Chapter 45: Don't Take It Personally, I Didn't Mean You!

Hearing the Reincarnation Pagoda prompt that his mission reward had been upgraded, Zhang Fang felt an incomparable wave of euphoria wash over every single pore of his body.

Watching Bao Butong’s desolate and unsteady figure retreating into the distance, he no longer had the urge to jog up and deliver a parting kick to remind him of the proper posture for getting lost. Instead, as he turned around, he muttered a low curse without leaving a trace: "Gusu Murong? Pah!"

Along with the final sound of spitting, Zhang Fang swiftly lifted the lower corner of his black iron mask, spat neatly near the feet of Murong Fu—who was disguised as Yan Shanhe—and then quickly snapped the mask back into place.

The sequence of actions was exceptionally smooth. The physical damage dealt was zero, but the psychological insult was immense.

Even with Murong Fu’s refined composure, he could no longer endure this humiliation. A violent surge of internal energy instantly rippled around him. It looked as though he was about to throw all caution to the wind and strike Zhang Fang right then and there, but he was grabbed in the nick of time by Yan Qingyun, who reached out and urged him to remain calm.

From this instinctive reaction of his opponent, Zhang Fang finally obtained the exact answer he was looking for.

Thus, he immediately cupped his fists toward the man and said, "Ah! Elder Yan, my deepest apologies. I didn't notice you standing right there just now. Look at this misunderstanding—I was clearly cursing that Gusu Murong fellow, not you. Please don't take it to heart!"

Hearing this, a surge of even greater fury rose within Murong Fu. Yet, with the prior buffer of time to cool his head, he managed to suppress it, gritting his teeth as he said, "It is nothing! On the contrary, Elder You previously expended a vast amount of internal energy forcing out the poison for the elders and disciples of my faction, and immediately followed that with an intense battle against Bao Butong. I fear your internal energy reserves must be severely depleted. Do you truly not wish to postpone our duel by a few days?"

Internal energy severely depleted?

No! No! No! After fighting Bao Butong for so long, my genuine qi is almost completely refilled!

Naturally, Zhang Fang would not reveal the secrets regarding his own internal energy to Murong Fu. Instead, he put on an indifferent expression, waved his hand dismissively, and said, "It is nothing at all. Just a little internal energy; it will not affect our duel seven days from now in the least."

"Very well." As Murong Fu spoke, he glanced once more toward the area where Elder Wu and the others were resting, and then said, "Since Elder Wu has yet to recover from his poisoned injuries and is currently in the utmost need of rest, I shall not intrude further. Farewell!"

At this moment, Murong Fu lacked even the slightest inclination to step inside just to put on a show and offer a few words of false concern. With a flick of his sleeves, he strode away grandly. Yan Qingyun, acting as his bodyguard, naturally followed silently behind, while Quan Guanqing offered a few polite parting pleasantries before trailing closely in their wake.

Those who had no business remaining had all finally departed.

Zhang Fang let out a long breath of relief, while simultaneously making a few simple deductions in his mind regarding the true identities of the "Yan Shanhe" party.

First of all, one thing was certain: within the faction of the Murong Family, there was definitely at least one reincarnator present.

Moreover, this person was not entering *Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils* for the first time. Much like himself, they had already laid down certain elements of their layout during their initial run through the trial world. This explained why Murong Fu had transformed into Yan Shanhe to stage this play for contention over the position of the Beggars' Sect leader.

As for Yan Shanhe himself—meaning Murong Fu—the possibility of him being a reincarnator could basically be ruled out.

When he heard Zhang Fang hurling insults at "Gusu Murong," the raw fury he displayed was undeniably an instinctive, genuine reaction.

A true reincarnator would never feel genuinely enraged merely over the name Gusu Murong, just as he could remain utterly indifferent to whether Bao Butong lived or died.

At the same time, the possibility of Yan Qingyun being a reincarnator could also be dismissed for much the same reasons.

Judging by their various arrangements, everything they did revolved strictly around the core interests of the Murong Family. Therefore, his identity could only be that of a character belonging to the Gusu Murong faction.

According to the original text, Murong Fu had four major retainers under his command, namely:
Deng Baichuan, Master of Qingyun Manor;
Gongye Qian, Master of Xixia Manor;
Bao Butong, Master of Jinfeng Manor;
Feng Bo'e, Master of Xuanshuang Manor.

That unlucky fool Bao Butong could, of course, be safely ruled out from the very beginning without consideration.

As for the two individuals who had infiltrated the Beggars' Sect alongside Murong Fu, they had adopted the aliases Yan Qingyun and Yan Xiazhi respectively. If his calculations were correct, Yan Qingyun was none other than Deng Baichuan, Master of Qingyun Manor, while Yan Xiazhi was Gongye Qian, Master of Xixia Manor.

Setting aside any complaints about these thoroughly uninspired aliases, Zhang Fang felt that among the four, Yan Xiazhi—portrayed by Gongye Qian—had by far the highest probability of being a reincarnator.

