Chen San quickly apologized.

Ning Zhuo tapped his finger on the table, his gaze sharp. “You’re new here and not familiar with how I operate. Since this is your first mistake, I’ll let it go, but don’t do it again.”

Chen San shifted his kneeling posture, both knees touching the ground, and quickly promised.

Ning Zhuo hummed, leaning back in his chair, his tone softening. “Right now, Ban Ji and I are at loggerheads; we must settle this before stopping.”

“The Ban family is powerful, so I need to play to my strengths and avoid my weaknesses.”

“Do you know what my biggest strength is and what the Ban family’s biggest weakness is?”

Ning Zhuo deliberately tested Chen San.

Chen San’s performance this time surprised him. Not only could he fully execute orders, but he also showed subjective agility and improvisation on the spot, which was quite impressive.

Chen San immediately chuckled, “My lord, you’ve asked the right person. I’ve been pondering this matter these past few days and have, by chance, found an answer. I wonder if it’s correct?”

Ning Zhuo smiled faintly. “Stop playing coy; just say it.”

Chen San then put on a serious expression. “In my humble opinion, your greatest strength is your reputation. Although the Ban family belongs to the righteous path, Ban Ji is a known demonic cultivator, and in this regard, they are at their weakest.”

“Hmm, good, good.” Ning Zhuo was very pleased.

This Chen San truly was a talent, seeing one of the keys to this situation at a glance.

Ning Zhuo continued to test him. “Since you already have the answer, what should we do next?”

Chen San immediately chuckled sinisterly, lowering his voice. “Your subordinate has researched Ban Ji’s intelligence. He’s a demonic cultivator, and there are too many flaws in his past actions. Spreading rumors about him will be very easy!”

“He once supervised a mine. As soon as he took office, he doubled the already severe mining quota and implemented even stricter punishments. He made it impossible for the miners to survive, leading to a considerable number of deaths from exhaustion. Ban Ji, on the other hand, exploited the common folk, accumulated his own political achievements, and even embezzled large amounts of cultivation resources.”

“When he served as a market manager, he repeatedly targeted low-level cultivator families with shallow foundations and incompetent descendants. These families still had some meager inheritances, which Ban Ji acquired through various means, whether by deception or outright seizure.”

“He has also been lending at high interest, using the Ban family’s prestige to collect exorbitant profits. If cultivators couldn’t repay their debts, their entire being would become Ban Ji’s asset. These people often disappeared quickly, and I suspect he might have used them as cultivation materials. After all, he is a demonic cultivator.”

“Your subordinate doesn’t even need to exaggerate; simply using this information and slightly embellishing it will make Ban Ji’s reputation utterly despicable, hated, and scorned by the world!”

Upon hearing this, Ning Zhuo pointed at Chen San. “Your smile is inappropriate; take it back. When you work by my side in the future, don’t smile like that.”

Chen San immediately straightened his face, cupping his fists with trepidation. “Your subordinate obeys.”

“Hmm,” Ning Zhuo pondered. “Let me correct you slightly. What we are doing is not attacking or framing! We are exposing the numerous wicked deeds of the demonic cultivator Ban Ji; we are seeking justice for those innocent people—the miners’ souls he sucked dry, the small families he oppressed until they lost everything, and those who disappeared after being drained of their last vitality by usurious loans!”

Ning Zhuo’s voice gradually rose, tinged with sorrow. “This Ban Ji, from a righteous sect like the Ban family, should have adhered to family rules and embodied benevolence. Yet, he used his family’s power to commit such outrageous acts!”

“What did the miners do to deserve this? They struggled to survive, yet Ban Ji treated them like ants and beasts of burden! For his selfish desires, for those so-called ‘political achievements,’ he disregarded human lives, imposed cruel labor, shattered how many families, and left how many orphans and widows weeping blood in their humble dwellings? And were these human lives the materials for his demonic cultivation? I don’t know, but I want to know, and many people want a clear answer!”

Chen San’s heart stirred, and he thought, “Understood. We need to narrate their misery from the perspective of orphans and widows, to incite people’s doubts about whether Ban Ji used humans as consumables for his demonic cultivation!”

Ning Zhuo continued, “Those small families, their ancestors toiled to build a meager foundation, which was their bloodline inheritance, their last bit of shelter for their helpless descendants! And Ban Ji? Driven by greed, he used every insidious method, by deception and outright seizure, to strip them bare! How is such behavior any different from those evil beings in the wilderness who specifically dig up ancestral graves and sever bloodlines? This is about severing roots! How are those small families supposed to live?”

Chen San’s eyes gleamed, and his heart was moved. “Understood! We need to appeal to cultivators with meager family assets, to make them empathize, to feel the terrifying prospect of their hard-won inheritance being seized and usurped by evil people, thereby developing great vigilance and hatred towards Ban Ji!”

