Master of Strange Dao

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment and said,

"Draft a decree, Family Head Tong Weishun of the Tong Family, Yangming Sect Master Liao Yilai, and Devil Extermination Sect Master Peng Song. For their meritorious assistance, each shall receive a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure. Additionally, grant the Tong Family Master a Treasure Artifact, Sect Master Liao a volume of the Civil Saint's Handwriting, and Sect Master Peng a Devil Slaying Treasure Artifact. Go to the treasury, select something suitable for them, and deliver it to their sects or families. If asked by their clansmen or disciples, just say they were injured and are recuperating under my arrangements."

The next day, an eunuch from the palace, accompanied by guards, arrived at the Tong Family.

The decree of the Crown Prince in Dali carried weight not much less than that of Emperor Li, but many matters were those the Crown Prince did not involve himself in. Once he did, the significance was entirely different.

The Old Eunuch read the decree at the Tong Family, and immediately, someone opened a jade box, revealing a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure brimming with spiritual energy and a naturally divine Magical Treasure inside.

The Old Eunuch, with a kind and friendly demeanor, approached courteously and helped Mrs. Tong up.

"Mrs. Tong, please rise. Though I've long resided in the palace, I've heard of the deep affection between you and the Family Head. His Highness is aware of this, so he specifically sent me here. The Tong Family Head has rendered great service to His Highness, and now being quite injured, he needs to recuperate. In due time, he will return. As for the rewards, they can be bestowed first."

"Thank you, Your Highness," Mrs. Tong bowed in the direction of the Capital City.

She did not know what her husband had gone to do, but before he left, she saw clearly his demeanor as if settling his affairs. Rumors had been spreading wildly, and while the clan's soul lamp remained unextinguished, the fact that it flickered intermittently as if about to go out was true. Various evil spirits began harboring ill intentions, of which she was well aware. She also knew that the matter concerning the soul lamp likely could not be concealed.

Now that the Crown Prince's reward had arrived, she exhaled a long breath, knowing that this crisis was resolved. At least within the Tong Family, things were stabilized. Having a Ninth Tier Strong was a deterrent and a means to maintain morale. Without it, others might encroach on your lands today and seize your distant ventures tomorrow. Day by day, if things got out of hand, even the Tong Family couldn't withstand it, and others would act recklessly. This process might not even require a Ninth Tier Strong to do anything at all.

Apart from the Tong Family, groups were also dispatched to the Yangming Sect and the Devil Extermination Sect. In an instant, all malicious intents quietly retreated. One should not stir trouble with others still alive; the ensuing retaliation might be unbearable, and the losses severe.

What would it mean to cause trouble now? Was it a slap to the Crown Prince's face? In Dali, slapping the face of the Crown Prince, did anyone still expect to develop peacefully here? What wishful thinking.

The Crown Prince needed to do nothing, needed to say nothing, yet people would find it hard to advance, and everyone would avoid him.

Thus, everything settled once more.

The chief director never showed his face, nor took action, and no messages came anymore, as if he had vanished.

A month later, the three partly recovered individuals returned to their sects and families to continue their recuperation.

And out of nowhere, the Dali Lihuo Institute, in conjunction with the Dali court, suddenly proclaimed to the world that the Langya Incarnation Technique from the Langya Institute of Daqian was true Evil Skill.

The so-called incarnation was merely a victim of the Evil Skill, all of whom were whole people, not incarnations at all. Currently, an Evil Dao Demon harbored malicious intentions, scheming for long and afflicting more than one or two Ninth Tier Strong. However, the way of heaven was clear, and this Evil Skill still had a method to be dispelled. The three Ninth Tier Strong had already dispelled the Evil Skill, their chronic ailments were gone, and they would no longer be harmed by it. All those harmed by the Evil Skill had the chance to dispel it. And the Evil Dao Demon who cultivated the Evil Skill and harmed the Ninth Tier Strong was a target for everyone to eliminate.

The Dali court and the Lihuo Institute jointly offered ten Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures. Anyone who slayed this Evil Dao Demon could take the treasures.

