Chapter 496: Chapter 353: The Shadowlands of Central State (Part 2)

[But you feel it’s far from over.]

[You follow Steward Song to a cave mansion, where the Divine Strategy Pavilion surprisingly has its own residence in this Pocket World.]

[Soon, someone negotiates with Steward Song, and you gather information from their conversation.]

[Quickly, you piece together the full picture of the matter.]

[The Divine Strategy Master is likely a secret agent placed by the Wind and Rain Tower in the Central State, with the Divine Strategy Pavilion established for this reason.]

[The intelligence source of the Divine Strategy Pavilion is the Wind and Rain Tower.]

[The Divine Strategy Pavilion does not cultivate its own intelligence agents; it’s known that building an intelligence system is the hardest.]

[It turns out everything originates from the Wind and Rain Tower. You’re quite shocked, but at the same time, you feel curious about the Wind and Rain Tower.]

[Before the Immortal Sect was established, the Wind and Rain Tower was reputed to be able to acquire anything, kill any living thing, as long as the price was right.]

[Existing since the ’ancient’ times, the Wind and Rain Tower still remains in the shadows today.]

[Once Steward Song finishes his exchanges, he begins to explain matters to you in detail.]

[Just as you guessed, everything started with the Divine Strategy Master.]

[The Divine Strategy Master was placed as a secret agent in the Qu Hong Cultivation Realm by the Wind and Rain Tower from the very beginning. The Tower has numerous such agents.]

[In any cultivation realm, regardless of size or stature, there are people from the Wind and Rain Tower.]

[Not only that, apart from these specially placed agents, there are disciples or elders in major sects who secretly "moonlight" as members of the Wind and Rain Tower.]

[The reason being, profit blinds the heart.]

[They can obtain so much from the Wind and Rain Tower. Thus, the Divine Strategy Pavilion doesn’t need to cultivate intelligence agents; relying on these cultivators with Wind and Rain Tower affiliations can easily weave a simple intelligence network, since the Pavilion does not require very detailed, high-end information.]

[In essence, the Divine Strategy Pavilion serves as an information agency for loose cultivators, and is not considered too high-level.]

[Steward Song slowly explains these matters to you, yet you see a corner of the mammoth entity lurking in the shadows of Central State.]

[Even though the Immortal Sect orders to kill on sight of the Wind and Rain Tower, cultivators openly show hatred but secretly take part-time work. Under the vast network of interests, the Wind and Rain Tower has always existed in the shadows, infiltrating throughout Central State.] 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

[Or perhaps, due to the development of the era, the Wind and Rain Tower is no longer what it once was.]

[Now resources are scarce, cultivators fight over resources, where resources reign supreme. The Wind and Rain Tower has been engulfed by these greedy and envious cultivators, turning into an unstoppable gigantic monster!!]

[Steward Song’s words interrupt your thoughts, he gives you a temporary identity token, representing your soon-to-be free movement in the Pocket World of the Wind and Rain Tower.]

[You briefly stroll through the nearby market; cave mansions are rare within the Wind and Rain Tower, with the majority being trade shops and trade buildings, followed by the Rain Kill Tower, the assassin organization of the Wind and Rain Tower.]

[You discover an advancement cultivation technique called "Five Elements Spirit Absorption Technique," which allows the fusion of five types of spiritual objects within the body, strengthening your cultivation aptitude, and potentially developing five different body attributes through spiritual objects... although this technique seems to lean toward Demon Technique.]

[You even find several rare books on body-encrusted arrays, which are unpopular array formation forbidden techniques.]

[There are manual notes from renowned array masters...]

[Core cultivation techniques from prestigious sects...]

[Things you desire seem all to be available here.]

[But the cost is Spirit Stones, an abundance of Spirit Stones, with some only available through barter.]

[Steward Song notices your subtle expression and understands your thoughts; he smiles and takes you back to the Three Clouds Market.]

"Previously, I followed the master closely and had substantial understanding of all affairs concerning the Wind and Rain Tower, with the True Master only entrusting these matters to me."

"However, the True Master doesn’t want to be a secret agent for the Wind and Rain Tower like the master. I’ve been managing these matters lately..."

"Knowing as you do now, I believe you won’t betray the True Master..."

"Moreover... the existence of the Wind and Rain Tower should be greatly beneficial for you, especially concerning your Five Spirit Roots; only within the Wind and Rain Tower can you find a solution to your aptitude..."

Zhong Heng remains silent for a moment, saying, "Do you mean even those explicitly forbidden..."

