The second wave of rumors has arrived!

It perfectly picks up where the previous one left off, stirring up a storm of gossip.

This second layer of rumors reveals a wealth of new details – how Divine Catcher Zhu Xuanji obtained the clues related to the demonic scriptures.

The rumors mention that Zhu Xuanji acquired a Mechanized Fiend General. This construct possesses Jindan-level combat power and is a precious automaton lost from the Magma Immortal Palace.

The original demonic scriptures were stored within the Mechanized Fiend General’s body. After Zhu Xuanji obtained the Fiend General, he discovered the scriptures were missing.

Possessing exceptional investigative abilities, he gleaned clues from the Fiend General and tracked them all the way to Yuan Dasheng of the Monkey Head Gang.

He suspected that Yuan Dasheng had come into contact with the Mechanized Fiend General in his younger days, thereby stealing the demonic scriptures.

But Yuan Dasheng was already dead, and his corpse had been acquired by Ning Zhuo.

This meant that the demonic scriptures on Yuan Dasheng’s body had already fallen into Ning Zhuo’s possession!

The power of this second layer of rumors is far greater than the first.

On one hand, it’s because Zhu Xuanji is involved. As a Jindan cultivator, a member of the royal family, and a Divine Catcher of the Divine Catcher Bureau, his status is noble, and his reputation vast. The involvement of such a prominent figure naturally ignites a fervent passion for discussion.

On the other hand, this rumor is incredibly believable. Many details are so detailed that they inspire conviction.

As soon as the rumor spread, some cultivators wanted to visit Zhu Xuanji to confirm its authenticity.

Zhu Xuanji did not come forward to clarify, but neither did he deny it.

This subtle attitude led many to ponder deeply, and they gained some insight.

Zhu Xuanji secretly communicated with the three Jindan cultivators.

They were also guessing and discussing who had spread the rumor.

Ning Jiufan clenched his fists, his tone indignant: “Who else could it be? If it wasn’t one of us, it must be the City Lord’s Mansion!”

“We retrieved the Mechanized Fiend General from the Demonic Ape Royal Court. We notified Meng Kui of this action at the time. As a Yuanying, Meng Kui likely knows everything that happened to us in the Royal Court.”

Zheng Shuanggou wondered, “I’m a bit confused. Why announce the matter of the demonic scriptures like this? If I were the City Lord’s Mansion, I would secretly gather information, confirm it, and then send a capable assassin to eliminate Ning Zhuo.”

“What is the purpose of announcing these things?”

Zhou Nongying smiled slightly: “Obviously, they want to clear their name!”

“Because next, if Ning Zhuo is assassinated, it is very likely that someone from the demonic path, seduced by the rumors, will take the risk to seize the demonic scriptures from Ning Zhuo.”

“The City Lord’s Mansion stirs up the water first, and then takes the opportunity to secretly send a powerful assassin to take Ning Zhuo’s life.”

“Even if the assassin is captured by us and later implicates the City Lord’s Mansion, the City Lord’s Mansion can deny it, saying that it has nothing to do with them, that it was entirely the assassin’s personal action, and that he deliberately framed them after being captured.”

“This is actually a common tactic of many major forces.” Zhou Nongying added at the end.

The Jindan patriarchs fell into silence.

They all felt an invisible pressure.

“It’s truly Fei Si…” Someone sighed, expressing the thoughts of everyone.

In their view, Fei Si had clearly realized that there might be a trap surrounding Ning Zhuo.

So what was his approach?

Regardless of whether there was a trap or not, he would make this move first. He would first control public opinion, and before even starting the assassination of Ning Zhuo, he had already begun to exonerate the City Lord’s Mansion!

棘手 (Jí shǒu): Troublesome.

难缠 (Nán chán): Difficult to deal with.

These were the greatest feelings that Zhu Xuanji got from the second layer of rumors, from Fei Si.

“In addition to clearing his name, he has another purpose.” Zhu Xuanji’s gaze was deep.

He subtly observed the other Jindan patriarchs.

Carefully observing their expressions!

It was clear that among all the Jindan cultivators, Ning Jiufan, the Ning family patriarch, had the worst complexion.

He was under considerable psychological pressure.

Zhu Xuanji understood, knowing what Ning Jiufan was worried about.

“If there is a mole among us, Ning Jiufan is the least likely.”

“Not only because he has a weakness that endangers his own reputation, but also because Ning Zhuo is a genius cultivator of the Ning family.”

Zhu Xuanji was concerned about whether this rumor originated from the City Lord’s Mansion.

Other Jindans seemed to assume this, but Zhu Xuanji, as a Divine Catcher, never made a judgment on matters without evidence.

“If this rumor was not spread by the City Lord’s Mansion, then who could it be?”

“Who knows that I obtained the Mechanized Fiend General?”

From Zhu Xuanji’s perspective, there were only two groups of people. One group was the City Lord’s Mansion, and the other was his alliance with the three families.

After thinking for a while, Zhu Xuanji said to the others, “The successive propagation of the two rumors clearly indicates a mastermind behind the scenes.”

“The current situation has undoubtedly become very serious.”

“We must increase the protection of Ning Zhuo. After all, Ning Zhuo is a genius cultivator of the Ning family. As I said to Ning Jiufan before, I will do my best to protect his safety.”

“So, next, we will form pairs and take turns guarding Ning Zhuo.”

“All shifts will be arranged by me.”

Zhu Xuanji’s words made some Jindan cultivators thoughtful.

