Free Web NovelChapter 313: Chapter 196: To Capture Jiang Man
"It’s not a bad deal, really," Shangguan Lingyue chuckled. "I happen to have the complete set. I was originally planning to keep them to study myself, but I didn’t expect them to come in handy like this.
"I spent a fair amount of Spiritual Source when I bought them.
"But renting them out isn’t that expensive.
"It’s only fifty Spiritual Source per book for a day.
"Three thousand for the whole set for a month is the usual price.
"But this isn’t the outside world, so the price naturally has to double. We’ll charge six thousand.
"After splitting it, he’ll still have to pay two thousand a month.
"That’s a decent profit."
"Let’s make it nine thousand. That way, it seems like we’re paying more," Hai Lian said.
Shangguan Lingyue was stunned for a moment. "You’re the ruthless one."
Jiang Man watched them leave, then resumed his Cultivation.
This time, however, he drew all the Spiritual Qi to himself.
The tree would just have to suffer a bit, all so he could raise his Cultivation as quickly as possible.
Although he cultivated every day, he would still check his identity Spiritual Tablet around noon to stay updated on the progress.
But he never received any relevant reports.
He had already prepared for the worst, though.
Another five days passed.
The Gourd had accumulated thirty percent.
Ten days later.
It was April 1st.
The "Gourd" of his Cultivation had accumulated fifty percent.
As long as his progress wasn’t slowing down, he considered it fast.
He would be able to fill it completely this month.
And then, it would be time for a breakthrough.
Jiang Man glanced at the tree, which was now nearly one zhang tall, and felt that the opportunity in this place wouldn’t be so easy to obtain.
It would still take a significant amount of time.
On this day, Shangguan Lingyue returned with good news.
They had run into someone outside who had the Twenty-One Introductory Books on Array Patterns.
But the asking price was nine thousand a month.
Split three ways, it would still be three thousand a month each.
He asked if Jiang Man agreed.
Jiang Man agreed with a nod, not even bothering to ask any questions.
This made Shangguan Lingyue wonder, ’Did I quote too low a price?’
’If I’d said fifteen thousand, would he have nodded just the same?’
But the thought was fleeting.
There was no need for that.
Being too outrageous could easily ruin things.
Still, he kindly reminded him that renting them book by book would be more cost-effective.
Because one couldn’t get through that many books in a month.
Jiang Man wasn’t concerned and still chose to rent them all at once, offering to pay for two months upfront.
Renting them one by one introduced too many variables.
If he rented them all directly, he could finish them in two months.
「The next day.」
The other party brought the Twenty-One Introductory Books on Array Patterns.
But Jiang Man was in no hurry to read them.
He decided to focus on raising his Cultivation first.
Although an Array could increase the Spiritual Qi here, without strength, more Spiritual Qi only meant more danger.
He was about to advance, and any delay could lead to unforeseen trouble.
’Those two are definitely up to no good.’
’And there’s no telling whose Twenty-One Introductory Books these really are.’
Still, he could certainly afford three thousand.
---
By April, many things had already been spread as rumors.
But some in the Inner Sect knew even more.
「Inside the Law Enforcement Hall’s prison.」
Yu Wanyi met with Ren Qian.
"Senior Brother Ren, has there been no final decision on this matter?"
Ren Qian shook his head. "No. The higher-ups haven’t given an answer yet."
"Why is it being delayed for so long this time?" Yu Wanyi asked, puzzled. "I remember it was over very quickly last time."
Ren Qian sat down and took a sip of tea. "The situation is different."
Yu Wanyi didn’t speak.
Ren Qian continued, "The previous case involved the Evil God in the Ancient Well Secret Realm. That was a dead Evil God—controllable, knowable, and investigable.
"We could simply investigate to see if there was a problem. Even the Secret Realm itself was within our surveillance range.
"But this time is completely different. This is a suspected *living* Evil God.
"One with a certain degree of power.
"We can’t distinguish whether it was framed or if it’s deliberately concealing its aura.
"That puts it in the category of uncontrollable, unknowable, and uninvestigable.
"In that case, we must handle it with extreme severity.
"The two situations are completely different.
"The circumstances this time are far too serious."
Hearing this, Yu Wanyi was stunned.
’It’s over. My investment has gone down the drain.’
After a pause, she asked, "Will this have a big impact on Jiang Man?"
Ren Qian was silent for a moment. "A very big one. In all likelihood, he’ll be arrested, observed, and interrogated.
"I’m afraid it will even be difficult for him to continue teaching his classes.
"But the specifics will depend on the higher-ups. All we can do is investigate thoroughly.
"We can’t rule out the possibility that someone framed him.
"But this matter has been put on the back burner.
