Chapter 359: Central State calls! (Requesting monthly votes at month-end)_1
 

“`

“[I can’t make it.]”

…

Pei Jinye and the Big Willow Tree seemed to be taking turns toasting each other, neither conceding to the other.

[You’re too weak; absorbing too much will affect your genetic evolution.]

“???”

Looking down on me???

Pei Jinye, however, did not continue to argue.

After helping the Big Willow Tree recover another one percent, the Big Willow Tree couldn’t help but feel pity: [You, need to become stronger]

Upon hearing this, Pei Jinye immediately seized the opportunity, “Does Big Willow Brother have any Skill of God to help me get stronger?”

[No.]

The response from the Big Willow Tree was very straightforward.

Pei Jinye was not deterred, “Big Willow Brother is so experienced, don’t you have even a little way to do it? Don’t you need resources or a mental method for your own cultivation?”

[None.]

Pei Jinye raised his eyebrows quizzically.

The Big Willow Tree then sent out another message: [Perceive heaven and earth]

“How do I perceive it?” Pei Jinye asked hastily.

[Dig a hole, bury yourself in it, and empty everything.]

The Big Willow Tree was candid indeed.

But Pei Jinye looked at the ground beneath his feet; was he seriously supposed to find a hole to bury himself in and then become a tree?

His mind was occupied with Lin Xiawei’s whereabouts.

Pei Jinye could not afford to stay for long.

“Big Willow Brother, we’ve met by fate, and that’s a bond. I’ll give you a Heaven and Earth Treasure to keep in touch.”

[A cell phone?]

Pei Jinye’s movements stiffened as he suddenly looked up, “You know about them?”

[I’ve heard people mention them, but are they really Heaven and Earth Treasures?]

The inquiry from the Big Willow Tree revealed its innocence.

Pei Jinye gritted his teeth and nodded, “Instant voice transmission, projection through air, and so on.”

[Pity, it’s of no use to me.]

The Big Willow Tree spoke with gravity: [External possessions are after all just external, only true strength can lead to enlightenment.]

After expressing his gratitude, Pei Jinye took out his phone and took a “click” selfie with the Big Willow Tree, then hurried away.

Behind him, the mountain gorge was still basking in the red rosy clouds illuminating everything.

Only the roots of the Big Willow Tree seemed to have burrowed deeper.

[Wait, just wait a little longer.]

…

…

At Nagano’s Western Suburb.

When Pei Jinye arrived, it was already an hour and a half after his senior sister Lin Xiawei had been there.

The scene was a mess.

Although many of the bodies had been moved away, the bloodstains splattered on the ground, walls, and doors were quite visible.

The Transcendents passing by were much more numerous than usual.

Based on the memories of Nangong Yan and the Gongsun Family, Pei Jinye recognized some of the Transcendents passing by, including members of Nagano’s local elite families.

He stood alone inconspicuously at the street corner, watching the crowd and secretly gathering information.

…

“The demon head killed someone and then just strutted off.”

“Where did she go?”

“No one knows. It seemed like she ran into an old acquaintance…”

“Even the people from the Ouyang Family came, but they couldn’t keep her here; that woman is just too cruel.”

…

Pei Jinye listened silently.

If Lin Xiawei was looking for him, she would definitely be able to see the hidden sign he left behind.

But the problem was…

Why had Lin Xiawei not left a hidden sign?

Was it inconvenient?

Or was there some secret he did not know about?

Just as he was about to leave,

there was a noise from behind him.

Two Transcendents dressed in weird outfits approached him, baring their teeth with a sinister smile, “Kid—”

“`

“Pfft!”

“Pfft!”

Sword light flashed by.

Before the two could even utter their threats, they had already met their end on the spot.

Pei Jinye pressed down on his duckbill cap and said indifferently, “I didn’t mean to offend anyone, but if you’re thinking of treating me like meat on the chopping board, don’t blame me for being impolite.”

Having said that,

he walked towards the two corpses.