Ning Zhuo then said, “As for the usury and exploitation? That is a naked reflection of his demonic nature! In the name of legality, he commits acts of bone-scraping and blood-sucking! Forcing others to sign contracts of servitude, their lives no longer their own! Those who ‘disappeared’ are our most common, most numerous rogue cultivator comrades. Ban Ji’s current achievements are all built upon the sacrifices of these rogue cultivators.”

Chen San nodded repeatedly. “Understood, understood. Make the rogue cultivators genuinely hate and despise him too!”

Ning Zhuo’s tone softened, and he sighed deeply, asking, “Chen San, do you know why I sigh?”

Chen San quickly clasped his fists. “How could a humble subordinate like me fathom your strategies, my lord?”

Ning Zhuo slowly shook his head, a look of deep sorrow on his face. “I am sighing for the Ban family.”

“The Ban family, with its long history and upright traditions, is renowned throughout the region. For countless years, they have accumulated the merits of how many sages, and how many disciples have upheld the righteous path with their swords, earning the world’s respect! Yet today, because of one deeply demonic ‘rat droppings’ like Ban Ji, how much of the Ban family’s reputation has been tarnished!”

“We, who are of the righteous path, seeing such a black sheep, such a disgrace to the clan, simply cannot stand by. The Ban family has tolerated Ban Ji for so many years, which shows their forbearance. But Ban Ji, wearing the Ban family’s skin, has committed evil deeds for so many years, dragging down the family far too much.”

“We must kindly remind the Ban family to make rational choices and set things right, so as to preserve the merits and foundations of their ancestors.”

Chen San’s pupils constricted for a moment, his scalp tingled, and his heart was greatly shaken.

He sincerely raised his thumb in admiration. “My lord! Your skill in spreading rumors is unmatched—”

Ning Zhuo immediately frowned. “Hmm?!”

*Slap, slap.*

Chen San woke up, quickly slapping himself twice. “My lord, you have the world in your heart, benevolent and magnanimous. Even though Ban Ji harmed you so, you are utterly selfless, still considering the Ban family. Such breadth of vision truly makes your subordinate prostrate himself in admiration!”

Ning Zhuo sighed softly. “You flatter me.”

Then, he took out a small storage pouch. “Here are some spirit stones, a small token of my appreciation. You can compensate the inn’s waiters.”

“When I, Ning Zhuo, act, I am always honorable and never mistreat any meritorious subordinate. Do you understand?”

Chen San’s heart trembled, and he quickly said, “Your subordinate understands!”

Ning Zhuo tossed the storage pouch to Chen San and instructed, “I vow to establish my authority with Ban Ji, and every move I make from now on will be monitored by the Ban family. So you don’t need to come over for now.”

Chen San had just joined him, but he had handled both tasks well. He was capable and had a proper attitude. His only drawback was his low cultivation.

Chen San immediately clasped his hands and asked, “Then how should your subordinate report to you, my lord?”

Ning Zhuo then showed a profound smile. “If I want to find you, I will find you.”

He waved his hand.

Chen San bowed and withdrew.

In Ning Zhuo’s vision, a silk thread already floated above Chen San’s head.

The Thread of Human Destiny!

Chen San had been planted by Ning Zhuo as soon as he entered the door. Ning Zhuo relied on the condensation of the Thread of Human Destiny to confirm Chen San’s loyalty to him.

After this report concluded, the Thread of Human Destiny condensed several times over, visibly to the naked eye!

After some thought, Ning Zhuo ultimately did not revoke this divine ability.

Chen San was different from others. As a subordinate in intelligence, he would be involved in many matters concerning Ning Zhuo’s secrets in the future.

Therefore, Ning Zhuo had to observe him and confirm his loyalty.

Only after Ning Zhuo had observed him for a period through the Thread of Human Destiny and confirmed Chen San’s loyalty would he arrange more sensitive tasks.

Chen San quietly left the Qingshi Dongfu.

Along the way, he clutched the storage pouch in his arms, muttering in his heart, “Is this the righteous path?”

It wasn’t until Ning Zhuo gave him the storage pouch that he truly confirmed that Ning Zhuo had no intention of eliminating the inn’s waiters, and sending them away was not sending them to their deaths. He genuinely wanted to prevent the waiters from being liquidated by the Ban family.

Chen San knew: Ning Zhuo’s actions were also a way of showing him his true intentions.

Chen San was only a low-grade spiritual root. Although he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, in the eyes of people like Ning Zhuo, what difference was there between him and a mortal?

Chen San clutched the heavy storage pouch filled with spirit stones, feeling relieved.

“My lord is truly worthy of his noble birth, so skilled in the dissemination of rumors.”

“He can do it himself, and better than I can.”

“It’s truly my luck to be able to attach myself to him! If my lord hadn’t just arrived and had few subordinates, would I have had a chance to stand out?”

