Living In Another World With A Farm Chapter 8553: Value (1)

Upon entering the second floor, Yu Qing immediately noticed a man approaching him. The individual, displaying a weathered face etched with the hardships of life, offered a warm smile. Recognizing Yu Qing, he bowed with clasped fists and requested, "My Lord, if you please, follow me. We shall head over to the side room to rest for a short while. I will summon you shortly." With those words, he guided Yu Qing toward a designated room nearby.

The second floor of the Clear Jade Pub was uniquely arranged; one side was populated by standard square tables, while the other held four private chambers labeled A, B, C, and D. Yu Qing followed his guide directly into room A. Once inside, the man prepared a kettle of tea and stated, "My Lord, please make yourself comfortable. I must attend to others, but I will return to greet you soon. Please, feel free to help yourself." He then exited the room.

Alone in the room, Yu Qing’s expression betrayed his surprise. He was not stunned by the fact that the entire floor had been reserved, but rather by the nature of the person assisting him. He recognized the man as a minor, elderly rogue cultivator from the local market, someone known for possessing very limited strength. It was evident he had been hired for this task, yet the caution exercised by the unseen client was remarkable.

Yu Qing found himself increasingly confused. What was the motivation behind such elaborate precautions? Was the client truly concerned about being discovered? Upon reflection, he realized that even if they were observed, the parties involved could simply relocate their meeting. Moreover, since nobody had actually laid eyes on the principal party, even a confrontation would yield no results; they would remain effectively invisible.

Interest piqued, Yu Qing became eager to identify the person he was meeting. He felt certain that such an individual would never rely on hired help for such a high-stakes mission if they weren't connected to the ghost shadow group. By identifying them, he hoped to trace the true background of this mysterious entity.

An hour flowed by until the door reopened. The man gestured to Yu Qing and said, "You are requested, my Lord. Our master invites you to join him. Please, this way." Yu Qing stood, nodded, and trailed the guide toward Room C. When they were approximately five paces from the entrance, the guide halted his advance. Yu Qing cast a glance his way, and the man simply smiled, offering a respectful, "Please, proceed, my Lord."

Yu Qing understood that the man’s access was restricted to this point. Without a word, he signaled his acknowledgment and advanced, arriving at the threshold of Room C moments later. Abruptly, he sensed a surge of energy radiating from the doorway. As he stood frozen in momentary bewilderment, the transparent token he held flew toward the door, vanished upon contact, and the mysterious pressure instantly dissipated.

Though internally surprised, Yu Qing maintained his composure. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. The space was a standard, mundane dining chamber containing a single, large round table. Sitting on the surface was a lone Jade slip, though the room was entirely vacant.

While Yu Qing peered around in growing curiosity, a voice suddenly echoed, "State your business!" Startled, Yu Qing immediately fixed his gaze on the Jade slip. It became clear that the voice originated from the object. He finally understood why the client had booked the entire floor for the meeting—there would be no face-to-face interaction at all.

This revelation left Yu Qing feeling slighted. How could he negotiate properly without seeing the face of his counterpart? He wondered if the other party lacked sincerity. Thinking this, he addressed the Jade slip: "Sir, is negotiating in such a cold, impersonal manner truly the display of sincerity I expected?"

The voice resonated from the Jade slip again: "I am being entirely sincere. However, you must understand that in our profession, non-contact is the gold standard. Let us focus on the matter at hand. Meeting in person is irrelevant; what matters is the success of our transaction, is it not?" The tone was void of emotion, as if discussing local trivia, leaving Yu Qing with no counter-argument.

Yu Qing looked directly at the Jade slip and spoke firmly: "I require the complete neutralization of the Tang Clan of the Yin-Yang Sect. I wish to see them eradicated. I want to know the price." He laid out his demands immediately, eager to gauge the cost. He understood he might not be able to afford the expense outright, but he was prepared to negotiate. He had come ready to bargain.

There was a long silence before the response came: "The Tang family is a prominent house within the Yin-Yang Sect. They possess thirty-three experts at the Island Master level, one hundred and seventy-six disciples in the art refinement realm, and over two thousand disciples below the art essence stage. This is a monumental requirement. Are you certain you can provide the payment?"

