Chapter Sixteen: The Jade Slip
Meng Xudong was utterly speechless, his expression tinged with confusion. How could Song Yue ask such shameless questions with such unflinching confidence? As the senior master of the Elite Martial Arts Academy, a gold medalist in the World Martial Arts Championship, was he really not entitled to a ticket for the grand event of the Kunlun Secret Realm, which only opened once every sixty years?
Yet, Meng Xudong couldn't bring himself to voice such thoughts; he cared about his reputation.
“Of course I’m here for the Secret Realm journey!” Meng Xudong glanced at Song Yue helplessly and said, “Listen, Song, could you stop treating me like a thief? I just lost my head for a moment and fancied your sister—besides, she’s not even your real sister! Is it necessary for you to snap at me every time we meet?”
A guy who might not even be older than himself dared to call him “Little Meng,” so in retaliation, he called him “Little Song.”
Song Yue looked at him and replied, “Snapping at you has nothing to do with anyone else. It’s simply a personal hobby.”
Meng Xudong was exasperated. After several interactions, he had begun to understand Song Yue’s nature. Ignoring him, Meng Xudong squeezed inside, walking as he spoke, “I heard you bought a piece of artificially aged jade at the market?”
Song Yue was taken aback, “What the hell, who said that? Who’s spreading rumors? Artificially aged jade? That’s a spirit jade!”
“Still just a fake jade...” Meng Xudong finally found his chance and continued, “Ou Ping—that blond young man who hangs out with Zhang Zixing.”
Meng Xudong grabbed a bottle of mineral water, sat on the sofa, twisted open the cap, and took several gulps. “I’m worried they might cause you trouble, so I came to warn you.”
“Thanks, but you don’t need to remind me. Who will get the upper hand in the end is yet to be decided,” Song Yue glanced at the mineral water in Meng Xudong’s hand. The rascal had water in his own room but came here to drink, and he only had two bottles!
What a scoundrel!
“I’m not joking. The person who secretly attacked you that day is very likely him,” Meng Xudong looked at Song Yue earnestly. “Also, Zhang Zichen—the one you sent to the hospital—has left the Elite Martial Arts Academy.”
“You mean the one who ambushed me... is that blond kid?”
Song Yue didn’t care whether Zhang Zichen left the Elite Martial Arts Academy. He was nothing but small fry, not worth attention.
Meng Xudong nodded, “Yes. I’ve been investigating these past days. Of those who hang out with Zhang Zixing, only Ou Ping specializes in spiritual power, and his methods are rather reckless. He’s been in Hangzhou only a few days and has already caused trouble for several young women...”
Song Yue looked at him, “Tell me!”
Meng Xudong’s expression soured. “What’s there to tell? It’s not really causing trouble—those girls threw themselves at him. Seeing an alien is like seeing their own father; they have no self-respect.”
“Oh, you’re just annoyed they didn’t throw themselves at you, right?”
Meng Xudong: “...”
“That blond kid...” Song Yue sat down on the sofa as well, pondering for a moment before looking at Meng Xudong. “I’m curious about one thing.”
“Go ahead,” Meng Xudong said.
“Why do you keep trying to get on my good side?” Song Yue stared at him. “Don’t give me that ‘want to meet the Master’ excuse. The Master is busy, yes, but your family is a local powerhouse in Hangzhou. Meeting him isn’t hard. With your status, there’s no need to demean yourself to me.”
Meng Xudong considered for a moment and looked at Song Yue. “You’re right about one thing: I’m not a pure martial artist, but you are!”
“What did I say that wasn’t right?” Song Yue shot him a glance. “Is that a compliment?”
“Of course!” Meng Xudong replied emphatically. “I have decent talent, but my mind is filled with too many other things. If I could, I’d rather do something else. But you’re different. Your world is pure—only martial arts matter to you.”
“So?” Song Yue asked.
“If possible, I hope you’ll join the Elite Martial Arts Academy, first as an instructor. Then I’ll gradually promote you as the face of the Academy!” Meng Xudong was earnest. “My family owns shares in the Academy, so everything I say is carefully considered and discussed with my family. I’m not being frivolous.”
“What can you offer me?” Song Yue asked. “Honor? Status? Fame? Position?”
Meng Xudong shook his head. “Those aren’t what you value. What I can give you is all the resources a martial artist needs for cultivation. As soon as you join, I can guarantee resources will flow to you first!”
“What do I need to give in return?” This time, Song Yue didn’t reject him immediately.
“You don’t need to give anything,” Meng Xudong shook his head. “Just pursue your martial path. The Academy won’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“As long as you’re at the Elite Martial Arts Academy, you’ll be its most dazzling banner!”
“I’ll use you to attract more talent and make the Academy the largest and most prestigious in all of China—turn it into a true sacred place for martial artists worldwide!”
Meng Xudong’s voice wasn’t overly passionate, but it was persuasive nonetheless.
“You have that much faith in me?” Song Yue wasn’t moved, but looked at him with suspicion.
Meng Xudong smiled. “I’ve never seen anyone who could get so close to the Master, especially as a martial artist.”
“That’s all?”
