Although he couldn't see Boss Gui's eyes, Cao Yun was able to clearly sense her intention. She wasn't bluffing at all. There was no doubt that she had found out something about him. But the fact that she was convinced didn't mean that she really knew. Besides, Cao Yun wasn't absolutely sure what she thought she had uncovered. Thus, he kept his calm and controlled his emotions to showcase doubt and surprise.
"I'm not too sure what you're talking about..."
"Lord Mo, you shouldn't be too coy with me. You've appeared out of nowhere all of a sudden with alchemy skills that can't be found in our Desolate Sepulcher. And during your fight with Mister Dai, you showed us a martial art that doesn't exist in our Desolate Sepulcher either. You come from the main continent, God's Land, isn't that right?"
Finally, Cao Yun was a bit relieved. At the very least, Boss Gui had absolutely no idea he was human. In fact, it seemed so impossible that she had not considered this possibility once. If his cover was blown, he had no idea how demons on this continent would react. The Empyrean Asura Theocracy would want him dead, but he didn't know enough about either the Nalupu Kingdom or the nomad tribes to be sure. Humans had never walked this land for millennia now, after all.
"Miss Gui, the fact that you didn't find any mention of my martial arts or my person doesn't mean that I didn't exist. Absence of proof isn't the same as proof of absence. Maybe everything about me has been kept secret. After all, can you claim to know everything that's going on in the Desolate Sepulcher? For instance, do you know precisely what's going on with City Lord Sihe?"
The implication was obvious, but once again, Cao Yun wasn't lying. Implying that he had worked for City Lord Sihe was not the same thing as stating it outright. As soon as he spoke, Cao Yun saw two things. Boss Gui was trying to hide it but he had been able to instill some doubts in her. On the other hand, her bodyguard Miss Wo was more tense than ever. If he really worked for City Lord Sihe, Cao Yun could be a threat to her mistress.
"Lord Mo, what do you know about City Lord Sihe? From what I gathered, you seem to be opposed to him through various persons. In fact, he will probably try to get rid of you one way or another."
"And this is precisely why I am intent on forming an alliance with you, Miss Gui. But if you want to talk about City Lord Sihe, let us do so. I know that he intends to kill you."
Not an instant after the word had left his mouth, Miss Wo was circulating her blood cultivation and pouring her Qi into her weapon. In less than a breath, she could be on Cao Yun with all her strength. In fact, he could literally feel her killing intent focused both on his neck and his heart. Miss Wo had seen him fight and considered him dangerous. Even though the strength Cao Yun had showcased was nowhere near hers, she was still under the impression that he had suppressed it for the fight. Had she thought otherwise, she would have concluded that Cao Yun was no direct threat to her mistress though.
"Oh? And are you the instrument of this plan?"
Contrary to Miss Wo, Boss Gui was more amused than anything else. In fact, she didn't believe he was here to kill her at all. Her question was more of a joke than a real question.
"Of course, City Lord Sihe wants me dead, as much as I want him dead. However, if he strikes me down, even through a servant of his, all the City Lords and even Lord Wanghuo will unite against him. They couldn't accept such a threat to their authority. If one of us kills another City Lord, then he could do so again. Without me City Lord Sihe would grow too strong and rich. The other City Lords would use that as an excuse to pressure him. If he plans to kill me, he'll have to do so in a roundabout way."
"Indeed, Miss Gui is absolutely right. However, what makes you think that this roundabout way has not already started? The poison might already have been introduced?"
"Do tell, Lord Mo. What kind of poison are we talking about?"
"Just like the venom of some demonic beasts can increase the flow of blood and make the body destroy itself from within, a traitor among your most competent servants might do the trick."
