Chapter 2627 The Real Mastermind

Wanrou couldn't help but glance at Lin Xun. Only after getting a nod from the latter did she take out a long rectangular jade box and send it through the air.

Scarlet Demon Dao Lord grabbed it. Investigating the box with his spirit sense, he immediately revealed a look of satisfaction and delight. He carefully put the jade box away and said, “Very good, it is indeed Ancestor Kun’s life bone. You may leave now.”

“Let’s go, Miss,” said Uncle Jiao.

Wanrou took her younger brother’s hand and led him to leave. Inside, she was actually extremely nervous, fearing that Scarlet Demon Dao Lord might change his mind. However, nothing happened when they had left Scarlet Copper Mountain. The other party did not pursue them. She was quite surprised that it turned out to be a false alarm.

After returning to the treasure ship, Uncle Jiao said, “Miss, since we’ve got Young Master Bo’an, let’s split up from here on. I'll handle the rest of the business in the Rowdy Demon Sea, while you and Young Master Bo’an help Master Shi find the person he’s looking for. I'm sure nothing bad will happen with Master Shi being with you.”

Wanrou pondered for a moment before agreeing, “Alright.”

Uncle Jiao immediately set out.

Watching him depart, Lin Xun suddenly said, “Miss Wanrou, get your brother settled down first. I have another matter to discuss with you.”

𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Wanrou was startled, and then she nodded and took Bo’an into the cabin. Before long, she came out and asked, “What is the matter, Master Shi?”

Lin Xun said, “First, sail away from here.”

Even though Wanrou found his request odd, she did as told. After the ship had sailed out for over five minutes, Lin Xun turned to Wanrou, “Don’t you feel it has gone too smoothly?”

Wanrou nodded, “It was indeed smooth beyond my expectations. It seems that Uncle Jiao was right after all. Though Scarlet Demon Dao Lord is despicable, he is still a man of his word.”

Lin Xun let out a meaningful chuckle, “Store the ship. I'll take you to watch a good show.”

A show?

Wanrou vaguely sensed that something was off, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Carrying this doubt, she lifted her hand, and the treasure ship behind her shrank into a crystalline white gourd and landed in her palm.

“Let's go.” Lin Xun waved his sleeve. The two vanished into thin air.

Moments later, Wanrou's clear eyes narrowed slightly upon seeing that he was bringing her back to Scarlet Copper Mountain. As she was about to voice her doubt, he shook his head, “Let’s first enjoy the show.”

Scarlet Copper Mountain was shrouded in layers of restrictive barriers, but they were as good as nonexistent in front of Lin Xun. He silently took Wanrou and slipped into the mountain without alerting anyone, which somewhat put her tense heart at ease. Soon, the two came to a stop at a cloud layer not far from the mountain peak.

Lin Xun gazed at the majestic palace in the distance and whispered, “See who that is?”

Wanrou followed his gaze and instantly stiffened at what she saw. Her eyes widened into an expression of disbelief.

In the open hall of the palace, someone was sitting in the high throne at the center. It was not Scarlet Demon Dao Lord, but a person she knew all too well—Uncle Jiao!

At this moment, he bore no resemblance to a servant. His back was straight, his hands were casually resting on the arms of the chair, and his eyes were slightly narrowed. He exuded the aura of a coiling dragon, brimming with dominance.

Before him knelt a figure clad in a striking crimson cloak, who was none other than Scarlet Demon Dao Lord!

Wanrou felt as though she had been struck by lightning, her mind going blank and her limbs turning cold.

How could...how could this be?

“Quite a surprise, don’t you think? The biggest traitor isn't actually Runyue, but the one who appears most loyal to you, Uncle Jiao.” Lin Xun's voice rang in Wanrou's ears, causing her to shudder out of utter rage.

She was unable to immediately believe or accept any of this! Uncle Jiao had been at her father’s side as his most trusted right-hand man, accompanying him on various trips to the Rowdy Demon Sea for many years.

It could be said that the entire Nine Leaf Merchant House placed absolute trust in Uncle Jiao, but who could have imagined that such a loyal old man was actually a well-concealed traitor with ulterior motives?!

The blow was too heavy. Even though Wanrou had seen it with her own eyes, she couldn't accept it in a short time. There was nothing but a confused mess inside her head.

How could this be? Why is this happening?

It took her a long while to finally come to her senses. With a mix of anger and dejection on her face, she transmitted, “Master Shi, how did you find out?”

Lin Xun replied through transmission, “It was in fact quite a coincidence. After that incident on the ship where Heng Tianxiao restrained Uncle Jiao, I sensed that something was off.

“I could tell that Uncle Jiao's cultivation was definitely superior to Heng Tianxiao’s. Even in an ambush, it would be impossible for the latter to dominate him in such a short time. Yet, as we all know, Uncle Jiao was subdued silently and swiftly, which I found highly unusual.

