Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1859: 1398: Interrogation (Part 2)

“Hmph! Don’t think that possessing Loose Immortal Grade cultivation makes you invincible. In the lands of Daqian, the Human Dao Hundred Schools hold the reins! You have no right to meddle!”

Curiosity burned in Li Zhirui about the turmoil gripping the Daqian Dynasty, sparking such a deep divide and fierce clashes between cultivators and disciples of the Hundred Schools.

The tension had escalated so much that even lowly officials and guards automatically turned against cultivators.

Once the official departed, Li Zhirui headed back to the stall, ready to pick up a few chosen goods. He inquired, “What’s the price?”

“One hundred silver coins!” Greed gleamed fiercely in the stall owner’s eyes, utterly ignoring any potential fallout.

“I’m out!”

Without a second thought, Li Zhirui spun on his heel and walked away. Did they see him as an idiot or a pushover? How dare a simple mortal try to exploit him, assuming he was a soft target?

“Hold on, hold on! Fifty coins, or even thirty—take everything!” The stall owner snapped back to reality like he’d been splashed with ice water and bellowed desperately.

Yet, regardless of his frantic cries, Li Zhirui kept moving forward. Plenty of other options existed for those baubles. No point throwing away silver on poor service and needless hassle.

After strolling aimlessly for a bit, he slipped into a tight alley, scanned his surroundings with care, and rapped on the gate of what looked like a plain courtyard.

Instantly, the gate creaked open on its own, granting him entry.

This unassuming courtyard served as a hidden outpost for an intel network called Wenfeng Building.

Li Zhirui had learned of Wenfeng Building and tracked it down thanks to data he’d gathered and bought from the Dayan Dynasty.

The doors to the hall in the courtyard stood ajar, revealing a frail-looking man handling the operations inside.

“Greetings, honored visitor! I’m Shen Zaikong. What intel are you seeking? If there’s a demand, Wenfeng Building will launch probes right away! In just three days, the details will be yours.”

“Tell me what’s really going on in Daqian. Why the intense hostility between cultivators and Hundred Schools disciples? They clearly despise one another.” Li Zhirui fired off all his burning questions at once.

“Hmm…”

A flicker of astonishment crossed Shen Zaikong’s face, as if he hadn’t anticipated anyone buying such details.

Still, with a customer in need, he was determined to meet every expectation.

After pocketing Li Zhirui’s payment, his face lit up with a wide grin as he declared, “Tensions between the factions simmered for ages, but they exploded into the open after one shocking event!”

Shen Zaikong’s flair for drama made him a natural at spinning tales.

“Oh?” Li Zhirui found himself hooked by the man’s account.

“The late Human Emperor, in his declining years, like every power-hungry ruler, craved eternal life. The Hundred Schools offered no path to immortality, but the Immortal Tao mastered the secrets of longevity. So, he funneled all sorts of Spiritual Objects to the Immortal Tao, dreaming of endless rule and total control over the dynasty!”

“That’s it?” Li Zhirui blurted out in shock upon hearing the tale.

“Exactly that!”

Shen Zaikong bobbed his head with a grin. “In the old emperor’s final days, he pressed the Immortal Tao to rush new techniques, showering them with heaps of Spiritual Objects meant for the Human Dao Hundred Schools—and this happened repeatedly.”

“In the end, the Pills from the Immortal Tao didn’t just fail to prolong his life; they hastened his demise!”

“When the new emperor took the throne, he pinned the old one’s death on the Immortal Tao and crippled their influence without mercy.”

“Support for the Immortal Tao vanished overnight, and the Human Dao Hundred Schools seized the chance. They banded together to crush the Immortal Tao while spreading vile rumors about it among the common folk, scaring parents away from letting their children pursue the Immortal path.”

Having heard the full story, Li Zhirui gave a nod of approval. The cost had been worth it after all.

“So, if you don’t hide your cultivator status, navigating Daqian’s territories could prove troublesome,” Shen Zaikong cautioned.

“Got it, thanks for the intel.”

“Pleasing clients is my top duty.”

Li Zhirui offered a silent smile and rose to depart.

“I’ve got fresh news on the Immortal Tao. Interested, sir?” Shen Zaikong piped up out of the blue, pitching it eagerly.

“Oh?”

After a brief pause, Li Zhirui passed over a Human Immortal Rank Spiritual Object.

“This intel isn’t top-tier; it’ll leak out eventually. A Loose Immortal Grade Spiritual Object covers it.”

One of Li Zhirui’s brows arched subtly—it didn’t seem like earth-shattering stuff, or Wenfeng Building would’ve jacked up the price without scruple.

“Word from the palace says they’re done suppressing the Immortal Tao and will start nurturing cultivators instead!”

“Why the change?” He couldn’t wrap his head around the shift and asked on impulse.

“No one knows the motive yet.”

“Fine, appreciate it.”

This update would surely smooth Li Zhirui’s path ahead in cultivation—at the very least, he wouldn’t face today’s kind of suffocating arrogance from some petty official!

Still, shifting public views across Daqian and winning over the masses would demand ages to uproot those deep-seated biases.

The surprise revelation eased his spirits a touch.

“I need a thorough map of the Daqian Dynasty. Got one ready?”

Dealing detailed maps for a Human Dao realm like Daqian was straight-up forbidden!

But in their shadowy trade, did they sweat the law? If massive gains were on the table, repercussions be damned.

After a few more trades, Li Zhirui at last exited the Wenfeng Building outpost.

He then booked a room in the city, set on scouting the local region more and grasping Daqian’s lay of the land before pressing on with his journey.

…

As dusk fell, the moon and stars dotted the heavens one by one, casting a gentle glow over the shadowy evening.

At the same time, in a courtyard of Bianshan City, Wang Jianyi—the minor official who’d earlier shamed Li Zhirui—was imbibing beneath the moonlight.

But in a flash, his extended arm went rigid, and he toppled over flat.

A heavy thump kicked up dirt.

Living by himself, no one noticed his state until the following morning when he skipped work, prompting folks to discover he’d perished in the night!

Veteran examiners arrived to inspect the body and ruled it a abrupt passing from overexcitement, unlikely to be foul play.

Even so, the sudden loss drew sharp scrutiny from the authorities, who strongly suspected a cultivator’s involvement in causing a fit man to drop dead overnight!

Their probe zeroed in swiftly on Li Zhirui and fellow cultivators who’d clashed with Wang Jianyi, with Li Zhirui topping the list of suspects.

Bang!

The Shock Court Wood crashed down hard, and the presiding official bellowed fiercely, “Confess! Did you have a hand in Wang Jianyi’s death?”

“Plenty of witnesses saw your spat that day, and you harbored resentment, striking under cover of night to murder him while making it look like a natural end.”

“Ha!”

A scoff escaped Li Zhirui’s lips. “You’ve already convicted me in your minds? What’s left for me to admit?”

“I may be a cultivator, but I grasp some Hundred Schools principles. Since when do the Legalists base verdicts on guesses instead of proof and testimony?”

Bang!

Shock and fury twisted the official’s features at those words, and he pounded the Shock Court Wood again. “Enough dodging the issue with me!”