255: Chapter 253 Waiting for a Rabbit to Fall into a Trap

Meanwhile, in the lobby of the Xianke Residence, Boss Zhao sat by the window.

A pot of tea was placed before him, but it had already gone cold, and he did not drink it.

His expression was ugly, as gloomy as the sky before a storm.

He had been sitting here for an entire day, from yesterday morning until now; he had drunk several pots of tea and ordered several dishes, but he hadn't eaten a single thing.

His subordinates were also sitting at a nearby table, each one listless and dejected, not daring to speak.

Boss Zhao's gaze was fixed on the entrance.

He was waiting for someone—that young man wearing a moon-white robe with a nine-tailed white fox curled up on his shoulder.

He had checked; that person was named Yun Ming, and he had booked two Heaven-Grade rooms at the Xianke Residence for five days.

Heaven-Grade rooms cost ten High-Grade Spirit Stones per day, so two rooms cost twenty.

For five days, that was one hundred.

Adding in meals, tea, and tips, it would cost at least several dozen more.

This was not a small sum.

Ordinary people couldn't bear to stay in Earth-Grade rooms, yet he stayed in Heaven-Grade ones and even booked two.

"He is definitely a fat sheep," Boss Zhao thought to himself.

His eyes narrowed, and a flash of greed crossed his murky pupils.

But he dared not rush into the Heaven-Grade rooms to seize him; that was Shanhai Society territory, and Heaven-Grade guests were under the protection of the Shanhai Society.

He could walk around the lobby as he pleased and smash plates or curse in the private rooms, but touching a Heaven-Grade guest meant going against the Shanhai Society.

Although President Qian of the Shanhai Society usually smiled and appeared to be a peacemaker, if you truly touched his cheese, his methods were more ruthless than anyone else's.

Boss Zhao was not stupid; he would not offend President Qian for the sake of one Yun Ming.

He could only wait.

Wait for Yun Ming to return.

But a day had passed, and Yun Ming had not returned.

The subordinates he had sent out had also lost track of him.

They had followed Yun Ming out of the Xianke Residence and watched him go to the Teleportation Array, and then—that was it.

That thing called a Teleportation Array transported ten people at once; they departed together and arrived together.

The people coming out of Chengen Street were as numerous as ants, with dozens of Teleportation Arrays operating simultaneously, people entering and exiting at every moment.

Boss Zhao's subordinates had searched Chengen Street for half a day and hadn't even found a shadow of that person.

"A bunch of useless trash!" Boss Zhao cursed.

His subordinates lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.

Boss Zhao was annoyed, not only because he hadn't waited for Yun Ming, but also because their Hall Master had been in a bad mood lately.

Xuanming Hall, Vermilion Tower, and the Shanhai Society—the three underground forces—were always fighting openly and secretly, and none of them could do anything to the others.

But the Longevity Festival was approaching, and the Crown Prince, Your Highness, had issued an order: the entire city would be under martial law during the festival, and no one was allowed to cause trouble.

Originally, this was fair to all three parties, and no one had an advantage over the others.

But the problem was that the Vermilion Tower and the Shanhai Society made their living from festival business.

The brothels and stages of the Vermilion Tower, and the restaurants and gambling dens of the Shanhai Society, did incredibly well during the Longevity Festival, earning massive profits.

What about Xuanming Hall?

They dealt in black-market businesses, usually relying on collecting protection fees, usury, and smuggling Spirit Medicine to get by.

During the Longevity Festival, the authorities kept a tight watch, so all their businesses were halted; every day there were only expenses and no income.

How could the Hall Master be in a good mood?

He had been smashing things in the estate for several days, and all his subordinates were terrified.

Half a month ago, the Hall Master had gathered a few confidants, saying he had received news from the palace.

The Princess Royal, Your Highness, had recently been collecting exotic beasts.

Not the ordinary kind, but the kind that were rare, not found in Tianyuan City, and capable of making people's eyes light up.

It was common knowledge in Tianyuan City that the Princess Royal loved Spirit Beasts.

Her Treasure-Spitting Mouse was a fourth-rank Spirit Beast that she had raised for several hundred years, bringing it to the Nascent Soul Stage.

