March 5, 2018
In the private room on the second floor of the inner hall, Shen Yueying and Wang Jiu discussed the plan to ambush Zhao Jincheng in three days for an entire night, only leaving with tired faces and stumbling steps after considering and planning for all possible scenarios.
For a cultivator at the Mountain-Overturning Realm, staying up all night is certainly no big deal, but for a cultivator experiencing a true essence backlash, every minute and every second feels like being amidst a mountain of blades and a sea of fire; a whole night is enough to drive an ordinary person to ntal collapse.
Therefore, as the strategic eting went on into the later hours, it was completely Wang Jiu who was leading the eting, while Shen Yueying began to speak deliriously from midnight onwards, including topics such as "Li Fengyun, where are you going", "Sister, I will no longer compete with you for n", "In the spring, the lilies bloom", which enthralled the audience.
After midnight, it was basically Wang Jiu alone piecing together tactical arrangents based on limited intelligence, while Li Wanqing dragged Li Chaolu and Li Xinyu to listen to Shen Yueying’s storytelling on the side. After the night, everyone felt they had gained a lot.
And not long after Shen Yueying left, there was another knock on the door outside the private room.
Thinking it was Shen Yueying returning to retrieve the doujinshi she left behind, but the next mont the door opened, and a chill followed.
A tall man with black hair and black clothes walked in.
As soon as this person entered, Li Wanqing and the others’ expressions changed instantly, and they subconsciously stood up, taking up a combat stance.
"Shen Jinghai!?"
The arrival of the first Deputy City Lord was truly alarming. Unlike the turncoat Shen Yueying, Shen Jinghai was universally recognized throughout Shen City as the City Lord’s loyal henchman, his loyalty comparable to a father’s indulgent love for his child.
So Shen Yueying’s visit might have so good reason, but Shen Jinghai coming definitely does not spell anything good!
A few people had just spent an entire night telling stories with the rebellious Shen Yueying, now with the first Deputy City Lord arriving imdiately after, it truly looked like a raid.
However, facing the hostility from the crowd, Shen Jinghai rely waved a hand and said, "No need to be tense, I’m not here to cause trouble. On the contrary, I’m here to help you."
Words coming from the chief loyal dog of the antagonist naturally carried little credibility, and everyone sneered.
Shen Jinghai said, "If I truly wanted to cause you trouble, I only need to inform the City Lord about Shen Yueying and your nightlong conspiracy, and no matter what sches you have later, they will co to nothing. So save your energy and focus on discussing serious matters."
As he spoke, Shen Jinghai sat down at the dining table, then spread out a map with a hand.
"You’re planning to ambush Zhao Jincheng in three days, right? Here’s a preliminary mapped hunting sche for your reference. Personally, I suggest setting up the ambush in this mountain hollow or this rocky beach area for maximum effectiveness."
Wang Jiu looked at the map on the table and confird it was indeed a map of the southern mountains of Shen City, and the areas Shen Jinghai marked were indeed high-frequency zones for the appearance of Chaos Demon Essence and demonized creatures.
Despite having recently reaped a wave of demons from South Mountain, given the breeding and refreshing speed of demons, another wave must have surfaced, so Shen Jinghai’s map was not problematic.
The problem lies in...
"Why help us?" Li Chaolu stared at him suspiciously.
Shen Jinghai laughed, "To be precise, I’m not helping you; I’m assisting Lord City Lord."
The smile of the first Deputy City Lord resembled the thawing of ice and snow, and even though their positions were opposed, Li Chaolu had to admit Shen Jinghai was indeed attractive, at least matching Mr. Wang Jiu’s level by seventy to eighty percent. Except...
"You’re bleeding."
A vivid red bloodstain was spreading downward from the corner of his mouth...
Shen Jinghai said, "Thanks for the reminder." Then gracefully wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, yet he couldn’t resist coughing suddenly, more blood froth spewing out imdiately.
The scene truly felt familiar, just not long ago Shen Yueying was coughing blood while storytelling here, so... is Shen Jinghai currently also experiencing a true essence backlash?
Could it be that he really harbors rebellious intentions towards City Lord Shen Ruoshi, just like Shen Yueying?!
This information is sowhat surprising. Shen Jinghai’s loyalty, which has been tested over twenty years, is undeniably genuine. Who would have thought that his facade would collapse overnight?
"Don’t misunderstand. I have never had the slightest bit of rebellion against Lord City Lord, nor will I ever. This spitting of blood is due to other issues."
"Other issues?" Li Chaolu asked.
"It’s nothing, just the dry climate causing oral mucosal bleeding."
