Chapter 27

The fact that this ghost could tell at a glance who Wu Jinjing was — even with a disguise that Luo Huifang judged to be perfect — made her rise her guard.

The ghost seemingly jumped in place with excitement. "The renowned ghost cultivator, Luo Huifang, or should I say the ghost cultivator venerable?"

Luo Huifang seemingly shy all of a sudden, giggled. One hand rubbing her flushed cheeks, the other batted away at the comment. "Venerable? Me? That's too high of a praise!"

"Ho, ho, ho, you're being far too modest. Anyone in the Devil realm who has not heard your name is living under a rock!" The ghost laughed, then his gaze landed on Lai Meihui. "And the famous dual cultivator, Lai Meihui, I heard that many wished to bed you for your skills."

"Was that what my deceased partners said?" Flipping her hair Lai Meihui wiggled her brows, there was no use antagonizing the ghost that seemingly knows their identity.

"They gave you high praise, very high indeed. Though the three of you aren't here today for me to recite Lai Meihui's bed partner's testimony, I presume?"

"No we are not. We are here for—"

When Luo Huifang was about to ask the ghost a question, the ghost held a finger up. "You are here to ask me for information revolving around the five nascent soul cultivators. And the whispers surrounding the topic?"

Luo Huifang smiled.

"I am also guessing that the opening of the Da dynasty secret realms were the work of Feng Delun?" The ghost smirked at them knowingly.

"What don't you know?" Lai Meihui scoffed.

"Many, many things, I'm afraid. I don't know what your future holds!" The ghost laughed. "The price for the information you seek is rather expensive. It is information regarding famous cultivators after all, famous and rarely seen cultivators."

"The information we want, in exchange for a… secret." Luo Huifang stated.

Earning Luo Huifang surprised gazes from both Lai Meihui and Wu Jinjing, the two did not interrupt Luo Huifang, they trusted Luo Huifang to not reveal what should not be revealed.

The ghost threaded his fingers through his long beard, eyes full of contemplation. "A secret, or a gossip?"

"Gossip is not credible, but facts do. How about it, a secret, for the information we want?"

"A secret of whom?"

"The Golden Crowned Lord."

The Ghost's eyes widened. "I'm guessing this information is not to be revealed to other customers?"

"Yes, a secret." Luo Huifang pressed a finger against her lips.

Cupping his ears the ghost readied himself to hear a secret regarding the Golden Crowned Lord, in a childlike manner. Luo Huifang wondered how this gossipy, secret-seeking of a ghost, managed to become the owner of one of the best information shops throughout the realms.

"The Golden Crowned Lord did not ascend to the heavens."

Luo Huifang and her sisters waited for the ghost's reaction, a surprise or something. But the ghost only raised his brows. "If it's only that, I already have the information. One of the Devil Venerable's spies in Dongfu spotted him, with Feng Delun. Apparently the Golden Crowned Lord was seen carrying a baby inside his robes… is that baby his child?"

Ming Yongnian did tell them that he'll be going out for a stroll, to where exactly, they had no clue, it turned out their eldest brother went to Dongfu. Why Dongfu of all places? Why didn't their eldest and elder brother disguise themselves?

As far as Luo Huifang knew, Ming Yongnian never mentioned Dongfu, so they never drew a connection between Ming Yongnian and Dongfu. She wasn't surprised anymore when it came to their eldest sworn brother, there were always some details she and the rest of her siblings never knew of the man.

Not that Ming Yongnian was hiding it from them, they never asked him the questions. It was never necessary.

"Will learning the answer to your question count as payment, and will it suffice?" Luo Huifang asked the ghost.

The Ghost rubbed his chin. "Not enough, unfortunately. How about you tell me what you are planning with the Golden Crowned Lord? I've already come to the conclusion that the five nascent soul stage cultivators who cut ties to their sects, are in cahoots with the Golden Crowned Lord. The three of you are in cahoots with the strongest man in this era. Are you willing to give up your story?" The ghost gave them a full teeth smile.

