Chapter 16: Chapter 15: Commander-in-Chief
Every time Chen Yuan saw Wen Rou, she was dressed differently.
This time, Wen Rou’s outfit even managed to slightly dazzle Chen Yuan, who had long since become unshakeable after watching countless "teachers" perform.
Today, Wen Rou wasn’t dressed like a tavern proprietress, but rather like a female martial artist who roamed the Jianghu.
She wore light makeup, and her hair was tied up in a simple high ponytail, fastened with a red ribbon.
She wore a set of black, close-fitting martial attire that seemed a size too small, tightly wrapping around her voluptuous and alluring figure, outlining a heart-stopping silhouette.
The hem of her tunic was cut short at the top of her thighs and had high slits on both sides. As she walked, her two long, straight, and shapely legs, fair and gleaming, flickered in and out of Chen Yuan’s view.
Chen Yuan would give this look a nine out of ten. The missing point was for the lack of black high heels with red soles.
After all, with red and black, one’s power is truly boundless.
It was just a shame that high heels didn’t exist in this world.
"So, Boss Wen, what did you want to see me about?"
Wen Rou studied Chen Yuan carefully, then suddenly asked, "Recently in Lianshan City, two major families were annihilated in blood sacrifices. You know something about this, don’t you?"
"And what makes you think I would, Boss Wen?"
"A woman’s intuition."
Wen Rou extended a finger and tapped it lightly against Chen Yuan. "After the Black Water Gang found the bodies of Duan Kun and his men, I took the opportunity to examine them. They were all killed by a swift saber.
Last time, you set a trap for Zuo Xinglie. If I’m not mistaken, his signature techniques, the Autumn Water Shocking Saber and the Surging Waves and Flowing Clouds Technique, should now be in your possession.
There’s a ninety percent chance that Duan Kun and his men died by your hand, though I don’t know why you would kill them.
After Duan Kun died, rumors spread through Lianshan City about a vicious Evil Dao practitioner entering the city, and then the two families were annihilated in blood sacrifices.
When you string all these events together, they all seem to be connected to you. Are you telling me you know nothing?"
Chen Yuan smiled.
’This woman, Wen Rou, is truly worthy of being a Wind Media Spy for the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower,’ Chen Yuan thought. ’She managed to deduce so much from just a few clues.’
’It’s not entirely correct, but it is certainly related to me.’
"So, are you here to threaten me, Boss Wen? Are you going to tell the Black Water Gang that I killed Duan Kun?"
Wen Rou pursed her lips. "I only have suspicions, no concrete proof. Any intelligence recorded by my Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower must be based on solid, factual evidence.
Besides, since you dared to seek me out in the first place, you should know the rules of my Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower. We don’t use intelligence to threaten anyone, nor do we proactively sell it."
As the number one Wind Media Organization in the Jianghu, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower could be said to hold the secrets of countless Major Sects and experts.
The very reason it knew so many secrets yet had survived without being destroyed was that the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower followed the rules. It knew what to say and what not to say.
No matter the speculation or suspicion, even if there was a ninety percent certainty, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower would not list it as confirmed intelligence.
Likewise, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower wouldn’t take the initiative to sell your information to your enemies just because they possessed it.
For example, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower now knew Zuo Xinglie’s whereabouts.
But unless the Profound Whale Gang proactively sought them out and paid a hefty price, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower would absolutely not go to the Profound Whale Gang to sell the information.
At the same time, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower had another unwritten rule.
Anyone who proactively provided them with intelligence was considered a friend of the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower within its system.
The Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower naturally gave preferential treatment to such friends who could regularly provide them with information.
For instance, they would be prioritized for receiving intelligence, and if an outsider came inquiring about them, the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower would cover for them and not sell their information.
In fact, Chen Yuan was already considered a friend of the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower.
He had given Wen Rou information about Zuo Xinglie, a very significant contribution.
Although it wasn’t enough to make the entire Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower conceal information for him, at least where Wen Rou was concerned, not just anyone could pry into Chen Yuan’s affairs.
This was also why Chen Yuan had dared to approach Wen Rou in the first place; he knew the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower’s rules of conduct and felt at ease.
"Of course I trust the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower’s reputation. But regarding the blood sacrifices, all I can say is that it wasn’t my doing."
Chen Yuan tapped the table. "At the same time, I have a matter that I need to trouble the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower with."
"What is it?"
"Spread the news of the blood sacrifices by an evil practitioner in Lianshan City to the Murong Family of Longcheng. Don’t be too obvious; do it naturally. And only pass it to the Murong Family of Longcheng, not to the Sun-piercing Alliance."
’In the original plot, after Jiang Kaitai had been conducting blood sacrifices in Lianshan City for some time, the matter blew up and was even spread by traveling merchants. Only then did the Murong Family and the Sun-piercing Alliance find out and send people to investigate.’
’This time, I have to act sooner. I can’t let Jiang Kaitai perform blood sacrifices on the Divine Artifact for that long, or his power will become uncontrollable.’
’The Murong Family is also an indispensable part of this. They absolutely have to send someone.’
’But if I weaken Jiang Kaitai, I also have to weaken the other side.’
’If the Murong Family and the Sun-piercing Alliance arrive at the same time again, I probably won’t even get the scraps.’
’So, I need to get the message to the Murong Family early so they send someone, but I can’t let the Sun-piercing Alliance come along as well.’
