Stop it, Taoist, Your Fight almost Ruins the DAO!

A mosquito leg is still meat, what's important for a family is to be whole and together.

Yi Chen leisurely walked up to the Dragon King Sect Hierarch, who had been stunned since the beginning of the battle; he first speared the small serpent at the third tier of the True Person Realm by his side to death, then slapped the black-robed, one-eyed cultivator awake with a pair of big sleeves.

"Fellow Daoist, why don't you explain the situation properly? I can give you a quick end!"

A large face appeared before the black-robed, one-eyed cultivator's eyes.

….

After the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Yi Chen emerged from the deep pool; he patiently went to the edge of the water and carefully washed his hands of the non-existent blood.

Under the pool was a hidden world, twisting into the belly of the mountain, but that was in the past; now, it was no longer accessible.

The backbone of the Dragon King Sect had been utterly destroyed; a good Samaritan, who refused to reveal his name, had rushed in and killed everyone inside.

Based on the testimony of the black-robed, one-eyed cultivator and the memories extracted from other common cultivators, cross-referenced with some letters and documents he found below, Yi Chen finally outlined the entire truth of the Dragon King Sect incident.

Yi Chen had originally thought that the black evil Dragon King had long since left and this time someone was only using the Dragon King's name to extort the people of the towns along the Blackwater River.

Later, after reviewing the documents in Phoenix Garden, he had another thought.

That was, this Dragon King was not a legitimate Dragon King but a... fake Dragon King, one who balances accounts.

It's not surprising Yi Chen was sensitive to this tactic; in his previous life, he was fond of using this very method.

This is called choosing the lesser of two evils, or letting the small fish get caught while the big fish swim away.

When Yi Chen saw the records in Phoenix Garden reporting the black evil Dragon King's rampage, killing the magistrate, raiding the treasury, burning Phoenix Garden, and mining; he immediately became suspicious, feeling as if he had encountered a fellow schemer.

In his past life, however, he wasn't so bold. He would just balance the books; if the stocktake didn't match, an 'accidental fire' would suddenly make things add up again... and he would also make an extra profit from the insurance.

Of course, that money had to be shared, with no close scrutiny.

What followed became very clear; Yi Chen had initially thought the Dragon King Sect Hierarch only had some connections with certain powers in Blackwater City and that's why he had been overbearing for many years.

But after he had seen the black evil Dragon King appear in person, he knew this must not be unrelated to Bai Shan, the True Monarch.

Later, when Great Qin sent people to investigate the whereabouts of the black evil Dragon King, it was probably Bai Shan, the True Monarch, who had tipped them off. The chances of finding something were slim to none.

Suspicious about the investigation? If you knew that Bai Shan's, the True Monarch's father, was the Cutting Dao True Monarch, you wouldn't be suspicious; but you would go to the Cutting Dao True Monarch's residence to discuss the case over a cup of clear tea.

This is a paradox where the extreme rationality of individuals leads to the ignorance of group decision-making.

Yi Chen guessed this was also why Bai Shan, the True Monarch, lay low afterward; he must have been warned.

At this point, Yi Chen couldn't help but admire Bai Shan, the True Monarch, for being such a talent. Indeed, he was insatiable.

He didn't only covet military supplies, but also coveted the many valuable spirit jade and exotic mineral mines in Blackwater City;

Previously, it was a tradition to send the resources to Great Qin's only Nine Peaks City, Xianyang, every fifty years. Bai Shan, the True Monarch, had coveted them long before.

As Bai Shan, the True Monarch's appetite grew, he was no longer satisfied with that little military capital and began to interfere with many industries in Blackwater City, which greatly displeased the magistrate at the time. Everyone should stick to their own turf; clearly, Bai Shan, the True Monarch, was overreaching, so the local snakes reported him to the court for embezzling military supplies.

They intended to warn him by knocking on the mountain, but Bai Shan, the True Monarch, unexpectedly flipped the table altogether.

As the saying goes, the bold die from their courage, and the timid die from their fear.

Could Bai Shan, the True Monarch, tolerate this? He immediately contacted the black evil Dragon King, promising a hefty profit of twenty percent, and together they put on a great show.

The first card played: a large force mobilized, and the military supplies were balanced out.

The second card: when the city was breached, the treasury, mines, and documents were all burned to ash, vanished. Then, they took the spirit jade mines that were about to be transported to Xianyang right away.

The third card: as local powers, the magistrates were killed off. This was also a reason behind the rise of the Dragon King Sect; who would dare mess with such ruthless figures? It was best to keep silent and maintain an understanding.

A series of precise operations filled Bai Shan, the True Monarch's belly. Though his father was the Cutting Dao True Monarch, he wasn't the favored son at home, and besides, who would consider too many cultivation resources excessive?

The black evil Dragon King took his twenty percent and secured an association with Bai Shan, the True Monarch, allowing him a carefree life. Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire

Bai Shan, the True Monarch took the remaining eighty percent and was equally well-fed.

As for the Dragon King Sect, it naturally provided an outlet for their subordinates and bloodline.

The dirty work was no longer viable, and the military supplies couldn't be seized anymore. To appease local forces, Bai Shan, the True Monarch's influence gradually withdrew from the profitable businesses within Blackwater City. With that, the matter was closed.

But while those at the top had their fill, those below were still hungry. Hence the rise of the issue with the Dragon King Sect.@@novelbin@@

The black-robed, one-eyed cultivator was Bai Shan, the True Monarch's right-hand man, handling many shady proceedings.

They were very cautious, only operating near Blackwater River, not expanding outward, maintaining a good balance with the outside world. With their own formidable strength, they had remained untroubled for many years.

Over a hundred years had passed, and the once tight string in their hearts had long since loosened. With that reserve of resources, Bai Shan, the True Monarch, and the black evil Dragon King both made significant advancements in their cultivation. Bai Shan, the True Monarch, had been planning to make a move to another city and make another big score, but Yi Chen foiled their plans.

"The hand of this Daoist is clean. Although it seems like a case of pot calling the kettle black, when one stands up with a long halberd, who dares to say this Daoist isn't upright!"