Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain

Chapter 51: Dragon Seeker Ring

The three figures that Murong Lin had sensed earlier walked out from behind the crowd.

Two frail-looking people were supporting a sickly person in the middle.

They were Lu Hai Miao, Tang Can and Murong Xing.

Lu Hai Miao was wearing a simple neat-looking dress and had a calm expression. Tang Can was dressed in white, his head lowered, making it hard to see the dark expression on his face.

The two of them were supporting Murong Xing, who had a pale complexion that seemed to hint that he was suffering from severe, unrecovered injuries. He stumbled with every step, only barely managing to walk with the help of the two people by his side.

The crowd looked on in a daze as the three slowly walked towards them, completely silent.

They weren’t shocked at Lu Hai Miao and Tang Can, after all, these weren’t familiar people.

But how many of them knew the seventh prince Murong Xing?

Who didn’t know of the multi-talented Murong Xing, who was gifted in his literature and martial endeavours?

And who didn’t know of Murong Xing’s disappearance in the valley?

They were currently staring at the face of a person that was widely considered to be dead, this had caused their minds to go blank for a moment before they could even react.

“That, that’s his highness the seventh prince? He’s still alive!”

“My heavens! The seventh prince is alright! I heard that the three other princes were already confirmed to be dead.”

“Ptui! The heavens help the worthy, his highness the seventh prince is protected by the gods themselves.”

“But why did he appear here? And not the imperial palace?”

The crowd broke out into discussions as expressions of shock hung on their faces. Some people that were close to Murong Xing started walking to his side, asking him about his well-being with visible worry.

Murong Lin looked at the Tang Can that was next to Murong Xing with a raised eyebrow, glancing at him for a short moment before looking away.

He was sure of it now, the person that was spying on him was Tang Can.

After all, the mental strength and concealment techniques of the Tang sect’s members were considered to be extraordinary.

But Murong Lin had never expected Murong Xing to have escaped from the valley with his life, much less his meeting and return to the capital with Tang Can.

Lu Hai Miao and Tang Can supported Murong Xing as they walked over to Wang Ren Mei’s side. After slowly sitting down on a chair, Murong Xing looked at the gathered people and opened his mouth, “I, Murong Xing, greet everyone.”

The people beneath immediately brushed off his formality, staring at him with anxious eyes, some filled with concern, some with affection, some with confusion, and even some with tranquillity.

Wang Ren Mei clapped her hands, asking for everyone to quiet down before speaking, “The seventh prince entered the capital today with sister Lu Hai Miao and brother Tang Can, but he is still gravely injured. As for the culprit behind this incident, his highness the seventh prince and brother Tang Can has found a method to identify them.”

Tang Can walked forwards slowly, raising the blood-red crystal in his hands.

The crowd glanced at each other, some of their faces pale from recognising what it was, while the seventh prince’s gaze was solemn.

“What is this? Why is there some kind of powerful aura surrounding it?”

“Fuck! It can’t be? The Dragon God Crystal!”

“That’s the Dragon God Crystal!?”

Tang Can looked at the clamouring crowd before him as a hint of sorrow flashed past his eyes. After a moment, his emotions stabilised as he raised the Dragon God Crystal, “Yes, this is the Dragon God Crystal.”

He then took a ring from his finger, “This is the Dragon Seeker Ring that I’ve created with the aura in the Dragon God Crystal, it is able to seek and detect the Dragon God Crystal’s aura within a three hundred meter range. The closer it is, the brighter this ring will shine.”

Tang Can showed off the item, helping the crowd instantly understand its uses.

The smarter people within the crowd asked, “Your highness the seventh prince, you can’t be thinking of having us search for the Dragon God Crystals, are you?”

Murong Xing nodded, his complexion deathly pale, “Everyone should know that the Blood Spirits have completely entered the capital. We should use this ring and this opportunity to completely eradicate them this time, and everyone can find the true culprit behind all of this without facing any risk! We can avenge the deaths of my brothers.”

“But why not hand over this item to the army or the officials?” Someone else asked, fearfully glancing at the Dragon God Crystal in Tang Can’s hands.

