Due to her cultivation base, spiritual energy manifested in Fellow Daoist Yingxi's beautiful peach-blossom eyes, making them gleam with a faint light within the dark gauze bed-curtains.
Yulou could clearly see the girl's panic and bewildernt—'I just acted a little pretentious, so why is a grown man like you crying?'
Gently closing the beauty's eyes with his hand, Wang Yulou said, "Go to sleep. Let's not talk about this anymore."
'My dear, my tears are not flowing for myself. They are flowing for you.'
Hearts were made of flesh. He could clearly see Zhou Yingxi's helplessness, just as she could clearly see his.
Wang Yulou could feel just how complex Fellow Daoist Yingxi's feelings for him truly were.
How could he not feel tender affection for her?
In the eyes of outsiders, the two of them were the junior of the Purple Palace grand cultivator Zhou Bojiao and the future core figure of the Behemoth Lineage.
Both were heavenly geniuses, both were core mbers of the Immortal Alliance, both enjoyed resources ordinary cultivators could not even imagine, and both possessed extrely high status.
But the truth was, not only had Wang Yulou beco a grand cultivator's pawn, but even Zhou Yingxi was Zhou Bojiao's pawn.
For those grand cultivators who had pursued the Dao for a long ti, taking another step forward was far more important than caring for their families.
Caring for the family was a ans, not an end.
So-called blood relatives were nothing more than materials for refining pills.
He was refining pills in the West Sea simply because a grand cultivator refining their entire direct lineage was too horrifying. Doing it within the Red Lantern Illumination Sect's territory would only frighten the younger generations of other grand cultivators' families within the sect.
"What exactly is wrong with you, Wang Yulou? You aren't usually like this."
Zhou Yingxi broke free from Wang Yulou's embrace. Propping herself up, she looked straight at her Dao Companion.
"I haven't heard you play the zither in a long ti. Co, Xiaoxi, play a tune."
So things, even if the truth had been guessed, could not be explained, let alone spoken aloud.
For example: 'Zhou Yingxi, your ancestor refined all your relatives into pills.'
Or: 'My dear, you might be a vessel that Master has been cultivating since you were little.'
Neither would work. There was no way to say it.
"Now?"
Faced with Wang Yulou's blatant attempt to change the subject, Zhou Yingxi only felt baffled.
Wang Yulou smiled, the tears that had just flashed in his eyes already gone—he had to keep moving forward, after all. No matter how difficult, he had to keep going.
'I've cultivated for so long, but in the end, everything I learned aside from my cultivation base is of no use.'
"You're different, Xiaoxi. At least you can play the zither and make happy."
Still feeling completely baffled, Zhou Yingxi put on her inner garnts, sat beside Wang Yulou, and began to play the zither.
It was no longer the zither the Wang Clan had made for her. The one she used now was a high-grade magical artifact, and the effects of its music were excellent.
Although the music Dao she cultivated was ant for magical combat, she was highly proficient. Her skill in playing lodies was more than a level higher than Miss Huandie from the Bright Moon Night Inn.
Amidst the faint sound of the zither, Wang Yulou fell into deep thought.
Wang Yulou was no fool. With so many unusual details linking together, if he still couldn't see the truth, he wouldn't have been qualified to reach his current position.
Zhou Fangming had still been purchasing demonic beast at and demonic beast essence blood pills a couple of days ago, only to suddenly disappear.
Zhou Bojiao's claim that the Zhou family mbers had left in a hurry without notifying Zhou Yingxi was definitely a lie.
With so many people, how could they all have been dispatched by Zhou Bojiao? It was highly likely they had all been refined by him.
Wang Yulou had heard of thods that used relatives to refine pills. Such spiritual pills often possessed extrely special effects, like altering one's aptitude or nding flaws in a cultivator's Dao foundation and physical body.
Considering Zhou Bojiao wasn't selfless enough to sacrifice himself to nurture a new Purple Palace cultivator for the family, it could be deduced that his supposed thod to rge Dao foundations and open the Purple Palace wasn't necessarily true either.
Furthermore, Zhou Yingxi had once ntioned that she grew up in Perfected Man Fujiao's grotto-heaven, consuming a steady supply of heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and miraculous spiritual pills.
Zhou Yingxi's true purpose seed to point entirely toward that grim possibility—she was Perfected Man Fujiao's vessel.
After he and Zhou Yingxi married, every ti Zhou Bojiao saw them, he would urge the couple to reach the Foundation Establishnt realm as quickly as possible.
Perhaps once she reached Foundation Establishnt, it would be ti for Zhou Bojiao to perform body usurpation on Zhou Yingxi.
However, there was one highly unusual point in all this—Zhou Bojiao was refining the pills in a massive hurry.
It even gave off the feeling that he had been rushed into action before he was truly ready.
First.
If he had truly planned to refine all his clansn into pills, why did he arrange for Zhou Liangzhuor, Zhou Fangming, and the others to take up official posts in Western Sea Immortal City in the first place?
Although the Immortal Alliance lacked effective thods to deal with grand cultivators, Zhou Bojiao bringing his family mbers all the way to the West Sea, arranging so many positions for them, and then refining them just a few days later...
It didn't make sense.
Second.
