Chapter 29

"Old Master, is it that someone in your Cangwu official circle wants to take your position while you're away?"

"Take my position?" Shi Huang raised an eyebrow, savoring the new term that had popped out of Tan Yu's mouth. "It's not impossible. However, the administration of Cangwu County has long been entrusted to the military secretary, Wu Ju. He is my personal disciple and would never betray his teacher."

Tan Yu immediately began to argue, citing examples from history of how, for the sake of power, status, property, and beauty, sons killed fathers and grandsons harmed their grandfathers.

Shi Huang's face showed a kind and compassionate smile. "Young man, you've read books, haven't you? What you mentioned mostly involves the heartless royal families and cruel aristocrats. In Cangwu County, or even in the various counties of Jingnan, things are not like that. Anyone else could harm or pursue me, but not Wu Ju. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to hold his current position as secretary, let alone the position of Cangwu Prefect. The reason is simple: he is my disciple."

Tan Yu pouted, indicating that he couldn't understand.

But in his heart, he thought, "Good! Tan Santuan... that's my uncle. What is he doing here in Shennongjia? Is he also here for the Shennong Auction?"

Shi Huang said calmly, "The southern border is remote, and the customs are still barbaric. The most important thing is the teacher-student relationship and family ties. Those who defy their teachers without cause will have a bad reputation and cannot remain in the area for long, even if they are appointed by the court."

Tan Yu was stunned. Is that so?

Shi Huang frowned, turned his head to think, and suddenly glanced at Tan Yu.

"Boy, do you want to attend the Shennong Auction?"

Tan Yu blurted out, "Of course I do."

Shi Huang laughed. "I knew it. Come, let me check your progress first."

After the inspection, Shi Huang was very satisfied and praised Tan Yu for his remarkable talent. Tan Yu was so angry that he felt like dying. Am I just talented?

"From the looks of it, you will definitely pass the test tomorrow. This place can't be stayed in any longer."

With Shi Huang's level of cultivation and keen eyesight, he naturally saw the footprints and signs of a struggle inside the cave. But since Tan Yu only had minor injuries that didn't affect his overall progress, he didn't bother with it.

Whether he killed or drove away his opponent, since this place had been exposed, they needed to find a safer location to help Tan Yu advance quickly.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have the qualifications or the ability to protect himself at the Shennong Auction.

Suddenly, Shi Huang's expression changed, and he stood up.

"What happened?"

Shi Huang's face turned grim, and his eyes scanned Tan Yu several times. "Stay here. I'll be right back."

Just as he said this, someone at the cave entrance laughed loudly. "Lord Shi, it's been a long time since we last met. I've missed you very much, so I came to visit!"

Shi Huang waved his hand. "Boy, step back."

Tan Yu nodded, knowing that he shouldn't disturb him at this moment. He slowly retreated to the area with scattered rocks and hid behind a large green stone, only exposing half of his face.

He suddenly paused and whispered, "How did you get in?"

...

Standing in the center of a five or six zhang area, Shi Huang stood with his sleeves hanging, waiting for the enemy to enter.

At the cave entrance, several white-clad barbarians entered one after another.

The leader, a man with handsome features and a dignified appearance, was Tang Nanzhu, the second head of the Manxi clan and the young leader. He walked forward with his hands behind his back.

Behind him were four strong men, each holding a thick wooden staff. Despite their tall and robust builds, they all had well-proportioned bodies, showing that they had trained in external hard qigong to a considerable degree.

"Only five of you?" Shi Huang was slightly surprised.

"Talking to Lord Shi doesn't require so many people," Tang Nanzhu stopped two zhang in front of Shi Huang, not showing any overly provocative attitude. The four strong men spread out behind him, holding their staffs in front of their chests, maintaining a defensive posture.

"What do you want to talk about, demanding the Panhu Bell? There's no need to say more; I won't hand it over to you." Shi Huang took the initiative to cut off the possibility of negotiation.

Tang Nanzhu's eyes scanned the cave, giving a subtle glance at where Tan Yu was hiding.

"Lord Shi, why be so distant? In my eyes, there is nothing in the world that cannot be negotiated; it's just a matter of the price each party is willing to pay."

"Little Tang, do you have something I want?" Shi Huang sneered, clearly not believing that the other party had the strength to negotiate on equal terms.

"I don't, but my lord does." Tang Nanzhu smiled calmly, seemingly not offended by Shi Huang's disrespectful address. "Lord Shi should know my lord's capabilities. If there are only five people in the world who can trade with Lord Shi, my lord would definitely be among the top three."

Shi Huang looked at Tang Nanzhu with disdain and did not respond.

"At this Shennong Auction, there are about five items that stand out far above the others in value. I believe one of them is what Lord Shi desires," Tang Nanzhu continued, undeterred. "The first is the divine spear of Ying Bu. This spear is a replica of the Overlord Spear of Xiang Yu, the Western Chu Overlord, and is exquisitely crafted, remaining as new after hundreds of years. The ancient master craftsmen's skills are truly remarkable. The second is the Three Chu Sword Technique. This is a legacy work of the sword master Ji Bu, just like the divine spear of Ying Bu, it has only recently been unearthed and passed down. Most importantly, it is a complete sword manual. Ji Bu's martial arts were completely lost during the Wang Mang rebellion, and the Three Chu Sword Technique has reappeared after two hundred years, making it an extremely rare treasure."

He paused, observing Shi Huang, and said, "However, Lord Shi possesses the precious red whip and is a master of martial arts. Moreover, Lord Shi values governance more in his life. Under your careful administration, Cangwu County has not fallen behind the famous cities in the Central Plains in recent years, so I believe these two items would not interest you."

The disdain on Shi Huang's face faded, and he frowned slightly.

"The third is the Water-Treading Frost Beast. It can cross water and marshes without slowing down and run swiftly on ice and snow. It is the favorite of the famous scholars and gentlemen of Jingchu. The fourth is the Seal of the King of Yue..." Tang Nanzhu suddenly paused, not continuing.

Shi Huang sneered. "Go on! Only four."

Tang Nanzhu's face turned grim. "I can't see what Lord Shi desires. The Seal of the King of Yue can gather the souls of the five poisons and is the mother of all poisons in the world. But it doesn't seem to be Lord Shi's target."

Shi Huang said, "Do you see the bloodshot eyes and the deep poison in my body? Heh heh, Deng Qianwan's power is limited. If I want to clear the poison, it's not difficult."

Tang Nanzhu raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, "This Heart Unity Charm requires the unity of husband and wife. You know that my brother-in-law and my cousin are not on good terms, yet you still talk about it." As an insider, he knew that there were many reasons for the discord between Deng Qianwan and his cousin, and the relationship with Shi Huang was just one of them, so he wasn't angry.

Shi Huang chuckled. "Little Tang, among the rising stars of the Wuling tribes, your wisdom and the dominance of Santuan are what I admire most. Why don't you tell me the fifth treasure to satisfy my curiosity?"

Tang Nanzhu said, "The fifth is a pill called the Heavenly Mechanism Life-Saving Pill, personally refined by the great virtuous teacher Zhang Jiao of the Taiping Dao. It is said that ordinary people who take it can immediately extend their lifespan by three years, revitalize dead bones, and bring the dead back to life. It is truly a rare life-saving treasure." His tone suddenly changed, and he was startled. "Is the treasure Lord Shi desires this pill?"

...

The author's heart is set on this Heavenly Mechanism Life-Saving Recommendation Ticket, a rare life-saving treasure. If the author gets it, he can immediately advance three positions and be fully revived!

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