“That’s all!” Meng Xudong affirmed, “Surely you know how formidable the Master is?”
“Heh, the world-renowned scholar,” Song Yue replied.
Meng Xudong gave him a deep look but didn’t pursue the topic further.
He looked at Song Yue, “Anyway, I’m serious about inviting you. For this, I won’t hesitate to break with the Zhang brothers! They will definitely try something against you in the Secret Realm, but rest assured, I’ll firmly stand on your side!”
Song Yue didn’t respond immediately; instead, he asked a question he’d previously ignored. “Zhang Zichen is Zhang Zixing’s younger brother and the young master of Star Martial Arts Academy. Why would he end up at Elite Martial Arts Academy?”
Meng Xudong gave a bitter smile. “The Zhang family also holds a small share in the Elite Martial Arts Academy—not enough for any say, but there’s a connection.”
“Zhang Zichen is rather rebellious. He doesn’t want to stay at his family’s academy or face his father’s sour face all the time, so he came to Elite Martial Arts Academy.”
The Zhang family holds shares in the Elite Martial Arts Academy? It seems the world of martial artists is anything but simple!
Song Yue shook his head, unwilling to dwell on matters unrelated to him. He looked at Meng Xudong, “Let me think about it—I can’t give you an immediate answer.”
Meng Xudong was already pleased that Song Yue didn’t reject him outright as before. “No rush, decide after the Secret Realm journey!”
He stood up, pulled a twenty-centimeter metal cylinder from his pocket, and with a deft movement, the cylinder expanded at both ends, forming a two-meter-long alloy spear!
The tip gleamed coldly, sharp and menacing.
Meng Xudong looked at Song Yue, “This alloy spear is far better than your fake aged jade. I’m giving it to you! You can carry it with you and use it for a surprise when needed!”
Five million! Little Meng truly was a tycoon!
At that moment, Song Yue actually felt tempted—joining Elite Martial Arts Academy didn’t seem so unacceptable after all.
Without giving him a chance to refuse, Meng Xudong placed the alloy spear on the coffee table and took his leave.
After Meng Xudong left, Song Yue played with the spear made of alien metal, quickly grasping its mechanism.
He had to admit, cold weapons enhanced by high technology were truly formidable! Holding the spear, he felt as if he had grown wings.
He stowed it away and was about to examine the so-called fake jade when the doorbell rang again.
Song Yue frowned. When did he become so popular? Was it because he hadn’t bullied anyone for the past two years?
Impatient, he opened the door and was surprised to see the boy who had just sold him the jade slip at the market!
Was he back to regret selling it?
That wouldn’t work! Anything that entered Song Shengjun’s pocket was never coming out!
“Am I disturbing you?” The boy, who had been aloof at the market, now peered into the room with shifty eyes, apparently searching for Qian Qianxue, who had been with Song Yue earlier.
“You are,” Song Yue replied and tried to shut the door.
The boy grinned and blocked it, unfazed by Song Yue’s cold stare. “I just want to make a deal with you.”
“No deal,” Song Yue tried to close the door again.
“Give me a chance to talk!” The boy shamelessly held the door, his brazenness even greater than Song Yue’s.
“One minute,” Song Yue blocked the doorway, refusing to let him in.
The boy glanced down the hallway and whispered, “You know that jade slip you have? I have the whole set!”
Song Yue looked at him. “I can’t afford it.”
“I don’t want money!” The boy tried hard to sound sincere, but to Song Yue, he seemed nothing but furtive and sleazy.
“I can refund you the money from before!” the boy said.
“Come in and talk,” Song Yue stepped aside.
“...”
The boy was speechless—how pragmatic this man was!
Once inside, the boy searched the room and, seeing the two half-empty bottles of water left by Meng Xudong and Song Yue, his eyes flashed with disappointment.
Song Yue was equally speechless. What was this habit—coming to someone’s room just to drink water? Was it holy water?
“Stop looking, there are only two bottles,” Song Yue said.
The boy sat where Meng Xudong had been, looked at Song Yue, and got straight to the point. “I know the jade slip is valuable, but no matter what I try, I can’t decipher it. All the other stuff I sell is fake; only that jade slip is real!”
Song Yue snorted, not bothering to reply. He knew it already, especially the shill—their acting was so over-the-top! Even the others who seemed genuinely interested were all shills.
The boy wasn’t embarrassed. “Here’s my deal: I’ll refund you the ten thousand, then bring out the remaining jade slips. We decipher them together, and you share the results with me. I’ll pay you a million more! And whenever I get something like this in the future, you’ll be my first call.”
“Too little,” Song Yue replied blandly.
He had long seen that the jade slip was one of a set, and the dirt on it had been applied afterward!
Though it carried a musty underground aura, the scent didn’t match the jade slip itself.
Simply put, the dirt and the jade slip came from different places.
The boy asked, “How much do you want?”
Song Yue studied him carefully, “Are you a tomb raider?”
The boy immediately shook his head. “How could I be? I don’t have that skill!”
“You’re shrouded in yin energy,” Song Yue said with certainty. “You’ve definitely been in a big tomb recently!”
