Invincible Soul Emperor

After half a day of travel, the trio finally arrived at the gates of the Deputy City Lord’s residence. This was only thanks to Liu Wan’er and Wang Tianlin leading the way; if Ye Qingchen had been left to find it himself, who knows how much time he would have wasted. After all, Northern Barrier City was simply enormous.

Wang Tianlin respectfully handed the Liu Family Commerce Guild’s visiting card to the guard at the gate. As the guard went to announce their arrival, Wang Tianlin took the opportunity to shoot Ye Qingchen a smug glance, as if to say, ”See how well-connected I am? See how well I’ve made it here?”

Ye Qingchen paid no mind to Wang Tianlin’s smugness, instead chatting idly with Liu Wan’er.

About a quarter-hour later, a portly, large-eared middle-aged man emerged, surrounded by guards, and slowly walked toward the gate.

Liu Wan’er’s expression turned solemn. She stepped forward, gave the middle-aged man a deep curtsy, and said, ”It has been too long, Uncle Deng. You are as robust as ever. Wan’er pays her respects.”

The middle-aged man, referred to as Uncle Deng, was none other than Deng Xincun, the steward of the Deputy City Lord’s residence. As the saying goes, a minor official at a prime minister’s gate carries great weight. As the steward, Deng Xincun was a prominent figure in Northern Barrier City, known for his arrogance and for looking down on everyone.

Seeing Liu Wan’er’s curtsy, Deng Xincun gave an arrogant wave of his hand, but his eyes couldn’t help but rove over her body. The unabashed lechery in his gaze was repulsive. Although Liu Wan’er was disgusted, Xia Chengkai was an important client of the Liu Family Commerce Guild, and Steward Deng was someone they dared not offend.

While leering at Liu Wan’er, Deng Xincun spoke arrogantly. ”My dear niece, did you bring Uncle Deng any local specialties on this visit to Northern Barrier City?”

Understanding his meaning, Liu Wan’er produced a storage ring and presented it to him. ”A while ago, my father acquired a mid-grade Spiritual Artifact. While not exceptionally precious, it can gather Spiritual Energy, which is a great boon for a Martial Artist’s cultivation. Before I left, Father specifically instructed me to bring this artifact as a gift of respect for you, Uncle Deng.”

Deng Xincun roared with laughter. As he took the storage ring, he didn’t miss the chance to swipe his hand across Liu Wan’er’s smooth, jade-like one. She snatched her hand back, which only seemed to excite him further.

”Excellent, excellent! Your father is quite thoughtful. This transaction will surely go off without a hitch. After business is concluded, my dear niece, you must have a drink with me. How about we catch up properly?”

Liu Wan’er naturally had no intention of agreeing, but she couldn’t openly refuse him and cause him to lose face. She forced a smile and said, ”To be honest, Uncle Deng, I actually have a favor to ask of you.”

With that, she pulled Ye Qingchen forward. ”Young Master Ye is a great benefactor of our guild. He came to Northern Barrier City specifically to meet with Pill King Xia. I was hoping Uncle Deng could help make that possible.”

Deng Xincun looked Ye Qingchen up and down with disdain. ”Pill King Xia is an extremely busy man; he doesn’t have time to meet every Tom, Dick, and Harry. If you want to see the Pill King, I’ll have to go to great trouble to make arrangements. Surely, my dear niece, you don’t expect your Uncle Deng to work for free?”

Liu Wan’er had come prepared, well aware of Deng Xincun’s character; he was the type who wouldn’t act without a guaranteed reward. Thus, the moment he finished speaking, she quickly replied, ”Uncle Deng, if you can help with this, our caravan happened to acquire the carcass of a Golden Star Lion King. We would be honored to present it to you as a gift.”

The Golden Star Lion King had been slain by Ye Qingchen, and without his protection on the journey, they never would have managed to bring its carcass to Northern Barrier City. Ye Qingchen had gifted it to her as thanks for saving his life, but for his sake, she felt no reluctance in giving it away, despite its immense value.

Hearing Liu Wan’er’s offer, Wang Tianlin grew anxious. He had been counting on his cut from selling the Golden Star Lion King’s carcass! If she gave it away now, what would be left for him? But since she had already spoken, he didn’t dare interrupt.

Deng Xincun was secretly overjoyed to hear about the carcass, but he kept a dismissive look on his face. ”A Golden Star Lion King, you say? If it were alive, that’d be something, but a dead one isn’t worth much. Still, since my dear niece is the one asking... Tell you what. You give me the carcass and have a meal with me. In return, I’ll find a chance to arrange a three-minute meeting for this kid with Pill King Xia. How about it?”

Liu Wan’er found herself in a difficult position. Deng Xincun’s intentions were painfully obvious. Even if it was just a meal, she would undoubtedly be subjected to his unwanted advances. Still, the thought of helping Ye Qingchen solidified her resolve. She nodded, preparing to agree.

Just then, Ye Qingchen stepped forward. He had heard the entire exchange loud and clear and certainly wasn’t going to let Liu Wan’er dine with this greasy pig for his sake. Besides, with Xi Jianwei’s letter of introduction, none of this trouble was necessary.

He patted Liu Wan’er’s shoulder, then addressed Deng Xincun directly. ”You’re the steward here, right? Go tell your master that his senior brother, Xi Jianwei, is my subordinate. I have a letter from his senior brother that I must deliver to him. Have Xia Chengkai come out to see me. I will give him the letter in person.”

Ye Qingchen’s commanding tone left Deng Xincun momentarily stunned. Liu Wan’er, on the other hand, grew anxious, terrified that angering the steward would cost them their only chance to meet Xia Chengkai.

After a moment, Deng Xincun finally processed the words and let out a cold sneer. ”I’ve seen plenty of people try to curry favor at the Deputy City Lord’s residence, but this is a first. A braggart who claims the Deputy City Lord’s own senior brother is his subordinate! Just how old are you, kid? You haven’t even finished puberty, yet you dare pose as the master of the Deputy City Lord’s senior brother? On what grounds? Stop causing trouble and get lost! Otherwise, don’t blame me for getting rough.”

Deng Xincun had already dismissed Ye Qingchen as a grandstanding clown. Furious that this brat had not only made him look like a fool but also cost him his bribe, he had no more patience. The thought of being bluffed by some kid sent him into a rage.

He turned to Liu Wan’er and snarled, ”Little niece, I can’t believe you brought someone here to make a fool of me. Fine! I’m officially informing you, and by extension the Liu Family Commerce Guild, that this deal is canceled! From now on, the Deputy City Lord’s residence will have no further business with the Liu Family Commerce Guild. Our cooperation is over. There’s no need for you to ever come to Northern Barrier City again!”

”Uncle Deng, please don’t be angry!” Liu Wan’er pleaded, her heart sinking. ”Young Master Ye is still young. He offended you, and I apologize on his behalf.”

Deng Xincun just snorted coldly, ignoring her completely as he turned and stalked away.