Mr. Jiang, Righteous and Stern

Jiang Wang glanced at Ning Shisi, deep in thought.

If Miss Shu had not stopped him, he might have revealed even more.

What a pity.

"Shu Ni... no matter what sort of opponent you face, they will lose to you. That is indeed a fine meaning."

Was that how the two characters Shu Ni were interpreted?

And when had she ever won in Hun City?

Looking at it from another angle, it meant that no matter what opponent she encountered, she would lose to someone else.

Miss Shu felt that Jiang Wang was surely mocking her.

Seeing Shu Ni on the verge of flying into a rage again, Jiang Wang hastily said, "As long as you help find the Monsters, I will agree to help you as well. You found me through Old Xu in the first place because you wanted my help, did you not?"

Shu Ni said, "You said that if I helped you intercept that old man, you would do anything for me!"

Jiang Wang did not pick up that thread. Instead, he looked at Ning Shisi and said, "Brother Ning is righteous and upright. Monsters lurk in Hun City, threatening the common people. Surely a trifling matter such as finding Monsters will be no trouble for you."

Ning Shisi straightened his back and said righteously, "Mr. Jiang speaks true. Besides, we are only finding the Monsters and luring them here; Mr. Jiang will handle the actual Monster-subduing. We should not shirk such a task. For the safety of Hun City's people, I, Ning Shisi, shall certainly help! My junior sister should do the same!"

Shu Ni was stunned.

Though Ning Shisi was somewhat long-winded and a little slow-witted, he should not have been this foolish, should he?

A few words from Jiang Wang had already gotten him all fired up?

"Good!" Jiang Wang clapped his hands sharply and said solemnly, "Brother Ning is indeed righteous and stern. Time waits for no one; I shall await Brother Ning's good news at the Marquis Manor!"

Ning Shisi cupped his fists. "Farewell!"

Brimming with excitement, he grabbed Shu Ni and vaulted over the wall again.

Jiang Wang raised his eyes.

He saw their figures rise and fall as they crossed several walls of the Marquis Manor before disappearing from sight.

He could not help sighing. "They say red apricots peek over the wall, but it turns out it was Ning Shisi."

He left the rattan chair, intending to return to his room and sleep.

Yet as he stood before the door, he suddenly became alert.

He whirled around.

The night was silent.

A light breeze drifted past.

The branches and leaves of the banyan tree beyond the wall swayed, casting clawing, fang-baring shadows across the ground.

Jiang Wang frowned tightly.

Finding nothing amiss, he pushed open the door and entered his room.

In the darkness, fewer and fewer pedestrians remained on Hun City's streets.

After leaving Qixia Street, Shu Ni shook off Ning Shisi's hand and snapped, "Is your head full of paste? You believe whatever he says? What righteous spirit do you have? You are plainly full of foolishness!"

Ning Shisi said helplessly, "Junior Sister, no matter how I look at it, Mr. Jiang cannot be a Monster. Besides, you sensed no Monster aura from him either. How can you smear someone merely because you dislike him? Given that Monsters are appearing in Hun City, even without Mr. Jiang, we cannot simply stand by."

Shu Ni knew that when it came to Monsters, it was better to believe than not believe.

But with Jiang Wang involved, they had to proceed with caution.

"Even if we are searching for Monsters, we must make things clear. That Jiang fellow is full of lies. When I questioned him just now, he deliberately changed the subject. I fear that even if we really find a Monster, he will not keep his promise."

Ning Shisi frowned. "But Mr. Jiang seems righteous and stern to me, not like someone who would engage in petty villainy. There was a reason he locked Fish Abyss Academy's disciples in the woodshed, and he even opened the door wide for us. Junior Sister, you must have misunderstood him deeply."

Shu Ni rolled her eyes. "You two are both righteous and stern, which only makes you birds of a feather. I cannot be bothered with you."

Ning Shisi soothed his junior sister's little temper. "I am a martial cultivator of humble cultivation and cannot detect Monster aura. We must rely on Junior Sister for this matter. If we can truly rid Hun City of this calamity, Junior Sister will deserve the foremost credit. Then Master can petition for merit on Junior Sister's behalf, and you may truly join the Divine Capital's Xiao Guo Army."

Shu Ni could only nod.

Of course, when Ning Shisi spoke of his humble cultivation, he did not mean it literally. It was simply that unless martial cultivators entered the Grandmaster realm, they truly could not detect Monster aura.

But Shu Ni was only a Cave Nether Realm cultivator, and she had not formed her Yellow Court long ago. Her detection range was limited, so finding traces of Monsters would not be easy.

Moreover, if the Monsters deliberately concealed themselves, even low-realm cultivators would find it difficult to notice anything wrong.

The process of seeking Monsters was tedious.

Not a single matter worth noting occurred throughout the entire night.

The next morning, Ning Shisi came alone to Xunyang Marquis Manor, feeling deeply ashamed.

Jiang Wang had been expecting something.

But sometimes, the greater the expectations, the heavier the disappointment that followed.

He lay on the rattan chair in the courtyard.

Looking up, he saw the banyan branch beyond the wall. That bird was still there.

At that moment, it had its head tilted, as though it were watching Jiang Wang.

After staring at each other for a while, Jiang Wang inexplicably felt flustered.

He always felt that something was strange.

He pointed at the banyan tree and asked Ning Shisi, "Do you know what kind of bird that is?"

Ning Shisi looked over and frowned. "It resembles a crow, but its color is darker, its beak broader, its eyes a gleaming blue, and it has a white feather in its tail. Birds with such traits are common enough, but I cannot think of any that match them all. I do not know either."

