Chapter 51: The Dog-Eat-Dog Drama Continues

Although Su Jian would have liked to sell off the other party’s properties as well, such a move was far too reckless and would easily lead to him being traced. The drastic shift in Ruan Chidao’s attitude was actually quite understandable—previously, he saw Zhao Qianxue’s Nascent Soul cultivation as a potential threat. But now that his own position as banner captain was secure, it was only natural he would want to foster a few loyal followers. He was calculating, certainly, but unfortunately for him, he had run into Su Jian.

Su Jian pondered for a moment, still uneasy about Zhao Qianxue’s situation. She was inexperienced in the ways of the world, and he had no idea how she was faring. After a brief hesitation, Su Jian made his way, as if by habit, to the vicinity of the shop, though he merely observed from a distance with no intention of entering. Inside, two Qi Refining attendants bustled about, leaving Zhao Qianxue with little to do but enjoy her idleness. Business was far from brisk... After all, the Wanbao Pavilion had a renowned name and a large number of regular patrons.

Su Jian thought for a while. If he couldn’t quickly improve his own strength, he’d have to bring down his rivals instead. But there was no need to act rashly just yet—it would be best to watch what Ouyang Feng would do next. Ideally, he could incite conflict between the Righteous Alliance and Wanbao Pavilion, and then sit back as they tore each other apart. With a little more encouragement from him, it would be nothing short of a cosmic injustice if Wanbao Pavilion managed to survive.

Finding his stroll rather tedious, Su Jian simply sought out a pleasure house to sample the art and music of Yingdu’s famed songstresses.

...

Several days passed.

There was no sign or word from Ouyang Feng. Su Jian had no interest in seeking out his whereabouts; he was happy to fan the flames but saw no reason to be so eager. The man was, after all, a mere mortal—Su Jian hardly expected him to see the task through to completion. Not until the fourth day did a message regarding Ouyang Feng finally echo in Su Jian’s mind.

"Ouyang Feng, thanks to his extraordinary martial prowess, was recruited by the Department of Evil Suppression as a special talent."

Su Jian thought, “No wonder that old fox has been so quiet these past few days—he’s been scheming to join the Department of Evil Suppression.”

For someone like Ouyang Feng, adrift as duckweed on a river, this was indeed an opportunity. Dealing with the Righteous Alliance was never going to be simple. Even getting a message to Wanbao Pavilion was no easy feat. Should Ouyang Feng choose to expose the Alliance to Wanbao Pavilion, the Pavilion would never let him go so easily—they’d at least detain and interrogate him as a witness.

Su Jian mused, “I’ll wait for a suitable moment to add fuel to the fire.” He’d been waiting for Ouyang Feng to appear openly, and it seemed that time was drawing near. There was another matter he needed to resolve—Wang Yourong. Since Ouyang Feng had not yet begun his work, if Wang Yourong, in a desperate bid, decided to expose him, Ouyang Feng, with his wits, would surely discern Su Jian’s true intentions.

For now, Su Jian had no real way to dissolve the Blood Toad Gu. He couldn’t very well send the man hundreds or thousands of Purple Pole Pills to keep him alive—that would be a fool’s errand. Even if the other party became enraged, the sheer value of so many pills was such that, emperor or not, Su Jian would find it wholly undeserved.

So, it was best to kill him.

It was the most straightforward solution. Two days prior, he had already sent Wang Yourong a Purple Pole Pill and explained its effects, stating that the antidote had never been in his possession and would require another few days to obtain.

...

A young woman and a tiger carrying a massive boulder appeared more than ten miles outside Yingdu. They soon arrived at a nearby stronghold belonging to their demon clan, which outwardly appeared to be nothing more than an ordinary farm. The young woman instructed the tiger to temporarily submerge the boulder in the lake, lest outsiders notice anything amiss. Though the boulder had drawn attention throughout their journey and could not be stored in a spatial ring—its material was similar to, yet distinct from, a Vajra Ring—she had no better solution.

Along the way, she had also dealt with several daring spies from the Righteous Alliance who had been tracking them. Yet she couldn’t help but feel uneasy. “When did the Righteous Alliance’s tracking methods become so advanced?” More than once, they had managed to discover her whereabouts without a sound.

She gave further instructions: “Tiger, they’re in Yingdu now. Go and keep a close watch, but don’t let them sense your presence.”

The tiger dared not delay and instantly slipped away.

Suddenly, the young woman’s divine sense stirred. Her brows knitted, a cold glint flickered in her eyes, and she smiled faintly. “Shen Lianxiang!”

The moment she uttered those words, Shen Lianxiang ceased his attempts to hide and revealed himself. He was a middle-aged man, accompanied by Pei Jitian, who had previously managed to escape.

But before Shen Lianxiang could speak, the young woman launched herself at him with blinding speed, her figure a blur. Several icy beams of killing intent shot forth, transforming into a multitude of deadly techniques, each containing the strength of a hundred elephants. Shen Lianxiang and Pei Jitian barely managed to fend them off, but their faces turned grim—Pei Jitian had nearly lost his life. The young woman’s cultivation was far superior.

Shen Lianxiang frowned deeply. “Your aura feels strangely familiar. Have we met before?”

She smiled coolly. “Does the Righteous Alliance intend to wage war on the demon clan? I wonder, Master Shen, can you speak for humanity as a whole?”

Shen Lianxiang’s expression changed dramatically. The girl before him bore not a trace of demonic aura—she appeared wholly human. Yet the others gathering nearby radiated unmistakable demon energy.

For a moment, Shen Lianxiang fell silent.

He deliberated, then spoke in a measured tone. “For thousands of years, humans and demons have kept to their own territories. By wantonly stirring up trouble in our lands, are you not afraid of incurring the wrath of our elders?”

She laughed. “What nonsense... My demon clan is spread across the world. There’s never been any rule that bars us from human lands. Is that your view, or the opinion of those decrepit old men?”

Shen Lianxiang was left speechless, but dared not make a move. Partly, he feared her strength, and partly, it was her identity as a demon.

Pei Jitian, his face full of unwillingness, said, “Demon girl, take good care of my daughter!”

He dared not utter any threats—after all, this was her territory. Even the Alliance Master had bowed his head; to continue pressing his luck would be tantamount to courting death. He promptly followed Shen Lianxiang away—lingering any longer would serve no purpose.

Only after confirming they had left did the young woman slip beneath the water, still wearing a look of puzzlement.

“They kept mentioning his daughter... Even if it’s just a convenient excuse, why persist in bringing her up, even after their intentions had been exposed?”

She could not understand, but found no clues upon examining the boulder. Surely it could not be that the boulder was actually the daughter in disguise.

...

Meanwhile, Shen Lianxiang and Pei Jitian had traveled far from the scene. Pei Jitian, his face clouded with worry, asked, “Alliance Master, what about my daughter?”

Shen Lianxiang was silent for a moment—how was he to know what to do? At last, he composed himself and replied solemnly, “Elder Pei, the bigger picture must come first. I will report this to the Ancestral Shrine.”