41: Wind Chaser Sword Key

“Hiss!”

Seeing the sword-shaped key, the burly man couldn't help but gasp.

Evidently, the value of this sword-shaped key was immeasurable.

“Lord, your generosity is too great. What if this is a scam…?”

Chen Fang smiled and shook his head: “Even Kong Wen wouldn’t dare to use a Great Accomplishment of Yuanqi expert as bait to trap me. Since we’re cooperating, we need to show sincerity. He already gave me Black Robe’s life, so giving him this key is not too much.”

With that, Chen Fang handed the sword-shaped key to the burly man.

“Your subordinate obeys!”

The burly man took the key and left the room directly.

As for Chen Fang, his gaze gradually became profound: “Kong Wen, oh Kong Wen, you think you’re smart, calculating everything, and can manipulate others’ fates at will. This time, you’ve lifted a rock only to drop it on your own foot. Dragging a powerful expert you can’t control into this, I’d like to see what you’ll do?”

...Inside the hotel.

Shen Xi sat cross-legged, using his breathing technique to recover his physical strength.

The continuous battles had taken a considerable toll on him.

Although the four Acquired Martial Arts were indeed powerful enough to significantly boost his combat strength, the consumption of using these Martial Arts was also not low.

Even Shen Xi felt somewhat exhausted.

After a long while, he finally let out a long breath, ending his Cultivation.

At this moment, rustling footsteps came from outside the door.

“Who is it?”

Shen Xi roared, opened the door, and prepared to attack.

Only when he saw the burly man’s face did he stop his movements.

“So it’s you!”

The burly man was startled. He had tried his best to be as quiet as possible, but he didn’t expect to be discovered by Shen Xi as soon as he reached the door.

This made him even more certain that this young man’s strength was more terrifying than he had imagined.

“By order of Lord Chen Fang, I’ve brought you a treasure as a token of our cooperation’s sincerity.”

The burly man quickly stated his purpose and took out the sword-shaped key.

“What is this thing?”

Shen Xi asked, puzzled.

“This object is called the wind chasing sword key, and it’s a pass to the Chasing Wind Secret Realm…”

After listening to the burly man’s detailed explanation, Shen Xi finally understood how sincere the cooperation gift Chen Fang had sent was.

Zhu Feng City was named as such because, hundreds of years ago, among the wild people abandoned by the Federation, a strong individual who had entered the Dao of Martial Arts saved the wild people from peril with his Wind Chasing Swordplay.

To thank this strong individual, the surviving wild people named the city after the Wind Chasing Swordplay, establishing the prototype of Zhu Feng City. As time passed, the city grew larger and larger, firmly establishing itself in the wilderness, leading to the Zhu Feng City of today.

And the Chasing Wind Secret Realm was located above Zhu Feng City, a mysterious space left behind by that strong individual.

According to rumors, the Secret Realm also contained the supreme Sword Dao Legacy of that strong individual—the Wind Chasing Swordplay. Once obtained, one’s Cultivation would soar, which made countless Martial Artists envious.

And the wind chasing sword key was the pass to enter the Secret Realm.

“The entire Zhu Feng City has a population of tens of millions, but the number of spots to enter the Secret Realm does not exceed five thousand. Even Lord Chen Fang only has five wind chasing sword keys, and he specifically instructed me to give one to you.”

The burly man deliberately emphasized the preciousness of the wind chasing sword key.

“It seems he is indeed very sincere in his cooperation. I will accept the gift. Tell him that I will fully assist in any matter that strikes at Kong Wen. However, we are only in a cooperative relationship; there is no superior or subordinate.”

Shen Xi straightforwardly accepted the wind chasing sword key and reiterated his stance.

He could help, but if Chen Fang intended to use this opportunity to command him, that was a pipe dream.

“Naturally, Lord Chen Fang also treats you as an equal. You can rest assured about this. Furthermore, Lord Chen Fang also said that you can do whatever you want in the Outer City, no matter how big a mess you make, he will handle it.”

The burly man said with a fawning smile.

In the Outer City, a captain-level individual was like a god, a symbol of absolute power.

Hearing this, Shen Xi pondered: “So, what Kong Wen and Chen Fang are vying for is not just the Cadre position, but also to enter the Inner City?”

The burly man was somewhat surprised, not expecting Shen Xi to see through the essence of this matter so quickly.

That’s right, Kong Wen and Chen Fang were both captains, big figures who could rule the roost in the Outer City.

Their struggle for the Cadre position was to achieve a Fish Leap Dragon Gate, to advance further and enter the Inner City.

The Outer City was, after all, just a line of defense for the Inner City. Once a beast tide appeared, it was always the Outer City that suffered.

Over hundreds of years, the captains of the Outer City had changed many times, most of them dying while defending against beast tides.

Only the Inner City was truly safe.

Rather than saying that the Two People, Kong Wen and Chen Fang, were fighting for power, it was more accurate to say they were fighting to survive. They did not want to remain tools for the Inner City to resist beast tides, but rather to enter the Inner City and become true power holders.

“Since you understand, then I won’t say more. I hope your cooperation with Lord Chen Fang will be pleasant.”

The burly man was unwilling to stay longer and found an excuse to leave.

This was not only because of Shen Xi’s strength, but also because he found this young man too smart.

So smart that he felt as if he could be seen through at any moment.

“By the way, tell Chen Fang that I have two friends who became city gate guards. Help me transfer them to a safe position.”

Shen Xi called out to the burly man and said solemnly.

Earlier at the city gate, Kong Wen, in order to win over Shen Xi, had arranged the two vacant city gate guard positions for his companions.

Now that he had fallen out with Kong Wen, it was hard to guarantee that the other party wouldn't target his companions.

He asked Chen Fang for a favor to protect them, so he wouldn't have any worries.

“That’s a small matter. I’ll go handle it right away. You can rest assured.”

The burly man patted his chest and guaranteed.

Given his position beside Chen Fang, these were naturally just a matter of a word.

After speaking, the burly man left directly.

Shen Xi did not speak again, his mind sorting through the events of the day.

He had been forcibly dragged into this muddy water by Kong Wen, getting involved in the power struggle between Kong Wen and Chen Fang.

Now, he and Kong Wen were destined to be irreconcilable. As for Chen Fang, from the current perspective, cooperation was still possible, but who the other party truly was and whether he could be trusted was another matter entirely.

“All of this is still because of that incident at the city gate!”

“If Kong Wen hadn’t targeted my strength, none of the subsequent events would have happened.”

Shen Xi gave a self-deprecating smile, yet felt no regret.

Seeing injustice, he was not wrong.

Instead, it was Kong Wen, who had painstakingly plotted to use him, who truly deserved to die.

“I still need to become stronger. If I were in the Dao of Martial Arts realm now, who would dare to scheme against me!”