25: Linjiang City, I'm in charge.

“Heavenly Fate Chamber of Commerce?”

Shen Qiming and Shen Zongdao exchanged glances, both seeing a trace of confusion in the other's eyes.

In their impression, neither Linjiang City nor the entire Baiyue Prefecture had ever heard of this merchant guild.

Shen Yuanmo did not speak; his slender fingers flipped open the second page of the ledger.

The content on it made his pupils shrink suddenly.

“Qianyuan Era 3485, Spring. Income: one batch of ‘goods’, excellent quality, totaling 120 units. Handed over to Zhao Wuji for processing. Expenditure: one Low Grade Spiritual Artifact, Cloud-Flying Shuttle, 20 bottles of Qi Gathering Pills.”

“Qianyuan Era 3485, Autumn. Income: five boxes of ‘Ore’, from Black Wind Mountain. Expenditure: 3,000 Spirit Stones.”

The accounts were recorded very obscurely; words like “goods” and “Ore” were all special code names.

But Shen Yuanmo’s [Insight into Origin] talent could easily deduce the true meaning hidden behind them from the faint aura remaining between the lines and the logic of the context.

The so-called “goods” were not merchandise at all, but living people!

They were those Mortal children with Spiritual Roots who had been abducted!

And the so-called “Ore” was illicit stolen goods!

This so-called Heavenly Fate Chamber of Commerce was simply a gray organization engaged in human trafficking, fencing stolen goods, and even various underground dealings like assassination!

And the Linjiang City Lord, Zhao Wuji, was their contact person and partner in this place!

“What a fine City Lord, what a fine official of the Immortal Dynasty!” A trace of icy killing intent flashed in Shen Yuanmo’s eyes.

He continued to flip through it.

The ledger detailed how, over the years, Zhao Wuji had used the Heavenly Fate Chamber of Commerce to traffic people and resell contraband in exchange for vast amounts of Cultivation resources.

At least thirty percent of the wealth in the City Lord’s treasury had come from this.

This was no longer simple corruption, but no different from demonic heretics.

“Yuan Mo, what is written on this...” Shen Qiming also leaned over to take a few looks; although he couldn't understand the secret code, he could feel the evil aura rushing towards him.

“A black ledger.” Shen Yuanmo closed the ledger, his expression returning to calm.

“A black ledger enough to send certain people to their doom.”

He put this ledger, along with the files recording the dark secrets of various families in Linjiang City, into his Storage Pouch.

These things were more precious than all the wealth in the entire treasury combined.

This was... authority capable of shaking the entire Linjiang City, and even influencing the Prefecture City!

...

Three days later.

The news that Zhao Wuji had been crippled and the Shen Family had taken over the City Lord’s Mansion spread to every corner of Linjiang City as if it had grown wings.

The entire Linjiang City fell into a strange atmosphere.

Immortal Cultivation Families large and small, shops in the market, and independent Loose Cultivators all felt uneasy and panicked.

The change of ownership of the City Lord’s Mansion meant that the sky over Linjiang City had changed.

What kind of rules would the new ruler bring? Would they be even greedier than Zhao Wuji, or would they bring a new order?

Everyone spent three days in torment, as if waiting for judgment.

On the morning of the third day, a piece of news spread from the City Lord’s Mansion.

The newly advanced Foundation Establishment expert, the Shen Family’s Grand Elder Shen Yuanmo, in his capacity as the temporary manager of Linjiang City, invited the heads of all families above the second tier in the city, as well as the managers of the major markets, to the City Lord’s Mansion council hall at noon to discuss important matters.

This news made everyone’s heart tighten.

It’s here! What should come has finally come!

This is a reshuffling to divide the benefits!

For a time, the various forces in the city had different thoughts.

Some were uneasy, fearing liquidation, while others were secretly connecting, wanting to secure more say for themselves in the new order.

Near noon, the area outside the City Lord’s Mansion was already filled with all kinds of beast carriages.

Figures who were usually quite prominent in Linjiang City now restrained their usual arrogance and walked into this center of power, which had already changed masters, with uneasy hearts.

The council hall was already full.

Everyone sat on both sides according to the size of their influence, whispering and discussing, and the atmosphere seemed a bit noisy.

Just then, the back door of the hall opened.

Shen Yuanmo, dressed in green, walked in slowly, accompanied by his father, Shen Qiming, and the Old Ancestor, Shen Zongdao.