Zhou Fangming had only just finished purchasing the pill materials, yet less than two days later, Zhou Bojiao had already refined a spiritual pill capable of attracting the Heavenly Tribulation. That also didn't make sense.
High-grade spiritual pills often required a considerable amount of ti to refine. Even the location and season had to be carefully considered. It wasn't as simple as just setting up a furnace and lighting a fire.
Combining these two unusual bursts of urgency, Wang Yulou guessed that Zhou Bojiao might have either sensed so impending danger or received so kind of promise.
A cultivator's actions were dictated by their judgnt. Zhou Bojiao's judgnt had shifted, likely because he had observed so sudden change in the situation.
Extrapolating further, this change must have been highly unusual for him to urgently rush his plans forward—interrupting his original arrangents, sending out the Zhou family mbers to frantically buy up materials, and then refining those sa people the mont the materials were ready.
Was the Immortal Alliance civil war about to start?
No, if the civil war started, Zhou Bojiao wouldn't need to rush; the Conservative Faction held a massive advantage.
The Behemoth Lineage had four Purple Palace grand cultivators. If a civil war broke out, with Mang Xiang's quasi-Golden Core strength and his unique ability to evade the Heavenly Tribulation, Zhou Bojiao would have absolutely nothing to fear.
Analyzing the nuances even deeper: Zhou Bojiao interrupting his original arrangents and choosing to refine the Zhou family corresponded with him confirming his future safety.
Had the Ancestral Master given him so kind of promise, and the conditions for fulfilling that promise had finally been t?
"Yulou, is the pressure from investigating the case too great?"
Zhou Yingxi finished playing the tune and looked at the dazed Wang Yulou, asking cautiously.
Investigating the case?
Wang Yulou looked at the beauty, an answer already forming in his heart.
It was the investigation!
Exactly who had handed over the knife in the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda case was no longer important.
Of the three West Sea patrolling inspectors dispatched by the Immortal Alliance, one was smart, and the other two were idiots.
This kind of lineup was too profound. It ant that from Qingrui and Lianpeng down to Poor Sea and Jinshan, none of them truly intended to deal with Shen Guang. At most, they rely wanted to clip his wings.
After the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda case broke out, Zhou Bojiao's explanation to Mu Changze was that 'it is not yet ti.'
Combined with the direction of the investigation set by Li Haikuo and Jinshan, it showed that the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda case was an intentionally arranged, genuine probing attempt.
The probe produced a result—all parties chose to smooth things over.
Jinshan compromised, and Li Haikuo and Zhou Bojiao compromised. Suddenly, it seed they weren't going to deal with Shen Guang anymore.
And right after that, Zhou Bojiao abandoned his original arrangents and began refining pills.
The timing matched up.
Zhou Bojiao's explanations for all of this also matched up.
The logic also matched up.
Realizing this, Wang Yulou was no longer afraid.
He was finally certain that he had grasped the true underlying threads of the chaotic situation in the West Sea.
Looking at the beauty with a hint of tenderness in his gaze, Wang Yulou smiled and said, "What pressure is there in investigating a case? I was just wondering if you could play a more stirring tune, like a battle-breaking song."
Although Zhou Yingxi was still confused, she chose to accommodate her husband's request, imdiately striking up a well-known battle-breaking song from Wunan.
Perhaps they were already true Dao Companions.
Within the red gauze bed-curtains, the beauty played the zither, and Yulou listened.
It seed he was no longer worried about Zhou Bojiao performing body usurpation on Zhou Yingxi and dual cultivating with him.
'An overbearing Master seizing a body, bending his gender, and forcing love upon him?'
'No need to fear. Worst cos to worst, I'll take the Wang Clan and jump ship!'
In the skies over the West Sea, there were currently two suns.
One was nad Mang Xiang, which required no further explanation.
The other was nad Shen Guang, which also needed no further explanation.
There was one thing only Wang Yulou clearly knew—back in Clear Stream Market, Shen Guang Immortal Venerable had personally told him that he possessed the aptitude for the Purple Palace.
Therefore, he wasn't afraid of an overbearing Master usurping her body, switching genders, and forcing love upon him.
——
Wang Yulou's judgnt was that the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda case seed like a knife handed over by so unknown person, but it was actually a probe.
Jinshan had also thought of this. However, because they stood at different heights, he thought even further ahead.
Zhou Bojiao's remark that 'The West Sea does not belong to the Immortal Alliance, but to Wunan,' had frightened him.
If the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and Shen Guang joined forces, it wouldn't just be an issue of four thousand miles of the West Sea taking the surna Red, but all seven thousand miles of the West Sea changing their surna to Red.
What was even more terrifying was that the Withered Wood Immortal Venerable of Withered Wood Hall was a Demon God, and Tianshe of the Sky Serpent Sect was also a Demon God.
Although he wasn't entirely sure whether Shen Guang was human or demon, Shen Guang was undoubtedly the Immortal Alliance emissary propped up by the various Demon Gods of the West Sea.
If the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and Shen Guang allied, the three Wunan sects east of the Western Sea Levee—from north to south: the Red Lantern Illumination Sect, the Sky Serpent Sect, and Withered Wood Hall—would directly beco extended forces for the West Sea's Demon Gods.