If Zhang Fang were the one orchestrating this layout, he would likewise keep a close companion stationed directly by Murong Fu’s side.

After all, the situation within a replica world could shift in the blink of an eye. Only by remaining constantly close to the core of the plan could one make the most rational adjustments and responses the very moment unexpected variables arose.

Of course, one could not completely rule out the possibility of other figures from the Murong Family utilizing alternative methods to shadow Murong Fu and participate in the scheming.

For instance, Azi, or perhaps... Murong Bo, who was faking his death to remain hidden in the shadows!

Without further clues, it was impossible to lock down a specific target for the time being. Deciding to put this headache-inducing problem aside for now, Zhang Fang silently brought up his personal space interface and turned his attention to the "Ore Treasure Chest (Gold)" he had just acquired.

Ore Treasure Chest (Gold): Upon opening, will randomly yield one piece of gold-grade metal ore.

Confirm open!

Obtained: Pig Iron x1!

Pig Iron: An extremely rare metal, rumored to be produced exclusively in the Western Regions. Exceptionally tough, far surpassing ordinary steel!

Ding! The reward critical-strike system has taken effect. The reward item obtained by the host from the "Ore Treasure Chest (Gold)" will receive a 100% critical-strike enhancement!

Obtained: Dark Iron (Small) x1!

Dark Iron (Small): Deep black in luster, faintly glowing with a reddish tint, exceptionally heavy and indestructible. Among ordinary blades, spears, swords, and halberds, the addition of merely half aliang of this metal is enough to turn scrap iron into a razor-sharp weapon. Dark Iron is a supreme treasure of the martial world and is exceedingly rare; rumor has it that it is meteorite iron fallen from the heavens.

Dark Iron was undeniably a fantastic treasure, save for the fact that the quantity was pitifully small. The character "Small" appended to its name meant that its volume was roughly the size of a ping-pong ball.

It really was freaking tiny!

With only this minuscule amount of Dark Iron, let alone casting blades, spears, swords, and halberds, one probably wouldn't even have enough to forge a fruit knife, would they?

However, looking at it another way, the quality of this Dark Iron should already be considered among the very finest of diamond-grade metals, right?

Even with the blessing of a doubled critical-strike multiplier, acquiring it was immensely difficult. Perhaps reducing the quantity was the only way he could ever get his hands on such a precious metal to begin with.

With this thought, Zhang Fang's mind instantly cleared. He closed the personal space interface and casually spoke to Elder Xu who was standing nearby: "Earlier, while fighting Bao Butong, I kept a distracted eye on the reactions of Yan Shanhe and his servant. Judging by the subtle movements unconsciously betrayed by the two of them, they appear to have a deep connection with Bao Butong. I suspect these two are very likely tied to Gusu Murong!"

Hearing this, Elder Xu couldn't help but be startled. "Elder You, when you say this, have you discovered any concrete evidence?" Realizing midway that his phrasing sounded somewhat inappropriate, he hurriedly added, "I am not doubting your judgment, but if we could produce solid evidence, perhaps that duel seven days from now wouldn't even need to take place."

Not take place?

How could that do!

Although, according to the description of the main quest, kicking Murong Fu out of the game through methods other than a direct duel would also yield the mission reward, this did not align with Zhang Fang's overall strategy!

From the perspective of long-term benefits, a fight still needed to happen.

Thinking this internally, Zhang Fang instead replied with a helpless expression on his face, "If I had hard evidence, I would have exposed them on the spot. However, these two individuals are highly suspicious; it would be best to have people keep a close watch on them. Furthermore, Quan Guanqing is walking so closely alongside them that we cannot afford to lower our guard against him either."

"Especially at night—we must ensure that Elder Wu and the others are properly protected."

Elder Xu nodded slightly and immediately beckoned over a nearby Beggars' Sect disciple to issue instructions. Once the tasks were assigned, he turned back and smiled, saying, "You needn't worry about the situation over at Elder Wu's side."

"This martial arts tournament to decide the leader concerns the future of the entire Beggars' Sect. By this afternoon at the latest, Elder Song and Elder Xi will return to the main stronghold. Tomorrow, the Elders of Law Enforcement and Gongshu can also rush back."

"By then, even if Murong Fu himself comes here personally, he won't be able to stir up any major waves!"

Truly unable to stir up waves?

Zhang Fang dared not agree with such a sentiment. Though Murong Fu might pale in comparison to Qiao Feng, he was still a formidable expert; gathering seven or eight second-rate martial artists of an elder's caliber might still not be enough to defeat him.

Naturally, Zhang Fang was not foolish enough to voice these unpleasant truths out loud. After a brief hesitation, he shifted the topic instead: "Now that the decisive battle is imminent, I wish to forge a piece of equipment for myself before facing Yan Shanhe, just to increase my chances of victory."

"Elder Xu is well-informed and knowledgeable. Do you happen to know which smithing master near Luoyang City possesses the finest craftsmanship?"