It was not an isolated sentiment.
Lianshan Xin also felt that Thousand Faces was fully qualified to be his arch-enemy.
The fellow was downright terrifying.
"Baihezi, your brother Mingren has already confessed that you two practiced Myriad Manifestations true qi. Do you still intend to put up a stubborn resistance?"
Seeing that Lianshan Xin had even laid bare the matter of Myriad Manifestations true qi, Baihezi, who had been bracing herself to resist, went limp and collapsed to the ground.
Beside her, Zeng Ningbing stood dumbfounded.
Never in her wildest dreams could she have imagined that the good sister she had only just met was a fiend from the Demon Cult.
Heavenly Sword glanced over slightly as well. "The Demon Cult's hands reach all the way to the Sakura Kingdom?"
Qi Shiyun said, "Hardly surprising. The Demon Cult is not lacking in experts. We in Great Yu don't think much of them, but an ignorant backwater like Sakura has seen little of the world, and they constantly covet the wealth and splendor of our Great Yu. Cooperating with the Demon Cult is all too natural for them."
"That makes sense." Zhang Aniu nodded slightly, convinced.
After all, everything Qi Shiyun said was the plain truth.
Judging from Baihezi's reaction, it was certainly no false accusation.
In that case...
"It seems I truly must re-evaluate Thousand Faces," Zhang Aniu said heavily.
Back when they fought one-on-one, he had nearly slain Thousand Faces beneath his sword, so deep down he had looked down on him to some degree.
Now Zhang Aniu had changed his mind.
His moniker was Heavenly Sword, which immediately marked him as a battle fanatic.
Meanwhile, a moniker like Thousand Faces clearly signaled someone not focused on head-on combat.
Just because Thousand Faces couldn't defeat him on an open battlefield didn't mean he couldn't orchestrate moves in the shadows to bring him down.
Everyone had their own specialty. When it came to covert plots like the ones Thousand Faces laid, Zhang Aniu knew he could never match them.
Lianshan Xin echoed the sentiment: "Thousand Faces is everywhere, laying schemes in every direction, which shows his ambitions are far from modest. Lord Heavenly Sword, until this demon is eliminated, I fear Jiangzhou will not know a single day of peace. Thousand Faces is no ordinary villain; he cannot be judged by common sense."
"Indeed," Zhang Aniu nodded slowly. "I shall go tend to my injuries first. Little Xin, I leave things here to you for now. With you handling matters, my mind is at ease."
Lianshan Xin had successively uncovered both Jiang Haoran and Mingren and Baihezi colluding with Thousand Faces—feats that even Zhang Aniu had failed to notice.
Anyone could see Lianshan Xin's remarkable investigative acumen with their own eyes.
Crucially, Lianshan Xin had provided ironclad proof every time, evidence that could withstand the scrutiny of the imperial court.
Therefore, Zhang Aniu had every reason to trust him.
"If anything arises that you cannot handle, consult Shiyun first. If even Shiyun cannot decide, come find me for a decision."
Seeing Zhang Aniu's pale complexion, Lianshan Xin naturally would not trouble his superior.
"My lord, please go rest and heal. Your subordinate will uncover the truth behind the attack on you as soon as possible."
Once Zhang Aniu left, Lianshan Xin instantly relaxed.
"Brother Tian, Miss Zhuo, what brings you two here?"
Zhuo Biyu explained, "My master was attacked. How could I, as his disciple, not come?"
Tian Ji added, "I was also quite shocked."
Lianshan Xin glanced at Tian Ji, though his innate ability did not trigger.
He simply muttered inwardly: *Are you really shocked? Why can't I see even a trace of it?*
Still, that was unimportant.
What Lianshan Xin cared about right now was Zeng Ningbing.
"Miss Zeng, you certainly have nerve," Lianshan Xin said coldly. "Speak. Are you colluding with the Demon Cult on your own, or is Elder Zeng colluding with them? Or perhaps the entire Golden Scale Alliance is in league with the Demon Cult?"
As soon as Lianshan Xin spoke, quite apart from Zeng Ningbing's reaction, Zhuo Biyu and Tian Ji instantly turned their heads in astonishment.
Zhuo Biyu gave a covert thumbs-up.
