A Promise

After hearing Wu Tianyi's words, Shi Jianqiao retracted her killing intent and stared at him silently.

Seeing Shi Jianqiao behave herself, Wu Tianyi nodded and spoke, "What would you like to know?"

"How did you learn about me?" she instantly asked.

"Gu Yanwu. Are you familiar with this name?"

"The previous Wandering Shadows' master?"

Because Gu Yanwu was not as secretive as Shi Jianqiao during his time as master of the Wandering Shadows, his records were all over the world, so she was not shocked that Wu Tianyi knew of his name.

"What about him?"

"We were sworn brothers." Wu Tianyi said with a calm expression.

"What?! Impossible! Why would he befriend a little brat like you, who is akin to an ant, much less become your brother?"

"Because I saved him when he was on the verge of death before. Apparently he was chased by a few experts at the Heavenly Enlightenment realm at that time. I learned almost everything about the Wandering Shadows from him." Wu Tianyi lied with a straight face, his voice crystal clear and without a shred of hesitation.

Of course, there was no way that Wu Tianyi could've known the previous master, as he was dead before Wu Tianyi could even meet him in his previous life. However, he had predicted that Shi Jianqiao would approach him in the near future, so he created this story with knowledge from the future. After all, he cannot simply tell her that he is from the future and had returned to the past, as that would make him sound crazy.

Hearing his words, Shi Jianqiao nodded, "I have heard of that incident before but never learned of the details. How did you save him?"

"I fed him some divine medicine I had found by chance the previous day, which had miraculously healed all of his injuries within a few seconds."

Shi Jianqiao narrowed her eyes at him. While she didn't know everything about that incident, she was aware that Gu Yanwu had eaten some kind of divine medicine during the incident, allowing him to barely escape with his life. Perhaps the reason why he didn't want to tell anyone the story was because of Wu Tianyi. He didn't want people to know that he'd been saved by a little brat, which would ruin his face.

"Wait a moment… if you know Gu Yanwu, do you perhaps know where he is right now?" Shi Jianqiao suddenly asked him.

"No, I haven't spoken to him since then. Why do you ask?"

"He… He has been missing for three years now." Shi Jianqiao revealed.

Of course, Wu Tianyi already knew about his disappearance, but he still acted surprised to hear it.

"What? He disappeared? How did that happen?"

Shi Jianqiao shook her head. "He disappeared without a trace three years ago, and I am his replacement until he returns."

[Unfortunately, Gu Yanwu won't be returning… ever.] Wu Tianyi shook his head inwardly.

In his memories, Gu Yanwu had failed his Mortal Ascension and died during the attempt, disappearing from the world.

After a moment of silence, Shi Jianqiao continued to question him.

"How did you learn about the Soul Withering Wine? That is something only I should know about, as I haven't told a single soul about it."

"Oh, that? I was curious about the Wandering Shadows, so I sneaked around the place some time ago. I also saw a few jars labeled 'Soul Withering Wine' while I was there."

"..."

Shi Jianqiao was speechless. This insignificant little brat at the Foundation Establishment had actually managed to sneak into their hideout and walked around without alerting anyone? Furthermore, he'd even sneaked into her room? Who would believe that bullshit?

However, unless he sneaked into her room and saw the Soul Withering Wine in person, there was no logical explanation as to how he could've known about it, so Shi Jianqiao had to believe him no matter how ridiculous it sounded.

"So you sneaked into my room? Are you telling me to kill you right now, you pervert?" Shi Jianqiao frowned.

"Don't worry, I only looked around and didn't touch anything."

"That's not the point!" she quickly refuted.

Shi Jianqiao rubbed her temples for a few seconds to relieve stress before continuing to ask him questions.

"What about the technique you used just now to escape my grasp? That was definitely the 'Silent Steps', but there was something different about it."

Wu Tianyi casually said, "It was something Gu Yanwu taught me before he left. He said it was an improved version of the Silent Steps."

