A Pawn's Passage

Chapter 429: Killing Three Birds With One Stone

Chapter 429: Killing Three Birds With One Stone

The meeting concluded, and everyone dispersed.

Everyone, regardless of which faction they belonged to, was deep in thought.

For Qi Xuansu, this was his first time participating in a Daoist Order meeting of this level, so he found it eye-opening, feeling a sense of awe.

This was vastly different from the battles in Jianghu. There was no visible clash of swords, yet danger lurked everywhere. A few words could spark a storm of bloodshed—who knew how many lives would be lost as a result of the discussions from above?

That was why power and status were paramount. With them, one could determine life and death with a word. Without them, one’s fate would be dictated by others. Even the notions of right and wrong could be reversed.

Li Tianlan, that old fox, casually brushed aside Ye Xiu’s confession with just a few sentences, each reason unassailable. No one could touch him. Yet, when Sage Donghua stepped in, speaking the same words, Li Tianlan had to accept partial responsibility. Again, every word was justified.

Zhang Yuelu deliberately lagged behind, even dismissing Mu Jin, making herself appear alone.

Mu Jin, of course, knew what Zhang Yuelu was up to, muttering to herself that her friend was putting dicks before chicks. But she was powerless to intervene.

Qi Xuansu quickened his pace to walk alongside Zhang Yuelu.

“What are you thinking about?” Qi Xuansu asked upon noticing Zhang Yuelu’s furrowed brow.

Zhang Yuelu replied, “I’m thinking about the Heavenly Being who killed Feng Bo.”

Qi Xuansu’s heart clenched with nervousness, but he maintained a calm expression. “Didn’t Sage Lei say it was likely a Martial Arts Practitioner at the Wuliang stage, most probably someone from the Imperial Court? After all, the Imperial Court and the Heavenly Court have had many conflicts. I think it sounds reasonable.”

Zhang Yuelu remained silent for a moment before saying, “Sage Lei’s judgment isn’t wrong, but Deputy Hall Master Lu’s perspective also makes sense.”

Qi Xuansu recalled the tension of his second encounter with Zhang Yuelu at this moment, feeling a sense of déjà vu. He feigned surprise. “Are you referring to the mysterious Qingping Society?”

Zhang Yuelu nodded slightly. “Yes, the Qingping Society. The Heavenly Court relies on sheer numbers, with hundreds of thousands of followers. Thus, they have a chaotic mix of good and bad. The Qingping Society, on the other hand, takes the opposite approach. They value quality over quantity, with very few members, none of whom are ordinary. Xie Qiuniang, whom we have encountered at the Yulan Temple, was a member of the Qingping Society, and she was merely a B-rank member.”

Qi Xuansu wanted to interject, What do you mean by merely a B-rank member?

He had not advanced within the Daoist Order, nor had he—a mere C-rank member—risen in the Qingping Society.

Seeing that Qi Xuansu remained silent, Zhang Yuelu continued, “As far as I know, the Qingping Society’s members are divided into four tiers: A, B, C, and D. B-rank members have significant status within that secret society, but the A-rank members are the true core members. There are only a few of them, but each one of them is highly influential.

Li Tianlan said, “Sage Donghua just couldn’t resist stepping in personally. This is a good thing, indicating that the pressure from the Golden Tower Council is starting to yield results. At the very least, Sage Donghua can no longer sit idly by.”

Li Mingzhi asked in a lowered voice, “Sixth Uncle, what should we do next?”

Li Tianlan pondered for a moment before deciding. “We’ll stick to the original plan. We mustn’t allow Ye Xiu to remain alive. Eliminate him and pin the blame on the secret society. As long as we leave no evidence, Sage Donghua can’t do anything about it even if he comes to Jinling Prefecture personally.”

All three juniors nodded simultaneously.

Lu Yushu added, “Judging by the situation, it seems Lei Xiaohuan will personally negotiate with Shi Luosi. What should we do about Pei Xiaolou?”

Li Tianlan paused briefly before replying, “That’s simple. You can’t catch a wolf without a sizable bait. If we want to take something, we must first give something. Leak a bit of information to him. Since this involves the Jiangnan Daoist Mansion, I’ll handle it personally.”

The three nodded again.

This meant they were about to sacrifice yet another pawn.

As for who the unlucky scapegoat would be, that was not their concern.

“How are your preparations coming along?” Li Tianlan asked.

Li Mingcheng replied, “I’ve already redeployed Beichen Hall’s personnel to the outer city, mainly to capture the remaining Beggar Gang members under Ye Xiu. This group of beggars has been running rampant, oppressing the innocent, so it’s time we deal with them. We’ll kill a batch as a warning to the rest.”

“Very good.” Li Tianlan narrowed his eyes. “This so-called Beggar Gang has been entrenched in Jinling Prefecture for far too long, committing countless crimes. I’ve heard that they have at least several thousand registered beggars under their banner, becoming a festering sore in Jinling Prefecture. Ordinary people dare not provoke them and can only suffer their actions in silence. So make these killings public—the more people know, the better.

“Let the people of Jinling Prefecture see who is truly seeking justice for them—who is standing up for the common folk. Let them also see who has turned Jinling Prefecture into a place of fear and chaos, causing widespread unease and panic. As long as we win the people’s hearts, no one can overthrow us.”

A smile appeared on Li Mingcheng’s face. “Then we’ll have an excuse afterward. We weren’t sitting idly by; we were simply too preoccupied, which gave the cult demons the chance to infiltrate Zhenwu Temple.”

The other two also smiled smugly.

Killing the Beggar Gang members would serve multiple purposes: silencing witnesses, gaining rapport, and absolving themselves of blame. It was truly a move that achieved three goals at once.

Li Tianlan’s face, however, remained serious. “One must stay calm in the face of major events. Don’t just rely on smooth talk. Ensure the plans are implemented properly. It’s imperative that nothing goes wrong.”

The three quickly wiped the smiles from their faces, replying the Sage solemnly. “Understood.”