Bai Shu heard Xi Shen’s question and froze. However, after a moment he nodded his head and got up.
“Follow me, I’ll show you to the Labyrinth.”
Xi Shen heard Bai Shu say, and he was slightly taken aback at how cooperative he was being. He didn’t ask who he was or why he wanted to know about the Bai Clan’s Labyrinth. This made Xi Shen suspicious about this fellow, one could be smart enough to know not to ask those questions in his situation, but something just didn’t feel right about this from Xi Shen’s perspective.
Even though that was the case, Xi Shen still chose to follow this youth to see what he was up to.
Xi Shen and Bai Shu walked through the various buildings within the courtyard, with Bai Shu in the lead.
They had bumped into a few people along the way, and Bi Shu had turned around to see if this would be a problem but he was shocked to see that Xi Shen’s appearance had changed to one of his friends that were kneeling in the hall.
Bai Shu’s eyes had flickered with a mysterious light after he turned around, causing Xi Shen not to be able to see it.
After only a few minutes they reached the servant’s quarters where the buildings were poorly kept with holes in the ceiling and doors.
Bai Shu lead Xi Shen to a remote house some distance away from the other servants' home, and Xi Shen noted how out of sight this building was.
Bai Shu pulled open the sliding door and entered. Xi Shen followed behind him into the house, and it was exactly what one would expect from its outer appearance, it was shabby, and the walls, as well as the structure of the roof above, had cracks on them as if they could crumble at any moment.
Xi Shen didn’t enter further than the doorway, and looking at the youth Xi Shen said, “Are you going to tell me what you’re up to? There’s no way you didn’t think the way you’re acting isn’t suspicious.”
Bai Shu turn around and his demeanor of a timid and spineless person completely vanished. It felt as if a well-designed mask had been taken off, revealing his true nature. And looking at his calculative eyes and the feeling of arrogance radiated from him, Xi Shen would be inclined to think this Bai Shu's true nature was of an extremely conniving and manipulative person.
After his demeanor dramatically changed, Bai Shu cupped his fist and said, “Sir, I apologize if you feel slighted by my acting, but this is something that is crucial for me to maintain in public, with eyes on me or off me.”
Xi Shen cast a casual glance at him, and then asked, “You planned me being here right?”
Hearing that, Bai Shu’s expression didn’t change, but he was secretly thinking in his heart that he couldn’t underestimate this person’s intelligence.
Bai Shu then said, “Yes Sir, I planned this. I saw from afar when Fan Wen was pulling you from the tavern. I was taken aback at first when I saw someone that looked so much like me, but after I think about it I realize you were likely the person my Bai Clan is currently looking for. I suspect you were scouting the West Gate and chose the tavern to gather information that would help you escape.”
Xi Shen frowned in his figurative heart at that and asked, “You figured all of that out simply because of my identical appearance to you?”
Bai Shu nodded and responded, “I came to these conclusions because it was exactly what I would do in your situation. I would also be interested in the Labyrinth that Fen Wen had carelessly spoken about as well.”
Xi Shen had to admit this Bai Shu was smart, but he came here for the Labyrinth, he didn’t have time to chit-chat with him.
As if Bai Shu had read Xi Shen's thoughts, he said, “Sir, the Labyrinth of the Bai Clan is a secret underground passage system that is not known to many people. Due to the many passages there are, it might be possible for you to slip past the experts guarding them and escape safely. However, before I show you where the Labyrinth is, I want you… to kill someone for me.”
Xi Shen immediately responded, “I don’t have time to fulfill your request and why should I even bother? I don’t know you nor do I feel any sympathy to help you. Helping you has no benefits. Tell me where the entrance to the Labyrinth is and I won’t destroy your consciousness while extracting your memories.”
Hearing Xi Shen's cold and heartless response, Bai Shu gritted his teeth and said, “Sir, the person I wish for you to kill is Side Branch Elder Duhong, he’s at the early Core Formation Stage so his enormous wealth is the compensation for your work.”
“Are you trying to hire me? Sorry to say I’m no hitman, and killing someone like a Side Branch Elder in the current position I’m in is idiotic. And who’s to say some side branch elder’s wealth is enough of a compensation?”
Bai Shu dug his fingernails into his palms upon hearing Xi Shen’s refusal once again. He knew that this mysterious person wouldn’t have accepted his deal, but Bai Shu saw a slim opportunity and wanted to grasp at it with everything he got. He’ll do anything and everything in his power to have that man killed.
“Sir, if his wealth is not acceptable, I have a precious treasure in my possession. It is a map of the Hidden Fragmented Realm. Even though it is incomplete, it shows the location of one of the Legendary Divine Beast Legacies. Sir, if you accept my request I’ll gift this map to you!”
This was Bai Shu’s most well guarded secret and last resort. If this person didn’t accept his request then he didn’t know what else to do.
Xi Shen was getting annoyed at this Bai Shu’s insistent, but when he heard the mention of a map of some hidden realm he was slightly curious, but at the same time confused.
‘Hidden Fragmented Realm? Divine Beast Legacies?’ Xi Shen had no clue as to what those things were.
Bai Shu realize this as well, so he decided to explain.
“Sir, the Hidden Fragmented Realm is a treasure ground that opens every three thousand years between the territory on the Maple Continent and the Star Bound Continent. It is something that creates a huge commotion among the top Academies and Clans. This is because it contains seven powerful Legacies from Ancient Divine Beast from the past, and other enormous good fortunes. The Hidden Fragmented Realm is also opening in a year's time.”
Xi Shen listened to Bai Shu’s words and was completely shocked. He didn’t know of such a place existing and he didn’t read information like that in his family's Secret Archives.
This was the third time Xi Shen felt that his knowledge about this era wasn’t as deep as he had thought. First, there was the lack of information on the cultivation stages above the Soul Transformation Realm, second was him finding runes from the God Era being used by the Bai Clan, and now third is this Hidden Fragmented Realm he knew nothing about.
He hadn’t read everything with his family’s Secret Archive but he would have at least stumbled upon some piece of information about it. To find nothing of it in there, thoughts of there being an even more secretive archive in the Imperial Palace plagued his mind. How else would this important piece of information not being documented be explained?
Xi Shen was curious about this Hidden Fragmented Realm and the map this Bai Shu had, but to run around the Bai Clan in his situation to kill a Core Formation Side Branch Elder. He was brazen but to be this brazen Xi Shen was reluctant to risk it. Especially since if he ended up getting caught it would be Tai and Little Snow that would suffer.
Turning to look at Bai Shu, Xi Shen said coldly, “What’s stopping me from searching your memories and taking the map for myself?”
Bai Shu calmly responded, “I didn't look at the map’s contents, and even I don’t know where the map is exactly. I closed my eyes and went deep into the forest nearby and buried it. I only know its general location, so reading my memories would be useless.”
Xi Shen looked at this Bai Shu more closely. People like him at his age were a rarity, if he ever becomes a cultivator his calculative nature and cautiousness would become a nightmare for his enemies. But Xi Shen can’t sense any Qi fluctuations from him so he had long passed the stage of starting his cultivation. That was pitiful, since the longer a person waits to start their cultivation, the lesser their chances of reaching far would be.
Xi Shen stood there contemplating what he should do.
Should he let his curiosity control him and he took up Bai Shu’s offer, or should he immediately try to escape?
As he was thinking that, he felt the hidden Divine Will of the Soul Transformation Realm Cultivator passing overhead.
Bai Shu watched nervously as Xi Shen stood there thinking for a moment before he looked at him and made his decision.
*******
Word Count: 1586
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