Chapter 1009: Blunder

Proofreader : Papatonks

"The bait and hunter work together in capturing the enemy, so how come it turned into a central area spy, Sect Leader Bu?"

Ling Yuntian smiled, teasing, "It seems to me that the Qian caravan was more like the Sun Sea Sect's spy instead, ha-ha-ha..."

Bu Xingyun's face fell, glaring at his executive, "Executive Cao, when I had you punished for your gross misdemeanor, you said you were played, that the Qian caravan is a central area spy. Why then do I now hear that you two worked together in capturing a Sword King, thus unleashing a calamity upon the sect?"

"Sect Leader Bu, the capturing of the Sword King falls all on Executive Cao. Please don't drag us into this when we know nothing of it." Zhuo Fan interjected quickly, to make his position known.

Executive Cao's face twitched in anger, losing his temper, "Your sly words lured me into this mess! I would never make such a grave mistake otherwise!"

"Executive Cao, loose tongues end lives. I lured you?"

"It's all your fault for telling me your tail is a spy that I sent a team to capture her!"

"Ha-ha, well isn't this funny. You're one of the five sects in northern lands, Sun Sea Sect, in charge of keeping these lands safe. You're now saying that after having lost a carriage and being followed should be kept all to myself instead? You might've neglected to report my findings, but I had done my duty by telling you!"

Zhuo Fan sneered, then turned to Ling Yuntian, "Sect Leader Ling, am I wrong in any way? If it were a matter of luring, then no one would ever report on the enemy movements to the sect and plunge northern lands into hell."

Ling Yuntian bobbed his head, "Hear hear, patriotic, responsible, and furthermore, when your own clan's goods end up ruined, who wouldn't report? This goes double in these times, with northern lands on the edge."

"Sect Leader Ling is wise!"

Zhuo Fan gave a bow and turned to Executive Cao, "Furthermore, there were rumors going around that Sun Sea Sect is actually cowardly and didn't think my report would ever amount to much so I omitted it from you at first. But with you questioning the loss of half the goods, I had no choice but to be honest. It was the only way for you to leave me be."

Executive Cao's face twitched harder, with Bu Xingyun darkening by the second.

Zhuo Fan's passionate speech had simply been accusatory of the Sun Sea Sect. What was worse, this happened in front of Ling Yuntian and so he could do nothing to retaliate, only twitching as he tried to bottle up that anger.

Executive Cao's heart sank looking at Sect Leader's sinister face. He had to do anything to get Qian Fan to take the fall or he'd be the one to get it in the end. Finding central area spies was no longer the issue here, but giving his Sect Leader's self-respect back and letting loose.

"Qian Fan, we don't need your flimsy opinions. You might be right about the report but what about later? You proposed that we catch the spy together and share credit. It's your enticing offer that made me act and mess with that witch. It's all due to you that she came to Sun Sea Sect!"

"Yeah, I did mention this to you, but how did you reply?"

Zhuo Fan raved, "Having lost half the goods, I did not know how to make up for the loss. I planned on doing it alone, but you just had to push the issue. In the end, you frickin' acted on your own. Are you going to say I made you do that too? If it were an average spy, the success would've propelled your career. Would you have come to bother me then?

"Just cause you got bad luck and suffered for it, you want to drag me down with you. Is that how you think the world works, sharing tribulations but not success? I first lost a carriage and to add insult to injury, you stole my credit, what the hell!"

Zhuo Fan rained on Executive Cao, with the conviction in his innocence. He got Executive Cao to shake under the assault and with no comeback.

Because all that Zhuo Fan raved about was damn true. Even his scheme back then was refuted and he had no grounds on which to fight back.

Though he was no fool and nodded, "But you said your dozen guards have chased the spy away. That witch was anything but weak! Your words got me into this mess!"

"Humph, yeah, we had the spy surrounded but then she escaped with her faster speed. Am I wrong?"

"There's no way Frigid Rain Sword King got surrounded by just your team!"

"How would I know? Maybe she liked to toy with us first. Who knows what twisted hobbies some experts have?" Zhuo Fan rolled his eyes.

"While in your case, you cut her off so she didn't run, ha-ha..."

Zhuo Fan smirked, hitting where it hurt the most. Bu Xingyun shook from rage. Executive Cao looked aggrieved as he peeked at his Sect Leader.

