CHAPTER 492: CHAPTER 479: WHO IS THE MOLE?

Sisi jumped up as if startled, obediently standing to the side. But in her heart, she almost wanted to hug Yue Hongling and kiss her.

This temper flared up just at the right time! If it had happened earlier, there’d be no need for a kiss.

Although it’s not like they hadn’t kissed before... Oh right, she used her own face to do it last time!

Anyway, she didn’t taste anything either time... Sisi pouted, suddenly feeling a bit of regret. Having kissed without truly savoring it felt like a wasted opportunity.

On the other side, a few Elders were as silent as frost. Damn, initially thinking that a male Envoy directly asking for a woman without being reprimanded clearly meant they weren’t a couple, thus they became more presumptuous. But what was with this sudden jealousy... Could it be they had guessed wrong?

Yue Hongling, however, didn’t continue to lose her temper, instead, she gave Zhao Changhe a puzzled look. The Zhao Changhe she knew shouldn’t behave like this, which she found quite peculiar.

Zhao Changhe gave her a meaningful look, signaling that he had other plans. In fact, from the beginning of the feast, he had already slightly opened the Spirit Bag containing the Gu Insects, allowing the Corpse Demon to catch a glimpse of the outside situation.

The Spirit Clan was being oppressed and humiliated in the "Forbidden Land"; he wanted the Corpse Demon to have a firsthand experience of it.

Yue Hongling nodded subtly without making a fuss and said flatly, "We bear a heavy responsibility and have no time for eating, drinking, and pleasure here. These banquets should focus on business over food and drink; don’t really think you’re here just to enjoy yourselves."

The chief Elder wiped his sweat, saying, "Yes, yes."

Yue Hongling continued coldly, "If you really want to do something, go have fun after the banquet; I don’t have the free time to sit here and watch."

So, they could still have fun, but business came first, right. The Elders all exhaled in relief, coughing several times and carefully said, "The Saint Envoy has arrived earlier than usual this time; our offerings are not yet ready... Perhaps the Saint Envoy could linger here a few more days, we will do our utmost..."

Yue Hongling subconsciously wanted to say that doing their best was good enough, but then Zhao Changhe interrupted, "So you’re implying it’s our fault then?"

Yue Hongling: "..."

Learned that...

The difference in thinking between people really is greater than that between a person and a dog, Zhao Changhe could pretend so effortlessly, certainly no saint himself, but it seems now he chalks up wrongdoings to Wang Daozhong...

The Elders were sweating profusely, "Not at all, not at all..."

Sisi, watching the Elders squirm, would have felt extreme humiliation if it were a true Saint Envoy. But knowing it was Zhao Changhe acting superior, suddenly found it quite thrilling, hoping Zhao Changhe would step on them a bit more.

While the Elders were busy bowing and apologizing, Sisi secretly conveyed, "The things you want, you can directly ask them for. The offerings, aside from men and women, usually include various items, different each year, you can just list what you need in the inventory. Yunyang Leaf, for instance, is produced by our Holy Mountain, supplied every year, but Night Sand I’ve never heard of... As for the Jun Heaven Blood Jade, it’s one of our holy objects, the Forbidden Land usually doesn’t force it, but if you must, you could test, because our clan has never really known its function, it might not be that valued."

Zhao Changhe’s heart stirred.

He originally didn’t want to exploit the "Saint Envoy" name to demand these items from the Spirit Clan; that would be fraud. He hoped to exchange fair and square with Sisi. But now Sisi herself was offering, so there wasn’t much burden.

If people were willing to be enslaved, then see what comes of being enslaved.

Sisi’s action was also interesting... isn’t she afraid that once he got what he wanted, he’d just leave and not help her?

His thoughts flickered as he spoke, "This early arrival, besides capturing a traitor, the higher-ups also require some other items for you to prepare. Keep the offerings the same as last year, and add a pound of Night Sand."

The Elders all looked startled: "Night Sand, we’ve never heard of this item."

Zhao Changhe’s expression hardened.

The chief Elder apologized, "We truly haven’t heard of such a thing, we’re not trying to deceive the Saint Envoy. Not to hide from the Saint Envoy, we have many ancient texts, but never seen any records of it."

It seems Night Sand really wasn’t with the Spirit Clan... Since it was an untraceable item to begin with, Zhao Changhe wasn’t too fixated, his face stern, "If there’s no Night Sand, then something else must be compensated, right? Otherwise, how am I to complete my duty?"

The chief Elder then said, "Saint Envoy, please specify whatever you want, as long as it is something our Spirit Clan possesses..."

Zhao Changhe sipped his wine, leaning back into Sisi’s embrace, raising his feet, "I heard you have the Jun Heaven Blood Jade?"

Ah, how nice this world without rigid bras is, lying down feels like cushioning against waves, truly comfortable. And Sisi’s isn’t small either... Keep hooking up, will you?

Sisi, her face turning red with him leaning on her, didn’t know whether he was acting or taking advantage, and couldn’t resist, just had to endure it.

