After thinking for a moment, Chen Chen took the Nascent Soul realm itinerant cultivator back, because he felt that it would be better to confront him face-to-face.
When he returned to the city where he was at first, Nan Pinghai had already brought several other ship owners to the scene, and Ship Owner Zhao, who had been testified against, was among them.
Although Chen Chen knew that the Nascent Soul realm itinerant cultivator basically wouldn’t lie under the shock of the divine senses, some people may not be telling the truth.
He was well aware of that.
For example, Heaven had genuinely treated him as an evil villain but the truth was the exact opposite.
“Emissary, this matter is definitely not done by one of our people. To be honest, we, the ship owners have all benefited from the establishment of the merchant alliance. There is absolutely no need for us to go against the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan!”
Nan Pinghai addressed Chen Chen as an emissary in front of the other ship owners.
Chen Chen did not reply but looked at a brawny, scar-faced man among the crowd. He then pointed at the Nascent Soul realm itinerant cultivator, who was on the ground and said, “Ship Owner Zhao, this man said that the elixir came from you, can you explain?”
Everyone looked at the scar-faced man as soon as they heard Chen Chen’s words.
The scar-faced man had a huge change in expression and he hollered furiously. “You’re accusing me! I don’t know this man at all! Why would I dare to harm someone of the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan?!”
Seeing how intense his reaction was, Chen Chen frowned and asked the system in his head too.
“System, are there any diabolic cultivators within a hundred-meter radius?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“It’s you, Host.”
Chen Chen’s face instantly turned sullen.
‘I’ve just learned the Haoran Sacred Light Method, how am I considered a diabolic cultivator?’
However, he was sure that the one who robbed and killed the cultivator of the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan was not the ship owner whose last name was Zhao.
“System, who has the worst character within a 50-meter radius?”
“It’s you, Host…”
“Shut up!”
Chen Chen felt a huge headache.
‘Since all the surrounding people are considered good people and even the Nascent Soul realm itinerant cultivators are not considered villains, what the hell is going on here?’
For the first time, Chen Chen felt that his wisdom had been challenged.
Before he could continue to think further, the burly scar-faced man, Zhao Hui, suddenly became excited and slapped the Nascent Soul realm itinerant cultivator.
“I have no feud with you, why are you framing me!? Die!”
As soon as he did that, all the people around him turned pale.
Chen Chen was pondering quietly and did not expect him to do that. Before he could stop him, the Nascent Soul realm cultivator, who was in a semi-conscious state, was crushed into pieces by that hard slap.
Nan Pinghai was furious, and he hollered. “Zhao Hui! What are you doing!?!”
Having been in the Boundless Sea for so many years, they had gained enough experience and were not fools.
Zhao Hui had killed someone on the spot, and he obviously had a guilty conscience.
He initially wanted to vouch for Zhao Hui, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so now.
The other ship owners were all frowning quietly with sullen expressions.
“Take him down!”
Chen Chen’s expression changed several times, and he hollered coldly.
With his order, Nan Pinghai had no choice but to attack Zhao Hui.
With the help of several other ship owners, Zhao Hui soon had his cultivation level sealed and was pinned against the wall.
Zhao Hui did not say anything after he was pinned down and simply stared at Nan Pinghai with a peculiar gaze in his eyes.
Nan Pinghai shivered after being stared at by Zhao Hui, after which, he turned away to avoid eye contact.
Chen Chen saw all their reactions, which made his heart heavy.
“Lock him up for the time being, I will continue to investigate this matter.”
After saying those words, Chen Chen returned to his residence.
Seeing that there was no one around, Yuan Qingtian muttered softly, “Big Brother, I think there must be something wrong with Nan Pinghai, see how he repeatedly defend Zhao Hui…”
“Besides, Big Brother, I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the way Zhao Hui looked at Nan Pinghai at the end was too strange! There must be something fishy about the both of them!”
Chen Chen did not speak.
‘Even a fool like Yuan Qingtian could tell, how can I not see it?’
However, he had absolute trust in the system.
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With him as a moral benchmark, those with better character than him would probably be considered morally upright people with exemplary character.
Why would people like them kill a Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan disciple for the sake of a thousand elixirs?
‘It’s not necessary… They’re not such evil people.’
‘Why would Zhao Hui kill that Nascent Soul realm itinerant cultivator in public for no reason?’