In the depths of the alley,

roughly a dozen figures stood there, seemingly wary of his casual yet powerfully deterring swordsmanship.

Pei Jinye, as if nothing had happened, bent down to pick up the pouches from the bodies, and after collecting them, he left.

Gradually, a few faint voices came from the alley.

“That was a target we had our eyes on…”

“Forget it.”

“The matter with the Transcendent is more important, don’t drop the watermelon to pick up a sesame seed.”

“But who is that guy? His sword was so fast… I didn’t even see how he executed it.”

…

Pei Jinye turned two street corners and suddenly stopped his steps.

For on the shadowy part of a wall, a secret signal code used exclusively by the Central State appeared—a location normally hard to notice.

He erased the signal.

Then he turned and left.

…

Five minutes later.

Nagano’s [Purple Gold Flower Bar].

Tonight’s battle seemed to have had no effect on the young men and women here; under the pulsing music, a raunchy dance unfolded.

Pei Jinye approached the bar: “Hello, I’ll have tonight’s Moonlight.”

“I’ve been waiting for you for a long time,” replied the bartender, who then stealthily gestured towards the adjacent corridor.

Pei Jinye walked over.

Someone was already waiting there.

“Officer.”

Pei Jinye nodded.

The Confidential Clerk quickly led him away from the corridor.

Who would have thought that hidden inside this unassuming bar was a basement.

The basement had seven levels.

Pei Jinye was taken directly down to the seventh.

A middle-aged man with a steady bearing came over with a satellite phone and indicated, “Mr. Han’s call.”

Pei Jinye took the satellite phone, puzzled, “Mr. Han?”

“It’s me,” Han Sen’s voice came through.

Although it hadn’t been long since their last chalk talk, there was a sense of a long-overdue reunion.

Han Sen was concise, “The internal signal designed by Xing Tian won’t last long, so to make a long story short… over here in Nagano, accurately speaking the entirety of the Western Continent, a lot of people are targeting you. Is the Transcendent in your possession?”

Pei Jinye frowned.

It seemed Han Sen had already guessed his concerns and said softly, “If it really is with you, nobody can take it from me. Right now, I just want to confirm this matter… if there’s still the possibility of negotiating.”

“It’s with me,” Pei Jinye sighed.

There was a pause in Han Sen’s breathing on the other end, followed by a sigh, “I thought so. At first, I thought someone was just trying to smear you. Be careful of the Ouyang family, their Watcher has already appeared, and once he makes a move, he will target you, who are carrying the Exotic Treasure.”

“Watcher…” Pei Jinye frowned.

He surely understood what the Watcher meant.

Such a Transcendent’s ability was very special, almost without any combat power, but it could find a specific target as soon as the ability was used.

Like… himself, carrying the Exotic Treasure.

“So they’re planning to make a move on me? Even though I’m part of the Central Continent Investigation Team?”

Mr. Han sighed from the other end, “You said it yourself, part of the Central Continent Investigation Team.”

Even through the satellite phone, Pei Jinye felt as if he could hear Mr. Han adjusting his glasses, “The Five Continents operate independently, and though they are under Federation control, in a sense, everyone governs themselves.

Especially after a certain act was passed that year, actions to compete for Exotic Treasures are almost never deemed illegal…”

Pei Jinye’s gaze hardened, “So, the higher-ups will just watch everyone kill each other?”

“In a way, it’s survival of the fittest,” Mr. Han’s calm voice conveyed a trace of helplessness: “This is just an under-the-table move. In plain sight, there’s still a facade of decency. However, it’s also what restrains us in Central State… Our people have been completely boycotted and the main forces can’t arrive.

Communication is now troubled, and people from the Western Continent want to find you, to get the Exotic Treasure. Hence, they are constantly delaying on the issue of communication and negotiation.

All the Confidential Clerks in your area are at your disposal.”

Pei Jinye listened to Han Sen’s arrangement, but in the end, he asked just one question.

“Where is my senior sister?”