Sin Island was very big but was too small in comparison to the East Imperial Content. The East Imperial Continent had 108 regions, and the total surface area of Sin Island wasn’t even the size of a single region. The overall combat strength wasn’t even enough to match any single one of the Nine Thearchs Clans. Without the Nine Dragons’ God-Extinguishing Array and without the demon race from the Endless Deep Sea, the Sin Island would have been eliminated a long time ago.
Therefore, Sin Island had no choice but to constantly defend, and they had never thought about counterattacking. Unless someone like the Mystic Thearch appears among their midst, allowing them to sweep across the East Imperial Continent with one man and one saber. Was that possible? Since a million years of the Stellarsky Domain, there had only been one Mystic Thearch.
The 13 Clans from Sin Island had never once thought of counterattacking and had only thought about how to defend, how to amplify the Nine Dragons’ God-Extinguishing Array, and how to secure the relationship with the demon race in the Endless Deep Sea.
There had always been East Imperial Continent’s spies that managed to infiltrate Sin Island, and the 13 Clans knew it clearly. They also knew that the East Imperial Continent was constantly thinking of ways to destroy Sin Island. Because every day Sin Island existed, the Nine Thearchs Clans would feel humiliated for one more day.
Actually, the 13 Clans also had spies in the East Imperial Continent, but they were spies that scouted out some simple information of the East Imperial Continent. Information like major incidents. Otherwise, they might not know what happened when they perished. They knew of information like the Mystic Divine Palace appearing on the Mt. Mystic Divine, or how Jiang Yi humiliated the Nine Thearchs Clans, or if the Nine Thearchs Clan had a youth generation experts. All these were information that could be easily obtained.
However, if they had to rely on those people to overturn the rule of the Nine Thearchs Clans, it would certainly be a pipe dream. In fact, all those more detailed information were very hard to scout. The East Imperial Continent was too big, and the Nine Thearchs Clans were too massive. Their puny number of people weren’t even enough to fill the gap of their teeth.
It was why Qian Wanguan’s plan had shocked the 13 Clans so much. Apart from the Situ Clan, the other clans didn’t believe it; but they simply wanted to gain some profits with the Situ Clan.
Just as Qian Wanguan said… if they could earn money on East Imperial Continent, they would be earning money from the Nine Thearchs Clans. They could then buy more elixirs, more treasures, and more artifacts from the East Imperial Continent, making the 13 Clans even stronger. What was there to go against?
The Lei Clan, the Nangong Clan, the Lu Clan, and two other clans were strongly against it as they felt that the Situ Clan were trying to go against the tide. Doing business with the enemy? Delivering the treasures from the Endless Deep Sea and Sin Island to the East Imperial Continent? Wasn’t it just giving the enemies their advantage?
If they were to have long-term dealings with the East Imperial Continent, wouldn’t that allow for more spies to infiltrate easily? If that happened, before they could even enter the enemy’s interior, the Nine Thearchs Clans might enter their interior instead. In fact… the Lei Clan even vaguely inquired if Jiang Yi and Qian Wanguan were spies sent by the East Imperial Continent?
The various clans didn’t believe the final point of argument as Jiang Yi had too deep a grudge with the Nine Thearchs Clans. They even sent people to assassinate Jiang Yi inside of Gods Bestow City. If it wasn’t for Lei Clan’s Patriarch interference, Jiang Yi would already be dead.
Moreover, Qian Wanguan had stated clearly that the important materials of Sin Island must not be sold to the East Imperial Continent, materials like thunder stones or the peculiar treasures of the Endless Deep Sea. He even formed a supervisory team where it would comprise of members from the eight clans. The members of the supervisory team had to been changed every year, and the eight clans would decide who to send. This way, they would completely avoid the possibility of anyone colluding with the enemy.
Qian Wanguan even said that the other five clans might not be involved, but they could also send members into the supervisory team. With everything going according to the rules, it would make the business even more open and fair. This way, the Lei, the Nangong, the Lu, and the two other clans wouldn’t have anything else they could criticize, allowing the new Soaring Dragon Merchant Association to be officially established.
After the Soaring Dragon Merchant Association was established, Situ Ao wasn’t able to sleep for half a month.
This wasn’t merely a merchant association; it wasn’t merely earning money, but an alliance! With this merchant association, the eight clans were tied up to the same war chariot with Situ Clan as the leader. If this merchant association could constantly bring in profits, the eight clans would get stronger and stronger. Wouldn’t it mean that the seven other clans would have to tightly gather around the Situ Clan? No matter how powerful the Lei Clan was, were they able to go against the eight major clans?
Qian Wanguan mentioned that he would make the Situ Clan the no.1 clan in five years, and it wasn’t empty talk.
