novelapdf Chapter 13: Soul Search Reveals Secret Information, Leading to a Counter-Strategy
Chapter 13: Soul Search Reveals Secret Information, Leading to a Counter-Strategy
The sky was just beginning to lighten.
Inside the ancestral home in Black Stone Mountain, the stench of last night's blood has not yet dissipated.
The bluestone pavement in the courtyard had been washed by water, leaving behind a few dark red marks. Several guards were busy carrying wooden buckets, their expressions revealing their excitement.
Last night, the Wang family sent someone to assassinate the young clan leader, but they failed and were captured alive instead.
Although the news was kept secret within the clan, once it got out, the morale of the Li family would surely rise again.
⸻
Inside the council chamber.
The ghostly figure was chained to a pillar, its hair disheveled and its aura weak.
A Qi Refining Stage 7 cultivator, now he looks like a dead dog.
Li Yuanlie sat beside him, sharpening his knife. The blade rubbed against the whetstone, making a piercing sound.
With each ring, the ghost's face paled a little more.
Li Yuanshan stood at a distance, clutching the account book, not daring to approach.
"Young clan leader."
"If he's already confessed, why keep him around?"
Li Yuanlie chuckled.
"I think we can recruit a few more."
The ghostly figure trembled, and for the first time, fear appeared in its eyes.
⸻
Li Xuan sat in the main seat, his expression calm.
The ghostly figure last night did indeed reveal quite a few things.
But what he says may not all be true.
To survive, assassins often tell half the truth and half the lies.
Li Xuan needed more accurate intelligence.
He raised his hand and flipped it over, revealing a gray talisman in his palm.
The talisman paper was engraved with fine lines, and a faint, chilling aura emanated from it.
Li Yuanshan recognized it at a glance and gasped.
"A soul-capturing talisman?!"
Li Tianheng nodded slowly.
"I got a broken talisman when I was away years ago, and I've never been willing to use it."
"Although it's not a true soul-searching technique, it can force out some memories."
Li Yuanshan felt a chill run down his spine.
"This thing... won't it make people stupid?"
Li Yuanlie grinned.
"That's perfect."
⸻
The ghostly figure finally panicked.
"You promised to spare my life if I confessed!"
Li Xuan looked at him indifferently.
"I did promise."
So you're still alive and sitting here.
The ghostly figure paused, and the chill in their heart deepened.
The boy spoke calmly, yet his words were more chilling than any form of torture.
⸻
"Hold him down."
Li Xuan spoke.
Li Yuanlie strode forward, pressing down on the ghost's shoulder with one hand, as if holding down a chick.
The ghost struggled frantically, and just as it began to circulate its seventh-level Qi Refining spiritual power, Li Yuanlie punched it in the abdomen, causing it to curl up like a shrimp in pain.
next moment.
The Soul-Capturing Talisman was slapped onto the forehead.
hum-
The ghostly figure's eyes suddenly glazed over, and its body began to tremble violently.
The breathing of everyone in the hall became lighter.
⸻
A moment later, intermittent sounds came from the ghostly figure.
"Wang... Tonghai..."
"Tonight... if it succeeds... burn down the storeroom..."
"The Zhao family... Zhao Yuancheng... wants 20% of the shops on East Street..."
"Tomorrow at noon... at Zuixianlou... for a private meeting..."
Li Yuanshan's eyes widened instantly.
"They've really gotten involved with the Zhao family!"
Li Tianheng frowned.
If the Zhao family really sides with the Wang family, the Li family will be in a much more troublesome situation.
Although the Zhao family is not as powerful as the Wang family, it is still a long-established force in Qingyun County.
When the two companies join forces, it becomes more than just a simple business battle.
⸻
The ghostly figure continued to mutter.
"Wang Tonghai... is scared..."
"They said... if we give the Li family another half month... we won't be able to suppress it..."
Upon hearing this, Li Xuan's lips curled up slightly.
It's good that you're scared.
When the enemy is not afraid of you, you will remain calm.
The enemy will only act rashly when they fear you.
⸻
The soul-capturing talisman burned out, the ghostly figure tilted its head, and completely lost consciousness.
Li Yuanshan shrank his neck.
"Are you really stupid?"
Li Yuanlie walked over and kicked it twice.
"He's not dead. If he wakes up, he'll probably be close to death."
He was quite disappointed.
"I haven't had enough fun yet."
⸻
Li Tianheng looked at Li Xuan.
