Let them offer their loyalty!

Don't forget, the Anti-government Coalition in the Disaster Zone, rallied by Muye to attack Dongye State, was promised five complete Fourth Order "Boundless Divine Crystals," one complete Fifth Order "Boundless Divine Crystal," and an endless supply of Cataclysmic Material.

Although according to Muye's explanation: Dongye State doesn't actually have the "Mountain Root," nor does he possess so many treasures. So, from start to finish, it was all a scam—he never intended to fulfill those promises, or at best planned to provide minimal compensation.

However… to make the Anti-government Armed Forces believe he had the ability to deliver, Muye's resources were indeed substantial.

One complete Fifth Order "Boundless Divine Crystal," three complete Fourth Order Boundless Divine Crystals, eight pieces of Cataclysmic Treasures, and various scattered Cataclysmic Materials gathered over time.

This was the entirety of Muye's fortune.

Upon learning of Muye's wealth, Qiu Tu's first thought was to strike it rich!

With these resources, he had enough to nurture a group of competent confidants—or to help his women enhance their strength.

Like… Shen Lingshuang, who seemed to have undergone soul splitting.

Qiu Tu had always planned to cultivate her, elevate her to the Fourth Order, complete her soul restoration, and see what results that might yield.

Thus, the reason why Qiu Tu disguised himself as Muye and came to the "Trading Area" this time was, in part, to seize these riches.

Of course… that was something Qiu Tu planned to do before departing.

For now, Qiu Tu's focus was still on intelligence gathering—figuring out the Fog Hidden Association's recent movements and their upcoming plans.

With these thoughts in mind, Qiu Tu sat upright on the primary seat of the Temple, then looked toward the handful of Muye's confidants standing below and slowly said, "Who will start by telling me what's been happening during my absence?"

....

Meanwhile, in Dongye State.

Qiu Tu (the Uncompromising Simulacrum) was also in his office, receiving Kou Yu.

Compared to their first meeting, Kou Yu's attitude was noticeably better today.

Though his eyes still brimmed with arrogance, at least he was now willing to look straight at others.

Taking the tea served by Tao Yaoyao, Kou Yu sat on the sofa, sipping as he said, "Speaker Qiu, I'm glad you made the correct choice."

Sipping his own tea, Qiu Tu slowly raised an eyebrow in puzzlement and glanced at Kou Yu.

Kou Yu appeared oblivious to Qiu Tu's expression and continued, "Princess Xi extended an invitation to you through Old Pang, which you refused—I'm already aware of this…"

At this point, Kou Yu's words stopped abruptly, as though waiting for Qiu Tu to inquire further.

Since Qiu Tu was in the midst of gathering intelligence, he didn't mind indulging Kou Yu in his game.

He coughed lightly and tentatively said, "Lord Kou, are you aware … that such words, if disseminated, could potentially cause issues?"

First offering a subtle warning to build rapport, Qiu Tu then shifted his tone and asked, "But… I've long heard that the Sixth Sanctuary is under joint dominion of the Kou family and King Kang."

"Moreover, I've also heard… the Kou family wields immense influence; with the presence of the Kou Family League in the Sixth Sanctuary, they command unparalleled power."

"Is this… true?"

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Kou Yu didn't respond immediately. Instead, he leisurely took another sip of tea, savoring it before somberly stating, "Subjectively, no; objectively, perhaps."

He cast a meaningful glance at Qiu Tu and added cryptically, "This mainly stems from popular will."

"The Sixth Sanctuary owes its current success entirely to the Kou family; many officials were personally promoted by my elder brother."

"Our Kou family holds a debt of gratitude with them for recognizing their talents, so naturally, they may feel closer to us."

"This misunderstanding outside the Sanctuary arose from that closeness."

Upon hearing this, Qiu Tu couldn't help but ask, "With the Kou family's power so great, wouldn't King Kang harbor concerns?"

Mentioning King Kang, Kou Yu's face showed a rare hint of caution as he replied, "King Kang is remarkably wise; both his governance and military prowess are unparalleled in this world."

Qiu Tu was momentarily stunned by Kou Yu's words: What kind of narrative twist was this?

But then, Kou Yu continued, "However… there's an issue with Princess Xi."

Qiu Tu blinked and followed up, "What's the issue with Princess Xi?"

With a serious expression, Kou Yu said, "Princess Xi is an Evil Concubine who brings calamity."

"She colluded with an Evil God, murdered the original Queen of King Kang, then bewitched King Kang and meddled in governance."

"Under her spell, King Kang has evidently become negligent. In nearly ten years, the entire Sixth Sanctuary not only failed to expand an inch into the Disaster Zone but even lost eight cities back to it."

"Despite all this, Princess Xi still isn't satisfied. Last year, she gave birth to a demon spawn, poisoned King Kang, making him gravely ill, and plotted to install her infant son as ruler while taking control as regent."

"We uncovered her schemes and promptly dismantled her forces, severing her connection to King Kang."

"But who could have expected that during her visit to the Eighth Sanctuary for an inspection, she would attempt to ally with your domain in hopes of reclaiming her position in the Sixth Sanctuary."

Sipping his tea, Qiu Tu calmly listened to Kou Yu's alternate version of events.

In this narrative, the villain turned out to be Princess Xi, and the Kou family assumed the role of heroes.

The rest wasn't particularly surprising. After all… stories like this are abundant in history. Isn't it just the classic "purge the court of malcontents" scenario?

The monarch is always portrayed as wise and blameless, while the problem lies with those surrounding the monarch. Thus, eliminating the monarch's confidants becomes essential, leaving the monarch under their exclusive protection.

As for what might happen after securing exclusive protection for the monarch—that's beyond their control.

Things like "I've walked on thin ice my whole life" or "It's getting cold, time to put on another coat," aren't abnormal at all, are they?