The Story, the Line of Battle

"Mao City Spirit Cat!!"

Colorful Parrot let out a shriek as he now saw the background of this white cat before him. He did not realize it earlier firstly because he was too tired and just wanted to drive Du ke away. Secondly, he was distracted by the Moonlight Pellet that Du ke had thrown out and did not have the mind to probe into Du ke's background and origins.

However, the Old Madam who appeared later was different from him.

Hearing the commotion upstairs, the Old Madam came out right away to check out the situation. Also, the Old Madam did not have the same experience as Colorful Parrot.

She also did not get into a direct confrontation with Du ke.

Hongque Building itself was in the business of trading intelligence. They would understand the background of their guests even better than the guests themselves.

Moreover, intelligence and information from all over the world was being gathered by Hongque Building. Many secrets unknown to common people were known to them.

After all, if you were in the intelligence business, you could never anticipate who would come to buy intelligence from you next.

Also, sometimes grasping intelligence meant grasping the power of speech and the initiative to strike first.

Not only did Hongque Building know about the Mao City Spirit Cat clan, but because of a certain existence, the Spirit Cat clan was even kept under special attention.

The characteristics of the Spirit Cats were also easy to recognize. Hence, Du ke's background was exposed.

"Humph, finally someone with insight showed up!"

Du ke let out a cold humph. The Old Madam slapped Colorful Parrot with her wing, sending him flying heavily into the wall. At the same time, she also laughed, "The Mao City Spirit Cat clan, who in the world does not know, does not recognize?"

"And that older brother from your family is also currently working under a certain someone. So....."

The Old Madam did not continue. Right now, she did not want to know who was right or wrong in the earlier matter.

After all, at certain times, even the rules have to make way for certain existences.

The Mao City Spirit Cats happened to be that kind of existence that needed to be given way.

After all, who let one of them have an old monster at home, with even the Twenty-eight Demon Kings of the world having to address him as Junior in front of that one.

"If you are asking about information, as long as we know it, we will definitely give you a satisfactory answer!"

Having said this, the Old Madam added, "Not asking for a single penny!"

"No need!"

Du ke shook his head at the Old Madam before him and said, "Business is business, human relationships are human relationships, they cannot be confused with one another."

"I will pay however much I should."

"Since this is the case, please come with me!"

"Lead the way."

Du ke slightly nodded his head. The Old Madam left with him without even glancing at Colorful Parrot.

Colorful Parrot also shrank in the corner, not daring to make a sound. After all, this time he had touched on some taboos.

The guilty Colorful Parrot tucked his head under his wings. At the same time, Du ke followed the Old Madam to behind the counter.

After Du ke got behind the counter, he also understood how the Old Madam had suddenly appeared.

Behind this counter was an underground passage leading directly underground.

"Please follow me."

The Old Madam went down first. Du ke rode Thirteen and followed behind.

After going underground, the first thing they saw was a long corridor filled with doors. There was also a flight of stairs going further down at the end.

At this point, Du ke also understood why the entrance of Hongque Building looked so inconspicuous.

It turned out that the real Hongque Building was built underground as a building underneath the ground.

"Please follow me."

The Old Madam led the way in the corridor and brought Du ke through it. They came to the stairs at the end of the corridor and continued going down.

"Young Master, this is your first time at our Hongque Building. You may not understand it, so let me explain."

The Old Madam walked in front leading the way. At the same time, she laughed, "Our Hongque Building is divided into the four levels of Heaven, Earth, Profound and Yellow according to the status of guests. Heaven, Earth, Profound and Yellow are further subdivided into A, B, C and D."

"Guests of different levels can access different levels of intelligence. The higher the level, the more and more detailed intelligence they can purchase."

"Mm."

Du ke slightly nodded. Thirteen had been very quiet all the way.

Upon entering the underground, he somehow had the illusion of being back at Wutong Temple.

It was suffocating underground back then!

Now walking in this Hongque Building also made him feel uncomfortable.

However, since the Cat Master was willing to come, then no matter how uncomfortable Woof Woof was, he had to endure it.

If Cat Master was happy, then Woof Woof would be happy!

"I heard that parrot say Hongque Building does not do new customer business."

Du ke asked the Old Madam, who tilted her head and rolled her eyes at Du ke, "Oh my, what are you saying!"

"Although there is indeed such a rule of not doing new customer business, with the Mao City Spirit Cat clan as your guarantor, you can naturally disregard this rule."

"In other words, I came here on the reputation of my Spirit Cat clan?"

Du ke raised his eyebrows. The Old Madam smiled without answering, but the fact was obviously so.

Seeing this, Du ke also sighed inwardly.

Indeed, no matter where one was, a good background could trump everything.

When the Old Madam brought Du ke to the third level and stopped in front of a door, she also said, "This is the Earth A interrogation room. Just go straight in and ask whatever questions you have."

"How about the pricing?"

Du ke asked the Old Madam. While opening the door for Du ke, she also laughed and said, "Pay as you wish."

"Mm, thanks for the trouble!"

Du ke casually threw over a Moonlight Pellet and drove Thirteen into the room called the interrogation room. The door also closed automatically.

