The Reason Why

"Sixth Miss had always been deep-minded and had never let slip the slightest hint as to why she wanted to deal with He Sheng and the He Family.

"Yet from all sorts of signs, I guessed that this matter was most likely connected to the Eight Scenery Dharma Coin.

"..."

After tidying herself up a little, Kou Xiang'er lay in He Sheng's arms. Her jade-white fingers traced circles over his chest as she laid out her speculations one by one.

It turned out that Lin Wanrou was a descendant of the Lin Family, an affiliated family of the Core Formation sect, the Myriad Dharma Sect. However, as she came from a collateral branch, her standing within the family was not high.

Yet she was rather calculating and adept at handling affairs. Gradually, she caught the eye of a clan elder who wielded real power within the family, and he invested a certain amount in her.

Lin Wanrou did not disappoint him either. A few years ago, she successfully reached Foundation Establishment and was subsequently sent to work for the Celestial Sea Commerce Association.

Two years ago,

Lin Wanrou was assigned to the Lower River Branch. To the Celestial Sea Commerce Association, this place was already a chicken rib—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to throw away. Not only could it not expand the association's influence, it was constantly operating at a loss.

Yet Lin Wanrou was brimming with ambition. She not only wanted to turn the Lower River Branch's situation around, but also intended to accomplish something major!

That was to comprehensively implement the Eight Scenery Dharma Coin throughout the Silver Sand River region, completely replacing spirit stones as the local circulating currency.

These Eight Scenery Dharma Coins had been created by the current sect master of the Eight Scenery Sect, forged from materials such as White Star Stone and Brightwater Sand.

One Eight Scenery Tongbao Dharma Coin was worth one tael of spirit sand, while its actual cost—excluding the imbued Eight Scenery Divine Seal—was at most half a tael of spirit sand.

Clearly, this was an industry of staggering profits.

Once it was fully rolled out and completely replaced spirit stones as circulating currency, the interest generated from the money alone would let the Eight Scenery Sect feast until its mouth dripped with oil.

This undertaking had begun to be promoted thirty years ago, and by now, it had spread throughout Qi Province under the Eight Scenery Sect's rule.

The reason Lin Wanrou wanted to make this happen was, firstly, because the origins of the Eight Scenery Sect's sect master were somewhat noteworthy.

He had originally come from the Kang Family, the Eight Scenery Sect's largest affiliated family. Yet in truth, he was merely a live-in son-in-law of the Kang Family; the family he had truly been born into was precisely the Lin Family to which Lin Wanrou belonged.

It was because of this connection that the powerful clan elder who had looked favorably upon Lin Wanrou mentioned the matter to her in private once, and Lin Wanrou set her mind on it.

Unfortunately, the various forces in this tiny place called the Silver Sand River were truly like stones in a latrine—smelly and hard.

Lin Wanrou took turns probing them, yet not a single one showed any willingness to help bring this about.

To break this deadlock, Lin Wanrou ultimately decided to pick a target to strike, which led to the attempt on Brother Piao's life.

"...That sword cultivator, Ye Shaochen, came from the Mysterious Heaven Sect. The Mysterious Heaven Sect and the Eight Scenery Sect were both among the three giant sects of the Supreme Mystery Orthodox Unity.

"No one had known of his arrival here during his travels.

"Yet Sixth Miss recognized his identity and treated him with exceptional attentiveness, receiving him most graciously.

"That sword cultivator was not very old. I heard he reached Foundation Establishment at fourteen, and now he was only in his early twenties. He looked like a youth of fifteen or sixteen.

"Sixth Miss was best at getting hold of such ascetics who lacked worldly experience. Within a few days, she had bewitched the sword cultivator until he was utterly lost in body and soul.

"After the two toured Azure Indigo Mountain together, Sixth Miss casually brought up He Sheng and the He Family.

"She said He Sheng was arrogant and overbearing, utterly disregarding her. The sword cultivator also personally saw the He Family descendants acting tyrannically in the market, so he agreed to kill He Sheng."

He Sheng was dumbstruck. He had never imagined that Brother Piao had suffered a deadly calamity for such a reason.

Of course, Ye Shaochen was what concerned him even more!

