The Monarch Of Everlasting Night Chapter 379: Fang Che's Move, A Stirring Situation! (Part 2) - Novel Cool

Chapter 379: Fang Che's Move, A Stirring Situation! (Part 2)

Chapter 379: Fang Che's Move, A Stirring Situation! (Part 2)

It's truly remarkable!"

Fang Che praised repeatedly.

Yun Jian Qiu and Jing Xiuyun were utterly bewildered.

As they strolled in, they hadn't noticed the painting on the wall outside.

As for the artistic concept... they felt even less.

"Fang Che is truly an expert!"

Zhu Shaoyun clapped in admiration.

"I'm ashamed. I'm a painting fool. When I see a good painting, I can't help myself. Alas, when I came in, it was all because Zhu Clan Leader, you walked too fast, causing me to not have a good look."

Fang Che blamed.

Zhu Shaoyun laughed heartily, "It's my fault, it's my fault."

"Then I'll have to come more often. This painting, I want to examine it closely. Clan Leader Zhu, you probably don't know, but my most proud sword techniques were inspired by a painting."

Zhu Shaoyun's face was filled with a smile, but her heart was stunned.

This guy's words implied that by not letting him see the painting, she had hindered his Martial Dao path.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Enter!"

A maid walked in and said, "Clan Leader, the Elder Madam heard that the number one King has arrived and wants to meet him."

Zhu Shaoyun's heart was relieved, and she said, "Then I must consult with Fang Che. I don't know if Fang Che is available..."

Fang Che immediately nodded and smiled, "I'm available."

Jing Xiuyun and Yun Jian Qiu waited, and then Fang Che followed Zhu Shaoyun through the intricately carved corridors and painted halls, along a winding path that led to a secluded area, and they arrived at a room.

In front of them was a large group of people, men and women, all of them handsome and beautiful.

In the middle, however, was an old lady with hair like clouds and snow, indicating her advanced age. But her face was delicate and moist, making her look like a forty-year-old.

Zhu Shaoyun stepped forward and reported, "Elder Madam, Fang Che has arrived."

The Elder Madam turned her head, her eyes sparkling with joy. "Oh my, this is Fang Che. Truly... Orchid Bamboo, a Heavenly Immortal Descended, come, come, Fang Che, please sit. You are an honored guest, so please don't be formal."

The Elder Madam appeared kind and approachable, exuding an indescribable warmth from within, making people feel an indescribable familiarity.

"Elder Madam, I wish you well."

Fang Che bowed politely, and his gaze swept across the faces of those present.

There were four men and four women, all young, the men handsome and the women breathtakingly beautiful, each with an extraordinary appearance.

The women's eyes lit up when they saw him, and two of them blushed. The men's gazes were filled with scrutiny.

Their eyes were sharp, examining Fang Che from head to toe.

Fang Che carefully sensed the atmosphere, as if... in the territory of a pack of wolves, a mighty tiger had suddenly appeared.

This was interesting.

He carefully sensed the auras of the eight individuals, each carrying a faint feeling of being "untainted by the mortal world."

Moreover, when he probed their cultivation fluctuations with ordinary spiritual power, he couldn't detect anything. He had no choice but to use the Boundless Dharma Scripture, and immediately, he sensed their spiritual power.

Their energy-holding techniques were even more powerful than he had imagined.

These eight young men and women were experts.

Their cultivation was higher than his.

However, when facing these eight individuals, Fang Che didn't feel the slightest lack of confidence. Instead, he felt a calm assurance.

In a one-on-one fight, I can handle it.

Unbeknownst to them, these eight individuals had already sized Fang Che up the moment they saw him.

Yes, a Fifth Rank King.

I can handle it.

The Elder Madam was very friendly, holding Fang Che's hand and speaking with kindness, as if she was growing fonder of Fang Che. "Go to my room and get the purple jade box. I took a liking to Fang Che at first sight. Truly, such outstanding young people are hard to come by these days. You young people should also get to know each other better."