Upon catching the Moonlight Pellet, the Old Madam's heart skipped a beat as her eyes instantly widened. "This is a pill that benefits the cultivation of demonic tribes?"

Holding the pill in her hands, the Old Madam was extremely excited for a moment.

"What a generous young master!!"

"To casually throw out such a precious treasure."

"However, I need to report this matter to higher leadership."

The Old Madam held onto the pill and hastily went upstairs, coming up to the first level underground passage entrance and entering the first room.

After the Old Madam closed the room door, the pitch dark room only contained one object - a pheasant feather.

The Old Madam came before the pheasant feather and immediately knelt down, spitting out a few cryptic syllables from her mouth.

With a whoosh, colorful flames burst out from the pheasant feather. Within the fluttering flames, an emotionless voice sounded.

"Is there an important matter to report?"

"There is!"

The Old Madam immediately responded and recounted everything that had happened.

"A pill that benefits the cultivation of demonic tribes?"

The voice from the pheasant feather immediately became higher pitched. The Old Madam also presented the pill she had obtained.

"This is it!"

A thread of flame immediately split from the burning feathers of the pheasant feather, drilling into the pill.

Soon, the voice within the pheasant feather became astounded.

"This pill is greatly beneficial towards the cultivation of demonic tribes. I cannot assess its value and must report to the Elder Master!"

"That cat?"

"Give him Heaven A rank access. Give him whatever information he asks. Satisfy all his requests."

"Yes!"

"Also, inform that Four-Eared Spirit Cat to sell him a favor."

"Sir, why don't we...." As the Old Madam said this, the voice from the pheasant feather immediately rebuked, "Short-sighted!"

"Do you know who that personage from Mao City is?"

"He is the master that even our great patriarch has to show respect. Dare you covet his child? Do you think our great patriarch has lived for too long?"

"This subordinate is foolish, please forgive me, sir."

"Alright, go take care of this matter."

The voice in the osprey tail feather calmed down, "Keep the elixir for now and don't use it. Pass the news about this cat to the Four-Eared Spirit Cat."

"The spirit cat is within Cang Province. His child is out. We don't know if his family is aware. But the Four-Eared Spirit Cat must know and remember this favor from us!"

Speaking to here, the voice in the osprey tail feather chuckled.

"The favors from that guy are extremely valuable!"

"Yes, sir."

............

Inside the Questioning Room, Duke brought Thirteen in and they saw a smooth wall standing in front of them.

In front of the wall there were tables, chairs and benches for visitors to rest.

Duke glanced at the furniture but had no intention to sit. He took out a jade box and threw it on the table.

After opening the jade box filled with Moonlight Dans, Duke said, "I want to inquire about something. This box of elixirs is the payment."

As soon as he finished talking, the wall rippled and a graceful voice responded, "Please wait, honored guest."

Duke nodded and reloaded his smoking pipe with a new smoke cartridge.

The cat puffing five element extracts waited for the time to brew a cup of tea before the graceful voice rang out again.

"What would you like to ask?"

"I'd like to inquire about Miss Su Qiluo from the Su Family in Qing Province," Duke interrupted the narration. The voice paused and directly responded, "Of course, your level has been upgraded to Heaven Rank A, all intelligence is open to you now."

"In that case, tell me the details about the ambush on the Su Family's convoy at Steaming Cloud Mountain two and a half months ago."

"Yes, sir."

"Two months and nineteen days ago, the Su Family received a letter from the Yun Family, their in-laws, stating that the Old Patriarch of Yun Family would soon pass away. They hoped Su Qiluo, his granddaughter, could visit the Yun Family to see him one last time."

"Two days later, the Su Family sent out a convoy heading for the Yun Family in Yunzhou."

"There's no need to elaborate. Just tell me if you know who ordered the ambush and what the outcome was."

"Based on current intelligence, although the assassins were completely wiped out, evidence points to Kong Xian, the Matriarch of Main Branch of Yun Family, as the one behind the attack."

"Why?"

"Because the news about the Old Patriarch's impending death was fake. It was a ploy to trick the Su Family's eldest daughter to participate in the struggle over Yun Family's heirship."

"Struggle over heirship?"

Duke's eyelids jumped heavily. It seemed the girl had gotten caught up in some serious business.

"Yes. As a cultivator family, Yun Family's transfer of power requires participation from the heirs of each branch to determine the next successor through the struggle over heirship."

"Su Qiluo's mother, Yun Qing, was the most favored daughter of the current Yun Family patriarch. But she died mysteriously shortly after giving birth to Su Qiluo three years after marrying into the Su Family."

"This greatly angered the Yun Family. But due to certain mediations, the two families did not go to war."

"However, no war does not mean the Yun Family has forgotten this enmity."

"So the Yun Family patriarch intended to designate Su Qiluo as the successor through the struggle over heirship."

When the voice finished, Duke also fell into contemplation.

No wonder the attack came so abruptly and viciously.

It turned out to be related to the transfer of power.

Throughout history, power transitions have always triggered bloody storms.

Let alone in a cultivator family like the Yun Family.

"What is Su Qiluo doing now?"

"According to intelligence from three days ago, Su Qiluo has been forced to participate in Yun Family's struggle over heirship and is currently undergoing the first trial."