Of course, Wu Tianyi was lying again.

"I want it." Shi Jianqiao suddenly said.

"Excuse me?" Wu Tianyi raised an eyebrow.

"That technique Gu Yanwu taught you. I want it. It uses the Silent Steps as its foundation, so it technically belongs to us, the Wandering Shadows."

"Wow… you are quite shameless…" Wu Tianyi said with a surprised expression.

However, he was actually laughing inwardly at her unreasonable demand.

[Shi Jianqiao… you never change…]

"I won't ask for it empty-handed. What do you want? If it's within my power, I will get it for you in exchange for the technique." she said.

Wu Tianyi smiled inwardly and said, "I want a Rain Dragon Beast Core."

Shi Jianqiao's eyes widened with shock and quickly said, "Rain Dragon Beast Core?! I offer you an inch and you want a mile?! Even the weakest Rain Dragons are in the Heavenly Enlightenment realm, and they are extremely rare! In fact, their last appearance was 300 years ago! Even if I can obtain one, it's far more valuable than your little movement technique!"

"I know, but what if I know where and when you can find a Rain Dragon? Furthermore, I will also help you enter the Shadow Garden in exchange for the Rain Dragon Beast Core."

"The Shadow Garden!" she immediately turned silent to ponder seriously.

"I was going to ask you this, but how did you learn about that? I doubt even a loudmouth like Gu Yanwu would reveal something this important to a stranger." she looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"That's a secret I cannot tell you." Wu Tianyi shook his head.

"If you don't tell me, I will kill you."

"Go ahead."

Wu Tianyi remained nonchalant to her threats, as he was certain that she wouldn't kill him.

"Are you testing me? Because I will really kill you." Killing intent quickly appeared in her sharp eyes.

"Then what are you waiting for? My neck is wide open for you."

Wu Tianyi even showed her his smooth neck, provoking her to break it.

"..."

After a moment of silence, Shi Jianqiao burst out laughing, "Good, good, good! You are very good! I have never seen someone with such boldness before!"

"If what you say is true — that you can help me enter the Shadow Garden — I will help you slay a Rain Dragon and obtain its beast core. Of course, provided that you really know where I can find one."

Wu Tianyi nodded and retrieved a scroll from his robes and tossed it at her.

"There's your movement technique."

He had given her the Disappearing Steps without hesitation.

Shi Jianqiao looked at the technique and then at Wu Tianyi with a puzzled face. It was almost like he had the technique prepared beforehand.

"You are either really foolish or really naive to trust me so easily. I am the Master of a group of bandits and assassins, after all."

"Like I had said — I know you more than you know about yourself." Wu Tianyi responded with a calm smile on his face.

Shi Jianqiao did not know how to respond to those words and remained silent.

"As for the Rain Dragon, you can find one at the peak of Cloudy Mountain in the last month of next year. It'll be there to slumber for fifteen days, so you can kill it at that time."

Shi Jianqiao noted this information in her head before saying, "Then I will see you again once I have the beast core."

"It's a promise, then." Wu Tianyi nodded.

A few seconds later, Shi Jianqiao disappeared from his room like a ghost. But before she disappeared, Wu Tianyi caught a glimpse of a charming smile on her beautiful face.

Once Shi Jianqiao was gone, Wu Tianyi sat on the bed and sighed.

"The Disappearing Steps originally belongs to you, after all…"

In the future, Shi Jianiqao would improve the Silent Steps and create the Disappearing Steps, so even if he didn't give her the technique, she would still learn it. Perhaps she might even improve the Disappearing Steps in the future.

Furthermore, the Disappearing Step is only a temporary technique for Wu Tianyi, as his current cultivation wouldn't be able to handle his other techniques.

[I need to reach the peak of the Foundation Establishment before she obtains the Rain Dragon Beast Core.] He said inwardly before he began cultivating.