At that point, it would no longer be an Immortal Alliance civil war, but rather the West Sea's Demon Gods encroaching upon the Immortal Alliance's territory.
That would be the true resurgence of a great war!
The possibility of this happening wasn't low. The Gathering Immortals Platform had rejected Mang Xiang's Golden Core Deliberations several tis.
Under such circumstances, it was entirely possible—and more importantly, he had the capability—for Mang Xiang to take a portion of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect and ally with Tianshe, Withered Wood Immortal Venerable, and Shen Guang to splinter the Immortal Alliance.
In the event of a war between two top-tier powers, the past conflicts between Tianshe and Mang Xiang would beco completely insignificant. By acting as the vanguard, they could obtain far more than they ever could within the Immortal Alliance.
When that ti ca, they would first sell out the mortals and cultivators under the tutelage of the three sects, and then lead the West Sea's demonic horde straight into Wunan's heartland, viciously securing two massive windfalls.
Ultimately, the lion's share of the Red Lantern Illumination Sect belonged to Zhuzhao!
Tianshe was also quite dissatisfied with their treatnt within the Immortal Alliance.
Withered Wood Immortal Venerable was likewise unwilling to let the Immortal Alliance take back the several thousand miles of the West Sea under his control.
This was a struggle for interests born from structural contradictions within the Immortal Alliance. It was laid bare for all to see; how could Jinshan not be worried?
In Jinshan's view, even Zhou Bojiao's deliberate use of the Vajra Pillar to withstand the Heavenly Tribulation carried an underlying intent to purposely deplete the Immortal Alliance's defensive strength in the West Sea.
Because of an agreent with the various Demon Gods of the West Sea, the Immortal Alliance could not send Immortal Venerables to the West Sea frontlines to guard Western Sea Immortal City. Therefore, the Vajra Pillar was actually the Immortal Alliance's strongest garrisoned force in the West Sea.
Not letting True Person Longhu take it was out of fear that True Person Longhu, possessing the greatest strength, would go rogue with the high-grade spirit treasure refined from the third-grade spiritual material, the Immortal Stone in Aperture!
Jin Mingdu's arrival interrupted Jinshan's thoughts.
"Mingdu, how is the investigation into the case going?" Jinshan asked.
Immortal Maiden Mingdu knelt before the ancestor and began to report the investigation's progress over the past two days.
'Mm, not bad. Wang Yulou is quite capable. He is a good young man.'
"Mingdu, what do you think of Wang Yulou?"
Jin Mingdu inwardly replied that she looked with her own two eyes.
'Ancestor, you've already said he's a good young man, so what else can I think? What else do I dare to think?'
"Fellow Daoist Yulou is thoughtful and ticulous. He can get along very well with any kind of fellow cultivator."
Lian Chengxian didn't count as a fellow cultivator. That kind of trash raised by a major family was just a functional idiot ant to be used, not cultivated as a true core of the family.
"Furthermore, Fellow Daoist Yulou's thods in handling matters are also brilliant. At first glance, Mingdu thought many of his arrangents were rely ordinary, and only later gradually realized the profound mysteries hidden within them."
"Having co to the West Sea, I have t many different fellow cultivators, but those like Fellow Daoist Yulou are truly rare."
Since the ancestor was praising him, she would praise him too.
Wang Yulou's subtle act of playing the hero to save the beauty had left a deep impression on Jin Mingdu. Naturally, she was willing to put in a few good words for him in front of her family's ancestor.
If the ancestor was in a good mood and bestowed so reward or opportunity upon Wang Yulou in the future, it could serve as her way of repaying his kindness for saving her.
"Good. If I rember correctly, the clan hasn't arranged a marriage for you yet?"
Jinshan, whose entire body was composed of a tallic substance, spoke once more.
She was nothing more than a junior in the clan; giving her away ant nothing to him.
Compared to Old Zhou's practice of refining his own clansn into pills, Jinshan felt his arrangent was practically heartwarming.
Jin Mingdu snapped her head up in shock, staring at her family's ancestor.
But Jinshan's cultivation base had already reached the realm of perfection. His face was an unchanging, motionless mask of tranquil tal—how could it reveal any expression?
"Yes, no marriage has been arranged yet."
Jin Mingdu couldn't tell what she was feeling.
Joy?
Perhaps slightly, but not much.
Mostly, it was bewildernt. She understood the ancestor's implication, which only made her more confused.
'Am I just being given to Wang Yulou like this?'
In truth, Jinshan just wanted to play it safe.
No matter what Zhou Bojiao intended, now that the majority of the Zhou Clan had been refined into pills, it would be very difficult for him to bypass Mu Changze or Wang Yulou.
And since Mu Changze was Wang Yulou's father-in-law, Wang Yulou's position was crucial, even if his cultivation base seed unimpressive.
Sending Jin Mingdu to Wang Yulou would serve to keep an eye on him and gather intelligence.
Of course, as a Purple Palace Grand Cultivator who had achieved the Dao long ago, True Person Jinshan wouldn't rely solely on this thod to investigate the situation. But having a backup plan was only natural.
Ultimately, she was just a clan junior. Immortal Maiden Mingdu was peerlessly beautiful, and her cultivation aptitude and natural talents were quite good. However, Jinshan had at least a dozen such juniors, if not a hundred.