Though the magnitude of the task shocked him, a spark of hope lit up in Yu Qing’s eyes. It was clear the other party hadn't rejected the contract; they were merely vetting his ability to pay. His heart raced with optimism. He knew that as long as they were willing to undertake the task, he would gladly sacrifice anything to see it through.

Yu Qing was acutely aware of his stagnant state. Despite remaining in the refinement realm for years, his cultivation had refused to budge. Furthermore, the corrosive weight of his vendetta had pushed him to the brink of Qi deviation multiple times, shortening his remaining lifespan. He believed that if he didn't resolve this now, his end would come prematurely. He was ready to pay any price to destroy the Tang family—not just for vengeance, but to cleanse his own inner demons and potentially breakthrough to a higher level of cultivation.

Driven by this resolve, Yu Qing produced everything he owned from his hidden storage device. He addressed the Jade slip: "All my worldly possessions lie before you. As long as the Tang Clan is obliterated, I will pay any price you demand!"

The Jade slip remained silent for a beat before responding: "While some of these items hold value, they fall short of compensating for such a dangerous undertaking. However, I am intrigued by your conviction. Are you truly prepared to pay any price?"

Eyes flickering with determination, Yu Qing nodded emphatically. "Yes, I will pay any price, even my life." He knew that if they truly delivered his revenge, surrendering his life to them was a small sacrifice. The constant, burning fire of his hatred was a torment he could no longer endure.

The Jade slip emitted a faint, cold laugh. "Every life carries a baseline value. Some lives are rendered 'valuable' only because status and identity confer artificial worth. Your current life is worthless. Yet, I am curious about your background; if your identity carries enough 'extra value' to warrant our assistance, we will proceed. If your worth is insufficient, we will reject the deal. Disclose your value to me now."

Yu Qing’s hopes surged. So, they wanted his life—or rather, they wanted to own him, body and soul. He anticipated this and did not hesitate. "I am Yu Qing, an Elder currently in the refinement realm stationed at Ghost Bone Island of the Dark Ghost Sect. Furthermore, I hold the lineage of the Yu family from the Yin-Yang Sect. Decades ago, the Yu house was a powerful clan until the Tang family systematically slaughtered them. My goal is purely the fulfillment of this vendetta."

The Jade slip was quiet for a brief moment before replying: "Your position as an Elder of the Dark Ghost Sect is of moderate utility. Given your physical condition, it is possible for you to progress further, which adds to your potential worth. As for your Yu family lineage, it is useless in itself, given the clan is defunct. We must verify your identity first. Once we confirm you are indeed Yu Qing, we shall accept the commission. After the Tang Clan is exterminated, we will send word. Any betrayal from you will trigger a restriction that will ensure your death. In the coming days, be wary: someone will appear and ask, 'Is this senior brother Yu Qing’s residence? Your family has sent some candy.' Your response must be: 'No.' Do not open the door under any circumstances. Simply deny your presence. Now, you may leave."

Yu Qing stood stunned. He hadn't expected them to accept so readily, nor had he anticipated such a bizarre, seemingly childish secret code. Upon reflection, however, he realized the brilliance of it: it forced the courier to find him first, and the answer—denying his own existence while someone brought gifts—was a clever way to ensure there were no witnesses to a conversation. It was a signal that would never accidentally be triggered by another.

With this newfound understanding, Yu Qing bowed deeply toward the Jade slip. "I shall await your signal. Tell me, will you not place a restriction on me now? Are you not concerned I might deny the completion of the deed once the Tang family is gone?" He was genuinely curious as to what recourse they held if he defaulted.

"Heh, heh. Deny it? If we possess the power to wipe out the entire Tang Clan, do you honestly believe a minor disciple of the Dark Ghost Sect like you could ever escape our reach?" The Jade slip went silent immediately after. Yu Qing felt foolish for asking. He bowed toward the object once more, turned on his heel, and stepped out of the room, realizing he had just posed a rather naive question to masters of the shadow.