Jian Long opened his mouth, then closed it, before opening it again. The movement repeated several times, as though the words were stuck in his throat, leaving him unable to decide what he should say.
Did Yang San Mu know that he possessed one of the Ten Extreme Physiques, or was he completely unaware of it?
Should he reveal the matter, or keep this secret to himself?
He wanted to obtain that Gu worm at all costs. However, if Yang San Mu confirmed that he possessed one of the Ten Extreme Physiques, he might exploit Jian Long's desperate need for it and raise the price to an outrageous level. Yet, how could he attempt to buy it from him if he did not possess one of the Ten Extreme Physiques himself? Wouldn't that be suspicious?
You fool!
If Yang San Mu had harbored any suspicions before, then Jian Long's current strange stare at him after he mentioned the Gu worm must have confirmed those suspicions completely.
Say something! Anything!
But the words refused to leave his mouth.
Ah, damn it! What would Zhou Quan do if he were in my place?
But in the end, Jian Long managed to get the words out of his mouth.
"Since... since when have you known about this?"
What a stupid question!
Yang San Mu raised his eyebrows slightly before answering in a calm tone.
"Know about what? The Gu worm called Heaven's Protection, or are you referring to the fact that you possess one of the Ten Extreme Physiques? If you mean the latter, I can't help but feel offended. Think about it. Anyone who hears about your achievements while you were with the caravan, how you managed to withstand a Rank 3 Gu Master despite being Rank 2, and then how you killed a Heavenly Sun Bird using the elements of lightning and fire, would conclude that you possess one of the Ten Extreme Physiques. Well, at least anyone who knows of their existence."
Ah, the caravan! What an idiot I am! I completely forgot about that.
Jian Long realized his mistake, while noticing that Yang San Mu had returned to his usual formal tone, without any trace of the mockery that had appeared in his earlier words.
He's trying to avoid offending me... but why? Is he doing this so that I won't feel like an easy fool to deceive before he tries to swindle me? Or does he need me for some reason?
"Would you allow me to continue my deductions and say that you are not from the Bai clan as you claim, but that you actually do not belong to any clan at all?"
Jian Long pushed the food away from himself, having completely lost his appetite. Then he replied in a polite tone:
"Nothing escapes the notice of a perceptive man like you, my lord."
Yang San Mu smiled warmly, then spoke in a tone that conveyed admiration.
"To be honest, you deceived me at first with your claim that you belonged to the Bai clan. I must admit that I admire self-made men like you, those who carve their own paths from nothing and establish a place for themselves in this world through their own efforts.
"As I mentioned earlier, the Gu worm called Heaven's Protection is of no use to me. Therefore, I would like to give it to you as a gift. However, in return, I need a favor from a brave fighter like you."
Here we go.
He disliked the way Yang San Mu had begun trying to ingratiate himself with him. He was no fool who would fall for such flattery, nor did he like others to think he was naive enough to be deceived by a few words of false praise.
"Before we begin our conversation, I hope you'll allow me to use this Gu on you."
Yang San Mu opened his palm, and a Gu appeared above it in the shape of a golden monkey's head with three faces: one covering its ears, another its mouth, and the third its eyes.
Jian Long took a slight step backward, a movement so subtle that it was almost imperceptible. However, Yang San Mu noticed it immediately and hurried to reassure him.
"There's no need to worry. This is the Silent Monkey Gu. When it is used on someone, it becomes impossible for them to tell anyone else about the specific subject in question, by any means whatsoever. This won't pose any danger to you; the only thing is that you won't be able to tell anyone what I'm about to reveal to you."
Then he added in a friendly tone, as though they were old friends chatting together:
"I hope you won't take this as an insult. It's not that I distrust you, but what I'm about to tell you is a great and dangerous secret, and I don't want anyone else to hear about it. So, do you agree to let me use it on you?"
Jian Long hesitated for a moment, but eventually accepted. Yang San Mu then used the Gu on him, covering him in a faint golden light for a few seconds. The light quickly faded away.
As soon as Yang San Mu saw this, his expression turned serious, and he began to speak.
"Do you know Zhōngnán Mountain?"
Jian Long looked at Yang San Mu as a drop of sweat trickled down his forehead toward his eye due to the spiciness of the Wrap Dish. He wiped it away with his hand, then replied:
"If my memory serves me correctly, and you aren't referring to another mountain, I believe Zhōngnán Mountain is the mountain where your esteemed clan, the Sima clan, is located. Is that correct, my lord?"
"Yes, that's correct. It is also the home of the Sūn and Cao clans."
Yang San Mu spoke in a troubled tone, as though recalling a bad memory or a truth he had spent his entire life trying to avoid.
"They are our neighbors and companions on that mountain. What a pity! It seems that fate is the one that chooses our companions in this life, not us.
"The genius of the Cao clan intends to enter closed-door cultivation a year from now. It will last several months, with the goal of breaking through to Rank 5. If he succeeds, the Cao clan will invade the entire mountain and annihilate both my Sima clan and the Sūn clan.
"Therefore, we have decided not to wait until our turn comes to be wiped out. A year from now, during the Cao clan genius's closed-door cultivation, we will take the initiative, invade their clan, and eliminate them before they have the chance to destroy us."
Jian Long did not know what to say after hearing these words. He had not expected their conversation to turn toward something so serious.
However, Yang San Mu grabbed his shoulder firmly and spoke in a booming voice, a voice capable of instilling courage even in the most cowardly of souls.
"I witnessed your strength and courage with my own eyes when you were with me in the caravan! I need men like you, Jian Long!
"Support me! Support me, Jian Long! And know that neither I nor my clan will withhold anything from you. The Rank 3 Gu worm called Heaven's Protection, along with its Rank 4 recipe, will be yours! I will even make you an honorary member of our clan!
"So come and fight by my side! Let us write an epic that people throughout this world will sing about for thousands of years to come!"