Chapter 617: Do You Accept This Deal or Not

Yin Zanghua’s expression was cold.

But in her heart, she was already highly alert.

Ever since stepping onto this path of transcending the mortal to reach sainthood—this road of no return—she had long understood one truth:

The more ordinary and simple a person appears, the more dangerous they are.

Especially in a place like this, on such an occasion, encountering such a person made one all the more vigilant.

“Do you know who you’re making an enemy of?”

Yin Zanghua spoke calmly.

Shen Mo smiled faintly. “Of course I do. One of the five top powers in the Southern Sky Islands—Xuan Yin Cave Heaven.”

“But I wasn’t the one who provoked Xuan Yin Cave Heaven. It was your people who provoked me.”

Yin Zanghua remained expressionless on the surface, but secretly activated a secret art, attempting to see through the other party’s cultivation.

However, no matter how she probed—

It was like a clay ox entering the sea.

The other party was like a man-eating black hole.

All light shone into it would be torn apart, devoured, even annihilated.

Shen Mo said calmly, “Stop probing me, Cave Master Yin.”

Yin Zanghua was stunned inside.

Her probing technique was none other than Xuan Yin Cave Heaven’s Heaven-rank supreme secret art—the Nine Yin Qi-Gazing Method.

And yet the other party could still detect it?

In her heart, her assessment of this person instantly rose another level.

Vaguely, she already regarded him as a cultivator on the same level as herself.

Shen Mo smiled.

He had already looked over Yin Zanghua’s life panel long ago.

That was how he could prescribe the right medicine.

【Name: Yin Zanghua】

【Realm: Nirvana Stage, eighty-one Dao patterns】

【Fate Attributes: Beloved Disciple of the Supreme, Calculated Action, Blessed by Fortune, Alluring Beauty, Doomed Fate, Survival in Desperation, Heir of the Corpse Gu, Xuan Yin Congealed Fiend Physique】

【Destiny: Five hundred years later, will take over as the Grand Cave Master of Xuan Yin Cave Heaven. Three thousand years later, will step into the Saint Realm, becoming Ancestor Zanghua of Xuan Yin Cave Heaven. Live as long as the heavens, roaming the world freely.】

The fate attribute “Calculated Action” defined Yin Zanghua’s character entirely.

She excelled at schemes and strategies.

Though she held many trump cards, unless she had absolute certainty and full knowledge of her opponent, she would never act rashly.

Now, Shen Mo played the part of an empty fortress—concealing his aura flawlessly.

Both were in the Nirvana Stage. Yin Zanghua could not possibly see through his cultivation at a glance.

Coupled with the miserable fate of Chen Yu and Luo Yan—

It was perfectly natural for Yin Zanghua to overestimate his strength.

“What exactly do you want?”

Yin Zanghua asked coldly. “What must I do for you to release Chen Yu and Luo Yan?”

In Chen Yu and Luo Yan’s eyes, a glimmer of hope appeared.

Right now, the only person they could depend on was Yin Zanghua.

Shen Mo smiled faintly. “I hope to make a deal with you.”

Yin Zanghua snorted coldly. “What kind of deal?”

Shen Mo pointed at Chen Yu and Luo Yan. “I’ll help you kill them.”

“You help me erase the divine sense imprint on the Golden Page.”

Chen Yu and Luo Yan’s pupils instantly shrank.

Chen Yu cried out in terror, “Cave Master, don’t listen to him! Don’t—”

Before she could finish her words, Shen Mo flicked his finger. A wisp of spiritual power shot out, knocking Chen Yu unconscious.

Yin Zanghua’s gaze flickered, her heart stirred slightly.

But on her face, she sneered. “Fellow Daoist, what do you mean by this?”

“Chen Yu and Luo Yan are my personal subordinates. How could I tolerate you killing them?”

“It should be me using treasures to exchange for their lives from you.”

Shen Mo burst into laughter. “These two were never your trusted aides. They’re the eyes and ears left by the Second Cave Master to monitor you.”

“You’ve long wanted to kill them, but never found a suitable person to do it. After all, the two of them do possess some strength.”

“You’re a smart woman. Why pretend to be naïve?”

