Chapter 810

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

Without needing the system to discover it, Shen Yao could very easily deduce the Sima Clan's problem.

Not only because of that female cultivator in the restaurant, but also the wild exotic beast held tightly in the female cultivator's arms, "Although the specific information the exotic beast wanted to convey cannot be known," Shen Yao could guess.

No desire to attack, just wanting to warn; the exotic beast resisted being held by the female cultivator, and there was nothing wrong with the female cultivator herself... then the only way was to start from other aspects.

"Host, I'll go help you keep a close watch on the Sima Clan," the system said; since its own Host had a concrete target, it absolutely could not miss it no matter what.

Just because it watched those other few clans for so long, now it's letting all of them go?

"No, watch them too; how do you know that just because the Sima Clan has a problem, the others definitely have no problem," Shen Yao merely said the Sima Clan was off; she did not guarantee the other aristocratic families were safe.

Being able to create something as insidious as a parasite, Shen Yao even less believed the mastermind behind the scenes would be some upright and honorable person; if it were her, she would definitely spare no expense to control the entire Jin Jue City; only catching the Sima Clan wouldn't be a sure thing; it would be best to also have the other aristocratic families in hand; only then could she ensure absolute safety.

System:...

Fine then; round and round it goes, still have to keep a close watch on the aristocratic families in Jin Jue City.

However, with the Host's current speculation, the system's focus of attention would shift; the Sima Clan deservedly harvested the majority of the system's gaze, while the remaining three clans and even the City Lord's Mansion would evenly split the remaining attention.

"Chen Zhou Sima Clan, are you sure?" Lu Yan spoke; he wasn't doubting Shen Yao was making groundless accusations, but worried this kind of matter would bring disaster from loose talk; aristocratic families act tyrannically without reason; today's encounter at the restaurant was the other party being in the wrong, but they couldn't guarantee the other party wouldn't find a chance to pay it back.

"Eight or nine out of ten; that female cultivator looks completely harmless, but the wild exotic beast in her arms is very resistant," generally speaking this is unreasonable; wild exotic beasts are untamable by nature; let alone ordinary people without cultivation, even accomplished cultivators might not be able to tame them.

That female cultivator didn't look eye-catching at first glance, but the more one recalls, the more one feels there's a problem.

Coupled with the wild exotic beast's obvious abnormality, it's estimated not just Shen Yao and Lu Yan; anyone in the restaurant who was slightly alert would become suspicious.

"Based on just one meeting to suspect the Sima Clan's people, ordinary people wouldn't go provoke trouble," because it's not cost-effective.

The Chen Zhou Sima Clan is a gold-lettered signboard in Jin Jue City; going out they fundamentally aren't afraid of being targeted; "We'll privately pay attention to the Sima Family's movements; regardless of whether the other party acts or not, we must obtain evidence."

Only with evidence can we proceed to the next step; Lu Yan felt that if Jin Jue City really has something going on, the ones who most hope Jin Jue City turns danger into safety are the Floating Xuan Yuan Clan and the City Lord's Mansion's Jin Yu Shu Clan.

Because Jin Jue City is a Central State city; the Floating Xuan Yuan Clan was once the Central State hegemon; they ought to guard the Central State's peace.

The Jin Yu Shu's entire foundation is in Jin Jue City; their survival is inseparable from the Spirit Jade Vein; without this uniquely blessed Jin Jue City, it would be very hard for them to find a second place suitable for their survival.

What Lu Yan needs to do now is find obvious evidence proving the Sima Clan has a problem, then bring the evidence to visit the City Lord's Mansion and the Xuan Yuan Clan; as long as he pokes the problem to them, Lu Yan can hide behind and watch the tigers fight from the mountain.

Perhaps the City Lord's Mansion and the Xuan Yuan Clan aren't truly completely unaware either; the parasite has been stirring up wind and rain for so long; they might also be waiting.

Wait? Wait for what?