All the wording, aside from initially poking at the Langya Institute, never mentioned the Daqian court, never mentioned the dong chang, feigned ignorance of the term "dong chang" up to now. They only characterized that person as an Evil Dao Demon deserving of everyone's punishment.

The ten Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures were a minor issue. These treasures captivated people merely to expand the influence.

The true influence lay in the news that the demon had multiple Ninth Tier incarnations.

Once such information was leaked, and it was jointly released by the Dali court and Lihuo Institute, no one could remain seated. No matter how great a force, it couldn't turn a blind eye.

One Ninth Tier could be considered an accident or coincidence. But if there were multiple Ninth Tiers, the nature would be entirely different. No matter who it was, they were destined to be the public enemy of the world.

Yu Ziqing received the news and clicked his tongue in appraisal. The Dali Crown Prince's plan was not merely malicious.

Not mentioning the dong chang wasn't forgiving Daqian but first nailing the figure onto the shame post as an unprecedented Evil Dao Demon.

Daqian, if you have the ability, try to clean up. Langya Institute, if you have it within you, come refute, debate, and claim Langya Incarnation Technique wasn't Evil Skill.

Let it stir, and once the matter gets bigger, expose that the Evil Dao Demon is actually the chief director of Daqian's dong chang.

Tsk, if this stab went in, it definitely would be a deep one.

Now, it was about whether Daqian dared to gamble, gamble that Dali truly didn't know about the words "dong chang."

On the Seventh Floor, Yu Ziqing and Song Chengyue were discussing this matter.

"Four or five Ninth Tiers already, the chief director's courage is truly immense, but one cannot deny, he indeed is a talent. If he lay low for some more years, continued hiding, who knows, he might indeed succeed."

"What does Daqian think?"

"Heh, Langya Institute surely wouldn't admit Langya Incarnation Technique was Evil Skill. If they did, it equals admitting the Langya Institute researches Evil Skill, which according to their rules, Evil Skill research is forbidden, at least officially."

"What about the court?"

"There's been no response from the court yet, but I think Emperor Qian wouldn't protect him."

Yu Ziqing suddenly laughed.

"Does the Daqian court think Dali still doesn't know about the dong chang?"

"Of course, otherwise the Langya Institute wouldn't deny it first."

"Then let me give you a piece of news, Dali actually already knows about the dong chang."

"Hmm?" Song Chengyue was startled, then lightly inhaled, "I understand."

Yu Ziqing smiled and clasped his hands courteously.

Now everyone pretended not to know, but if Emperor Qian knew that Dali indeed knew, yet was pretending not to,

What would he do?

Given the current tumult, Dali would inevitably stab.

Would Emperor Qian protect the chief director, or safeguard Daqian's reputation, his own reputation?

Which would he consider more valuable?

Protecting the former would harm the latter, and even those few Ninth Tier being turned into incarnations would be pinned on Emperor Qian.

Because that was the dong chang, similar to the Jinyi Wei, who only answered to Emperor Qian.

To protect the latter, the chief director must die as an ordinary Evil Dao Demon, not as the chief director of the dong chang.

If the world were to turn the chief director into a universal enemy, with Dali, Dazhen was one thing, but finally, Daqian couldn't be spared either.

If Daqian's Emperor Qian didn't want to kill him, how could he be a universal enemy?

Yu Ziqing now intended to let Emperor Qian also want the chief director dead.

"By the way, let me tell you something, I find working with you very pleasant. So casually, I cracked ten more Dadui seals, accidentally obtaining another County Magistrate Seal. I hope we can continue our cooperation well in the future."

Song Chengyue took the hint and revealed a slight smile.

"Pleasant cooperation."

With the previous matters setting the stage, the chief director almost becoming a universal enemy;

once Jinyi Wei took over and followed Song Chengyue's method, the results were remarkable, progressing rapidly.

Then what good was someone who achieved nothing, focused merely on himself, and might now let Emperor Qian and Daqian bear the burden of the huge scandal?