For some reason, she had recently started scouring everywhere for exotic beasts again and had announced that whoever could present a Spirit Beast that satisfied her would be heavily rewarded.

The Hall Master's thoughts had become active.

What Xuanming Hall lacked now was not Spirit Stones, but connections.

Once the Longevity Festival arrived, the Crown Prince, Your Highness, would preside over the sacrificial ceremony, and court officials, royal relatives, and representatives from all major Sects would attend.

This was a good opportunity to establish connections, but Xuanming Hall had no one in the imperial court.

The person behind the Hall Master, although high-ranking, could not make contact with the royal family.

If the Hall Master could show his face before the Princess Royal, Your Highness, perhaps he could establish a connection with the royal family.

At that time, Xuanming Hall would no longer be an underground force, but a semi-official one.

What would the Vermilion Tower and the Shanhai Society count for then?

The Hall Master had entrusted this task to his trusted subordinates, who were also his kinsmen.

This included Boss Zhao.

Boss Zhao had thumped his chest and guaranteed that he would find an exotic beast that would satisfy the Princess Royal, Your Highness, for the Hall Master.

Then he began his search.

There were many exotic beasts in Tianyuan City.

To what extent?

To the extent that if you walked into any Spirit Beast shop, you could see several rare third-rank or fourth-rank Spirit Beasts.

But what the Hall Master wanted was the kind that the Princess Royal, Your Highness, had never seen and that Tianyuan City did not have.

This was too difficult.

What kind of place was Tianyuan City?

It was the capital of the Zifu Immortal Dynasty, a place where all the world's rare treasures gathered.

What kind of person was the Princess Royal, Your Highness?

She was the Princess Royal of the Zifu Immortal Dynasty; what good things had she not seen?

What she lacked was not Spirit Beasts, but novelty.

Boss Zhao had searched for half a month and hadn't found a single hair.

Just when he was about to give up, he met Yun Ming.

That fox—pure white fur, nine tails, curled up on the table, eyes narrowed, looking like a ball of snow.

Boss Zhao's eyes had gone straight.

Nine-tailed foxes—there weren't many in the entire Tianyuan City.

Although he couldn't identify the breed, as long as it had nine tails, it was absolutely extraordinary.

Moreover, there was an indescribable Spiritual Qi about that fox; it wasn't the seductive charm of ordinary fox clans, but a cold, noble temperament that made people afraid to profane it.

Boss Zhao could tell at a glance that this fox was not an ordinary item.

And it wasn't in Tianyuan City either.

He was tempted.

Then he took action.

Then he was rebuffed.

That young man was not afraid of him, not afraid of the Zhao family, and not afraid of the Xuanming Hall.

In the Shanhai Society's territory, in front of so many people, he had refused his Spirit Stones.

He even said things like "one billion High-Grade Spirit Stones."

In front of everyone, he had played him for a fool.

Thinking of this, Boss Zhao clenched his fists a little tighter.

"Boss, why don't we…" a subordinate leaned in and whispered.

"Shut up." Boss Zhao glared at him.

"I said, wait here. Wait for him to return on his own."

"But Boss, it's already been a day and a night. If he doesn't come back…"

"He booked for five days." Boss Zhao's voice was very low.

"Five days in a Heaven-Grade room, one hundred High-Grade Spirit Stones. It is impossible for him not to return. Who would go against Spirit Stones?"

The subordinate thought about it, felt it made sense, and shrank back.

Boss Zhao stood up, brushed the dust off his robes, glanced at the entrance, and then glanced at the direction of the stairs.

"You few, stay here. Take turns guarding; do not alert the enemy. If he returns, keep an eye on him—when he leaves, where he goes. Do not act, do not startle him. Wait for me to return."

The subordinates nodded.

Boss Zhao turned around and strode out of the Xianke Residence.

He had to see the Hall Master.

He could not make the decision on this matter alone.

That brat was not afraid of the Xuanming Hall or the Zhao family; he was either a hotheaded youth or truly had a background.

He had to discuss it with the Hall Master.

The nine-tailed fox—he was determined to get it.

No matter what background that brat had, he had to get his hands on this fox.

For the Hall Master, and for himself as well.