Cthulhu Mythos In Cultivation World novel Chapter 4

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Zhu Manor - Zhu Wushang bedroom

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In the bedroom with practical and straightforward furniture and decoration and the bookshelves full with a lot of books from practical knowledge like Medicine and Arts of Healing, Herb encyclopedia, Animal and Spirits Beast encyclopedia, Smithing, Cooking to the Arts of War.

It's like the room of a respectable scholar, but this room owner is just a 12 years old boy that lies unconscious on his bed while the Old doctor in white robe checks the boy's pulse at his bedside.

"Please leave us for a moment, General Zhu. I need to give him an acupuncture session." The old doctor told Zhu Songtian, who was waiting near him.

“Please save him, Royal doctor” Zhu Songtian pleaded and walked out of the room.

At the main hall, Qin Xue’er, Zhu Yinbing, Xiao Lan and Wang Zhao are waiting for news, Zhu Songtian looking at them before shaking his head with helplessness.

"The royal doctor needs some time to give Shang'er an acupuncture session. But while we are waiting, we need to summarize all of the events that happen from afternoon till now."

Zhu Songtian speaks while looking at Xiao Lan.

"Your Highness, please tell all of us the details of what happened."

Xiao Lan nod then tells Zhu Songtian everything that happens including all the details about the insanity of the last three wolves. Everyone has a deep thought before Zhu Songtian said.

"Your Highness I believe that this is a very well planned assassination attempt. Because when we are sending sir Black merchant to the nearest town. A group of a highly skilled assassin concise of Spirits Commander and Spirits King cultivation realm attack both your hidden guard that station near the lake and Zhu Manor at the same time. Then they send a beastmaster to attack you by using a Spirits Dire Wolf." Zhu Songtian stopped, then Qin Xue’er added more of her thoughts.

“As General Zhu said to Lan'er, The timing is too precise. I’m afraid that someone might leak our schedule to the enemy." Qin Xue’er said and looked at Zhu Yinbing as she nodded in agreement.

"Why do they want to use those beasts to kill me? Wouldn't a one or two Spirits King realm assassin be more effective in killing me?" Asked Xiao Lan.

Qin Xue’er heard this and she then answered in place of Zhu Songtian.

"Lan’er If they use human to assassinate you and succeed. The fate soul imprint in your body will tell Your royal father about the one who assassinated you and also the one who's behind the assassination by using fate oracle formation in the palace to connect with your soul."

"Yes, Your Highness. Their goal is the throne of his majesty. As you already knew, His Majesty issued a decree that let the Female heir to be able to inherit the throne. And your special body trait makes you a solid candidate for the throne." Said Zhu Yinbing who's standing beside Qin Xue’er then she exhales in relief.

"Fortunately this attack made them exhaust their power and influence in this continent. And in the next five years, I'm sure that they can't make an attempt like this again."

What Zhu Yinbing said are facts. Because of the Spirit King realm assassins are a scarce commodity in this backward continent, and most of them are the leader or founder of the assassin organization in this Desolate continent. If one of them dies then, others will be more cautious in this kind of contract, and it will be much harder to hire them in the future.

And it's nearly impossible to smuggle the assassin from the Imperial continent here. Because all of the ports in this continent are in control of the royal family of the Great Phoenix Empire. And all of the shorelines other than the port in this continent connect to the Great Forest of Nowhere. So no sane person will go there.

"What about those three wolves that went insane and died?" Xiao Lan asks both Qin Xue’er and the Zhu Couple.

"About that. I have an answer, Your Highness.

The figure of a tall man in gold-trim black luxurious robe strolling in, He has a smooth and charming face with a calculative demeanor.

"Sir Black Merchant" Wang Zhao greeted the tall man in black who's sitting in the guest seat in the hall.

"Where's the tea?" Black merchants said in a demanding tone at Zhu couples.

"Pardon?" Zhu Songtian asks with a frown. Normally he would welcome this esteemed guest, but since the Black merchant can’t help his son and his son is in a coma, his mood isn’t quite good right now.

