Beginning with the Ubume Bird
Chapter 667 - Chapter 667 Chapter Fifty-Three The Missing Mass

Chapter 667: Chapter Fifty-Three The Missing Mass Chapter 667: Chapter Fifty-Three The Missing Mass Cha Xiaodao burst into laughter upon hearing that, “Take a white pill during the day to stay awake, and a black one at night to sleep soundly?”

“Is Xue Wenhai just talking nonsense? Is his idea really going to work?”

Jin Ye asked with a furrowed brow.

Ren Yi patiently explained, “The Taixu Monk who determined the Dragon Vein in Nanjing was from the same lineage as Jiang Sihai and Qian Wuyuan. Therefore, we believe that Xue Wenhai’s method might work. Moreover, even if Xue Wenhai’s approach proves useless, the Four Pillars Divine Fiend itself is a treasure trove of secrets.” Especially the first Heavenly Yi Noble of the auspicious spirits and the first Ten Evils Grand Defeat of the malicious spirits. These two Divine Fiends are something the Yan Zhao Club is desperate to acquire. If possible, the Yan Zhao Club even hopes to obtain all four of the Divine Fiends as specimens because there are many similarities in structure with the Yan Fu Heritage, which makes them highly valuable for study.”

Jin Ye nodded with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “I think I can tell which of the Ten Masters that sounds like. I have nothing more to ask.”

Ren Yi returned the smile and continued, “Of course, we’re not betting all our hopes on Xue Wenhai. Over the past month, Miss Yu Shiqie and our team have been actively seeking other Feng Shui Masters, but the result was that these people were either only fairly skilled or they died or disappeared mysteriously. Miss Yu Shiqie is extremely astute and deduced at that time that this matter was related to Sifan. Her conclusion was that we should hold our forces for the time being…”

“Discussing this now is pointless. It’s enough that everyone is clear on the situation. The Yan Zhao Club and Sifan are at an impasse; unless we’re certain that Sifan has completely left this fruit, we can’t afford to consider the collection of the Four Pillars Divine Fiend,” Yu Shiqie suddenly interjected.

Yang Zheng sat up straight, “What do you plan to do about Sifan?”

Yu Shiqie looked at him with a half-smile, “I’m thinking, if Sifan hasn’t left, what can I do to best protect the lives of everyone here.”

She held up a finger, “All members of the Eight Sufferings are above the Six Ministries. I’m assuming now that if any two from the Eight Sufferings were to attack this building, then by the time my statement is finished, more than half of the people here would be dead.”

Even though everyone was mentally prepared, Yu Shiqie’s blunt words still plunged the atmosphere into an incredibly awkward state.

Zhao Xin touched his nose, “Sister, don’t talk like that. Mr. Zhao won’t sit by idly. Even if there are a lot of them on the other side…”

“Mr. Zhao might be too busy to look after himself. If you were one of Sifan’s people, with the Human Master presiding over the Yan Zhao Club, would you just send a few juniors from the Six Ministries to their death? Either Sifan has made a feint and already evacuated all their people, or…”

Yang Zheng took over, “They would have one of the Five Directions Elder, who is also afflicted with suffering, take the lead.”

Yu Shiqie shot Zhao Xin a sideways glance, “Aside from Ai Bieli who was killed last time, among Sifan’s remnants, the old and sick among the Eight Sufferings are contemporaries of Zhao Jianzhong. But I guess neither of them has the guts to face Zhao Jianzhong alone. So, in the worst-case scenario, we may be facing two of the Five Directions Elders.”

“Ahem, didn’t they say that this fruit is already…”

Ren Ni asked softly.

Mo scratched his head, “The Five Directions Elders have an authority known as ‘Liberation,’ which can suppress their own quality, allowing them to traverse any unfamiliar fruit without relying on Yan Fu, otherwise even Mr. Zhao himself wouldn’t be able to enter.”

