Previously, when facing the Heavenly Palace and Beijia, he had merely been forced into caution; yet he would never let any opportunity that drifted past him slip by.
About all this, he told no one—not even the mirror or Dong Rui had any idea.
At this moment, Jin Bai pulled out the King of Bo's official letter from his robes and tore it open. The bailiffs who had searched the bodies of the Shadow Tooth Guard back then were illiterate; thinking the corpses were headed for a mass grave anyway, they had not bothered to take the letter.
Several pairs of eyes leaned in to read the letter together.
Although the text had been polished, couched in language both official, ornate, and tactful, the core message was singular:
The Bright Lantern Cup—not giving it!
It concerned the bloodline and realm of the King of Bo, so he would not easily part with the Bright Lantern Cup.
Jin Bai skimmed through it in a few glances. Thinking of the fallen Shadow Tooth Guard, he could not suppress a cold sneer.
Yet He Lingchuan remarked, "The King of Bo having prepared this letter proves that when we entered the palace, he had not yet intended to kill us."
It meant that the Feather Guards accidentally killing the Shadow Tooth Guard really was an unexpected incident. Otherwise, if the King of Bo simply said "no," that would have been that—why bother with an unnecessary move?
Dong Rui asked, "Could the instigators have planted Mai Liansheng's things in the Shadow Tooth Guard's guest room, and then tipped off the bailiffs and Feather Guards to raid the place?"
"It's possible." He Lingchuan raised his waterskin and took a sip. "But there's another possibility: these people were embedded among the Feather Guards or bailiffs. When they stormed into Rulin Inn to arrest the Shadow Tooth Guard, they planted the evidence right then and there."
"These people?" Dong Rui had a realization. "You mean they acted as a group?"
"To go up against a monarch, how could anyone manage on their own?" Even when He Lingchuan had caused an uproar in the Heavenly Palace back then, he had needed the help, directly or indirectly, of Madame Zhu, Dong Rui, Fang Canran, and others. "Daring to do this shows they are very familiar with the conduct of the Feather Guards and Nangong Yan."
Dong Rui chuckled wryly. "Their style—probably every citizen of Bo knows it, don't they?"
When a style and its quirks were too pronounced, they were easy to exploit.
Jin Bai ground his teeth. "Once I find this culprit, I will tear them to pieces!"
Seeing the feral gleam in his eyes, Dong Rui broke into a cold sweat on Cao Yanhua's behalf.
The King of Bo had accused Elder Cao of stealing the treasure, a matter that had yet to be investigated.
Jin Bai sneered, "Perhaps the King of Bo did it himself! A guilty conscience made him want to silence every last one of us!"
Dong Rui and He Lingchuan exchanged a glance and shrugged. Jin Bai was blinded by rage, but what he said was indeed a possibility.
He Lingchuan brought it up seemingly at random: "The root of all these accidents is the Bright Lantern Cup. Commander Jin, do you know what use your kingdom intended for this tribute?"
This was the intelligence he truly wanted to uncover!
Still seething with anger, Jin Bai answered without thinking much of it: "That is confidential. The Emperor has never mentioned it to me."
As a subordinate, he only executed orders and never pried.
He Lingchuan asked him again, "How do you expect the Mou Emperor will decide on this matter?"
"It is not my place to guess wildly, but I believe the Emperor will not let a tiny, insignificant kingdom walk all over us!"
Even when two nations were at war, they did not execute envoys. Yet the King of Bo had actually tried to kill the special envoys of the Mou Kingdom!
That was showing utter contempt for the Mou Kingdom.
The three walked in silence for nearly half a day before Jin Bai's temper gradually subsided.
"To the Xiaoyao Sect first, and then I will send word flying to the imperial capital detailing everything the Bo Kingdom has done!"
By now, even if the King of Bo presented the Heart Lamp to Jin Bai with both hands, he would not let the matter rest.
Blood had to be repaid with blood!
Perhaps the Mou Kingdom would not let it rest either.
He Lingchuan glanced back in the direction of the Bo Kingdom, knowing that the course of events was finally going to play into certain people's hands.
...
The Xiaoyao Sect was located northeast of the Bo Kingdom, bordering it.