“I investigated the cabin afterward and found no traces of battle. This can only mean that there was more to Uncle Jiao’s defeat than met the eye. Of course, I only had some suspicions and dared not conclude that there was something problematic about him.

“Later, you told me you and your father knew about Ancestor Kun’s life bone, and that even someone like Runyue wasn’t qualified to be informed. But I thought it’d be different with Uncle Jiao, because he’s the person your father trusts most. If he’s determined to find out such secrets, then it wouldn’t be too difficult for him to achieve his goal.”

Listening to Lin Xun’s analysis, Wanrou’s face turned pale. She exclaimed in shock and anger, “No wonder Uncle Jiao suddenly killed Runyue while I was interrogating her. He...he was probably scared that I might uncover something!”

Lin Xun said, “If that were all, then it wouldn't have been sufficient proof that there was something off with Uncle Jiao. After we came to Thousand Fortunes Island and Uncle Jiao volunteered to gather intel on Scarlet Demon Dao Lord, I secretly tailed him and I saw many interesting things.”

He flipped his palm, and a light screen appeared in the void. On the screen, Uncle Jiao was alone, walking fast until he eventually arrived at a big palace. The scene then shifted, showing him standing inside with a group of cultivators kneeling around him.

Here, Uncle Jiao looked like an overlord, his voice deep and resonant with immense authority, “Go and tell Scarlet Demon that there has been a change in the plan. When I bring Wanrou to Scarlet Copper Mountain, he must hand over Bo’an without question!”

“Yes!” the kneeling cultivators received the order.

“Tell him that he must not act without authorization, or I will not spare him!” Uncle Jiao's eyes were frosty, and the three scars on his face that resembled centipedes looked incredibly ferocious.

The screen faded out.

Wanrou’s face alternated between red and white with rage and disappointment as she trembled uncontrollably. How could she not understand now that Uncle Jiao, who she and her father had invited into their business, was in fact a traitor?

Lin Xun's eyes flashed with a deep light. “You saw how smooth the exchange on Scarlet Copper Mountain was. Why was that? The answer lies with Uncle Jiao.

“I planned to capture him right on the ship just now, but he proposed splitting up and volunteered to take care of the remaining transactions. I decided to play along and bring you here to witness a spectacle.

“As I expected, he immediately circled back to Scarlet Copper Mountain. He must have been worried about potential mishaps and thus decided to retrieve the life bone as soon as possible.”

What happened in Wanrou’s vision right at this moment verified Lin Xun’s guess. In the hall, Scarlet Demon Dao Lord was respectfully presenting the jade box containing Ancestor Kun's life bone to Uncle Jiao in the main seat.

The latter's expression brightened up with joy as he ran his fingers over the box and lamented, “For this treasure, I have endured bitterly for a thousand years. Now that my wish has finally been realized, it truly fills me with mixed emotions.”

“Your thousand years of sacrifice has all been worth it!” Scarlet Demon Dao Lord buttered him up with a smile.

“Humph! If you had been more ruthless when you ambushed Old Kun that year and killed him, I wouldn’t have had to wait until now!” Uncle Jiao snorted.

Scarlet Demon Dao Lord awkwardly derailed from the topic, “Master, during the exchange, why did you spare his two children?”

Resentment crossed Uncle Jiao's face as he complained, "I never expected that there would be such a menace on that ship. He’s so unimaginably powerful that even I feel extremely wary of him. Otherwise, the matter could have been easily resolved all the way back at the Black Demon Thunder Sea!"

Scarlet Demon Dao Lord was taken aback, “Do you mean the young man who was standing beside Wanrou earlier? He didn't seem particularly remarkable...”

Uncle Jiao’s face distorted. He sneered, “What the hell do you know?! The more ordinary someone seems, the more eager they are to feast on your flesh. The people of the Heng Clan were wiped out because they underestimated him. If I hadn’t warned you in advance, that kid could have turned your entire mountain upside down with his strength!”

Scarlet Demon Dao Lord gasped, “If that's the case, then he’s indeed a dangerous terror! But are we just going to stand by and let Old Kun's children leave Rowdy Demon Sea?”

Uncle Jiao coldly said, “Rest assured. Once they return, their doom will soon be near. Heng Tianshao’s group was slaughtered on their ship, and the blame is solely the Nine Leaf Merchant House to bear!”

An amused smile then spread on Uncle Jiao's savage, scarred face as he spoke slowly, “Even if that brat hadn’t killed them, I would have done that after they got the life bone and framed Nine Leaf Merchant House.”

Scarlet Demon Dao Lord immediately praised, “Master, you’ve really calculated everything!”

Wanrou, who watched their entire exchange from a far, was so furious that her fair face had become deathly white and her eyes seethed with rage.