405: Chapter 404: Not Found 405: Chapter 404: Not Found The Cultivation circle of Mirage City was deathly silent, for it was the first ti in hundreds of years that pirates had co ashore to commit a cri.
And it was a massacre at that.
So arrogant!
So rampant!
For hundreds of years, pirates could not be exterminated; there were many reasons for this: it’s difficult to differentiate between Cultivators and pirates, they committed cris at sea without ever touching the Continent, and the Cultivation forces tacitly accepted these people as whetstones for honing their skills, and so on.
Thus, they were largely left unchecked, with Jiedu Mansion only occasionally making a perfunctory effort, which was the normal state of affairs for the Lizhi Sea.
But this ti was different.
Jiedu Mansion dispatched investigators in all directions, with informants everywhere, high rewards posted, and the cooperation of Daoist Sect powers, the entire Lizhi Sea nearby was boiling over with activity.
Wealth tempts the heart, and high rewards lure the brave.
With such large-scale cris, it was expected that so clues would be found without much difficulty, but despite several days of investigation, nurous leads were unearthed, yet only a few were of value.
Contradictory and conflicting, it was clear that among the pirates there were experts laying out Enchanting Soul Formations—this was, after all, one of the pirates’ signature skills.
If they committed a cri and left a trail that could be followed, then they wouldn’t last long as pirates; thus, they were all masters of evidence tampering, experts in deception, as it was a basic survival skill.
After thorough analysis, several clues vaguely pointed toward Tianjin Ocean—was this a cross-sea robbery?
Daoist Sects weren’t too satisfied with this outco, as it seed there were no connections to Shan Sect.
So the investigations continued relentlessly with an expanded scope.
Several small Pirate Groups at sea also suffered collateral damage, and for a ti, the entire area near the Lizhi Sea was a nest of alard silence, with everyone feeling at risk.
Hou Niao, of course, was living a comfortable life, a period of love—sticky, murky, with a hint of wet sentint…
What surprised Bai Qingqian the most was the physical toll of receiving gifts.
It was impossible not to accept them—they were forcibly stuffed into your hands!
The excuse, of course, was a hundred years of good harmony, a very legitimate reason that made it hard to refuse.
What made her heart race was the value of the gifts—they had far exceeded the range of normal congratulatory gifts, well beyond the previous issue of a thousand Spirit Stones.
They depended on one’s wealth and capabilities, often amounting to tens of thousands for substantial offerings!
It didn’t stop short of adding to the gift list a phrase: “With deepest emotions, do not rob !”
No one ca looking for him, but Hou Niao knew it wasn’t because others didn’t suspect him; it was because they had lost the desire to communicate and negotiate with him.
Once evidence was confird, what followed would be a strike as swift as thunder.
He had successfully turned the business arena into a battlefield, and now the only thing that could prevent the situation from escalating was intervention from a higher authority.
One night, half a month later, sensing sothing, he went to the courtyard where a stranger stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
The mont Hou Niao appeared, a Flying Sword, from out of nowhere, shot directly at his forehead with such speed, timing, and control that it was all undeniably exquisite.
He didn’t move.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have been able to react in ti, unless he used the Body Sword Skill he’d just learned in a life-threatening manner, but clearly, this was not the ti for such asures.
“Sikong Mansion’s Wu Zhengming, returned from Blue Sea, probably qualifies as your martial uncle.
Do you acknowledge this?”
Among Quanzhen Sword Cultivators, recognizing each other by Sword Talismans is considered a rather low-end practice, as talismans can be easily misrecognized and are not reportable if lost.
After attaining a certain level of skill, Sword Cultivators often recognize each other in a more direct manner—through drawing swords.
This can’t be faked.
Blue Sea refers to the area between two thousand li of coastal waters and ten thousand li of deep sea, which is the activity range of Golden Core Cultivators.
This Wu Zhengming should be a Golden Core Sword Cultivator from the Shan Sect.
“Greetings, Martial Uncle Wu.
Disciple Hou Niao from Da Feng Plain has been training in Lizhi Sea for ten years,” Hou Niao acknowledged.
Wu Zhengming nodded, “Ten years, you can barely be considered an old resident of Lizhi Sea.
You should know what you need to know, understand what there is to understand, no need for to teach you.
Now, tell , did you commit the cri at Lv Teng Villa?”
