Volume 3, Chapter 447 – I’ve Finally Found You, Chi Xiyan!

Three elders from the Chi family’s Punishment Hall had come in total.

Three Fifth Realm warriors, along with a few Fourth Realm cultivators.

Chi Xiyan’s gaze turned cold and grim.

She was still only a Fourth Realm sword cultivator. Sword cultivators could challenge opponents above their level, and facing a single person alone would have been fine.

But facing so many people at once, she had almost no chance of winning.

“The paths outside are nearly all sealed off. Going out now would mean walking straight into their encirclement.”

Chi Xiyan cursed under her breath.

“How did they find my trail?”

Just as Chi Xiyan was puzzling over this.

Those few Chi family elders had already forced their way into the Silver Bell Alchemy Workshop.

Even with high level cultivators guarding the workshop, they could not hold back that many Fifth Realm warriors.

In almost the space of a few exchanges, the three Fifth Realm warriors drove back the workshop’s guards.

The main hall fell into chaos.

They moved through it as if it were an empty place.

“Search! That traitor must be here!”

One of the one eyed elders swept his single eye across the surroundings.

Suddenly, his gaze shot toward the room where Chi Xiyan was hiding, like a venomous snake striking.

Chi Xiyan’s heart clenched, and she immediately shut the door.

The one eyed warrior noticed.

He waved his hand.

“You two, go search that room.”

“There might be something suspicious about whoever is inside.”

Rеαⅾ oո ΚаtReαdіոɡСаfe

The one eyed warrior did not move forward himself. He remained in the center, sealing off the escape route.

The two Fifth Realm warriors obeyed the order and immediately moved toward the room where Chi Xiyan was hiding.

Chi Xiyan hid inside the room, her expression grim.

The two warriors made no effort to conceal their auras at all, and she could clearly feel them drawing closer, step by step.

The Silver Bell Commerce Association’s confidentiality measures really were excellent. This room had no windows or any other means of escape.

There might be some kind of hidden passage, but there was no time left for Chi Xiyan to search for it slowly.

“Let’s fight for it.”

The small jade sword slid down into Chi Xiyan’s palm.

“Three warriors. There might still be a chance to win.”

A layer of coldness surged up in Chi Xiyan’s eyes.

As the two warriors outside drew closer step by step, the atmosphere grew tense, ready to erupt at any moment.

Chi Xiyan poured spiritual energy into her sword, preparing to strike outward.

Right at this critical moment.

A sharp, imperious voice rang out.

“I was wondering what stray cat or dog would dare come stir up trouble at my Silver Bell Commerce Association.”

“So it is a dog from the Lingbao Commerce Association.”

“If you cannot compete for business, that is your own incompetence.”

“Instead of reflecting on where you went wrong, you come here to my place to make trouble?”

As the voice fell, a powerful and vast aura suddenly swept in from outside the door.

Peak of the Fifth Realm!

The one eyed elder’s expression changed.

Rеаd оո КаtReαⅾiոɡСαfe

He turned his head to look toward the door.

There he saw a graceful, willowy beauty in green robes approaching at an unhurried pace.

“You are the manager of this alchemy workshop, Qing Niang?”

Qing Niang glanced at him and laughed lightly. “Oh, so you do know me.”

“Then do you know what my rules are?”

The one eyed elder said coldly, “Qing Niang. The Chi family has no wish to start a conflict with the Silver Bell Commerce Association.”

“It is only that we received word that a traitor the Chi family has been hunting for two years is hiding here, trying to use the Silver Bell Commerce Association’s alchemy workshop to refine forbidden pills.”

“This traitor matters a great deal to the Chi family. Given the urgency, please, Qing Niang, grant us some convenience.”

“Whatever losses are caused today, the Chi family will repay tenfold.”

“And in the future, there may still be room for cooperation between the Lingbao Commerce Association and the Silver Bell Commerce Association.”

Hearing this, Qing Niang gave a soft laugh. “My, what tempting terms.”