Giving her away ant nothing.
"Mm. Interact more with Wang Yulou. I think you two are a good match. You may go."
This was a True Person's Sacred Decree, even more explicit and direct than the order Danri had given when sending Wang Yulou to the West Sea. Perhaps Danri had been too embarrassed to say it out loud back then.
'Wang Yulou, go to the West Sea to serve as a cultivation furnace for Zhou Yingxi after her body is usurped by Zhou Bojiao'—it was too inhumane.
Immortal Maiden Mingdu bowed deeply. When she straightened up, her expression was solemn and dignified.
"Mingdu understands."
——
South Annex City.
Standing next to the land he had bought—or rather, the land he had gotten for free—Wang Yulou said in dissatisfaction, "This piece won't do, it's too remote! I want the land right next to East Annex City!"
Xihai Hu smiled and tactfully declined.
"Yulou, you also know that quite a bit of the land next to East Annex City has already been sold."
"The buyers snatched it up in bits and pieces, so there isn't a large, intact plot available for you."
"Otherwise, given our friendship, I would definitely arrange it for you, brother."
Xihai Qingfeng's subordinates had already started construction, and Wang Yulou didn't actually want to change locations.
He knew perfectly well that land acquired for free couldn't be pri real estate. Being a bit remote wasn't a major problem.
However, making a fuss about it served a purpose.
"Big Brother Hu, if I get better land, I can earn more spirit stones in the future, and you all can get a larger cut."
"How about this: we keep nine hundred mu here, and you talk to Elder Longhu to carve out another one hundred mu for right next to East Annex City. What do you say?"
The proposal to swap the entire plot was rejected, but Wang Yulou imdiately requested to swap a portion.
If Xihai Hu refused again, it would seem sowhat unreasonable. Of course, this minor negotiation trick was just an insignificant ploy.
Wang Yulou making such a fuss was akin to taking a few swings at a date tree just to see what fell; if it worked out, great, but if not, no harm done.
"Yulou, one hundred mu is too much... How about this, I'll report to Elder Longhu and try my best to fight for it on your behalf," Xihai Hu said, looking troubled.
Xihai Longhu had decided to give Wang Yulou one thousand mu of land. Although the South Annex City Developnt Office retained the right to a share of the profits, it was still shockingly generous.
Xihai Hu didn't understand the twists and turns behind this, only knowing that Wang Yulou was no simple figure. Now that Wang Yulou had made a request, he naturally didn't dare to arbitrarily refuse.
He could refuse swapping the entire one thousand mu because his reason was solidly true, not an empty excuse.
But to refuse a request for a re hundred mu would overstep his bounds.
Wang Yulou pondered for a mont and chose to raise the stakes.
"Big Brother Hu, if South Annex City wants to prosper and develop, we need to let the people of East Annex City see its value."
"If I get those one hundred mu of land, the Wang Clan will imdiately invest at least eight hundred thousand spirit stones into developnt. That's a solid deal, isn't it?"
"Eight hundred thousand?" Xihai Hu asked in shock.
Eight hundred thousand could buy forty mu of land. Currently, the largest plot sold in South Annex City was only a little over ten mu—Wang Yulou acquiring his for free didn't count.
It was precisely because the South Annex City Developnt Office was so slow at selling land that Wang Yulou had managed to acquire his plot so smoothly.
"Mm, eight hundred thousand spirit stones, to open the best restaurant in the West Sea, plus an auction house, and a technique shop selling cultivation thods—all built to the highest standards."
"Big Brother Hu, Elder Loyalty seems quite dissatisfied with Elder Longhu. For these businesses on the land, the South Annex City Developnt Office will also have a share of the profits. We are the ones on the sa side."
What eight hundred thousand, what technique shop—it was all utter nonsense.
The Wang Clan was currently liquidating everything they could to exchange for spirit stones, but even if they had the funds, Wang Yulou wouldn't just throw them away like this.
Getting the land in his hands first was what mattered.
The land next to East Annex City was a pri spot, and Wang Yulou was determined to get it, or at least secure a small piece.
If Xihai Longhu wasn't willing to give it to him, he could just buy it directly; it just ant a larger investnt.
'Shen Guang Immortal Venerable, can you see my loyalty?
Yulou has no ulterior motives; he just wants to put so effort into your plan to expand South Annex City!'
"Yulou, I knew there was a reason we beca good friends. Don't worry, I will definitely go to the Second Elder and fight for this with all my might!"
The dark, chubby Xihai Hu was completely enchanted by the empty promises Wang Yulou painted. He imdiately moved to give Yulou a hearty, bear-like hug.
At that exact mont, Jin Mingdu happened to co looking for Wang Yulou, saving him from the peril of the fat tiger's embrace.
Watching the backs of the two as they rode their spirit beasts toward the immortal city, Xihai Hu smacked his lips and let out an envious sigh.
'Damn it, this kid Wang Yulou looks so ordinary. How co he never lacks beautiful female cultivators for company?'
Being beautiful was one thing, but the problem was that the female cultivators beside Wang Yulou had increasingly formidable backgrounds.