“Speaking of which, what kind of power lies behind my lord? Seeing how he deals with Ban Ji, and his attitude towards the Ban family, he shows no fear at all. I’ve latched onto a big tree; I must cherish this opportunity, hold on to it tightly, and never let go!”

At this moment, Ning Zhuo, who was secretly observing Chen San through the Thread of Human Destiny, couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow slightly. “The Thread of Human Destiny is still condensing. This Chen San—he’s good.”

Jiguan Dongfu.

Ban Ji strode over to Ban Xie, casually tossing a token to him, a hint of arrogance in his brows.

The token flew into mid-air and was solidified by Ban Xie’s divine sense, revealing its true nature—a stone tablet.

Ban Xie didn’t look up, still staring at the intelligence in his hand. “The Blind Fool’s minor trial, did it end so quickly?”

Ban Ji chuckled. “It’s all thanks to you for taking care of the Blind Fool’s children and grasping his weakness. Since I rejected Ning Zhuo’s invitation to join and moved forward without hesitation, performing far better than others, the Yu family naturally didn’t delay and directly awarded me the first place.”

“One could say they were sensible.”

“What are you looking at?”

Ban Xie handed the intelligence in his hand to Ban Ji, who, with a sweep of his divine sense, found it contained information about the duel between Zhu Fenxiang and Situ Xing.

Ban Xie said, “We instigated Yan Linglong to present her petition, hoping to facilitate a battle between Situ Xing and Ning Zhuo, but then Zhu Fenxiang suddenly appeared and disrupted the plan.”

“I suspect the nature of this matter.”

“If it truly was a trick by Ning Zhuo’s side, then I must elevate my assessment of him and reconsider this confrontation.”

If Ning Zhuo had indeed instigated Zhu Fenxiang, then this Ban-Ning rivalry would only be considered a draw.

Ning Zhuo had preemptively blocked his vulnerability regarding Situ Xing, while Ban Xie had preemptively guarded the Blind Fool’s frontline.

Ban Ji: “This Ning Zhuo child comes from the righteous path; he might have such ability.”

Ban Xie sighed. “If that’s truly the case, I’m afraid we’ll be at a disadvantage next.”

Ban Ji frowned, looking somewhat puzzled.

Ban Xie sighed again. “Ning Zhuo’s past is difficult to investigate; we can’t find any leverage. And since he started operating in the Wanxiang Sect, his conduct has been proper. He received first place in both Confucian cultivation trials, which is equivalent to the Confucian cultivators giving him some endorsement.”

“More crucially, his three answers when facing the Heart-Questioning in the Zhuxie Tang were truly righteous and dignified.”

“Now, news of Ning Zhuo’s performance has spread widely within the Wanxiang Sect’s main mountain gate.”

In a righteous path game, one must first occupy the moral high ground.

But now, Ning Zhuo’s reputation was too good, making it difficult for Ban Xie’s side to act.

Ban Ji snorted coldly. “What’s so difficult about resolving his good reputation? Confucian cultivators can be deceived, you know. There have been precedents of demonic cultivators cheating in the Zhuxie Tang’s Xingyun minor trial. We can certainly throw mud at Ning Zhuo, slandering him for some sort of cheating—”

At this point, Ban Ji stopped himself.

His expression changed slightly as he realized.

Ban Xie said expressionlessly, “It seems you’ve also figured it out. It’s not that we can’t frame or slander him, but wouldn’t that be slapping the faces of the Confucian cultivators and the Zhuxie Tang?”

“Although there are few Confucian cultivators at the Wanxiang Sect’s main mountain gate, never underestimate their influence. These people occupy the middle ranks of various peaks and halls; they are usually tightly united and very troublesome.”

“And the current Hall Master of the Zhuxie Tang, Zhong Dao, hates evil as he hates a mortal enemy, pursues justice, and acts quite domineeringly.”

“If you were him, would you admire Ning Zhuo or Ban Ji?”

Ban Ji’s expression was grim.

The Ban family was right to send Ban Xie over.

Ban Xie and Ban Ji had a deep friendship since childhood and could cooperate frankly. On the other hand, although Ban Xie was only at Foundation Establishment, she was skilled in this kind of strategic game. She saw the situation more profoundly than Ban Ji.

Ban Ji frowned tightly. “In that case, we can’t frame or slander Ning Zhuo. And attempting to assassinate him at this juncture of the Wanxiang Sect’s Feiyun Grand Assembly is even more impossible!”

“What should be done about this?”

“Ning Zhuo, Ning Zhuo—truly my human tribulation.”

“What a nuisance!”

“Perhaps I’ll have to face him myself and resolve him head-on in the Yanwu Hall!”

“But it’s such a pity.”

“I sent my challenge letter, but Ning Zhuo didn’t accept the challenge. He won’t submit easily.”

Upon hearing this, Ban Xie’s expression immediately changed. “Wait, a challenge letter? You didn’t tell me this information. Ning Zhuo has your challenge letter?”