The maid returned gracefully, holding a purple jade box, which the Elder Madam handed to Fang Che, "Fang Che, please don't refuse."

Fang Che took it and opened it, and his expression changed instantly, "I can't accept this."

It was a very old and worn-out sword manual of unknown material.

"Starlight Sword"

The Elder Madam smiled kindly. "Fang Che, please accept it. I have a request; consider it as my reward to Fang Che?"

Fang Che said, "Please let me know your request."

"I heard Fang Che is going to count the family members outside..."

The Elder Madam's face showed difficulty, and she said, "Fang Che, you may know that over the years, our Zhu Clan has grown large, and we've been sending family members to various places on the continent to prevent..."

"If one day, wealth brings disaster, we don't want to lose everything in one go."

"So many of the family members we sent out have changed their names and hidden their identities."

"After so many years, it's really hard to..."

"And they don't belong to White Cloud Island anymore."

The Elder Madam kindly said, "I'm sure Fang Che can understand my difficulty."

Fang Che said, "I can understand the Elder Madam's difficulty. My task of investigating White Cloud Island is part of my duty, so please understand my difficulty as well."

The Elder Madam was stunned for a moment.

Her words were reasonable and logical, but why did Fang Che refuse?

Moreover, this set of sword techniques complemented his own perfectly.

What reason is there to refuse? Those people didn't even belong to White Cloud Island.

A young man beside them frowned and exclaimed, "Deputy Hall Master Fang, you are the Deputy Hall Master of White Cloud Island, but not of the entire world. You can investigate White Cloud Island as you please, but even those who have been away for years and no longer belong to the island, you want to investigate them too? Aren't you overstepping your boundaries?"

Fang Che smiled warmly, "It's my duty."

Another young man spoke up, "But for thousands of years, the White Cloud Island Governor's Hall has never conducted investigations in this manner. Are you, Deputy Hall Master Fang, changing the rules and regulations of the Governor's Hall as soon as you take office?"

The group's mood soured upon hearing Fang Che refer to himself as 'this official.' The more they listened, the more irritating it became.

Now, seeing Fang Che's stubbornness, anger rose within them.

Fang Che narrowed his eyes, hands clasped behind his back, assuming an official stance. As he turned, three golden stars on his collar glowed, and he said calmly, "I am unaware of the previous rules. But now, I am in charge of the investigation! I will do as I see fit, and the rules I set are the rules!"

Everyone was stunned for a moment.

This guy was boldly declaring himself an official and acting with such authority, clearly ready for a confrontation.

"So, while I am in charge, everything will be done according to the rules I set!" Fang Che emphasized.

"I am aware that the Zhu Clan is the richest and most influential, with deep roots," Fang Che continued calmly. "But I, Fang, am here to investigate spies and evil cultists. It's a grave responsibility, and I dare not take it lightly."

The Elder Madam's expression turned sour, perhaps because, in all these years, no one had ever dared to deny her face-to-face.

She narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Deputy Hall Master Fang, why not consider my proposal? I'm not making things difficult for you. It's just following past practices, and it won't put you in a difficult position. Why make things so hard?"

Fang Che replied calmly, "In principle, I could give you that face. But if I do, who will be responsible for the safety of the millions of people on White Cloud Island?"

The Elder Madam was taken aback.

This guy seemed to be offering a concession, but then he quickly shifted, almost as if he had changed his mind.

The Elder Madam's kind face turned gloomy, and she said, "I'm feeling a bit tired."

This was a clear dismissal.

Fang Che responded calmly, "The Elder Madam is getting on in years. Why not take a rest? But as for the Zhu Clan's personnel records, Master Zhu, I should be able to obtain them tomorrow, right?"

The Elder Madam assured him, "Rest assured, Deputy Hall Master Fang. You will have them tomorrow."

"Then, thank you."

Fang Che continued, "As for that painting, I'll come by every few days to check on it. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"

The group couldn't help but laugh.

How clueless could one be? After things had escalated to this point, he was still thinking about the painting?

