Tong Liang's strength is acknowledged across the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain.
With his deep foundation, it is nearly impossible for cultivators below the True Man realm in the domain to not only kill but even defeat him.
Even True Core stage True Men find it almost impossible to thoroughly eliminate him without giving him a chance to activate the Soul Jade.
Thus, when the Nine Tripods Commerce Association discovered that Tong Liang's Soul Lamp had extinguished two ten-days ago, they immediately suspected the Great Elders of other two major Commerce Associations in the Business Alliance.
However, after gathering information from spies spread throughout the domain, this possibility was ruled out.
They then began investigating information on Ascendants entering the Ten Thousand Merchants Domain from the Outer Domain.
Only after finding no traces of any foreign Ascendant did they start paying attention to Tong Liang's movements and causation.
