Chapter 103: Resource Exchange

“Is that you two? What’s the matter?”

Xiao Kaitian had a remarkable memory. In fact, he didn’t even need to make an effort—everything that had passed under the sweep of the Divine Source he could etch deep in his mind.

He had seen these two before. They were officers from the Hai Capital Martial Arts Office, cultivators at the middle level of the Earth Realm, sent to investigate the disappearance of Sanchuan Fuyi.

Yan Xuan only smiled and said nothing, while Lin Dandan handed over her credentials.
“Xiao Kaitian, right? To keep it brief, we suspect you of being connected to Sanchuan Fuyi’s case. Please come with us to the Hai Capital Martial Arts Office.”

“Sanchuan Fuyi?” Xiao Kaitian raised an eyebrow. He truly had no involvement with that matter, but a blow that could tear through dimensions was impossible to explain; most people would call him insane. He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I have no recollection of him.” It was the truth. Even after Sanchuan Fuyi had died, Xiao Kaitian did not know what he had looked like.

“You!” Lin Dandan’s anger flared, and she bit down her fury. “Besides, you should be a martial cultivator, but we found no record of you in the Hantang Martial System. That needs to be rechecked.”

“Do all martial cultivators have to be registered?” Xiao Kaitian sneered. In his eyes, a martial system was mere useless ornamentation. “I’m a son of the Xiao clan of Supreme Capital. For a great-clan heir, practicing martial arts is completely normal. Your people can’t trace my background as well as you claim, yet you expect your Martial System to have accepted me?”

Lin Dandan fell silent. She suddenly remembered that Xiao Kaitian was the only son of the Xiao family, one of the eight greatest clans of Supreme Capital—by all standards, a true aristocratic heir. And according to the files, he was even considered something of a fool.

But martial cultivation was not like writing poems or essays. A cultivator refines body, mind, qi, and true self; it is, above all, about discipline. It demands immense determination and endurance. Often, those with simple thoughts and plain natures can rise higher than others. Intelligence is not the only measure of attainment. Through the history of the martial world, there are many low-intellect “martial obsessives” with terrifyingly high cultivation levels. Xiao Kaitian’s explanation was by no means flawed.

Besides, many clan scions practice martial arts merely for basic self-protection and physical conditioning. Most are only nominal disciples, so the absence of formal records in the martial registry is ordinary. Their cultivation normally never rises beyond the Earth Realm.

But if Xiao Kaitian had been able to kill Sanchuan Fuyi, his strength was at least Earth Realm level, perhaps higher. People at that tier had to be registered and monitored by the martial world.

“Honeyed words and pretty faces,” Yan Xuan said, his expression turning cold. “And from when does a mere wandering cultivator start dictating terms to the martial world? This is no matter of personal preference. The rules of the martial world cannot be broken.”

“The so-called rules exist to be broken—broken open and remade,” Xiao Kaitian shot back. He would never join any Hantang system; he was not a true martial cultivator.

The conversation froze on the spot. The air stilled. Both sides stayed alert, for one rough move here could disturb the whole neighborhood.

“Yan Xuan, Lin Dandan,” a cold, sharp voice suddenly rang out. “What is this, wandering around at this hour and bothering ordinary people.”

“Xiao Kaitian is an idiot. Whether he cultivates or not has nothing to do with you. Is your office short of staff? Is the salary too good? If you have no business, get lost.” She kept walking, then stood at the doorway, immediately pressing down the two men’s momentum.

“Bai… Grandmaster Bai Kou!” Yan Xuan swallowed hard as he spoke. Lin Dandan looked equally shocked. Neither could have imagined a Grandmaster in Xiao Kaitian’s home—and in a loose robe, with the air of someone half in holiday mode.

“Grandmaster Bai,” Lin Dandan tried to repair matters. “We have no choice. We were ordered to investigate Sanchuan Fuyi’s disappearance. He was a senior onmyoji from the island kingdom.”

“Oh? Then you may return and report back. I ended Sanchuan Fuyi myself. That closes the case.” Bai Kou folded her arms and said it as casually as if discussing tomorrow’s breakfast.

Lin Dandan was left speechless. “You can’t be serious?”

“Any objections? Can’t I kill a senior onmyoji either?” Bai Kou stepped forward. A heavy pressure of force spread at once. Yan Xuan and Lin Dandan both let out choked sounds and staggered back a step each.

“It’s not that—Grandmaster Bai,” Yan Xuan forced out. “We are from the Hai Capital Martial Arts Office, and we must proceed by procedure…”

“Bang!” He had not finished. He was sent flying, crashing into a small tree nearly ten meters away and rolling on the ground in a pitiful mess.

“What gives you the right to speak to me this way?” Bai Kou tapped her robe. “When Chen Ze and Chen Tong see me, they call out respectfully, ‘Elder Sister Bai.’ Yet you bark and argue before me like this?”

“Go tell Chen Ze and the others: if there’s something, come straight to me. If you make me angry, I’ll tear apart your Hai Capital Martial Arts Office. My title, the White Witch, in the martial world is not a joke. Out!”

With that she flung the door open and, ignoring Lin Dandan’s embarrassment, sent both of them back out into the hallway.

Xiao Kaitian dabbed his face and found himself oddly pleased. Bai Kou’s style suited him exactly—decisive, sharp-tongued, and utterly crushing. He almost looked forward to crossing paths with the Hantang martial world in the future.

“I took care of your problem,” Bai Kou said, as though she had merely gone for a stroll. She flexed her fingers, returned to her seat, and resumed sipping her flower tea slowly. “Think of it as a return for the cultivation method you shared with me.”

“Bai Kou never owes anyone a favor.” She crossed one long leg over the other and glanced at Zhao Qixi. “Why aren’t you drinking your tea?”

Zhao QiXi silently lifted her cup and took a small sip. Xiao Kaitian glanced at her, then at the tea in front of him, fragrant with faint rose and lavender, and raised his own cup.

“Hm. And about little Qixi—give me a plan soon,” Bai Kou nodded approvingly. “If you have any questions about the martial world, I can share what I know; consider it resource sharing.”

“If there is a challenge tournament…” Xiao lowered his eyes and set down his cup.

“A small matter,” she said with a bright smile. “Perfect. I’ll use it to practice my new cultivation method, and let them be my dummies.” The gleam in her eyes made it obvious she was in a good mood, and she agreed generously.

“Alright, then I entrust it to you.” Xiao kicked his legs up, took out a cigarette, hesitated, then put it back. He pulled out his phone and pressed the power button. As soon as it booted, hundreds of WeChat messages had already arrived.

Looks like someone decided I have too much free time and gave me something to do, Xiao Kaitian thought, a corner of his mouth turning up.