"All our energy is focused on that Old Yellow Ox."
"Have you found anything?" Yu Wanyi asked cautiously.
"Suspicious. It’s too suspicious," Ren Qian replied.
"I have some understanding of Jiang Man. He couldn’t be this kind of person," Yu Wanyi said.
’I’m his investor, and I’ve bet everything on him.’
’Now my entire investment is lost.’
’Hard times are ahead.’
’All my recent suffering has been for nothing.’
"I don’t think he’s that kind of person either, but after investigating, this whole affair is just too suspicious," Ren Qian said with a sigh. "The ox’s appearance was bizarre, and it makes no sense that it would be brought to the Sect.
"Even if someone really did plant that aura to frame him, the results of the investigation make it impossible for us to let it go.
"Jiang Man will also have to be investigated.
"So, no matter how you look at it, it will be very difficult for Jiang Man to escape responsibility this time.
"It all depends on the people in charge now."
The last of Yu Wanyi’s hopes died, but she asked curiously, "What kind of orders will the people in charge give?"
"There are three main people in charge. They’ll discuss it and come to a decision," Ren Qian explained. "One option is to arrest him immediately. The other is to await supervision, which means the Immortal Sect will need to intervene.
"Neither is a good outcome."
This incident had been completely unexpected.
They were still busy with the matter of the stone stele.
Now they were busy on two fronts.
He, too, was mentally and physically exhausted.
It was either nothing at all or too many things at once.
---
「Inner Sect.」
「Meng Qiewei’s residence.」
Qing Dai watched her mistress sipping water in the pavilion, wanting to speak but hesitating.
After hesitating for a long time, she finally spoke up. "Miss, did the Young Master-in-law really collude with an Evil God? He’s such an ordinary person. Could there be some kind of misunderstanding?"
’In truth, I suspect my mistress. I had asked about the timing; the incident happened on the very day my mistress had gone over. I had assumed she went to reminisce while looking at his things. Who would have thought it was to send the Young Master-in-law to his doom? Or perhaps to cut off his future path. Cutting off his path was no different from sending him to his doom. The Unparalleled Celestial Pride Fate Chart was too difficult for someone without resources. Of course, I also thought of another possibility. This was my mistress’s way of controlling the Young Master-in-law. By putting him in the worst possible situation, she would ensure he could never escape her grasp in this lifetime.’
"The news is spreading too quickly. The Zhenyue Bureau wouldn’t spread it this fast," Meng Qiewei said.
Hearing this, Qing Dai was a bit surprised. "It wasn’t your doing, Miss?"
Meng Qiewei glanced at her. "Investigate it."
Qing Dai quickly returned with the results. Looking at the report, she said with some embarrassment, "It seems the Young Master-in-law has offended quite a few people. As soon as the news broke, six families started spreading it. Some disciples and Elders in the Inner Sect also pushed it along. We can’t identify any specific individual behind it.
"There should be some traces at the Young Master-in-law’s residence, but we are just power avatars—Primordial Spirit Level ones at that—so it’s not easy for us to detect them.
"However, the new Celestial Pride told us not to worry too much and just wait for the results.
"I suppose he must have seen something.
"It’s just..."
Meng Qiewei, sipping her water, asked, "Just what?"
"It’s just that the Young Master-in-law’s ox really does seem to have a problem. Even if it was framed, it’ll be difficult for things to go back to how they were. Besides, a living, unrestrained Evil God daring to appear in the Sect is a terrifying matter. It will be handled with extreme severity," Qing Dai said.
’This incident is rather serious and very unfavorable for the Young Master-in-law. As things stand, the problem with the ox is enough to get him locked up for over a decade for observation. Unless we expose ourselves, there’s no normal way to rescue him. We can only see if the new Celestial Pride will give up on him. If that fails, I’ll have to step in myself, get the clan to take it seriously, and bail him out. But that would affect his Celestial Pride aura.’
---
「The Zhao Family’s Third Master’s residence.」
Old Meng had a smile plastered on his face. "I never thought there was really a problem with that ox. Now, even if they find out the aura wasn’t its own, it’s useless. It will never walk out of the Law Enforcement Hall’s prison.
"Not only that, but Jiang Man will also be thrown into the Law Enforcement Hall’s prison for good.
"At the very least, he’ll be under observation for over a decade.
"He’s ruined.
"There’s always a price to pay for opposing the Zhao Family.
"Perhaps he never imagined that his youthful arrogance back then would lead to such an outcome."
Third Master poured himself a cup of tea, his smile radiating the confidence of a master strategist. "Don’t say such things. We also find it a pity that he has fallen to such a state.
"But a young man’s arrogance must be answered for. In the end, one must take responsibility for one’s own actions."
