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Cloud's Edge, Du Yizi calmly assessed the situation.
He was not a reckless "person"; years of cultivation had taught him an important lesson: do not show off, as sometimes wit is more effective than brute force. Currently, there were powerful presences in all four directions, with the south being the weakest, which was just behind him with two individuals from Nine Li Sect.
Du Yizi suddenly turned and charged towards the two individuals behind him.
Before he could reach them, Iron Ears had already accurately determined their positions. Du Yizi opened his mouth, and a peculiar bone club shot out, its gray flames flickering as it struck towards the left Demon.
The Demon, caught off guard by Du Yizi's sudden return, never expected that he would choose to ambush him first. In a hurry, he summoned the “Soul Summoning and Spirit Refining Banner,” grasping the Flag Spear in his hand. The banner flew out and circled around him, firmly protecting him at the center.
Suddenly, there was a loud thud from outside the banner, followed by a muffled groan from his companion. The thunderous strike he was waiting for did not arrive. Confused, the Demon pulled back the banner to look outside and saw his companion clutching his head, swaying unsteadily, blood gushing from between his fingers, his face smeared with blood like a ghost.
Where was Du Yizi?
The Demon, bleeding from his head and enduring intense pain, grunted, “I fell for it! That dog-headed man used a Phantom on you; what hit me was just a clone. He has already escaped back to Nine Li Sect!”
“Chase!” The two fled backwards, their figures quickly disappearing.
The clouds were thick and slowly drifting southeast. A peculiar white cloud settled at the end and suddenly parted to reveal Du Yizi, holding something in his hands.
It was a strange fire-colored golden bell, emitting flames that reached finger height and looked very beautiful. Named “Little Star Essence Shield,” it was a parting gift from Nine Li Sect to Du Yizi. It was modeled after the famous treasure “Star Shield,” which was slightly inferior to the true Celestial Artifact. Its function was similar; although not as powerful as the real Star Shield, it had an additional special ability to conceal one's aura. Upon receiving it, Du Yizi immediately liked it and began cultivating with it, unexpectedly finding it useful right away. Thinking of this made him feel even more favorable towards Nine Li Sect.
After putting away the “Little Star Essence Shield,” Du Yizi pondered for a moment before stealthily following behind the two Demon. Once he calculated that he had nearly broken through their encirclement, he drew a large arc heading eastward and returned to Mountain Flower Cottage via sea route.
After all this commotion, he arrived at Mountain Flower Cottage just as night fell. Being cautious, he did not disturb the large group of Sophora Ghosts on the hillside but quietly slipped down into the valley through a secret path known only to himself while sending out Iron Ears to scout for any movements.
He quickly realized that his caution was warranted. There were four powerful presences lurking within Mountain Flower Cottage. Although they were trying hard to conceal themselves, they could not escape the detection of his Iron Ears.
Iron Ears turned in the direction of the voices, which were faintly audible.
"You say he definitely can't bear to leave this place, huh! It's been a while and he still hasn't shown up; it seems you don't understand him at all!" It was a stranger's voice.
Du Yizi felt a chill in his heart; they had indeed come here to wait for him!
A sycophantic voice said softly, "My lord, I would never dare to deceive you. That rickety bamboo building below holds many of his favorite toys and treasures. I'm sure he will come to retrieve them. As long as your people are well-hidden, Du Yizi will surely walk right into the trap."
Hearing this obsequious voice, Du Yizi was not surprised at all, but after a moment's thought, a deep-seated anxiety arose.
"I hope you're right; otherwise..."
Before he could finish speaking, Old Huai Ghost shouted, "My lord promised to take me into the Dao Sect! You can't go back on your word!"
"Stop shouting! Keep your voice down! Are you afraid Du Yizi will hear you coming back? You fool!" The man scolded in a low voice.
Old Huai Ghost was frightened into silence and after a while, he quietly said, "I have some secret information to report to my lord."
"Don't keep calling me 'my lord'; I'm not some mundane official. It sounds ridiculous! Just speak plainly!" The man was very impatient.
"Yes, yes. Du Yizi came out this time because two elders from the Nine Li Sect came to invite him. One of the young men is quite Strange, according to Du Yizi..." Old Huai Ghost had just reached this point when he hesitated suspiciously because he heard rustling noises from his disciples on the hillside. "What's going on with those little ones?" He thought, feeling a chill run down his spine. Could it be that Du Yizi suddenly returned?
He whispered, "My lord... no, senior, could you accompany me to take a look? There's movement over on the hillside."
"What movement? Du Yizi hasn't returned yet! You really are annoying, Old Ghost. If you want to go, go by yourself! I still need to wait for the net to be drawn in. Remember, I warn you and your little ghosts: don't make another sound, or I'll burn you all to ashes in my rage! Hmph!"
With no other choice, Huai Shan had to grit his teeth and hide again; when he reappeared, it was already on the hillside.
In the dark of night, the Sophora Ghosts were desperately shaking their branches and leaves, creating a rustling sound. Huai Shan took a closer look and was immediately shocked. Each Sophora Ghost had a red rope, about the thickness of a finger, tied around its waist.
