Chapter 371: Conspiracy Theory

When Zhen Weida heard what the system said, she was immediately relieved.

’Running a shop means you’re bound to run into all sorts of situations.’

’And the ways Cultivators try to scam people are even more outlandish.’

Meanwhile, far away in the Feique Sect, Jingque True Man had also finished her investigation into the Fierce Eagle Sect.

"Strange..."

Jingque True Man returned, and Dong Yulan, who had been sent to arrange matters in Demon Cave Valley, was summoned back once more.

She invited Dong Yulan in to discuss the matter. "I have a bad feeling."

Dong Yulan wore a serious expression. "Sect Master, has there been any word from the Fierce Eagle Sect?"

Jingque True Man shook her head. "I actually contacted the Fierce Eagle Sect’s Sect Master once before when I returned, asking about this matter. He didn’t reply then. I just used the Sect’s official channels to contact him again, and he still hasn’t responded."

Even if the two Sects were on bad terms, they were still expected to observe basic courtesies.

But the Fierce Eagle Sect Master wasn’t responding.

’Even if he’s in seclusion, he should still get a notification, right?’

Dong Yulan was a little surprised. "He’s in seclusion?"

Jingque True Man shook her head. "It’s hard to say."

She frowned slightly. "I have to make a trip to the Fierce Eagle Sect."

Dong Yulan was uneasy. "Sect Master, are you sure you should go?"

"They bullied my disciple to this extent, tried to force a marriage without permission, and this attack on Su Huanli and Shui Ping is highly suspicious. If I, as Sect Master, don’t make an appearance, wouldn’t that be letting them trample our Sect’s honor into the dust?"

Jingque True Man let out a soft breath. "The Fierce Eagle Sect and our Sect have been at odds for years, but even their Sect Master has to listen to reason. I’ll go pay them a visit and demand an explanation."

"I’m still worried," Dong Yulan said. "I’ll go with you, Sect Master."

Now that she was at the Golden Core Early Stage, she could be considered a capable assistant.

With Jingque True Man going to the Fierce Eagle Sect alone, the strangeness of Su Huanli’s attack, and the involvement of a Demon Cultivator, there was no way Dong Yulan could rest easy.

Jingque True Man considered it for a moment and didn’t try to act tough. "Very well."

Since they were going, they needed to make the proper announcements.

Jingque True Man quickly sent out a notice, announcing that she and Dong Yulan would be making a trip to the Fierce Eagle Sect and instructing the remaining disciples to stay within the Sect grounds.

And if the Feique Sect knew, it meant the players knew.

The players figured they were going to handle the Su Huanli affair. It wasn’t as if no players wanted to head over to the Fierce Eagle Sect themselves.

The Sect Disciples couldn’t go, but surely the players could, right?

But the Fierce Eagle Sect seemed completely different from sects like Feique Sect.

The Fierce Eagle Sect was also located on a mountain, with mortals living at its base.

Their Sect grounds were absolutely impenetrable, and unlike the Feique Sect or the Taohua Sect, they didn’t have apothecaries open to the public on the main street.

The Fierce Eagle Sect was extremely insular, had no contact with mortals, and all trade was handled by designated disciples.

And because they were so far away, the Fierce Eagle Sect preferred to cooperate with other sects, rarely venturing toward Feique Sect’s territory.

The players still didn’t have enough information.

Compared to the players’ speculations, Song Jiulai had obtained more information.

In fact, she had received some unexpected news.

It came from Su Huanli’s master, Xie Yi, who had specifically sought out Chen Miaomiao.

Facing the Steward who now managed the pharmaceutical affairs of the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, Xie Yi was very polite. "I must trouble you to inform your Sect Master. Our Sect Master left a message before departing for the Fierce Eagle Sect."

Chen Miaomiao was a little surprised. "What message?"

Xie Yi said, "We suspect there’s a problem over at the Fierce Eagle Sect."

Chen Miaomiao thought for three seconds. "Is it about the Demon Cultivator?"

The news had already spread.

