CHAPTER 566: CHAPTER 23: ANOTHER OFFICIAL

Dark Beast Eggs and Dark Beast Cubs can be said to be the two most important sources of wealth for the Yanyue Chamber of Commerce.

They buy eggs and cubs from destitute mercenaries at a low price, incubate them or breed them a bit, and then resell them to the upper echelons of Wo Hua Imperial City.

The sudden emergence of the Xuan Beast Store and the Xuan Beast Breeding Ground in Five Saints Town was like a bolt from the blue for the Yanyue Chamber of Commerce, leaving them somewhat caught off guard for a time.

When they could not resolve the issue with the Dark Beast Eggs and Dark Beast Cubs in the short term, Qing Zizhu suddenly thought of someone.

A Dark Beast that had been fighting in the Underground Beast Fighting Arena the past few days, and had been winning consecutive battles without a single defeat.

From being unknown on the first day to rising powerfully in the following days, the Flash Mink Leopard and its extremely mysterious owner indeed deserved the attention of the Yanyue Chamber of Commerce and Qing Zizhu.

Qing Zizhu had secretly watched that Flash Mink Leopard’s matches before and, with his insight, it was not difficult for him to see that the Flash Mink Leopard was originally just a very ordinary Fourth-level Dark Leopard, and it was also a mutant Dark Beast.

Generally speaking, it is more difficult for a mutant Dark Beast to advance ranks compared to a common purebred Dark Beast, but this Flash Mink Leopard advanced ranks all the way and eventually reached the Seventh Rank.

This was undoubtedly a monumental feat in the history of Dark Beast advancement.

And the cause of this feat could very well be the owner of the Flash Mink Leopard, who has always been hidden behind the scenes, never willing to show his face.

Qing Zizhu believed that the owner of the Flash Mink Leopard must be an extremely formidable Cultivator.

As one of the suppliers of Dark Beasts for the Underground Beast Fighting Arena, Qing Zizhu easily got in contact with that Dark Beast owner, and had the female attendant he sent relay that the Yanyue Chamber of Commerce was requesting a meeting with him.

Who knew that the other party would not take the Yanyue Chamber of Commerce seriously at all, only saying that they would meet three days later at the Nianmei Building, a restaurant in the city, and demanded that Qing Zizhu come alone without any guards accompanying him.

Qing Zizhu did not take this proposal to heart; he believed that within the entire Imperial City, even the Dragon War King Long Teng the 72nd would not be able to easily take his life.

Walking into Nianmei Building alone, Qing Zizhu did not see the Dark Beast owner he expected but was instead greeted by a table full of sumptuous dishes and a barrel of wine he had never seen before.

As soon as Qing Zizhu sat down, he was greeted by the aroma of dishes and wine.

He glanced at the dishes, and his originally proud demeanor suddenly turned sullen when he saw a plate of secret recipe snow pigeons which he found very familiar.

Almost without pause, he snorted coldly, rose up, and was about to leave when suddenly a hand appeared on his shoulder.

The hand appeared delicate but had the weight of a thousand jins, causing his knees to sink involuntarily, and he found himself sitting down again.

"Young Master Qing, since you’ve come, why rush to leave? Otherwise, wouldn’t it be a waste of the dishes and wine I’ve prepared for you?" Yue Jinghua said with a smile on her face, already sitting in front of Qing Zizhu.

Qing Zizhu, who was around twenty, had the appearance of a young and refined scholar, courteous and cultured, but in reality, he was a shrewd and calculating sly businessman.

Yue Jinghua, about seventeen or eighteen, with gold leaf covering her face, had a handsome and exquisite appearance, but in fact, she was as dark-hearted as the bottom of a pot, skilled in schemes like a little fox.

It was but a brief exchange of glances, yet both individuals had already mentally affixed labels upon each other.

When smart people converse with one another, there’s no need to beat around the bush.

"Are you the master of the Flash Mink Leopard? Is the reason you summoned me today to have me meet her in person?" Compared to Yue Jinghua’s half-mask, Qing Zizhu seemed more like a man behind a façade; speaking of his mother whom he hadn’t seen for many years, his eyes remained undisturbed, his visage as if covered by a layer of icy mask, as though Chi Xi was nothing more than an insignificant passerby.

"Auntie, come on out," Yue Jinghua’s voice had barely faded when Chi Xi, with tears in her eyes, stepped out.

"Zhuzhu, do you still recognize the dishes made by your mother’s hands?"

She examined the Qing Zizhu before her, her lips trembling involuntarily as tears streamed down her cheeks.

She couldn’t help but move forward, longing to embrace the son she hadn’t seen for over a decade.

Who could have known that at that moment, Qing Zizhu would turn his face away in disgust, overturning the table with a sweep of his hand, spilling food and drink all over the ground, and declared with unparalleled revulsion, "The smell of the food you cook is nauseating, and I find it repulsive to even glance at your face."

His cold words and emotionless gaze pierced like an arrow, causing Chi Xi to feel lightheaded and a stabbing pain in her chest, as if struck by lightning.

"Zhuzhu..." Chi Xi’s figure shook like a fallen autumn leaf, as if it could shatter at any moment.

"Don’t call my name; I have no mother. A contemptible mercenary who abandoned her husband and child for the so-called mercenary career doesn’t deserve to utter my name," Qing Zizhu had realized that today’s banquet and this spread of food and drink were all just a ruse to lure him here alone, to meet with Chi Xi.

"Wretched?" Yue Jinghua, who had not intended to delve into the affairs between mother and son, now furrowed her brow upon hearing such a term, stepping forward briskly, "Qing Zizhu, say it again. Who are you calling wretched?"

"Hmph, I wonder where you come from, to own such a formidable Dark Beast, turns out you’re just another lowly mercenary," Qing Zizhu enunciated each word, every syllable cutting through Chi Xi’s heart like a knife, "You and this woman are both born of a wretched fate; you’re not fit to sit at the same table as me."

Suddenly, a sword appeared in Yue Jinghua’s hand, resting against Qing Zizhu’s neck.

"Captain," Chi Xi exclaimed in panic, fearing that Yue Jinghua might strike Qing Zizhu, "please don’t hurt Zhuzhu, it is my fault, I shouldn’t have back then..."

Chi Xi was about to continue, but Yue Jinghua shot her a cold glance.

The plea that was about to slip from Chi Xi’s mouth almost reflexively shrank back.

Despite her deep maternal affection, Chi Xi could not speak out at this moment due to her reverence for Yue Jinghua.

"Young Master Qing, do you feel disgruntled being subdued by me in such a manner?" Yue Jinghua raised an eyebrow, her lips as red as fire, her eyes like torches ignited with rage, flickering furiously.

"If it wasn’t for your deceit, I would never have fallen for the tricks of an unsubstantial mercenary like you. If I had my guards with me, you would have had no chance to approach me." Qing Zizhu was unafraid, aware of the hard times Chi Xi had been through these past years, and knew well that those by her side were unlikely to be significant figures, "Mercenaries like you, no different than bandits, are unfit to share a room with me."

"Do you truly believe all mercenaries are wretched?" Yue Jinghua slowly withdrew her sword, "Rest assured, I won’t kill you. You may leave. However, I should tell you: times change, even pearls can fall into the mud and become dust. Let’s wait and see, Young Master Qing."