“Let’s not beat around the bush—just give me a straightforward answer.”

“Do you accept this deal, or not?”

Yin Zanghua’s heart trembled.

Chen Yu and Luo Yan belonged to the Second Cave Master. This was something only the upper echelon of Xuan Yin Cave Heaven should know.

Some Cave Masters who spent years outside searching for rare heavenly treasures to break through were barely informed of internal sect affairs.

They would never know such a thing.

If she had to estimate, those aware of this within Xuan Yin Cave Heaven likely numbered no more than five.

And yet the other party even knew this.

Just who was he?

Yin Zanghua lowered her voice. “Fellow Daoist, who exactly are you?”

Shen Mo still wore a faint smile. “No need to know who I am.”

“I’m only asking you—do you accept this deal or not?”

“If you don’t, I’ll let them go.”

Yin Zanghua’s pupils shrank.

Letting Chen Yu and Luo Yan go was even more unacceptable to her.

Right now, with both Golden Pages in someone else’s hands, and not a single one in her possession, she would surely face the Second Cave Master’s harsh criticism upon return.

It would be better to deal with Chen Yu and Luo Yan now and eliminate future troubles.

“Fine, I accept.”

Yin Zanghua looked Shen Mo in the eye, took a deep breath, her gaze profound.

Shen Mo smiled and took out the Golden Page, inserting it into the formation.

Even without spiritual power, the Golden Page was incomparably hard and sharp.

Now, as he poured in vast spiritual power—

The Golden Page became like the sharpest flying sword, slicing directly across the throats of Chen Yu and Luo Yan.

The two women were still unconscious when they perished on the spot.

Their soul remnants tried to flee but were instantly crushed by Shen Mo’s grasp.

He paid no mind at all to their beauty or physique.

Watching Shen Mo kill with such decisiveness, Yin Zanghua couldn’t help but glance at him a few more times.

She had seen male cultivators in Xuan Yin Cave Heaven who were ruthless toward women.

But someone who killed this swiftly and without hesitation—this was her first time seeing it.

As if he had merely slaughtered two insignificant pigs or dogs.

“Cave Master Yin, please enter the formation and erase the divine sense imprint on the Golden Page.”

“That would be best for both of us.”

Shen Mo smiled.

Yin Zanghua nodded and strode boldly into the Earth-Suppressing Heaven-Sealing Formation.

Both of them were smart.

There was no need to waste more words on this matter.

Yin Zanghua lifted the Golden Page from midair. Her spiritual power surged, and she instantly wiped away the divine sense imprint.

From this moment on, no one could track the Golden Page through that imprint again.

With a flick of her finger—

The Golden Page flew out, like a flying dagger aimed straight at Shen Mo’s throat.

Shen Mo remained expressionless as blood energy surged silently into his right palm.

Bang.

He caught the Golden Page without a scratch.

Yin Zanghua raised an eyebrow.

That small test left her with no more doubts about Shen Mo’s strength.

Perhaps his Dao patterns were slightly inferior.

But his strength was certainly not much below her own.

To seize the Golden Page by force would come with great risk.

If the disturbance grew too large and attracted powerful passing cultivators, things would only become more complicated.

Xuan Yin Cave Heaven was known for being domineering and arrogant.

Not exactly friendly with many sects—if anything, it had enemies on all sides.

At least here in the Falling Star Sea Domain, none of the three major factions would step in to help.

After weighing all this, Yin Zanghua decisively gave up the thought of attacking.

“Fellow Daoist Shi, please remove the Earth-Suppressing Heaven-Sealing Formation.”

Yin Zanghua said calmly.

Shen Mo smiled. “Naturally.”

He extended a hand.

The formation’s barrier swiftly faded.

And finally vanished without a trace.

“Cave Master Yin, upon your return to Xuan Yin Cave Heaven, I fear the Second Cave Master won’t go easy on you.”

Shen Mo gave a faint smile.

Yin Zanghua replied coolly, “The internal affairs of Xuan Yin Cave Heaven don’t require your concern, Fellow Daoist.”

Shen Mo smiled. “If you ever wish to trade again, feel free to come find me.”

Yin Zanghua said nothing.

She simply turned and walked away, treading across the waves.

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