“With things as they are, there’s no use in hesitating. What does Mr. Zhao plan to do?”

Yang Zheng asked Yu Shiqie.

“Mr. Zhao asked me to do my best to ensure everyone’s safety, but as I’ve said, I don’t have much confidence in that.”

As Yu Shiqie spoke, she took off two inconspicuous silver earrings from her earlobes and placed them on the table.

“…”

Suddenly, the two silver earrings twisted and turned into two small snakes. During their writhing, they elongated and swelled until they grew into two giant pythons over one meter tall–one green and one red–both adorned with light black spots.

The two giant pythons stared coldly at everyone, slowly flicking their tongues.

“Since everyone chose not to leave at the first sign of Sifan’s exposure, I trust that you are all somewhat prepared. I won’t bother going into further detail. Before Mr. Zhao arrives, I hope you will all stay inside the bellies of Shuping and Wei Hong for a while.”

“Shuping and Wei Hong…”

“The names of my two goddaughters are these two snakes.”

“Does everyone have to?”

“In principle, yes.” Yu Shiqie said before she turned the conversation, “Of course, we’re not in a hierarchy here, and everyone’s life is their own. I’m just presenting my solution, and if anyone doesn’t trust me and would rather act independently, I won’t stop them.”

The nine people present fell silent one by one.

“I agree.”

Ren Ni was the first to raise his hand.

He scratched his head a little embarrassedly, “Since it’s different from the original plan, I guess I’m not much use anymore, and staying outside might only distract everyone. I have worked with Miss Yu before, and I trust her abilities.”

Yu Shiqie nodded.

The green python named “Shuping” slithered over to Ren Ni’s side and regarded him coldly for a moment before suddenly opening its giant mouth and swallowing Ren Ni up to his waist. Its body visibly swelled in a shocking spectacle.

Jin Ye licked his lips and tentatively asked, “Are you okay?”

Ren Ni’s exposed right hand formed an OK sign, and then the rest of him was consumed by Shuping, which coiled in a semi-reclined position on the sofa and quickly returned to normal girth right before their eyes.

“Ahem.”

Mo was the second to raise his hand.

“No, you can’t.”

Yu Shiqie feigned a glance.

“Why, why not?”

“My two goddaughters don’t like the smell on you. Why don’t you ask them if they’re willing to swallow you?”

Mo looked crestfallen as he turned his gaze to the red python, waving his hand, “Wei Hong?”

The red python flicked its tongue, turning its head away with a look of disgust.

“I’ve thought it through…” Jin Ye began, “I can’t accept your protection.”

“And your reason?”

“Don’t take offense at my bluntness.”

“Of course not.”

It was only then that Jin Ye spoke, “First of all, I am not a Yan Zhao Club member; I was invited by Mr. Zhao Jianzhong to join in. I have only met you three times, and it’s difficult for me to entrust my life to a stranger. Secondly, as the only person among us from the Six Ministries with the strongest self-defense capabilities, your target is also the largest. If I’m not mistaken, Yu Shiqie, you are one of the senior members among the second seats, your status is by no means lower than many in the first seat. You have taken part in the campaign to eradicate Sifan, and if some of the Ten Masters don’t wish to attend their meetings, they even ask you to stand in for them. You have also been involved in the previous campaign against Sifan and have a personal vendetta with the Eight Sufferings. Being tied to you could make me the primary target. Or even the only target. I’m more afraid of dying a crappy death than just dying.”

“That’s reasonable, I have no reason to refuse.”

Cha Xiaodao sighed, “Count me out as well, for reasons similar to Jin Ye’s.”

“I also decline.”

Zhao Xin suddenly said.

Yu Shiqie looked at her with a smile, “You and Wan Die must accept, there’s no room for discussion.”

Zhao Xin pouted but did not argue back. Wan Die caressed her head with a giggling smile. Their relation with Yu Shiqie was evidently deep-seated, and considering the intricate relationships and factions within the Yan Zhao Club, it was not surprising. What was rarer were the loners.

