220: Chapter 220: Profit?

"This person was one of the hidden agents our Fang Family planted in the Ma Family. He is the only one who managed to escape; all the others were silenced."

Fang Xun spoke with a serious expression.

A hidden agent, to put it bluntly, was an undercover spy.

Among the four families, it was not unusual for each to have spies in the others' ranks. As long as it didn't involve any deep secrets, everyone usually turned a blind eye.

But the situation was different now. The Ma Family had directly moved to silence the Fang Family's hidden agent, likely because of the Demonic Path.

After this person fled back to the Fang Family, he breathed his last immediately; they didn't even have time to save him.

Furthermore, after he died, his body rapidly withered, turning into the corpse-like state it was in now.

It was True Monarch Fang Xuan who recognized at a glance that this was the handiwork of the Yougu Sect.

With the Demonic Path involved, and the Ma Family—one of the four families—collaborating with them, they immediately felt a sense of crisis. Their first thought was Lin Ming and the others.

Or rather, they thought of the Yuanxu Mountain behind them.

Among those who had struck the hardest against the Demonic Path forces back then, Yuanxu Mountain was one of them.

"Why would the Ma Family collude with the Demonic Path?"

Lin Ming asked.

Colluding with the Demonic Path... there must be some sort of interest involved. There is no such thing as a collaboration for no reason, especially with a group like demonic cultivators who devour people without even spitting out the bones.

For the Ma Family to collude with the Demonic Path, there must be sufficient benefits.

"I don't know."

Fang Xun shook his head.

All of the Fang Family's hidden agents had been silenced; except for the one who fled back, all were dead.

And since this agent died immediately upon his return, they had no way of obtaining any other information about the Ma Family from him.

"I do have a few guesses,"

True Monarch Fang Xuan said at this moment.

Everyone's gaze immediately returned to True Monarch Fang Xuan.

"The flame star flowing moon sandalwood is about to wither,"

True Monarch Fang Xuan stated.

"It is a thousand years old, and back when we were fighting for this place, the flame star flowing moon sandalwood suffered some damage. Over the past millennium, we have used many fire-attribute spiritual items to nourish it, but we still cannot repair some of its damage."

True Monarch Fang Xuan shook his head.

Back then, the struggle for the flame star flowing moon sandalwood was not smooth sailing, and it wasn't the only thing being fought over.

There was also the Meteoric Iron from Beyond the Heavens and the right to control this Yanyun Mountain.

"If the flame star flowing moon sandalwood cannot Breakthrough to the sixth rank, it will soon wither."

They had consulted many Spiritual Plant Great Masters who had conducted research on the flame star flowing moon sandalwood, but none could find a way for it to advance.

If the flame star flowing moon sandalwood were to wither, it would be a great loss for them and for the entire Yanyun Mountain.

"A single flame star flowing moon sandalwood wouldn't be enough to cause this."

Lin Ming said.

The withering of the flame star flowing moon sandalwood would indeed be a significant loss for the four families; after all, such a Spiritual Plant that can stably produce spiritual items is very precious.

However, Yanyun Mountain itself is a treasure trove. The current Yanyun Mountain is very suitable for practitioners of fire-attribute Cultivation Techniques or those on the path of Yang.

The four families have built many cultivation dwellings on Yanyun Mountain to rent out to visiting cultivators, which alone provides a considerable income.

Then there is the Earth Fire. The impact of the meteorites caused a special kind of flame to emerge within the earth veins, and this special flame is of great help in removing Impurities.

The four families took this opportunity to use this special Earth Fire to build many Artifact Refining Rooms and Alchemy rooms, attracting many Artifact Refiners and Alchemists.

This even allowed them to recruit many Artifact Refiners and Alchemists.

It can be said that Yanyun Mountain has brought the four families much profit over the past thousand years.

This is also why many local and external forces are eyeing the four families greedily.

Even without the flame star flowing moon sandalwood and a portion of the profits, they could still continue to profit from Yanyun Mountain itself.

"True Monarch Ma Zhan's Lifespan is running out."

True Monarch Fang Xuan said.

True Monarch Ma Zhan was the Ma Family's True Monarch of the Other Shore, and his strength had reached the Other Shore Level 4.

As soon as these words were spoken, Xu Chuan and Fang Xun looked at True Monarch Fang Xuan in surprise.

"True Monarch, isn't True Monarch True Monarch Ma Zhan younger than you?"

Fang Xun said with a hint of hesitation.

It was common knowledge that True Monarch Fang Xuan was the oldest among the True Monarchs of the four families, while True Monarch Ma Zhan was not only younger than True Monarch Fang Xuan but also the youngest among the four.

Why was his Lifespan running out?

"He is indeed younger than me, but he lost some Lifespan in the past due to certain reasons. Although he used some spiritual items to replenish it, he ultimately couldn't recover much."

True Monarch Fang Xuan shook his head.

Spiritual items and Medicinal Pills that extend life are exceptionally rare and precious in the cultivation world.

Even for someone like True Monarch Ma Zhan, a cultivator at the Other Shore Level 4, obtaining life-extending spiritual items or Medicinal Pills was no simple task.

True Monarch Fang Xuan estimated that True Monarch Ma Zhan might even die before him.

"Does the True Monarch mean that True Monarch Ma Zhan is collaborating with the people from the Yougu Sect to extend his life?"

Xu Chuan said in a heavy voice.

"With True Monarch Ma Zhan's character, it is possible for him to do such a thing."

True Monarch Fang Xuan said.

Of course, what they were thinking now was just speculation; they had no substantial evidence.

However, the Residual Yin Hand technique on this corpse was very real.

"That is why I am seeking help from Yuanxu Mountain. Once it is confirmed that the Ma Family is in league with the Demonic Path, the entire Yanyun Mountain could be under threat."

True Monarch Fang Xuan said.

"I understand, True Monarch Fang. I will report this matter to the Sect."

Xu Chuan said.

"That is good then."

True Monarch Fang Xuan said.

"Then we shall take our leave."

Xu Chuan said.

"The four of you, wine and food have been prepared in the manor."

Fang Xun extended an invitation.

This was also an opportunity—a chance to build a good relationship with the Disciples of Yuanxu Mountain. As the head of the Fang Family, Fang Xun naturally didn't want to let it pass.

"Thank you for your kindness, Patriarch Fang, but since the Demonic Path is involved, we cannot delay."

Xu Chuan politely declined.

And so, the four of them left the Fang Family directly.

In the small courtyard, only True Monarch Fang Xuan remained.

With a wave of his hand, True Monarch Fang Xuan put away the corpse and turned to walk into the house.

On the other side,

Lin Ming and the others quickly returned to the inn.

The four of them gathered in one room.

"Junior Brother, Junior Sister, what do you think of this matter?"

Xu Chuan's gaze fell on the three of them as he spoke.

"Why didn't the Fang Family seek help from nearby forces and instead came directly to us?"

Yu Yaoqin asked.

When the Demonic Path is involved, the surrounding forces should have taken action.

"Once they seek help from surrounding forces, it gives them an excuse—an excuse to reach their hands into Yanyun Mountain."

Gong Hui said in a heavy voice.

"The True Monarch of the Fang Family likely does not want surrounding forces to interfere with Yanyun Mountain."

Asking surrounding forces for help would be giving them a pretext.

In that case, regardless of whether the Ma Family had colluded with the Demonic Path, those forces would reach into Yanyun Mountain.

By then, it might not even be up to them to decide whether the Ma Family, or even the other three families, had colluded with the Demonic Path.

True Monarch Fang Xuan probably didn't seek help from the surrounding forces because of this.