sovereign’s mind was in turmoil, and the more he thought, the more panicked he became.
His eyeballs moved slightly, trying to see what Chu Liang was writing, but the City Lord’s Manor’s head steward kept a wooden gaze on him, preventing him from making any significant movements.
“Master Yunhe, have you divined it?” The head steward asked indifferently.
“Just a moment, divining the secrets of heaven is not an easy task,” Grand Dream Sovereign forced a smile, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
Suddenly, a “thud” was heard.
Chu Liang finished writing, put down the brush, and slightly turned his body, allowing the City Lord to see all the contents on the paper.
On it was a prescription for a cure.
“City Lord, please take a look,” Chu Liang said with a smile.
“Good!”
The City Lord approached, leaned slightly, and his gaze swept across the paper.
As he read, his expression changed.
“This…”
He was surprised and uncertain, raising his head to ask, “Master Chu, is this prescription truly effective?”
Chu Liang nodded and smiled, “If it’s not effective, City Lord, you may take my head.”
“Good, I trust Master Chu!”
The City Lord’s tone was decisive, and he immediately ordered his servants to fetch the medicine according to the prescription.
The one who sought medicine this time was indeed the City Lord, but not for himself, but for his grandson.
A few days ago, his grandson was accidentally bitten by a wild beast while hunting in the mountains and was in critical condition. Despite consuming a large amount of medicinal herbs from the City Lord’s Manor, he did not recover but instead worsened, and had now fallen into a coma.
If not for the dire situation, the City Lord wouldn’t have invited Chu Liang and Grand Dream Sovereign.
In his eyes, these two were nothing but swindlers of the martial world.
He deliberately said he was poisoned, which was a test for the two. If they couldn’t even discern this, then there was no need to trust them.
Sure enough, Grand Dream Sovereign revealed his true colors, failing to notice anything unusual.
This disappointed him greatly.
But Chu Liang’s subsequent words surprised him.
“Master Chu, please have a seat.” His attitude changed greatly, and he had people bring pastries and tea.
“Mm.”
Chu Liang’s expression was calm as he sat behind the table, casually eating the pastries.
At this point, only Grand Dream Sovereign was still divining.
His palms were sweating profusely, feeling like an ant on a hot pan, anxious and flustered, feeling as if his whole body was being pricked by needles.
After a while, he couldn’t hold on any longer, gritted his teeth, and stopped chanting.
“City Lord, I have divined it!”
“Oh?”
The City Lord raised his eyebrows slightly and glanced at him.
After what had happened, he had already concluded that Grand Dream Sovereign was a swindler and asked casually, “Master Yunhe, what have you divined?”
Grand Dream Sovereign replied, “City Lord, the medicinal herb you need is located in the place of utmost yang, which is very difficult to find in the mortal world!”
The City Lord said lightly, “Master Yunhe, I need a precise answer, don’t beat around the bush.”
“Yes, yes…”
Grand Dream Sovereign’s voice was a little unsteady, and he hurriedly replied, “That medicinal herb grows in Yang Valley, which is the place where the sun rises. Only by entering it can you pick that medicinal herb.”
“Yang Valley?” The City Lord’s tone was indifferent, “That’s a place from myths and legends. Master, can you find it?”
“I can, of course I can!” Grand Dream Sovereign nodded repeatedly, “As long as the City Lord allows me to go back and prepare, in just three days, I can retrieve the medicinal herb for you!”
“Oh.”
The City Lord was very calm and asked another question, “Master, do you know what poison I have been afflicted with?”
Grand Dream Sovereign’s expression changed slightly, “If I say it, I’m afraid…”
“Hmm? Afraid of what?” The City Lord’s tone turned cold, his gaze like a blade.
“Afraid… afraid…”
Grand Dream Sovereign’s face turned pale, and facing the City Lord’s terrifying pressure, even his Adam’s apple trembled.
For a moment, his mind went blank, and he didn’t know what to say!
Just then, a servant rushed in and whispered in the City Lord’s ear, “Sir, Master Chu’s prescription is effective. The young master’s fever has subsided!”
“Good!”
The City Lord slammed his hand on the chair and stood up, laughing loudly, his voice like thunder.
Grand Dream Sovereign trembled all over, unprepared, and was so frightened that he fell to the ground.
Then, he heard the City Lord’s booming laughter.
“Haha, Master Chu is indeed a highly capable person!”
Hearing this, his face turned ashen, and his mind buzzed.
He knew that everything was over!
Until now, he still didn’t know what the City Lord wanted him to divine, but Chu Liang had already succeeded!
……
On this day, a piece of news spread throughout the city.
“Have you heard?”
“The City Lord invited two masters to the manor for divination. Master Chu became the City Lord’s honored guest, but Master Yunhe was thrown out with four words carved on his face!”
“Oh, what four words?”
“Swindler of the Martial World!”
“Ah?”
“……”
This news was so shocking that it spread through the streets and alleys of the entire city in the blink of an eye!
Many people initially didn’t believe it, thinking it was just a rumor.
But soon, someone saw Grand Dream Sovereign and the four words tattooed on his face โ Swindler of the Martial World!
“It’s true!”
Many people exclaimed in disbelief.
“How dare the City Lord treat Daoist Yunhe like this? Isn’t he afraid of Daoist Yunhe’s wrath?”
“Don’t you understand yet? This Daoist Yunhe is a complete fraud, without any magical power!”
Suddenly, everyone realized.
This Daoist Yunhe had been deceiving people all along.
Chu Liang was the true highly capable person!