Zhou Yingxi, Mo Yunshu, Jin Mingdu—there was no way to aim any higher. Any higher, and it would have to be a direct lineage female cultivator from a Golden Core Immortal Venerable's family.
——
After receiving her ancestor's Sacred Decree, Jin Mingdu didn't dare slack off.
But she had searched for Wang Yulou for a long ti before finally locating him in South Annex City.
Immortal Maiden Mingdu was slightly dissatisfied with the lazy behavior of the investigation leader.
"It's not that I don't care about the investigation, Fellow Daoist Mingdu. You saw the situation just now."
"Our Wang Clan bought three hundred mu of land in South Annex City and is currently constructing our businesses. I have to keep an eye on it."
Wang Yulou explained with a bitter smile.
The first phase of the project would cover three hundred mu, and to the outside world, they would claim it was only three hundred mu. This was part of a cultivator's daily discipline in keeping a low profile.
Even though he had already decided to walk the path of a heavenly genius, that didn't an Wang Yulou had to constantly stick his neck out and boast about his prowess—that was aningless.
Those who needed to know of his extraordinary nature would naturally know. As for those who didn't, there was no need to inform them.
"Three hundred mu? Six million spirit stones?"
Jin Mingdu's eyes widened; she almost cried out on the spot.
Six million spirit stones... that sum could even support a Purple Palace.
She had thought Wang Yulou was just an impressive heavenly genius from the Behemoth Lineage. Only now did she realize he wasn't just a heavenly genius, but also a bona fide scion of a wealthy family.
Was the Wang Clan, a vassal family of Mang Xiang, really this wealthy?
Beauties loved heroes, but they didn't only love heroes.
To Immortal Maiden Mingdu, Wang Yulou had not only played the hero, but he was also much more than one.
As such, the way Jin Mingdu looked at Wang Yulou took on a different aning.
The ancestor approved, he possessed considerable 'strength' himself, and she had a good impression of him.
Aside from the fact that he already had a Dao Companion, Wang Yulou was arguably the highest-quality Dao Companion candidate Immortal Maiden Mingdu had seen in many years.
"It's not like that. It's just like buying talismans—buy in bulk, and you get a discount."
Wang Yulou's lips were sealed too tightly. Immortal Maiden Mingdu felt her curiosity burning, and finally threw caution to the wind to pursue the question.
"So how many spirit stones did you actually spend? Three million?"
This question actually crossed the line a bit, as her relationship with Wang Yulou wasn't that deep.
However, just as Immortal Maiden Mingdu had reported to her ancestor, Wang Yulou was simply too easy to talk to.
He held out his hand and laughed, "Less than five million."
Looking at the five fingers Wang Yulou held out, Jin Mingdu smiled as well.
'Wang Yulou, oh Wang Yulou, it really had to be you.'
"One million is less than five million, and two million is also less than five million. I understand now, Yulou. I shouldn't have even asked."
In front of Flavorful Bistro, Yulou smiled, jumped off his horse, and said, "It wasn't unnecessary to ask. Co on, I'll treat you to a al. Speaking of which, did you uncover anything in the investigation?"
Immortal Maiden Mingdu only then realized that she had been led completely off track by Wang Yulou, nearly forgetting her proper business.
"Fellow Daoist Yaoyue, Fellow Daoist Yanghe, and the others have pretty much finished their interrogations. Those two confessed. I ca to notify you."
Wang Yulou's brow twitched slightly, realizing that this was a massive problem.
How did that saying go again? 'A cultivator determined to accomplish sothing within the Immortal Alliance's system must properly fasten the first button of their life.'
Compared to simply investigating the case, leveraging the investigation to properly fasten this first button was what Wang Yulou truly cared about.
However, he couldn't just fasten the first button; he also had to prepare for the subsequent ones.
He intended to use this investigative authority to accomplish a great many things.
If the case was resolved so clearly right now, what did they need him, the investigation leader, for?
Furthermore, Xihai Qingfeng's people were currently in South Annex City helping him build the combat arena. If the truth of the case ca to light now, who would build it?
What a ss!
"That's good, that's good. Fellow Daoist Yaoyue and the others are indeed capable. But let's eat first."
"Flavorful Bistro has developed quite a few new dishes recently. Fellow Daoist Mingdu has seen the great world, so it's a perfect ti for you to taste them and offer so pointers."
In his heart, he was highly dissatisfied with the investigation's rapid progress, but Wang Yulou couldn't make it too obvious.
The two of them ate for half a shichen, and Jin Mingdu endlessly praised the dishes made by the four head chefs transferred to Western Sea Immortal City. This gave Yulou a lot of confidence.
If he wanted to open a top-tier restaurant, he couldn't do without highly skilled chefs.
Since their dishes earned the praise of a direct lineage mber of a major clan like Jin Mingdu, their skills were more than sufficient.
——
Chen Nian and the loose cultivator who had filed the complaint were locked in the Punishnt Court. This was Zhou Bojiao's territory.
Therefore, Jinshan suspecting that Mang Xiang and Shen Guang were conspiring together was not without reason.
Wang Yulou saw this as a probe. But Jinshan saw even more chilling possibilities, which was why he had decided to offer Jin Mingdu to Wang Yulou as a counter-probe.
