Chapter 674: Suspicion

Chapter 674: Chapter 674: Suspicion

"Pass down my orders: increase security in the coming days. Whether at our base or traveling, no one can afford to be careless. Especially you all—make sure to keep yourselves safe." Yang Shu understood that the Major Examination, because of Jianchuan’s overwhelming victory, would have to be accelerated. As with past examples, once someone lost their patience, it would no longer be about throwing punches, but about stabbing with knives.

"Rest assured, Prince. We’ll assign more guards. But your safety is even more critical—if anyone grows murderous, you’ll likely be targeted first."

Yang Shu closed the battle report from Jianchuan and placed it on the table. Only after sitting back down did he say, "The experts Moon Shadow Tower arranged for me are in the room next door. They’ll follow me all day. Unless it’s a Profound Sea Realm cultivator, anyone who comes will die trying."

Unlike Yang Shu’s confidence, the strategist in front of him hesitated. Upon hearing that the five people were next door, the strategist thought for a moment, took out a Magic Disc, and activated it with a General Spirit Stone to conceal their voices before saying: "Prince, in my opinion, those five cannot be fully trusted. It’s safer to recruit a few more hands."

Yang Shu did not stop his strategist from using the array for concealment. Such caution wouldn’t offend him—but rather, Yang Shu thought this was how matters should be handled: with thorough care.

"Oh? Not trustworthy? Is it the people you don’t trust, Moon Shadow Tower’s Binding Princess, or have you noticed something unusual?" Yang Shu always gave his subordinates a chance to speak. A wrong statement wasn’t a big problem, but baseless nonsense was not allowed. He’d always trusted this strategist. Now, hearing such caution, he wanted to know the reason.

"Prince, I don’t trust the Moon Shadow Tower, nor the City of Unjust Death.

Back then, Moon Shadow Tower was desperate and sought your protection when nearly destroyed. Over the years, under your wing, they’ve rapidly grown, and it’s said they’re regaining their former glory. But ever since they got involved with people from the City of Unjust Death, their attitude has become stiff, their words guarded, and everything comes with extra demands and higher prices. It feels like they’ve grown wings and no longer want to be subordinate.

After the Song Family incident, I already sensed something was wrong. That batch of General Spirit Stones was clearly framed by someone else. The idiots at the Government Office may truly have no clue, but Moon Shadow Tower’s skills are unmatched—how could they not have discovered anything for so long? Unless they won’t investigate, or they don’t want us to know the truth."

Yang Shu frowned slightly, his voice lowering: "You mean Moon Shadow Tower may already have divided loyalties?"

"I have no concrete evidence, but I have my concerns. Also, the reputation of the City of Unjust Death is truly terrible. Through ’Blade’ and the Celestial Wings Trading Company, I’ve gathered much information about them. There are no rules over there—lying, cheating, double-crossing is common as daily meals. Especially that Nine-Life Zhenren—not a good person, extremely mysterious. Prince, please be careful."

In his hand, Yang Shu held the Imperial Merchant "Tea," so he was naturally more familiar with the other four Imperial Merchants; mutual exchanges between them sometimes occurred. Only, all contacts were handled with caution.

One of "Blade’s" fields was also water transportation and shipbuilding. In the Jingjiu Dynasty, half of all rivercraft were "Blade’s" handiwork.

The Celestial Wings Trading Company, launched by "Blade," controlled water transport on the Weak Water. And seventy percent of the City of Unjust Death’s daily supplies were handled by Celestial Wings Trading Company.

So, if you wanted to ask about the City of Unjust Death, Celestial Wings Trading Company was the best—most trustworthy—source.

The guest elder noticed Yang Shu’s deepening frown and continued, "Prince, according to my information, the Nine-Life Zhenren is special in the City of Unjust Death. He rarely shows himself and is always under the protection of major factions there. His disciples are frequent customers at the city’s slave traders, almost every month buying a dozen or so children, over and over. I fear they are not... ordinary cultivators."

Not ordinary cultivators?

Hearing this, Yang Shu’s frown deepened further. He understood what his strategist was implying.

Unusual meant special. Among cultivators, what counted as special? Sword cultivators, body cultivators, sound cultivators—those were all special, but they wouldn’t bother buying so many children, would they? Suddenly moved to compassion and rescuing suffering children? Hardly likely.

Following the strategist’s line of thought, only one word came to Yang Shu’s mind: Evil Cultivator.

"Impossible. Evil Cultivators can’t hide their methods for long. If they really were Evil Cultivators, they wouldn’t even have been able to use the Teleportation Array. At the very least, Liu Cheng and his four companions are not Evil Cultivators. Also, whether Nine-Life Zhenren is a good person doesn’t concern us for now—we hired them because they’re willing to work for money. Right now, there are very few Post-Primordial Core Realm experts who’d come here for me.

Tsk, here’s what you’ll do: have ’Blade’ help investigate the bottom line of Nine-Life Zhenren, and take a closer look at Liu Cheng and his group as well. Go through all the detection protocols once more."

It is wise to take advice—never go hungry listening to others. Yang Shu wouldn’t ignore someone’s warning just because he trusted his own people. In troubled times, one could never be too careful.

"Understood. I’ll coordinate with ’Blade’—they won’t refuse such a favor. Also, several loose cultivators have reached out to us lately. Their cultivation is also Post-Primordial Core Realm. Pricey, but reasonable overall. If you’d like, Prince, perhaps you can meet with them when you have time?"

Yang Shu understood what he meant: nothing wrong with being prepared.

"Alright. Tonight, then. Bring them all, including Liu Cheng’s group. I’ll host a banquet here for everyone."

"Yes, Your Highness. I’ll arrange it now."

The strategist then quickly left and, before departing, put away the concealing array and stowed the Magic Disc. Yang Shu then buried himself once more in the stacks of financial documents and local reports on the table before him.

...

Meanwhile, in the room next to Yang Shu’s study, five cold-faced cultivators sat together around a small table.

They were precisely the five disciples of Nine-Life Zhenren whom Yang Shu and his strategist had discussed earlier, brought in through the Moon Shadow Tower as Post-Primordial Core Realm experts to serve as Yang Shu’s protection.

"What did they say?"

"Not much—it was hard to hear. That array is extremely tight, almost nothing leaked, just a few scattered words."

"What words?"

"City of Unjust Death, Moon Shadow Tower, and some odds and ends. No clear meaning, but I think they mentioned us."

"Setting up a Concealing Array on purpose, suggesting they talked about us. And the strategist serving the Prince gave us a look that concealed a lot—I don’t like that person."

"Let’s keep watching. Don’t lose the talisman Master gave us. Always keep it with you. This isn’t the City of Unjust Death—we must not let our identities slip."

"Understood, Senior Brother. Don’t worry. But I still think we should report this to Master."

"Mm, I will."