Chapter 380: Chapter 379: Clear Objective, Making a Big Splash

Upon hearing Shan Meng’s sudden question, Li Jing glanced over at her curiously.

She seems overly thoughtful.

Come to think of it, it makes sense.

Anyone who is prepared to flip-flop early on must be full of ideas.

Quite unlike cultivating a heart with single-minded determination.

People like Shan Meng can thrive in various environments because they dare to imagine and act.

The consequences of betraying the Sacred Association may be terrifying.

But if one dies...

Then all will be over, everything will end.

"Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t be asking."

With a casual remark, Li Jing focused his attention on the content of the USB drive.

Shan Meng didn’t get a straight answer and looked peeved. As she kept her mouth shut, she stared unblinkingly at someone.

Of course, she was sure this person wasn’t human even though she didn’t know whose side Li Jing was on.

Only a Great Demon, or someone of Seventh Realm and above, could, with pure brute strength, instantly subdue a sixth realm like her.

In this world, not only monsters walk the Body Refining path, but only monsters can truly attain mastery.

Like those who practice subsidiary branches of Immortal Path in Northern God Country, their bodies are unparalleled, but they are not as strong as monsters. They rely on the Immortal Path’s subtleties to compete with monsters.

While examining the strange mask on Li Jing’s face, which seemed unusual and didn’t even resemble a refined instrument, a variety of strange colors flickered in Shan Meng’s eyes.

The characteristics of the Smoke Eye were undoubtedly evident at this moment.

Shan Meng didn’t have any Immortal Items.

But as a disciple of the Mist Hidden Door who was qualified to enter the world, she had two high-quality Spirit weapons in her hand.

If she came across ordinary Immortal Items, her Spirit weapons could easily identify them and warn Shan Meng.

However, the characteristics of Smoke Eye were too unusual.

Even between instruments, there was no way to detect anything.

Not to mention a Spirit weapon.

Even if it was replaced with an Immortal Item, in its view, the Smoke Eye was not a tool created by refining and gave birth to Spirit Weapon; it was simply a mask.

Over here.

Li Jing scanned the content of the USB drive on the laptop screen quickly and soon lost interest in its content.

The content Shan Meng stuffed into the USB drive was quite explosive.

It contained not only some actions of the Sacred Association in which she was personally informed or directly involved, but also a list of more than thirty members of the Sacred Association.

More than half of them were disciples from various sects.

The rest were well-known figures in various countries and on Earth Realm.

Some of these people were in the system.

There were also those who were influential in the business world.

If this USB drive were handed over to Jiang Liao, it would certainly provide substantial help in sweeping the Sacred Association for both the Administration Bureau and the patrol bureau.

However, these were not what Li Jing needed.

His target.

Has never been the Sacred Association.

Li Jing withdrew his gaze and turned his head.

Just as he was about to speak, Shan Meng gave a meaningful smile.

"Have you been satisfied with what you’ve seen?"

Li Jing was silent.

He can’t say he is not satisfied, of course.

This USB drive, as an unexpected gain, is quite helpful.

Noticing that Shan Meng was waiting for his reply with her hand on her cheek, Li Jing spoke up.

"You should be able to provide more than this, right?"

"Of course."

Shan Meng chuckled and said,

"You haven’t even told me what you can give me, so naturally I should reserve some explosive tricks to prevent being taken advantage of."

As she said that, she brushed her hair lightly and smiled charmingly.

"In this world, all the ruthless jerks are everywhere. As a weak woman, if I am not careful and cautious, I am afraid I will be sold out and still help count the money."

"..."

Li Jing.

There’s nothing wrong with the rest.

He agreed with what Shan Meng said.

Not only Longyu.

The peace of the world is just a surface.

The reality behind the world is a dog-eat-dog world.

Just that the way Shan Meng is speaking now, along with her expression, seemed to imply something.

After a moment of silence, Li Jing took the USB drive from the laptop and handed it over.

"Keep this for yourself. I’m just doing someone else’s bidding for them. It’s true that the focus is on the Sacred Association, but it’s not for targeting the Sacred Association. I can’t personally guarantee what I can give you."

On hearing this, Shan Meng wasn’t surprised.

She mistakenly thought Li Jing was not human,

But she was still thinking correctly.

No matter what faction Li Jing belongs to, he is certainly connected with that Inspector surnamed Li.

It’s not a rare occurrence for monsters to serve the Inspectorate, the Management Bureau, or other human forces.

Hearing Li Jing’s words, Shan Meng smiled at the corner of her mouth and calmly waited for him to continue.

