Chapter 62: Shadow Weaving Web, Black Market Search
The assassination attempt was like a sharp thorn, piercing Ye Li's heart. The attacker's actions were professional and ruthless, leaving no trace. This was clearly not a spur-of-the-moment act, but a premeditated and organized one. Passively waiting for the next attack was not her style. She had to take the initiative and uncover the mastermind to fundamentally resolve the problem.
However, the enemy is in the dark, and we are in the light. With only the sect's overt channels and Youge's limited intelligence capabilities, trying to uncover the truth is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Ye Li knows that some clues are often hidden in shadowy corners where sunlight doesn't reach—for example, the black market.
As a major sect in the spiritual world, the Xuanyun Sect boasts tens of thousands of disciples, a diverse mix of good and bad, and naturally fosters its own underground trading network. This network circulates stolen goods of unknown origin, prohibited materials, secret information, and even shady commissions. This is a gray area, a hub for intelligence gathering and distribution.
The next day, Ye Li summoned Lin Feng and Sun Xiaohou through Youge Order.
Inside the quiet room, a formation separated the inside and outside. Ye Li told the two the details of the assassination last night (hiding the specific means of his counterattack) and the rubbing pattern of the black token.
Lin Feng's expression was solemn. "Pavilion Master, this matter is of great importance. The other party was able to quietly infiltrate the formation set up by the Peak Master. They are definitely not ordinary forces. This token is simple in style and has no markings. It seems to be a token of some ancient assassin organization, or perhaps they have deliberately erased all traces."
Sun Xiaohou scratched his head, looking both nervous and excited. "Don't worry, Pavilion Master! I may not be good at many other things, but I'm the best at getting information! I know all about those black market dens in the sect! I'll go find out if there have been any strange and ruthless people coming in and out recently, or if there's any news of a bounty on you!"
Ye Li nodded, took out a storage bag filled with spirit stones and handed it to Sun Xiaohou. "Take these spirit stones. They're worth a fortune on the black market. Remember, safety comes first. It's better to be ineffective than to be exposed. Focus on three things: First, the origin of this token; second, whether there have been any recent bounties or commissions targeting me; and third, whether there have been any unusual movements in the black market from the Black Demon Valley, the Heavenly Demon Sect, or any forces with old grudges against the Ye family."
"I understand!" Sun Xiaohou took the magic stone and nodded vigorously. His figure flashed and he slipped out of the yard silently like a clever monkey.
Ye Li looked at Lin Feng again. "Lin Feng, Sun Xiaohou will be in charge of the front-line investigations. You will be in charge of analyzing and summarizing the information, and cross-verifying it using our existing channels. At the same time, activate the several hidden lines we have laid before and try to infiltrate the markets and intelligence organizations outside the sect to see if you can find any external information about this assassin organization."
"Yes, Pavilion Master!" Lin Feng responded calmly, "I will sort out the suspicious clues as soon as possible. Also, Pavilion Master, although information can be bought on the black market, it is mixed with good and bad, and it is difficult to distinguish true from false. Can we consider developing our own information source on the black market, or supporting an agent?"
Ye Li glanced at Lin Feng with admiration; this idea coincided with hers. Relying on external intelligence ultimately puts one under the control of others. Establishing one's own reliable intelligence source is crucial.
"You can try." Ye Li pondered, "This matter requires extreme caution. The candidate must be reliable, have a clean background, and be able to gain a foothold in the black market. You and Xiaohou should pay close attention. If you find a suitable candidate, please investigate thoroughly and report to me for final decision."
"I understand."
After Lin Feng left, Ye Li pondered for a moment. The black market wasn't just a source of intelligence; it could also be a way to acquire specialized items. Her cultivation had advanced, and her skills in alchemy and talisman making had greatly improved, leading to a greater demand for materials. This was especially true for auxiliary materials needed to refine her own natal magic weapon, as well as rare spiritual ink and talisman paper that could be used to enhance the power of talismans. These were often difficult to find through the sect's official channels.
She took out a blank jade slip, recorded the information of several materials she urgently needed into it, and then passed it to Xia Zhihe through the Youge Order.
"Senior Sister Zhihe, these materials are crucial to my cultivation. The sect's treasury may be short on them or they are too expensive. Please keep an eye on the market and... some secret channels. If you have any information, I can lower the price appropriately."
Xia Zhihe replied quickly and concisely: "Got it. I'll inquire through my channels."
