130: Chapter 130 Alliance

Chen Fan looked at Su Xin, his mind racing with calculations.

He hadn't expected the Saintess to barge directly into his room.

Hong Shao and Qing Luo were still on the bed, appearing unharmed.

Su Xin made no further move; she simply watched Chen Fan quietly. Her fox mask concealed most of her features, leaving only a pair of bright, scrutinizing eyes visible.

Vague images began to surface in Chen Fan's mind.

The memories of the Jade-Faced Asura.

White Lotus Sect... Recruitment... Refusal.

So that was it; he remembered now.

Su Xin had once represented the White Lotus Sect in extending an olive branch to the Jade-Faced Asura, but she had been rejected. Back then, the Jade-Faced Asura was haughty and arrogant, disdainful of associating with an "insurgent sect" as decreed by the imperial court.

Now, he was working for the Huai Party, those lackeys of the court. The mockery in Su Xin's eyes deepened.

"What?"

"Nothing to say?"

"Do you find the humiliation of being slapped in the face too much to bear?" She took a step forward.

The hilt of the blade in Chen Fan's hand let out a faint sound.

"There is nothing to be said between us," Chen Fan's voice was low and calm.

"Is that so?" Su Xin let out a light chuckle.

"Then let our blades do the talking." Her figure instantly blurred into an afterimage. With a flick of her finger, a bolt of white internal energy shot straight for Chen Fan's face.

Chen Fan stepped aside to dodge, and simultaneously, the long blade at his waist cleared its scabbard.

The blade light was like snow, carving an arc through the darkness.

Su Xin did not dodge or retreat. Her body was as light as willow catkins; the moment the blade edge drew near, she flipped her wrist, and a slender Soft Sword slid from her sleeve. The Soft Sword was silent and invisible, coiling around Chen Fan's blade like a venomous serpent.

Clang!

Blade and sword collided, producing a crisp ringing sound. Cold light flashed within the room.

Chen Fan's heart tightened.

Su Xin's strength had progressed even further since their time in Yanzhou.

She had firmly stepped into the Realm of a Sixth-Rank Martial Artist. Such talent was truly terrifying; she was likely no weaker than Zhang Shan.

Furthermore, her Cultivation Technique was eerie and unpredictable. The Soft Sword followed him like a shadow, each strike carrying a hidden, feminine force.

Chen Fan's blade technique was bold and expansive. He used power to overcome finesse, every strike heavy and fierce. The space in the room was limited.

Though they fought in close quarters, it felt as if they were in a vast world. Their figures shifted and leaped, internal energy overflowing, yet Hong Shao and Qing Luo remained fast asleep on the bed.

Su Xin's technique was refined to the extreme; she controlled all her force within a tiny radius, allowing none of it to leak out.

Chen Fan did the same. He also had to protect the two women on the bed.

The clashing of blade and sword was incessant. Dozens of rounds passed in the blink of an eye as they traded blows, neither able to gain the upper hand.

Su Xin spun her body, her Soft Sword gleaming like a rainbow as she used the momentum to retreat and put distance between them. They stood facing each other, moonlight streaming through the window and spilling over them. Su Xin's fox mask looked exceptionally eerie in the moonlight, while Chen Fan's pale mask added a touch of coldness.

"What?"

"Can't keep fighting?" Su Xin's voice carried a hint of breathlessness.

"How about we call it quits?" Chen Fan sheathed his blade. There was no point in continuing the struggle. He needed information, not a pointless fight.

Su Xin gave a cold laugh. "Call it quits?"

"You killed my sect members and raided my stronghold."

"And now you want to settle things with a simple 'call it quits'?" She took a step forward.

"Back then, you, the Jade-Faced Asura, were so noble and arrogant."

"You disdained to associate with my White Lotus Sect."

"Now, you've become a hunting dog for the Huai Party."

"Truly laughable."

Chen Fan did not respond to her mockery. He was currently caught in circumstances beyond his control. In his eyes, both the Huai Party and the White Lotus Sect were merely objects to be used.

"I am only borrowing the Huai Party's power to carry out my own business," Chen Fan's voice was calm.

"A temporary measure, nothing more."

Su Xin sneered again, "A temporary measure?"

"Well said."

"I'll give you a real temporary measure."

"Today's matter can be overlooked."

"But the condition is that you, the Jade-Faced Asura, must be of use to my White Lotus Sect." Her voice carried an overbearing tone that brooked no argument.

Chen Fan's heart sank. To be used by the White Lotus Sect?

