Chapter 1351: A Mild Punishment

The words had been spoken with a smile, yet Huo Kong could feel the thunderous fury contained within them.

What did it mean to call Misty Pavilion a sieve leaking air everywhere? Yuan Se and Zhangsun Mi naturally understood. That was precisely why they had begun rectifying Misty Pavilion in the first place.

In the past, such things might have been one matter. But now someone inside Misty Pavilion was actually helping a Nascent Soul cultivator escape. Who would dare bring out a Nascent Soul cultivator to act recklessly? Then what was the purpose behind helping him? The three Sacred Venerables could already sense it: someone inside Misty Pavilion had begun moving against the Nine Saints.

Anger was anger, but ruling all beneath Heaven still required people below them to carry out their will. The few of them alone could not control every corner of the realm.

Yuan Se stared at Huo Kong and spat out one word. "Investigate!"

It was only a single, simple word, yet Huo Kong felt unprecedented pressure. He solemnly cupped his hands and accepted the order. "Yes!"

Zhangsun Mi said, "The men fled yesterday. Is there any need for us to remain here?" His tone carried deep dissatisfaction, as though there were more important matters waiting elsewhere.

Huo Kong faintly sensed that a true storm of blood was about to break over Misty Pavilion.

Yuan Se said, "We should leave. But some people also need to understand the consequences of sheltering those who defy us. No matter how much the people in this village know, and no matter whether they were accomplices, you know how to deal with them, don't you?"

Huo Kong's expression tightened. "First investigate. After the investigation, kill them. Leave no one alive!"

Yuan Se said nothing more and turned away.

The three Sacred Venerables left just like that, while the formal interrogation of the villagers had only begun.

The questioning ultimately produced nothing useful. On Huo Kong's order, every man, woman, old person, and child in the village was killed without exception. But that came later.

For the moment, the more important task was tracing the husband and wife from the previous day. A family of three leading a donkey was a conspicuous target.

The trail led all the way to a dock, where witnesses had seen the family of three board a boat.

Once they went aboard, however, that conspicuous target vanished. No one saw them again.

Who was the boatman? No one knew. Nobody at the dock recognized him.

Investigators asked which way the boat had gone, upstream or downstream, then followed the river in that direction and checked every vessel that had traveled the waterway that day, asking whether anyone had seen it.

Eventually they found people who had.

After that, however, there was nothing more.

The boat seemed to have vanished into thin air.

Huo Kong knew the trail had broken. For cultivators, destroying a boat was far too easy, and that husband and wife had obviously been disguises. Changing their faces and identities presented no difficulty at all.

The investigation then shifted to the boat's origin. They began checking whose vessels had gone missing. That alone mobilized an unknown amount of manpower across countless places.

Eventually they found a household whose boat had been stolen.

Stolen?

That meant the trail had been severed completely.

At the same time, the cultivator who had disguised himself as the later peddler and fallen into their hands was being interrogated. They intended to dig out the people behind him.

...

At Daluo Sacred Land, Wang Zun had returned.

Sha Rulai was standing by a railing. The instant he saw Wang Zun appear below, he turned and went back inside the pavilion.

Wang Zun came upstairs, entered, walked to Sha Rulai's side, and whispered, "Everything went smoothly. There won't be any problem. I've already severed the temporary contact channel with that person."

Sha Rulai slowly exhaled, finally relaxing.

Wang Zun continued, "But it seems the people we arranged as cover didn't manage to cover the matter completely. They've already determined that the later arrival wasn't the one who leaked the warning, and the investigation has traced matters back to that husband and wife. Misty Pavilion will probably pursue both lines without letting go."

Sha Rulai raised his eyes slightly. "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm afraid Misty Pavilion may spare no cost this time. We severed the direct trail, but anything that happened will leave traces. If Misty Pavilion starts checking which of its members throughout the realm were absent from their usual posts during the relevant period, I'm worried they'll still trace it back to those two."

Sha Rulai said slowly, "Sacred Venerable left only a short while ago. The Nine Saints are probably going to meet. With a Nascent Soul cultivator involved, this affair may truly have become serious."

"That's why I made the decision on my own and already had that husband and wife disappear."

Sha Rulai fell silent for a moment. "A pity."

"It is. Developing reliable people isn't easy. But this is safer."

Sha Rulai said, "That bastard doesn't care whether it's a pity or not. He hides behind the scenes moving the pieces. Nothing happens to him, while all he does is make other people spend every day terrified of losing their heads. No matter how far an investigation goes, he'll always be the last one exposed."

Wang Zun said, "His courage really is a little too great."

"Courage?" Sha Rulai snorted. "Does he even know what 'courage' means? Which of the things he does isn't enough to cost someone his head? There's nothing in this world he doesn't dare do."

There was one matter Sha Rulai could hardly speak of openly. A man who even dared steal Wuliang Fruits, who dared enter the Sacred Realm and break into Wuliang Garden to steal them, what would he not dare do?

In truth, Sha Rulai himself had not known at first. Niu Youdao only told him after the deed was already done. Once it had been done, what could Sha Rulai say? He had been left with no choice but to let someone fake his death.

"I valued his boldness in the beginning. Who knew he'd be so bold even I would end up afraid? He hides in the rear, so of course he isn't afraid. Everyone beneath Heaven thinks he's dead. We, the people carrying out his plans, are the ones who spend every day with our hearts in our throats. Why did I seek him out in the first place? It was so he could stand in front. Why do I feel like everything has been reversed now?"

Wang Zun smiled bitterly.

Matters had already reached this point. They were riding a tiger and unable to dismount. They could only grit their teeth and keep going. If the other side kept playing, they had to keep playing along. If Niu Youdao's side collapsed, they would not escape either.

