Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

Ma Tianyuan gritted his teeth and tossed in another wave of chips.

Yi Chen stared deeply at Kong Xiang and Ma Tianyuan for a long while, pondering before finally giving a slow nod of agreement.

"I want the goods first."

"Agreed!"

Immediately after, Ma Tianyuan handed over a major pill and a True Yang Breakthrough Talisman to Yi Chen and also revealed the first piece of information about Yin Manor.

"Those who possess the Yin Manor mark have their own tablet in the Spirit Hall. Mark holders who kill one another can obtain the remaining time of the mark bearer they killed, thereby delaying the next trial of Yin Manor."

"Additionally, Taoist might want to conceal your own Yin Manor mark well. Those who've seen the mark can perceive that unique, faint aura belonging to Yin Manor when they see your mark," Ma Tianyuan said somberly.

Hearing this, Yi Chen quickly pulled out a hooded cloak from his storage ring, which he got from the Overlord Chicken, and put it on, no longer caring whether it was a good fit or not.

Damn that Ba Dao, if not for that son of a bitch, it wouldn't have come to this.

As for how Ma Tianyuan came by the information about Yin Manor, Yi Chen didn't ask. It wasn't hard to understand that the Ma family, even as a branch of one of the nine great clans of Da Yue, possessed some unique intelligence.

"Taoist, just find a random inn to rest at. I can recognize the mark on you, and Zhu by surname will naturally do the same. He will surely send someone to invite Taoist," Ma Tianyuan advised.

After nodding, Yi Chen left the place expressionlessly and returned to Wujang Prefecture.

He headed straight to a clothing shop and bought ten sets of Daoist robes.

The clothing shop owner, Xiusan Nian, sent Yi Chen off with flushed cheeks, staring deeply at Yi Chen's broad back muscles and sturdy legs, then looking at her own potbellied husband behind the counter. She sighed deeply, twisted her hips, turned her head, and walked out towards the stall selling goji berries.

Yi Chen casually found an inn and booked an upper room where he could quietly reflect on the recent events.

He couldn't help but admire Ma Tianyuan's tactics more and more.

Indeed, the dogs that bite don't bark.

The waters of Wujang Prefecture run deep.

He wondered how long Ma Tianyuan had been waiting for this day.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Perhaps the recent marriage arrangement between the Ma and Zhu families was merely one of his smoke bombs to deceive others?

Moreover, Ma Tianyuan likely had a deeply hidden mole within the Zhu family, playing the fool for decades, finally making his move against the Zhu family after obtaining key information.

Once successful in this endeavor, Wujang Prefecture would likely bear the Ma surname.

This man was extremely cautious, even secretly allying with the Red Flame Army stationed near Wujang Prefecture.

Heh, considering the Zhu family has connections within the Town Peace Office, he must have feared startling the snake. Fearing the Peace Office might squash the matter internally, he thus boldly allied with the military to make sure Zhu Buqun's crimes were firmly established.

This likely also involved a struggle for power between the military and the Town Peace Office.

"Those surnamed Ma are indeed ruthless," Yi Chen reflected, gaining a clearer understanding of Ma Tianyuan's tactics and the current situation.

The nine great families of Da Yue are not a monolithic entity. Though harmonious on the surface, there are turbulent undercurrents below.

All want to take a bite out of the other.

Even the current situation might have been facilitated by the Ma family's acquiescence.

Decades of being a yes-man, tolerating, could it not be a tactic of arrogance, bait laid out for fishing?

The one with a plan always has the upper hand, this venture should be almost guaranteed, Yi Chen felt the gains outweighed the risks.

Not only did he obtain a life-extending pill, he acquired information about Yin Manor from the Ma family, but he could also extort something from the Zhu family.

Although it was likely that he could get some information about Yin Manor after ascending Dragon Tiger Mountain, it wasn't 100% certain. Getting a portion in advance, even simply to cross-check later, would be beneficial.

Knock, knock, knock!

Speak of the devil, and the devil is here.

A forceful knocking resounded.

Yi Chen opened the door to find a young man clad in the attire of a thousand-household official, his face as pale as death.

His complexion was whiter than if he had been soaked in formalin for three days, as if he had rewarded himself eight hundred times in a single day.

"Who are you?" Yi Chen asked 'suspiciously'.

"Could you be Taoist Yi Chengzi? I am Zhu Teng, a thousand-household official from the Town Peace Division, and I have a favor to ask of you," the young man said 'urgently',

"Our Town Peace Division has received intelligence that Hu Bugui, the first Saint Heir of the Purgatory Demon Sect, who has caused countless slaughters near our Wujang Prefecture, is currently secluded in Muchang County, cultivating his Yin Wheel Blood Evil Demon Technique."

"However, this man's cultivation is extremely high, and our Town Peace Division is short-handed and fears it will be difficult to surround and kill him, hence we specifically wish to ask for your assistance to lend us a helping hand," he continued.

In order to strengthen his persuasiveness, the young man added, "Sword Immortal Lady has already called upon the righteous heroes to join the demon subjugation, and Master Kong Xiang has also agreed."

"Oh," Yi Chen responded flatly.

For a moment, the two stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Suddenly, the air began to quiet down.

Eventually, it was the young man who couldn't hold back any longer, and he tentatively asked, "Taoist, the battle is urgent, what do you mean?"

"Oh, is that so, then what?" Yi Chen asked, tilting his head.

What a joke, his opponent's hand had been completely spoiled by Ma Tianyuan's bombshell; he didn't believe he couldn't handle this weakling in front of him, he must kill two birds with one stone and score a hefty sum.

In the future feast of spoils, when the Zhu family falls and the Ma family is satiated, Yi Chen must grab more benefits first; otherwise, his conscience would hurt.

He would despise himself.

The young man cursed inwardly, gritting his teeth, "Of course, we can't let the Taoist come all this way for nothing, our Town Peace Division is willing to offer a Vajra Marrow Tempering Pill as a gift to you."

The Vajra Marrow Tempering Pill, requiring a True Person Realm elixir master to produce, significantly strengthens a cultivator's muscles and bones; it is a top-tier precious elixir, highly valued even within the Town Peace Division where it can only be obtained through a great deal of merit.

After some bargaining, the young man finally succeeded in adding money.

They struck a deal for two Vajra Marrow Tempering Pills plus a thousand taels of gold.

Yi Chen nodded with a compassionate air, "So be it, good and evil stand opposed, the struggle is for life."

"For the sake of all under heaven, I shall make this journey," he said.

The young man led the way with a dark expression, recalling his father's words, there's no fishing without baiting the hook, let's just consider it baiting the hook.

With his back to Yi Chen, a cold gleam flashed in the young man's eyes.

He would definitely teach this lofty Taoist a lesson. Your journey continues at empire

What is given to you is not necessarily yours.

It could just be that someone wants you to keep it safe for a while.

Zhu Teng licked his lips, to be honest, he had taken a liking to Yi Chen's storage ring.

Even his father had only one such item, what deeds had qualified this man to possess a storage ring as well.

Zhu Teng strode vigorously towards the front, not realizing that the closely following Yi Chen looked at him as one would look at a dead man walking.

The group surged mightily in the direction of Muchang County.

Yi Chen looked at the young faces around him and couldn't help but shake his head.

These young ones were still not cautious enough.

Unaware that city roads are slippery, and human hearts are even more complex.