Chapter 383: Each Nursing a Hidden Scheme

Chapter 383: Each has an ulterior motive

In a dream of yellow millet, within a divine stable,

Three stone monkeys sat side by side on the wall, covering their eyes and ears, while the fourth tightly zipped up his mouth.

The statues were like this, let alone the people seated around the table inside the house.

Everyone had a grave expression, and the atmosphere was extremely solemn.

Huang Shi Lie, a member of the Wu Xu sect, could not enter the Yellow Millet Dream to attend the meeting in person. Instead, a plain-looking Japanese woman, Huang Shi Dong Tong, represented him.

Among the direct members of the four major families, this name was not very well-known, even obscure, far less famous than Qiu He, Xia Hu, and others.

However, the other three families attending the meeting knew that the Huang Shi family's success in removing the Yellow Tianmen that had taken residence in their bodies was directly related to her.

This was because this woman was one of the rare agricultural members of the Huang Shi family, with a high sequence level. She had been responsible for the medical care of the old remnants of the Yellow Tianmen.

This was the first time Huang Shi Dong Tong had attended a meeting of this scale, and she was clearly a bit restless, instinctively licking her lips: "Masters, what is going on?"

To her left, Toyotomi Enkyo sat with a face as dry as tree bark, his expression extremely cold, and a faint mechanical sound came from his emaciated chest.

"The matter has already been settled, and there is nothing to hide. Qiuxiu, you explain it to everyone."

The old man in a plain long robe, with a white cloak over his shoulders, spoke quietly, nodding to Ming Zhi Qingxiu, who was curled up in a black robe.

After hearing this, Huang Shi Dong Tong showed no reaction, and her curious gaze fell on Ming Zhi Qingxiu.

On the other hand, Toyotomi Enkyo's eyes twitched several times, and his breathing became even heavier.

"Sometime ago, someone disguised as a Shinto priest named Dou Shang Que infiltrated the headquarters of Black Dragon Capital under the pretext of assisting in the removal of permissions and successfully entered the underground removal site. It has since been confirmed that this person is a subordinate of Hong Gao Kamakura Wang Du Guan."

Ming Zhi Qingxiu, hidden in the shadows of the black robe, paused twice while speaking, as if her current physical condition had deteriorated to the point where speaking was difficult.

"Confirmed? Hmm, I think it was when Du Guan came to your door that you realized it."

Toyotomi Enkyo crossed his arms over his chest, coldly laughing.

"We had already suspected something before."

Ming Zhi Qingxiu spoke calmly, and at the same time, the Mute Monkey squatting on the wall of the house slowly opened the zipper on its mouth, revealing a stone-colored monkey face with a human-like, cunning expression.

"Since you had suspicions, why didn't you inform us earlier?!"

Toyotomi Enkyo widened his eyes in disbelief, his dark face turning deep red.

Under his intense gaze, Ming Zhi Qingxiu remained silent, raising the brim of her low hat slightly towards the front.

The white-haired old man opposite her nodded and said softly: "Master Qingxiu had already informed me about this matter in advance, and it was my decision to keep it under wraps."

"Why?"

Toyotomi Enkyo suddenly raised his right hand, but it stiffened and stopped mid-air when it hit the table. A few harsh words emerged from his clenched teeth: "I need a reason!"

"The current development of the situation has exceeded our expectations, and I think everyone can feel that. I originally thought that Bai Yujing and the new Donglin Party would restrain each other. Even if the new Donglin Party eventually made concessions, we would have enough time to achieve our predetermined goals."

Tokugawa Hiroshi's expression was slightly gloomy: "But I didn't expect Bai Yujing to use the 'replacement of earth immortals' quota to attract a large number of fearless high-sequence Taoist priests to infiltrate the Japanese region. Our four major families are like big trees that attract lightning strikes, and we may have already been targeted by these people. They haven't acted yet, probably because they're afraid of being robbed by their peers."

"I'm not interested in listening to this. If those Taoist bandits dare to come to our door, the Toyotomi family will naturally break their flying swords."

The anger that surged in Toyotomi Enkyo's heart was almost unbearable, and his eyes stared intently at Tokugawa Hiroshi.

"What I want to know is, why did you hide this from us?"

"Because I want to use this opportunity to turn us from open to covert!"

The anger of loyalty clashed with the cold flame of reason, and the invisible fog spread throughout the small fighting room, mixing hot and cold.

In the fog, flowers were hard to distinguish, and loyalty and treachery were indistinguishable.

Toyotomi Enkyo's lips trembled, clearly still angry.

However, the representative of the Huang Shi family, who had been kept in the dark just like him, was still drinking a cup of illusory tea in front of him, showing no intention of participating.

"Are you afraid?"

"No."

"Even if Black Dragon Capital takes all the blame, they won't believe that this matter is unrelated to our other three families!"

"They don't need to believe it. We already have enough Yellow Millet permissions in our hands, and we just need a little more preparation time."

After only four exchanges, Toyotomi Enkyo, like a defeated rooster, angrily sat back down on his knees.

"Hmm."

Toyotomi Enkyo stared blankly and muttered: "Even if you have such a plan, you shouldn't have kept it from me and the Huang Shi family."

After hearing this, Huang Shi Dong Tong, who had been blowing on a porcelain cup of rolling water, suddenly became breathless. She looked at the ripples in front of her nose and couldn't help but curl her lips into a faint smile.