While Miss Wo didn't really understand the comparison between the venom of a scorpion and a traitor, Boss Gui got the innuendo. At that moment, she was convinced that Cao Yun had found out her secret. To be honest, she had wanted to test him by showing her full operation. And for now, he wasn't disappointing her at all. Because she was convinced that he came from God's Land, she was also convinced he had not the same scruples as her fellow countrymen. The fact that he was talking about poison so casually reinforced her belief. But at the same time, the way he was talking about City Lord Sihe made her doubt. Maybe he did come from God's Land but had worked for City Lord Sihe nonetheless. It was absolutely possible.
As much as she was trying to hide it, Cao Yun could read her very well. The more time he was spending with her, the more he was able to read her. Demons had stronger emotions so it was more difficult for them to hide them. Of course, at Boss Gui's level, the difference wasn't much, but it was still there.
There was another person who was reacting to Cao Yun's words. Xixue, as the instrument of Boss Gui's death imagined by City Lord Sihe, felt very awkward. Thankfully, she was still wearing her mask. No one could see her face. Besides, they never once considered her a threat at all. After all, she was only a Blood Child. Miss Wo could probably take her down just with her killing intent.
"And do you know which of my servants is a traitor?"
Once again, Boss Gui seemed more amused than upset. On the other hand, Miss Wo was so tensed and focused that all her senses were focused on Cao Yun. In fact, she had completely disregarded everything and everyone else. At the moment, Xixue did not exist in Miss Wo's eyes. Soon, this would change suddenly and she would realize that being too focused on a potential threat could blind her to an actual one.
"I never said that you had a traitor in your midst. I merely stated that introducing such a talented servant that you couldn't refuse their help would be a great way to weaken you. You would drop your guard and no one would have any reason to believe that that servant was working for someone else. After a few months or even years, if that servant were to kill you in an incredible accident, then no one could blame it on City Lord Sihe. Of course, some might have unfounded suspicions, but in the end, his innocence would prevail."
As Cao Yun explained City Lord Sihe's actual plan, Xixue was more awkward than ever while Boss Gui's amused attitude was slowly changing. What Cao Yun had just described did sound like City Lord Sihe's kind of plan.
"What kind of accident are we talking about?"
"If someone, let's say a master of seals, were to place some deep in the body of a slave that you would buy, he could plant the seed of your demise in your entourage. Then, the seals would explode at a specific moment, maybe triggered by the cultivation of said servant. In that way, people would think that it was a terrible form of Qi deviation. Although rare, such accidents happen."
Although demons had no Dantian, they could still detonate themselves by focusing their blood in a specific spot. Usually, a suicidal demon would concentrate all their blood in their heart to put it under pressure. In such a manner, their heart would act as a Dantian. Then, the Qi within the blood would suddenly burst outward, destroying the body of the demon and even causing an explosion that could kill others around them. That was exactly City Lord Sihe's plan. Once the seals within Xixue would be activated, her blood and blood essence would detonate, killing Boss Gui.
Considering that almost nothing would remain of Xixue, it would be impossible to detect the seals engraved in her bones. The witnesses would be left with two alternatives. Either Xixue had decided to kill herself all of a sudden, or she had taken a wrong path in her cultivation. Such accidents had happened in the past. And the fact that the seals were improving her cultivation speed, it would certainly seem like she had gone too far too fast. Even if other City Lords had suspicions on him, City Lord Sihe would be untouchable. Then, he would have to deal with the absence of City Lord Gui in a reasonable manner so as to not give a reason for the City Lords or Lord Wanghuo to fear him.
"When I hear you, it feels as though you're not talking about an hypothetical plan... But, hypothetically, what kind of slave would cause me to lower my guard?"
"Well, it could be an alchemist like me of course. But if City Lord Sihe had such a talented alchemist, he would try to keep him for himself, not sacrifice him. In fact, he might try to hide him from the rest of the world and force him to work relentlessly for him. No, the best kind of slave would be a weak one. A slave you wouldn't imagine could be used as a warrior. But since it would be necessary for you to find them valuable, then the solution is simple."
"Some form of clerical assistant? Maybe an adviser? A secretary?"
