Chapter 494: Cang Xu’s Blackmail and Extortion

Ever since Cang Xu teleported back, Xiao Wang Zi had been avoiding him. Even during the undead gatherings, he refused to meet Cang Xu’s gaze.

But this time, Xiao Wang Zi could not avoid him anymore. Cang Xu was outside at the door.

“Won’t you invite me in for a moment?” Cang Xu smiled.

Xiao Wang Zi froze for a moment, his voice dry as he lowered his head, “Come in.”

His dwelling, like everyone else's, was a simple shack, easily erected.

"How much longer do you intend to avoid me? Xiao Wang Zi." There were no chairs inside the shack, so Cang Xu simply sat cross-legged.

Xiao Wang Zi remained silent, head bowed.

Cang Xu spoke then: "I don't blame you, and I understand your choice. When it comes to feelings and bonds, Ku Feng truly runs deeper for you than I do."

“But what I hate is our current state. I don't want this barrier between us.”

“Xiao Wang Zi, though our time together was brief, I've already decided you are my friend!”

Xiao Wang Zi's body trembled. He finally lifted his gaze to look at Cang Xu, still appearing dazed.

Cang Xu continued, “These past days have been truly painful for me.”

“I still remember when we first met... how we fought side by side, how perilous that battle on the Underworld River was... and how you lent me resources, helping me get back on my feet... And after I began training in the Flying Head Spell, our teamwork, do you remember that ambush on the magic beast fish school?"

Cang Xu's recollections caused Xiao Wang Zi to lower his head once more.

Inside the shack, only Cang Xu spoke.

Yet he seemed to have endless words, pausing not once, his tone gentle as he recounted their history.

To Xiao Wang Zi, it felt like reliving those past experiences.

“Let's make things right again,” Cang Xu finally said.

Xiao Wang Zi's tiny skeletal frame trembled slightly.

If Cang Xu blamed him, despised him, or hated him, it would have been easier to bear. But hearing those words made Xiao Wang Zi feel even more miserable and guilty.

He couldn't help but sob softly.

Though no tears fell.

“You treated me like a good friend,” Xiao Wang Zi said, filled with remorse, “But I treated you like this.”

“I'm so sorry!”

“I'm sorry. I'm truly, truly sorry.”

“Waaah...”

Cang Xu stood up, sat beside Xiao Wang Zi, and placed a hand on his small shoulder. His voice was gentle, “I told you; I don't blame you.”

Xiao Wang Zi looked up, his expression dazed. At that moment, he seemed to see his father's figure reflected in Cang Xu.

Xiao Wang Zi: "Xu Jia, you're so kind! I'll make it up to you. What do you want? Even... even if it's Generalissimo, I'll give it to you."

Generalissimo was the three-headed zombie sea serpent that had accompanied Xiao Wang Zi for so long, his most cherished mount.

Cang Xu smiled faintly, “I don't want Generalissimo. I want your heavy cavalry.”

“Okay!” Xiao Wang Zi answered without hesitation, “I can always recapture and recreate them anyway.”

The next moment, he frowned with difficulty: "But I've lost them now. Zhou Zhang has captured all my heavy cavalry. I haven't seen them for many days, though the soul connection remains."

“Ha! I was just teasing. I don't want your compensation, don't worry about it,” Cang Xu chuckled, patting Xiao Wang Zi's shoulder.

But Xiao Wang Zi grabbed Cang Xu's sleeve and wouldn't let go. Looking up with wide eyes, he insisted firmly, "No, I must compensate you. You absolutely must accept it. Only then will I feel better."

“You yourself are my best compensation...” Cang Xu's gaze grew distant as laughter welled up inside him.

Of course, he kept these thoughts to himself. After offering Xiao Wang Zi a few words of comfort, Cang Xu left the shack, now certain: Xiao Wang Zi stood firmly by his side.

This encounter marked a breakthrough in Cang Xu's relationships with Ku Feng and Xiao Wang Zi.

With these connections solidified, Cang Xu gained greater leverage over Jian Gui's small faction.

Should the Dragon Lion Mercenary Corps ever need to use Jian Gui's channels to contact the undead forces led by You Shen, cultivating such influence would prove invaluable.

“Next up is Qi Ling.”

Cang Xu smiled confidently before arriving at Qi Ling's residence shortly after.

Qi Ling opened the door with a smile, inquiring about Cang Xu's purpose.

Cang Xu requested to discuss matters inside.

Qi Ling was reluctant, yet she still welcomed Cang Xu into her hut.

As they sat facing each other, she asked again, her face clearly guarded and distant.

Cang Xu chuckled, “Don't be so tense, Qi Ling. I'm only here to claim compensation.”

“Compensation? What do you mean?” Qi Ling frowned, then relaxed her expression.

Cang Xu explained, "It's about how you schemed against me, secretly instigating Xiao Wang Zi to help Ku Feng accelerate the progress of his memory fabrication. How long has it been? Have you, Magician Qi Ling, forgotten it all already?"