"Disciples of great immortal sects truly are different. The Mysterious Heaven Sect's inherited cultivation techniques must be far more profound than ordinary mid-grade techniques, and Ye Shaochen must possess extraordinary aptitude as well to have cultivated a method that ignored mana defenses."

At that thought, He Sheng recalled what Kou Xiang'er had said earlier and could not help asking,

"This sword cultivator is so formidable. Wouldn't dealing with a He Sheng be as easy as turning his hand over?

"Why did you just say that He Sheng might not be dead?"

"Sixth Miss's exact words were:

"Sword cultivators stride alone beneath heaven; theirs is the manifest path.

"Among cultivators of the same realm, sword cultivators possess unmatched combat power, crushing all before them.

"Ye Shaochen was already at Foundation Establishment Late Stage, one minor realm above He Sheng, and had two Nascent Life Divine Abilities upon him. Killing He Sheng would be like killing a chicken!"

He Sheng's brows furrowed slightly. Lin Wanrou had not been wrong—Ye Shaochen had indeed killed Brother Piao as easily as killing a chicken.

However, his attention had settled on the words "Nascent Life Divine Ability."

"Could Ye Shaochen's method of ignoring mana defenses be what they called a Nascent Life Divine Ability?

"If that were true, wouldn't it mean Ye Shaochen was still hiding another formidable method of the same level?"

At that thought, He Sheng's heart pounded wildly. He could not help feeling fortunate that he had not let his head grow hot that day and tried to join forces with Old Turtle to confront Ye Shaochen head-on.

"Xiang'er, what exactly does this Nascent Life Divine Ability mean?"

"I don't know. I only heard Sixth Miss say it that way."

"Then according to Manager Lin, this sword cultivator is so powerful that He Sheng had no chance of survival. Why did you say earlier that He Sheng might not be dead?"

"I made that judgment based on Sixth Miss's temperament.

"From what I know of Sixth Miss, if He Sheng had truly died, she would not have delayed her return, much less sent Elder Xu back first to probe the He Family."

He Sheng nodded, accepting Kou Xiang'er's explanation. He too felt that Lin Wanrou might have noticed something, which was why she was being so cautious.

"Lin Wanrou's reason for attacking Brother Piao seemed absurd, but it was really for profit.

"On one hand, it was to help the Eight Scenery Sect consolidate the Dharma Coin's hegemony;

"On the other, it was to open up the situation for herself in Lower River Market.

"This conflict had nothing to do with personal grudges. It arose entirely from a clash of interests, yet it was even harder to reconcile than a personal grudge—a true zero-sum game.

"Therefore, to cut off future trouble at the root, either Lin Wanrou had to be killed, or she had to be driven out of the Silver Sand River region!"

He Sheng's heart stirred, and an idea came to him.

At that moment, Kou Xiang'er's jade-white fingers traveled down his chest, teasing him again.

"Good man, would you like Xiang'er to serve you properly once more?"

Kou Xiang'er wore an utterly enchanting expression, but He Sheng's sage time had not yet passed. He scrutinized her carefully and found something strange.

First, Kou Xiang'er had just lost her virginity, which showed that she had never had an affair with Wu Feng at all;

Second, she was clearly physically uncomfortable right now, yet she still tried to entice him. She was plainly bending herself to please him.

Could it be...

The doubt in He Sheng's heart steadily grew.

It had to be said that a man in sage time was invincible!

When Kou Xiang'er saw that He Sheng gave no response for a long while, she suddenly buried her face in his arms and began to sob. Her tears quickly soaked He Sheng's collar.

What kind of move was this?

He Sheng, his face full of astonishment, patted Kou Xiang'er's shoulder and asked,

"Xiang'er, what is wrong?"

Kou Xiang'er did not raise her head. She merely remained buried in He Sheng's arms, sobbing as she said,

"As the saying goes, one day as husband and wife brings a hundred days of affection.

"Xiang'er dares not ask for anything else. I am willing to give everything to you, good man. I only hope that you... can spare Xiang'er's life."

He Sheng was stunned upon hearing this. How could he still fail to understand? Kou Xiang'er had actually seen through his disguise!