"You are swindling us! The information we wish to buy and the one you are asking for, does not hold the same weight!" Lai Meihui protested.

Wu Jinjing held Lai Meihui's shoulders, and pushed the older woman back. "Sister Meihui, let eldest sister handle this."

Sneering, Lai Meihui back down, for now.

"Your little sisters seemed to be reluctant." The ghost teased.

Weighing it out, it was actually far more desirable that Luo Huifang gave up their story now, rather than have the ghost discover it through another. It was a golden opportunity to use this to gain a free flow of information, priceless information. At the cost of revealing their ties and their future plans, which would eventually be known by the masses once they successfully spread their sect's name.

"The incense stick is almost burnt out." The ghost reminded, playfully.

But Luo Huifang had made up her mind. "It's a secret."

"I'm very good at keeping secrets Luo Huifang, you know this better than anyone." The ghost pulled up his sleeves, on both sides of his arms were countless arrays in black squiggly writings circling his wrists. It went further up the ghost's forearm, there were possibly more than they could see.

"That many contracts?" Wu Jinjing was surprised.

And so was Lai Meihui. "And you never broke one of them?"

"When clients bring me their secret stories, they remain secrets, until the world finds the secrets on their own. A secret is a promise, one I shall not break. What say you, will you share with me your secrets?"

"We want any future information you will receive involving the Golden Crowned Lord and nine nascent soul cultivators. Which includes the three of us, Feng Delun, Lan Jianhong, Li Jiayi, Jin Liwei, Jiang Xiaotong, and Jie Qiqiang." Luo Huifang set her price whether or not the old ghost was willing to take it would be for him to decide.

"Ho, ho, ho, now the three of you are the ones swindling me!" Instead of falling into anger, the ghost was laughing.

"I think it's worth it, we will tell you our secret, and more."

"The other six, and the Golden Crowned Lord? Will you also tell me their story?"

Luo Huifang nodded.

"We have a deal, have a seat. This will take a while."

With a snap of the ghost's fingers, tea appeared on the table behind the three women. There were also roasted nuts, much like the ones Luo Huifang had bought, and freshly cut melons.

The ghost was already sitting down and making himself comfortable. "Well, what are you waiting for? Sit down."

It had slipped Luo Huifang's memory, how this ghost was more nosy than a mother in law, and those gossiping aunties combined. She shared a look with her little sisters, finding the situation both ridiculous and hilarious. A ghost telling them to sit down and eat some nuts and freshly cut melons was not an experience one would receive everyday.

Lai Meihui was the first to take a seat around the table, when she felt Luo Huifang and Wu Jinjing surprised stares, she only shrugged her shoulder. "He's giving me free nuts."

Weren't you the one protesting just now?

The two women sighed and sat down, Lai Meihui took a slice of melon and ate it. It was extremely sweet! Wait, this wasn't just any melon. "Is this a snow honey melon?!" Her eyes lit up.

"Ho, ho, ho, you have good taste! Indeed it is a snow honey melon, very sweet correct?"

"One of these cost at least ten high grade spiritual stones!" Lai Meihui exclaimed, taking another bite into the melon, bliss covering her face.

"How can a melon cost ten high grade spiritual stones?" Wu Jinjing studied the fruit, in her eyes it was but an ordinary fruit.

"If the three of you were of lower cultivation base, say… around the Qi Condensation to Golden Core Formation, it would help you form a firm base." The ghost promoted the fruits like he was selling it to them.

Wu Jinjing "wow-ed" at the benefits gained from consuming a mere fruit. She had heard of a fruit having a similar kind of effect to cultivators but she had never tried one herself. Since it was for cultivators of a lower cultivation base than that of a Golden Core Formation, her past self wouldn't be able to purchase it. And by the time she could spend high grade spiritual stones it would be useless for her. She had forgotten the existence of these types of fruits. Perhaps she should use it as an ingredient in her future concoction recipe.