Chapter 17: Pulling off a Job

The team Gu Jinlai belonged to was the Jiang Family's convoy transporting Moonlight Grass to the Capital.

This herb was one of the auxiliary materials needed to refine the Nourishing God Pill, and could only be transplanted during nighttime while bathing under the moonlight. Therefore, the convoy would not only proceed at full speed but would also travel by night and rest during the day for the next several days.

"When is the team leaving?"

Gu Jinlai asked.

The leader was the middle-aged man in the Gang Condensation Realm who had been following Jiang Xiyu during the day, named Shao Hong.

"We will set out as soon as the herbs from Fang's Garden arrive, which should be in about an hour,"

said Shao Hong.

Gu Jinlai nodded.

He took another look at the streets of Changjun City enveloped in darkness.

It was almost time to leave.

A dignified Refining God expert, skulking away without a word, unable to hold the position of a Refining God Giant any longer, and now having to change professions to become a Heavenly Master instead.

Although the status of a Heavenly Master is revered, skilled in Artifact Refining and Beast Taming, and wealth flows in abundance, the repeated process of Qi Refining and Divinity Transformation weakens the body, making it even inferior to Body Refining Martial Artists, far from rivaling the Refining God Immortals who harness the great power of tens of thousands in one.

He could well become a cautionary tale in the Refining God Realm.

"I will return."

Gu Jinlai mumbled to himself.

He gazed upon Changjun City under the night sky, a touch of melancholy surfacing in his eyes.

Upon departure...

To see the end of the world on a departing road, not knowing what year it will be when he returns.

Sigh.

Gu Jinlai sighed once more.

However, before he could fully let out that sigh, an idea suddenly sprang up in his mind.

Since he was leaving anyway,

Since he was planning to turn over a new leaf anyway,

Since he didn't even want to deal with Purgatory Demon Sect's messy affairs anyway,

Since he was about to switch his career to become a Heavenly Master anyway,

Then...

Why not make a big move at the Demon Refining Hall before leaving?

It wasn't necessarily about fighting or killing.

Just "taking" some things that belonged to him.

The people at the Demon Refining Hall had swallowed the lion's share of his achievements; he deserved at least some soup to sip.

Besides, Artifact Refining, well, the cost of materials is very expensive.

With that thought in mind, Gu Jinlai could no longer sit still.

He dismounted from the carriage and said to Shao Hong, "I've forgotten something and need to go back, I'll return in half an hour."

Shao Hong was stunned for a moment, "Then Elder Gu, please hurry back."

"I won't keep you waiting."

Gu Jinlai said, quickly moving through the night towards the direction of the Demon Refining Hall.

...

The Demon Refining Hall has three Refining God Hall Masters, with six halls and twelve courtyards creating a formidable place.

Gu Jinlai, wearing a devil mask, cautiously infiltrated it under the cover of night.

He roamed the outer courtyard, pondering the whereabouts of Zhang Xiu's residence, but discovered unexpectedly...

The Hall Master was not there?

The Refining Demon Hall Master Yun Guantian seemed to be nowhere to be found, the courtyard was quiet except for a few disciples.

Of the three Hall Masters of the Demon Refining Hall, one has been gone to the Star State Capital for a month and had not yet returned.

Now that Yun Guantian was also absent, Zhang Xiu was the only one left in the whole Demon Refining Hall.

"In terms of wealth, how can Vice Hall Master Zhang Xiu compare to the actual Hall Master Yun Guantian? Moreover, the Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map can only be activated by Yun Guantian himself. My achievements being swallowed and getting the Grand Sun Nine Refinement Visualization Method must have involved his participation."

Gu Jinlai shifted his target.

He was not here for slaughter but to ease the grievance in his heart.

Naturally, he'd go for whatever would cause the Demon Refining Hall the greatest loss.

This time, there was no one to attract the attention of Refining God Immortal Zhang Xiu for him.

However, Gu Jinlai was already prepared on the way over under the cover of darkness.

Strike where they must save.

The Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map!

Located in the back hall, the Map needed to be nourished by a Formation for it to operate.

Otherwise, not even a Refining God Immortal could sustain the consumption of a Dao Artifact.

Gu Jinlai headed to the back hall, his hands now holding several fireworks and firecrackers.

The back hall had many guards.

There were a dozen or so in the Qi Refining Realm, and there were likely one or two Hugging Pill experts stationed there.

Using fireworks to burn down the Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map would be a dream.

However, Gu Jinlai only needed to draw attention. The Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map was of great importance, so the moment the firecrackers went off, Zhang Xiu, no matter how confident in the defense of the back hall, would have to go and investigate any potential threats.

Immediately, he found a hidden spot in a corner of the back hall where he arranged the fireworks he had brought along, setting a simple triggering mechanism. After lighting it, he quickly made his way to the Hall Master's courtyard.

"Whoosh! Crack!"

By the time he snuck up to the courtyard of Hall Master Yun Guantian, shrill noises pierced the night, followed by dazzling explosions of light.

"Be on guard! Beware of the enemy!"

"There's fire in the back hall!"

"The back hall!? Quick! Someone come! Protect the Heaven and Earth Qiankun Map!"

Wave after wave of chaos and clamor rapidly spread from the Refining Demon Hall.