"Yes, that would be the best kind of slave to get close to you. A slave trained to be a great help in the administration of your business would clearly make you intrigued. And if she could help you battle City Lord Sihe, you wouldn't think of her as a possible agent of your enemy. Weakening himself to make you more trusting of the scorpion in your den would be a good strategy."
"She? Do you know who that slave would be?"
Tension was rising in the room. Even now though, no one was paying much attention to Xixue, further proving Cao Yun's point in fact.
"I'm only talking about possibilities, Miss Gui. However..."
Suddenly, Cao Yun took off Xixue's mask. Obviously, the young girl was shocked. As soon as he did so, Boss Gui and Miss Wo's attention focused on her. They could tell she was anxious and even afraid. The first thought that came to their mind was that they would have never considered such a weak girl to be a threat. In itself, it was a threat.
"Miss Gui, I present to you my assistant, Lady Hanqu Xixue. Without her, my Blazing Swallow wouldn't have become as successful as it is right now so fast."
"Hanqu?"
The name triggered some memory in Boss Gui. She was a girl from the Lotus Tribe. She had already seen slaves from the Lotus Tribe, but she had not bought a single one of them yet. However, she knew that the entire tribe had been decimated and everyone enslaved or killed. The slave Cao Yun had bought also came from that tribe, Hanqu Meiyue. Then, that explained why he had bought her. It wasn't for dual cultivation at all.
"Miss Gui, my servant's sister was sold in your city. Rumors had it that you had bought her yourself. Hanqu Yinlü, does that ring any bell?"
"Yinlü? I remember that name, but I didn't buy her. No girl from the Lotus Tribe seemed like good material for my training. Their bloodline was good but it wasn't too compatible with my training regime."
That meant that the venom of the Sun Staring Scorpion wouldn't have been as effective on them. Or maybe it would have been rejected. To be honest, Cao Yun didn't know enough about the venom and the mixture of Boss Gui as well as the bloodline of the Lotus Tribe to be sure about this.
While she was speaking, the eyeless Boss Gui was still staring at Xixue. And Miss Wo's attention was now equally split between Cao Yun and Xixue. Although she appeared weak, Miss Wo was wary of her and especially of her possible explosion.
"Do you know what happened to her?"
"If I remember right, the Sisters of the Abyss bought her."
Hearing that, Xixue was deeply shocked. The Sisters were known to recruit woman slaves. They would serve the Sisters either in life or in death. Obviously, the worst possible outcome came to Xixue's mind. Could her little sister have been sacrificed by those witches? Although she had much respect for the Sisters, like everyone else in the Desolate Sepulcher, Xixue had suddenly lost most of it. The religious order had turned into an evil cult in her mind, in less than an instant.
"I see..."
"Lord Mo, where did you meet your young assistant?"
"Oh? I was leaving the Desolate Dune Desert. On my way to Ruohe, I found a caravan that had been attacked by a Tyrant Sun Scarab. Since Xixue had survived the attack, I took her in. Apparently, she had been trained by City Lord Sihe but she was going to be sold in your own city. Considering her talent, she would have probably piqued your interest through Lady Gu Xue's reports. Pardon me though, but I decided that she would better serve me than you."
"What happened to that caravan?"
"I told you, it was attacked by a demonic beast."
"I see..."
Obviously, Boss Gui got Cao Yun's meaning.
"Poor Xixue here had terrible seals in all her body, so I got rid of the most dangerous ones."
"Lord Mo, it seems like I have to thank you."
"Thank me? For what?"
Tension was at its highest when suddenly, Boss Gui laughed out loud and heartily.
"Lord Mo, although this conversation was instructive, I would like to go back to the matter that most interests me. Miss Wo, leave us."
Hearing her mistress, Miss Wo was utterly shocked. However, she didn't argue at all and immediately left the room. Cao Yun also sent Xixue away. The girl was very anxious to be in Miss Wo's presence now that she knew she had been used as an instrument of death toward her mistress.