"Wait for the timing!"

The Xuan Yuan Elder looked at the Junior Shen with a face full of hatred for evil like an enemy, and shook his head helplessly.

"Great Elder, the Sima Clan is truly shameless, daring to collude with evil demons and crooked paths; if we don't act on behalf of heaven to bring them to justice, wouldn't the suffering the Jin Jue City commoners have endured for so many years be in vain?"

The Xuan Yuan Family's Junior Shen isn't old; speaking, he's also very impulsive and brainless.

The Xuan Yuan Elder truly didn't know what to say; juniors one by one don't consider consequences, only know how to blindly rush forward; how can that work?

Although their Xuan Yuan Clan has the responsibility to guard the Central State, they also can't make that kind of meaningless sacrifice; this way they can neither exchange for the Central State's peace nor get the desired result.

"Alright; no matter how despicable the Sima Clan is, without evidence we cannot speak recklessly.

The Sima Clan is the Chen Zhou hegemon; back then although they lost to our Xuan Yuan Clan in the Central State and fled to Chen Zhou, times have changed; we must recognize reality; the Sima Clan is not those small clans in the Floating City."

Letting them do whatever the Xuan Yuan Clan wants to do; even if they beat them to death they wouldn't dare pursue it.

The Sima Clan has long since become incomparable to the past; even if unwilling to admit it, the Xuan Yuan Elder knows their Xuan Yuan Clan today cannot compare to the Sima Clan's flourishing; he has always chosen to suppress the Xuan Yuan Clan's actions, actually also harboring thoughts of retreating because they're no match.

Sigh

Old, old; long gone is the initial sharpness of slaying demons and eliminating devils.

The Xuan Yuan Elder glanced at the indignant Junior Shen, smiled and waved his hand to chase him away; "Since you truly want to remove threats for the Central State, then properly cultivate and improve yourself; the Sima Clan has been secretly preparing in Jin Jue City for many years; they're about to be unable to wait any longer."

Day after day, year after year; the Sima Clan's base camp is not here.

The Xuan Yuan Elder expressed that although his sharpness is gone, his ability to read people and situations remains; the Sima Clan cooperated with that evil demon for ten-odd years; from the initial carefulness to the current fearlessness due to having backing, it's visible certain arrangements have already neared perfection.

Hmph

It's time to notify the City Lord's Mansion side; still unknown what the Qingzhou Meng Family and Huang Zhou Luo Family are thinking, but the City Lord's Mansion's Jin Yu Shu Clan definitely cannot just watch Jin Jue City be destroyed.

"Bullying beasts too far, bullying beasts too far!"

The Jin Yu Shu staying in the City Lord's Mansion is the Jin Yu Shu Clan's Old Ancestor; that is the big rat that has lived past a thousand years; its figure is roughly as high as a small mountain; its whole body's skin emits a lustrous jade light; in its hands below it tightly grips rare jade.

"Brother Jin Jue, this matter is no small thing; that Sima Clan has already clearly not put us in their eyes; pity the relevant evidence of evil deeds still hasn't been found; otherwise, how could we let the Sima Clan be this arrogant."

The Xuan Yuan Elder — don't look at his kind-eyed benevolent appearance, immortal bearing; actually he's also a drama king plus an old hand; his speech is an art; no matter what black pot, it's all pinned on the Sima Clan.

Jin Jue City's name comes from the many Spirit Jade Veins; the Jin Yu Shu Clan, to express their determination to coexist with Jin Jue City, every generation inheriting the City Lord's Mansion changes their name to Jin Jue.

Today the Jin Yu Shu's Old Ancestor is already the fifth City Lord; it has been called Jin Jue for over a hundred years; long ago it already regarded Jin Jue City as an existence like Home.

Listening to the Xuan Yuan Elder putting eye drops on the Sima Clan, Jin Jue not only didn't get angry, but instead very righteously joined in cursing the Sima Clan for doing inhuman things.

