"Lad! Don't push your luck too far."

"Even if you win this battle, don't you know that our Tian Family's strongest backing is the Affairs Hall's Master?"

"However reckless you are today, you will be equally desolate tomorrow!"

Even at this point, Tian Hong hadn't backed down. He and several clan members at the Qi Gathering Realm were immobilized by the pressure of the River Opening Sword Qi. The other Tian Family cultivators, seeing this, immediately closed the main gate, activated the defensive Formation, and hid in the mansion, daring not to come out.

Shen Mo understood the meaning of Tian Hong's words. Master Tian Zhaoquan of the Affairs Hall was not only in a high position of power but also possessed a profound cultivation Realm. If he were too severe on the Tian Family now, when Tian Zhaoquan sought revenge in the future—whether by using authority to suppress people or directly using force—he wouldn't get off easy!

At this point, the Clan Leader of the Tian Family still had an attitude like a dead pig that doesn't fear boiling water. Even threatening him with Tian Zhaoquan inevitably stirred a spark of anger in Shen Mo's heart.

A harsh glint flashed in his eyes as he announced coldly, "Are you forcing me to exterminate your entire Tian Family?"

Tian Hong first snorted contemptuously. But when he saw the profound killing intent hidden in Shen Mo's eyes, he couldn't help but shudder. He suddenly remembered that Shen Mo dared to brazenly come to demand payment, relying on more than just the excuse that the Tian Family owed the Defense Division. Instead, Shen Mo was exploiting the fact that the mutated Heavenly Demon had entered the city!

Tian Hong had indeed tampered with the Bone Viewing Mirror and arranged for a Qi Gathering clansman to communicate with the Demon-corrupted cultivator. Right now, the clansman responsible for contacting that demon head was lying beside him.

The crime of merely allowing a mutated Heavenly Demon into the city definitely isn't severe enough to implicate my entire Tian Family in execution!

Not good!

This bastard is trying to frame our Tian Family for colluding with the Heavenly Demon...

Thinking of this, a touch of horror emerged in Tian Hong's eyes. His earlier actions, if described as "colluding with the Heavenly Demon," wouldn't be an exaggeration. Although his original intention was indeed to let the Heavenly Demon rampage within the city to burden Shen Mo with heavy guilt, he had been keeping an eye on that Heavenly Demon. If the situation truly became uncontrollable, he would personally take action and slay it with the Flowing Shadow Sword. If things worsened further, he would also contact the Spirit Sea Realm experts from Gold Toad Tower and Thriving Gold Sect outside the city to come and slay the demon! He would never allow the Heavenly Demon to advance to the middle-stage or late-stage of Class III, let alone devour all the creatures in the city and ascend to become a Class IV Heavenly Demon!

After all, the Tian Clan's ancestral land was still in Hongye City. If he truly colluded with a Heavenly Demon to sacrifice the entire city, the Tian Family wouldn't escape either. Unless, like those traitors during the demon disaster decades ago, they had made a secret pact with the Heavenly Demon early on!

I only wanted to use the Heavenly Demon to frame this lad, Tian Hong lamented internally. I didn't expect to end up shooting myself in the foot. If it really comes to a desperate struggle... This boy would absolutely carry out the heinous act of exterminating my entire Tian Family!

The more Tian Hong thought, the more terrified he became! He knew in his heart that although he had arranged for someone to lure the Heavenly Demon into the city, he hadn't truly colluded with it. But this matter was indeed too shady to see the light of day. Once someone exploited it and accused him of colluding with the Heavenly Demon, then it was as good as true.

As for evidence... If Shen Mo resorted to ruthless measures, killed him and all the Tian Family cultivators, and performed a Soul Search on each of them, he would naturally obtain "irrefutable proof"!

At that point, forget about the Tian Family's patriarch avenging the family; even his own position as Master of the Affairs Hall might not be secure! The same went for Tian Zhiyu. His status as a core disciple of the Riverside Sect would be lost, let alone any future contention for high positions within the sect.