“Hearing that, I really do feel like agreeing right away.”

The one eyed elder narrowed his single eye. “Then would you allow me to search this alchemy workshop?”

“Ridiculous!” Qing Niang’s tone shifted. “Do you really think my Silver Bell Commerce Association belongs to your family?”

“An alchemy workshop is a place where alchemists refine their pills. Do you know what the consequences would be for disturbing an alchemist at work?”

“Or is it that your Chi family wishes to make enemies of every alchemist out there?”

The one eyed elder’s expression shifted again. “I… that is not what I meant.”

“That traitor only arrived in Heiyin City today…”

“I merely wish to see the guest your workshop just received… whether or not she is…”

Qing Niang cut him off lightly, “Ha! Is it that the Lingbao Commerce Association also enjoys selling out its guests’ privacy in this way?”

The one eyed elder’s expression shifted once more.

Reаⅾ οո ΚatRеаԁіոɡCаfе

The several Chi family elders from the Punishment Hall also wore looks of hesitation on their faces.

Today’s matter, after all, truly did not put them in the right.

“What should we do?”

“Should we force our way in?”

“There is only one peak Fifth Realm cultivator across from us. Holding her back for a moment should still be possible.”

Qing Niang noticed the strange looks on the faces of these Chi family elders.

She laughed softly and snapped her fingers.

Chi Xiyan was still hiding inside the room, hesitating over whether to rush out now.

With the Chi family Punishment Hall elders currently held in check by Qing Niang, her chances of breaking through the encirclement were still fairly good.

Rather than gambling on whether those Chi family elders had the nerve to force their way in, it seemed more reliable to place her bet on herself.

There came a soft click, a light sound from right beside her.

Her heart jolted, and the sword in her hand nearly stabbed backward on reflex.

A young man had appeared behind her at some point without her noticing.

At that moment, the tip of the small jade sword was pressed against the young man’s neck. Just a little further forward, and it would pierce straight through his throat.

There was no trace of panic on the young man’s face.

He waved his hand toward Chi Xiyan, signaling that he meant no harm.

Chi Xiyan said nothing, staring at him coldly.

The young man gave a helpless smile, then stepped forward, moving aside from the wall behind him.

There, on that wall, a hidden door had opened at some point without her noticing.

Chi Xiyan understood. This young man must have been sent by the Silver Bell Commerce Association, and he meant for her to hide inside.

She was not very familiar with the Silver Bell Commerce Association.

Rеаd oո КatReаⅾіոɡСаfe

She only knew that it had always been a rival of the Lingbao Commerce Association.

For now, she had no better solution, so at least for the moment, she would follow this young man’s arrangement.

The young man looked satisfied.

He stepped forward, pushed open the door, and walked out.

“May I ask, elder, were you just now looking for me?”

Hearing the voice from behind him, the one eyed elder turned to look.

The young man went on with a light laugh, “I don’t suppose I’m the person you’re looking for.”

“If you suspect I’m someone in disguise, you’re welcome to inspect me personally. I don’t mind at all.”

“And if you’d like to check the room behind me, that’s no problem either.”

“But you had better think it through first.” The young man’s tone turned cold. “My belongings happen to be quite valuable. If, because of you, something is damaged or stolen.”

“You will have to compensate me with the most precious things you own!”

***

Chi Xiyan hid in the secret chamber, keeping close watch on the sounds outside the whole time.

She heard the young man’s exchange with the Chi family elder, and Qing Niang’s furious scolding as well.

The noise took a long while to die down.

In the end, the Chi family people backed down and withdrew, but not without paying a hefty compensation.

Once everything had settled, the door of the secret chamber was finally pushed open.

A graceful beauty dressed in green robes walked in.

It was Qing Niang.

She first glanced at the small jade sword in Chi Xiyan’s hand, then smiled at Chi Xiyan.

“Miss Xiyan, I’ve finally found you.”