At that moment, the expressions of the clan elders became awkward as they exchanged glances, clearly troubled.

Just as the Vermilion Bird had conquered the Blood God Sect without touching their holy Array Plate, were you seeking a puppet to do your bidding or aiming for constant rebellions? The difference lay in whether one touched the core interests of the others.

Xue Canghai could endure anything else, but if you tried to take the Array Plate and destroyed his root to trace the Blood God, it would undoubtedly lead to a blood-soaked conflict within five steps. The Vermilion Bird could annihilate him, but what good would that do?

For clans like the Spirit Clan, as long as you didn’t touch the interests that these elders valued, they would naturally help you debate scripture. Once the sacrifice involved themselves, this vast Spirit Clan might not be so compliant.

Therefore, the Forbidden Land also tended to avoid trifling with such matters—it wasn’t necessary.

But the status of the Jun Heaven Blood Jade was precisely on point... It lacked the value of the Blood God Array Plate for Xue Canghai, as everyone was puzzled about how to use it—it was merely a decoration; yet, it was truly an important holy object passed down from the ancient times. What if one generation discovered its usage? Perhaps the entire Spirit Clan could ascend a level, even possibly surpassing the Forbidden Land?

Of course, this hope was rather elusive, without much anticipation. In the end, it was revered as an ancestral treasure. Was it untouchable?

This was a line only an insider could understand and test.

Seeing the three elders hesitate, Zhao Changhe guessed the underlying meaning and his expression darkened, "So, are you really intending to prevent me from completing my mission?"

With the pressure applied, the elders had no choice but to apologize, "Saint Envoy, please allow us to discuss this matter."

Zhao Changhe didn’t press further and nodded slightly, signaling them to discuss. The three elders withdrew through a side door. Zhao Changhe sighed, his headache was still present.

Yue Hongling glanced sideways, squeezing out a sentence from between her teeth, "No one’s here, how much longer will you depend on this?"

Sisi’s eyes flickered. She was about to step back but instead, didn’t. As Zhao Changhe was about to leave, she grasped his head, gently kneading his temples, "Look carefully, this is how Sisi serves the master, learn to do your makeup next time..."

Zhao Changhe, "..."

Yue Hongling, amused yet frustrated, said, "I see what you’re up to now... Hey, isn’t this like digging your own roots?"

Sisi spoke indifferently, "However, if they agree, then who will be the one forced by the ’Saint Envoy’ to give up the holy object? It’s not Xiang Simeng. I also hope they will come back and say, sorry Saint Envoy, our clan can’t do this, let’s negotiate another condition... So, who is the real insider?"

Yue Hongling nodded and then asked, "Did the envoys of the past really not take bribes or secure treasures for themselves? That’s really strange."

Sisi continued, "I heard that Maitreya was once backed by a God Demon in Xiangyang that intervened from afar, shaking the Tang chief. That means, if their strength is restored to a certain level, even if they don’t appear in the world, they might still observe through someone else’s eyes, and might even intervene..."

Zhao Changhe pursed his lips, his thoughts not on Maitreya.

Sisi added, "So, the envoys from the Forbidden Land are likely under the watchful eyes of divine beings. They might not truly exist, but they believe they do, definitely daring not to act rashly, going straight to the point, taking the object, and leaving. The reason divine beings are revered, ’omniscience’ is part of it."

Zhao Changhe thought to himself that it would be great if you could always communicate this seriously...

Well, of course, if the communication was always this serious, he wouldn’t enjoy the current treatment as a pillow... Truly a dilemma.

Yue Hongling thought for a moment and asked, "Now that we’re masquerading as saint envoys, seeking treasures is still feasible, but should we really ask them for boys and girls? Just the cries this would cause among the families, I couldn’t bear to do it."

Sisi replied, "We certainly don’t have to do it. We can tell them later, since there’s Jun Heaven Blood Jade, the annual sacrificial offering of boys and girls can be canceled. But Yue Sister, what about after you leave? The true envoy will still come."

Yue Hongling murmured softly, "I’ve been thinking about this... I don’t want to leave. I feel like I can do something, and I should do something."

Sisi looked at her with complex emotions.

Regardless of everyone else’s thoughts, Yue Hongling’s mind was centered on a single theme from start to finish.

Zhao Changhe whispered, "Don’t rush, I have some ideas..."

Before he could finish, the three elders seemed to have finished their discussion and returned to the banquet hall, bowing, "Saint Envoy, we have discussed it. The Jun Heaven Blood Jade can be offered to the Ancestor God, but whether we can grant the method of Beast Spirit Fusion..."

Zhao Changhe was just about to say, "Are you bargaining?"

But before he could speak, the ring trembled violently, and a Gu Insect burst forth from the Spirit Bag, furiously roaring, "I’ll kill you, you bastards! All of you die!"

Dragon Sparrow held down the Spirit Bag, barely containing it.

Zhao Changhe’s thoughts stirred, slowly speaking, "Then first take us to see the Jun Heaven Blood Jade, and I can pray to the Ancestor God to see if it wishes to grant you what you need."