"Fellow Daoist Yulou, the interrogation is almost done. They confessed to everything."
Seeing Yulou arrive, Chen Yanghe imdiately reported the situation.
"Chen Nian said he was instructed by a masked Foundation Establishnt cultivator, who promised him two thousand spirit stones."
"That loose cultivator said he was also instructed by a masked Foundation Establishnt cultivator, lured by the promise of profit as well."
Wang Yulou paused in surprise, his inner worries instantly vanishing.
'Good, good, good. So this is how you investigate, is it?'
'Yanghe, did you guys use the great mory restoration technique?'
Secretly communicating via voice transmission with his "good brother" Chen Yanghe, Wang Yulou simultaneously looked toward Qiu Lianpu.
"Fellow Daoist Lianpu, were these confessions obtained from separate interrogations?"
Chen Yanghe was very clear on the difference between a good brother and a colleague. Thus, he directly explained the situation to Yulou.
'Guo Yaoyue and Qiu Lianpu insisted on doing it this way. They said that the truth is always found through investigation, and torture is the fastest thod. I was just one person; I couldn't easily object.'
After all, he had drunk wine with Wang Yulou at the Bright Moon Night Inn, and they had sched against Lian Chengxian together.
When Wang Yulou slapped Lian Chengxian in the face back then, the person who enjoyed it the most was actually Chen Yanghe. Otherwise, why would Wang Yulou have used Lian Chengxian as a punching bag?
With all these bonds of friendship added up, didn't that make them good brothers?
"Fellow Daoist Yulou is indeed well-versed in handling cases. They were interrogated separately, and their confessions match up."
"Our primary task now is to investigate the identity of this masked Foundation Establishnt cultivator!" Qiu Lianpu offered Wang Yulou a word of flattery.
There was no other reason; he was currently under soone else's roof and had to bow his head.
Qiu Lianpu couldn't understand why Immortal Maiden Mingdu was walking so closely with Wang Yulou.
After all, Qiu Lianpu's superior was True Person Longhu.
This irritating guy, Wang Yulou, could easily suppress him while they handled the case.
As for the masked Foundation Establishnt cultivator...
Since he was masked, no one knew what he looked like—they could just randomly pick a Foundation Establishnt loose cultivator in Western Sea Immortal City to close the case.
Qiu Lianpu and Guo Yaoyue were indeed putting all their effort into "handling the case," solely to get it settled as quickly as possible.
Wang Yulou was the lead investigator. As for the Information Gathering Court's share of the work, Mo Yunshu would lead the others in handling it for him.
They were different from Wang Yulou. For every day the case remained open, their energy would be tied up for another day.
If it dragged on too long, Wang Yulou could even shift the bla onto them for poor performance.
Moreover, this case had massive implications. For the two of them, closing it early ant they could distance themselves from the political vortex sooner.
Therefore, they were acting with great initiative.
"Good, nicely done. Co, take to see Chen Nian first."
Guo Yaoyue and Qiu Lianpu exchanged a glance and had no choice but to lead Wang Yulou to the prison cell where Chen Nian was held.
Seeing Chen Nian slumped in the corner like a puddle of mud, having clearly been severely tortured, Wang Yulou didn't say much. He simply asked without changing his expression, "Old Chen, that loose cultivator said you instructed him to complain to the Information Gathering Court, making you the mastermind.
"Yet you say a masked Foundation Establishnt cultivator paid you spirit stones to hire you for the job. What is going on here?"
Chen Nian remained completely motionless, not saying a single word. Instead, it was Guo Yaoyue and Qiu Lianpu whose expressions changed.
It seed Wang Yulou was dissatisfied with the "truth" they had provided?
Seeing that Chen Nian wasn't answering, Wang Yulou hurried forward to check on him, only to find that the old gatekeeper seed to be dying.
He gritted his teeth and took a jade bottle out of his storage bag. The bottle contained the Yin-Yang Life Vein Elixir.
Back when Bai Xiaoyu rode He Laosan in Clear Stream Market and blocked the Great Demon Alligator Dragon's Alligator Dragon Water Whip for him, she had been heavily injured. It was by relying on the Yancang Body Preserving Pill and the Yin-Yang Life Vein Elixir that her life was sustained, allowing her to later fully recover with the help of Old Ancestor Xianzhu.
However, the Yancang Body Preserving Pill was too expensive, and Wang Yulou couldn't bear to waste it on Chen Nian. Therefore, he only gave Chen Nian the Yin-Yang Life Vein Elixir and a Black Lotus Qi-Boosting Pill, purely to save the old man's life first.
After the old man woke up, Wang Yulou repeated his previous question. Chen Nian panted, letting out hoarse gasps, but could no longer speak.
Wang Yulou still didn't express his stance; he rely stood up and shook his head helplessly.
"Old Chen, you are a mber of our Information Gathering Court, after all. I want to protect you. Tell the truth, and I guarantee you won't die."
Chen Nian couldn't speak; his throat was ruined. He wanted to use voice transmission to tell Wang Yulou he had been tortured, but his divine sense had completely vanished.
It was only then that he realized his cultivation base was entirely gone.
He struggled desperately on the ground, ultimately slumping down weakly. He simply glared resentfully at Guo Yaoyue, his aning perfectly clear.