This place was the Vital Point of the Sophora Ghosts. The red color represented Yang, and with the red rope tied to the Sophora Ghost's Vital Point, it locked away all their supernatural powers. They could not use any magic at all; if the sun came up and the red rope remained, the Sophora Ghosts would catch fire. This was the simplest yet most ingenious way to restrain them.
Huai Shan's eyes bulged in fear. Du Yizi! It must be him; only he would know the greatest weakness of the Sophora Ghosts! He really has returned!
Huai Shan opened his mouth to shout, but a cold wind swept in, leaving him feeling weak all over. Looking down, he saw that a piece of red cloth had somehow wrapped around his waist.
This was no ordinary red cloth; it radiated an extremely fierce Yang energy. It was indeed the nemesis of Old Huai Ghost.
Du Yizi's icy face emerged from the shadows. Without saying a word, he forcefully pulled on both ends of the red cloth, and Old Huai Ghost immediately revealed its true form. Its body stretched out, branches and leaves sprouted from its head, and its feet transformed into roots that quickly burrowed into the ground, turning into a towering old locust tree in an instant.
The bark-covered old face of Old Huai Ghost appeared above the red cloth on the trunk. Although it could not speak, its expression was filled with desperate pleading.
Du Yizi sneered silently, waved his hand, and a spark quickly entered the trunk. With a loud bang, Old Huai Ghost was engulfed in flames.
Amidst the firelight, Du Yizi summoned the Little Star Essence Shield to conceal his presence and swiftly headed north, disappearing from sight.
Old Huai Ghost trembled violently in the raging fire; its bark face contorted into a ball as thick black blood flowed from its trunk and branches. In an instant, the black blood ran dry, and the entire tree had turned into a blazing inferno.
By the time those Demon Sect Monsters rushed up from below, it was too late to save Old Huai Ghost; they could only watch as it burned to ashes.
The fleeing Du Yizi chuckled coldly to himself: "Huai Shan, I have known for years that you are restless. I specially prepared something to restrain you, and sure enough, it came in handy! Fortunately, I returned in time; otherwise, my brother and I would have been sold out by you. Ghosts cannot be trusted—especially those Evil Spirits who used to wield power in court!"
Though he had eliminated future troubles, he could never return to his Mountain Flower Cottage. Du Yizi felt a twinge of regret; after all, it had been his home for many years. After thinking for a moment, he made a wide turn in midair and headed towards Qingqiu Mountain.
Qingqiu Mountain was a paradise—a natural maze that even the Demon Sect found difficult to enter. There he would live next to Shooting Jade Fairy and could visit Nine Li Sect whenever he wanted. What joy that would be! With this thought in mind, he felt at ease.
A beam of white light shot towards Qingqiu Mountain, where the clouds were deep and unknown.
********
Li Hong, Ling Xuzi, and Spirit Stone sat facing each other on the Fire Rat Fur Carpet, deep in thought.
After three chaotic days, they had found no trace of any spies.
Initially, they focused on the elders who had represented the Nine Li Sect in the Immortal Sect's battle team and were later recalled. This group had the most contact with Kunlun and Emei, making it likely that one of them could be involved. However, after reviewing each individual, they felt it was unlikely. These were all loyal elders to their sect; the idea that they would betray Yun Jiuzi to join Kunlun was simply unfathomable. Even Spirit Stone, who had seen much in his time, stated that none of them could possibly be involved.
But if not them, then who? Low-ranking disciples could not leave the mountain. The Patrol Captain Elders were even more unlikely, always under Spirit Stone's watchful eye. If it was impossible for the elders who participated in the battle team to be involved, then these individuals were even less likely.
At this point, almost everyone had been ruled out.
Ling Xuzi suddenly said, “Could it be one of the newly joined Beast Cultivator Elders?”
Before Spirit Stone could respond, Li Hong shook his head vigorously: “No way. Since they joined, Yun Jiuzi has kept a low profile and has never appeared before them, especially not in front of them. Moreover, I trust these Beast Cultivator Elders; betraying Nine Li Sect to join Kunlun offers them no benefits at all. Why would they do such a thing?”
Ling Xuzi pondered for a moment: “That’s not necessarily true; after all, many of them come and go frequently. I think we need to be more vigilant from now on. I will instruct Array Hall to pay attention and frequently change the passage routes.”
Li Hong agreed with this sentiment. After all, caution is key.
The Li Fire Formation is a peculiar restriction; its most remarkable feature is that while the entrances and exits are fixed, the paths inside are not. It used to change once a month; when the time came, it would alter. No matter which entrance one entered from, it would lead into a maze-like dark passage that was a true labyrinth—interwoven like a spider's web with no discernible pattern or calculation possible. If one took a wrong turn, they would directly walk into the True Fire of the Li Fire Formation, and the consequences were needless to say dire.
Now, every time Li Hong entered or exited the Li Fire Formation alone, he would first signal with a code. Then someone from Array Hall would guide him from within to ensure safe passage.
