Chapter 1087: Elder Niu, What Have You Been Busy With Lately?

“What are you all crowding around here for?” Li Changsheng suddenly barked after finishing the letter.

The crowd, intimidated, gradually dispersed.

Qi Bisang, however, walked over to Li Changsheng and cupped her hands. “Right Envoy, does this concern Hong Yunfa? If it does, may I take a look?”

Hong Yunfa belonged to the All-Under-Heaven Money House, and Qi Bisang was one of the inspectors assigned to oversee the Money House. Now that something had happened to Hong Yunfa, it was difficult for Li Changsheng to refuse a request made in that capacity. He handed her the suicide note.

After reading it, Qi Bisang’s expression grew even uglier.

Suicide.

It truly was suicide.

Why would a perfectly healthy man suddenly kill himself?

The crucial point was that he had chosen this exact moment to die, immediately after she had submitted her report to the Sacred Venerable. Why?

The more she thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed.

Qi Bisang realized the matter she had uncovered was probably nowhere near as simple as it appeared. The enormous sum Hong Yunfa had embezzled might well involve someone else, and that person clearly wielded considerable power—enough to learn what had happened in time and force Hong Yunfa to his death.

To drive Hong Yunfa into suicide without making a sound spoke volumes about the reach of whoever stood behind him.

Qi Bisang was beginning to feel afraid.

Hearing a sigh beside her, she turned and discovered Hong Gaitian had sidled close enough to read the suicide note as well. Grinding her teeth, she asked, “What are you looking at?”

Hong Gaitian chuckled. “I’m also an inspector assigned to the All-Under-Heaven Money House. Something happened to Hong Yunfa. Surely there’s nothing improper about my taking a look at his suicide note?”

With that, he folded his arms and slowly walked away, stopping beside Li Changsheng to ask what should be done next.

Qi Bisang’s teeth itched with hatred. Her eyes were full of resentment.

She was beginning to suspect that the old demon had set her up.

Earlier, Hong Gaitian had suddenly begun creating trouble everywhere inside the All-Under-Heaven Money House. Qi Bisang had found his behavior strange. Everyone knew perfectly well why they had fought to draw assignments to the Money House during the lot drawing: precisely because they wanted to avoid trouble.

Yet Hong Gaitian had acted in completely the opposite manner, taking the initiative to stir up problems. There had to be a reason. How could Qi Bisang have resisted asking?

Hong Gaitian had actually told her about Niu Youdao’s warning.

Of course, he had embellished it heavily, adding claims that if they failed to uncover anything, their heads would roll and so forth.

His words had seemed reasonable.

Qi Bisang had been badly startled. No wonder that old demon had begun actively looking for trouble with the Money House.

Naturally, she could not sit still and wait for death. Her own strength was limited, so she immediately asked the Tiannü Sect to help.

And as it happened, the Tiannü Sect already possessed certain information about Hong Yunfa. That assistance had been an enormous help.

Hong Gaitian was still running around blindly causing trouble, while Qi Bisang, despite starting later, had already seized hold of a major case.

But she had never imagined it would develop into this.

The shadow looming behind the case frightened her.

She might have provoked someone whose reach extended all the way to Heaven.

In truth, Hong Gaitian had indeed used her. Otherwise, why would he have been so kind as to warn her?

He had realized the manpower under him was too limited, while the All-Under-Heaven Money House kept its internal affairs tightly sealed.

As inspectors at the Money House, apart from examining accounts there was seemingly little else they could do. But staring at ledgers until their eyes blurred was useless if they could not find any problem. And they could hardly spend all their time making trouble blindly without justification.

The problem was that the Four Seas had almost no established influence across the land of the Seven States, so there was little outside strength Hong Gaitian could draw upon.

The Tiannü Sect was different.

His exaggerated warnings to Qi Bisang had been intended precisely to use the Tiannü Sect’s long-established influence to tear open the lid covering the All-Under-Heaven Money House.

Yet every sign now suggested the affair had become much larger than he had expected.

A Money House chief deacon had already been forced to suicide. How could what followed possibly remain small?