Li Jing did not hesitate to see this.

"The information in your hand weighs heavy. The most I can provide for you is networking, allowing you to become the Administration Bureau’s internal line within the Sacred Association."

"Administration Bureau?"

Shan Meng’s eyes shimmered with brilliance.

By making this move, Li Jing made it clear that he was working for the Administration Bureau.

The power of the Administration Bureau goes without saying.

Being able to board this big ship means that the Sacred Association and so on are all insignificant.

In the final analysis.

People like Shan Meng, Wo Lingzhu, and disciples of the sect who choose the Sacred Association all do so because they experience significant limitations in their development and cannot obtain real power.

Li Jing noticed the glare in Shan Meng’s eyes and said calmly,

"I will help you network, but the exact conditions depend on your own worth."

"Understood."

Shan Meng nodded very straightforwardly, then smiled faintly.

"So, how can I satisfy you, who are just entrusted by others?"

Shan Meng’s words were quite tactful.

Upon hearing this, Li Jing responded accordingly.

"The Mist Hidden Door once had a worldly disciple named Shan Wen who was also a member of the Sacred Association. You both share the surname Shan - is there any connection?"

Hearing the words "Shan Wen" suddenly, Shan Meng slightly frowned, saying,

"We disciples of the Mist Hidden Door all share the surname Shan, we don’t necessarily have any close relations. However, the Shan Wen that you mentioned does indeed have a connection with me; he is my senior apprentice brother. The two of us are under the same mentorship. I was able to join the Sacred Association due to him."

Saying so, she continued,

"Although my elder brother was a member of the Sacred Association, he is a conservative and advocates for steady development. He never participates in radical matters, and he even places severe restrictions on me, his younger sister. He should not have done anything that incurs both human and heavenly wrath, so why are you looking for him?"

Upon hearing Shan Meng’s words, Li Jing felt a jolt run through him.

He didn’t care about any factions or whether Shan Wen had once committed evil acts.

The only thing he cared about was whether there was a connection between Shan Meng and Shan Wen.

Now, he finally had confirmation.

Not only did they have a connection, but it was also beyond ordinary - they were senior and junior apprentices, and Shan Meng was able to join the Sacred Association because of Shan Wen’s guidance.

Taking a closer look at Shan Meng, Li Jing said,

"Having reached this point in the conversation, I might as well be straightforward. I am in conflict with the Sacred Association this time due to a commission from the Li inspector you mentioned to investigate the accidental death of the wife of a director of the Administration Bureau 26 years ago."

"The Director of Administration Bureau!?"

Shan Meng was surprised, her breathing becoming more labored.

She’s not stupid.

Li Jing claimed to be commissioned by the Li inspector, but the real victim behind the incident was obviously the director of the Administration Bureau.

Such a major issue...

So, someone’s prior networking was directly linked to the director of the General Bureau?

As she realized that she was merely explaining her true intentions, the flame of desire in Shan Meng’s eyes almost burst out, to which Li Jing, somewhat unimpressed, casually remarked,

"Before coming to find you, I had approached another member of the Sacred Association. In exchange for networking them with the Administration Bureau, I learned that your elder brother might have known something about the incident 26 years ago. Has your elder brother ever told you anything about it?"

"He mentioned some things, but they were all irrelevant."

Shan Meng responded, saying,

"As I mentioned earlier, my elder brother is conservative. When he was alive, his restrictions upon me were quite severe, forbidding me from associating with radicals."

Receiving such a response, Li Jing frowned.

Damn, just when he found someone with a clear connection, he’s encountered another deadlock?

Feeling displeased, Shan Meng smiled mysteriously.

"I don’t know much about the incident 26 years ago, and I haven’t been involved, but I can provide some useful information for you."

As she spoke, she said intriguingly,

"Although my elder brother was always restricting me, I had my own ideas. In some areas, I proactively sought knowledge. For example, I found out who really held the power within the secret architecture of the Sacred Association. Our Mist Hidden Door and the Sinister Gate both have superior eavesdropping abilities. As a member of the Sacred Association, I naturally used all favorable conditions to move toward the center."

Hearing Shan Meng’s words, Li Jing, under his mask, raised his previously furrowed brows.

The real power holders of the Sacred Association are obviously the nine elder-class figures.

Without making himself seem too calculating, Li Jing inquired,

"Are you implying that you know the real identities of the nine elders of the Sacred Association?"

"You know there are nine elders in the Sacred Association?"

Shan Meng looked surprised, and then pouted for not being fully satisfied,

"This really puts me in a difficult position. Originally, this was a piece of information that could have been sold for a good price."

