Chapter 374: Tong Sihai and Huaien
"President, have you found the information I asked you to investigate?"
In the headquarters of the Four Seas Trading Association on the Merchant Continent, Mu Ling's voice carried a mix of hope and patience.
Hearing his words, Tong Sihai frowned slightly but didn't respond immediately. Instead, he waved his hand, signaling the maids and servants to leave. The tension in the air eased slightly as the staff quickly exited, leaving only the two of them in the room.
Once they were alone, Tong Sihai fixed his gaze on Mu Ling, speaking slowly. **"Brother Mu Ling, you know I admire you greatly. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made you the first honorary elder of the Four Seas Trading Association.
"In all these days, I've ensured you've been treated to the best food and comforts. I've been careful not to offend you in any way."**
Taking a sip of tea, Tong Sihai continued, his tone shifting slightly. **"The Four Seas Trading Association may not be the strongest force on the Merchant Continent, but we're firmly in the top five.
"With you and me working together, there's no doubt we could push the association to the number one spot."**
The unspoken implication was clear: "Don't think about leaving, and stop pursuing that ridiculous search."
Mu Ling, once the spirit of the Heavenly Tomb, had limited experience with humans in the past. However, after years of absorbing memories from countless souls and further adapting to life after leaving the tomb, he had come to understand the complexities of human nature.
Tong Sihai's subtle threat wasn't lost on him. While the president had indeed saved him and offered shelter, Mu Ling had no desire to stay permanently. He preferred to reunite with Xiao Tiance and his companions people he trusted and didn't need to guard against constantly.
Tong Sihai, on the other hand, was a different story.
Over the past few months, Mu Ling had learned enough about the man's character. Tong Sihai's methods were ruthless. Every time the association seized valuable goods, he either killed all witnesses or erased their memories, enslaving the survivors.
While such behavior was common in the cutthroat world of the Merchant Continent, Tong Sihai's penchant for excessive cruelty, including targeting women and children, made Mu Ling deeply uncomfortable.
For these reasons, despite being made an honorary elder, Mu Ling had continued to search for Xiao Tiance and the others.
To Tong Sihai, this persistence was a sign that Mu Ling wasn't fully aligned with him. Although Tong Sihai had subtly tried to dissuade him, his patience was wearing thin.
Mu Ling finally broke the silence, meeting Tong Sihai's gaze. "President, as I've told you before, I come from a distant place, and I'm determined to find my companions."
His message was clear: I'm leaving, no matter what.
Tong Sihai's expression darkened, though he quickly masked his displeasure. If anyone else had dared defy him this way, they wouldn't have lived to regret it.
Tong Sihai wasn't the kind of man to climb the ranks without resorting to ruthless tactics. His motto was simple: "If you're not ruthless, you can't stand firm."
For now, though, he maintained a smile. **"Brother Mu Ling, I understand.
"Regarding the individuals you asked me to investigate, I do have some news. Unfortunately, it turned out to be inaccurate, so I've sent my men to continue the search.
"Brother Mu Ling, you must understand this world is vast, and finding a few people is like searching for a needle in a haystack. I hope you can be patient."**
His voice softened, almost apologetic. "Also, I must offer you my apologies, brother. One of the men I sent to investigate a mid stage ninth grade Sovereign with your tracking token disappeared several days ago. Despite our efforts, we haven't been able to locate him."
Tong Sihai's tone might have sounded remorseful, but his eyes told a different story. His gaze coldly conveyed: "You owe me for saving you, and you'll do as I say."
This was a gamble. If Mu Ling was smart, he'd stay and align himself with the association.
A Dangerous Game
Mu Ling wasn't naïve. He could read between the lines. Tong Sihai was issuing a veiled ultimatum: either stay and share power, or become a potential enemy.
After a long silence, Mu Ling finally spoke. **"President, I appreciate everything you've done for me the shelter, the treatment, the trust. I owe you a great debt.
"However, I must honor the promise I made to my companions before arriving in this world."**
Before Mu Ling could finish, Tong Sihai interrupted, his voice icy. "Are you threatening me, Brother Mu Ling?"
The room fell silent.
For the first time, Tong Sihai's facade slipped, revealing a steely gaze. He had always assumed Mu Ling was the strongest among his group, believing the others to be mere subordinates.
But now, Mu Ling's words planted a seed of doubt. If he wasn't the strongest, who were the others?
Choosing His Path
Mu Ling met Tong Sihai's glare without flinching. **"President, it's not a threat. It's the truth.
"My companions and I have known each other for a long time. Among them, my strength isn't even in the top three. You saved my life, and for that, I'm grateful. But I must leave."**
Tong Sihai's mind raced. If Mu Ling's words were true, then those he sought must be terrifyingly strong.
The president's ambitions wavered. He was confident in his own strength, but provoking a group of unknown experts was a risk he wasn't willing to take lightly.
Finally, Tong Sihai forced a smile. "Brother Mu Ling, if that's your decision, I won't stop you. But should you ever need a place to stay, the doors of the Four Seas Trading Association will always be open to you."
"Thank you, President," Mu Ling replied, bowing slightly. "I'll take my leave soon."
A Fateful Encounter Awaits
As Tong Sihai watched Mu Ling leave, his smile vanished. His eyes narrowed, and a cold glint appeared.
"Not in the top three, huh? I wonder how much truth there is to that. Perhaps I should investigate further. If your companions are truly that strong..."
Meanwhile, Mu Ling returned to his quarters, preparing to leave. For the first time in months, hope flickered in his heart.
