Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World-Chapter 1099 - 573: Repeated Probing (2)

After Gu Sheng finished speaking, he shook his sleeve, and a trace of energy flew out from it.

Gu Sheng was uncertain whether she was one of Saint Ya’s people, so when he released the energy, he deliberately mixed in some of Wushuang Taoist’s aura as well.

Sure enough, upon feeling the aura, the shopkeeper’s expression changed several times before finally stabilizing.

She scrutinized Gu Sheng up and down, as if trying to see through him.

However, Gu Sheng was shrewd and crafty; facing her scrutiny, his expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing.

The shopkeeper conceded defeat and, after some thought, said, "Why don’t we move to another place, distinguished guests?"

Gu Sheng nodded, and she closed the shop and led them toward the back.

All the way, Gu Sheng observed his surroundings.

Passing by a secret room, he turned his head and discovered the room was filled with scarecrows, and there were talisman papers on the scarecrows!

At the moment his wrist moved, he clearly felt Saint Ya’s aura!

The silver needles on the scarecrows glistened coldly, obviously targeted!

When Gu Sheng wanted to take a closer look, the shopkeeper seemed to sense something and hurriedly waved her hand to quickly close the door, saying somewhat nervously, "That room is usually unused; let’s talk at the back."

After speaking, she no longer walked ahead by herself but kept her eyes on them as they proceeded.

Seizing the moment when she turned back, Luochuan quickly approached Gu Sheng and whispered, "Brother Sheng, there’s King Luo’s aura in that room, and it’s very strong, very strange."

Upon hearing this, Gu Sheng raised an eyebrow, his mind instantly clear.

It seemed the random location they chose was indeed a stroke of luck.

Once he realized this, Gu Sheng stopped looking around and quickened his pace to follow.

In the courtyard, everyone sat opposite each other, and the shopkeeper spoke first.

"Which sect do you belong to? And what is your purpose here?"

After thinking for a moment, Gu Sheng said, "We come from the Mirror Gate, and you should be able to guess our purpose."

Gu Sheng didn’t explicitly state his intentions, but the shopkeeper already had an idea.

Because she had just felt the aura Gu Sheng released and could guess some things from it.

"I don’t like beating around the bush, so I’ll speak plainly: if you’re here for Saint Ya, I can provide you with some information, but you must stand with me; you understand what I mean, right?"

Hearing the probing in her words, Gu Sheng smiled and nodded.

Now he knew the shopkeeper was opposed to Saint Ya, but she didn’t yet know his stance, so some probing was normal.

"You don’t need to worry, our goal aligns with yours, and being from the Mirror Gate, we won’t harm Jianghu. Our purpose here is to prevent harmful acts against Jianghu."

Saying this, Gu Sheng casually displayed the Mirror Gate’s token and some aura related to Wushuang Taoist.

The shopkeeper sensed something and her eyes immediately brightened.

"It seems we have met without prior knowledge; I’ve traveled Jianghu for many years, and this is the first time I’ve encountered an aura I’ve wanted to meet. Meeting you all is truly fortunate for me."

After several rounds of probing, both sides finally confirmed each other’s identity and stance, and the atmosphere naturally improved.

When the conversation turned to serious business, the shopkeeper suddenly took out a Jade Pendant.

"This is my master’s Jade Pendant. Many years ago, he followed Wushuang Taoist. Before he passed away, he told me that if I encounter Wushuang Taoist and her people, we must cooperate and support unconditionally. If you have a token, we can discuss further."

Knowing this was her final test, Gu Sheng directly took out something Wushuang Taoist gave him.

Feeling the heavy aura and seeing the item firsthand, the shopkeeper’s eyes flushed with emotion.

"My master searched for this item for years, but never saw it before his death; I never imagined I would have the fortune to see it in my lifetime. From today onwards, I will cooperate with you unconditionally; killing Saint Ya is our shared goal!"

Looking at her, Hong Mei curiously asked, "Who is your master?"

"My master is Wufang."

Upon hearing this, Hong Mei’s expression changed, and she quickly bowed.

Seeing her return the bow, the shopkeeper was evidently surprised.

"Are you a disciple of Wushuang Taoist?"

"Indeed, I didn’t expect you to be the disciple of Elder Wufang."

Having confirmed identities once more, everyone relaxed.

Glancing around the shop, Gu Sheng thoughtfully said, "If I’m not mistaken, this shop is merely a blinding technique, right?"

"It is and isn’t; here, I transfer many intelligence reports, so I need something to cover it up, but I also need the shop to support myself and my people, so it both is and isn’t."

Understanding her meaning, Gu Sheng nodded.

"It’s impressive that you, as a woman, can manage such a large enterprise."

"Actually, half of this foundation was laid by my master. Now, I merely live out his will. My master called me Little Lan Hua; you can just call me Lan Hua. This is intelligence gathered by my people: Saint Ya visited King Luo today; they planned this jointly."

Upon learning that they were plotting together again, Gu Sheng frowned and took what she handed him.

After carefully examining it, her face turned completely cold.

"Did they spend so much gold and silver just to create Death Soldiers?"

"Yes, they had trained a batch before but don’t know where they hid them, never using them. After several battles, they’ve been in a weak position, so they invested heavily to train another batch, likely due to insufficient personnel."

"You’re correct because their people are the ones we’ve killed."

Upon hearing this, Lan Hua was evidently surprised.

"You mean it’s you who killed Saint Ya’s people? You actually killed her people? You also killed the Evil Demon?"

"Yes, both Evil Demon and the Two White Ghosts died at our hands. Before coming here, we destroyed the Fan Sect, assuming Saint Ya had few remaining people, but didn’t expect her to train another batch."

Knowing that Gu Sheng’s group had destroyed most of Saint Ya’s force, Lan Hua was immediately filled with respect.

"I didn’t realize Wushuang Taoist’s people were so formidable; no wonder my master revered him throughout his life. In fact, Saint Ya can do as she pleases in Ping City because King Luo supports her. King Luo’s powerful forces, combined with Saint Ya, allow her to expand her power. She uses this power to secure his position, enabling him to rise swiftly. To truly deal with Saint Ya, we can’t leave King Luo either."

After she spoke, Gu Sheng nodded.

"We know, which is why we tracked them here. Who is running things on King Luo’s side? His special status likely means he doesn’t manage everything personally, right? Does he have a sect under him?"

"You’re correct. King Luo has Qingcheng Sect, recognizable in Jianghu. On the surface, Luo Qin manages it, but the real authority behind is King Luo."

Hearing this unfamiliar name, Gu Sheng turned to Luochuan.

"Who is Luo Qin?"

"He’s King Luo’s youngest son, born of that woman at the back! He was brought back to the family only at age two. King Luo always felt guilty, so he favored him in everything. Even his eldest son is overlooked, and all benefits go to this child, just to win over that woman’s affections!"

Listening to Luochuan’s words filled with teeth-gritting resentment, Gu Sheng understood the situation.

It seems that woman holds a significant position in King Luo’s heart; otherwise, her son wouldn’t receive such importance, even surpassing King Luo’s legitimate son’s status.