Chapter 1162: Chapter 786: Betrayal
"Where am I supposed to get a Nether-level Magical Artifact for you?" These Nether-level Artifacts aren’t just cabbages; even Yang Xiao doesn’t have enough for himself.
"You naturally don’t have any on you, but the Esoteric Sect surely has treasures. You saved Cannibal Buddha’s daughter; he won’t mistreat you, as long as you’re willing to ask." Sheng Yanlin looked cunning and shrewd.
"You offer goodwill, and you get benefits; Dean Sheng, you certainly calculated this well." Yang Xiao laughed.
"Yang, I am not someone who takes freebies. The gratitude for your favor will surely be repaid in the future."
Sheng Yanlin paused and lowered his voice, "You know my skill in appraising treasures. Even if you don’t believe me, you can inquire in the world of martial arts about my reputation, Sheng Yanlin."
"I can say that no one in this world understands the Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes better than I do, not even the Chamber of Commerce’s Store Manager."
"With me here, I can assist you in controlling this supreme treasure, and extend the backlash to the maximum extent possible. Given time, ascending to the angel envoy’s pinnacle might not be impossible."
Though he hadn’t spent much time with the former Dean of Yiling Academy, Yang Xiao knew well his skills. There couldn’t be many people who could see through the Drama Robe at a glance in the whole world.
Furthermore, everyone had a common goal, a shared enemy in the Dharma Sect and the current Yiling Academy. As long as the other party doesn’t covet the Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes, they are undoubtedly great collaborators.
Seeing Yang Xiao not responding for a long time, Sheng Yanlin became somewhat anxious, "Yang, could it be that you still don’t trust me?"
"Dean Sheng, what do you mean? With your prestige and abilities, of course, I trust you. But I’m curious, why do you seek me for collaboration?"
"You can see clearly that my uncle is the high official of the Patrol Defense Office. If you are willing to cooperate with him, establishing relations with the Patrol Defense Office and persuading the General Bureau to dispatch experts to aid you in quelling the rebellion, wouldn’t it be simpler?" Yang Xiao offered a more convenient suggestion.
Though he had the Hundred Demons Coffin Clothes, he was ultimately an unimpressive Ghost-level Apostle, unable to shake the ultra-class force such as Yiling Academy in the short term, let alone the colossal Dharma Sect, one of the four giants of the Yin Temple behind it.
Unexpectedly, mentioning the Patrol Defense Office, Sheng Yanlin sneered, "Collaborating with your Patrol Defense Office would be following in the footsteps of my insensible brother. Even if I regain the academy, I would be under the control of the Patrol Defense Office in the future."
"Moreover, there’s no free lunch in the world. If my brother offers a better price, the Patrol Defense Office might sell me out as well."
"Yang, you wouldn’t think your Patrol Defense Office could stand in the world of martial arts for decades, maintaining its position at the top of the three major forces, relying solely on fairness and justice, right?"
Without some tactics, it would be impossible to stabilize various domestic and foreign forces. Yang Xiao understood this better than anyone else, "Dean Sheng, you trust people besides the Patrol Defense Office, yet can trust me?"
"Yes, I trust you. Although you have many crooked thoughts, you’re loyal to friends. From the time you were willing to risk your life to cover for your brothers, I trusted you wouldn’t betray me." Sheng Yanlin spoke with conviction.
"Well, since you trust me, I am willing to weather storms together with Dean Sheng in the future."
"However, the matter of requesting a magical artifact is significant. Unless Cannibal Buddha broaches the subject, I can’t bring it up." Yang Xiao felt it was best to clarify things beforehand.
"Agreed!" Sheng Yanlin said excitedly.
Yang Xiao cupped his hands in a junior’s salute to Sheng Yanlin, "Agreed!"
With the collaboration reached, a burden was lifted from Sheng Yanlin’s heart. At this moment, he voluntarily offered to help the Mirror Ghost harness the Nether Armor, showcasing his skills.
"Should I use the coffin clothes to assist you?" In the past, he always had to deceive the Opera Robe Ghost to devour the magical artifact, and then deliver it to the Mirror Ghost, which led to a backlash afterward.
This time, with Sheng Yanlin’s guidance, the situation was vastly different, "No need; these ghost creatures naturally have the instinct to devour their kind. First, have it dress in the armor, and then remove the wooden wedge. After that, you don’t need to concern yourself."
"Three days later, we return, and while it’s not fully recovered, control it again and nail the wooden wedge back into its body. This way, you won’t suffer from the coffin clothes’ backlash." Sheng Yanlin spoke assuredly.
"Is it that simple?" Yang Xiao was somewhat hesitant.
"Simple?" Sheng Yanlin laughed, "The crucial part is mastering the timing and opportunity. If you return too early, and the ghost creature hasn’t fully devoured the armor, nailing the wooden wedge then will disrupt the balance and lead to unpredictable consequences."
"However, if you return too late, and the ghost creature has fully seized control of the Nether-level Magical Artifact, given your current level, you might not even leave alive."
Yang Xiao knew very well how troublesome an uncontrolled Mirror Ghost could be. It originated from himself, full of devious schemes, and its greatest wish was to drive the wooden wedge into its own body, reversing roles.
Soon, under the guidance of Dean Sheng, Yang Xiao managed the Mirror Ghost’s matters. Sheng Yanlin was busy identifying and categorizing the stored magical artifacts in the secret room.
These magical artifacts weren’t bad. More than half were Nether-level Magical Artifacts, with two barely reaching the Nether-level threshold. However, such level of artifacts, in Sheng Yanlin’s experienced view, wasn’t impressive at all.
"Yang, I’m not being picky. I was forcibly deprived of artifacts before, which damaged my foundation. Even with Esoteric Sect experts helping me, I estimate that mastering two more artifacts is the limit. These... each one must not be sloppy." Sheng Yanlin closed the box and explained helplessly.
Yang Xiao could understand. The strength and ability of these two artifacts directly determined Dean Sheng’s future level of power. To return to the peak, he would definitely opt for quality over quantity.