“And what about you two?”

Yu Shiqie turned to Li Yan and Yang Zheng, who had yet to express their views.

Yang Zheng shrugged, “I definitely decline.”

Li Yan shook his head as well.

“…”

Yu Shiqie shook her head, “There are five people who don’t plan to accept protection; frankly, this is a bit different from what I expected. While I have no right to force you, if you really all end up dead, it would be quite embarrassing for me in front of Mr. Zhao. Here’s what we’ll do, I’ve changed my mind.”

Yu Shiqie extended a slender finger, “If I believe Sifan intentionally sets out to kill any of you, I will compel Shuping and Wei Hong to consume you. And if I believe you are facing life-threatening danger, or serious injury, I will also have Shuping and Wei Hong consume you. This is not a suggestion, but a notice.”

“We’re not looking to die, of course there’s no problem.”

Cha Xiaodao chimed in.

“Alright, then it’s settled.”

After saying this, one green and one red python swallowed Wan Die and Zhao Xin whole, and everyone watched with expressionless faces, creating an incredibly strange scene.

Yu Shiqie, ignoring the two large pythons writhing behind her, said casually, “Oh, one more thing. The Heavenly Yi Noble and the Deceased Spirit Fiend that Cha Xiaodao just brought, and the cold cart Li Yan sent to the office yesterday, containing Jin Yu and the salt pond, I’ll keep custody of these four Divine Fiends for now. Once Mr. Zhao arrives, I will hand them over to him completely.”

Thud~ Thud~

Suddenly, Li Yan tapped the table, and after drawing everyone’s attention, he spoke his first words since the meeting began:

“The body of Ye Shiru and the ones from the cold cart I can hand over to you, but the body of Jin Boqing, I promised his family that I would turn it over to them after dawn…”

“…That’s acceptable.”

“Fine, I have no objections.”

————————-

At the unfinished building in Kwun Tong Choi Ha Estate.

“To be honest, I thought there would be an understanding between me and the people of the Yan Zhao Club.”

Wenle crouched on the edge of the building aperture, with the deep blue sky behind him.

“An understanding?”

Wu Yin Flourishing asked with interest, sitting next to Wenle, her feet swinging in the air as she turned her back to enjoy the nightscape.

“Putting aside old grudges, the Four Pillars Divine Fiend is very useful to both the Yan Zhao Club and us. Having Xue Wenhai to do the dirty work for me would be more than I could wish for, and people from the Yan Zhao Club should think so too. Killing Xue Wenhai too early would be like killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. I thought I had this understanding with the Yan Zhao Club. Once Zhao Jianzhong arrives in Hong Kong, Xue Wenhai’s collection of the Four Pillars Divine Fiend would have been nearly complete. Who could have foreseen…”

Wenle shrugged.

“Is that so?”

Wu Yin Flourishing gazed at the moonlight, “Judging by your performance in front of that old and sick, I thought you had it all planned out.”

“How could I? It was just improvisation.”

Wenle threw a pebble off the rooftop with the back of his hand, startling two affectionate sparrows from the branches.

“If I find out you’ve lied to me, I’ll kill you.”

“I’ll make sure my neck is clean and ready for you.”

Wu Yin Flourishing narrowed her eyes, “Right, I heard after the fact that Yu Shu was hunted by the Yan Zhao Club, and at least five or more hits were carried out by those of Six Ministries status, weren’t they?”

“That seems to be the case, we weren’t very clear on the details at that time.”

“Then it’s strange, this at least indicates that, including Taishuai, at that time the fruit could accommodate at least six from the Six Ministries without overloading. But when we left one by one just now, and only you and Muni were left, the fruit’s limit for bearing mass just barely returned to normal. Now among those within the fruit, there should only be three from the Six Ministries at most.”

The pretty nun reached towards the moon above, “Where did the rest of the mass go then?”