Tian Ji secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. He recalled the boast he had made before Lianshan Xin:
*If we were in Shenjing, I wouldn't dare claim this. But in Jiangzhou, whatever trouble you stir up, I can cover for you.*
The young master from the capital had felt mighty and grand when talking big.
Now his legs suddenly felt a bit weak.
He had no choice but to transmit a discreet voice warning: "Brother, behind the Golden Scale Alliance stands the Second Prince. You should watch your words."
Lianshan Xin pretended not to hear, his gaze fixed ruthlessly on Zeng Ningbing.
Zeng Ningbing's face went slightly pale, and she immediately explained, "I had no idea Baihezi had anything to do with Thousand Faces! She was the one who deliberately approached me!"
"Is that so? Zeng Ningbing, if you refuse to confess now, it will be too late once we of the Nine Heavens discover that the Golden Scale Alliance conducts business with the Sakura royal family," Lianshan Xin offered as a friendly reminder.
Zeng Ningbing's heart sank.
She knew that the Golden Scale Alliance really did have business dealings with the Sakura royals.
"I want to see the Prefect," Zeng Ningbing said, gritting her teeth.
Lianshan Xin smiled. "The Prefect has already gone to attend to official business. Would you like to see the Prefect's son instead?"
Zeng Ningbing had no idea that Jiang Haoran had been an impostor, much less that the impostor was already dead; interrogators never briefed prisoners on current developments. Thus, Zeng Ningbing immediately said, "That works too."
A flicker of amusement flashed deep in Lianshan Xin's eyes and vanished just as quickly.
"I found the letter she wrote."
Carrying a letter, Qi Shiyun walked in from the back courtyard.
The gaze she cast upon Zeng Ningbing was no different from looking at a corpse.
"Zeng Ningbing, what monstrous nerve you have."
Qi Shiyun's voice was drenched in murderous intent.
This gave Zhuo Biyu and Tian Ji a sudden ominous premonition.
Zhuo Biyu spoke up of her own accord, "Madwoman Qi, this woman might not amount to much, but the ties behind her run deep. Don't go crazy."
Tian Ji nodded. "The bigger picture comes first."
Qi Shiyun gave a cold snort and handed the letter to Tian Ji. "See for yourselves."
Tian Ji took the letter and skimmed it. Instantly, his face darkened, and his heart sank like a stone.
He passed the letter to Zhuo Biyu, whose expression swiftly darkened as well.
"Idiot."
Zhuo Biyu glared at Zeng Ningbing, then passed the letter to Lianshan Xin.
Lianshan Xin glanced at the contents. In an instant, murderous intent surged within him as well, and he laughed out of sheer fury. "Zeng Ningbing, I wondered how Jiang Haoran dared to threaten my parents. So it was your suggestion in this letter! You really don't care about the lives of your nine familial clans, do you?"
Before dying, the fake Jiang Haoran had said that Zeng Ningbing's letter was what prompted him to investigate Lianshan Xin, which led to his hostile attitude.
That was also why Lianshan Xin had hauled Zeng Ningbing in for interrogation.
Yet even Lianshan Xin hadn't expected her to be so brazen.
Did she truly think of herself as some untouchable fairy?
"Have too many men in the Jiangzhou jianghu fawned over you, making you forget the height of the heavens and the depth of the earth?"
Lianshan Xin held up the letter, his gaze upon Zeng Ningbing carrying an inscrutable weight. "What a pity. You've touched the ultimate taboo."
Qi Shiyun said coldly, "I've compared the handwriting. It is indeed hers. She has handed us quite a dilemma. Little Xin, you are the party involved and the victim here. What are your thoughts? We all respect your wishes. Whatever you decide, I will back you."
Lianshan Xin glanced at Qi Shiyun, Zhuo Biyu, and Tian Ji, all three wearing grim, murderous expressions, and a sudden inspiration struck him.
People often said that the three tightest bonds in life were formed by studying together, bearing arms together, and visiting brothels together.
Yet in Great Yu, Lianshan Xin believed there was an even better way for the four of them to forge an unbreakable, profound friendship.
What could strengthen the bond among their team more than slaughtering an unofficial princess together?
Chapter 74