It had to be said, Tian Hong's mind worked quickly when it came to dark schemes! What he had just considered was indeed one of Shen Mo's backup plans. Shen Mo had exerted all his strength, even enduring a fierce battle with a Spirit Sea Realm expert. He was on the verge of seizing victory, yet this old scoundrel Tian Hong still refused to concede or soften, still thinking of causing him trouble.

In that case, Shen Mo didn't mind a fight to the death! He could act ruthlessly, kill the Tian Family cultivators, including Tian Qisheng and Tian Hong, and then perform a Soul Search on Tian Hong's soul to find damning evidence of him luring the Heavenly Demon into the city. If he truly did this, the Tian Clan's network would undoubtedly be torn to shreds. And he, the "big fish," might not die, but he would face considerable trouble.

Currently, Shen Mo hadn't acted so drastically for several reasons.

Firstly, he was certain Tian Hong was inextricably linked to the Heavenly Demon entering the city. However, he wasn't entirely confident that a Soul Search would yield irrefutable proof of "the Tian Family colluding with the Heavenly Demon." If things went awry, he might implicate himself instead. The entire Red Flame Country would offer him no sanctuary; the risk was immense.

Secondly, he had his own moral bottom line. Tian Hong deserved to die! The Tian Family cultivators responsible for this incident also deserved death. But many innocent people would be caught in the crossfire and lose their lives needlessly. With the tragic fate of Chen Mengze and his daughter as a stark reminder, Shen Mo wouldn't resort to such extreme ruthlessness unless absolutely necessary.

Thirdly, the Affairs Hall Master, Tian Zhaoquan, remained a colossal threat! Even if everything went smoothly and the Tian Clan's collusion with the Heavenly Demon was proven, Tian Zhaoquan, as a Spirit Sea Realm Layer VII expert, might not be implicated and executed. It was more likely he would atone for his crimes through meritorious service. To make a blood enemy of such a figure meant that as long as Tian Zhaoquan lived, a sharp blade would hang over Shen Mo's head.

Fourthly, considering everything, the risks of this course of action far outweighed the benefits! Moreover, it went against the principles he had always lived by. Revitalizing the Defense Division's prestige was, ultimately, just a sect mission. If the Tian Clan hadn't pushed him so hard, even to the point of using the Enforcement Hall to ruin his cultivation and threaten his life, Shen Mo might not have minded maintaining the status quo. His ultimate goal was to achieve immortality! Everything else was a side issue, not worth risking his life and future for.

...

Of course, Shen Mo wouldn't reveal these thoughts to Tian Hong. Otherwise, wouldn't all his previous efforts be wasted?

It seems... you've thought it through!

Seeing Tian Hong's face turn ashen, Shen Mo knew the man understood his leverage and threat.

"Master Shen... it doesn't have to... come to this," Tian Hong's voice was hoarse, tinged with dejection. "I'll return to my mansion immediately and retrieve the Spirit Stones. I only ask that you withdraw your Skill."

But Shen Mo shook his head. Tian Hong already knew his "intentions." He would also naturally understand that as long as the Tian Family possessed any means of resistance, his "intentions" would lose all their threatening power. If Tian Hong were allowed to return to the Tian Family mansion and, disregarding the lives of Tian Qisheng and the other Qi Gathering Realm clansmen, simply activated the Formation to seal off the residence... then the entire situation Shen Mo had painstakingly constructed would instantly crumble!

BUZZ!

With a flick of his sleeve, Shen Mo withdrew the Big Dipper Sword Array that had enveloped Tian Qisheng. By this time, he had confirmed that this Spirit Sea Realm Layer II cultivator no longer possessed the strength to fight him, at least not in the short term.

"Cough, cough!"

Even after taking an Elixir, Tian Qisheng still couldn't stop coughing up blood.

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