“Perhaps I should blame myself. I should have discussed compensation with you the very night I teleported back.”

On the surface, they exchanged prayer experiences; in secret, they traded private information.

Qi Ling smiled outwardly while seething inwardly: “Xu Jia, have you misunderstood something?”

“Didn't you do it?” Cang Xu pressed.

Qi Ling remained expressionless: “The misunderstanding I speak of is that you seem to think I, Qi Ling, am easy to bully.”

“That's right, I was targeting you specifically. Who else would have such low progress in memory fabrication, leaving themselves so exposed?”

“I want to survive, so I'll do whatever it takes to increase my chances.”

"Honestly, if it were Ku Feng or Xiao Wang Zi, I might hesitate. But you? I don't know you at all. You're a complete stranger! Is it strange that I'd target you under those circumstances?"

“Of course not,” Cang Xu replied, “I understand you, but that doesn't mean I can forgive you.”

“It seems you've misunderstood my purpose as well.”

“I came here demanding compensation, not to lecture you about reason or team camaraderie.”

“As you said, we're strangers to each other.”

“And even if we were to reason, we each have our own justifications. Using schemes and tricks to survive is perfectly normal.”

Cang Xu paused, staring intently into Qi Ling's eyes before continuing, “I'm here demanding compensation on account of Jian Gui, Xiao Wang Zi, and Ku Feng.”

“You targeted me, so I must retaliate.”

“But if I retaliate against you, it will ruin the grand scheme of forging false memories. Therefore, I hope you can see the bigger picture, compensate me, and quell the flames of my vengeance.”

Qi Ling chuckled softly. On the surface, she praised, “Magician Xu Jia, your experience as a magician is quite rich. It gives me great inspiration.”

Yet inwardly, she sneered coldly: “You seek vengeance?”

“How?”

“Don't forget, you still bear a double seal.”

“Come to think of it, that's rather peculiar, isn't it?”

"You've clearly converted, yet why do Zhou Zhang and the others still distrust you? Why haven't they touched the seals on your body?"

"You see, at the end of the day, you're a necromancer. How could normal people possibly trust you?"

“Even if your conversion succeeded, it would be the same!”

“You should realize by now, we're the ones who belong together.”

Qi Ling was cunning, preemptively using words to block Cang Xu's threatening rhetoric.

But this reaction was entirely within Cang Xu's expectations.

Cang Xu continued to stare into Qi Ling's eyes, his gaze sinister and icy. He silently communicated: “I must avenge myself on you. But why should I take action myself?”

“That would be so boring.”

“I never even considered laying a hand on you. After all, we're both magicians, we're on the same side.”

“Heh heh heh.”

At this, Cang Xu laughed.

Qi Ling's gaze shifted dramatically, growing fierce and furious. She growled under her breath, "Xu Jia, what do you intend to do? If you dare lay a finger on the Da Ji Clan, I will never let you off!"

Qi Ling's weakness was painfully obvious.

Lady Sea Snake could leverage the Da Ji Clan to demand Qi Ling serve her.

Such a weakness was something Cang Xu could certainly exploit!

Qi Ling's growl had already laid bare her fear.

Cang Xu promptly ended the conversation, rising to leave!

Just as he pushed open the hut door, Qi Ling called out to stop him: “Wait!”

Cang Xu returned with a smile, returning to his seat.

Qi Ling's gaze turned icy: "What do you want? Make it clear now, if you demand too much, negotiation is off! I won't satisfy your greed so easily!"

After another half hour of back-and-forth, Cang Xu and Qi Ling finally reached an agreement.

Cang Xu acquired a wealth of knowledge from Qi Ling.

Although Cang Xu had already obtained the intermediate soul aspect inheritance from Jian Gui, knowledge encompassed far more than just magician inheritance.

For instance, Qi Ling's assistance with Jian Gui's alchemy experiments, the content, data, and critical results.

Her unique expertise in the Soul Send Spell proved immensely valuable to Cang Xu.

Knowledge formed the bulk of the exchange, but there were also numerous undead supplies.

Of course, Qi Ling couldn't provide these supplies yet, bound as she was by dual seals. They had only reached a verbal agreement.

With a satisfied smile, Cang Xu crossed his arms behind his back and departed Qi Ling's quarters.

Watching his retreating figure, Qi Ling gritted her teeth, cursing silently: “Xu Jia, this humiliation, I will repay you in full.”

“You despicable, greedy goblin, daring to blackmail me!”

"Too bad our agreement is only verbal. Without a magic contract, what can you do to me once I regain my freedom?"

Beneath Qi Ling's fury lay a thread of smug satisfaction.

She reasoned: The dual seals bound her, yet indirectly aided her cause.

However, this notion shattered spectacularly the very next day!

At the undead gathering, Qi Ling's rage boiled over as she confronted Cang Xu: “We reached an agreement! Why did you attack the Da Ji Clan?!”