Demon Sword Sect’s Undercover
Chapter 413 - 413 412 The Grand Canyon

413: Chapter 412: The Grand Canyon 413: Chapter 412: The Grand Canyon “Stay in the mansion for now.

Don’t show up until the matter of the Grand Canyon is settled,”

Hou Niao advised.

Daoist Wang apologized, “It’s all because of me that I’ve dragged you down, brother…”

Hou Niao wanted to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.

A person’s character and habits are set, and trying to make Daoist Wang feel shame and then strive to do well might actually harm him.

Each person has their own aspirations, and these cannot be forced upon others.

It was not possible for everyone around him to be friends like Fang Yazi or Wang Mian, who aspire to be like him.

If everyone was the same, the world would soon come to an end.

They wished each other well and parted ways, drifting off.

There were still four days left, which was plenty of time for him to fly to the Grand Canyon gathering point.

This might delay his main business in Jade City, but as far as swordsmanship is concerned, there’s no end to its mastery; sword techniques could be learned later, but if he missed the operation in the Grand Canyon, there would not be a next time.

In his heart, he still hoped for more opportunities to test his own swordsmanship.

Last time, encountering a Golden Core from the Wu Sect felt a bit like playing with fire, and he hoped to gain more experience within the three realms of Tongtian, to identify his shortcomings.

Sword techniques are just that, techniques, and their use depends on the individual; this is something that cannot be achieved by secluding oneself in cultivation, it requires real battle experience, it requires killing!

Calling him the Mirage Butcher is such a wrongful accusation; he wasn’t even at the scene…

…The sky of Shan Country is the sky of Sword Cultivators, and it is the only place where one can freely control their sword.

Hou Niao pushed his speed to the limit, constantly testing his extremes in speed and height, and within just three days, he was approaching the Qiunan Grand Canyon.

He had never been to this place, having only glanced at it once in the Sect’s records, but now, looking down from the sky, he found it truly spectacular.

The sea has its own charm, the continent has its own wonders, and they are incomparable.

Looking down at the Qiunan Grand Canyon from the sky, it seems to be no wider than ten miles across, but the real secret lies beneath the Grand Canyon; it has a trapezoidal structure, narrow at the top and widening at the bottom, ranging from a few miles at the top to over a hundred miles at its widest.

The unique topographical structure has created a very special ecological environment at the bottom of the canyon, nurturing many rare and peculiar life forms, and of course, breeding crime.

But he couldn’t enter just yet, to avoid startling the snakes in the grass.

Soaring past the Grand Canyon, he landed in Shama Town, a small border town near the Grand Canyon in Upper Qiu Country.

This was their meeting point.

There were many Cultivators in the town, which allowed entry but not exit; anyone wishing to leave required a special permit, making it a town in a state of lockdown.

However, not many were suspicious of his presence here, as the Quanzhen Sect was also part of the operation, and there were more Sword Cultivators coming to this place than just him.

In a simple courtyard, he met his immediate superior officer,

“Capital Commandant, it’s you?”

Li Chuping gave him a once-over, with a hidden message in his words, “That’s what I should be asking.

What, causing trouble in Mirage wasn’t enough, and now you’re starting to stir things up on the continent?”

After a brief explanation, the astute Li Chuping understood the situation, “Hmph, this Ouyang Mi, always fixated on deciphering the higher-ups’ intentions.

I don’t feel reassured with him in charge of Jin City.”

Then he turned his attention to the person before him, “You’re playing a dangerous game, mixing the fake with the real, swapping the supports, substituting one thing for another…

You all have quite the nerve!

Hou Niao, have you become so bold that you can now disregard the rules of the Sect?”

But Hou Niao was nonchalant, “It has nothing to do with me.

I am a Cultivator from Jin City, so of course I obey the three houses of Jin City.

If the Capital Commandant thinks I shouldn’t be here, I’ll just go back.”

Li Chuping let out a heavy hum, unable even he couldn’t extricate himself from the complex web of relationships.

Ouyang Mi, Daoist Wang, and this Hou Niao…

they didn’t allow him to be sincere.

“Ouyang Mi is in it for the merits, Wang Shouzhong for a cushy job, and what about you?”

“Helping others brings joy,” Hou Niao shamelessly declared.

“Or maybe finding joy in executing others?” Li Chuping shook his head.

There was no good way to deal with this guy; he had to admit that among the individuals he struggled to see through during the decades of his rule over Jin City, this guy was the most elusive.

Now that he was here, it wouldn’t be right to send him away.

What a headache!

“This is not Jin City, nor Shan Country, and certainly not the Lizhi Sea where you can do as you please.

You better behave.

If word gets out that you’re a butcher again, I’ll have you take the position of the old man from Quanzhen!”

Hou Niao nodded in agreement, appearing very sincere, but Li Chuping knew he was dealing with someone impervious to persuasion, expecting him to reform was as likely as the sun rising from the west.

The only upside was that the man truly had ability, as proficient in solving problems as he was in causing them.

It all depended on where to position him.

Leading such a person required exceptional leadership skills, and he didn’t know how long he could control him.

He tossed over a Jade Scroll, “Inside is the latest map of the Grand Canyon.

Get familiar with it as soon as possible, especially the spots marked in red.

Those are the locations we might attack.

The most important thing is, get to know your team.

These people are the elites of the Bai Shen Sect, standout figures among the Tongtian Three Realms, coming from all over Upper Qiu.

They are a mixed bag, with good and bad, cliquish, and riddled with internal strife.

Yet, to the outside world, they act as if they’re the best in the world.

I’m not worried about whether you can hold them down, but you can’t use the trick of establishing authority through killing.

After all, they belong to different Sects and powers.

Some things, if taken too far, can’t easily be undone.

Do you understand?”

Hou Niao nodded, “Understood, lead by virtue.”

Li Chuping felt a little exasperated and yet could find no fault with the man’s solemn words.

However, he knew that what this man was saying was just hot air.

Leading by virtue?

As if he was fooling ghosts.

But such matters couldn’t be taught.

It all depended on individual charisma, dexterity, and depth of character.

Was there a definitive answer?

“The team is almost fully assembled, and we can take action the day after tomorrow, so you don’t have much time left.

There are five small teams in total, about twenty people in each.

We five Prosecutors will each take charge of one team.

Well, ‘take charge’ isn’t accurate.

They have their own organizational structure, and we are actually outsiders.

Remember the scope of your responsibilities.

Observe more, listen more, think more, but don’t rush into decisions.

Remember, you’re not the team leader, so don’t meddle with their tactical choices.

It will earn you resentment.

Your task is to monitor—any private deals?

Collusion?

Profiteering from disaster?

Indiscriminate killing?

Cruel slaughter?

If so, take note; if the timing is right, you can suggest accordingly.”

Hou Niao sighed.

This was the role of an Observer, thankless and arduous.

This also showed the extent of the turmoil within the Bai Shen Sect, to the point that external forces were necessary to ensure fairness.

He had always thought the structure of the Quanzhen Sect was full of holes, but now it seemed that compared to the scattered Anhe Daoist and the muddled Bai Shen Sect, Quanzhen was several notches higher.

Such allies were truly better off without.