Chapter 1141: The Shocked Carefree Sect

Regarding these things, he told no one, not even the mirror or Dong Rui.

At this moment, Jin Bai took out the Bo King's official letter from his bosom and tore it open. The government officials who searched the Shadow Tooth Guards' corpses at the time were illiterate and, thinking they were going to the mass grave anyway, couldn't be bothered to confiscate this letter.

Several pairs of eyes gathered around to read the letter together.

Although the content had been polished, with wording that was official, flowery, and indirect, the core meaning was just one: The Bright Lamp, not giving it!

Since it concerned the Bo King's bloodline and empire, he would not easily hand over the Bright Lamp.

Jin Bai finished reading in a few glances, and thinking of the fallen Shadow Tooth Guards, he couldn't help but sneer.

He Lingchuan, however, said: "The Bo King producing this letter shows that when we entered the palace, he had not yet formed the intent to kill."

It meant the Feather Guards killing the Shadow Tooth Guards by mistake was truly a sudden incident; otherwise, the Bo King could have just said "not giving it" and been done with it, why go to such unnecessary trouble? Dong Rui asked: "Could the person stirring up trouble have put Mai Liansheng's things into the Shadow Tooth Guards' guest room, and then led the officials and Feather Guards to come and arrest them?"

"It's possible." He Lingchuan raised his water skin and took a sip. "But there is another possibility: these people were lurking among the Feather Guards or the officials, and when they rushed into the Rulin Inn to arrest the Shadow Tooth Guards, they planted the evidence on the spot."

"These people?" Dong Rui realized. "You mean, they committed the crime as a group?"

"To go against the Monarch, how could one do it alone?" Even when He Lingchuan had wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace back then, he had had to rely on the power of Mother Zhu, Dong Rui, Fang Canran, and others, directly or indirectly. "Daring to do this shows they are very familiar with the style of the Feather Guards and Nangong Yan."

Dong Rui laughed: "Their style, I'm afraid every Bo person knows it, right?"

When a style and characteristics are too distinct, it's easy for others to exploit them.

Jin Bai gritted his teeth: "When I find this person, I will surely tear them into ten thousand pieces!"

Seeing the murderous look in his eyes, Dong Rui felt a cold sweat for Cao Yanhua.

The Bo King accused Elder Cao of stealing the treasure; this matter hadn't even been investigated yet.

Jin Bai sneered: "Perhaps it was the Bo King himself; he felt guilty as a thief and wanted to silence us all!"

Dong Rui and He Lingchuan exchanged a look and shrugged. Jin Bai was consumed by anger, but what he said was also a possibility.

He Lingchuan mentioned casually: "The cause of these accidents is all the Bright Lamp. Commander Jin, do you know the purpose for which your country collects this tribute?"

This was the intelligence he truly wanted to probe!

Jin Bai was still consumed by anger and didn't think much, replying: "This is a secret; the Emperor has never spoken of it to me."

As a subordinate, he only executed orders and wouldn't talk too much.

He Lingchuan asked him again: "Regarding this matter, how do you expect the Mou Emperor to decide?"

"I cannot presume to guess, but I think the Emperor will not let a tiny, insignificant country bully him to his face!"

When two countries are at war, one does not execute the envoy. Yet the Bo King even wanted to kill the special envoy of the Mou Nation!

That was simply not taking the Mou Nation seriously at all.

The three walked silently for another half day before Jin Bai's emotions gradually calmed.

"Go to the Carefree Sect first, and then I will send word of the Bo Nation's actions to the Imperial Capital!"

At this point, even if the Bo King were to offer the Heart Lamp to Jin Bai on a silver platter, he wouldn't be willing to let it go.

Blood debts must be paid in blood! Perhaps the Mou Nation wouldn't be willing either.

He Lingchuan looked back at the Bo Nation, knowing that the direction of this matter was finally going to fulfill the wishes of certain people.

The Carefree Sect was located in the northeast of the Bo Nation, bordering it.

