nownovels Chapter 99 Shadows of the South Seas
Chapter 99 Shadows of the South Seas
Chapter 99 Shadows of the South Seas
Inside the small house, the candlelight flickered.
A jet-black paper crane rests quietly on the table.
This is Chen An's unique method of communication.
Unfold the paper crane; there are only a few words on it, but the handwriting appears unusually hasty and hurried.
There have been changes at the dock.
A batch of "porcelain clay" was intercepted, containing powdered human remains.
The shipper was "Tonghai Trading Company," a base in Southeast Asia.
Zhao Kui's younger brother, Zhao Meng, was the comprador for the trading company.
Gu Shenyan tapped his fingers lightly on the table.
"Thump, thump, thump."
In the stillness of the night, the sound was like a war drum.
He closed his eyes and fed all these seemingly scattered clues into the system.
[Data integration in progress —]
[Clue 1: The variant of the "Soul-Sealing Nail" that appeared in the talisman room belongs to Southeast Asian sorcery.]
[Clue 2: The distributed spirit sand contains a poison that dulls spiritual consciousness; its components are suspected to be corpse oil and mind-altering herbs.]
[Clue 3: Zhao Kui, who guards the talisman room, is maliciously targeting and attempting to frame someone.]
[Clue 4: Zhao Kui's brother colluded with the Nanyang Trading Company to smuggle insidious materials.]
[In-depth analysis initiated.]
Within the sea of consciousness, countless data streams converge into a massive network.
All the clues eventually pointed to a startling conclusion.
[Analysis: This is a premeditated "cultural invasion."]
[Objective: Inheritance of Lu Banxian's talismanic skills.]
[Method: A two-pronged approach.]
[Firstly: Physical castration. Through the use of poisonous spirit sand, the spiritual consciousness of a large number of lower-level disciples is destroyed, creating a talent gap.]
Secondly: spiritual pollution. Southeast Asian sorcery is infiltrated into the core tradition, leading talented disciples astray and ultimately controlling them.
Gu Shenyan suddenly opened his eyes.
A chill ran from the soles of my feet straight up to the top of my head.
How could this be considered internal strife between sects?
This is to sever Lu Banxian's roots and turn this big courtyard into an arsenal for the Nanyang sorcerers!
"What a huge appetite."
Gu Shenyan muttered to himself.
If it weren't for my system, and if it weren't for Chen An as my mole, everyone who came here would probably be dead, and no one would know what happened.
We can no longer go it alone.
Gu Shenyan stood up, pushed open the door, and stepped into the night.
After an incense stick has burned.
Inside a hidden stone cave on the back mountain.
-
Gu Shenyan, Han Sushuang, and Jia Shouren sat together.
A dim oil lamp was lit inside the cave.
"What?!"
Upon hearing Gu Shenyan's account, Jia Shouren was so frightened that he jumped up, his entire body trembling.
"You said someone wants to plant—what kind of nails—in us?"
"It's a Soul-Sealing Nail."
Gu Shenyan corrected him, his expression grave.
"The poison in the spirit sand is also to support this plan."
Han Sushuang's expression was colder than usual.
Her hand rested on the hilt of the sword, her knuckles turning white from the force.
"I am a member of the Han family, and I have known since childhood that the sorcerers of Southeast Asia are my mortal enemies."
"How dare they extend their reach here!"
"This is undermining the very foundation of my cultivation in the Great Qian Dynasty!"
At this moment, the murderous aura emanating from this young lady from a prominent family made Gu Shenyan take notice.
This is not only a struggle for interests, but also a struggle for tradition and a source of national hatred.
"Brother Gu, tell us, what do you want us to do?"
Although Jia Shouren was afraid of death, he was also filled with indignation at this moment.
After all, nobody wants to become a puppet controlled by others.
Gu Shenyan looked around at the two of them and said in a deep voice, "We are now in the same boat."
"I need your strength."
"Brother Jia, your family is in business, and they have some connections."
"I want you to use your father's connections to secretly keep an eye on that 'Tonghai Trading Company'."
"Remember, just look, don't say anything, and pay special attention to whether they are transporting special goods into the tenement."
"7
Jia Shouren gritted his teeth and nodded emphatically: "No problem, leave it to me! Anyone who dares to mess with Fatty's brain, Fatty will take their money!"
"Senior Sister Han."
Gu Shenyan looked at Han Sushuang.