In simple terms, the code involved carrying a jade tablet resembling a magical artifact but marked with personal identifiers. After activating it with a special seal, one could enter the passageway and communicate within it; thereafter, someone from Array Hall would guide the way.
It is not complicated to say complicated, but it is also not simple to say simple. In fact, it is the Jade Tablet and the seal that are indispensable.
Not everyone possesses a Jade Tablet, and neither does Li Hong. One can only obtain it when undertaking a mission alone, but it becomes void upon returning, requiring reissuance for the next outing. If a large group is entering or exiting together, typically only the leader will have the Jade Tablet. This situation is most common. For example, when the Beast Cultivator Elders come and go, they are usually led by Li Hong or Spirit Stone, rather than being issued individual Jade Tablets.
The seal is not fixed either; it changes frequently on a cycle.
This maximizes convenience for entry and exit while ensuring the safety of the Li Fire Formation. However, compared to using the Heaven and Earth Platform, the Li Fire Formation is indeed much more complex. Therefore, in the past, the Heaven and Earth Platform was the first choice for outings.
However, some individuals carry permanent Jade Tablets that allow them to enter and exit the Li Fire Formation at any time. As long as they input the seal code on the Jade Tablet, they will receive guidance from those in the Array Hall.
But the prerequisite is still knowing the special seal for that period; otherwise, the Jade Tablet cannot be activated.
If the modification time changes frequently and becomes irregular, it is indeed the best way to prevent any tampering within Beast Cultivation. Li Hong suddenly had an uncontrollable thought: "Who can freely enter and exit the Li Fire Formation?"
Ling Xuzi was taken aback: "Are you saying that those who can freely enter and exit the Li Fire Formation are under the greatest suspicion?"
Li Hong slowly nodded.
Spirit Stone pondered while twirling a mouse whisker: "There are very few people who can freely enter and exit the Li Fire Formation: the Sect Leader, Sixth Pulse Master, Five Halls Chief Elder, Yun Jiuzi. These are the people."
"Then, is there any way to know who has gone out alone without a mission?"
Ling Xuzi nodded: "Yes. You all wait here; I will check immediately."
Before long, Ling Xuzi returned and said: "In this year, there were four individuals who went out alone without a mission: Yun Jiuzi, Yue Mangzi, Ling Jizi, Elder Yao. I think we can rule out Yun Jiuzi and Elder Yao first. Yun Jiuzi went out during your last outing, Chu Hong; I remember he was looking for you but returned after not finding you. Elder Yao often goes out alone; I have known this for a long time as he goes down the mountain to gather herbs, so he can also be ruled out. That leaves only two people: Yue Mangzi and Ling Jizi. But whether or not it is them, this matter must remain between us three; we absolutely cannot speak of it or investigate further." He sighed, "Forget it; let's stop pursuing this matter of internal traitors here."
Until flying away from Nine Separation Peak, Li Hong was still pondering this issue. Without needing Ling Xuzi to say anything, he already knew whom he suspected—Ling Jizi.
Speaking of which, although everyone refers to each other as brothers, only Ling Jizi and Ling Xuzi are true brothers. They are both disciples of the Fifteenth Generation Sect Leader and are genuine siblings, while the others belong to the Six Veins. At that time, both Ling Jizi and Ling Xuzi were highly regarded as candidates for the next sect leader, but in the end, their master, the Fifteenth Generation Sect Leader, chose his younger disciple Ling Xuzi to take over as the next sect leader, while the elder Ling Jizi was assigned to Nine Beam Peak as Elder Brother.
Ling Jizi lost the position of sect leader to his junior brother and subsequently fell into a deep depression for many years. In recent years, he has gradually improved but has started to oppose Ling Xuzi on everything, often putting Ling Xuzi in difficult situations.
These past grievances have been discussed privately by Spirit Stone with Li Hong, so Li Hong is quite clear about it. Perhaps Ling Jizi is dissatisfied that his master passed the sect leader position to Ling Xuzi, believing that Ling Xuzi's performance in this battle between immortals and demons was not sufficient to take on such a responsibility. This could be why he secretly came out to make contact with Xuan Xuzi's people. Such behavior cannot be called betrayal; even if Ling Xuzi obtained evidence, he would not be able to accuse him. Instead, he might even be bitten back by Ling Jizi, leading to a heap of troubles.
Thinking of this, Li Hong fully understands why Ling Xuzi does not want to pursue the matter further.
However, one thing is very strange: since no one has ascended for a thousand years, it stands to reason that the previous sect leaders, Ling Xuzi and Ling Jizi's master, should still be alive. Why have they never shown themselves? Even after stepping down from the position of sect leader, they still hold supreme authority within the sect; why has he never come out to say a word?
Spirit Stone listened to Li Hong's question and simply said three words: "Array Hall."
Li Hong suddenly realized that he must be in that mysterious Array Hall.
Where exactly is the Array Hall? How many experts are hidden within? It seems that only the current sect leader, Ling Xuzi, knows this secret.
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