Shang Xingchen smiled. "Sect Master, to ensure you don't suspect I had any intentions of silencing him, I've waited for quite a while. Shall I perform the soul search, or will you do it?"
Chu Xuan nodded. "I'll handle it."
Soul searching was something one should do personally.
Shang Xingchen's Spiritual Qi surged as he pushed Lu Ren toward Chu Xuan.
With a swift motion, Chu Xuan reached out and enveloped Lu Ren with his Spiritual Qi, effortlessly neutralizing the poison in his body. However, he did not immediately begin the soul search. After all, performing such a technique would reduce his sensitivity to the outside world.
He didn't want Shang Xingchen watching him as he worked.
Chu Xuan turned to Shang Xingchen. "How did you come to know this person was a traitor?"
Shang Xingchen smiled. "Cao Meren is one of mine. Given the Sect Master's cautious nature, I assume there must be someone among the Orthodox Alliance who is loyal to you as well?"
Chu Xuan nodded slightly.
Shang Xingchen was indeed impressive, moving faster than he had, and even more cleverly waiting here, not using the soul search technique himself to avoid raising suspicion.
Chu Xuan casually probed, "It seems, Elder Shang, you detest traitors even more than I do."
Shang Xingchen was the first to act, clearly more eager than anyone to prevent information about Mystic Azure Star from leaking out.
Shang Xingchen smiled. "The Reincarnation Divine Sect and I have a deep enmity, a matter of life and death. Rest assured, Sect Master. I, Shang Xingchen, will never stand with the Reincarnation Divine Sect. Sect Master wishes for peace and stability on Mystic Azure Star, and so do I."
Chu Xuan nodded slightly.
A kindred spirit. With that, he was reassured.
...
The next day.
Shang Xingchen arrived at the grand hall of the sect.
Chu Xuan handed him a list. "Elder Shang, this is for you."
Shang Xingchen smiled and nodded. "Sect Master, rest assured, it is my duty to eradicate the traitors."
That very day, a team of Nascent Soul and Golden Core cultivators stormed the peaks and caves, rooting out those within the sect who harbored ill intentions toward the Mystic Azure Realm.
In the end, all the traitors were publicly executed.
Among the crowd, Yuan Zichu and Zhu Yuqiao also witnessed Wu Dalang's decapitation.
Zhu Yuqiao's heart tightened. "I never expected him to be a traitor..."
She instinctively grasped Yuan Zichu's hand tightly. The thought that someone so close to her, sharing her pillow, could be a traitor, filled her with an innate fear.
Yuan Zichu also tightened his grip on her hand. With Wu Dalang's death, he no longer needed to sneak around with Zhu Yuqiao, discussing the way of formations.
Whether in the pill furnace, in the ice cave, or anywhere else...
He could be with her wherever he wanted, no longer having to worry about Wu Dalang catching them.
But... why did it still feel so wrong?
Yuan Zichu clicked his tongue, his gaze involuntarily falling upon the graceful Nascent Soul Elder Liu Ruoshui.
He pondered deeply.
...
Reincarnation Divine Sect.
At the heart of the Reincarnation Divine Sect stood a colossal tower, thrusting deep into the earth. This mighty structure was built upon a Level Five Spiritual Vein. A Level Five Spiritual Vein was one so potent that even a Deity Transformation cultivator could accelerate their cultivation by meditating upon it.
The deeper one descended into the earth, the richer the Spiritual Qi became. The further from the surface, the more concentrated it grew. Thus, the deepest cultivation chambers were reserved solely for Deity Transformation Elders and the Holy Son, those with the highest qualifications to enter.
Currently, the Reincarnation Divine Sect was embroiled in war with the Heaven Shaking Divine Sect. The Deity Transformation Elders were scattered across the battlefield, fighting fierce battles. Of the deepest cultivation rooms, only one remained in operation.