"You need to use your family's status to investigate, without exposing us, whether any of the disciples who have been eliminated in recent years have gone mad, died suddenly, or gone missing."
"We need evidence, irrefutable evidence."
Han Sushuang solemnly promised, "I will write a letter and go home right away, and have my father investigate."
The next day, in the lecture hall.
Today's lecture is given by our senior brother, Cao Wenjing.
He was a rigid and traditional person who valued rules and regulations above all else.
But today, Gu Shenyan keenly noticed that something was wrong with Senior Brother Cao.
He even lost focus when he talked about the "Heart-Cleansing Mantra".
He didn't even notice when the ruler in his hand fell to the ground.
Moreover, his gaze frequently drifted out the window, towards the direction where the Nanyang Trading Company was located.
After class.
The disciples dispersed.
Gu Shenyan deliberately stayed until the very end.
He took the "purifying talisman" that he had "modified" and walked to the front of the podium.
"Senior Brother Cao."
Cao Wenjing snapped back to his senses, a flicker of panic crossing his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure.
"It's Junior Brother Gu. What is it?"
"My junior brother has recently been studying ancient texts and came across a Southeast Asian sorcery called 'Bewitching Heart Curse,' which is said to be very similar to the 'soul-loss syndrome' in our Taoist tradition."
As Gu Shenyan spoke, he carefully observed Cao Wenjing's expression.
"Junior brother is dull-witted and cannot distinguish between the two, so I have come to ask for your guidance so that I may not be tricked when I travel in the martial world in the future."
Upon hearing the words "Nanyang," Cao Wenjing's pupils constricted sharply.
He gave Gu Shenyan a deep look.
That look in his eyes was very complicated.
There was surprise, there was wariness, but more than anything, there was the excitement of meeting a kindred spirit.
"In which book did you see it?"
Cao Wenjing's voice was a little hoarse.
"A fragment of a scroll, I've forgotten its title."
Gu Shenyan smiled slightly, his expression suggestive.
"Senior brother, evil spirits in this world often wear the cloak of righteousness."
"If you can't tell the difference, you'll suffer a great loss."
Cao Wenjing remained silent for a long time.
Suddenly, as if he had made a decision, he reached out and patted Gu Shenyan on the shoulder.
The force was very strong.
"Junior brother has a good understanding."
"In a few days, perhaps there will be an opportunity for you to witness firsthand what true evil is."
After saying that, Cao Wenjing strode away.
Gu Shenyan watched his retreating figure, a slight smile playing on his lips.
It seems that this senior disciple is not an outsider.
He is also a potential ally.
Three days later, late at night.
Gu Shenyan was meditating.
Suddenly, an invisible wave pierced through the restrictions on the doors and windows.
There was no sound, but Gu Shenyan could clearly sense it.
That was a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator's divine sense transmission!
"Come quickly to the pine forest on the back mountain."
His voice was gentle and warm, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.
It's Liu Wenyuan!
Gu Shenyan felt a chill run down his spine and, not daring to delay, immediately got up and went to meet them.
-
The pine forest under the moonlight is dappled and mottled.
Liu Wenyuan stood with his back to him, his hands behind his back.
Unlike his usual scholarly demeanor, Liu Wenyuan exuded a chilling aura tonight.
"They're here."
Liu Wenyuan turned around, his gaze sharp.
"Gu Shenyan, you're quite good."
"Qingyi told me everything about the talisman room."
"And what you've been researching lately—"
Liu Wenyuan paused, his eyes sharpening.
"His master is very angry."
Gu Shenyan's heart skipped a beat.
Did Master Lu find out?
"Since they've already gotten their hands in here, let's chop them off."
Liu Wenyuan's voice carried a bloody undertone.
"One month later, on the eve of the big exam."
"Our sect has decided to conduct a thorough search of the secret warehouses of the 'Tonghai Trading Company' in the provincial capital."
"This is a secret operation, without going through the government or the Xuanzheng Division openly."
"Only the most core and reliable people can participate."
Liu Wenyuan stared into Gu Shenyan's eyes and asked, word by word, "We need a few quick-witted newcomers to be in charge of the perimeter identification and containment."
"This is extremely dangerous; people could die."
"But if you succeed, your sect will be generous with rewards. You will receive the Foundation Establishment Pills, the true cultivation techniques, and even a share of the merit book from the Xuanzheng Division that you desire."
"Gu Shenyan, do you dare accept?"