The boy was startled. In his line of work, having his identity recognized was taboo. He dared to sell things at the market because he thought his identity was safe.
Selling fakes was just fishing for willing buyers. The real antiques from underground, he would never sell—at least not at places like this; he had special channels.
He brought out the jade slip specifically to fish.
His family elders said never to underestimate the world, especially at grand events like the opening of Kunlun Secret Realm, where seemingly young but unfathomable experts might appear.
He just wanted to test the waters. His elders had said the set of jade slips was precious, real treasures, but none of them could unlock its secrets.
They had mentioned one person—the Master.
The Master was a scholar revered as a sage.
Unfortunately, they didn’t know him and dared not casually present such things.
So the boy split the set and brought out one slip, hoping to fish for someone valuable, but he didn’t really expect anyone to recognize its worth.
He mostly wanted to scam some money with his friends.
To his surprise, the jade slip was bought almost immediately!
When Song Yue took it, he nearly regretted the sale on the spot.
But he held back.
He spent considerable money to bribe service staff and found Song Yue’s room, then came straight over.
“Let’s not talk about that,” the boy softened, “How much do you want?”
Song Yue loved such direct questions. He smiled at the boy, “How much do you think a set of jade slips from a great tomb is worth?”
The boy was stumped, silent for a long time before realizing he’d nearly been tricked.
He looked at Song Yue, “No matter what it’s worth, it’s mine!”
“It is, but in your hands, they’re worthless,” Song Yue replied calmly.
He wasn’t in any hurry.
After all, he had the jade slip now.
As for being only one of the set, he didn’t care.
He didn’t know what was written on it, but he remembered the Master telling him that such things often held value far greater than obvious cultivation resources.
That was enough.
If it was useful, great; if not, he could give it to the Master.
The Master would surely appreciate it.
The boy took a deep breath and thought for a long time before finally saying, “Five million!”
Song Yue casually placed the alloy spear on the table. With a flick, it extended into a sharp spear.
“Do I look like someone who needs money?” Song Yue scoffed.
The boy was instantly intimidated!
He then looked at Song Yue as if he were an idiot. “This thing is worth at most one and a half million on the alien market, and you spent five million to buy it?”
Song Yue grinned; this was Little Meng’s foolish purchase!
He looked at the boy and said, “You’re being superficial. Think deeper.”
Deeper?
The boy was clever—he quickly realized Song Yue was just showing off his wealth.
He slumped, helpless. “Brother, honestly, my family’s well-off, but I’m not that rich! My account has just over ten million in pocket money. You’re so wealthy, you don’t need my little bit...”
Ten million... in pocket money!
Song Yue was furious!
His own private stash in the account suddenly seemed paltry.
“I do need it,” he said succinctly.
“...”
The boy was miserable. “Brother, honestly, the jade slip—I snuck it out of my home... my family doesn’t know!”
Song Yue looked at him, “So the others aren’t with you?”
The boy nodded, “Right, they’re at home.”
Song Yue’s expression changed. “Don’t let me keep you.”
What was the point of talking if he didn’t have the rest with him?
Twenty minutes later.
Song Yue looked at the extra ten million in his account and felt his back straightening, his confidence swelling.
The boy, meanwhile, was like a defeated rooster, his feathers drooping.
But he was relieved. Luckily he hadn’t mentioned that his account actually held thirty million.
Otherwise, this scoundrel would have extorted it all!
Song Yue was a man of principle.
Having taken the money, he had to show sincerity in return.
He directed the boy to buy a few materials—common enough for cultivators, all available at the market.
Originally, he’d planned to buy them himself, but now he had a free helper.
The boy didn’t complain and quickly bought everything.
Then Song Yue went into the bathroom and started tinkering.
The method was something the Master had taught him years ago: ancient cultivators, being both finicky and reserved, often recorded text on jade slips using special techniques.
If someone obtained these jade slips, the secrets would remain hidden unless they knew the method; for those who knew, it was simple.
It was a form of cross-temporal dialogue.
If unlocked, one became a kindred spirit.
Once everything was ready, Song Yue soaked the jade slip in the bathroom basin.
The boy squeezed in, saw most of his purchased materials used up, and glanced at the basin of clear water.
He looked deeply at Song Yue—this dark-hearted, thick-skinned guy was truly an expert in disguise?
There’s a famous dish called boiled cabbage; the greatest chefs make it look like plain broth but actually imbue it with myriad flavors.
The boy felt this scene was akin to boiled cabbage.
Next moment, tiny black characters began to emerge on the jade slip in the basin!
“Amazing!” the boy exclaimed, immediately leaning in.
Song Yue glanced at him, “Can you read?”
“I...” The boy wanted to retort that he wasn’t illiterate, but looking at the tiny characters, he couldn’t utter a word.
He truly didn’t recognize a single character!
Seeing Song Yue reading intently, the boy couldn’t help but snap back, “Do you recognize them?”
Without looking up, Song Yue grinned, “Do you think I should recognize them, or not?”
The boy reacted quickly and apologized, “Brother, I’m sorry!”
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A bit late today—driving back and forth to my hometown was tiring, but I managed to update before midnight.
Over ten thousand words today; everyone, please vote more!