I Can See Your Combat Power-Chapter 873 - 167: Your Honey, Their Arsenic

Chapter 873: Chapter 167: Your Honey, Their Arsenic

The astonishing momentum of the void drew countless martial artists in the city to look up, only to see a white line streaking across the sky, heading straight west into the clouds.

But when Tang Luo arrived at the wreckage site, all he found were floating corpses and pieces of the ship’s hull; the three martial artists he had been closely tracking had vanished into thin air.

Standing in the void, Tang Luo used the Heavenly Dragon and Mysterious Serpent Phantom techniques to gather the innkeeper and sailors’ bodies onto a piece of driftwood, his heart growing heavy.

Such a secret technique capable of making people disappear was rare in the world. Even the Illusionary Demon Step of the powerful Chuanyuan Liu Clan from Longzhou was just a distraction of light and shadow. To truly achieve disappearance, as far as he knew, only the Xuanji Sect in Beimang was proficient in this art.

Yet, the Tang Clan had longstanding business feuds with the Xuanji Sect, and they even ordered massive quantities of Xuanji Jade from them every year, maintaining a good trade relationship. It was impossible for the latter to act against the Longxi Alliance.

Moreover, for a top-tier sect like Xuanji Sect to deal with the Longxi Alliance, there would be no need for such sneaky tactics.

...

About half an hour later, a warship sent by the Martial Hall arrived at the site of the wreckage, and the commander of the warship was none other than the Martial Ancestor Tang Tianzhu, who had once met Tang Luo. He looked at himself with a face full of surprise and joy.

Tang Luo of course knew what the Martial Ancestor was hoping for but could only shake his head and say, “I’m sorry to disappoint you. The attackers were three martial artists from the Fierce Realm, who were well-versed in escape techniques. By the time I arrived, they had already disappeared without a trace.”

“Minister Luo, you need not blame yourself. These days, those people have been causing chaos in the Martial Hall and Wind Media Department in Lanshan City without leaving a single clue. Now that we know there are three Fierce Realm martial artists, we have some leads. I believe it won’t be long before we can bring these people to light!”

Clearly, Tang Tianzhu still did not realize the gravity of the situation. Tang Luo could only nod and flew away.

Just back at the Wind Media Department, he was informed by an official, “Minister Luo, Young Master Xu urgently needs to speak with you. He is currently waiting in the Sect Head’s manor hall.”

“Alright, I got it.” Tang Luo nodded, then said to the official, “Have all the Wind Media operatives from Lanshan City return, and inspect both the city and Aran Mountain. If any people dressed from the Outer Continent or any signs of poaching are found, notify me immediately.”

“Understood!”

After giving instructions to the official, Tang Luo quickly returned to his residence in Lanshan City. As soon as he entered, he saw the complex-looking Elder Xu Lao Ying sitting in the main hall.

Glancing up at the sky where the sun had tilted westward, Tang Luo stepped into the main hall and asked with a smile, “Tell me, what’s so urgent that you’re not in Old Bai’s Marvelous Brush Studio or visiting the fireworks and willow lanes of Lanshan City, but instead you’ve come to see me?”

“Cousin, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got something important to tell you!” Xu Lao Ying’s face twisted with conflict as he sat opposite Tang Luo, cautiously beginning, “How much do you know about the Tang family in Xiling?”

“Hmm?” Tang Luo raised an eyebrow, acutely feeling the hesitation in Xu Lao Ying’s words, and replied calmly, “I grew up in the Tang Clan, so I should know quite a bit, what’s the matter?”

Drawing a deep breath, Xu Lao Ying said, “What I’m about to tell you might change your view of the Tang Clan, so please stay calm! The Tang Clan in Xiling is not as wonderful as described by the people of Longzhou. The reason why the Tang Clan’s treasure vault possesses so many rare and exotic treasures is because that Wancheng Treasure Ship of yours, once it sails into the distant seas, transforms into a pirate ship, starting to raid and slaughter.”

Elder Xu’s narration was intended to remind his cousin, but the keen Tongyou Intention sensed that Tang Luo’s heart was calm, and even his expression did not change in the slightest.

The hall fell silent, Elder Xu’s expression grew more complex, while Tang Luo remained indifferent.

The young swordsman asked hoarsely, “So, you knew all along, right?”

“This can hardly be considered a secret. If you say the Wancheng Treasure Ship returns fully loaded from trade, that’s one thing, but it’s quite strange that it also carries so many secret arts, mysterious treasures, and oddities,” Tang Luo said lightly: “Moreover, many of the clan members who returned to Xiling after a voyage with the ship are filled with disgust when they speak of it, and even those who have never set foot on it could probably tell that this path of trade is not clean.”

Calm as if he were an outsider, detached from the situation, he seemed nothing like a member of the Tang family. Elder Xu was puzzled; he did not understand whether this cold and indifferent man was Tang Luo, or if the intelligent yet considerate one who cared for the poor and was full of compassion was the real person.

While Elder Xu fell silent, Tang Luo spoke up: “Such matters are top secret within the Tang Clan. How did you learn of them?”

“That’s none of your business,” Elder Xu replied coldly. “To rise to power through such bloody means, since you know about it, how can you stand by and do nothing? Isn’t your uncle the Sect Head of the Tang Clan, just letting things take their course? Or do you think that the Tang Clan’s approach is fundamentally correct?”

“How do you know I stood by and did nothing or that I haven’t done anything?” Tang Luo said lightly. “Right and wrong, good and evil are relative. To those who were plundered, the Tang Clan is utterly reprehensible, but to the people of Xiling who benefit, the Wancheng Treasure Ship is a vessel loaded with happiness. Thus, the Tang Clan should rightfully accept the praise of Xiling’s people, and they should also bear the hatred of those families.”

“Do you know how terrifying that hatred can be?”

“It’s merely the destruction of a clan.”

Tang Luo’s expression did not change as he calmly stated the worst possible outcome: “Rise and fall, success and failure, all have their appointed times. Of the mightiest clans in ancient times, only a few remain today; even the holy lands cannot last forever, much less others.”

Updat𝓮d from freewēbnoveℓ.com.

“How can you be so calm?” Elder Xu said incredulously. “I thought…”

“You thought what?” Tang Luo shook his head, refilling Elder Xu’s empty cup with tea, and continued lightly, “A few years ago, I had actually convinced the clan’s higher-ups to abandon the Wancheng Treasure Ship’s piracy, but the reason they agreed was not out of any moral considerations but because the clan had reached a stage where it no longer needed to rely on such methods to grow stronger. But do you know what happened afterward?”

“What happened?”

“Afterward, not only was the Wancheng Treasure Ship not abandoned, but it also became the most important bond of interest within the Longxi Alliance.”

Without waiting for Elder Xu to respond, Tang Luo continued, “By distributing the majority of the plundered benefits, it kept those families eager for development securely around the Tang Clan. To maintain their share of piracy on the treasure ship, these families naturally became compliant to the Tang Clan, and you know, compliance is a habit-forming thing. That’s why it is the core power of the Longxi Alliance, not only through grace, not only through strength, but also because the Tang Clan has offered enough benefits. As for how much blood stains those benefits, do you think those families care?”

“Traveling tens of thousands of miles across the ocean, those who were plundered speak different languages, wear different clothes, and even have different skin colors and appearances. Do you think these family warriors feel any psychological barriers when they slaughter?”