Wouldn't that be jumping from one cage into another? He had just managed to pull himself out of the Huai Party's quagmire and didn't want to get sucked into the White Lotus Sect's vortex. His goal was to preserve himself and protect Hong Shao and Qing Luo, not to become a tool for any faction. He needed autonomy; he needed to control his own destiny.

He refused. "Impossible." Chen Fan's answer was crisp and decisive.

A cold glint flashed in Su Xin's eyes. "Luo Hengsheng."

"Do you know the consequences of refusing me?"

Chen Fan remained unmoved. "I only know that I will not be used by anyone."

The atmosphere in the room grew tense once more. Su Xin stared at Chen Fan, and Chen Fan stared back; it was as if invisible sparks were flying between them. After a moment, Su Xin slowly withdrew her killing intent.

"You certainly are stubborn," she said with a hint of admiration in her voice.

"Since you are unwilling to be used by my White Lotus Sect..."

"...then we shall cooperate once."

Cooperate? Chen Fan's heart stirred. This was an unexpected turn of events, and exactly what he wanted—to use the conflict between the two sides to gain breathing room for himself.

"Cooperate on what?" Chen Fan asked.

Su Xin curled her lips. "The Huai Party's Private Grain."

"You should know that what the White Lotus Sect wants to hijack is the Huai Party's Private Grain."

Chen Fan understood immediately. So that was it. The "Private Grain" mentioned by that minor leader was the key. Prefect Zhao's violent reaction also confirmed this.

Behind this batch of Private Grain, there must be a secret the Huai Party couldn't afford to let out. Hijacking this grain would not only weaken the Huai Party but also give him more leverage.

"What do you want?" Chen Fan asked.

"This batch of grain is very important to the White Lotus Sect," Su Xin said without concealment.

"And you are inside the Huai Party."

"You can provide me with the most accurate intelligence."

"We will work together from the inside and outside..."

"...to hijack this batch of Private Grain."

Chen Fan pondered for a moment. This wasn't a bad thing for him. He could use this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the Huai Party's secrets.

He could also use the White Lotus Sect's hand to ruin the Huai Party's plans. The interests involved behind this grain might far exceed his imagination.

Being in the middle of the game, he had to act.

He needed to consider the risks. If the Huai Party discovered he was cooperating with the White Lotus Sect, the consequences would be unthinkable.

But if he didn't cooperate, he would face pressure from both the Huai Party and the White Lotus Sect simultaneously, making his situation even more difficult. Cooperating would at least turn one side into an ally, and he might even be able to turn the tables and use the White Lotus Sect.

"Why should I trust you?" Chen Fan asked.

"You have no choice," Su Xin said bluntly.

"Right now, you are a pawn in the eyes of the Huai Party."

"And an enemy to my White Lotus Sect."

"By cooperating with me, you can at least take the initiative."

"Otherwise, you will be beset by enemies on both sides." She was right. Chen Fan knew clearly that he was currently walking a tightrope. Every step had to be taken with extreme caution. This cooperation was more beneficial than harmful to him.

"Fine," Chen Fan nodded.

"I agree."

A satisfied smile appeared on Su Xin's face. "The Prefect of Fuyang City, Zhao Yuankang, is an old fox."

"He has hidden this batch of Private Grain very deeply."

"He will only tell the specific transport time and route to his most trusted people." Su Xin walked to the window and pushed it open. The night wind blew, making her white clothes flutter.

"Use the Huai Party to find out the location of this Private Grain."

"Then, pass the information to me."

"I will wait for you at Dahe Ferry." She turned around, her eyes bright and sharp in the moonlight.

"Remember."

"You only have one chance."

"If you dare to play any tricks..."

"...my White Lotus Sect will let you know..."

"...what it means to beg for life but not be allowed to live, and to beg for death but not be allowed to die."

With that, her figure vanished outside the window like a phantom.

Only Chen Fan remained in the room, along with the sleeping Hong Shao and Qing Luo on the bed.

Chen Fan walked to the window and looked out at the deep night sky, his heart churning. He had become the sole bridge between the Huai Party and the White Lotus Sect.

He had become the most crucial piece in this chess game, yet this piece could be discarded by either side at any moment.

He withdrew his gaze and walked toward the table.

He picked up the dossier on the White Lotus Sect that Staffer Wang had sent earlier. Now, he needed to use this information to deduce the Huai Party's true secrets and find the clues to that batch of Private Grain.

Chen Fan sat at the table and opened the dossier, the moonlight spilling over the pages.

The dense handwriting became exceptionally clear in his eyes.