Whether Qingyunting colluded with Reef Nation isn’t the key; whether Marquis Weining *wants* Qingyunting to collude with Reef Nation, *that’s* what truly matters.”

This was why Feng Ming’s expression was so grim; he had finally grasped the gravity of the situation.

“So, what should I do?” he asked.

“Marquis Weining has already offered you a choice. Allowing Qingyunting to collude with Reef Nation could assuage his hatred for the death of his beloved grandson at Mount Chiyun. But what does he gain by letting you off? Or, what does he *want* to gain?”

Jiang Wang said, “Satisfy him.”

Feng Ming gritted his teeth, “We’ve already offered sufficient sincerity for Jiao Xiong’s death…”

Jiang Wang sighed inwardly. Marquis Weining should have detained Feng Ming and let Feng Yue consider this issue. Compared to Feng Yue, Feng Ming lacked the necessary experience and decisiveness.

But then he thought, was Feng Ming worth such a huge price? Would it cause Qingyunting to act cautiously out of concern for something more important? He had only considered this one layer, perhaps Marquis Weining was contemplating something else.

“Or, there’s another way, but I don’t recommend it,” Jiang Wang continued. “You don’t necessarily have to seek out Marquis Weining. The Martial Merit Marquis, who just left, is also an option.”

The Reef Nation spies were captured by the Martial Merit Marquis’s subordinates. If the Martial Merit Marquis said that Qingyunting had nothing to do with Reef Nation, then naturally, it had nothing to do with them.

But Jiang Wang didn’t recommend it, naturally for the sake of Feng Yue’s safety. Furthermore, Qingyunting would still need to continue its operations in Shunan Prefecture in the future. Tearing apart their relationship with Marquis Weining wasn’t a wise choice.

Feng Ming was silent for a moment, “I know what to do.”

He patted Jiang Wang on the shoulder, “I’ll return and find a way to raise the funds. I’ll definitely satisfy that old monkey. I need to trouble Brother Yu to wait here. Inform me immediately if there are any new developments.”

As he spoke, he took out a three-inch white box from his bosom. “Please accept this Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Box. I’ll leave things here to you.”

The Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Box made by the Mo Sect was highly effective, but due to concerns about privacy, many cultivators were wary of it, preventing its widespread adoption. Furthermore, it was easily shielded, making it almost impossible to use in combat scenarios, limiting its market.

But it was said that the Mo Sect possessed a Sound Transmission Box that was nearly impossible to block, but it had never been released to the public.

Jiang Wang reached out and accepted the small white box, his attitude very solemn, “Brother Feng, please rest assured, I will firmly guard this place and keep a close watch on the Marquis’s mansion.”

The Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Box had a delicate appearance and was icy to the touch. He had heard of this item for a long time, but this was the first time he had seen it in person. To achieve such miraculous effects with such a small box, the Mo Sect’s mechanisms were truly unparalleled.

“A friend in need is a friend indeed! Although we’ve only just met, I will never forget Brother Yu’s loyalty!” Feng Ming patted Jiang Wang’s shoulder again to show his encouragement, and then turned and flew away quickly.

He wasn’t completely ignorant of the art of winning people over.

“Can you help find a Qingyunting for your Brother Yu?”

Jiang Wang said this idly in his heart, sighed, and prepared to begin his tedious task of surveillance – he was almost certain that Feng Yue would be safe until Feng Ming took action.

But in order to perform well and infiltrate Qingyunting, he had no choice but to do this futile thing.

Just then, a voice came from behind him. It was much more direct and straightforward than Jiang Wang’s inner thoughts –

“Can you give that to my Third Brother?”

Jiang Wang sighed deeply. He had been sighing all day; it was so vexing.

Turning around, he saw two familiar figures, one fat and one thin, as expected.

That Zheng Laosan was pointing his fat finger at the Thousand-Mile Sound Transmission Box in Jiang Wang’s hand, seemingly embarrassed, “Looks expensive.”

“Hey, it’s just spending money to avoid disaster. A small loss avoids a big one,” Li Laosi said from the side, acting like a kind bystander, trying to mediate.

Jiang Wang felt the veins throbbing on his forehead. These two living treasures hadn’t left yet. This fate was truly a curse.

“Why?” Jiang Wang asked as calmly as possible. He really wanted to know why.

These two didn’t even have any Transcendent aura. At most, they looked like they were at the outer sect level of Maple Leaf City Dao Academy. Of course, he could sense them approaching.

But he really didn’t expect them to dare to come over, dare to speak, dare to extort!

Were they blind? I went to the Marquis’s mansion for the inner courtyard banquet. I was talking and laughing with the son of Qingyunting’s patriarch, Zong Shouzhi.

“We are reasonable people,” Zheng Laosan said earnestly, completely unaware of Jiang Wang’s inner thoughts, “You already paid for the cloak, but you haven’t paid for the robe. We have to be clear about the accounts, one thing at a time.”

They had agreed to settle everything back then. These two stupid bandits were actually playing word games with him! He was wrong to forcibly buy and sell, but a broken cloak and a broken robe shouldn’t warrant compensation after compensation, right?

They had earned a hundred times more than that!

Jiang Wang chuckled in anger, “So, what else do you want?”

“Didn’t Third Brother already say it?” The fat man waved his steel saber seemingly unintentionally, “That box of yours is good. A gift from a friend? How about giving it to a friend?”

Li Laosi clapped his hands and said happily, “Hey, that’s called reciprocity!”

From someone else to you? Is that called reciprocity?

Jiang Wang was almost applauding them. He couldn’t help but laugh, “What if I say no?”

“Hey!” Li Laosi’s face turned cold, and he pointed his thumb to the side, “See that sturdy physique and shining steel saber?”

“Hey!” Zheng Laosan slapped him, looking disgusted, “Don’t be so bloody. I don’t kill people.”

He was obviously the one in charge between the two. He acted very generously and looked at Jiang Wang with a smile, “We never force anyone. We’ll just hang you up, hang you in a tree, until you say yes.”

“This isn’t a convenient place to talk, it’s not good for people to see,” Jiang Wang pointed to a small grove not far away, “Shall we go over there to chat?”

“Yes, if you just handed over such a valuable thing, it would be difficult to justify,” Zheng Laosan said understandingly, “Then let’s go!”

“Go, go, go!” Li Laosi took the lead, marching forward valiantly.

Jiang Wang followed unhurriedly.

Probably afraid that he would run away, Zheng Laosan stayed close by his side, his eyes fixed on him.

The three of them walked into the dark grove…

In less than ten breaths, Jiang Wang clapped his hands and walked out leisurely.

For him, this was just a small interlude, a slight adjustment to his mood.

The “work” of surveillance was what he needed to do well at the moment.

And in the small grove, two figures, one fat and one thin, were tied up with vines and hung upside down in the trees, swaying back and forth.

The two looked at each other.

At this time.

*Crack, crack.*

The sound of dead branches being crushed underfoot grew closer.