"I'll find you soon, Xiao Tiance," he thought, his resolve firm.
"As the saying goes, with enough money, you can make even the dead work for you, and in some cases, reverse the roles entirely."
The Four Seas Trading Association had no shortage of Supreme Spirit Liquid, and as long as they were willing to spend it, countless strong individuals would be eager to serve them. However, this did not apply to those at the peak of Earth Sovereign or higher.
At that level, such experts rarely lacked resources, status, or influence.
Mu Ling was undoubtedly powerful. But if his strength truly didn't rank among the top three of his group, it could spell trouble.
"Hehe, President, you're overthinking it. I don't lie. My strength indeed doesn't make the top three," Mu Ling chuckled bitterly, his tone sincere. "That's why I hope you can continue helping me search for news of my companions. Once I find them, I'll be sure to express my gratitude."
His words carried no hint of threat. Mu Ling understood that Tong Sihai had shown him kindness by saving his life and treating him well afterward. As for Tong Sihai's character, Mu Ling hadn't interacted with him enough to form a thorough judgment.
Hearing this, and seeing Mu Ling's sincerity, Tong Sihai hesitated. If Mu Ling was telling the truth, and his companions were indeed stronger than him, then the potential consequences of crossing them would be dire.
"I'll give it some thought. Brother Mu Ling, why don't you rest for now?"
In the end, Tong Sihai chose to keep calm and continue gathering information.
Mu Ling nodded, not staying any longer, and turned to leave.
The Brewing Storm
As soon as Mu Ling left the courtyard, Tong Sihai crushed the teacup in his hand into fine powder. His expression darkened as he muttered coldly, "Still so ungrateful."
He raised his voice: "Come in."
"Whoosh!"
Two masked men dressed in black appeared almost instantly, bowing respectfully. "President."
"What have you found from the search?" Tong Sihai asked in a low voice.
**"Reporting to the President, we have identified an individual on the Merchant Continent. This person has only recently emerged but possesses considerable strength. Although only at the peak of Nine Rank Sovereign, we discovered that he once fought off a Lower Earth Sovereign despite suffering severe injuries.
"He is currently recuperating. If you wish, we can capture him and bring him here,"** one of the masked men reported.
Tong Sihai frowned, his sharp mind piecing the puzzle together. This individual likely hailed from the same Lower Realm as Mu Ling's companions.
"Did the tracking token glow when you approached him?" Tong Sihai asked.
"The token showed no reaction, just like before," the man replied.
"Hmm?"
Tong Sihai felt a flicker of doubt. According to Mu Ling, the tracking token was supposed to light up if two people were on the same continent. The token was also designed to guide the users toward one another.
If this was the case, then why didn't the token react? Such a crucial item wouldn't simply be discarded.
"Apart from this person, have you found any other useful information?" Tong Sihai pressed further.
**"Reporting to the President, the second search team is scouring the surrounding regions of the Merchant Continent but has yet to uncover anything significant. However, we did receive word from the main team.
"They are currently en route back from the Western Sky Continent, where they explored an ancient secret realm rumored to contain many rare treasures. With enough luck, one might even find a way to ascend to the Heaven Sovereign level.
"It's worth noting that the Western Sky Battle Emperor, one of the most renowned Heaven Sovereigns in the Thousand Great Worlds, gained his fortunes from such a secret realm.
"Based on the information you provided, those individuals from the Lower Realm are likely to have participated in the trials of the secret realm on the Western Sky Continent,"** the man explained.
Tong Sihai pondered for a moment before nodding. "How long until they return?"
"Based on the message from the team leader, they should arrive in five to six days," the masked man replied.
"Understood. When they return, have them report to me immediately," Tong Sihai commanded.
"Yes, President. We'll take our leave."
With that, the masked men disappeared as swiftly as they had appeared, leaving the room silent once more.
Letting out a deep breath, Tong Sihai muttered, "Mu Ling, you'd better not be lying to me. Otherwise..."
Though he didn't finish the sentence, the cold glint in his eyes spoke volumes.
A Lonely Island
Meanwhile, on a small island near the Merchant Continent, a young man sat cross legged in meditation. Though his aura revealed some injuries, they weren't life threatening.
This man was none other than Huaien, Xiao Tiance's third disciple and a bearer of the Devouring Spirit Tribe's bloodline.
"Finally, I'm almost healed. If not for my Devouring Spirit bloodline, I wouldn't have been able to drive off that Lower Earth Sovereign. If it happens again, I doubt I'll be so lucky," Huaien muttered, exhaling deeply.
He looked toward the horizon, his gaze filled with longing. "I wonder how Teacher and the others are doing now... If only I hadn't lost the tracking token."
Yes, Huaien's tracking token had gone missing. When he regained consciousness after his ordeal, it was nowhere to be found.
Despite the suppression of his Dou Qi upon entering the Thousand Great Worlds, his Devouring Spirit bloodline had activated on its own, absorbing the surrounding spiritual energy and converting it into power.
Thanks to this, he narrowly escaped being enslaved by a band of mercenaries.
News from Afar
"Creak!"
The sound of a wooden door opening drew Huaien from his thoughts. A young girl, no older than seven or eight, ran in with a bright smile.
"Big Brother Huaien! The island lord and the others have returned from the Heavenly Net Continent!"
"Really? That's great!" Huaien's face lit up with joy. He scooped up the little girl and headed outside, a rare smile gracing his lips.
As he approached the island's main gathering hall, a voice called out.
"Huaien! I knew you weren't an ordinary fellow. To think you managed to fend off a Lower Earth Sovereign! Truly impressive!"
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