Yun Zishan heard Yang Ning's words. She knew full well that rooting out all the Undercover Agents was not something that could be accomplished overnight; it would take time.
For now, though, the credit for capturing more than a dozen spies was enough to raise the Law Enforcement Hall's standing throughout the sect and let everyone see Yun Zishan's methods.
"What should we do next?" she couldn't help asking.
Yun Zishan had originally sent Qiao Bin to bring Yang Ning over because she hoped he would interrogate the Undercover Agent who had gone mad once more, and try to find a new way to uncover the Demon Cult's Undercover Agents.
But after hearing Yang Ning's analysis, and seeing him pinpoint the true reason Yun Zishan was competing to become Sect Master, she found herself asking for his opinion.
Yang Ning's breathing had already grown a little labored from the fever. He picked up the booklet in his hand. "Aside from the two spies who killed themselves rather than be captured, the other fifteen came from Dan Peak, one; Artifact Peak, two; Library Pavilion, one; Beast Taming Peak, three; Jade Maiden Peak, one; and Kong Ming Peak, Han Yuan Peak, Cang Mu Peak, and four others, seven in all."
Yun Zishan nodded. "Good. You remember it clearly."
"Have people spread the word," Yang Ning said, his voice and expression utterly unchanged. "Say the Undercover Agent from Dan Peak meant to steal the Nine Revolutions Returning Yang Pill Formula, the ones from Artifact Peak wanted to pilfer the Lan Cang Sword, and the one from the Library Pavilion planned to burn the Sword Sect Historical Records. The ones from Beast Taming Peak plotted to seize the Kirin Essence Blood, and the one from Jade Maiden Peak..."
He paused, his face showing not a trace of guilt. "The spy from Jade Maiden Peak wanted to prey on the female disciples. As for the other peaks, say the spies were after whatever treasures they prized most. Just figure out what each peak treasures most, and say the spies plotted to get their hands on it."
For most Cultivators and even the Peak Masters, the capture of more than a dozen Undercover Agents had little to do with them. If they publicized it in the usual, meticulous way, people would offer a few words of praise at most, then forget all about it within two or three days.
To make the incident as useful as possible, they had to publicize it this way—by appealing to what each peak treasured and cared about most. The Nine Revolutions Returning Yang Pill, the Lan Cang Sword, the Kirin Essence Blood, and the female disciples of Jade Maiden Peak... Each one tugged at the heartstrings of countless Cultivators, enough to stir public outrage and become a topic of conversation for months, even years.
People never remembered who had treated them well, but if someone did them harm, they remembered it to the bone.
People remembered the bad and forgot the good. The Law Enforcement Hall's merits would easily be forgotten, but spies coveting the things they valued most would keep people talking for a long time.
And the Law Enforcement Hall, which had nipped all these schemes in the bud, would naturally earn the sect's gratitude—gratitude that would last longer and run deeper.
That was why Yang Ning had made the suggestion.
But when Yun Zishan heard his words, her eyes widened at once. She shook her head repeatedly. "No. Those fifteen Undercover Agents have not been interrogated at all. None of them confessed to any of these crimes!"
Yang Ning picked up the teacup beside him. The water inside was gone, his lips had cracked with dryness, and his voice had grown hoarse.
"Then let me ask you: they infiltrated the various peaks. If they weren't there to steal treasures and sabotage the sect, what were they there for?" Yang Ning leaned back against the chair. "We're only telling everyone in the sect the truth they haven't confessed to."
"No. I can't do that." Yun Zishan's expression was grave. "I've led the Law Enforcement Hall for years, always acting with integrity. I've never done anything so against my conscience."
Yang Ning smiled. "I understand that you're upright and refuse to do this. If you took the initiative, it would stain your character. But I have to do it. I have to maximize the benefits of the Law Enforcement Hall's capture of the Undercover Agents. Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing my job as your Advisor."
Yang Ning braced himself against the armrest and tried to rise. He failed on the first attempt, then struggled to his feet on the second.
"Don't worry. I won't put you in a difficult position. You don't have to order anyone to spread the news. I'll have it go out through my shop."
Yun Zishan was about to speak, but Yang Ning raised a hand to stop her. "I'm not a disciple of your Law Enforcement Hall. You have no right to control my decision."
With that, Yang Ning walked toward the Hall Door on unsteady legs. Yun Zishan watched his retreating figure, her heart a tangle of emotions.
On one hand, she was deeply opposed to exaggerating the facts and trumpeting their achievements; on the other, she had to admit that Yang Ning had thought things through. His suggestion really would maximize her gains, and he really was looking out for her.
Yun Zishan was not ungrateful. Though she disagreed with Yang Ning's approach, she couldn't help feeling a hint of gratitude. So when he made the suggestion, she had only voiced her opposition and said nothing more. She feared Yang Ning might misunderstand and think she was merely opposed to this kind of "false publicity," when she had no personal grievance against him.
As Yang Ning slowly opened the Hall Door, Xu Yinyin stood not far from the square. A gust of cold wind blew over. Yang Ning paused, then suddenly collapsed to the ground.
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