Only after arranging all this did Ye Li feel slightly relieved. The small machine of Youge began to work at full capacity around the "assassination incident." She immersed herself in her cultivation once again, believing that strength was the foundation for coping with anything.
…
In the next few days, the members of Youge were like wound-up springs.
Sun Xiaohou fully utilized his extensive connections and unconventional ways, slithering through several prominent black market strongholds within the Xuanyun Sect like a loach. He first pretended to be an ordinary buyer, wandering around the stalls and inquiring about recent news, particularly the buzz surrounding the name "Ye Li." His generosity and understanding of the black market's rules quickly established him as a familiar face to some of the well-informed brokers.
After a few meals of spirit wine and a lot of spirit stones, Sun Xiaohou actually got some fragmentary information:
A broker vaguely mentioned that there has indeed been a surge of "foreign" funds active in the black market recently, seemingly trying to gather information about talented disciples of some sects. They are generous with their money, but act very secretly, and are in contact with top middlemen.
Regarding the black token, a knowledgeable old broker carefully examined the rubbing and said that he had never seen a token of this type, but felt that its material and pattern style did not seem to be a product of the past thousand years, but rather had some ancient relics. He suggested that the broker go to some black market channels that specialize in collecting antiques or are related to archaeology and tomb robbing to inquire.
As for the bounty on Ye Li, there is none publicly available for the time being, but it is hard to say whether there is a private commission in secret. Commissions of that level are usually not circulated publicly on the black market.
Lin Feng then compared these scattered pieces of information with the clues Sun Xiaohou had previously gathered regarding the frequent contact between Zhan Kuangfeng disciples and outsiders. He discovered that one of Gao Sheng's trusted aides had secretly left the sect shortly after Ye Li returned from the Black Wind Mountains, and his whereabouts were unknown. The timing of this incident coincided with the assassination attempt.
"Zhan Kuangfeng is highly suspected...but we can't rule out the possibility that an external force is using someone else's knife to kill someone, or that the two are colluding." Lin Feng reported his analysis to Ye Li through the Youge Order.
Meanwhile, Xia Zhihe also received news. Through her years of experience in the elixir trade, she contacted a reputable, secretive chamber of commerce. They stated that they happened to have two of the ingredients on Ye Li's list in stock, but the prices were extremely high, and they would require barter or high-grade elixirs. Xia Zhihe also tactfully mentioned that this chamber of commerce had a complex background, with ties to several major sects and even some shady factions. They were well-informed and might be a potential source of intelligence, but they should be approached with caution.
Ye Li received feedback from various sources, and a gradual understanding of the situation began to form. The assassination was undoubtedly caused by forces within the sect (Zhan Kuangfeng was the most likely suspect), but it was also likely facilitated by an external, professional assassin organization. This assassin organization seemed to have ancient origins and operated in a secretive manner.
"An ancient-style token...an ancient assassin organization..." Ye Li pondered, vague memories of his past life stirring. It seemed that the spirit world indeed contained some ancient, elusive assassin factions, such as...the "Shadow Palace"? Or the "Netherworld Pavilion"? These organizations were so mysterious that even powerful beings in the Immortal Realm had been targeted by them.
If this is indeed the case, then we are in big trouble. They are like a thorn in the flesh, and they will not give up until they achieve their goal.
"We must improve our strength as soon as possible and build stronger defense and counterattack capabilities." Ye Li felt a sense of urgency.
She approved Xia Zhihe's deal with the secretive chamber of commerce, exchanging some high-grade elixirs for much-needed materials. At the same time, she instructed Lin Feng to attempt a limited intelligence exchange with the chamber of commerce, but he must strictly verify the authenticity of the information and must not reveal the existence of Youge.
Driven by Ye Li's will and the power of the spirit stone, Youge's intelligence network began to spread like a spider web, quietly extending from within the Xuanyun Sect to the surrounding black markets and secret chambers of commerce. Although still immature, it had already taken a crucial step.
The night deepened as Ye Li stood in the courtyard, caressing the cold black token imprinted on the jade slip. The enemy's veil was gradually being unveiled. Although the future remained shrouded in mystery, at least she was no longer a passive target.
"Whether you're the 'Shadow Palace' or the 'Netherworld Pavilion', since you've accepted this business, you must be prepared for backlash." She whispered to herself, her eyes as cold as stars.
A vast web, aimed at an invisible enemy, was slowly unfurling. Ye Li, the spider at the center of the web, patiently awaited the moment her prey revealed a flaw.
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