"This isn’t a letter he wrote!" Xie Jingshan said resolutely.

Jiang Yuebai was still reading the letter, which mentioned the friendship between Shen Huaxi and Xie Jingshan at the Heavenly Interence Sect, the attack on the Mountain and Sea Building, and his unspeakable hidden motives for inviting Xie Jingshan to the Iron Feather Country to explain in person.

After reading it, Jiang Yuebai had one feeling: it was grandiose!

Besides, it didn’t seem genuine at all, just full of clichés.

Considering Shen Huaxi’s character, his relationship with Xie Jingshan, and their subsequent experiences, he probably wouldn’t write such a letter.

"Our whereabouts have been exposed." Jiang Yuebai handed the letter to Xie Jingshan, "Regardless of who sent this letter, the attack on the Mountain and Sea Building is probably related to the Iron Feather Country."

Xie Jingshan thought for a moment and said to the store manager, "Go and check if the other branches of the Mountain and Sea Building have received similar letters; this place might have already been watched. Keep everything as usual, be careful, and also have Hongyan Building pass me the recent intelligence from various countries."

The store manager, looking cautious, temporarily left. After going out, he arranged for two people to disguise themselves as Jiang Yuebai and Xie Jingshan, buy some things in the Mountain and Sea Building, and then wander around the city to attract attention.

The weather suddenly changed at noon, drizzle wet the air, and Jiang Yuebai and Xie Jingshan temporarily stayed in the backyard of the Mountain and Sea Building, waiting for news, observing the changes quietly.

"What do you plan to do next?"

Jiang Yuebai sat at the small table under the veranda, took out the spider silk thread, and started organizing it.

Xie Jingshan stood beside her, carefully rereading the letter several times.

"Shen Huaxi might be in danger."

Jiang Yuebai didn’t even raise her eyes. She could envision the information implied behind this letter, "You know yourself quite well, you’re indeed soft-hearted. Why? Do you want to help him?"

Xie Jingshan sat down and slapped the letter on the table.

"First, anyone who could imitate his handwriting so well and knew about my relationship with him must be someone close to him. Second, if he truly orchestrated the attack on the Mountain and Sea Building, he’d avoid seeing me, not invite me—though the letter admits the Iron Feather Country attacked the Mountain and Sea Building under ’unspeakable circumstances.’"

"This letter effectively pins the blame on Shen Huaxi. Third, inviting me to the Iron Feather Country means if anything happens to me, he takes the blame, and the Iron Feather Country bears my grandfather’s wrath."

"The person behind this letter harbors great malice toward Shen Huaxi. He possibly knows nothing, and someone wants to use me to eliminate him, achieving two goals at once: capturing me and killing him."

Jiang Yuebai tested the spider silk’s toughness, speaking softly, "If you return now and don’t get involved, the situation will resolve itself."

Xie Jingshan frowned, "I can’t do that, and this involves the Mountain and Sea Building. Without a resolution, we must withdraw all businesses from the Extraordinary People Country, causing a huge loss to the Mountain and Sea Building, and Hongyan Building’s intelligence network was painstakingly set up by my mother back then, and it can’t be just severed."

Jiang Yuebai set down the spider silk and eyed Xie Jingshan, "Then what do you plan to do?"

Xie Jingshan diligently poured Jiang Yuebai a cup of tea, "I’m inexperienced, afraid my plans might not be thorough, so I ask Senior Sister for guidance."

Jiang Yuebai rolled her eyes, "Using me as Senior Sister when needed, otherwise calling me by name outright?"

Pa!

A storage bag was slapped on the table, "Ten thousand top-grade Spirit Stones!"

"I think you should prepare in three steps." Jiang Yuebai straightened her posture, her face serious.

"First, find someone reliable and formidable to impersonate you, meet as the letter suggests to stabilize the adversary while ferreting out the one plotting against Shen Huaxi. If you can capture them directly, all the better."

Xie Jingshan listened attentively, nodding approval.

Jiang Yuebai discreetly slipped the storage bag into her sleeve, continuing earnestly.

"On another note, I’ve reviewed the intelligence excerpts you gave me; every attack on the Mountain and Sea Building occurred during goods transport, with the opponent’s ambush locations always spot-on. Despite having Golden Core Stage experts guarding, they couldn’t catch them, so you must have sensed there might be an internal traitor in the Mountain and Sea Building."

"Moreover, each attack involved Feather Clan individuals. Whether or not Shen Huaxi knows about these Feather Clan individuals’ actions, to prevent another tragedy and catch the Mountain and Sea Building’s internal spy, you can temporarily shut down all stores in the Extraordinary People Country, order a withdrawal, and have reliable individuals spread false evacuation routes, claiming you’re transporting supplies back to the Central Plains."