As soon as he appeared, the whole hall went quiet instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Everyone’s eyes were focused on this young man who was excessively young.

Shen Yuanmo ignored everyone’s gaze, walked straight to the high platform, and sat down calmly in the main seat that only the former City Lord, Zhao Wuji, could sit in.

Shen Qiming and Shen Zongdao sat on either side below him.

This action itself was a signal.

It declared to everyone that from today on, who called the shots in Linjiang City.

Below, the expressions of many Family heads changed slightly.

Shen Yuanmo looked around, taking in everyone’s expressions.

He didn’t say any opening remarks, just gently placed a Storage Pouch on the table.

“Everyone.”

“I suppose you are all very curious about why my Shen Family has invited you all here.”

“I won’t beat around the bush. Zhao Wuji has fallen, and Linjiang City cannot be in chaos. Before the Prefectural Governors Mansion appoints a new City Lord, my Shen Family will temporarily take over all affairs of Linjiang City.”

“I invited you all here today to announce a few new rules.”

As soon as his voice fell, a suppressed commotion arose among the crowd below.

Sure enough, he was here to set the rules!

Just then, a discordant voice rang out.

An old man in brocade robes sitting in the front row slowly stood up, cupped his hands at Shen Yuanmo, and said with a fake smile.

“Fellow Daoist Shen, I am Wang Teng, the head of the Wang Family. Fellow Daoist Shen is young but has Foundation Establishment cultivation; we naturally admire your strength. However...”

As he spoke, his tone changed.

“This Linjiang City is, after all, the Immortal Dynasty’s Linjiang City. The position of City Lord has always been appointed by the Prefectural Governors Mansion. Isn’t the Shen Family’s current approach a bit... overstepping? We have lived in Linjiang City for generations and are all citizens of the Immortal Dynasty; we dare not accompany the Shen Family in doing things that defy the laws of the Immortal Dynasty.”

This Wang Family was also a Family with a Legacy of hundreds of years in Linjiang City, with a deep foundation, second only to the former Shen and Lin families.

Wang Teng himself was also at the ninth level of Qi Refining and had quite a reputation in the city.

As soon as he spoke, it immediately attracted the agreement of many people.

“Yes, Family Head Wang is right.”

“We have no malice towards the Shen Family, but the laws of the Immortal Dynasty must be respected.”

Apparently, they had joined forces to give Shen Yuanmo a warning and test his bottom line.

The expressions of Shen Qiming and Shen Zongdao sank.

Yet Shen Yuanmo’s face still wore a faint smile.

He looked at the outspoken Wang Teng and suddenly asked.

“Family Head Wang, I heard that your mansion’s Spirit Beast garden keeps a few second-tier ‘Red-Feathered Hawks’ with good bloodlines. They seem to have helped the Black Wind Stockade in the west of the city pass on some ‘messages’ quite often, haven't they?”

The smile on Wang Teng’s face suddenly stiffened.

Shen Yuanmo did not stop; his gaze turned to another fat man who had echoed the sentiment.

“Shopkeeper Qian, your ‘Baitong Pawnshop’ is booming. It’s just that I don’t know if those ‘dead pledges’ of unknown origin were to be investigated by the Immortal Dynasty, would your shop still be able to stay open?”

The fat man’s face turned deathly pale instantly.

Shen Yuanmo’s gaze, like a sharp sword, swept across those who had just been echoing the sentiment one by one.

Every time he pointed to someone, he would reveal a secret that the other person had buried deep in their heart and thought no one knew.

Inside the hall, it gradually became silent.

Everyone whose name was mentioned was sitting on pins and needles, cold sweat streaming down.

Finally, Shen Yuanmo’s gaze returned to Wang Teng.

“Family Head Wang, now, do you still think my Shen Family is defying the laws of the Immortal Dynasty?”

Wang Teng opened his mouth, but couldn't say a word; his legs went soft, and he actually slumped directly into his chair.

Shen Yuanmo smiled lightly, raised his hand, and a golden, glass-like flame quietly bloomed on his fingertip.

“Actually, reasoning with you all is too much trouble.”

“In the world of Immortal Cultivation, the fist is the biggest rule. I invited you here today not to discuss with you, but to notify you.”

“Now, who is in favor? Who is opposed?”