The techniques to enhance Spirit Root require either an abundance of resources or actual Evil Techniques.

Those formally defined as Evil Techniques.

None are harmless to the entire cultivation civilization.

Such as sacrificing large numbers of mortals, as the root of the cultivator is the mortal.

Or plundering the aptitudes of other geniuses; it may require plundering seven or eight geniuses to enhance one’s own talent, and those seven or eight geniuses might all become powerful figures in the future.

Zhong Heng again recalls the legend of the Wind and Rain Tower.

When upheaval occurred, targeted by the Immortal Sect, what could the Wind and Rain Tower have done to provoke the entire Immortal Sect formed by the immortals?

These immortals generally represent the entire Jiuzhou Cultivation Realm.

The current execution order from the Immortal Sect against the Wind and Rain Tower...

The ever-present Wind and Rain Tower in secrecy...

Zhong Heng feels a chill behind him.

Steward Song seems to have seen through Zhong Heng’s thoughts, and he smiles again, saying, "You shouldn’t have known this..."

"But no matter, you can act as if you don’t know, it’s all up to you. I anticipate you can be of great assistance to the True Master."

"After all, you are favored by the True Master. And the True Master is the master’s only disciple... naturally the True Master should be regarded as my master as well..."

"Zhong Heng, I must thank you; if it were not for you, the Hundred Skills channel of the Divine Strategy Pavilion wouldn’t have developed so rapidly, especially in the Array Dao..."

Steward Song said softly, the Yaksha characteristics on his body gradually diminishing, reverting to his original gentle middle-aged appearance.

"This is an unowned identity token, inscribed with a blood oath. Once you imbue it, you can freely enter and exit the Wind and Rain Tower..."

"But you can no longer disclose any information about the Wind and Rain Tower..."

"Whether to accept is up to you."

Jiang Ming squints slightly, saying, "So who tried to kill me initially?"

"Confidential, cannot say."

It seems it was indeed done by the Wind and Rain Tower.

No wonder the investigation always came up empty; it was the darkest spot under the lamp all along.

Regarding Li Yue’s matter, even as Jiang Ming opened his mouth, he refrained from asking about Li Yue.

He believes Steward Song won’t tell him.

"Steward Song, I will ponder all matters as they currently stand. Farewell."

"Mm."

[You look at the identity token in your hand and organize your thoughts.]

[The relationship between the Divine Strategy Pavilion and the Wind and Rain Tower can be considered a historical legacy, possibly unrelated to Yunmiao Master.]

[Through this connection, you’ve genuinely accessed the Wind and Rain Tower, and even gained the opportunity to enter it. The token in your hand is like Pandora’s magic box, leaving you indecisive.]

[You even think of River Map’s request—whether you can rely on the Wind and Rain Tower’s channel to search for the Luo Book—perhaps Old Turtle from the River Map might reward you further.]

[Your mind is somewhat disordered, so you choose to set these matters aside temporarily.]

[Any historical truth and the Wind and Rain Tower are not significantly related to you; the only thing you must do at this moment is cultivate.]

[But you don’t notice the myriad implications in Steward Song’s gaze as you leave.]

[You search for Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects, as someone with a Tier Three Array Master’s status, it’s not hard for you to find Foundation Establishment Pills, even though today’s Foundation Establishment Pills are several times more precious than you expected.]

[The current Foundation Establishment Pills are significant enough to drive loose cultivator brethren to fall out, couples to murder each other, and masters and disciples to turn on one another.]

[Nothing else, too many people.]

[So you take backdoor measures, spending considerable amounts of the Business Alliance stipend, acquiring two Foundation Establishment Pills and some Foundation Establishment Spiritual Objects.]

[Your wallet takes a major hit, but you are unconcerned, preparing to accumulate True Essence and wait for a Qi Mechanism breakthrough.]

[New Source Era year 5045, Steward Song Yun of the Divine Strategy Pavilion in the Three Clouds Market self-detonates, his Wind and Rain Tower identity mark flashing in front of everyone’s eyes.]

[The following day, representatives from Qiuxu Large-scale Cultivation Realm arrive, forming an investigation team with people from the Nine Sects and Three Major Business Alliances.]

[Confirmed to be the actions of Song Yun alone, unrelated directly to the Divine Strategy Pavilion and Yunmiao Master.]

[Various signs indicate Yunmiao Master discovered Song Yun’s identity, meticulously arranged a setup to expose him.]

[Yunmiao Master made a great contribution, the previous punishments are revoked, and there are additional rewards...]