It was here that Situ Kong, the Holy Son, immersed himself in his training. He was but a step away from reaching the ninth layer of Nascent Soul. He could almost grasp that fleeting, intangible spark of insight, and was certain that soon he would break through to the ninth layer.
At such a critical juncture, it was typical for disruptions to occur—perhaps someone would suddenly arrive with a battlefield report, disturbing his cultivation and causing him to miss his chance.
Yet, Situ Kong, as the Holy Son, had ordered before his seclusion that unless a direct command came from Wen Lingtian himself, no one was to disturb his cultivation. Thus, no one interrupted his breakthrough.
Time flowed by, minute by minute.
Situ Kong seized the fleeting insight, and his cultivation advanced smoothly into the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul. His aura surged explosively, sweeping through the chamber. Its force slammed against the walls, only to rebound and swirl back in a continuous cycle. This continued for several minutes before his energy finally settled.
Situ Kong suddenly sprang to his feet, laughing heartily. His voice was filled with exhilaration.
"Good, good, good! I've finally reached the Ninth Layer of Nascent Soul! Once I perfect the Ninth Layer, I'll be able to cultivate the secret techniques granted by the Ancestor!"
A satisfied smile spread across his face. Just then, a respectful voice came from outside the room.
"Holy Son!"
Situ Kong chuckled. "What is it?"
With a wave of his hand, he opened the stone door to the cultivation chamber.
A Golden Core cultivator bowed deeply, speaking with respect. "Holy Son, there is news from Mystic Azure Star."
Situ Kong's heart soared with joy. "Excellent! The seeds I planted all those years ago have truly borne fruit!"
Lu Ren had been one of the many "seeds" Situ Kong had planted years ago. Initially, he had tasked Lu Ren with gathering intelligence about the Heavenly Blood Alliance. He never expected Lu Ren to be assigned to Mystic Azure Star by Luo Zhantian, the leader of the Heavenly Blood Alliance. This development suited Situ Kong perfectly. Now, he could learn precisely what had transpired on Mystic Azure Star.
He was eager to discover why Zhao Kai and the others had been so easily killed and who the greatest contributor to the Mystic Azure War had been.
The cultivator respectfully handed him a jade slip.
Situ Kong took the slip and infused it with Spiritual Qi. Immediately, the voice of Lu Ren echoed from within.
"Holy Son, Feather Transformation Heaven Palace has been destroyed, and the new sect established is called the Heavenly Infinite Sect."
"The Heavenly Infinite Sect's leader, Chu Xuan, was previously an unknown figure—just a Qi Refining cultivator from the Infinite Sect. He later joined the Extreme Yin Cave lineage and merged with the Heavenly Seal Sect. For a time, his whereabouts were unknown. During the Mystic Azure War, he suddenly rose to prominence, and his methods were..."
Situ Kong's eyes brightened. He was about to listen more carefully when a sudden scream pierced the air. The transmission abruptly cut off.
Situ Kong froze in shock. The Golden Core cultivator who had handed him the jade slip also went stiff.
What...? It cut off right here? Why didn't you continue speaking!? What exactly are Chu Xuan's methods?!
Situ Kong's face darkened to an extreme degree. He could easily guess that Lu Ren's true identity had been discovered. The transmission had been cut off midway because Lu Ren had been captured.
"Useless fool!"
Situ Kong's expression grew colder than ice.
The Golden Core cultivator trembled and after a long pause finally spoke, "Holy Son, the Ancestor has always wanted to know what happened on Mystic Azure Star..."
Situ Kong snapped irritably, "I know! I don't need you to remind me!"
The Golden Core cultivator quickly half-knelt, shrinking his neck in fear.
Situ Kong took several deep breaths, managing to calm his emotions with great effort.
"At least we now know about the Heavenly Infinite Sect and that Chu Xuan. Investigate! I want a full report!"
"The collapse of the extraterritorial battlefield—there must be Mystic Azure Star cultivators scattered across other cultivation worlds. Use all available methods! Find out everything about this person!"
"Yes, this subordinate will go immediately!"