Sha Rulai suddenly asked, "Those two we arranged to expose the matter won't run into trouble, will they?"

"Don't worry. They apprehended a wanted criminal. No investigation will turn toward them over something like this, and they themselves don't dare stir up trouble. They absolutely won't leak a single word. Besides, they don't even know who their handler is. I personally controlled the operation."

Sha Rulai sighed softly. "Send a message back. Tell him the cover didn't hold and see what he plans to do."

"All right." Wang Zun accepted the order.

He was just about to turn away when Sha Rulai suddenly said, "In a few days, it'll be your elder sister's memorial day. It isn't convenient for me to do anything. Burn a couple more sticks of incense for her on my behalf."

"Mm." Wang Zun nodded silently.

A trace of sorrow crossed his face, and his eyes even reddened slightly before he quietly left.

...

Inside the secret chamber of Maolu Annex, Yun Ji came in and handed over a secret report. "It's done, but there was a small complication."

Niu Youdao, who had been sitting cross-legged in meditation, opened his eyes and took the report.

The letter from Sha Rulai said the operation had succeeded and that the later infiltrator had indeed been captured. However, Misty Pavilion had already determined that the real leak had come from someone else.

Niu Youdao lowered the letter and said calmly, "Reply and tell them not to worry. As long as the man was captured, that proves Lan Ming made his move. They only need to handle their own side properly and stay at ease. I'll deal with the rest here."

Yun Ji gave a sound of acknowledgment and turned away.

"Wait!" Niu Youdao called after her. Then he suddenly gave a cold laugh. "Send a message to Shao Pingbo in Jia Wuqun's name: 'A mild punishment. If there is a next time, I will show no mercy!'"

Yun Ji asked, "Only those twelve characters? Nothing else?"

"Twelve characters are enough. Others might not understand, but he'll know the moment he sees them. This time is only a warning, something to teach him a lesson. The real result is still to come. He can wait for it slowly."

Yun Ji shook her head as she left.

She was beginning to find these people unbearable. They had only just formed an alliance and joined hands, yet they were already undermining each other in secret, scheming against one another beneath the table. Whoever entered an alliance like this would have to live with their heart pounding every day. What kind of cooperation was this?

She found there was nothing wrong with being the way she was. If she had to confront people who killed without spilling visible blood and could not keep pace with them, they would play her to death.

...

At the Shao Residence in the Jin capital, the Confucian-robed scholar who had visited once before came again.

Lan Ming had returned.

This time he arrived without invitation. Shao Sansheng led him into Shao Pingbo's study, then remained outside to keep watch.

The instant they met, Lan Ming erupted in anger. Shao Pingbo had only just raised his hands in greeting when Lan Ming grabbed him by the front of his robe and hissed, "That rotten idea of yours nearly got me killed!"

Shao Pingbo froze. "What happened?"

"The man I sent to carry it out was caught on the spot by Misty Pavilion!"

"Ah!" Shao Pingbo was badly startled.

There was no way not to be nervous. If Lan Ming fell into their hands, how could Shao Pingbo possibly escape implication? He hurriedly asked, "Have you exposed yourself?"

"Bullshit!" Lan Ming shoved him away.

Shao Pingbo staggered backward and struck the desk behind him.

"If I hadn't urgently had his immediate handler silenced, would I still have the leisure to come running here? Last time, several people died in the Qi capital because of your rotten idea. This time I've lost two more. I'm telling you, I don't have that many lives in my hands to keep throwing away on your schemes! Next time you come up with something this uncertain, keep your filthy mouth shut!"

The Nine Saints had personally gone to handle this affair, and one of Lan Ming's men had been captured on the spot. This time he had truly been frightened half to death.

Hearing that the exposed line had been silenced in time, Shao Pingbo, who had also received a serious fright, relaxed. He straightened the front of his robe thoughtfully and asked in suspicion, "Didn't the information you provided say they were only watching and that Misty Pavilion wouldn't dare alert the snake by striking the grass?"

"Who the hell knows what happened? They didn't act according to common sense at all. They suddenly seized my man. My side didn't receive the news in time, and I was almost caught completely unprepared. I nearly failed to repair the breach in time. They almost scared me to death! I'm telling you, if something happens to me, you won't get away either!"

Shao Pingbo thought for a while, then asked, "In other words, Zhuge Chi has already fallen into the net?"

Lan Ming swept a hand angrily. "He ran! That's why I came to tell you. From what I learned afterward, someone moved before we did. They warned him almost a full day in advance and scared him away. Misty Pavilion is investigating the matter now."

Shao Pingbo looked surprised. "Someone else interfered? It seems there are quite a few people inside Misty Pavilion harboring improper intentions."

At that moment, a knock came from outside.

Shao Sansheng's voice followed. "Eldest Young Master!"

Shao Pingbo called, "Come in."

Lan Ming immediately moved in front of a painting, clasped his hands behind his back, and pretended to admire the calligraphy and artwork.

Shao Sansheng opened the door, entered, and presented a secret letter. Leaning close to Shao Pingbo's ear, he whispered, "From the one who doesn't speak."

Shao Pingbo opened it.

Only twelve characters were written on the page:

A mild punishment. If there is a next time, I will show no mercy!

Shao Pingbo's pupils contracted sharply.

The corner of his mouth twitched as he stared at the words. Then he gave a small wave of his hand.

Shao Sansheng glanced at Lan Ming and withdrew.

The moment he was gone, Lan Ming came over without the slightest politeness, behaving as though this were his own home. He snatched the secret letter straight out of Shao Pingbo's hand, read it, and asked, "Whose letter is this? What does it mean? Who did you offend? This looks like a warning!"

[End of Chapter 1351]