"...Do you take us for fools? Can you even say such a reason with a straight face!"
anwhile, Wang Jiu was also observing Shen Jinghai closely. On the surface, he indeed seed more stable than Shen Yueying, whose True Essence fluctuations were relatively more stable. It’s not a symptom of True Essence backlash, but on the other hand, that spitting of blood is indeed suspicious, and it clearly indicates internal injuries.
Wang Jiu felt a bit regretful. It’s a pity the Divine Sword Body isn’t here; if the Hundred-Lock Vine inside Sword World were available, one glance would reveal Shen Jinghai’s true condition, whether it’s oral mucosal bleeding or another reason... Now, he can only rely on limited information to speculate.
While everyone was scrutinizing Shen Jinghai, he had already furrowed his brows and tapped the map on the table with his hand: "Don’t waste ti. Get to the main point quickly. I don’t know how far you’ve discussed with Shen Yueying, but if you genuinely intend to ambush Zhao Jincheng, there are a few considerations you must rember. First, although Zhao Jincheng is a perverted individual with a vile character, his strength is not to be underestimated. His natural talent isn’t bad, and he has years of guidance from Zhao Chenlu, the most prominent figure in Golden Jade City, making him no less than any genius of the sa age from other families. Moreover, he is already 30 years old, having cultivated for at least ten more years than you. So, regardless of your previous assessnt with Shen Yueying, always upgrade it by half a level more, never underestimate him. Second, don’t recklessly use the environntal factors of the Chaos Battlefield. Ambushing Zhao Jincheng is one thing; using Chaos Demon Essence to ambush him is another! No matter the conflicts between cultivators, they can be handled internally, but once it involves Demon Essence, it becos an enemy issue, non-negotiable! Third, you must act swiftly, absolutely no delay. From what I know, Zhao Jincheng carries with him the talisman personally drawn by the City Lord Golden Jade, and its function is not rely self-defense..."
Before Shen Jinghai could finish his speech, he was interrupted again.
Li Wanqing spoke, "Hold on, I still don’t understand. Why are you so eager to help us? Until you clarify this issue, the keener you appear, the more suspicious you beco."
Shen Jinghai sighed helplessly. He felt a sense of frustration as if he were dedicating his heart to the bright moon, only to find that the moon was a fool.
"Do you have to waste ti entangling in these details? I’ve already said, I’m not helping you; I’m helping Lord City Lord. As his right-hand man, the only thing I need to be concerned about is his will."
Li Wanqing furrowed her brow, "This doesn’t make sense. The City Lord clearly wants Zhao Jincheng and Qingming to get married as soon as possible."
"That’s right. He even asked to prepare a cultivation plan for their first child until the age of 18." Shen Jinghai said as he took out a thick stack of docunts from his bosom. "Barring any surprises, their first child should be a girl, and there will be a martial arts competition for her hand in marriage at the age of 17..."
"Damn, what exactly is this guy trying to do!?" Li Chaolu was simply indignant, "Actually stealing soone else’s ideas!"
"What?" Shen Jinghai was puzzled.
"...Nothing." Li Chaolu silently stuffed his signed romance novel behind him.
Shen Jinghai shook his head, "Lord City Lord has now beco demonized, and his thoughts can’t be judged by common sense. As his right-hand man, I’ve sworn never to rebel, but when he becos demonized, I absolutely won’t stand by idly."
Before he could finish, he was interrupted again.
"How are you sure Shen Ruoshi is demonized?" Li Wanqing questioned. "Not everything can be brushed aside with a re demonization accusation!"
"That’s true. As a subordinate, questioning a superior’s demonization is, of course, a huge taboo. So I made this judgnt after repeated confirmation." Shen Jinghai said, a slight hint of pain in his tone.
"Initially, I wasn’t willing to think like this. Lord City Lord has always been wise and powerful for decades. Even if there were occasional misjudgnts, they were minor blemishes. But his recent actions are too absurd, forcing to think this way."
Listening to this, everyone seed sowhat in agreent.
Indeed, in broad daylight, using an almost coercive way to find a husband for his granddaughter, setting a wedding date on the spot and scheduling the bridal chamber imdiately, not allowing for rebuttal, it’s as if a pimp among heroes. Doing such things, either Shen Ruoshi inherently had a corrupt nature, or he did indeed show signs of demonization.
However, in the next mont, they heard Shen Jinghai indignantly say, "Lord City Lord... actually spent two consecutive days alone with that square-faced man in the study, discussing private matters, during which even I couldn’t enter! Such a thing is unprecedented. If this isn’t demonization, then what is!?"
"..."
"But even if Lord City Lord is accidentally demonized now, he is still the lord of Shen City, and I cannot move against him. But that fox from the Zhao family... hum, square-faced, is utterly unforgivable! Without teaching him a lesson, he truly thinks he can do whatever he wants in Shen City!"
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