Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

"You've done well; continue to have someone keep watch, and it's best to determine the exact whereabouts of this person."

"I can only offer you three hundred thousand taels for this piece of information."

A flicker of disappointment passed through the eyes of the Carefree King as he turned his head towards Yi Chen: "Gui Zhongdao, what about the task I taught you?"

"How come I hear that your subordinates have all been busy with other matters and haven't taken the task I entrusted you to heart?"

Upon hearing this, a hint of schadenfreude flashed across Hei Sha's face, and he immediately added fuel to the fire: "Gui Zhongdao, are you playing both sides and not taking the lord's task to heart?"

But Hei Sha's plans were doomed to fail—

Yi Chen had already thought of a countermeasure before he arrived.

After putting Shui Lingyue, whose face was flushed red, down beside him, Yi Chen respectfully stood up and replied: "My lord, please rest assured, I, Gui Zhongdao, have never messed up a task."

"There has been frequent unusual activity among the officials of the Jiangnan Circuit recently, and I was afraid of drawing their attention. So, I contacted a friend from another circuit to collect human bones on my behalf. In exchange, I'm gathering some malevolent items for him."

"Since when do you, Gui Zhongdao, have such friends with connections in other circuits?" Hei Sha questioned again, always feeling that something was off about the Gui Zhongdao in front of him.

"Hei Sha, you seem to know everything I do. In that case, why don't I just merge my Blood Killing Tower with your Hei Sha Tower? You have your brothers, and I, Gui Zhongdao, naturally have my friends as well."

"Don't think just because your Hei Sha Tower discovered Yi Chengzi's whereabouts that it has an advantage over my Blood Killing Tower. Do you believe that if I make a move, as long as Yi Chengzi is still in the Jiangnan Circuit, I can locate his exact position faster than your Hei Sha Tower?"

"Not afraid to tell you, I have another route in the west; it is very risky, but the profit is high. Although I find you detestable, I have no quarrel with money. If you're interested, let's meet at Bailu Peak in a couple of days to discuss the cooperation in the west."
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Yi Chen seemed to rise above pettiness, casually extending the invitation to Hei Sha.

"You can discuss your cooperation privately. Gui Zhongdao, you have your secrets, and this king can't be bothered. But if you've promised something to this king and later fail to deliver, don't blame me for being ruthless later on."

After the Carefree King spoke emotionlessly, he turned to the young noble from the Shaya Hall and said: "Shaya, how much longer will it take to gather the five thousand pairs of young boys and girls I requested?"

"Reporting to my lord, three thousand pairs have been collected and are being delivered to Panlong Peak in batches. The rest will require more time. The officials have noticed our movements, and we might be behind the agreed schedule," the master of the Shaya Hall, dressed in Confucian robes, said hesitantly.

...

After some inquiries, the Carefree King set down his wine cup and then said softly:

"There has been a slight change to the task; the king needs everything gathered within ten days. The friend who has entrusted the king cannot wait any longer."

"However, rest assured, you have ten days to do as you please. The king will contain all matters, as everything has been arranged."

"It's late today; everyone has their beautiful company by their side. Have fun, and we will all set about our business early tomorrow, as the king's envoy will depart with you."

"These fine ladies have cost the king a great deal of effort. Don't fail to appreciate the king's kindness."

The Carefree King emphasized the words "fine ladies" considerably, his tone not lacking a hint of threat.

The world is magical; take the precedents of figures like Colonel Card, Saddam, and a series of benevolent rulers from a past life, who committed so many crimes only to perish because they offended someone they shouldn't have.

The fine ladies in the hall today were nothing but a noose that the Carefree King had put around everyone's necks, afraid that they wouldn't earnestly undertake their tasks.

Human lives have their values, each person's price is different.

All the smart people within the hall had various expressions on their faces, but none of them wished to stick their necks out.

...

...

Night·Qiansi Garden.

Yi Chen, with Shui Lingyue in his arms, arrived at the lodgings the Carefree King had arranged for him.

After signaling Abbess Shuiyue to silence with his eyes, Yi Chen slowly closed his own, and his azure mana rapidly diffused and activated his Psychic Eye ability.

The sounds of objects shattering sporadically echoed throughout the room.

"Wait a moment, Abbess," a telepathic message rang in Shui Lingyue's mind. Soon after, the door swung open, and Yi Chen disappeared outside like a specter.

Fen Die was a maid who attended the Carefree King, and today she was ordered to monitor 'Gui Zhongdao's' movements outside Qiansi Garden.

Just then, the image in the copper mirror she was using for surveillance suddenly vanished.

As she was about to check what was wrong, a dark shadow appeared unexpectedly behind her.

Looking at the maid's pert buttocks, Yi Chen's hand slammed down upon it, producing a crisp slap that echoed through the silent night, startling her into leaping forward like a frightened deer.

"Fair lady, with the night so cool and deep, if you enjoy watching so much, you might as well come in, or it would be better for you to stay away from this place—"

"I don't like being watched while I work. You may monitor outside Qiansi Garden, but not inside. If I find you peeping at me again, I might just pull you in, and we can share a bed together."

Yi Chen chuckled lightly and raised the hand he had used to slap earlier, his smile slowly turning sinister.

As the figure of 'Gui Zhongdao' approached step by step, Fen Die, a True Person in the third realm, felt a chill in her heart. It was then she understood why the king valued this man so highly, enough to tolerate his transgressions in the great hall.