After all, when the Spirit Fox Sect was annihilated, they had already suspected the Fierce Eagle Sect.

Xie Yi wasn’t particularly surprised. Everyone knew what happened to Su Huanli and that she was ambushed by a Demon Cultivator.

"It’s more than that," she said, her tone serious. "The Sect Master said she can’t get in touch with the Fierce Eagle Sect’s Sect Master. Furthermore, the one who sent the marriage contract for Su Huanli was the Fierce Eagle Sect’s head disciple, Zhang Xiwen, whose father is the current Deputy Sect Master. She feels there’s something fishy about this whole situation."

Chen Miaomiao froze. "You’re saying Zhang Xiwen’s father is the Deputy Sect Master?"

They all knew of Zhang Xiwen. That bastard had threatened their own players before.

They hadn’t run into him since, so they never even got a chance for revenge.

Xie Yi nodded. "Yes. That’s why the Sect Master suspects there’s more to this than meets the eye."

The Fierce Eagle Sect’s Sect Master is a Late-stage Golden Core, and it’s long been rumored that he is on the verge of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm.

A seclusion for a Nascent Soul breakthrough can last for decades, or even a century, during which he wouldn’t appear at all.

All power would be handed over to the Deputy Sect Master. What if someone were to take that opportunity to cause trouble?

Xie Yi said, "The previous attack on my disciple, Huanli, was no accident. If our Sect Master encounters Demon Cultivators on this trip... then the Feique Sect will be temporarily placed under your Sect Master’s authority."

Chen Miaomiao was stunned. ’While we did want to gain control over the Feique Sect, isn’t this happening a little too suddenly?’ she thought.

But now wasn’t the time to celebrate; the implications of this were huge.

It seemed Jingque True Man had anticipated she would be walking into danger this time.

If she didn’t make it back, the Feique Sect would need a pillar to lean on.

And apparently, their own Sect Master was the most suitable candidate.

In terms of Realm, cultivation, and the number of disciples, the Feique Sect could no longer compete with them.

’But does Jingque True Man really trust our Sect Master that much?’

Chen Miaomiao couldn’t help but ask, "If Jingque True Man has already considered this, why does she still insist on going?"

’Isn’t it obviously dangerous?’

Xie Yi sighed. "Though we are affiliated with the Ten Thousand Immortals Sect, this matter with the Demon Cultivator is of grave importance. With the Spirit Fox Sect serving as a precedent, if something really has gone wrong at the Fierce Eagle Sect, our Sect Master must relay the news to the Sea View Sect in time to warn the other nearby Sects. She and Senior Sister Dong are both in the Golden Core Stage; besides them, no one else is suitable for a trip to the Fierce Eagle Sect."

If there was trouble, those with lower cultivation wouldn’t even be able to escape.

However, there was one thing Xie Yi didn’t mention.

It was a story from long ago, after all.

The bad blood between the Feique Sect and the Fierce Eagle Sect wasn’t so simple.

It was rumored to be due to a personal entanglement between Jingque True Man and the Fierce Eagle Sect’s Sect Master. The real reason Jingque True Man insisted on going was likely because she couldn’t get in contact with him.

Chen Miaomiao understood immediately and nodded. "Senior Sister Xie, please rest assured. I will relay this to our Sect Master."

In reality, Song Jiulai had already received the message.

But the news had arrived a step too late.

Her main body had already returned to the Dragon Frost Swamp.

If something else were to happen, her only option would be to use a Teleportation Array to return.

Upon hearing this, Song Jiulai immediately went into a conspiracy theory mode born from watching too many dramas. "Is the Fierce Eagle Sect trying to pull something while their Sect Master is in seclusion for his breakthrough?"

System: "It’s hard to say. You just found out about what happened at the Tianyang Sect, and a lot of their disciples have fled here. Is it possible that it’s not just a Demon Cultivator, but that people from the Tianyang Sect are involved in this mess too?"

Song Jiulai thought that made a lot of sense. "Xi, I didn’t know you could be this smart."

The system flew into a rage. "Watch it, or I’ll short-circuit and electrocute you!"