Jiang Wang asked again, "Did Miss Shu notice anything unusual in the Marquis Manor last night?"

Ning Shisi shook his head. "Other than that person in the woodshed, nothing else."

Jiang Wang fell silent for a moment, then said, "You have both worked hard. If you find any trace of Monsters, come find me at any time."

Having failed to find any Monsters, Ning Shisi was too embarrassed to mention what Shu Ni had instructed him to say. He took his leave.

Jiang Wang continued staring fixedly at the bird.

Then he suddenly broke into a grin.

He picked up a pebble and threw it straight at it.

The bird shifted to the side and effortlessly dodged the pebble.

The smile on Jiang Wang's face deepened.

"When Master Tao told me that a great Monster might be appearing in Hun City, that was also the day you landed on the banyan tree at my home. Miss Shu and the others searched all night without finding a trace. Perhaps it was because the Monster was not elsewhere in Hun City, but right here on Qixia Street, in my home."

Jiang Wang lightly tapped the rattan chair with the tip of his right index finger.

"You saw everything that happened last night. Perhaps Miss Shu's cultivation is too low, and she did not sense your presence. Yet you knew I was looking for Monsters and still lingered in my home instead of leaving. Your cultivation must indeed run deep. But since I have discovered you, you will not be able to leave."

The courtyard was utterly still.

Jiang Wang looked up at the bird.

The bird looked down at the man.

Its gleaming blue eyes were beautiful.

Jiang Wang continued, "I will be direct, then. Cultivators and martial cultivators across the world all regard subduing Monsters and slaying demons as their duty. I intend to eliminate you. What do you intend to do?"

The banyan tree swayed faintly, and fallen leaves drifted into the courtyard.

The bird parted its beak slightly and spoke in human words. "To regard subduing Monsters and slaying demons as one's duty? Perhaps that truly is so for cultivators and martial cultivators across the world. But do you believe it yourself when those words come from your mouth?"

Jiang Wang raised a brow. "What, do you think my temperament does not suit a righteous man who subdues Monsters and slays demons? Are you insulting me?"

The bird truly gave him a very human look of disdain. "I have watched you for three days. Is your purpose in seeking Monsters really to subdue Monsters and slay demons? You might fool ignorant children with that."

Jiang Wang said indignantly, "I do not like hearing that. I intend to carry subduing Monsters and slaying demons through to the very end in this life. You are a Monster, yet you slander me. It seems you have never received a proper beating from me. Today, I shall let you see what I can do!"

The bird sneered. "Come, then. I am standing right here. If you have the ability, hit me."

Jiang Wang had just risen to his feet when he slowly sat back down. Extending a hand, he said, "I am afraid I will kill you outright. Fine, I will give you a chance. You make the first move."

The bird turned its head and pecked at its back. "I do not want to."

Jiang Wang said anxiously, "You have to."

The bird shook its head. "I just do not want to."

"..."

At that moment, Xiaoyu entered the courtyard.

She said in surprise, "Young Master, who are you talking to?"

Jiang Wang pointed at the banyan tree. Just as he was about to speak, he realized that the bird had long since vanished from the tree.

This was probably the strangest Monster he had ever seen.

"Nothing. What is it?"

"The two cultivators from Moonlit West Tower have arrived. They are waiting in the main hall."

Jiang Wang was greatly surprised. He immediately rose and went to the main hall. "You two returned so quickly. Have you already found the culprit?"

The Green-robed Cultivator and White-robed Cultivator hurriedly saluted Jiang Wang. The former said, "We have merely uncovered some information. Since it concerns Mr. Jiang, we rushed back at once."

Jiang Wang took the seat of honor, accepted the tea Xiaoyu handed him, and asked in confusion, "It concerns me?"

The White-robed Cultivator said, "Because of the Du Family, Mr. Jiang was once assassinated by a Jianli. With Moonlit West Tower's resources, we discovered that the martial cultivator named Feng Linghuai was likely the teacher of the Jianli who attempted to assassinate Mr. Jiang."

The Green-robed Cultivator quickly added, "That Jianli was killed by Mr. Jiang. We fear Feng Linghuai may seek an opportunity for revenge. We also traced his movements and discovered that Feng Linghuai has been lingering near Hun City. He is highly skilled at concealing himself. If Moonlit West Tower's cultivators had not spread throughout Kutan, we would have struggled to learn of this so quickly."

Jiang Wang pondered for a moment, then smiled. "Feng Linghuai has already tried to kill me once. I never understood the other party's identity. The information you have brought is most timely."

Once he linked Feng Linghuai with that old man in coarse linen clothes, the logic fell into place.

He guessed that Feng Linghuai and his disciple had come to Hun City to carry out missions.

It was only that Feng Linghuai's target was Moonlit West Tower's Purple-robed Cultivator, while his disciple had perhaps happened to accept Du Zicheng's assassination commission.

"If Feng Linghuai is merely a Jianli, then he must have been hired by someone. Have you found out who?"

The Green-robed Cultivator frowned. "Though cultivators exist among the Jianli, they are mostly martial cultivators. A mission to kill cultivators is unusual to begin with. We three brothers have spent half our lives cultivating bitterly; truthfully, we have very few enemies."

"Moreover, for a martial cultivator Jianli to accept a mission to kill cultivators, the price must be unimaginably high. Cultivators who do not lack wealth all have status and backing. We have always avoided such people whenever possible. How could we have offended them?"

Among all the cultivators in the world, only Moonlit West Tower relied upon mutual support, and its financial power was relatively weak. Cultivators without great backing could only come from wealthy households, yet the Green-robed Cultivator and White-robed Cultivator had no leads for the moment.