"General Zhu, I'm a guest you know? A guest that comes with vital information, so? Where's the tea?" Black merchant asks in a nuisance tone.

Zhu Songtian frowns deeper and looking at Black Merchant in annoyance he clenches his fist tightly, If this Black merchant doesn’t have strong cultivation, he would already slap this guy senseless.

"Sir Black Merchant. You're walking in my house without an invitation; please give some respect." Zhu Songtian sternly warned

“Hahahahaha!!” Black Merchant laughs in amusement, like sawing something ridiculous like ants that threaten to bite him. He can’t help himself but laugh out loud.

"Oh, I’m sorry, Where are my manners. If you refuse to acknowledge my generosity. Then we can talk about business. Please pay me Ten thousand spirits stone for this information, I'll behave myself and treat you with respect like I treat my VIP customer."

What black merchant said is true. He was renowned for his eccentric behavior but known to be a great merchant that treated his customers fairly and with respect. He's never gone back on the deal whatever the circumstances, even his customer trying to entrap him or kill him during the transaction, But what will happen to that customer after the agreement has ended is another matter entirely.

But the price of ten thousand spirit stones is more than two times the yearly budget for an entire Eastern army that Zhu Songtian commanded.

Qin Xue’er exhaled and spoke her offer.

"Sir Black Merchant. The treasury of the royal family of the Great Phoenix empire will pay for the information. Please back to the topic at hand and tell us" She senses that this information might be vital; otherwise, the price would not be expensive to such a degree.

Zhu Songtian heard the offer, He quickly kneeled down and begged Qin Xue’er with a cupped hand.

“Your Majesty! Please reconsider! This wealth should be used for the good of the empire! We do not dare receive this generosity!” He said in earnest but unaware of his wife's complicated expression that her anger nearly broke out.

“Oh? Don’t worry general Zhu, I’ll make sure to deduct this from your monthly wage and all of your accommodation, Plus the one that causes Sir Black Merchant to change his mind from giving away this information to Charge us with this hefty price is you. So it’s the right thing to deduct your wage and all of your accommodation don’t you think?” Qin Xue’er said with a sweet smile.

Zhu Songtian nearly spurts out blood once he hears what Qin Xue’er said. What the hell!? Did I just shoot myself in the foot!?

“But, I’ll give elder sister Bing’er some face and not giving you trouble this time.” She said as she winked at Zhu Yinbing who’s smiling in gratitude.

“Dear, I know you’re frustrated about our son but please control your temper, Sir Black Merchant isn’t someone that we can afford to offend.” She reminds her husband with a warm and understanding tone, she knew that her husband was like this because of their son and she understands that so she chose to give him a reminder instead of beating him up.

While the Zhu couple talks with each other, Qin Xue’er then looks at the Black merchant.

“Sir Black merchant, please tell us your information,” She asked.

"I assure you, Your Majesty, This information is worth the price, but before that, let me give you some advice, Your Majesty. This information is for you and your most trusted aides only. The dog that likes to change master because it wants some delicious food that's not of its own is not welcome."

This sentence makes everyone frown deeply. Especially Wang Zhao, his back sweating profusely.

There’s no secret that back then when they are in their youth Wang Zhao and Zhu Wushang are courting the same woman which is Zhu Yinbing, the noble daughter of the renown Gu clan and The Eastern General and the one that wins her ice-cold heart is Zhu Songtian.

Tome passed, Zhu Songtian became The Eastern General, Zhu Yinbing became The Grand General, and Wang Zhao became the leader of the hidden guard that protected Xiao Lan here.

"Sir Black Merchant, I always knew that brother Wang courted the same woman as I back in our youth, but it’s all in the past and he also had saved my life back then. Now we’re like brothers.” Zhu Songtian speaks on behalf of wang Zhao.

The Black merchant chuckles a little after he hears that, then closes his eyes and ignores Zhu Songtian. He already gave the warning about the consequences of the goods that he's going to sell to the customer as part of the duty of a good and respectable merchant. What his customer does with this warning is not his responsibility.