章節 25: This is Xiujiang...?

"This is Xiujiang...?" Jie Fu Lian couldn't help but question as he looked at the city lying in front of his eyes.

He had visited Xiujiang quite a number of times but it was always in the season of spring when the city celebrated its annual osmanthus festival.

This was probably the first time Jie Fu Lian was seeing what the city normally looked like when it wasn't spring.

The drastic change in the appearance of the city was a bit too unsettling.

There was no sweet smell of the osmanthus flower wafting in the air nor were there any lights or colorful paper decorations hanging around. With no man nor soul in sight, the streets were so silent and empty that it looked like the entire city had been abandoned a few hundred years ago.

Jie Fu Lian felt a chill go down his spine as he looked around at the gloomy dark atmosphere. This Xiujiang city was a bit too different from the one he remembered.

"Did something happen here?" Jie Fu Lian asked.

"It had always been like this," Hua Tianshu replied.

"Although this place looks quite prosperous and lively during the spring months, in reality, the city is still suffering from poverty and isolation," Duan Luoyang added with a sigh.

"If the conditions are this bad, would there be anyone willing to help us?" Jie Fu Lian asked with a small frown as he wondered if their trip was going to be fruitless or not.

"If you go around investigating people about what happened seven years ago, you'll naturally be kicked out of the city with no information," Duan Luoyang responded with a short chuckle as he thought about it, "But there is one place that would be willing to talk if we give them enough money."

"The information guild," Hua Tianshu spoke up as he informed, "That's the reason why we are here."

Jie Fu Lian had been absent from this world for the last eight years so he was unaware of quite a lot of things and one of those things was the presence of this information guild.

From the name alone, he could guess what type of organization it was and hence he didn't bother questioning what it was.

Instead, he asked, "Where is it?"

"That's the problem," Duan Luoyang replied as he took a sharp breath in and pursed his lips into a thin line, "The information guild doesn't have a specified location. They only show themselves to customers who are willing to pay enormous amounts of money. The information guild brings in the main source of revenue in this city. However, the revenue is used to run the city and hence, none of it is circulated among the common people."

"..." Jie Fu Lian took a deep breath in and thought about it for a few minutes as he mentally asked himself how they could get to the information guild.

"Last time we were here, we had to buy twenty nine bottles of the most expensive alcohol before the information guild eventually invited us."

'So they invite only the rich with deep pockets...?' Jie Fu Lian wondered to himself before he realized how the information guild worked.

"If they are after money then isn't the problem solved as long as you have enough money?" Jie Fu Lian beamed.

"The real problem isn't the money, it's how you show the money," Duan Luoyang spoke but Jie Fu Lian only laughed as he heard this response.

"That's not a problem," Jie Fu Lian confidently spoke as he stepped forward and took out his money satchel, "The best way to show that you have a lot of money to throw is to simply throw that money!"

As he spoke, Jie Fu Lian opened the money satchel and grabbed a handful of gold coins before throwing it in front of them like flower petals.

Duan Luoyang's eyes looked as if they were ready to pop out of his sockets and Hua Tianshu also looked to be a bit taken back by this sudden action.

The sound of the coins hitting the floor was alike but louder than the pitter-patter of rain. As soon as the pieces of gold hit the floor, they scattered everywhere and created quite a dazzling scene.

Without any hesitation, Jie Fu Lian grabbed another handful of gold coins and again threw it in front of them without any care.

He had a proud smirk on his face as he thought, 'Being the rich demon king certainly feels amazing at times like this!'

He threw a third handful of gold coins and finally, somebody approached them from the end of the road.

Jie Fu Lian finally stopped throwing money and looked at the approaching man with a smug smirk.

"It worked...?" Duan Luoyang muttered to himself in a daze before he enthusiastically snapped out of it and looked at Jie Fu Lian with great interest as he asked, "Uncle Fu, how'd you know that would work?"

"They have been monitoring us from the moment we stepped into the city," Jie Fu Lian confidently spoke as he stared at the man that was approaching them.

"You are right," The man chuckled and spoke with a bit of amusement laced along his words. His voice was neither heavy nor sweet, it was calm and soothing, but certainly not natural.

"Who are you?" Jie Fu Lian questioned without beating around the bush.

The man wasn't wearing a mask but they could already sense that this was probably not the man's real appearance. He was using spiritual energy to alter his looks and hence, it was hard to discern his real identity.

"Respected customer, it doesn't matter who I am. What matters is your identity," The man spoke with a warm gentle smile as he looked back at Jie Fu Lian, "And your reason for seeking us out."

"If I don't want to buy information, would there be any need for me to look for your information guild?" Jie Fu Lian asked with a laugh, almost seeming to be mocking the man.

The man's smile deepened as he heard this and he responded, "You are here to buy information but it is our choice to sell it or not. Why don't you first tell me what information you are looking for? Depending on your answer, We will decide whether to move forward with our deal or to send you back empty-handed."

Jie Fu Lian's eyes quickly scanned the surrounding as he heard the man's words and he couldn't help but feel a little impressed. It seemed that this man didn't come alone.

They were being monitored from all sides. The people watching them were quite skilled in masking their spiritual energy and presence. If Jie Fu Lian hadn't been a demon king, he would have probably not been able to notice them.

"The second son of Xiujiang's city head, Bai LiuXian's murder," Jie Fu Lian sighed as he spoke, "That's the information I am looking for."

Jie Fu Lian noticed the split second change in the man's expression. As soon as he heard the name 'Bai LiuXian' the man quickly looked towards his right.

Jie Fu Lian didn't make it obvious that he had noticed but he certainly paid attention to the one the man had quickly glanced at.

"Respected customer, Young Master Bai LiuXian's murder is already considered public knowledge at this point. All information regarding his death has already been spread out. There is nothing special about it that we can say. If you want to buy information about this case, I'm afraid you'll be wasting money just to hear a repetitive story that you might have already heard."

"You mean the story about how Bai LiuXian was killed by Jie Fu Lian?" Jie Fu Lian smirked as he questioned, "How can that be all when Jie Fu Lian was clearly framed for the murder?"

The man's face hardened a little as he heard these words and his smiled dropped as he questioned, "Is there something that this respected customer is mistaken about? The case has already been investigated and the culprit was punished."

At first, Jie Fu Lian had a feeling that this man knew something so he decided to test him with his words, but with this reaction, Jie Fu Lian could now be sure that this man definitely knew something!

Jie Fu Lian wasn't the only one who had noticed the change in the man's behavior. Both Duan Luoyang and Hua Tianshu had noticed it too but while the latter did nothing, the former took out his sword and threateningly pointed it at Duan Luoyang.

"I thought the information guild was always partial," Duan Luoyang spoke as he glared at the man, "I never knew the information guild would try to hide something that happened over seven years ago."

The man suddenly sighed as he saw a sword being pointed at him and slowly spoke, "Respected customer, I am extremely sorry for having wasted your time but it would be better if you return now."

Duan Luoyang's eyebrows creased together as he heard this and when he saw a slight movement in the man's hand, he immediately charged forward with full intention to stab the man.