Composed of six palaces and twelve courtyards, the Refining Demon Hall suddenly became incredibly lively.

Vice Hall Master Zhang Xiu also noticed the commotion outside, but such fireworks and flames clearly indicated a diversionary tactic. His first action was to summon his disciples, ordering them to guard their own courtyards strictly and not to let anyone break in, then he hurriedly rushed to the rear hall.

As for the courtyard of Hall Master Yun Guantian...

He didn't even consider it.

Just like during a sudden fire, everyone's first concern is their loss. Even if other family members' private properties are destroyed, they can't connect the dots for a while.

Moreover, the relationship between Zhang Xiu and Yun Guantian was far from that of a family.

...

Gu Jinlai had sneaked into the courtyard before the fire broke out.

However, he had not cultivated any movement technique and was unfamiliar with Yun Guantian's residence. Within less than a breath after sneaking into the courtyard, a fierce shout rang out.

"Who's there!"

Following that, a Hugging Pill Master led three Gang Condensation experts quickly rushing out.

To this, Gu Jinlai was not surprised.

He drew his sword from its sheath.

This was the top-grade Treasure Sword gifted by Jiang Xiyu.

After all, he did not have the heart to take back what he'd given away; how could the value of such external objects compare to his life?

Because of his generosity, Gu Jinlai's poorly maintained low-grade Treasure Sword could retire.

The top-grade Treasure Sword made the Sword Gang even more fierce.

As Gu Jinlai drew his sword to charge into battle, the Sword Gang surged powerfully, and the Hugging Pill Master who rushed to meet him, blasted out Fist Gang, only to be cleaved by the Sword Gang on the spot.

"Boom!"

Gang Qi burst forth, and air waves exploded, sending him staggering back several steps.

"Peak of Hugging Pill? Six, go for reinforcements, three and four, follow me back into the house to defend and wait for help!"

Instantly assessing Gu Jinlai's level, this Fist Technique expert gave a command.

One of them, with exquisite movement technique, leaped away to seek help, while the other two formed a triangle formation with him, quickly retreating.

This was the Refining Demon Hall!

All they needed to do was defend for a moment until reinforcements arrived; the leading Hugging Pill chose the most secure tactics.

Gu Jinlai strode forward boldly, his sword surged ahead, his True Qi roiled inside him, blindingly brilliant like the Great Sun, containing an explosive force within its intensity.

However, just as he was about to unleash the Sword Gang once more and crush the three men, or even inflict heavy damage, something flickered in the corner of his eye.

Light!

Karma like fire, a dark red glow!

That dark red Karma was less than twenty steps from him, and it came from the direction where the Hugging Pill Master retreated.

If he burst out with Sword Gang now, unleashing a furious strike at the Hugging Pill Master and the two beside him, the mysterious assailant would brutally strike, surely resulting in his instantaneous death.

What boggled Gu Jinlai's mind the most was that, even though he had "seen" this dark red Karma in the corner of his eye, even though the two were now less than twenty steps apart...

He could not sense any presence at all.

Nor could he physically see where the person was.

Such techniques of concealing one's presence and hiding...

Gu Jinlai felt a chill in his heart.

Clearly, the so-called retreat of the Hugging Pill Master was just a ruse.

The key was to provide the hidden assassin with a perfect opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

If it were any other peak Hugging Pill, the next second, they probably would have already been dead.

At this moment, Gu Jinlai's thoughts raced at lightning speed.

The Sword Gang slashing towards the Fist Technique Hugging Pill didn't change in the slightest, in fact, it intensified!

The Qi from the Great Sun Devilish Brilliance Skill, squeezed out from within, surged tempestuously, filling his entire body as if he were a volcano on the verge of eruption.

To onlookers, it appeared as if he was worried that any delay would make the situation more perilous, so he poured all his True Qi into one sword strike. With this strike unleashed, the sword's speed soared and the Sword Gang was awe-inspiring.

The Sword Gang creating thunderous booms akin to muffled thunder from its violent friction with the air.

A visible white Qi wave exploded from the tip of the sword blade, rippling outward, creating a hurricane that spread in all directions.

"Die!"

As Gu Jinlai unleashed this thunderous strike, hoping to determine the outcome, the shadowy figure, which had yet to appear within his "perception," made its move.

"Swoosh!"

Without a sound, like a phantom from the Nine Netherworlds gliding through, it thrust with an incredible speed a cold gleam destined to be deadly.

In the next heartbeat, the dagger shimmering with ghostly light in its hand would slice across his throat, decapitating him.

But...

There was no next heartbeat.

Just as the shadow's dagger was about to sever Gu Jinlai's head, a silent net interwove itself at his side.

A net of death composed of unseen, intangible Sword Qi.

As the phantom-like figure charged at Gu Jinlai, it was as if a car crashing into an extremely sharp steel wire at high speed.

In the relative speed between them, in the end...

"Hiss hiss hiss!"

Sword Qi interwove.

Blood mist filled the air.

When the phantom-like figure's dagger was mere three centimeters from Gu Jinlai's throat, it stopped.

Suddenly, the figure's body disintegrated.

It was directly sliced into more than a dozen pieces by the invisible and intangible Sword Qi, scattering across the ground.

It had hidden without sound, and died just as quietly.