Chapter 4025 — A Daring Move

If circumstances had allowed it, she would have wished to hide in this warm embrace for the rest of her life. But she had come on the pretext of questioning Wei Zhao about the origins of the pills. If she lingered too long, she would inevitably arouse suspicion. And if Zheng Tianjie found out that she had met Wei Zhao in the dead of night, Wei Zhao truly would be only a step away from death.

In the end, Wei Zhao watched from the darkness as Tian Chan departed with obvious reluctance. Yet his heart held none of the tender melancholy of parting. On the contrary, murderous intent now ran sharp through him.

To prevent trouble from multiplying with every passing hour, Wei Zhao had already made up his mind to kill that good-for-nothing Zheng Tianjie tonight. The man had already sent people to investigate him. If he truly managed to uncover some detail about Wei Zhao's background, then making a move afterward would risk exposing his own hand.

After putting on the Thousand-Thread Mask, Wei Zhao rose at once and headed for the Gathering Hall. The first problem he faced, however, was how to slip inside without alerting the guards.

According to what the Northern Guard had said before, Wei Zhao could actually have entered directly if he had come with Tian Chan. But this operation was of extraordinary importance; the slightest mistake could bring utter ruin. Wei Zhao did not want Tian Chan implicated in any way, so for now he could only find a way in by himself.

His early years as an assassin had taught Wei Zhao one thing long ago: there had never been a wall in this world through which no wind could pass. No matter how tight the security, patience would always reveal an opening.

And so it proved. Wei Zhao crouched in the shadows and waited for two full hours. At last, during the shift change among the Northern Guard, he seized a fleeting opportunity, unleashed his movement technique at full speed, and vaulted over the wall before the new guards had taken up their posts.

Once inside the Gathering Hall, the next question was how to find Zheng Tianjie. Of course, after that came the larger and more crucial question: how could he kill him?

One must not forget that Tian Chan had already said Zheng Tianjie, though an alchemist, was an unquestionable Golden Core expert, a formidable existence far above every Foundation Establishment expert. The powerful aura he had inadvertently revealed during the auction that day was proof enough.

Wei Zhao, by contrast, was merely at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment. At most, among the newcomers of the Welcoming Pavilion, he could still be considered invincible. But here on North Island, standing before the Golden Core expert Zheng Tianjie, he was utterly incapable of putting up a fight. If they truly crossed hands, Zheng Tianjie might not even need a single exchange to crush Wei Zhao into dust.

"A Golden Core expert may be nothing in my eyes, but to you as you are now, even the most useless, watered-down Golden Core expert is still no trivial opponent. Boy, think this through carefully before you act." Even the Ghost Thing was deeply astonished by Wei Zhao's plan.

"Circumstances have forced my hand. I have no other choice. But with your vision, Senior, do you think the move I've been researching lately might be capable of instantly killing a Golden Core expert if I unleash it?" Wei Zhao replied within his mind.

"That... you've truly put me in a difficult position. As for a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator instantly killing a Golden Core expert, in all my years of experience, I have never even heard of such a thing. Under normal circumstances, it is simply impossible." The Ghost Thing paused, then continued, "That said, your move is certainly ingenious. A single true-qi bomb can instantly kill an expert at the peak of late-stage Foundation Establishment. This new move appears to be even more powerful. You should have some chance of success."

Hearing this, Wei Zhao smiled at once. "Don't say there's only some chance. Even if there were merely a one-in-ten chance, I would still have to try this time. If I can't kill Zheng Tianjie when such a rare opportunity has presented itself, then once he returns to Middle Island, I will have even less of a chance."

Even if it was only for Tian Chan's sake, Wei Zhao had to find a way to kill Zheng Tianjie today. Otherwise, if Zheng Tianjie returned and forced Tian Chan into an engagement, Wei Zhao would be far away on North Island and unable to help her in the slightest. How could he then call himself Tian Chan's man?

Holding his breath and concealing his presence with utmost care, Wei Zhao secretly searched the Gathering Hall from one end to the other, but failed to discover Zheng Tianjie's whereabouts. Of course, that was because he had not dared approach too closely.

After all, even setting the Northern Guard aside, the people residing in the Gathering Hall were themselves an impressive collection of experts. There was no shortage of Golden Core experts alone. With Wei Zhao's strength, getting too close would be nothing short of courting death.

But if he continued searching without finding anyone, Wei Zhao would have no choice but to take a risk.

Just then, several people emerged from the main entrance of the Gathering Hall and hurried toward a building opposite the guest quarters. Judging by the familiar sign, it appeared to be an alchemy room specially prepared for guests. Wei Zhao had borrowed one before, though that had been an alchemy room outside the Gathering Hall.

Wei Zhao's heart stirred. He had searched everywhere else just now, yet the alchemy room alone had escaped his notice. Could Zheng Tianjie be inside?

It would not have been strange. The reason he had competed with Wei Zhao for that ten-piece weapon-refining set during the day was to obtain one of the materials needed to refine a fourth-grade Beauty Enhancing Pill and curry favor with Tian Chan. It made perfect sense that he would be refining pills through the night.

Sure enough, after those people waited outside for a short while, the door of the alchemy room opened. The person who emerged was none other than Zheng Tianjie.

"What the hell is wrong with your efficiency? You're only investigating the background of some bumpkin, yet with our Pill Hall's intelligence network, you still need this long? You're a bunch of useless fools and good-for-nothings! Thank heavens I haven't begun refining the Beauty Enhancing Pill yet. If you had disturbed me halfway through and caused the refinement to fail, making Junior Sister Tian Chan disappointed in me, could you bear the responsibility?"

The group hunched their necks and did not dare talk back. They let Zheng Tianjie berate them for a while, and only after his anger had subsided did they follow him to a room not far from the alchemy room, where they reported what they had discovered.

Seeing this, Wei Zhao did not follow them to eavesdrop. After a brief moment of thought, he flashed into the alchemy room instead.

From Zheng Tianjie's words just now, it was easy to tell that after hearing their report, the man would certainly return to refine the Beauty Enhancing Pill. For Wei Zhao, this was practically a heaven-sent opportunity.

He slipped silently into the alchemy room. It was empty, but all around him lay an abundance of precious materials. Four display cabinets stood packed to the brim, every item a rare treasure seldom seen outside. Wei Zhao could not help swallowing hard. R1152