"Then concentrate forces to capture these attackers along the withdrawal route. Regardless of their connection to Shen Huaxi, having these Feather Clan individuals gives you negotiating leverage and evidence. Lastly, we both proceed with the original plan, quietly infiltrate the Iron Feather Country, hiding and waiting for the opportune moment."

"Currently, it’s unclear what Shen Huaxi plans, so we can’t resolve the Mountain and Sea Building issue swiftly. If Shen Huaxi truly harbors no ill intent toward you, and he can manage and stabilize the Extraordinary People Country, cooperating with him ensures the Mountain and Sea Building’s security."

"If he can’t, and the chaos in the Extraordinary People Country continues, even if you solve the immediate problem, other forces will target the Mountain and Sea Building for resources. The next steps—whether to stay, leave, or increase protection—must be discussed with your grandfather."

Having heard Jiang Yuebai’s speech, Xie Jingshan sat there, lost in thought. He had foreseen some issues but hadn’t planned as comprehensively or far-reachingly as Jiang Yuebai.

Previously, the Mountain and Sea Building relied on his grandfather Xie Tianbao’s Half-Step Divinity Transformation prestige to deter anyone from acting rashly to avoid his grandfather’s retribution.

Now, the Iron Feather Country broke this unspoken rule and hasn’t been punished yet, inevitably stirring other forces to move. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Especially since his grandfather’s Divinity Transformation and Ascension, with his parents years from reaching Nascent Soul, the Mountain and Sea Building must find alternative means to establish itself in the Extraordinary People Country.

Either eradicate the primary culprit to assert dominance or seek reliable alliances, for maintaining a permanent guard here isn’t feasible for a business, considered a losing deal.

Inspired by Jiang Yuebai, Xie Jingshan felt spending ten thousand top-grade Spirit Stones was worth it.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yuebai secretly rejoiced; earning ten thousand top-grade Spirit Stones with a few words was too easy. She wished for a hundred such opportunities!

Xie Jingshan quietly strategized while Jiang Yuebai weaved spider silk into a wig.

The wind rustled through the trees, the rain pattered on apricot blossoms.

The short, plump store manager of the Mountain and Sea Building braved the rain to personally deliver intelligence collected by Hongyan Building.

After reading, Xie Jingshan was shocked and handed the top page to Jiang Yuebai.

"Wind Hoof Country was nearly massacred? Even the leader is dead!"

Jiang Yuebai’s pupils trembled slightly—they had just left Wind Hoof Country, "Was there any clue who did it?"

The store manager, still awaiting orders, said, "No clue; of the three sent to investigate, only one returned, severely wounded, showing marks resembling Water Thunder from Thunder Marsh."

Jiang Yuebai and Xie Jingshan exchanged a glance, Jiang Yuebai said, "Thunder Marsh? How coincidental."

The wind howled, filling the house.

Xie Jingshan’s expression was grave, sensing increasing turmoil in the Extraordinary People Country. The subsequent intelligence pages detailed various nations’ migrations to the Iron Feather Country, with most young and able men from the Wind Hoof Country having long since migrated, leaving only the elderly leader and the old ones in the original settlement slaughtered.

"Why are people from the Feiyan Pavilion appearing in the Extraordinary People Country? Are they after that Fox Woman?"

Xie Jingshan handed the last two pieces of paper to Jiang Yuebai. Feiyan Pavilion Master Fang Ruyan, now head of the Fang Family, would certainly need to handle this matter.

The store manager gravely reported, "Only two people from Feiyan Pavilion came, acting very cautiously, and they were both new faces freshly entered into the pavilion."

Xie Jingshan waved his hand, "Never mind about Feiyan Pavilion’s affairs. Can you find a way for us to slip into the Iron Feather Country?"

The store manager looked troubled, "That would be very challenging; currently, nations are migrating to the Iron Feather Country, which has strict defenses, not even the Hongyan Building’s spies can sneak in."

Xie Jingshan’s face was full of worry, his tail fidgeting irritably.

Jiang Yuebai pointed at a few lines of intelligence, asking the store manager, "What’s the deal with the Feather Clan individuals outside the city?"

The store manager glanced over, "They’ve been lingering outside Lishan City for half a month without entering or causing trouble, so Hongyan Building hasn’t alerted them, just monitored."

Jiang Yuebai tapped on the table, considering a bold hypothesis.

"Could it be these two Feather Clan individuals are waiting for that Fox Woman? If the Fox Woman takes the Fang Family’s child to Iron Feather Country and uses him well, it would strike a significant blow to the Immortal Cultivation Families that breed Extraordinary People slaves."

Xie Jingshan pondered, nodding slightly.

Jiang Yuebai stood up, "I know how we can infiltrate the Iron Feather Country now."