My Artifacts Can Upgrade Infinitely

Chapter 48: Chapter 48: Mishap

In the snowstorm, Zhao Zuo activated a Light Body Talisman and fled as soon as he left the Market.

"Stop! Stop right there!" Liu Yunshan yelled at Zhao Zuo’s retreating figure.

Hearing this, Zhao Zuo immediately put all his effort into running. He truly hadn’t expected that a mere twenty catties of Spirit Rice would be enough to incite his target’s greed, much less that he would unwittingly become the bait.

Seeing that Zhao Zuo had no intention of stopping, Liu Yunshan and his men immediately activated their own Light Body Talismans. His Cultivation was at the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer, so he was naturally confident he could catch a target who was only at the Qi Cultivation Fourth Layer—especially since the man was a sickly weakling with an unsteady gait.

Zhao Zuo didn’t use his full strength. He kept his pursuers on the line from a distance, neither letting them catch him nor allowing the gap to grow so wide they might give up the chase.

Then, he sensed Shen Yunjiao’s fleeting aura from a snowdrift by the road. His eyes immediately darted over, locating her ambush spot amidst the pure white snow. Only then did he begin to slow down, feigning exhaustion and panting heavily.

SWISH.

Liu Yunshan instantly closed the distance from behind, flashing forward to block Zhao Zuo’s path. A vicious smile played on his lips as his two companions moved to surround Zhao Zuo.

"Well, kid. We meet again."

Zhao Zuo merely glanced at Liu Yunshan and remarked with a soft sigh.

"There was no need for this."

’If it hadn’t been him in disguise today, a mere twenty catties of Spirit Rice would have been reason enough for a weak Loose Cultivator to be killed. In this world devoid of rules, weakness is the greatest original sin.’

"What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" Liu Yunshan said, annoyed. He swung a fist at Zhao Zuo’s cheek, deliberately holding back his Mana. He only wanted to give him a beating; he couldn’t bear to kill such a good cash cow.

In a daze, he saw a flash of silver bloom before his eyes. The scrawny-looking target’s body let out the crisp crackle of grinding, shifting bones. He grew taller as his hidden muscles reappeared, and his once timid, evasive gaze became as calm and deep as a dark pool.

THUD.

Liu Yunshan died from his own carelessness, and from his own cruel amusements.

From within the snowdrift, Shen Yunjiao shot out. In a flash, her longsword struck, leaving a trail in the air like a bolt of silvery moonlight. She crossed the three-meter distance in the blink of an eye and instantly killed the other unlucky goon, whose face was still a mask of terror at the moment of his death.

In an instant, the tables had turned.

"I’ll ask, you’ll answer. Cooperate, and I’ll give you a quick death. Otherwise, you’ll die by a thousand cuts."

Shen Yunjiao’s eyes flashed with killing intent as she pressed the edge of her blade to the last man’s neck. The sight gave her the valiant and heroic air of a wandering swordswoman of the Jianghu.

SPURT.

Knowing there was no chance of survival, the man steeled himself, took a swift step forward, and slit his own throat on her blade.

Their only lead convulsed on the ground for two seconds before breathing his last.

Zhao Zuo was stunned, his gaze toward Shen Yunjiao turning somewhat complicated.

Shen Yunjiao stared at the corpse, her expression a mixture of embarrassment and shame. It was like a veteran hunter taking a novice out on a hunt, only to be outsmarted by a tortoise and fall flat on his face, his lifelong reputation shattered in a single moment.

"Ahem, that was an accident," Shen Yunjiao said, blushing.

This turn of events had clearly caught Shen Yunjiao by surprise as well.

"What’s the plan now?" Zhao Zuo asked.

The original plan was to interrogate the man for information about Lei Zhen, then launch a night raid to eliminate the threat once and for all. But now that their only source of intel was a corpse, the initial plan was a complete failure.

Shen Yunjiao crouched down and began looting the corpses. In total, she found a dozen or so Spirit Stones, three Magical Artifacts, some basic, commonly used Talismans, and half a vial of Golden Wound Medicine.

"We’ve tipped our hand now. Lei Zhen will definitely be more cautious for the next few days. I suggest we go our separate ways for now. I’ll gather more information, and then we can come up with a new plan."

"Agreed."

Zhao Zuo nodded. Any operation required intelligence gathering before a proper plan could be made. Only then could they ensure success and guarantee their own safety.

"By rights... a share of this loot is yours. So, how about this: I’ll take all of these items, plus those two Dark Iron Daggers, and in return, Lei Ming’s Storage Bag is yours. Deal?" Shen Yunjiao asked.

If one were to calculate carefully, Zhao Zuo’s rightful share of the loot was worth about fifty Spirit Stones. Shen Yunjiao’s offer amounted to her sacrificing her own profits to compensate him; it was also an investment and a gesture of goodwill.

After all, a Zhao Zuo who possessed two Middle Grade Magical Artifacts and the incredible Bone Shrinking and Disguise Technique was a world apart from the person he usually appeared to be.

"No problem. But this is what would be fair."

Zhao Zuo took the two Dark Iron Daggers and the two standard-issue sword-shaped Magical Artifacts from his bundle and handed them to Shen Yunjiao. He understood her intentions. ’But I won’t accept her charity!’

This was just like when they’d first met. Back then, Zhao Zuo had deliberately added extra ingredients to the medicine, hoping to win Shen Yunjiao’s friendship, only to be taught a lesson instead. The situation was the same, only... their roles were now reversed.

Shen Yunjiao gave Zhao Zuo a long, deep look before accepting the four Magical Artifacts.

"I’ll bring the Storage Bag to your home tonight."

Zhao Zuo naturally trusted Shen Yunjiao’s character. She couldn’t be called a good person, but she had her own principles. She might be greedy... but she wouldn’t forcibly take something that didn’t belong to her.

The howling wind sounded like the roar of the heavens. The two set off once more, trudging through the snow until they gradually reached the vicinity of Qingni Lane. The thick snow had half-buried the houses; only the rooftops and the upper frames of the wooden lattice windows were still visible.

Zhao Zuo felt a momentary sense of surreal displacement. Qingni Lane hadn’t looked anything like this when he left. Fortunately, the snow hadn’t crushed his house. If he cleared the snow off the roof, he could lift a tile and get inside... ’The good news is... I still have a place to live.’

"Contact me as soon as you have information," Zhao Zuo said in a low voice, scanning his surroundings.

"No problem."

Zhao Zuo first cleared the snow from a section of the roof, then slipped through an opening and dropped inside. There was basically no difference between the temperature indoors and out; both were bone-chillingly cold.

He forced open a crack in the backyard window, scooped some snow into a kettle, and then rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. Mana flowed, and a flame instantly sparked to life, igniting the firewood beneath the earthen stove.

This was a simple little trick. Anyone with a Fire Series Spiritual Root could easily convert their Mana into a flame. But being such a minor technique, it was only useful for lighting fires.

Zhao Zuo ate a simple meal of Spirit Rice, then wrapped himself in a Beast Hide and fell asleep on a pile of firewood. After being hunted and then turning the tables, fighting several battles, and having to put on a dramatic performance for his enemies, he was utterly exhausted.

By midnight, the snow that had been falling all day finally stopped.

SCRAPE... SCRAPE... THUD.

First came the sound of tiles being shifted, followed by the thud of something heavy landing on the floor.

Zhao Zuo snapped out of his Cultivation and opened his eyes, instantly on guard.

"It’s me," Shen Yunjiao said.

"I found out Lei Zhen was injured today while trying to ambush someone. We’re raiding his place tonight!"

...

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