"Exactly! This Sima Clan is so arrogant they don't even respect beasts; that's looking down on our Jin Yu Shu Clan.

Old Xuan Yuan brat, you say there's no evidence; is it really none, or do you not want to hand it over?

Know that if we drag on, when that evil demon appears, we might not be able to beat it."

Jin Jue hugged its own pair of jade-colored claws, a pair of eyes staring tightly at the Xuan Yuan Elder below.

Xuan Yuan Elder:...

Tsk

Who exactly said beasts are easy to bully? This Jin Yu Shu Clan's big rats each look dull and cute, but actually their minds are all nine curves eighteen bends; he only said a few sentences, and the other party has already turned to the evidence and even scored a point against him.

The Xuan Yuan Elder's body broke out in a bit of cold sweat; fortunately he had already prepared when coming over; Jin Jue's question was satisfactorily answered, but it was still considered by him.

"City Lord Jin Jue, our Xuan Yuan Clan and the Sima Clan's grievances can be traced back to ten thousand years ago; if we truly had evidence of the Sima Clan colluding with evil demons, we would certainly directly present it and hand it to the City Lord."

They had no need and no reason to conceal it; the Xuan Yuan Clan hated that they couldn't make the Sima Clan disappear completely, so how could they possibly allow the Sima Clan to pull these stunts.

Jin Jue clearly didn't quite believe it; after all, humans always liked doing strange and bizarre things, and even if they had evidence they might not necessarily produce it.

"Old Xuan Yuan brat, regarding the Sima Clan's matter, we've had clues since ten years ago, yet even now we still haven't found any relevant evidence.

That doesn't add up!"

The Jin Jue City Lord's voice turned stern; it extended its claw pointing at Elder Xuan Yuan, "Old man, hurry up and confess honestly — are you planning that 'openly repairing the plank road while secretly crossing at Chencang' tactic, deliberately stalling me first, then waiting until the Sima Clan's momentum is fully formed, taking the opportunity to seize Jin Jue City for yourselves."

Elder Xuan Yuan: ……

Not to mention anything else, this big rat is quite good at filling in the blanks; who knows which storybook it listened to.

"Jin Jue City Lord, some jokes aren't funny; best not to make them."

Elder Xuan Yuan indicated he didn't have that kind of scheming mind; besides, if they really wanted to cooperate, leaving aside the Meng Family and Luo Family who had no conflicts of interest, going to seek out the Sima Clan with whom they had years of accumulated grievances — would the Xuan Yuan Clan still want its face?

You must know a noble family's reputation is heavier than heaven; Elder Xuan Yuan was a native of the Xuan Yuan Family, and from childhood to adulthood everything he received was that whole noble family set of principles.

The Jin Jue City Lord's speculation couldn't be said to be wrong, only that it was outrageously off the mark.

Jin Jue City Lord: ……

Fine then

Looks like those restaurant storybooks are still somewhat unrealistic; the Xuan Yuan Clan and Sima Clan indeed have little possibility, but this Sima Clan is jumping up and down, even attempting to lay hands on the Jin Yu Shu Clan's territory, hmph!

"Old Xuan Yuan brat, this matter I've taken note of; I certainly won't let the Sima Clan off!"

Exotic beasts hold grudges the most, especially when it involves racial inheritance matters; the Jin Jue City Lord revealed a vicious appearance, its aura changing drastically in an instant.

Seeing this, Elder Xuan Yuan thought to himself "steady"; exotic beasts have never liked delay — as long as the Jin Yu Shu takes the lead in actively provoking the Sima Clan, their Xuan Yuan Clan just hides behind the scenes pushing the waves to help the surge, dragging the Sima Clan down into the water.

What Elder Xuan Yuan wanted was never merely the Sima Clan's downfall; because in this predestined life-and-death situation, the Xuan Yuan Clan had prepared for many years — the Xuan Yuan Clan also wanted the land of Chen Zhou, the Sima Clan's trump cards accumulated over years of deep cultivation.

