Chapter 2201 — Finding the Map's Location

As for how You Panhu would react once he got his hands on the alchemist's notes, Wei Zhao was curious but not especially worried. Bai Lingtou would never deceive him, and he had said himself that he would play along with the act—proof enough that the material was not the most important thing to Bai Lingtou. To trade that material for what he had gotten now was, for Wei Zhao, satisfaction enough.

It was true that the materials for refining second-grade pills could be obtained through Bai Lingtou, but if Wei Zhao were the one to ask, Bai Lingtou would certainly dig and pry, and then Wei Zhao would have no way to conceal the fact that Han Jingyi was an alchemist. Wei Zhao was unwilling to deceive Bai Lingtou, yet equally unwilling to expose Han Jingyi too soon—so he had simply gone after You Panhu instead.

At the very least, even if You Panhu was puzzled, he knew that asking would get him nowhere—Wei Zhao would never tell him—so he might as well not ask and spare himself the humiliation.

Sun Jingyan had not expected Wei Zhao to reserve a private room and a banquet downstairs. She hurried to freshen up and came down, by which time the waiter had served nearly all the dishes; she could eat the moment she arrived.

"No way? You great bandit—even if you want to treat me well, there's no need to order this much. How could the two of us possibly finish all this?" Sun Jingyan looked at the dishes on the table, delighted nonetheless.

"Someone else is paying. Why not eat our fill?" Wei Zhao said.

"Someone's treating us again?" Sun Jingyan was rather surprised. "Where is he, then?"

"Scrammed," Wei Zhao said.

"Huh?" Sun Jingyan blinked. "Scrammed? What do you mean?"

"I mean he scrammed. Once he paid the bill, he had no further business here," Wei Zhao said.

"Ugh." Sun Jingyan was speechless. "There are still such kind-hearted people in the world?"

"Indeed. That fool is always bringing me good things." Wei Zhao smiled faintly. "Never mind studying him—let's eat first."

"Mm-hm." Sun Jingyan nodded, picked up her chopsticks, and put a small bite into her mouth. Lately Sun Jingyan had shed the crisp competence she had carried when she ran her company, gaining instead a touch of languor and allure. Though she was at most a year older than Wei Zhao, the experience she had gained in the working world perhaps made her more mature than Miss, Little Shu, and the others—there was a hint of the older-sister type about her. "You said you'd come with me to explore that map my parents left me. Right?"

"Of course." Wei Zhao nodded without hesitation. His relationship with Sun Jingyan had always been good, and setting aside her former status as half a lover, the simple fact that she had given him the jade pendant her parents left her as material was a kindness enough to move Wei Zhao.

"Heh heh. So you do have some awareness of what it means to be a lover—you won't let me go off adventuring alone." Hearing Wei Zhao's firm answer, Sun Jingyan smiled happily.

"Awareness of what? My title as your lover is empty—not a single practical benefit to it." Wei Zhao laughed. "Put plainly, aren't I just free labor?"

"That's not quite it. Right now you're in the probationary period; once I'm pleased, I might just let you be my lover in full." Sun Jingyan said, "I'm a woman with no marriage contract now, you know. Whatever I do, my family won't interfere..."

As she spoke, Sun Jingyan winked at Wei Zhao.

"Are you seducing me?" Looking at the Sun Jingyan of now, Wei Zhao found it hard to reconcile her with the image of the female white-collar worker she had once been. The present Sun Jingyan was much more endearing.

"I suppose I am. Well? Do you accept the seduction?" Sun Jingyan asked.

"I accept," Wei Zhao said with a nod.

At that, both of them burst out laughing. This style of conversation between Wei Zhao and Sun Jingyan could only be understood by the two of them, and only the two of them knew it was nothing but a joke.

"Oh, right. I've found the exact location of the Ulonghot Mountains. It's beyond the southern border, and the environment there is very complex. I hear it's extremely dangerous!" Once the joking was done, Sun Jingyan's expression turned serious. "Several expedition teams have gone to explore the Ulonghot Mountains—most were wiped out entirely, and only a few survived. But according to the survivors, it's terribly dangerous there: not only are there natural chasms, but also monsters... And the local people are fierce and violent. In short, the survivors were all badly shaken—they said they would never go exploring there again in this lifetime..."

"Oh? From what you say, it sounds like that place is full of danger?" Wei Zhao was somewhat surprised at Sun Jingyan's explanation. "In that case, why would your parents leave you this map?"

"I don't know either. Maybe the more dangerous a place, the safer it is? If you hide something there, it wouldn't be easy for anyone to find?" Sun Jingyan said, "That's the only reason I can think of—and it fits the facts. After those few expedition teams met with disaster, no other team has ever gone to those mountains. Over time, the place has become forbidden ground for explorers."

"Perhaps that's the only explanation," Wei Zhao said, nodding after he heard her out.

"So? Are you scared?" Sun Jingyan asked.

"I'm not scared. You're the one I'm worried about." Wei Zhao was at a loss for words. Even if there were natural chasms and dangerous monsters, compared with raiding tombs and the trials of the Ice Palace, it was nothing at all! What chasm could be more frightening than the hidden passages and traps in an ancient tomb?

And what monster could be fiercer than the Wind-Thunder Violet Lightning Beast? Wei Zhao had handled all of those just the same, hadn't he?

"I really am a little afraid," Sun Jingyan admitted without concealment. "If you hadn't promised to come with me, I can hardly imagine whether I could have made up my mind to go and find out. After all, I'm not a cultivator like you—what I cultivate is a little peculiar."

"If it's just chasms and monsters, then rest easy—no problem. I can handle it all," Wei Zhao said.

"Good, that's what I thought too. You're an Earth-rank expert now, and those expedition members were all ordinary people—there's no comparing the two." Sun Jingyan said, "I hope this time we can find our destination safe and sound."

"When do we set out?" Wei Zhao asked.

"I can go anytime!" Sun Jingyan said. "There's no company business now. Every day all I do is dig through information at the hotel—there's nothing else to do. Now that the information's been found, we can leave at once."

"All right, then. I'll go back and make arrangements," Wei Zhao said. "You know I have to see to Gu Mengyao's and Shen Yushu's safety in advance."

Still, Sun Jingyan had chosen a good time. If Wei Zhao left now, he would have no worries left behind—he had just established his prestige at the Hidden World Families Summit, making those hidden families and sects wary of him.

For the fastest updates, read without pop-ups at.