"It's a matter of great importance. The fewer people who know, the smaller the risk of leakage. We can no longer afford to suffer more losses."

Toyotomi Enkyo looked at the woman wrapped in a black robe: "By doing this, the Japanese region will no longer have Black Dragon Capital. Ming Zhi Qingxiu, are you really willing to let it go?"

Now that Black Dragon Capital has taken the blame for capturing imperial Taoist priests, Taoist bandits who enter the Japanese region will surely swarm like sharks smelling blood. Taoist priests from other criminal zones will also flock to the area.

The Confucian sect will not miss this opportunity to divide the spoils. The Xuanwei Mission in Edo Castle has already issued a document ordering all city Xuanwei Missions to conduct a comprehensive investigation of all industries taken over by Black Dragon Capital.

The Japanese bandit criminal zone will no longer have a place for the Ming Zhi family to stand.

Even though it was known to be a sacrifice of the small to save the large, the bloodshed and tragedy were still shocking.

"Without Black Dragon Capital, the Ming Zhi family still exists."

Ming Zhi Qingxiu's words were unusually calm and resolute, and there was no trace of sadness in her voice.

"For the revival of our homeland, the Ming Zhi family has no regrets."

Such a heroic statement came from the mouth of an old woman who was about to die, which was quite strange.

Even Toyotomi Enkyo, who had once vowed to revive the samurai spirit destroyed by the Ming Empire, couldn't find words to praise her at that moment.

"The sacrifice made by the Ming Zhi family is for our four families' common dream. Therefore, the Tokugawa family is willing to bear 40% of the losses suffered by Black Dragon Capital this time."

Huang Shi Dong Tong, who had never spoken before, also put down her tea cup at this moment: "Our Huang Shi family mainly engages in smuggling. Although we have lost many channels due to the recent tense situation, the Huang Shi family is still willing to bear 20% of Black Dragon Capital's losses."

"The remaining 40%, I'll take care of it."

Without any hesitation, Toyotomi Enkyo decisively filled in the last gap.

Ming Zhi Qingxiu pulled down the hood on her head, revealing a head of white hair and a thin, ugly face with a solemn expression. She placed her hands on her knees and bowed to the people in front of her.

"Thank you all."

The same bowing gesture, but the four heads bowed showed different expressions.

Some wore satisfied smiles, some had excited expressions, and some lazily yawned.

"Since the misunderstanding has been resolved, let's continue to discuss other matters. For the next period of time, Qingxiu will not be able to connect to the Yellow Millet Dream to avoid being tracked in the real world."

Tokugawa Hiroshi looked around at everyone and said seriously: "Now that we have enough Yellow Millet permissions in our hands, we can start preparing to build Takamagahara."

Boom!

A muffled sound echoed, and a figure slammed into a dead tree in the courtyard. The snow lying in the tree branches shook and fell, covering him completely.

Fan Wujiu patted his face hard with his hand, turned to look at the shiny bald head in front of him, and couldn't help but curse: "Zou Shen Gun, are you deliberately letting me off?"

"Go to hell, you little bastard. Didn't you see that my fingers were about to be broken? If this hypnosis can't work on me, what can I do?"

Zou Siqiu, with a sour tone, said, “Do you expect me, a mere Yin‑Yang Six, to go up and grapple with him?”

And you, Ox‑nose? Is that all the skill you possess?

Chen Qisheng, his hair matted and disheveled, looked no less hideous, clutching a crimson fire seal in each hand, eyes fixed ahead. “Stop nagging. If you think Master Dao is not up to the task, let me finish him off and we duel alone!”

Fine, a duel it is! Who’s afraid of whom?

Fan Wujiao roared in anger, brandishing his embroidered spring blade and sprinting forward with great strides.

Chen Qisheng followed closely; even though he had just declared he would not approach Zou Siqiu, he surged ahead, shouting loudly: “Prosperity, success, and virtue, profit lies in the northwest, little black, step aside!”

As his words faded, a sharp howl swept toward Fan Wujiao.

Alerted early, Fan Wujiao rolled to the upper left, thrusting his feet with force, his whole body like a hawk swooping down, the long blade piercing straight toward the opponent’s heart.

“Next, the auspicious east, Ox‑nose, circle behind!”

Chen Qisheng’s silhouette flickered; amid a sweeping leg, he suddenly crouched, darting behind the opponent, striking the crimson fire seal straight into the foe’s back.

“Master Dao, I will blow you to death!”

In an instant, a pincer attack had formed; those in the midst had nowhere to flee!

“Jun, you lost!”

Boom!

The orange‑red flame erupted, and Chen Qisheng’s face changed abruptly; trembling eyes reflected a razor‑sharp blade tip and Fan Wujiao’s astonished visage.

“Fan Wujiao, who the hell are you cutting?”

Buzz.

Fan Wujiao endured the searing pain of his wounded heart, his right arm clacking, biting his teeth as he gripped the charging

First, let us set aside whether this age still harbors any ancient martial manuals or secret techniques; even if they exist, a mere injector can make them usable, a few extra points and one can ascend. Why chase that raw, primal way of training?

As for the perennial dilemma that haunts any time‑traveler—an unstable foundation—Li Jun never gave it a second thought.

When it comes down to the very level of genes, what could be more steadfast?

After Li Jun finished tallying his spoils, the onlookers, thinking he was merely daydreaming, finally saw Xie Bi’an, who had been waiting at his side, step forward.

“Brother Jun, the matters you assigned me I have already investigated to the end.”