Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Inside Room A of the Yuelai Inn, the dim light of an oil lamp illuminated five young yet solemn faces. Outside the window, all was deathly dark, with only a few scattered lights flickering in the distance, towards the direction of the City Lord's Mansion.

"Senior Sister Su, is there still no movement from the City Lord's Mansion?" Sun Xiaolan couldn't help but ask in a low voice, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes. She was the youngest, and although she was quick-witted, she couldn't help but feel a little flustered in the face of this oppressive atmosphere.

Su Xiao sat upright at the table, her fingertips lightly tracing the rough surface, her gaze calm and serene.

"What's the rush? The bait has already been laid. The fish will smell the fishy scent and test the waters a few times before daring to bite."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it had a strange, comforting quality. "Deacon Liu isn't stupid. He wouldn't dare hide those two things, nor could he. Right now, City Lord Zhao is probably facing that recording stone and the account books, caught in a dilemma."

Shi Tie, clutching his heavy iron rod that he never parted with, leaned against the door, his ears twitching slightly as he caught every subtle sound outside the window.

"Hmph, if you ask me, who cares about the details? Let's just storm the Li family's gate, smash that damn beast-controlling contraption, drag that guy surnamed Li out and beat him up, and everything will be solved! All this back and forth is so frustrating!"

His voice was so loud it made the window paper vibrate. Wang Hu quickly gestured for him to be quiet and whispered:

"Senior Brother Shi, keep your voice down! Senior Sister Su said we're unfamiliar with this place, and even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. The Li family has been operating in Black Mountain City for many years and is deeply rooted. Forcing our way in would be suicide."

Li Tiezhu squatted in the corner, wiping an ordinary steel dagger, and said in a muffled voice, "Senior Brother Shi is brave, but Senior Sister Su's method is more reliable. By borrowing the power of the City Lord's Mansion, letting them fight amongst themselves, we can snatch chestnuts from the fire."

He doesn't talk much, but he's calm and insightful.

Su Xiao gave Li Tiezhu an approving look and explained, "Tiezhu is right. Our purpose here is to gain experience, make a name for ourselves, and acquire resources, not to fight the local bullies to the death."

"Although the city lord Zhao Yuanming is weak, he is still the legitimate heir in name and is closely connected with the main Zhao family."

"The Li family's control of demonic beasts and their wreaking havoc on the city have crossed a line. By 'unintentionally' giving him the evidence, we've given him an excuse to retaliate, a weapon that could potentially turn the tables. Unless he's a fool, he'll definitely use it."

"But... what if he doesn't dare to use it? Or, what if he simply returns the evidence to the Li family secretly to do them a favor?" Sun Xiaolan said worriedly.

"He won't." Su Xiao shook her head, her tone certain. "Zhao Yuanming sits in the position of city lord, seemingly enjoying boundless glory, but in reality, he feels like he's sitting on pins and needles. Of the three major families, the Zhao family is the most powerful, and they are not of one mind with him, the city lord of a collateral branch; the Wang family watches from the sidelines, while the Li family is even more aggressive."

"If he does nothing in this monster incident, the city lord's prestige will be completely destroyed. At that time, not only will the Zhao family be unable to protect him, but the other two families will probably be the first to kick him while he's down."

"This evidence is both a crisis and an opportunity for him. He will definitely seize it, but... he is weighing the options and looking for the safest point to exert his strength."

She paused, a glint of wisdom flashing in her eyes: "And what we need to do is give him a gentle push before he makes up his mind, to stir the waters even more."

"How do you push it?" Shi Tie asked, leaning closer with interest.

Su Xiao smiled slightly, a smile that appeared somewhat mysterious under the dim light. "Wait."

"Wait?" All three of them were taken aback.

"Yes, we'll wait," Su Xiao explained. "The Li family isn't stupid. The City Lord's Mansion suddenly made secret contact with the Zhao family's main branch; they couldn't possibly have missed it. What will they do once they sense danger?"

Wang Hu's eyes lit up: "They'll panic! They'll try to destroy the evidence, or... they might simply take the risk and create even more chaos, muddying the waters!"

"That's right." Su Xiao nodded in agreement. "Desperate measures will lead to drastic changes. The more desperate they are, the bigger their moves will become, and the more openings they'll create. At that point, without us even needing to urge them, the City Lord's Mansion and the Zhao family will naturally be forced into a situation where they have no choice but to act. And we..."

