CHAPTER 2368  FRUSTRATING POLITICS OF THE SECULAR WORLDS

Lin Mu's words echoed in the minds of everyone and they couldn't help but think that it was correct.

All the incidents had been happening for a long time, and only because Yao Changying had not done anything yet was why the Black Fin Island had managed to go unnoticed. Though there was another thing in common that had helped them.

Almost all the assassination and other 'jobs' that had been taken by them seemed to be for the Nobles of various regions. It wasn't just the Huiqing Empire either.

There were nobles from the Holy Topaz Dynasty, and also the Dao Wind Empire, that had made use of them without truly knowing. Finally, there was the Eight Kingdom Alliance that had the biggest use of them. It turned out that about half of the total incidences that Qiao De had in his register were all from the Eight Kingdom Alliance!

And these were only the ones that were known by the Black Candle Pavilion. There were bound to be several more that they had not discovered yet.

After all, the ones they knew of were mostly the incidents involving major cultivators with well known identities or ones that were impactful. The smaller incidents that might have involved the Black Fin Island members likely went unnoticed, as there was no 'value' in keeping track of them.

"How much fortune do you think they would have managed to accumulate by this?" Crown Prince Feng Shun questioned.

"Mm… that is very hard to say. Considering that they had done most of the things without notice, I don't think the payments were officially recorded anywhere. For such covert operations, the cost is usually higher and they would most certainly charge a premium price with the 'quality' of their services.

I estimate it should be at least… a couple billion High Grade Immortal Stones worth or even more." Qiao De said after calculating in his mind.

"A couple of billions!?" It was certainly a massive number for everyone here. Even for the two royals, the number of Immortal Stones was something that would be enough to run the empire for decades, if not a century!

And if it was considered as personal wealth, a sole individual would be able to use this amount right from the time they were a False Immortal all the way to the Seventh Tribulation Stage of the Immortal realm and still have excess left over.

It was simply a massive amount.

In another example a sect would be able to use the amount for even longer since they didn't have excess administrative expenses like an empire would have. Not to mention the number of people they needed to take care of would also be less. As such, they could even use this amount for several times longer. For a mid sized sect like the one Daoist Chu came from, two billion high grades immoral stones would be more than enough to run it for at least three to four thousand years. A smaller sect could even stretch that to ten thousand years!

And yet, such a massive amount had been earned by the Black Fin Island and Yao Changying indirectly within a shorter time period.

"How long has she been doing this?" Crown Princess Shang couldn't help but ask as she thought about the expedition incident and the period of hiding that Yao Changying had gone after that.

"The oldest incident that I have a record of is at least fifteen years old." Qiao De answered. "But I doubt they would have started with anything big, so there are definitely smaller incidents that happened way before that we have no idea about." He added.

"Mmmhmm… Considering the steady and stable way of growth the Black Fin Island members and Yao Changying had taken, I reckon this has all happened for at least twice that." Lady Kang said, taking her own experience in such businesses as the reference. "So at least thirty years or more than that. There's also a high chance Yao Changying has made use of other people or organizations beyond the Rust Sky World." She added.

The Great Kang clan had several businesses under them in addition to the Great Kang Auction house and this included intelligence organizations. They had also made use of several assassination organizations before and knew how much a large scale covert operation like this could cost and generate.

"It must be her home world then. The Zhuang World." Daoist Chu recalled.

"Mmm, it is certainly possible." Crown Princess Shang nodded. "The Zhuang World is different than the Rust Sky World and is more similar to our Three Aster World, having both secular powers as well as the cultivation sects.

With the powers and control being divided into multiple powers, it would be a lot easier for her to secretly make her own organization there and reroute resources through there." She said after thinking for a bit.

"If that is true, then it is likely to be a power that has appeared recently or a preexisting one that suddenly rose in status," Ziran suggested.

"That'll be hard to say." Qiao De replied. "The Zhuang World's small to medium sects had several conflicts in the last few decades, so there have been many changes in the power structure. The waters are far too muddied for us to look through. It's only the top powers and sects that are stable there such as the Flourishing Flower Sword Sect." He explained.

"What if it's the Flourishing Flower Sword Sect itself?" Min Ju suddenly said. "It is the darkest under the candle… It would be the most ideal place for Yao Changying since she already has a great authority there and it's her home. No one would question what she does there." Having been an attendant for Lady Kang since her childhood, Min Ju was no less versed in matters such as these and had seen a lot too.

"Of course, the Flourishing Flower Sword Sect definitely has some involvement, even if the higher ups are in the blind about it." Crown Princess Shang stated. "The Patriarch and the high elders are all sword cultivators who spend most of their time training in seclusion, the daily functioning of the sect is left in the hands of the middle and lower elders.

With her identity, it won't be too hard for Yao Changying to turn several of them into her own people.

But I doubt the entire sect would be involved in it. The Patriarch wouldn't stand for something like this either. As a Sword Cultivator, he is still of the righteous path and his Dao Heart would shatter if he condoned something like this not to mention participate in it." She explained.

Crown Princess Shang might have an enmity with Yao Changying, but she also knew that the people behind her were not the same as her. Especially her father, who was the Sect Patriarch and a well known Sword Cultivator.

"Though… Her mother can be involved in it." Crown Princess Shang added. "She's been known to be a sharp dagger in the dark too… there must have been somewhere Yao Changying got her personality from. Who else than her mother?" The Princess snarked.

~SIGH~

Hearing all this, Lin Mu couldn't help but sigh as he felt like he had returned to the Xiaofan world and gotten involved in the politics of the sects and kingdoms. owns this.

"Amithabha, secular disputes are truly not good for the Dao Heart." Monk Hushu could understand the frustration in Lin Mu's mind and could even mirror it.

After all, there was a reason why the Monks preferred to live in monasteries and temples secluded from the other people and powers.

It was to ensure that their own process was not hampered by matters such as these, and they could focus on gaining enlightenment and comprehend as much as they could with their own efforts.

"Perhaps going to the Silent Lotus World after all this ends might be a good choice." Lin Mu muttered lightly.

"We'll be glad to host you." Monk Hush said with a gentle smile.

"I might join too…" Ziran couldn't help but say. "I prefer exploring, but definitely not when it involves so many conspiracies." He said with a wry smile.

"Such is the world of Jianghu's politics." Crown Prince Feng Shun said, knowing that it was an inevitability he would have to suffer through for most of his life.

The group discussed for a while more, until Lin Mu was interrupted by the twins.

~HISS~ HISS~

The twins rushed into the Offering Hall and came to Lin Mu's side.

"We found something!" the twins said in unison.

"Lead us!" Lin Mu said without a moment of hesitation.

~SHUA~SHUA~

The twins turned into blurry ribbons and sped away while Lin Mu followed after. Of course, the others didn't need anymore explanation and went after him too.

Outside, Little Shrubby, who had been guarding them, was already prepared to set off on the journey.