"Drunken Immortal Pavilion at Noon"
"What do you want to do?"
All eyes turned to them.
Li Xuan stood up, walked to the center of the hall, and tapped the table lightly with his fingers.
"A person like Zhao Yuancheng is not loyal to anyone, only to his own interests."
"He now wants to bet on both sides."
"They want to take advantage of the Wang family while also leaving room for the Li family to succeed."
Li Yuanshan nodded vigorously.
"That's how all businessmen are."
Li Yuanlie glanced at him sideways.
"You're a businessman too."
Li Yuanshan spoke with righteous indignation.
"I'm a loyal family business owner!"
⸻
Li Xuan continued:
"Since he wants to bet on both sides, let him know—"
"Supporting the Wang family will lead to an even more devastating defeat."
Li Tianheng squinted.
"Are you planning to give the Zhao family a warning?"
Li Xuan shook his head.
"Not enough criticism."
"We need to let him see with his own eyes that the Wang family has already begun its decline."
⸻
As he spoke, he looked at Li Yuanshan.
"How many spirit coins are in the account?"
Li Yuanshan immediately flipped through the account books.
"After deducting the monthly allowances for purchasing, repairing, and guarding, there are currently 18,600 spirit coins remaining."
Li Xuan nodded.
"Take out five thousand."
Li Yuanshan's expression changed.
"Five thousand?!"
"Young clan leader, this is no small sum!"
Li Xuan remained calm.
"If you're unwilling to use the bait, you won't catch any fish."
⸻
Before noon.
Qingyun County, Zuixianlou.
This is one of the largest restaurants in the city, frequented mostly by monks and wealthy people.
Inside the private room on the second floor, Zhao Yuancheng, the head of the Zhao family, had already arrived.
This man was in his forties, slightly overweight, with narrow eyes, and his smile resembled that of Maitreya Buddha.
But those who know him well know that he is very shrewd.
The wine on the table remained untouched; he merely kept stroking his teacup, as if weighing something.
A moment later, the door was pushed open.
Wang Tonghai stepped inside.
Zhao Yuancheng immediately stood up, his face beaming.
"Brother Wang, your presence is an honor to our humble abode."
Wang Tonghai snorted and sat down.
"Enough with the nonsense."
"What do you think of the conditions I've offered you?"
Zhao Yuancheng's smile remained unchanged.
"What Brother Wang gave me is naturally generous."
"But what about the Li family..."
A cold glint flashed in Wang Tonghai's eyes.
"The Li family won't be able to keep up this for long."
"If you help me crush them, you can have 20% of the shops on East Street immediately."
Zhao Yuancheng's eyelids twitched slightly.
Two-tenths of the shop space is quite tempting.
But just then—
Suddenly a commotion arose downstairs.
"Get out of the way! Get out of the way!"
"The young patriarch of the Li family has booked the entire venue!"
Both of them were taken aback.
⸻
On the street outside the window.
More than a dozen oxcarts were parked in front of Zuixianlou.
The cart was loaded with spirit rice, medicinal herbs, and timber, and a team of guards followed behind.
Li Xuan stood with his hands behind his back in front of the carriage, his expression calm.
The shopkeeper greeted them with a broad smile.
"Young Clan Chief Li, please come upstairs!"
Zhao Yuancheng's pupils contracted slightly.
This doesn't look like a dinner party.
It's like they're throwing money at it.
Wang Tonghai's face instantly darkened.
The thing he least wanted to see happened—
The Li family has become wealthy.
Moreover, they started spending money ostentatiously.
⸻
Inside the private room, Zhao Yuancheng suddenly laughed.
"Brother Wang."
"It seems the Li family doesn't really look like it's on the verge of collapse."
Wang Tonghai's face was ashen, and he remained silent.
Downstairs, Li Xuan looked up at the second-floor window, a half-smile on his face.
It was as if they already knew they were here.
That glance made Wang Tonghai's heart sink.
For the first time, he felt—
It seemed as if I was being led by the nose by this boy.
⸻
In the direction of Black Stone Mountain, the wind and clouds are surging.
A system notification slowly sounded in my mind:
The Zhao family's attitude wavered.
[Mission Progress: Disintegration of the King Zhao Alliance (65%)]
[Current Luck: 112]
[Reward Preview: Opportunity to upgrade the fourth acre of spirit field]
Li Xuan withdrew his gaze, a slight smile playing on his lips.
The Zhao family has already taken the bait.
End of Chapter Thirteen