Most importantly, Qian Wanguan was conspiring openly and in a way that no one could castigate. Even if the Lei Clan were unhappy, it would be useless. Would the Lei Clan dare to go against the eight clans? Was the Patriarch of the Lei Clan truly invincible?
The business world was just like the battlefield while Qian Wanguan could use both hidden and open conspiracies. He would use them without any conventional reasoning, making it impossible to guard against. Qian Wanguan had recently become a mighty figure that no one dared to underestimate as he had become the esteemed guest of all the eight clans, allowing him to have prestige which surpassed Jiang Yi. There was something that Qian Wanguan didn’t know if he should laugh or cry. Among the members of the supervisory team, four of the clans had sent out their most beautiful young ladies who surrounded Qian Wanguan the entire day. They would supervise Qian Wanguan in name, but everyone knew of their intentions.
…
“Qian Wanguan? I didn’t expect that wretched fatty to be so capable? I have truly made an error in judgment. This person is truly a talent.”
In the Sin Hall of the North Thearch City’s Wu Castle, Ji Tingyu was looking at the latest updated information while her charming face was filled with praise. She had some impressions of this fatty as he was the Young Clan Head of the Qian Clan and was also the most loyal little brother of Jiang Yi.
There were many members of the Wu Clan who had been purged out. The information that were sent back was all very vague. The information about the Soaring Dragon Merchant Association was kept in absolute secrecy, which Ji Tingyu didn’t obtain any information about. She simply knew that Qian Wanguan was very popular now and had helped the Situ Clan earned a lot of celestial stones, and his status now was high and mighty.
Wu Ni had been secluding himself as he rejected all invitations to the banquets and had been either cultivating or reading the various information in the Sin Hall. This was Ji Tingyu’s advice, to climb back up where he fell. It didn’t matter if he could climb back up; he had to put on the attitude. He had been kneeling in the Sin Hall for the recent days, which caused the dissatisfaction from the elder hall to be lowered to the minimum.
When he heard Ji Tingyu sighing with surprise, he knitted his brows and said, “Ji Tingyu, you still have the mood to laugh? If Qian Wanguan is doing better, Jiang Yi would be safer, making it even more difficult for us to deal with him…”
Ji Tingyu laughed lightly and shook her head. “Young Master Ni, we have to face our enemy squarely, and we even have to respect our enemy. Qian Wanguan is truly a talent, and this is something we must admit. If we do not view our enemy properly, how are we going to analyze them properly? How are we going to find their flaws and kill them in a single blow?”
One had to admit that Wu Ni had a strong point, and it was that he was willing to listen. After Ji Tingyu finished talking, he mulled over it and nodded. “You are right. I have been blinded by hatred. We really have to view our enemy properly.”
“Young Master Ni is progressing in the correct direction. I think if your father—the North King—heard this statement, he would be really happy.”
Ji Tingyu got up and smiled. “In fact, it is simply too easy for us to kill Qian Wanguan and Jiang Yi. The better Qian Wanguan is doing, the more danger he and Jiang Yi would be in. So much so that… I can use despicable methods to kill them easily!”
Wu Ni’s eyes glittered as he asked, “What despicable methods?”
Ji Tingyu looked towards the west and said, “Qian Wanguan has a father and clansmen in Stellarsky Continent. We can capture them and coerce Qian Wanguan to betray Jiang Yi effortlessly. They would then be killed by the Situ Clan. Of course… this is a backup plan.”
“No way!”
Wu Ni shook his hand resolutely and said, “The sin is not on the family members. This is the clan rules of the Nine Thearchs Clans. If the Nine Thearchs Clans are going to battle, we will fight with honor. Otherwise, when the news spread out, our Wu Clan will become the enemy of all people.”
Ji Tingyu nodded and spoke softly, “Hence, I said this is the backup plan as it is the most effective plan. Since Young Master doesn’t agree, we will use the proper plan. However, it will require some time.”
“Time isn’t a problem. I just need to win this battle with properly.” Wu Ni nodded and said, “Recently, I have realized that I am over-eager for success, and my mindset isn’t stable enough. I am preparing to go into seclusion for a period of time and immerse myself in cultivation. The matters of the Sin Hall shall be given to you with full authority.”
“Great!”
Ji Tingyu was truly emotional as she spoke, “Young Master Ni is growing very quickly. I am sure when the time comes, you will be the new generation North Sovereign and the North Thearch. Young Master, don’t worry. In less than two years, Tingyi will turnover Sin Island. Jiang Yi and Qian Wanguan will then have to die without any burial grounds!”
Wu Ni felt an ineffable chill in his spine when he looked at Ji Tingyu’s passionate eyes. He suddenly recalled a statement. A woman’s heart was the most vicious.