Guo Yaoyue awkwardly cleared his throat, and Qiu Lianpu lowered his eyes.
Chen Yanghe was sowhat bewildered, while Wang Yulou furrowed his brows and said in dissatisfaction, "Lianpu, why did you extract a confession through torture?"
Qiu Lianpu's eyes jerked up, suddenly filled with utter incomprehension.
'?'
'Wang Yulou, are you blind?'
'That dying ghost was looking at Guo Yaoyue!'
'You made Guo Yaoyue the chief interrogator, and had and Chen Yanghe act as assistants!'
'It was under Guo Yaoyue's tacit consent that the torture even happened!'
"Fellow Daoist Lianpu, I said long ago that we shouldn't extort a confession through torture. You guys insisted on doing it. Sigh."
Chen Yanghe didn't understand why Wang Yulou was attacking Qiu Lianpu, but brotherhood was brotherhood, and he was naturally willing to stand up for Wang Yulou.
"Wang Yulou, the situation is already what it is. It's useless to bla . The True Person wants the truth, and we're giving him a truth, aren't we?"
Qiu Lianpu could read the room. He didn't argue with Wang Yulou, rely emphasizing that a truth needed to be presented as soon as possible.
Guo Yaoyue was the primary suspect whom Wang Yulou had cleanly plucked out of the bla. Jin Mingdu had co with Wang Yulou. Chen Yanghe was also close to Wang Yulou. He, Qiu Lianpu, a dignified Immortal Alliance Emissary, had sohow ended up in a position worse than a dog in the West Sea.
He could only say that the political waters in the West Sea were too deep.
Wang Yulou was considering that Guo Yaoyue might beco his colleague in the future, so he had to leave him so face.
That was why he could only use Qiu Lianpu, this bastard, as the scapegoat.
"You still rember that the True Person wants the truth?"
Considering Qiu Lianpu's attitude wasn't too bad this ti, Wang Yulou rely jabbed him with that one sentence before giving his orders. "Have the Punishnt Court's people treat Chen Nian's injuries. If that loose cultivator is in a similar condition, treat him as well.
"Interrogate them properly in the future. It cannot be like this again. This matter has massive implications; by ssing around like this, you're only harming yourselves."
Providing a confession derived from torture impacted the closing and categorization of the Demon-Suppressing Treasure Pagoda case, and it also affected Shen Guang's properties.
Guo Yaoyue's actions were highly questionable.
However, Wang Yulou was wary of Shen Guang and didn't dare to offend him, yet he also needed the investigation to continue to secure bargaining chips.
Therefore, his choice to invoke the guiding opinions provided by True Person Jinshan and Li Haikuo was considered fair and reasonable. Guo Yaoyue and Qiu Lianpu could only agree.
After seeing off Wang Yulou and Jin Mingdu, Qiu Lianpu looked at Guo Yaoyue, not daring to spout harsh words. He could only look at Chen Yanghe and say hatefully, "The guy surnad Wang runs around as a pair with Immortal Maiden Mingdu, leaving all the work of handling the case to us.
"This case is clearly a trap soone laid out in advance. Is this sothing that can yield results just through investigation?
"Idiot, that good brother of yours and your goddess are spending every day together, and you still think he's your good brother. Chen Yanghe, do you understand?"
Qiu Lianpu truly felt resentful. Wang Yulou throwing the bla and using his status to suppress others was one thing.
On the other hand, since the matter of extorting a confession by torture had been exposed by Wang Yulou, if the investigation did not go smoothly in the future, the small amount of bla Qiu Lianpu was currently carrying—which Wang Yulou had lightly glossed over—would beco a rock-solid, massive burden.
Guo Yaoyue, the one who had actually led the torture, would definitely side with Wang Yulou and sar his na.
Hence, he had to drive a wedge between Chen Yanghe and Wang Yulou, so that he could gain the initiative in the future.
"What, Fellow Daoist Lianpu is even aware that soone deliberately laid out a trap? Were you involved?"
Guo Yaoyue spoke coolly. Wang Yulou had passed the bla to the guy surnad Qiu, so now he had to shout "Loyalty" to Wang Yulou as well.
To him, no matter how much energy the case drained, it had to be handled according to Wang Yulou's guiding opinions—otherwise, the bla would fall on his own head.
Using Schrödinger's bla to tie down a Schrödinger's case—this was Wang Yulou's strategy of division.
Of course, Chen Yanghe wouldn't develop any suspicions about Wang Yulou just because of one provocative sentence from Qiu Lianpu.
In his eyes, Wang Yulou and Zhou Yingxi had only just gotten married. With Zhou Bojiao around, how could Wang Yulou dare to go out and fool around?
——
Wang Yulou certainly dared to fool around; that was determined by his courage.
But he wouldn't do so; that was determined by his code of conduct.
Having the courage to do sothing and actually wanting to do it were two different things. To Wang Yulou, doing aningless things was just a waste of ti.
However, Jin Mingdu was intensely proactive, which left Wang Yulou feeling sowhat helpless.
Before they had even exited the gates of the Punishnt Court, Immortal Maiden Mingdu couldn't hold back anymore.
"Yulou, do you think we can uncover the truth?"