"Less nonsense, get to the point."

Li Jing rolled his eyes.

This person in front of him not only was bold, but she also calculated a lot.

If possible, he would rather not deal with her.

People like Shan Meng would never let go of an opportunity to make a demand.

Just like that.

Despite Li Jing’s obvious impatience, Shan Meng, who was cooperative a moment ago, chuckled lightly.

"Of course I will get to the point, but before that, I hope you could agree to say a few kind words when you act as a go-between for me and that person from the Administration Bureau. It’s true that I have been exposed, and the Sacred Association has anticipated this. However, no one will notice your arrival for now, and as long as it is done properly, I can still serve as a core..."

Before Shan Meng could finish her sentence, Li Jing waved his hand.

"Don’t worry about this matter, I will make everything clear when I communicate with Inspector Li. He will understand your value," he said.

Shan Meng was not entirely satisfied with this statement.

She wasn’t a fool.

Li Jing was also being dismissive in front of her.

He might explain everything clearly, but most likely he won’t be as generous with his compliments as she suggested.

However, facing a character like Li Jing, Shan Meng knew she couldn’t ask for too much.

People’s patience is limited.

Those who are good at jumping around usually have a good grasp of this point.

She gathered her thoughts and began to speak.

"The incident twenty-six years ago was undoubtedly the work of the radical faction of the Sacred Association, and there was a conspiracy involving at least one or two elder-level figures. The incident caused a lot of internal strife within the Sacred Association at the time and yet no one was held accountable. This in itself says a lot."

As she spoke, she continued.

"Among the nine elders of the Sacred Association, I know the identity of two. One may not have been involved in that incident, but the other definitely was."

Li Jing was jolted upon hearing this.

"Why are you certain that person was involved?"

"The reason is simple, he is a resident of the Jiang family estate," Shan Meng shrugged and said.

"The Jiang family’s estate is not an ordinary place. No matter how high your cultivation level is, it’s impossible to enter without alerting anyone, let alone causing a death within the estate. To enter the Jiang family’s estate, you need at least one inside accomplice of sufficient weight to allow you to enter quietly without raising an alarm."

Li Jing nodded.

What Shan Meng said made sense.

His own conjecture also included this point.

Without thinking much, Li Jing asked.

"So who is this person?"

"Theoretically, you should already know," Shan Meng smiled and said.

"Inspector Li was suspended from his post due to an anonymous report. Who’s behind it should be clear by now, right?"

Li Jing paused briefly to verify before replying.

"Qian Zhixing, the former director of the Discipline Inspection Office of the Inspectorate General?"

"Correct," Shan Meng replied with a soft smile.

"I guess you didn’t expect that one of the Sacred Association’s elder-level figures would be so conspicuous, stirring up trouble openly, did you?"

Regardless of Li Jing’s reaction, she went on.

"This is where Qian Zhixing excels. You wouldn’t have expected it, and neither would Inspector Li or the Administration Bureau or the Inspectorate General. In fact, had I not confirmed his identity beforehand and been keeping a secret eye on him for my own small schemes, I too wouldn’t have thought he would turn out to be such a big fish."

Li Jing remained silent.

As Shan Meng said, he hadn’t expected it.

He didn’t even consider Qian Zhixing to be a member of the Sacred Association, merely seeing him as a stepping stone to be used.

Who would have thought that this person, who seemed so insignificant on the surface, would turn out to be a key figure?

Exhaling lightly, Li Jing looked up.

"You’ve been monitoring Qian Zhixing and you know about Inspector Li being anonymously reported, so you should know about Zhou Wenlong. What’s his involvement?"

"Zhou Wenlong is nothing more than a lapdog under Qian Zhixing’s command," Shan Meng responded dismissively.

"His existence is just for misdirection."

With this answer, Li Jing nodded silently and asked again.

"Who is the other elder of the Sacred Association that you know about?"

"Please allow me to withhold the identity of this person for now to leverage for more advantages later on," said Shan Meng, spreading her hands.

"A person like Qian Zhixing is probably enough for you to deal with, isn’t he?"

Saying this, she began to narrate.

"Although he has already retired from the Discipline Inspection Office of the Inspectorate General, his influence is still great. Not only does he have years of underground development, but he is also a resident of the Jiang family estate. No one can touch him without definite evidence, and it wouldn’t make sense for you to go there directly like you are now. Additionally, he is a Seventh Realm powerhouse. You may not have the upper hand even if you confront him directly, and you might even be counterattacked, just like Inspector Li, being labeled as a violator of laws and discipline. Your situation would be very bad then, and you would be unable to protect yourself even with the director of the Administration Bureau backing you."

