After a mont of stunned silence, Zhang Deming instantly changed his tune.
His plain expression beca much more amiable. He feigned a helpless shake of his head and said, "Forget it. Seeing as you’re so sincere, I’ll help you out one more ti."
As he spoke, a small, green sprout appeared in Zhang Deming’s hand.
Zhang Deming plucked the two tender green leaves from the sprout, walked over to Li Shifan, who was half-sitting on the ground, and said, "Open your mouth."
Li Shifan stared blankly at Zhang Deming. Zhang Deming continued, "What are you gaping for? I told you to open your mouth. Are you afraid I’m going to poison you?"
Hearing this, Li Shifan opened his mouth, still sowhat dazed.
Zhang Deming placed the leaves in his mouth. They transford into a faint stream of Life Energy, which rapidly began to nd his internal injuries.
Seeing the clear improvent in the other man’s injuries, Zhang Deming checked his repository.
’Still three white orbs and one gold one. No increase. Can’t I fleece the sa sheep again so soon?’
’Bad review!’
Then, Zhang Deming said, "I imagine you’re not the type to just hand over your Spirit Stones and barely scrape by. So, you should focus on finding a way to break through sooner rather than later."
With that said, Zhang Deming once again got up to leave.
Only then did Li Shifan snap out of his daze from Zhang Deming’s abrupt switch from ice-cold to warm and pleasant.
"Wait!"
The call to stop ca from behind him again, and Zhang Deming turned back, confused.
’What now?’
’Could it be that this suspected future star of the Celestial Spirit Sect, this ’wasted-genius’ protagonist, is really going to repay by slaving away for ?’
Facing Zhang Deming’s confusion, Li Shifan said, "Most of the story I told you before is true."
Zhang Deming was baffled. ’So what?’
’What are you trying to say?’
’You’ve already sold the thing. Why are you bringing up the backstory now?’
"So?" Zhang Deming said.
"The only part that was different is that I’m not the last of my family. As for the Cultivation Technique, it was stolen from not long after I started my training. And I an stolen—no copies left."
’Hm?’
A thought struck Zhang Deming. ’Stolen? Then what did he just sell ?’
Li Shifan continued, paying him no mind, "I’m a servant in the Close Combat Departnt. I was targeted almost as soon as I joined the sect and was forcibly transferred to be a servant in Little Hui Peak’s Close Combat Departnt."
"Later, due to certain circumstances, I was left with no choice but to hand over the Cultivation Technique."
’Hm? The Close Combat Departnt... could it be?’
Zhang Deming seed to have thought of sothing, his brow furrowing slightly.
Li Shifan ignored Zhang Deming and went on, "But a few days ago, I was suddenly summoned by Senior Brother Lu Ze."
"He returned the Cultivation Technique to , saying the forced transaction back then was just his subordinates being ignorant and ssing things up, so the deal was void."
"He also said that even though he’d returned it to , many of his subordinates still knew what had happened."
"So he told to take it and sell it, saying it would be better for everyone, and that I could keep the money."
"What’s more, he even gave a tip that soone was looking to buy a Tier Two Cultivation Technique."
By this point, Zhang Deming’s expression had turned ugly.
’So your desperation to make the deal wasn’t because the Cultivation Technique was stolen goods?’
’And here I thought you were an honest guy!’
Li Shifan continued, "I’m not an idiot. I knew the whole thing was strange."
"To be careful and avoid getting dragged into anything, I didn’t even inspect the Cultivation Technique."
"Even though the situation reeked of strangeness, I watched you for a few days and saw that you were, in fact, buying Cultivation Techniques."
"So I decided to sell it to you."
"Because, as strange as it was, it clearly wasn’t directed at ."
"With Lu Ze’s status, if he wanted to deal with , he wouldn’t need to go to such lengths."
"Since it wasn’t aid at , and I could get back the money that was rightfully mine for the Cultivation Technique, I didn’t have any reason to hesitate."
"That’s why I sold it to you. Looking at it now, I’m guessing all this strangeness is directed at you."