Although Zhu Xuanji and the three Jindan families had signed a contract, this constraint was not perfect.

Just like locks and lock-picking techniques, the two always rise in tandem.

The same is true for contracts and the means of breaking them.

Zhu Xuanji did not directly state the concern about a mole. He divided the six Jindan, including himself, into three teams.

Each team had two people.

He ensured that the two Jindan cultivators from the Zhou and Zheng families were not on the same team.

This was to guard against the hidden danger of a mole.

Ning Zhuo’s residence.

“What?!”

“There’s such a rumor?!”

Ning Zhuo exclaimed, unable to sit still, and stood up directly.

His face was pale, and he tried to remain calm, but he still couldn’t hide his panic.

The two Ning family Foundation Establishment cultivators who reported to him exchanged glances, both feeling that based on Ning Zhuo’s performance, the rumor was probably true.

Ning Zhuo’s eyes flickered, and he leaned on the desk, stunned for a long time, before reacting and dismissing the two Ning family Foundation Establishment cultivators: “You closely monitor the rumors, and report any changes to me immediately.”
The two Foundation Establishment Ning clansmen retreated, and Ning Zhuo couldn’t help but wipe his brow.

His forehead was covered in cold sweat.

He swallowed hard, still feeling parched, and picked up the teapot on the table, taking a large gulp of cool tea straight from the spout.

He sat back down, opened a drawer, and took out a jade slip, writing on it with his divine sense.

This was a letter of appeal, written to Ning Jiufan.

After finishing it, Ning Zhuo pondered for a moment and took out another jade slip.

It was still a plea for help, this time written to Zhu Xuanji.

The two letters were sent out quickly, reaching the hands of Ning Jiufan and Zhu Xuanji.

The contents of the letters were largely the same, lamenting Ning Zhuo’s innocence, grievances, and his feelings of alarm and unease.

The gist of it was:

“I really haven’t obtained any Demonic Path scriptures!”

“I’ve been framed, I’m innocent!”

“I’m truly unfortunate, to have stumbled into such a situation. Surely someone will try to harm me, coveting these supposed Demonic Path scriptures.”

“They will certainly be disappointed; even if they truly kill me, they won’t obtain any scriptures!”

“But I don’t want to die! I’m still young, I’m still a child, I’m only sixteen years old!”

“Therefore, esteemed Ning Jiufan (Zhu Xuanji), I implore you to save my small life. Just a word of clarification from you could resolve my perilous situation!”

Zhu Xuanji read the message, his expression unchanging as he tucked the jade slip into his pouch.

Ning Jiufan, however, was not unmoved. He secretly sought out Zhu Xuanji, engaging in some casual small talk before getting to the main point: “Lord Zhu, how much do you think Meng Kui knows about our actions in the Demonic Ape Royal Court?”

Zhu Xuanji replied, “Meng Kui is a Nascent Soul level cultivator; his cultivation and combat strength far surpass ours.”

“Before our operation, I specifically instructed him, precisely so that he could serve as a backup for us.”

“With his capabilities, he must have been aware of our actions in Fire Persimmon Mountain all along.”

“However…”

“To what extent he was aware, I’m not entirely sure.”

Zhu Xuanji spoke a bunch of nonsense.

He, too, had his difficulties.

He couldn’t very well tell Ning Jiufan that Meng Kui knew everything that had happened to him, could he?

Wouldn’t that only increase Ning Jiufan’s mental pressure?

Ning Jiufan sighed and left.

Zhu Xuanji couldn’t help but reveal a look of contemplation.

The clash of righteous paths was naturally different from that of demonic paths, possessing its own unique flair.

“Revolving around the rumors, I have already crossed swords with the City Lord’s Mansion once.”

“Fei Si is indeed formidable.”

“Two rumors alone have made our ranks falter.”

Just then, a cultivator walked directly toward the gate of Ning Zhuo’s residence.

His actions immediately attracted attention.

“Halt.”

“Who goes there?”

The Ning clan’s Foundation Establishment guards immediately intercepted him.

Zhu Xuanji and Ning Jiufan’s gazes also secretly locked onto the individual.

The newcomer cupped his fist in greeting, his demeanor polite: “Greetings, I am Su Mo, and I apologize for disturbing you, esteemed Foundation Establishment seniors.”

“I am merely a low-level Qi Refining cultivator, making a living with the tricks of crafting talismans.”

“I recently arrived in Fire Persimmon Immortal City and heard that the Ning family is a great clan in the art of talisman making. And Young Master Ning Zhuo is the leading figure of the Ning family among Qi Refining cultivators, a young genius.”

“Therefore, I wish to pay a visit, to exchange techniques in talisman crafting with Ning Zhuo.”

The Foundation Establishment guards exchanged glances, their faces filled with disgust.

“Hmph, you didn’t come sooner, you didn’t come later, but you come precisely at this time; you’re truly dedicated.”

“Can’t you just be honest? Aren’t you here because of the rumors of the Demonic Path scriptures?”

Su Mo smiled slightly: “Seniors, it is currently late at night; I am precisely ‘coming late’.”

“I’m not aware of any rumors.”

“I only know that I have come to challenge Ning Zhuo. If Ning Zhuo does not accept, it would be a violation of the Ning family’s reputation as a great clan of talisman makers.”

The two Foundation Establishment guards grew even more loathing.

But this matter could not be easily dismissed; it needed to be handled with care.

“Very well. You wait here, while I go inside to report!”