The two True Persons emphasized the truth, and the purpose of their five-pronged approach was also to investigate the truth. But most people were ntally prepared right from the start—it was absolutely impossible for this case to yield the real truth.
They wouldn't be able to investigate it, and they didn't dare to either.
"Do you think the truth they gave is enough?"
Being in his father-in-law's territory, Wang Yulou didn't really want to communicate much with Immortal Maiden Mingdu. He walked away quickly, and Immortal Maiden Mingdu chased right behind.
"Of course. It's nothing more than finding another Foundation Establishnt cultivator."
Jin Mingdu really did think this way. This was the mindset for handling affairs—a mindset stripped of morals, right and wrong, and views of good and bad.
This female cultivator from True Person Jinshan's family was not a naive character.
Or rather, among all the girls he had t from major families, Wang Yulou had only ever seen naivety in Zhou Yingxi.
Even then, it was only because of Zhou Yingxi's special status; she had grown up in Zhou Bojiao's grotto-heaven since childhood and hadn't been exposed to the Zhou family's clan education.
Zhou Yingxi was an exception. Girls similar to senior martial sister Lin and Immortal Maiden Mingdu were the norm.
Exiting the Punishnt Court and mounting the Black Dragon Steed, Wang Yulou looked down at Immortal Maiden Mingdu and said, "Fellow Daoist Mingdu, I know you are anxious, and I understand your concerns.
"But if the case is hastily concluded, should problems arise in the future, it will be Yulou who has to take responsibility."
His attitude was still gentle, but he presented an unquestionable reason.
'True Person Jinshan's grand sche cannot control , Wang Yulou!'
He had already stepped onto the chessboard. Furthermore, relying on his own struggles and the high starting point given by the Behemoth Lineage, he had practically beco a crucial chess piece.
'I even dare to interfere with the matter of Zhou Bojiao taking my wife as a Dao body for body usurpation.'
'When it cos to this case, I, Wang Yulou, naturally will not shy away from it.'
'Casually instigating and setting up Guo Yaoyue and Qiu Lianpu is just a mundane act. As long as those True Persons still want to sit back and avoid entering the fray... the truth is whatever I say it is!'
After bidding farewell to Immortal Maiden Mingdu, Wang Yulou rode away on his Great Demon mount.
Jin Mingdu stood rooted to the spot, feeling as if she were trapped in a tangled ball of yarn.
She couldn't understand Wang Yulou's behavior, let alone the truth behind the mysterious case, nor could she understand his attitude toward her.
In the chess ga of the West Sea, she hadn't even found the door yet!
——
Wang Yulou did not plan on making throwing his lot in with Shen Guang his sole hope.
Anyone with a bit of a brain knew that Shen Guang had a bunch of subordinates under him waiting to be fed.
From his perspective, he could see that the three elders who ca out of the Hall of Benevolence were fighting fiercely in the shadows.
If he, an outsider, went over to compete with those disciples of Shen Guang who originated from and were deeply rooted in the West Sea, he wouldn't get a big enough slice of the pie.
Moreover, Wang Yulou was closely linked to the Wang Clan; in many matters, he couldn't just ignore his family.
Additionally, the matter of Zhou Bojiao usurping Yingxi's body and taking Wang Yulou as a cultivation furnace was still far off. He had ti to maneuver.
At the very least, Wang Yulou could currently see three paths.
For example, it wasn't as if Zhou Bojiao didn't have enemies... If Zhou Bojiao were killed, Wang Yulou might lose his direct backer.
But given Zhou Bojiao's attitude of refining his own relatives into pills, it was perfectly fine to do without such a backer.
Additionally, Patriarch Mangxiang was no saint either. Zhou Bojiao being alive held value, but if Zhou Bojiao died, Mang Xiang could still comfortably devour the Zhou family's current forces.
As long as he could prove his worth to Mang Xiang, with a grand cultivator's style of using any ans necessary for profit, many things could be negotiated.
Finally... if all else failed, he could just throw his lot in with Shen Guang.
How should one put it? Wang Yulou's thoughts were very beautiful.
But he didn't know that, in the eyes of True Person Jinshan, Mang Xiang and Shen Guang were getting closer and closer.
Without returning to the Jade Palace Estate, Wang Yulou went instead to the Gu Family Tea House.
"Yulou, what brings you here?"
Wang Yulou's sudden visit left Gu Qilang very surprised.
The Gu Family Tea House was a special place. Discussing matters here with Gu Qilang was safe.
Therefore, Wang Yulou didn't dance around the subject and spoke straightforwardly, "Martial Uncle, I plan to write a biography for Master, so that the cultivators of the West Sea might have a chance to know of Master's past eminence.
"It's just that this matter requires understanding the detailed experiences of Master's past, which is a bit difficult to look into. So, I ca to you to inquire."
Although it was straightforward talk, Wang Yulou actually still hadn't revealed his true intentions at all.
Gu Qilang still thought Wang Yulou was trying to kiss up to Zhou Bojiao, so he welcod him with a smile, stating that for a re three thousand spirit stones, he could buy Perfected Man Fujiao's detailed background.
The great operation to save Yingxi and prevent himself from becoming an old man's cultivation furnace had officially begun.
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