"Our Zhu Clan is just a merchant family, and we generally don't welcome outsiders," the Elder Madam said, her face turning frosty. "And with Deputy Hall Master Fang frequently visiting, people might think there's something wrong with our family or that we've broken some law."

"It's not very convenient," she added coldly.

Fang Che furrowed his brows, "You're refusing me so directly? So bluntly?"

As the Elder Madam's anger rose, Fang Che observed her closely, sensing a fleeting aura of superiority, an otherworldly immortal energy, in her frosty expression.

At that moment, the four young men and women beside her also felt a sudden surge of spiritual energy, an ethereal aura, as the Elder Madam's anger intensified.

The Elder Madam closed her eyes and fell silent.

The investigation, which had started on a friendly note, took a sharp turn, and the relationship plummeted to freezing temperatures!

Zhu Shaoyun forced a smile, "Deputy Hall Master Fang, please."

Fang Che narrowed his eyes, "Are you asking me to leave?"

Zhu Shaoyun replied calmly, "I wouldn't dare. But with the list needed for tomorrow, time is of the essence. I still have preparations to make."

Fang Che hummed, "In that case, I, Fang, will come first thing in the morning. Master Zhu, if you can't provide the list, you know the consequences."

A cold light flashed in Zhu Shaoyun's eyes, "Are you really going to be so aggressive, Deputy Hall Master Fang?"

Fang Che coldly hummed, "Isn't providing the list tomorrow what you agreed to?"

"Hmph!"

"Hmph!"

Each of them expressed their discontent, and the two, who had been getting along so well just moments ago, returned to the small reception room with cold faces.

Then, Deputy Hall Master Fang and the other two were escorted out.

As they passed through the grand reception hall, Fang Che turned back to look at the large painting on the wall.

Only then did Yun Jianqiu and Jing Xiuyun notice the painting. They saw thousands of mountains and valleys hidden in the mist, along with grand palaces shining with golden splendor under the sun.

These palaces seemed to be built in the clouds.

Indeed, it looked like a place where only deities could reside.

Deputy Hall Master Fang was mesmerized by the painting, greedily taking in every detail.

Zhu Shaoyun spoke calmly, "Deputy Hall Master Fang, aren't you satisfied with just one painting?"

"Not satisfied...not satisfied..."

Deputy Hall Master Fang muttered, then realized what he was saying and coldly hummed, "It's just a painting. What's so great about it? Let's go!"

He strode out, taking the lead.

But as he reached the door, he couldn't help but turn back for another look.

Zhu Shaoyun let out a cold hum.

Her gaze was piercing.

The three of them were practically pushed out the door.

"No need to see you out!" Zhu Shaoyun said coldly and immediately turned back to the mansion.

Jing Xiuyun and Yun Jianqiu were baffled. Just a moment ago, everything seemed fine. The master of the house had treated Deputy Hall Master Fang like a beloved father, showing him so much warmth and respect.

But now, in just a short while, they were being driven out? The change in treatment was drastic!

"Deputy Hall Master Fang, what happened?" they asked cautiously.

Fang Che's face turned red with anger, "The Zhu Clan, with their wealth, dares to disrespect the Governor's Hall! It's too much! I merely asked for their family records, and they started showing attitude. They're so used to getting their way!"

Jing Xiuyun said, "But they said all the account books were already prepared."

"What's the use of seeing the good ones?"

Fang Che said, "I want to see what they're not prepared for! As a result, the whole family turned pale in an instant, and they even tried to bribe me. Am I the kind of person who accepts gifts?"

The two fell silent.

In their hearts, they knew that what they had just heard from Fang Che was a request for that painting... This wasn't just accepting gifts, it was outright soliciting bribes.

"You two go back to the palace first."

Fang Che, still seething with anger, said, "I'm going to take a walk around here."

Jing Xiuyun advised, "General Fang, the Zhu family has considerable influence in this area, you must be careful and not act impulsively."

"No problem!"

Fang Che said calmly, "I'm not the kind of person who doesn't know the weight of matters."

He waved his hands repeatedly, "Go, go quickly."

Then he turned and walked in another direction.