Hou Niao asserted confidently, “No!
At that ti, I was at the Binhai Tower, with several people from Jiedu Mansion as witnesses.”
His answer was interesting.
In fact, what Wu Zhengming was asking was whether he was the mastermind behind this shocking case, not whether he actually participated; if he had truly been involved, they would have started fighting long ago, no need to drag it out until now.
But Hou Niao feigned ignorance, implying sothing deeper, hinting at a lack of trust in his Martial Uncle.
One can’t bla him, if it had been Li Chuping or Yu Zhengxing, he would have spoken frankly, but he wasn’t familiar with Wu Zhengming.
Within the Shan Sect’s Quanzhen, divided between the Cleansing White faction and the Demonic Entry faction, he had to tread carefully, not wanting to give others anything to criticize.
Wu Zhengming’s brows creased slightly.
He wondered which ntor’s disciple this person from Da Feng Plain was; though respectful on the surface, he was clearly on guard internally.
No wonder, without such wariness, one couldn’t make such boldly reckless moves.
It was true that he was an Upper Cultivator from Shan Sect Quanzhen journeying in the Lizhi Sea, but he didn’t have the authority to command the cultivators at the Tongtian’s three realms.
He could advise, but he couldn’t assign, that was the rule of the Shan Sect Quanzhen.
In the Shan Sect, rank and position held dual authority, and there was a significant difference between managing and non-managing roles; it wasn’t the case that being a senior ant you could do whatever you wanted with the junior disciples.
He didn’t wish to say much, but unfortunately for him, he was the first Golden Core Upper Cultivator from the Shan Sect to return to Mirage City after the incident, thus, there were sses to clean up.
It concerned the entire attitude towards the Shan Sect and Daoist Sect in the Lizhi Sea and affected every Shan Sect sword cultivator.
“Don’t stay here; there are countless ways to resolve disputes in the Cultivation World.
In fact, the most effective thod is often to simply walk away.
Your presence here makes everyone uncomfortable.
So people might insist out of pride and face, only to be left holding an untenable position.”
Hou Niao was briefly taken aback.
He hadn’t expected this senior uncle to speak so directly, yet what he said made sense.
Wu Zhengming said indifferently, “Don’t worry about your family here.
As long as you’re alive, she’ll be fine.
Nobody wants to live in constant fear and have to guard against pirates who could co and wipe out their entire family.
You’ve already proved your capacity for reckless audacity.
If you die, then there’s no need to worry, what is ant to co will always co.”
Hou Niao gave a bow, “Then I will follow senior uncle’s advice.”
In the subsequent affairs of Mirage City, his position was indeed very awkward.
Over these past days, he had felt it keenly; his appearances were only making things worse and more antagonistic, both at the Jiedu Mansion and in the Daoist comrce association.
Indeed, it was ti for him to leave for a while.
Wu Zhengming watched him, speaking word by word, “Your actions are bold and reckless.
As a mber of the Quanzhen Sect, apart from your personal affairs, you must also consider the Sect’s overall strategy.
If everyone acted on impulse, how much energy would the Sect have to clean up after you all?
You needn’t worry about the Mirage City issue any longer, we will handle it; but you cannot escape the responsibility, others cannot help you with it.
There will be dangers during this departure; the Wu Sect won’t let you off so easily.
I won’t protect you; the trouble you’ve caused, you must get out of by yourself.
Do you understand?”
Hou Niao smiled, “I understand, I’m prepared.”
Wu Zhengming vanished in a flicker, and as Hou Niao turned around, Bai Qingqian was standing leaning against the door; obviously, she had heard sothing.
Hou Niao forced a smile, “It’s ti to run.
Killing soone always has its repercussions.
What I told you before…”
Bai Qingqian’s gaze was clear, “You’ve repeated it countless tis these past few days.
While senior uncle Wu is still here, you should leave now!”
Hou Niao laughed freely; it wasn’t a life-or-death parting, so what was there to be so lancholy about?
“In that case, I’ll just go sowhere else to kill!”
Leaping into the distance.
Bai Qingqian foolishly stared into the night sky, which was destined to be sothing she would have to face often in the future.
There was no choice, no way to have it all.
Lovesickness separated by autumn waters; parting shrouded in the distant heavens.
A song of longing over the sea, a tale of treasured swords amongst n.
…Slippery and deceptive.
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