Its territory was less than half the size of Mount Rong, consisting mostly of mountainous terrain. Two mountain ranges converged here, and the highest peak, called Baimao Peak, was the habitat of the Bright Lantern Grass.
With very little flat land, the Xiaoyao Sect produced little grain, but it was a natural treasury of medicinal herbs.
Hearing of Jin Bai's arrival, Sect Leader Li personally came to welcome the party through the mountain gates.
The Xiaoyao Sect was situated halfway up the mountain. Today it was shrouded in mist and swirling clouds, lending it an air reminiscent of an immortal abode.
Beyond the rear mountain lay Baimao Peak. Walking along with him, He Lingchuan frequently encountered mountain-patrol squads.
This was because the Shanjin Plain was turbulent, with thieves often sneaking in to steal herbs.
When Sect Leader Li heard Jin Bai explain their purpose, shock washed over his face.
"As the Bright Lantern Cup neared maturity, the entire sect was on high alert, dreading any mishap. People like myself and Elder Cao inspected the mountain several times a day. Once Commander Jin had smoothly taken the Bright Lantern Cup away, we all breathed a great sigh of relief." Sect Leader Li's brows knitted tightly together. "I never imagined trouble would still arise, and even less that the King of Bo would accuse Elder Cao of being an inside traitor. Inconceivable!"
"How so?"
Sect Leader Li sighed. "During the five days after Commander Jin took the Bright Lantern Cup, Elder Cao happened to have classes scheduled to teach the disciples about herb cultivation. Where could he possibly find the time to go outside?"
"During those days, Elder Cao never left the Xiaoyao Sect?"
"He even came to see me to discuss some sect matters. The disciples saw him too." Sect Leader Li spread his hands. "Unless Elder Cao truly possesses an Avatar Shadow Art where the avatar can separate a hundred li from the true body, rushing to Julu Port to steal the tribute from Commander Jin and then returning to Xun City to sell it to the King of Bo would take at least three or four days round trip."
He Lingchuan interjected, "Yet during those three or four days, both you and the disciples saw Elder Cao?"
"Precisely."
Jin Bai and He Lingchuan exchanged a look. The trajectory of this affair was growing stranger by the moment.
Before long, Elder Cao, having received word, hurried over.
This man was slightly plump, yet brisk on his feet. The moment he saw Sect Leader Li and Commander Jin, he did not even pause to salute, crying out directly:
"It is utterly untrue! Utterly untrue! The people of Bo are falsely accusing me!"
Jin Bai naturally recognized him. "Why didn't they frame anyone else, but singled you out?"
Cao Yanhua stood facing the wind with his mouth open, at a loss for words for a moment.
Indeed, why had the King of Bo framed only him?
He Lingchuan suddenly spoke: "Does Elder Cao know the King of Bo?"
Cao Yanhua froze, then shook his head. "I do not! I do not! We have had no dealings whatsoever!"
Jin Bai continued, "The Bo Kingdom's envoy said that after Sect Leader Li turned him away, he was about to leave when Elder Cao caught up from behind and proposed a trade."
Cao Yanhua flushed red with fury. "Utterly untrue! How dare they make such baseless, slanderous accusations!"
Once again, it was He Lingchuan who spoke: "How long has Elder Cao been with the sect?"
Cao Yanhua answered without hesitation, "Thirty-nine years!"
Sect Leader Li explained, "Elder Cao joined the sect at the age of three. He has spent the first half of his life practicing martial arts and cultivating within the Xiaoyao Sect. Ordinarily, his sole duty is instructing disciples; he rarely goes down the mountain."
The income of a Daoist order generally comprised at least two parts: one from its domain, and the other from disciples.
Domain went without saying; sects like Xiaoyao and Mount Rong held their own territory, generating revenue through normal management no differently from kingdoms or cities. Another major source of income was taking in disciples.
Dignitaries and nobles usually sent their children to study under prominent sects. If the children attained spiritual success, all the better; if not, they could at least mingle in elite circles and build broad networks of connections, so this expense was never spared.
An elder like Cao Yanhua, if not down the mountain managing businesses, was up on the mountain teaching.
Chapter 1119