Jing Xiuyun and the others were helpless and had to keep looking back as they walked, feeling uneasy.

General Fang soon disappeared into the crowd.

As he walked, his mind was racing, recalling the conversations he had with those young girls during the friendship battle, and trying to remember details about the various sect emblems and characteristics.

Initially, those girls hadn't considered anything, but General Fang had managed to extract quite a bit of information from them.

From the moment he entered, the growth of the grass on the roof and the fact that the gatehouse hadn't been repaired for many years, to the various carvings and sculptures on the gatehouse, were all clearly imprinted in his mind.

But he couldn't find anything to verify his suspicions until he entered the large living room and saw the huge painting, which made his suspicions more apparent.

It wasn't until he entered the smaller living room that Zhu Shaoyun, despite her careful handling, offered him the spirit tea. However, her tea-drinking manner was natural and relaxed, showing no signs of reluctance, indicating that she was indeed comfortable with the situation.

Moreover, the tea leaves that Fang Che sensed with his divine consciousness were almost gone, indicating that the tea was usually prepared by the maids.

Zhu Shaoyun was merely putting on a show, emphasizing her 'ordinary person, merchant' side.

She was well-prepared to accept any inspections.

Fang Che's unexpected move was to demand what they weren't prepared for: "I want the list of all outsiders who came here!"

This demand was unreasonable, but it was a hard punch.

According to common sense, those people were no longer under the jurisdiction of the White Cloud Island Governor's Hall. This was a fact.

But Fang Che insisted on investigating! And as a result, the Zhu family sent out this Elder Madam.

Moreover, they used bribery and the shyness of a young girl... All of these were tactics to avoid handing over that list.

Fang Che understood in his heart: If it were truly a clan genealogy list, handing it over wouldn't be a big deal. But why wouldn't they hand it over?

Each person believed they were well-hidden, but when ordinary spiritual power was used for inspection, nothing could be detected.

However, when the Boundless Dharma Scripture was activated, the truth became clear. What did this represent? Fang Che was well aware.

No wonder the Zhu family had been able to stay undetected in White Cloud Island for so many years; they were a nest of experts.

But on second thought, Fang Che realized that these people were definitely not from the Only Righteous Sect, but from a secluded sect in the outside world.

"There's no trace of sinister ghost energy, neither from the Netherworld Hall nor the Azure Netherworld Hall."

Fang Che pondered, "But they must be a peripheral organization of a powerful secluded sect, placed outside to gather wealth or transport resources for the sect."

Now that he had made his move, how would the other party respond?

So many experts were hiding in White Cloud Island, yet they did nothing but extract wealth from the island...

"They will never hand over the list. Because, those people are not on their clan genealogy."

"If my guess is correct, they should be like the Heavenly Escort Bureau, rotating their personnel after a period of time. And those so-called branches outside are probably other disciples of the sect."

"So, they can't hand over the list."

"Since they can't hand over the list but still agreed, it means they plan to take action against me."

"As long as I die or disappear, the risk of exposing their identities will pass."

"I want to see how you plan to take action!"

Fang Che's eyes flashed with determination.

Then he started considering, "Fang Zhi Shi has lit this fire, but he can't keep it burning. How can I pass it to the Night Demon?"

Fang Che pondered in his heart.

General Fang couldn't kill people, even if they came to kill him. Although they took the initiative, it would still provoke the other party's hatred towards the Guardian and the Guardian Palace.

This was unacceptable.

Therefore... the Night Demon had to take action.

But on what grounds could the Night Demon intervene? Fang Che furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully.

General Fang finished his shift and went to North City again, strolling near the Zhu family's residence as if investigating something.

On one hand, it was to exert pressure, and on the other hand, it was to give the other party a chance to make their move.

Although there was a suspicion of entrapment, as long as they didn't come to kill, how could he enforce the law? Therefore, Fang Che felt that the logic was on his side!

As night fell, General Fang just reached a spot near the city gate. He took a glance and thought, "This place is perfect for a murder."

No more drafts, how painful!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end

Report