Its area was less than half of Mount Rong, and it was mostly mountainous. Two mountain ranges converged here, and the highest peak, called Bai Mao Peak, was the habitat of the Bright Lamp Grass.

The Carefree Sect had too little flat land and didn't produce much grain, but it was a natural treasure trove of medicinal herbs.

Hearing of Jin Bai's arrival, Sect Master Li personally welcomed the group into the mountain gate.

The Carefree Sect stood halfway up the mountain; today it was shrouded in clouds and mist, truly possessing a bit of the demeanor of an immortal's abode.

The back mountain was Bai Mao Peak. He Lingchuan walked along with him and often encountered patrolling guards.

This was because the Glittering Gold Plain was not peaceful, and thieves often snuck in to steal medicine.

Sect Master Li heard Jin Bai explain his purpose and was shocked.

"The Bright Lamp is nearing maturity, and the entire sect is on high alert, fearing any accidents. People like myself, like Elder Cao, have to go up the mountain to patrol many times a day. After Commander Jin successfully takes the Bright Lamp, we will all breathe a sigh of relief." Sect Master Li's brows were almost knotted together. "I didn't expect that even so, something would go wrong, and even less did I expect that the Bo King would accuse Elder Cao of being an inside thief. Unbelievable!"

"How so?"

Sect Master Li sighed, "In the five days after Commander Jin took the Bright Lamp, it happened to be when Elder Cao had classes, explaining herb cultivation to the disciples. How could he have had time to go out?"

"During those few days, Elder Cao didn't leave the Carefree Sect?"

"He even came to find me to discuss some sect affairs. The disciples have all seen him." Sect Master Li spread his hands. "Unless Elder Cao truly has the art of cloning, and the clone can be a hundred miles away from the main body, otherwise, for him to rush to Giant Deer Port to steal the tribute from Commander Jin, and then return to Xun City to sell it to the Bo King, such back-and-forth would take at least three or four days."

He Lingchuan interjected: "But during those three or four days, Sect Master Li and the disciples all saw Elder Cao?"

"Exactly."

Jin Bai and He Lingchuan exchanged a look; the direction of the matter was becoming increasingly bizarre.

Not long after, Elder Cao, having received the news, hurried over.

This person was slightly plump, but his legs and feet were nimble. As soon as he saw Sect Master Li and Commander Jin, he didn't even have time to salute, shouting directly:

"There is absolutely no such thing, absolutely no such thing! The Bo people are framing me!"

Jin Bai naturally recognized him: "Why would they frame no one else, but point specifically at you?"

Cao Yanhua opened his mouth to the wind, unable to speak for a moment.

Right, why did the Bo King only frame him? He Lingchuan suddenly said: "Does Elder Cao know the Monarch of the Bo Nation?"

Cao Yanhua was startled and shook his head: "I don't know him, I don't know him, we have never had any dealings!"

Jin Bai continued: "The envoy of the Bo Nation said that after he was turned away by Sect Master Li and was about to leave, Elder Cao caught up from behind and proposed a trade to him."

Cao Yanhua was so angry his face turned purple: "There is absolutely no such thing! They really dare to spit blood on people!"

It was He Lingchuan who spoke again: "How long has Elder Cao been in the sect?"

Cao Yanhua didn't even think: "Thirty-nine years!"

Sect Master Li introduced: "Elder Cao entered the sect at three years old, and spent the first half of his life practicing martial arts and cultivation in the Carefree Sect. He usually specializes in teaching disciples and rarely goes down the mountain."

The income of a Daoist sect must include at least two parts: one from the territory, and one from the disciples.

The territory goes without saying; like the Carefree Sect, like Mount Rong, they have their own turf, and normal operations provide income, no different from a country or a city. The other important source of income is accepting disciples.

High officials and nobles usually send their children to study under famous sects; if they can achieve success, that's best, and if they can't, they can still mingle in the circle and accumulate connections, so this money must not be saved.

An elder like Cao Yanhua, if he doesn't go down the mountain to manage affairs, must teach on the mountain.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 1142 =====