Dai Qianchou chuckled and bowed, "Sect Leader, Sect Leader Bu, it's all clear now. Ever since Invincible Sword slipped into our northern lands six months ago, Frigid Rain Sword King had to have been following his orders to stay hidden. While she didn't move against a trade caravan, only following it, its dozen guards would also find it impossible to catch her as well, thus making her feel free.

"But then, Sea Bright Sect blocked her way all of a sudden, giving her a hard time to flee. She would thus have no choice but to retaliate, causing this catastrophe. Baili Yutian's team was hardly sighted ever since they came to our lands, having their own plans. This disaster wouldn't have happened if they let her be."

"Yeah, Invincible Sword's team has to have a plan for staying low and wouldn't want to make such a huge scene. The way the Sun Sea Sect got ruined is highly unusual."

Ling Yuntian nodded, then said, "Executive Cao, how many times did you have Frigid Rain Sword King surrounded in the end?"

Executive Cao's brow shook, muttering as he counted, "I had sent fifty Soul Harmony experts and when my men died I went to Elder Li, who also sent fifty Genesis Stage experts. When they died, we went to Venerable Ma who went himself along with ten other peak Genesis Stage experts. Uhm, that makes it three. Then the woman came to us...'

Executive Cao's action had everyone dumbstruck.

Pa!

Executive Cao found himself flying from that hard slap, landing a good ten meters away with a bloody mouth.

As he got back to his feet, he found two teeth had fallen. But then, he noticed Bu Xingyun's rage as he glared at him in fury.

"God damn it, you useless sack of puss! You had her attacked thrice? Well of course she'd be pissed! Not just the witch, but even I would've been fuming!"

Bu Xingyun's face twitched and shook all over as he raved, "You damn bastards, how can you be so retarded? Fifty died then another fifty, first Soul Harmony experts then Genesis experts, yet you still haven't learned? You just sent men to fetch instead of at least knowing the opponent? Then you had the enemy come ruining the sect so you pin it on some impossible spy? Of course my sect gets destroyed, especially with you morons in it!"

Bu Xingyun lamented.

Ling Yuntian chuckled and waved his hand, "Sect Leader Bu, please calm down. While it's all just a misunderstanding, it's good that everything's clear now. I was wondering why Baili Yutian's team would stay hidden all this time, only to enact such a huge disaster later on, then hide again. It's obvious now, just desserts. Oops, I slipped as well, sorry..."

Bu Xingyun's cheek twitched and he gave him an annoyed look for his own mistake being used on him, but then he turned apathetic.

Ling Yuntian cupped his hands, "Steward Qian, the misunderstanding is now obvious. Forgive me for any slight that I might have caused. I ask that the Qian clan wouldn't let this minor event come between us, still working hard for the good of northern lands."

"I am grateful to Sea Bright Sect being fair and giving me justice in this matter. It is I who should apologize, Sect Leader, having let the matter get to me." Zhuo Fan hastily spoke.

Ling Yuntian waved it off, "Ha-ha-ha, it's nothing. Steward Qian is a courteous man and a true man, to my liking. I have rarely seen men of your quality even among all the lands, Steward Qian."

"Sect Leader is too kind."

Zhuo Fan gave another deep bow, "Then may I take my leave?"

"Please."

Ling Yuntian gestured with a constant smile. Zhuo Fan cupped his hands again before leaving.

Bu Xingyun eyed Ling Yuntian, having lost all confidence, bowing to him then taking Executive Cao away.

Dai Qianchou appeared once more next to Ling Yuntian moments later, "A farce, ha-ha-ha..."

"That remains to be seen." Ling Yuntian spoke gravely, having lost his smile.

Dai Qianchou asked curiously, "Sect Leader, wasn't the matter clear? The so-called spies never existed."

"Yeah, but it's too obvious and that makes me uneasy."

Ling Yuntian's eyes shone, "You think in any confrontation, there's only black and white? Humph, on one hand is the Sect Leader of the Sun Sea Sect and on the other a mere steward of the Qian clan. They couldn't be more different. But do you really believe that steward would ever have the ability to control the way the confrontation went?"

Dai Qianchou gasped, "Sect Leader means..."

"There's more to that steward than he lets on." Ling Yuntian's eyes shone with conviction.

Outside the hall, Zhuo Fan was on his way back when a chill went through him, "Curses, I've just gone to clear my name but showed off too much. What kind of merchant would act like that? I treated those two like rabid dogs! Ugh, what a blunder..."