"Tsk tsk tsk, sinister, truly sinister and despicable!"

The System felt that being this naive and innocent, it was indeed unsuitable to grow human Seven Emotions and Six Desires; clearly still wearing a human skin, yet the things it did hadn't a shred of human decency.

Shen Yao: ……

Although the System's complaint was quite precise, is it really okay to praise yourself?

Because she needed the System to watch the Sima Clan, she didn't let the other few families off either.

So the words Elder Xuan Yuan spoke in the Xuan Yuan Mansion and the words he spoke at the City Lord's Mansion, Shen Yao knew them clearly through the System.

Lu Yan's speculation was correct; the Xuan Yuan Family and City Lord's Mansion indeed knew about the Sima Clan's problem, it was just because they couldn't catch evidence that they could only watch the Sima Clan cooperate with evil demons and slowly grow stronger.

"Evidence this hard to find, can Lu Yan find it?" The Xuan Yuan Clan and City Lord's Mansion have operated in Jin Jue City for so many years; Lu Yan has only been here a few days.

The System wasn't optimistic about Lu Yan, but thinking if this matter was done by the Host, she should be able to find evidence, right.

"Do you really believe the Xuan Yuan Clan and City Lord's Mansion have no evidence on the Sima Clan?"

Shen Yao rolled her eyes at the Silly White Sweet System; this was clearly both sides mutually testing each other, neither side wanting to be used by the other as a vanguard against the Sima Clan.

System: ……

"Then they just pinch the evidence and watch the Sima Clan slowly grow powerful?" Scheming for what, not afraid of capsizing in the gutter, losing both ways.

"Who knows? Perhaps they have their own considerations; noble families, all the same virtue, profit first," not acting is definitely because it's not cost-effective; if acting could earn many benefits, they'd definitely fight to seize the initiative.

System: ……

The System could only be speechless about this; turns out Jin Jue City's trouble was never caused by the Sima Clan cooperating with evil demons, but was fanned by certain guys with heads full of interests, finally evolving into today's situation.

"So you see, Jin Jue City's trouble has never been as simple as it appears on the surface.

Perhaps you can keep an eye on the Meng Family and Luo Family a bit more; perhaps you might discover something interesting."

As if casually saying something, the System followed along the two names the Host mentioned, directly tracing all the way, and then it discovered the Meng Family was actually a double agent — on one side ambiguous with the Xuan Yuan Clan, on the other side exchanging favors with the City Lord's Mansion.

System: …… This Jin Jue City is full of capable people, it has everything!

Since the Meng Family is this miraculous, what about the Luo Family?

The Luo Family surpasses the Meng Family if anything; the Luo Family is a double-faced spy, they pull back and forth with the Xuan Yuan Clan and Sima Clan, and all three families know the situation, but they all like to play dumb — I know you know, but we can act like I don't know you don't know.

System: ……

In just one afternoon, the System felt its speechless count had increased many times over compared to before; turns out other cities' sights and hearings are ordinary, only Jin Jue City is truly divine.

"Playing like this, sooner or later they'll capsize," not a single one is a force that made thorough preparations; everyone is showing off by the seat of their pants, the key is basically everyone is playing with open cards, yet they plunge headfirst into such a dangerous place — the System suspects Lu Yan is some novel protagonist, otherwise how could she so precisely step into every pit.

While the System jumped around acting like an octopus, Shen Yao had already slept a nap.

Raising her hand to rub her temples, she just let the System calm its mindset and watch the show.

"Capsize probably won't happen; just depends on who can out-scheme whom here.

How about, the two of us make a bet," Shen Yao suddenly smiled gently, amid the System's inexplicable cold shiver, she spoke the name of the evil demon she was most optimistic about.

System: ……

Whatever happened to evil never triumphs over good? Could it be that the Dao is one foot high, but the Devil is ten feet high?