"Although I don’t know what Senior Brother Lu Ze is planning, if you have a grudge against him, then this is definitely aid at you."
"Even if this was all just my suspicion, I was originally planning to turn a blind eye. After all, it had nothing to do with , and you got a good enough deal, so it’s only fair you bear so of the risk, right?"
"But now I owe you a favor, so I figured I should have a chat with you, Senior Brother, and tell you what’s on my mind. Wouldn’t want to be unable to find you later when it’s ti to repay that favor."
’You’re more than ’not an idiot’; you’re as cunning as a fox. That honest-guy act from before was pretty convincing!’
’And after all this, it sohow turned into a fight between and him, with you reaping the benefits from the middle?’
’Ha, you really are blessed with great Qi Fortune, aren’t you!’
After hearing him out, Zhang Deming pondered for a long ti, considering all the possible sches at play. Finally, he asked, "Was your Cultivation Technique forcibly stolen before, or was it sothing else?"
Li Shifan was silent for a long while before he said with difficulty, "It was sold. ’Sold’ for ten taels of silver."
’Uh...!’
’That ruthless?’
’And I thought *I* was a good haggler!’
’But that emphasis on the word ’sold’... quite clever.’
"Was it a private matter, or did many people know about it?" Zhang Deming pressed.
Li Shifan replied, "Quite a few people knew, but Lu Ze’s na wasn’t directly involved. I ’sold’ it to a servant."
"Then, an Outer Sect senior brother ’stumbled upon a bargain’ at the market and bought the Cultivation Technique for a single Spirit Stone."
"Only after that was it presented to Senior Brother Lu Ze."
’Holy crap, what a sche. They had a whole process to launder it. He gets what he wants without damaging his reputation. He gets to act like a scumbag and still expects everyone to praise his virtue.’
"And when he returned the book to you, did anyone else know?" Zhang Deming continued.
Li Shifan shook his head. "Only the two of us knew. And because he said it would look bad, I didn’t dare reveal anything."
"I was originally planning to sell it quietly, then use the Spirit Stones I got to focus on my breakthrough."
"I just didn’t expect that when Senior Brother Lu Ze called in to talk, a few of our fellow sect mbers would notice."
"That’s why I was targeted right after I sold it."
Zhang Deming summarized, "So, from an outsider’s perspective, this Cultivation Technique still belongs to Lu Ze, and quite a few people know that, right?"
At Zhang Deming’s summary, Li Shifan froze for a second before it dawned on him. His face turned grim as he said, "Are you saying... theft?"
Zhang Deming nodded. "That’s most likely the sche. By telling now, you’ve saved your own skin. Otherwise, when things blow up, if they can’t pin it directly on , you’d probably be frad as the inside man."
"Let’s go. I expect there are plenty of people in the Outer Sect waiting for us. Ti to serve the main course."
Hearing this, Li Shifan asked worriedly, "Shouldn’t we inspect it first? Or maybe you should hide the book now?"
Zhang Deming smiled. "No need. I have my own way of handling this."
By this point, Li Shifan had mostly recovered, thanks to the healing from the Growth Technique.
Seeing Zhang Deming’s calm deanor, Li Shifan felt much more at ease.
The two of them left the alley together and headed out of the market.
At the sa ti, Zhang Deming focused his Heart Spirit on his panel and placed the Cultivation Technique directly into his repository.
’Whether my guess is correct or not, this Cultivation Technique isn’t for studying anyway, but for mounting.’
’Once it’s in the repository, it’ll turn into a Rune-type material, which won’t affect my use of it at all. This also eliminates any possibility that so hidden trick or tracking chanism was left on the book.’
When the two of them reached the exit of the market, things were just as they had expected.
No sooner had they stepped out of the market than soone bumped into them.
A mont later, Lu Ze appeared before them with the Law Enforcent Team.
"Well, if it isn’t Senior Brother Lu. It’s been half a month since we last saw each other, hasn’t it? What brings you here, Senior Brother?" Zhang Deming asked with a faint smile.
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