“...”
No wonder Zongzheng Yingchu only gave her a lesson and then immediately left.
Zongzheng Huangyue was speechless, her eyes filled with nothing but utter shock.
She was stunned by her Master’s nonsensical, crazed, and sinister methods. Yet, this move truly had Zongzheng Yingchu cornered. As the high-and-mighty Imperial Preceptor of Houchi Kingdom, he was a man of immense pride. Regardless of whether Wen Li actually had those shadow stones or not, he didn’t dare to gamble. He had witnessed her methods before and knew she was fully capable of following through.
Furthermore, she had set the price at a single Low-Grade Spirit Stone. This was a blatant slap to his face, a mockery suggesting that the dignified Imperial Preceptor would become a laughingstock for the price of a scrap. It was a double humiliation.
How could the usually superior Zongzheng Yingchu tolerate such a disgrace? He naturally had to let her leave as Wen Li demanded, though he would certainly look for an opportunity to seek revenge later.
However, Master’s move with the powder had completely severed any intent he might have had to hunt them down personally. He was too busy evading beasts to bother with them. Given his personality, he wouldn't order anyone else to handle this matter either; he couldn't afford to lose face.
Because of all this, Zongzheng Huangyue had been able to reach her Master safely.
“...Master, was that shadow stone fake?” Zongzheng Huangyue frowned in confusion. She didn’t think Wen Li would have had the state of mind to record anything during the Central Province Aptitude Battle, especially when she was busy scamming so many disciples from the Eastern Province right under the noses of so many powerhouses.
Even if the shadow stone were fake, and even if Zongzheng Yingchu suspected it, he wouldn’t dare gamble on whether his Master had a real one. He was the one in the disadvantaged position! This was a game of psychological warfare; this was where her Master’s brilliance lay.
Zongzheng Huangyue looked up, her shock deepening as she pondered. This wasn't the first time she had witnessed Wen Li's calculations, yet every time exceeded her expectations. She had only guessed a fraction of the truth.
Perhaps Wen Li had many other motives she hadn't mentioned.
“Hmm?” Wen Li looked down at her. Seeing the girl’s look of adoration, she chuckled and lightly rapped her on the head. “Is your Master the kind of person who uses fakes?”
“It’s real?!” Zongzheng Huangyue was astonished. She was completely baffled. At a time like that, one should have been focused on escaping; how could she have the inclination to record something, let alone something so... eye-searingly bizarre?
A male cultivator being pursued by a pack of male demon beasts in heat...
The mere thought gave Zongzheng Huangyue goosebumps. If her Master had such a strange quirk, then once she took control of Houchi Kingdom in the future, she would just capture some handsome men to honor her Master. That way, her Master wouldn't have to risk going out and provoking other cultivators.
“What are you thinking? I am a virtuous youth who abstains from gambling and lust.” Seeing her expression, Wen Li knew exactly what nonsense was going through her head. She patted the girl’s head and, in a display of educational ingenuity, rummaged through her collection of storage bags until she found a yellow one marked with a circle.
Clang!
With a wave of her hand, a pile of shadow stones spilled onto the table, stacking into a small mountain. However, both Zongzheng Huangyue and Gu Linshu could see that this was just the tip of the iceberg; there were likely tens of thousands of shadow stones inside the bag.
“There. Whenever I encounter cultivators making fools of themselves, committing murder, or falling into peril, I secretly record them. I just wait for the day I can use them for blackmail or to save my own life. Case in point: this time, I used the one of Zongzheng Yingchu being chased by those beasts.”
“...”
Gu Linshu and Zongzheng Huangyue fell silent once again.
Neither of them had expected shadow stones, which were mostly used for transmitting information, to be used this way. Or rather, what kind of decent cultivator would take the path of using shadow stones for blackmail?
Gu Linshu couldn't help but reach out and flip through the pile of shadow stones.
As soon as he touched the first one, a line of text appeared: “Western Province, Jiuyin Island, Feng Ling. Stripped naked by me to be sold. Dated Year XXXX of the Linggang Immortal Realm.”
The second one: “Central Province, Hehuan Sect, Ji Xueyin. Besieged and heavily wounded, then picked up by a female cultivator for dual cultivation. Dated Year XXXX of the Linggang Immortal Realm.”
The third one: “Northern Province, Kunlun Domain, Xiang Chongming. Sold by me to a male brothel as a favorite. Dated Year XXXX of the Linggang Immortal Realm.”
“...” Gu Linshu’s brow twitched. Xiang Chongming was the Third Generation Saint Patriarch of the Kunlun Domain—his ancestor.
He didn't know what a 'male brothel' was, but he knew what a 'favorite' was.
How could his ancestor have played along with her and even helped build the interprovincial teleportation array after all that? Was it really not because she had held a longsword to his throat and forced him?
Zongzheng Huangyue also saw the words. Not knowing the identities of Gu Linshu or Xiang Chongming, she didn't pay much attention to the third entry.
Her gaze landed on the second one, and her expression turned subtle and strange. She looked back at her Master and pointed at that shadow stone. “Master, do you really...” have some unspeakable hobby?
Recording people's dual cultivation... she was acting like a total pervert.
“Hey, I’m not that depraved. I only recorded Ji Xueyin being picked up by that female cultivator, and then the scene of her coming out of the cave with her clothes in disarray later. There’s nothing else. I am an honest person; I despise voyeurism.”
Wen Li hurriedly waved her hand, sweeping the shadow stones she had intended to use as teaching materials back into the storage bag. That was a miscalculation; it had been so long since she had organized them that she had forgotten a few might damage her glorious image.
“Oh,” Zongzheng Huangyue uttered.
She had gained a new understanding of her Master’s personality: she was stubborn and possessed a complete lack of self-awareness. No, her self-perception was actually the complete opposite of reality—she was simply deceiving herself.
Wen Li tossed two storage bags to them, one for each. “Remember, in the future, if you find any leverage on a cultivator—whether it’s murder, arson, or just something shameful and shameless—secretly record it. When the time is right, it will become a sharp blade.”
After a pause, Wen Li feared Gu Linshu might ask another stupid question about doing this to anyone. She looked at him and emphasized her instructions. “Bear this in mind: you must only reveal a shadow stone if your strength is comparable to the other party. If there is a difference of an entire realm, never take it out. High-level cultivators can sense the presence of shadow stones; you will die instantly.”
Gu Linshu nodded. “I... I understand.”
“Whether it’s shadow stones or items belonging to your enemies, you must keep them safe and never reveal them easily,” Wen Li added. “Used correctly, they are life-saving charms. But once discovered by outsiders, they become death warrants.”
“Yes, Master.” Zongzheng Huangyue and Gu Linshu both understood her meaning. Benefits and risks always coexisted.
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