"Lantern of Parting. It is a good artifact. Let's take this."
Hei Qin took out the lantern from the drawer and looked at the artifact like a child who had just gotten a new toy.
"That's it. You took it, right? Let's go." The guard urged him.
Hei Qin's eyes lingered on the other treasures for a few seconds before he helplessly shook his head. When he took the permission token from his senior, which had been given by their master a few months ago for his diligence, his thoughts were simple. He had to take as many treasures as possible, preferably the highest-ranked ones, but he didn't know the treasury system. Even though he had been a disciple in this sect for five years and was quite high-ranked himself.
The treasury was not for all disciples. In fact, even the first-ranked disciples rarely visited the treasury.
Hei Qin followed the guard halfheartedly, and in a few minutes they both came out to the outside. Without wasting time, he rushed toward his cave to finish the remaining part of his task.
As he walked out, he noticed someone he didn't want to meet at this time.
'What the hell are you doing here? Go train in your cave.'
Of course, Hei Qin didn't speak these thoughts aloud. He quickly organized his thoughts to come up with an absolutely believable lie.
"Junior brother Hei Qin, where are you rushing to this fast?"
The question was asked by a young man wearing a brown robe like Hei Qin. At first glance, with the giant sword made from bones on his back and all those bulging muscles, he looked like a muscle-headed brute. However, his sharp eyes said otherwise.
"Senior brother Feng Gu, what a pleasant surprise to see you here. You rarely come out of your cave, after all."
As usual, Hei Qin respectfully cupped his hands and spoke with his usual signature polite smile.
"Haha, that's right. I cultivated too much, so I decided to take some missions to stretch my bones and muscles." Feng Gu laughed and pointed at the bone sword hanging behind his back.
"Senior Brother, you always say you have to diligently cultivate. It seems you are not keeping your own words. Haha." Hei Qin teasingly said with a polite laugh.
"You always have your way with words, Junior Brother."
"It's all your teaching, Senior Brother."
As both of them laughed outside like any other seniors and juniors, if others saw the scene they might even envy their brotherhood. Yet their thoughts, no one could imagine what kind of schemes they hid behind their laughter. After all, this was not a righteous sect.
The sound of their laughter slowly began to fade.
Feng Gu's eyes turned even sharper as he asked, "You didn't answer yet, Junior Brother Hei Qin."
Hei Qin inwardly clicked his tongue and rambled anxiously, "Ah! Damn it, how did I forget that? Senior Brother Gui Ling is going to scold me. I have to go quickly. Thank you for your reminder, Senior Brother. I will take my leave."
"What? Senior Brother Gui Ling? What happened?" Even though Feng Gu's words sounded concerned, his actions did not reflect that. He blocked Hei Qin's path with his towering body.
"Senior Brother, there is a little bit of a problem in the cave. Senior Brother is taking care of the problem…" He paused for a moment. "…so, can you please move?"
"Oh! Sorry. I didn't notice."
Feng Gu moved out of the way.
'Gui Ling? I don't think I can meddle anymore. Hei Qin is weird as usual.'
Since it involved Gui Ling, Feng Gu didn't want to waste his time anymore. He quickly said farewell to Hei Qin and moved in the direction of the quest board.
'Finally gone. I don't think he is suspicious of me. Let's be careful in any case he follows.'
Actually, Hei Qin was overthinking it. Feng Gu didn't even remember the conversation by now. Even if he was suspicious of him, he would probably just think that Hei Qin had stolen something. Not in the wildest thoughts would he imagine that the seemingly unreachable senior brother among the second-ranked disciples was now lying on his deathbed because of Hei Qin's scheme.
Hei Qin shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and walked out of the barrier.
Unbeknownst to him, another figure had been watching him ever since he came out of the treasury.
***
"Hello, Senior Brother. Did you miss me?" Hei Qin asked, his voice filled with happiness.
"Bastard!"
Gui Ling cursed him. His state was far worse than before. His body had become as thin as a bone a dog had gnawed on.
He couldn't even sit properly, and the ghoul had come out of his neck. Its state didn't look good either. Not before, and not now. The same went for the Ghost General. It didn't look good before, and it certainly didn't look good now.
"I am surprised to see you still have the energy to speak."
Hei Qin's eyes slowly moved from Gui Ling to the center of the compass, where the yin qi was pulsating in a circle.
"It's time for a breakthrough."