The Xie Household was in utter chaos.
A great tree had risen, only to fall again, setting the record for the shortest-lived family in Jiang City.
Countless Cultivators examined the scene, yet found no worthwhile clues. The victim had been slain with a single sword strike, but how many people in the Xiuzhen world wielded swords? Millions upon millions.
On Anhe Daoist Sect's turf, such vendettas were absolutely forbidden. But since the Southwest Dao Discussion, some rules that had held firm for years had begun to loosen. With people's hearts scattered, it was hard for the Daoist Sect to keep them in line.
In the end, suspicion still focused on infighting among Anhe Daoist Sect's upper ranks, because more than one servant had clearly heard the words "Chongling." The implication was unmistakable: a faction seeking independence had sent an assassin to exact revenge.
Xiaosong had not been the mastermind of the Chongling incident; at most, he had helped. Now that he was dead, what about the real puppet masters behind the scenes? Would the assassinations continue? No one knew.
The investigation began with a bang and ended with a whimper; there was no way to carry it out. The two factions were at each other's throats everywhere, all the time. Some wanted to uncover the truth, while others did everything they could to conceal it, sow confusion, and throw obstacles in the way. The result was mounting chaos, with the entire Anhe Daoist Sect under suspicion. The higher-ups had no choice but to call off the investigation, make peace, and keep the matter from escalating.
...Hou Niao had returned, and he'd come into a windfall. The resources needed for a Bridge Linking Realm Cultivator to prepare for the Upper Realm were no small amount. Of course, he didn't dare sell