“Hong Gaitian!” After returning the suicide note to Li Changsheng, Qi Bisang called out and motioned for Hong Gaitian to follow her.

Hong Gaitian looked rather unwilling, but still cupped his hands toward Li Changsheng and walked back. “What is it?”

Qi Bisang grabbed his arm and dragged him off to one side. Grinding her teeth, she lowered her voice and demanded, “Did you deliberately set me up?”

Hong Gaitian looked surprised. “What did I do to you?”

“Stop pretending you don’t understand. There’s definitely someone behind Hong Yunfa...” Qi Bisang launched into a rapid stream of complaints, accusing him of using her and warning him that if things went badly for her, he should not expect to escape unscathed either.

Spare me. What does the trouble you stirred up have to do with me?

That was what Hong Gaitian muttered inwardly. Outwardly, however, he sighed repeatedly. “Sister, I meant well. You and I are tied together now. Why would I harm you? Besides, I don’t even know what happened. Earlier I noticed something unusual and asked you about it, but you refused to say anything.”

Qi Bisang snapped, “This kind of matter—would I dare leak the news casually?”

Hong Gaitian said, “Fine, fine, fine. You’re right. Happy now? But really, a woman is still a woman. What is there to be afraid of?”

“If someone is manipulating things behind the scenes, that only makes them less likely to move against you. Whoever touches you would look guilty, as though afraid you might uncover something. They won’t have time to avoid you fast enough. Put your heart back in your stomach and stop worrying.”

Hearing him put it that way, Qi Bisang gradually calmed down.

Thinking it through, there really did seem to be some logic to it.

Just then, three Scarlet Hunting Eagles descended from the sky.

Several figures leapt down.

Ding Wei had arrived, the Presiding Administrator of Misty Pavilion.

Right Envoy Li Changsheng hurried forward to greet him.

No one knew what Li Changsheng said, but he handed the suicide note to Ding Wei as well. Everyone could roughly guess they were discussing Hong Yunfa.

Ding Wei’s expression visibly changed.

He strode quickly to the corpse lying in the pool of blood, crouched down, and personally examined the wound.

Li Changsheng reminded him there was no need to doubt the cause of death.

“Mr. Ding, he cut his own throat in public. Many people saw it. There’s no mistake. He took his own life.”

Still too late.

Ding Wei slowly rose and gave a cold laugh. “Suicide! He certainly chose an excellent time. Who believes it? You, or me? Do you think the Sacred Venerable will believe it?”

Li Changsheng hesitated. “But he truly did kill himself. Mr. Ding, is there some problem?”

He still did not know the cause behind everything.

Qi Bisang had reported the matter directly to the Sacred Venerable, without leaking word beforehand. Ding Wei, likewise, had not let any information escape before coming here.

“I came this time under the Sacred Venerable’s decree to investigate him...”

At this point there was no longer anything to conceal.

Ding Wei explained the true situation.

“He certainly died at the right time. Once he was dead, everything was finished. One suicide note, and he took all the responsibility onto himself.”

This time Li Changsheng was truly shocked.

He immediately realized how serious the matter was.

This was far more than a simple case of a guilty man taking his own life.

Ding Wei said coldly, “By the timing, the Sacred Venerable received the report two days ago. News would have needed time to travel back to Hong Yunfa. He probably received word only shortly before I arrived.”

“Investigate everyone who had contact with Hong Yunfa during this period. You must determine where every message he received during that time came from.”

“And when the report was being relayed through the entrance to Sacred Realm, investigate every person who might possibly have come into contact with it during the transfer process.”

“Not one suspect is to be overlooked. Investigate to the end!”

“Yes!” Li Changsheng cupped his hands and accepted the order.

Then he hesitated. “Could it have been someone on the Sacred Land side? Perhaps after the news reached the Sacred Land... someone there leaked it?”

Ding Wei gave him a cold look. “What happens on the Sacred Land side is not for you or me to worry about. The Sacred Venerable will handle it personally.”

With that, he turned and walked toward Hong Gaitian and Qi Bisang, stopping before them and sweeping them both with a cold gaze.

“Greetings, Presiding Administrator.” The two bowed respectfully together.