Various thoughts flashed through Chen Chen’s mind repeatedly.
‘I’m a good person too. If I do something terrible one day, it must be because…I’ve been threatened!’
With that thought in mind, Chen Chen came to a sudden realization and hurriedly turned around to look at Yuan Qingtian.
“Qingtian, check if Zhao Hui has any close acquaintances and see if any of them has gone missing recently. Remember to keep it confidential.”
“Yes!”
Although Yuan Qingtian did not understand why Chen Chen wanted him to do that, he would obey all his orders. After assenting, he turned around and gradually vanished quietly.
When Chen Chen saw that, he decided to search with his divine senses, only to surprisingly discover a vague shadow.
That made him rather relieved because his divine senses were near the peak of the Essence Soul realm, and he could easily detect Yuan Qingtian.
If it were an Essence Soul realm cultivator with a weak divine sense, he probably wouldn’t be able to detect Yuan Qingtian.
‘This kid must have practiced the Divine Concealment Technique lately following my instructions.’
…
A day later.
The rumor that the merchant alliance had robbed and killed a disciple of the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan began to spread within the Boundless Sea.
Chen Chen’s mood became heavier and heavier.
At this moment, the door of the room suddenly opened, and Yuan Qingtian dashed in.
“Senior Brother, I found out that Zhao Hui once had a Dao partner, but she accidentally died at sea. They share a son. However, Zhao Hui’s son has been bearing a grudge against Zhao Hui because of his mother’s death. Hence, he doesn’t live with Zhao Hui but cultivates hard on another island.”
“But according to my investigation, Zhao Hui’s son suddenly disappeared some time ago.”
Chen Chen took a deep breath after hearing his words.
He didn’t fall into the trap, only because he was conscientious and resourceful. Moreover, he had the system and was the true owner of the merchant alliance.
If the cultivators of the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan were to be in charge of the investigation of this matter, they would have probably fallen into the trap.
Who would have thought that the killing of the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan cultivators, the robbery of those 1,000 elixirs…the elixirs peddled in the market…the Nascent Soul realm itinerant cultivator…and Zhao Hui…were all part of a grand scheme.
The reason that the mastermind behind this had devised such a scheme was undoubtedly to create a conflict between the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan and the merchant alliance, to turn the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan against the merchant alliance.
However, there wasn’t a need to make things so complicated, and this conflict wasn’t great enough to make the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan annihilate the merchant alliance.
After all, the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan had focused all their attention, energy, and resources on the frontal battlefield of the humans and demons so it would be difficult for them to send an expert to the Boundless Sea.
It would require something more to make the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan shelve out some manpower to annihilate the merchant alliance. The only possibility was that there was a greater ploy at the back.
With that thought, Chen Chen slipped into contemplation.
‘What other tactics would the force behind this use to drive a wedge between the Jade Tripod Alchemy Clan and the merchant alliance?’
Dong-dong…
“Emissary, it’s me!”
Nan Pinghai’s voice suddenly came from outside the door.
Chen Chen said indifferently, “Come in.”
At the same time, a powerful force of divine senses was spread outwards, and the door was opened. Nan Pinghai walked over with a guilty expression.
“Lord, I have known Zhao Hui for more than a hundred years. I know his character best, he would never do something like that.”
At this point, Nan Pinghai began to transmit his voice using divine senses.
“I had a long talk with Zhao Hui… Lord, he was forced into it!”
Hearing this, Chen Chen said with an indifferent smile and a straight face, “What do you mean?”
Nan Pinghai said with a nervous expression, “His only son was manipulated by someone and is now imprisoned in Flying Dragon Island… He doesn’t dare to reveal any information until his son is safe.”
Chen Chen nodded slightly and continued to ask, “What do you think we should do?”
Nan Pinghai gritted his teeth and said, “Lord, we can quietly go to the Flying Dragon Island and save his only son. By then, the truth will come to light!”
Hearing this, Chen Chen’s eyes glistened, but he didn’t say anything else.
…
Meanwhile…
In a certain sealed boundary in the city, the scar-faced man, Zhao Hui, had a guilty expression, and he was muttering so softly that he was almost inaudible.
“Brother Pinghai… I’ve let you down.”
After saying that, he closed his eyes, and tears streamed down his face.