Her gaze swept over the four men, and she said in a deep voice, "What we need to do is conserve our energy and be ready at all times. When that wall is breached, we must have the capability to strike at the heart of the enemy!"

She looked at Shi Tie and asked, "Senior Brother Shi, how are your 'Mountain Shaking' and 'Flowing Cloud Steps' progressing? We might need you to show the might of our Qingyun Sect at that time."

Shi Tie patted his chest and said with great bravado, "Don't worry! I haven't been idle these past few days! I just need a tough nut to crack!"

Su Xiao then turned to Sun Xiaolan and Li Tiezhu and instructed them, "Xiaolan, Tiezhu, continue to keep an eye on the rumors circulating in the city, especially those about the Li family's estates outside the city. Report any unusual activity immediately."

"Yes, Senior Sister Su!" the two replied in unison.

"Wang Hu," Su Xiao said, finally turning to the most composed Wang Hu, "You have the highest cultivation level and the strongest senses. For the rest of the night, you'll have to work hard and secretly keep watch on the roof of the inn, keeping an eye on our surroundings. I'm worried that if the Li family really gets desperate, they might send someone to probe our strength."

Wang Hu nodded emphatically: "Understood! Leave it to me!"

With the plan settled, everyone dispersed to prepare. Shi Tie returned to the next room and continued honing his staff skills, a muffled whooshing sound faintly echoing in the air.

Sun Xiaolan and Li Tiezhu whispered about their route and story for gathering information the next day. Wang Hu silently climbed onto the roof and disappeared into the shadows, like a lurking cheetah.

Su Xiao remained alone in the room, blew out the oil lamp, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack. The cold night wind rushed in, carrying the dust unique to Black Mountain City and a faint smell of blood.

In the distance, towards the direction of the city lord's mansion, several blurry streaks of light seemed to rise and quickly disappear into the night sky.

"The chess piece has been placed, and a storm is brewing." She murmured to herself, gazing at the deep, unsettling night sky. "Senior Brother Sect Leader, are you also watching this place right now? Xiao'er will do her best to play this game well."

She gently stroked the warm, smooth communication jade talisman in her bosom, as if she could draw from it the composure and strength of those far away on Qingyun Mountain. Every decision she made concerned the safety of her fellow disciples and the reputation of the sect.

This pressure, though heavy, also made her more clear-headed and determined than ever before.

Meanwhile, the city lord's mansion was brightly lit.

Zhao Yuanming sat alone at the head of the empty hall, the cold touch of the recording stone on his fingertips constantly reminding him of the severity of the situation before him.

On the desk in front of him lay the tattered account book, the blurry "Li Ji" mark burning his nerves like a red-hot branding iron.

Liu Neng has secretly gone to the Zhao family's main residence and should be meeting Elder Zhao Kuo by now. The outcome remains to be seen.

"The Li family... Li Maocai..." Zhao Yuanming's eyes flashed with cold light. "Do you really think I, the city lord, am made of clay? Controlling demonic beasts and wreaking havoc on the people's livelihood—this is a path to death!"

But he was also filled with worry. Would the Zhao family, the head of the household, support him?

Elder Zhao Kuo is a man who prioritizes self-interest. Without sufficient benefits or solid evidence, he might not be willing to confront the powerful Li family for the sake of himself, a city lord from a collateral branch.

Moreover, behind the Li family, there may be the behemoth that is "Liuyunfang".

"Who exactly are those brother and sister?" Zhao Yuanming frowned.

He sent people to investigate, and they reported that the brother and sister lived in the Yuelai Inn, rarely went out, and apart from accepting the city lord's bounty and sending the evidence today, they did not do anything unusual. They seemed to be just two ordinary rogue cultivators with some skills who wanted to earn some spirit stones.

But his intuition told him it wasn't that simple. The timing of their delivery of the evidence was too coincidental! So coincidental it seemed like... they were guiding him?

Friend or foe? To exploit, or... to cooperate?

His chaotic thoughts, like the deep night outside the window, enveloped him tightly. He felt a long-lost weariness, and a suffocating feeling as if an invisible hand was pushing him towards the edge of a cliff.