Cooperation (Part 1)

In the forest behind Heavenly Spirit Peak.

Wang Sen walked step by step, until a strange voice came from behind: "Stop, don't turn around."

Wang Sen's body stiffened. Suppressing the urge to turn, he said, "Should I thank you for the warning? Or should I immediately strike to take you down? If I'm not mistaken, you're the one who started the fire, right?"

The voice behind him let out a soft chuckle: "You are quite a clever man."

Wang Sen replied, "No one else would save me, and more importantly, no one else could possibly know such a confidential matter. Only you would want to use me to frame the Inspection Hall. But it's a pity; the Inspection Hall operates in secrecy. At best, this incident will make them lose face, but it's not enough to topple them."

"Confidential?" The voice behind him sneered: "The Inspection Hall has always been arrogant. Do you really think they would disguise themselves to enter when framing you? Besides, it was daytime, and there were many people coming and going. If they had disguised themselves, wouldn't they be afraid of being discovered and causing a misunderstanding?"

Wang Sen was stunned: "Are you saying... the Grand Hall Master covered for them?"

"Otherwise, why would there be a need to crush the Image Recording Stone? The reputation of the Immortal Sect is very important. If the Inspection Hall were to frame an innocent person and plot against a fellow disciple, it would be a huge joke if it got out."

"That's true." Wang Sen reacted quickly: "But what does this have to do with me? The matter is over. If they want to harm someone else, they can go ahead. I just want to cultivate in peace and don't want to get involved in your affairs."

The voice behind him said, "If you really wanted to cultivate in peace, you should have reported it to the Inspection Hall as soon as I notified you to meet me, instead of coming to see me alone."

"I just wanted to thank you."

"But you haven't shown a shred of gratitude. And since you guessed it was me from the start, why would you give up such a good opportunity to earn merit?"

Wang Sen paused and said, "Naturally, it is because I am grateful for your kindness and do not wish to betray you."

"You're trying to fool me with that nonsense?" The voice behind him said disdainfully: "It's because you are indeed a spy sent by the Wood Puppet Sect, aren't you?"

Wang Sen was shocked: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Don't be nervous, I'm not talking nonsense. Your background check was very well done, but do you think Luo Qiuzhen is a fool? Do you think he just picked someone at random to be a scapegoat? No, he actually suspected you all along, but he was troubled by a lack of evidence, so he simply framed you. The facts have proven that you are indeed a spy for the Wood Puppet Sect."

Wang Sen was furious: "What facts?"

"Many! For example, why did you go to Huaiyin Mountain alone? Because you have your own trump cards but didn't want to expose them. And even with my warning, how could an ordinary person face the Grand Hall Master so calmly? I only told you they would frame you, but the matter of the Image Recording Stone was something you planned yourself. Why did you have an Image Recording Stone? Your plan looked simple, but you don't realize that the simpler a plan is, the harder it is to execute, and the more problems you have to consider! Also, when I sent you the letter yesterday, you sensed me before I even entered the courtyard. Such vigilance is not something an ordinary low-level cultivator could achieve, is it? Finally, you came to see me alone—this is the greatest evidence of all!"

Wang Sen was stunned again. The other party's words left him speechless, and he could only sneer: "These are ultimately not evidence, just speculation."

The person behind him let out a low, chilling, and eerie laugh: "I don't want to arrest you, so I don't need evidence. Don't worry, since I helped you, I won't harm you. I just want to cooperate with you."

"Cooperate?" Wang Sen sneered: "I don't even know who you are. How can we cooperate?"

"Your enemy is not me, and my enemy is not you. That is the basis for cooperation. Besides, I already helped you."

"And if I refuse?"

"I forgot to tell you, I actually have an Image Recording Stone as well. Our conversation just now has already been recorded."

"Damn it!" Wang Sen flicked his finger, and an object flew out. It was a pitch-black Wood Cicada, its antennae dancing like needles in the air. It fluttered over and circled in the air, but found no target.

Only then did Wang Sen turn around, but he saw only emptiness behind him; there wasn't even a shadow. The Wood Cicada landed back on Wang Sen's shoulder and vanished into his body, though it was clearly not a technique of the Black and White Divine Palace.

Looking at the ground, there was a sheet of snow-white letter paper.

Wang Sen picked it up. On it were four large characters: "Cooperation benefits both."

His heart felt lost for a moment.

Seven days later, the Inspection Hall announced that they had caught the true culprit.

Undoubtedly, this was another scapegoat.

However, the Inspection Hall acted much more cautiously this time. They conducted checks before framing anyone, and most importantly, the person was indeed a spy sent by another sect, already known to the Inspection Hall. Throwing him out at this time to serve as a scapegoat was enough to save face for the Black and White Divine Palace.

Ning Ye did not know if Yue Xinchans knew about this. He figured it couldn't be hidden from him, but he was likely willing to play along.

Whether it was Yue Xinchans or Fu Dongliu, both were people obsessed with cultivation. To them, the fewer troubles, the better.

However, this did not mean the matter was over. In the shadows, Luo Qiuzhen was still investigating, but unfortunately, all his investigative methods were known to Ning Ye. Even on his list of suspects, Ning Ye was not included, so naturally, it would be of no use.

The pity was that Ning Ye had also failed to find the whereabouts of the Thousand Mechanism Hall Fragment—the level of the Inspection Hall was still too low, and most importantly, they never thought to look toward the Heavenly Mechanism Sect.

Ning Ye could not take the initiative to remind them, so the matter could only continue to drag on.

During this period, Ning Ye contacted Wang Sen once. The latter had clearly thought it through and agreed to cooperate with Ning Ye. After leaving a method of contact, they parted ways.

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, two more months went by.

Ning Ye's Killing Heart Blade had already reached Great Completion ahead of schedule, but since Zhang Liekuang did not come to ask, he was too lazy to remind him.

On the contrary, the fourth level of the Basic Mental Method was still some distance away.

His aptitude was limited after all, and Ning Ye was unwilling to pile on resources. However, relying on his experience, he estimated that entering the fourth level before the one-year assessment period ended would not be a problem.

On this day, Ning Ye was still attempting to craft talismans. He had already begun trying to create Seventh-Grade Talismans.

If his rapid progress before was due to the foundation left over from his cultivation period in the Heavenly Mechanism Sect, then in terms of the Talisman Dao, Ning Ye was truly starting from a new beginning.

Ning Ye crafted the talisman earnestly. The talisman brush traced steadily on the talisman paper, spiritual power surged, and he wrote out one profound stroke of heaven and earth after another. As the construction of those special character patterns was completed, a profound radiance emerged.

"Finally, it's done." Looking at the talisman in his hand, Ning Ye revealed a look of satisfaction.

This was a Seventh-Grade Talisman. Being able to complete it meant that Ning Ye's Talisman Dao had finally reached a new height.

It was a pity that the path of cultivation was always harder the further one went. It would be difficult to make another breakthrough in the short term.

Just as he was feeling pleased, a Ground Rat Puppet suddenly burst from the ground, leaped onto the table, opened its mouth, and spat out a piece of letter paper.

Ning Ye opened the letter and saw it read: Meet at the usual place at midnight tonight.

There was no signature.

The letter was from Wang Sen; ever since they established a method of contact, Ning Ye had never sought him out, yet Wang Sen had taken the initiative to find him instead.

"It seems this kid has something on his mind," Ning Ye chuckled, setting the letter ablaze and muttering to himself, "Very well, let's see what kind of plan he has."

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