Li Jing said nothing in response to Shan Meng’s words.

After a moment of silence, he turned and left, leaving these words behind.

"Someone will contact you later. Do not mention anything about Qian Zhixing."

Seeing Li Jing just walk away like this, Shan Meng was slightly stunned. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

This guy really doesn’t stick to the norm, does he?

It wasn’t that she had to hold on to the identity of the other elder-level person to sell at a higher price later, she just wanted to get as many advantages as possible for herself after "selling" a person of sufficient weight to prove her credibility.

After all.

Communicating with Li Jing and negotiating with the director of the Administration Bureau were two different things.

Whether she lived or died, and how she would be dealt with, was wholly at the latter’s discretion.

No matter how valuable the information she provided, it couldn’t change the fact that she was a member of the Sacred Association.

If someone wanted to label her, she had no choice but to accept it.

Li Jing, on the other hand, wasn’t in the same boat.

He may have some influence as the Director of Management Bureau, but he himself does not wield such great power.

At this moment, seeing Li Jing leaving, Shan Meng felt a deep sense of regret.

But now things have come to this, she dared not try to hold onto Li Jing to further discuss their life’s ambitions.

Her slender neck still ached somewhat...

...

Shan Meng’s state of mind, Li Jing was not unaware.

It’s precisely because he knew that he didn’t bother to engage in pointless dialogue with this woman.

Such a person, she is difficult to deal with.

It’s better to leave the communication to Jiang Liao himself. It would save him from making commitments he couldn’t fulfill, which could make things difficult for the latter.

After leaving the street office where Shan Meng was, Li Jing paused at a dark corner on the street.

At this point, there was at least one clear target person.

But as Shan Meng said.

The difficulty of taking action against Qian Zhixing was immensely high.

Simply informing Jiang Liao of the situation doesn’t mean much.

Let’s not mention whether Jiang Liao could even touch Qian Zhixing.

The latter was neither a disciple of the magic sect nor from a traditional family. At most, he was an accomplice who offered assistance.

The real culprit who had tried to murder Lu Qifei had yet to surface.

Li Jing was unsure how to handle the current situation.

Should he start with Qian Zhixing and investigate downward?

This could be a possibility.

But how exactly he was supposed to investigate, he had no clue at all.

What to do?

The situation seemed akin to a stalemate.

In essence, it was an insolvable problem – an enigma that could not be untangled.

In this predicament, Li Jing thought of how Chen Jing acted in the past.

Since he couldn’t untangle the enigma.

Perhaps he could take a different approach.

Be direct – stir up something big?

Once he had this thought, it became unstoppable.

Raising his hand to touch the Smoke Eye still worn on his face, Li Jing took out his phone and found Jiang Yini in his Immortal Message contacts.

"Yini, I have some promising leads. I plan on stirring up something big."

No sooner had he sent the message, that Jiang Yini quickly replied.

"???"

Three question marks, fully expressing her perplexions.

Then, she initiated a voice call.

Li Jing was going to reply to her text when he accidentally hit the accept button. Reluctantly, he pulled the phone up to his ear.

Following that, came Jiang Yini’s fairly pressing questions.

"What do you mean by ’stir up something big’? What are you planning to do?"

"Don’t ask too many questions. Just have your uncle back me up a bit more."

Li Jing whispered.

Upon hearing these words, Jiang Yini obviously became somewhat uneasy.

Normally.

If there was an issue, she could handle it.

If all else fails, she was a director of the Bureau, after all.

For her "little brother", she had it covered.

But this time, Li Jing was asking her father to back him up.

How big of a mess was he planning to create?

She was well aware of Li Jing’s style when he resorted to playing hardball.

His audacity was nothing new.

She could already envisage certain possibilities.

"No! You have to explain things more clearly!"

Jiang Yini spoke quickly.

"We’ll talk after everything ends."

Li Jing responded, then hung up the call and turned off the phone in one fell swoop.

Putting away his phone, he moved quickly and shot up into the sky like a thunderbolt.

"Blue Edge."

Upon his soft call.

The Flying Sword Blue Edge materialized in its true form next to his hand.

The formidable wave of the Immortal Item radiated unchecked.

Li Jing reached out and took the sword.

"Smoke Eye."

Another soft call, and the wave of the Immortal Item, several times more powerful than the Flying Sword Blue Edge, swept across the sky ten thousand meters high.

In an instant, the entire country was set ablaze.