Murong Xing shook his head subtly, “For the Blood Spirits to enter the capital with all of their forces, they must’ve had spies planted within the imperial court. There is also the mysterious cult leader making it impossible for the army to take action directly. But for the rest of you, as you are all the most active people within the capital, your movements won’t alarm the enemies.”

The crowd finally understood their plan by this point. Murong Xing and Wang Ren Mei wanted to borrow the help of boisterous wealthy youths like them as a cover to numb the enemies’ senses as they secretly searched for the true culprit and the members of the Blood Spirits.

The people that they knew and the number of their subordinates were definitely enough to cover the entire capital, without missing a single trace of information whatsoever.

Tang Can stared at the people gathered as he placed more strength into his fingers, tightly grabbing onto the Dragon God Crystal and Dragon Seeker Ring in his hands.

This was the first step in avenging his father.

He would never let the Blood Spirits go.

Murong Xing coughed once before repeating himself, “Everyone here should be well informed. Three of my brothers have died this time, while a hundred thousand people were led to their demise in the valley. Now that the Blood Spirits are hidden in the capital, it is important for everyone to keep their guards up, as they might be planning an even bigger scheme this time. Please, consider this as me troubling everyone.”

No one had seen Murong Xing like this before, no matter how elegant and refined he was usually, and how sociable he was, no one had ever heard the words, ‘trouble’ from his mouth before.

Someone stepped forward, “How many rings do you have?”

Tang Can and Murong Xing were stunned for a moment, but Tang Can quickly responded, “Just a hundred and fifty, we don’t have much.”

That person reached his hand out, “Shut your mouth……eh, I misspoke. Give me a ring, I’m the most familiar with the Red Forest Square, leave it to me.”

Tang Can looked at the person before him in gratitude as he handed him a Dragon Seeker Ring.

Murong Xing stared at the person as well, slowly speaking, “Thank you, third brother.”

The person taking the ring was Murong Lin.

Murong Lin smiled, patting Murong Xing’s back as he replied, “Don’t worry.”

Afterwards, people lined up as they took the rings for themselves. Considering that it wasn’t particularly dangerous and that the most they’d lose was their own time and energy, the 108 districts of the capital weren’t going to be hard for the three hundred people here to cover.

Wang Ren Mei stood at the sides, glancing at Murong Lin in interest.

Murong Lin, on the other hand, was completely indifferent as he fiddled with the Dragon Seeker Ring in his hands.

It wasn’t created with Yan’s traditional refining methods, it was somewhat crude at first glance, but the meticulously crafted components inside the ring made it resemble a hidden weapon instead.

Murong Lin glanced at Tang Can, observing the aura surrounding his body.

It was very cold.

It wasn’t the kind of coolness that hid a warmth within.

It was simply cold.

Perhaps this was what a hidden weapon and poison expert should be like, a person with the coldest heart facing the cold, harsh world.

But it was evident that Tang Can wasn’t that cold.

And that was why he would be the one to freeze to death in this frigid world.

Protagonist Value: 200

Age: 15

Cultivation: Seventh layer of the Origin realm

Innate talent: Little protagonist halo, Shrek monster

Cultivation method: 《One of the Seven Great Tang sect’s Techniques》(Black Sky), 《The Poisonous Old Ghost’s Scripture》

Skills: 《Six of the Seven Great Tang sect’s Techniques》 (Ghost Trace, Jade Hand, Purple Pupils, Capturing Crane, Thousand Weapons, Thousand Poisons)

“Anti, this ‘Shrek monster’ counts as innate talent? The fuck!” Murong Lin grumbled.

“Master shouldn’t look down on this innate talent, it helps the protagonist to increase their cultivation while ignoring the restrictions of their environment, and it also increases the probability of the protagonist meeting a master.”

“Eh, this……” Murong Lin was utterly speechless.

On the other side, Wang Ren Mei and Murong Xing were busy chatting amongst themselves, “I didn’t expect your third brother to be the first to offer his help.”

Murong Xing shook his head, slowly explaining, “Now that so many things have happened, my eldest brother must be the happiest, my third brother must be the most miserable, and I can’t tell how my eighth brother will fare. However, I feel like Murong Lin doesn’t feel as resentful and hateful as before.”

“Hah, that’ll be for the best. We will ruin duke Sheng first, according to the plan, then bring him over to your side.”

Translator’s note

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