Ding Wei wasted no words and asked Qi Bisang directly, “Are Hong Yunfa’s women still under the Tiannü Sect’s control?”

Qi Bisang replied, “I haven’t received any report of a change so far. They should still be under control.”

Ding Wei said, “There’s no time to lose. To prevent anything unexpected, return to the Tiannü Sect immediately. I’ll assign a team from Misty Pavilion to accompany you. Those people will be transferred into Misty Pavilion custody.”

“I’ll also order Misty Pavilion personnel near the Tiannü Sect to hurry over and assist.”

Qi Bisang cupped her hands. “Yes!”

Ding Wei turned and instructed one of his subordinates, “You will personally lead the team escorting Elder Qi there.”

“Remember: once you take custody of those people, their safety must be guaranteed. They are all witnesses. We may still be able to uncover further clues through them. Nothing can be allowed to happen to them.”

“You may act in Misty Pavilion’s name and directly command the Tiannü Sect to cooperate. I grant you authority to act first and report afterward. No matter who it is, anyone who dares interfere may be arrested immediately—or killed without mercy.”

“You have full authority over life and death. In short, you must guarantee the witnesses’ safety!”

“Understood!” The subordinate solemnly accepted the order.

...

At Daluo Sacred Land, Wang Zun walked while quietly observing his surroundings. Without haste, he entered an office.

Inside, Sha Rulai sat behind a desk reading something.

After stepping forward and saluting, Wang Zun discreetly produced a silver hairpin and offered it over. In a low voice he said, “A letter from Niu Youdao.”

Sha Rulai looked around before accepting the hairpin. He used spiritual power to open it, took out the letter, and read.

Then he frowned and muttered, “What is that bastard trying to do?”

He passed the letter to Wang Zun.

After reading it, Wang Zun looked puzzled as well. “He wants us to find someone familiar with the internal situation of Tianmo Sacred Land, someone capable of keeping track of Wu Chang’s movements—and someone who might be controllable and usable.”

“Isn’t that asking far too much?”

Sha Rulai considered the matter for a while. “Tell him I can’t answer yet. We need to sort through what we know and see whether anyone matching those conditions can be found.”

“All right. I’ll handle it now.” Wang Zun accepted the order and withdrew.

...

At the Demon Fox Bureau, Niu Youdao received Sha Rulai’s reply and was about to go out for a stroll.

He had been planning another trip to the Desolate Marsh Deadlands.

But the moment he reached the doorway, a group of people blocked him.

Representatives from the other seven factions had all come together.

Niu Youdao had no choice but to retreat and receive his guests.

While they drank tea and talked, Blood God Hall Elder Mei Changhong asked, “Elder Niu, did you receive the notice?”

Niu Youdao said, “Elder Mei means the matter at the All-Under-Heaven Money House? If so, I only just heard.”

Mei Changhong said, “Exactly. What do you think Sacred Realm means by notifying us about it?”

Niu Youdao said, “The notice praised Qi Bisang and awarded her a reward. I imagine they want us to learn from her.”

Tianhuo Sect Elder Lu Yao said, “Looks like we weren’t the only ones who understood the Sacred Venerables’ intent. Still, that Qi Bisang truly has nerve. She actually uncovered something this large.”

Niu Youdao said, “You didn’t all come here merely to discuss this, did you?”

Taishu Shanhai suddenly chuckled. “We simply find certain things strange and came to ask Elder Niu for some guidance.”

Niu Youdao waved a hand. “What guidance? We’re all in the same boat. If there’s something you want to say, say it directly. There’s no need for such courtesy.”

“Then I won’t stand on ceremony.” Taishu Shanhai set down the teacup in his hand and asked, “Elder Niu, what have you been busy with lately?”

Niu Youdao looked surprised. “What else could I be busy with? Just the usual.”

Taishu Shanhai gave a cold laugh. “And what exactly is ‘the usual’? According to what we know, whenever you have nothing else to do, you’re constantly roaming around outside.”

“Meanwhile, we listened to you and have been stirring things up here day after day. The more we look at it, the more something seems wrong.”

“I even heard you ran all the way to Ice and Snow Sacred Land to drink wedding wine?”

[End of Chapter 1087]