’Only by balancing the strength of both sides can I make them fight each other, allowing me to profit from their conflict.’
’Of course, there will definitely be unexpected variables. What I need to do is eliminate as many of them as possible.’
Wen Rou pondered for a moment, her brow furrowing slightly. "This is a difficult task. The Murong Family is a top-tier clan in You Province. Longcheng, where their family resides, is not open to outsiders. It’s populated entirely by Murong clan members and their vassals.
Even though my Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower has numerous spies, it’s very difficult to infiltrate Longcheng to deliver a message.
And it’s also hard to keep the Sun-piercing Alliance from finding out.
The Sun-piercing Alliance is the exact opposite of the Murong Family in Longcheng. Sun-piercing Valley, where they are based, relies on outside merchant caravans for all its supplies.
If any one of those caravans learns of the news and spreads it, that’s something we can’t control.
If it were a small matter, I could help. But something this difficult is beyond my authority. I would need the cooperation of other branches of the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower.
Since you know the rules of my Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower, you should also know our prices.
Forgive my bluntness, but even if you sold the entire Celestial Wolf Gang, you couldn’t afford this."
Chen Yuan nodded. "I know it’s difficult. That’s why I’m prepared to make a trade with you, Boss Wen. An item of intelligence in exchange."
"What kind of intelligence? News on the level of Zuo Xinglie’s whereabouts won’t be enough."
"What about news that there’s a problem with the Sun-piercing Alliance’s Divine Weapon, the Sun-piercing Sword? Is that enough?"
"What did you say!?"
Wen Rou shot to her feet, staring at Chen Yuan in disbelief.
"This is no laughing matter. If you dare to spread such a false rumor, not only will the Celestial Wind Listening Rain Tower not let you off, the Sun-piercing Alliance will hunt you down."
All the top powers in the world are anchored by Divine Artifact Demon Soldiers. One could say their true trump card is the Divine Artifact Demon Soldier in their possession.
With the Divine Artifact Demon Soldier, the Sect’s might endures.
Even if only one person wields it, the Sect has a chance to rise again.
Conversely, if the Divine Artifact Demon Soldier is gone, even if your Sect has tens of thousands of members, it cannot escape the fate of decline and destruction.
As a top power in You Province, if the Sun-piercing Alliance’s Divine Weapon, the Sun-piercing Sword, truly had a problem, that news would be of the highest caliber. It would be more than enough to pay for Chen Yuan’s request!
"You can verify whether it’s true or false for yourselves."
Chen Yuan said calmly, "The Sun-piercing Alliance’s disciples have rarely been seen outside in recent months. That’s because ninety percent of them are trying to stabilize the Sun-piercing Sword.
Ever since the previous Alliance Leader, Feng Tianyang, ’Sword Emerges from the Sun,’ perished, no one in the Sun-piercing Alliance has been able to become its Commander-in-Chief."
Wen Rou said, "That’s common knowledge in the Jianghu. The Sun-piercing Alliance’s power began to wane from that point on."
The so-called Commander-in-Chief is someone who can truly control a Divine Artifact Demon Soldier.
A power might possess a Divine Artifact Demon Soldier, but that doesn’t mean the power can completely control it.
Only a person truly acknowledged by the Divine Artifact Demon Soldier is qualified to be called a Commander-in-Chief, and only a Commander-in-Chief can unleash its full power.
However, the method to be acknowledged and become a Commander-in-Chief differs for every power.
Some rely on bloodline, some on strength, and some on arrays or even messy methods like sacrifice.
Furthermore, some Divine Artifact Demon Soldiers follow no discernible pattern at all.
Divine Artifact Demon Soldiers are sentient beings, and each one has a different temperament.
Therefore, some Divine Artifact Demon Soldiers don’t require any sort of succession method.
If the Divine Artifact Demon Soldier takes a liking to you, you can become its Commander-in-Chief. It’s that simple.
Conversely, even if your power is heaven-shattering, if the Divine Artifact Demon Soldier doesn’t acknowledge you, you can’t become its Commander-in-Chief.
This leads to situations where a power’s Divine Artifact Demon Soldier isn’t wielded by its strongest member. Instead, an ordinary disciple might become the Commander-in-Chief, holding the Sect’s lifeline in their hands.
The Sun-piercing Alliance’s Divine Weapon, the Sun-piercing Sword, is relatively straightforward; it only recognizes cultivation strength and one’s understanding of its Sword Intent.
Thus, almost every generation’s Alliance Leader has also been the Commander-in-Chief, able to maximize the Divine Artifact Demon Soldier’s power.
But for some reason, the current Alliance Leader, Fu Zhenxiu, failed to become the Commander-in-Chief, which caused the Sun-piercing Alliance’s prestige to plummet.
"The Sun-piercing Alliance’s troubles don’t stop there.
It’s one thing not to have a Commander-in-Chief, but the Sun-piercing Sword has even begun to grow restless. It’s rejecting the Sun-piercing Alliance’s offerings and can’t even provide them with a Divine Artifact Incarnation. This is a major crisis that truly affects the Sun-piercing Alliance’s very lifeline!"
When Chen Yuan said this, the look in Wen Rou’s eyes changed instantly.
’This really is a monumental affair.’
’So monumental that the Sun-piercing Alliance could completely decline, or even be destroyed, because of it!’
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