The nine Immortal Emperors exchanged glances, unease flickering in their eyes.
Wasn't it said that the current head of the Yue family had been present at the scene that day? That was the report from the Tianyi Sect's personal disciple, wasn't it?
There was only one explanation left.
"You're not the true patriarch of the Yue family," Guan Song said coldly, his eyes narrowing.
Yue Qingqian drew in a sharp breath, his face pale. "I am… the former patriarch. I've been in seclusion for the past few years, so the position was temporarily handed over to A'Kong."
Fu Yishu, the Immortal Lord of the Azure Lotus Sect, finally withdrew his soul-thread, and the soul-searching scroll hovering in the air slowly faded into nothingness.
Yue Qingqian collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thud, beads of cold sweat trickling down his forehead. His face was deathly white, the black mark at the center of his brow now unusually clear against his pallor.
Fortunately, he was of a high cultivation realm, and the soul search had lasted only a short while. It had not caused irreversible damage to his spirit.
"That A'Kong… is he the one you just ordered to prepare refreshments?" Guan Song asked, his tone detached, almost bored, as he sat high above the others, looking down at Yue Qingqian.
"Yes," Yue Qingqian gasped, his breath still ragged, fear lingering in his eyes.
"But isn't he supposed to be at the Immortal General realm?" Guan Song raised an eyebrow.
"He was… until a few days ago," Yue Qingqian replied with a slight tremble in his voice. "He encountered enemies and sustained heavy injuries, which caused his cultivation to drop. That… that was the same day your sect's disciples visited."
"I see," Guan Song said calmly. "Bring him here."
Yue Qingqian hesitated, then ventured, "My lord… the Yue family is a subordinate clan of the Tianyi Sect. Might we—"
Guan Song looked up, expressionless, and met his eyes.
Yue Qingqian immediately changed his tone. "At once, my lord. I'll summon him right away."
Blood ties, even to one's great-great-grandson, were nothing in the face of survival. If someone had to be sacrificed for the Yue family, then let it be Yue Dekong.
After all, Yue Qingqian's cultivation was higher. He could lead the family farther in the future. This decision—choosing righteousness over kin—was for the long-term prosperity of the Yue family.
Someday, he mused, this act of selfless sacrifice should be written into the family's history.
Yue Dekong was rushing toward the Hidden Pavilion when a transmission reached his ears.
"A'Kong, hurry to the Hidden Pavilion. The Immortal Emperors wish to see you personally."
Yue Dekong's heart soared with excitement, completely ignoring the fatigue and tension in Yue Qingqian's voice.
The Nine Immortal Emperors wanted to see him? Personally?
Was his reputation really that great now?
With their favor, his future was practically guaranteed.
Grinning, he slowed his pace outside the Hidden Pavilion, carefully straightening his robes. Only after adjusting his appearance did he call out respectfully, "Yue Dekong, requesting an audience with the esteemed Immortal Emperors."
The door burst open a moment later, and a powerful force yanked him inside.
Startled, Yue Dekong instinctively raised his spiritual energy in defense.
"Don't resist. Relax your mind," Guan Song said gently, even giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
Yue Dekong's heart leapt. This had to be a prelude to some secret transmission of divine arts or high-level cultivation techniques!
Eager, he nodded, eyes filled with anticipation.
Then a single thread of soul energy shot into his brow.
The searing pain of soul being torn apart overwhelmed him instantly. His face drained of all color, and his body shook violently.
"P-please, m-my lord, spare me!" he cried out, voice trembling beyond recognition.
But Guan Song ignored him. Instead, he made a seal with his right hand, and a new scroll unfurled slowly before the nine Immortal Emperors.
Compared to the soul-searching scroll from Yue Ran earlier, this one revealed far more information.
The Emperors leaned in, utterly focused, paying no attention to the quivering Yue Dekong, who now lay sprawled on the floor, eyes wide with fear.
"Ancestor… please help me," he whimpered.
Yue Qingqian turned away.
It wasn't that he didn't want to help—it was that he couldn't.
Rest easy, good child. The Yue family will remember your sacrifice.
Surely, he thought, with nine Immortal Emperors searching someone's soul, they would offer some form of compensation. Even a minor artifact from one of them could ensure his future.
The more he thought about it, the more his guilt faded.
In fact, he now had the mind to lean in and study the scroll with the others.
"Here—look at this part," Wen Xin pointed at a segment of the image. "Brother Guan, can you zoom in a little?"
Guan Song did as asked.
The others crowded around, peering at the detail.
There, hanging from the girl's waist, was a token.
The character for "Outsider" was clearly engraved on its surface.
Her sleeve covered the rest, though a faint emblem peeked through.
"Brother Guan, zoom in a bit more," said Beiye Xun.
"Of course." Guan Song nodded.
The nine heads were practically buried in the scroll now.
"This looks like…" Zhuo Xiyan pursed her lips. "It's like half a star pattern. And that token—even through the soul-searching medium, it feels extraordinary."
"Agreed," said Xue Yi, ancestor of Seven Stars Island.
"I recall the sect tokens of the Fangwai Tower don't include star motifs," said Fu Yishu, stroking his beard.
"They don't," confirmed Fang Hong, the elder from the Hunyuan Sect.
"Then she's likely not from Fangwai Tower," Wen Xin concluded. "Let's keep looking. There may be other clues."
"Right," the others agreed.
Beiye Xun then pointed at another person in the image. "This group was brought in by this man. If we find him and search his soul, we might discover something more."
"You have a point," agreed Wenren Jiu.
All nine Immortal Emperors turned their eyes toward Yue Qingqian.
Yue Qingqian immediately said, "I'll bring him at once."
He didn't know who the man was, but he had heard Yue Dekong call him Cai Quan during the soul search. That was enough.
He immediately contacted the Great Elder and instructed him to bring Cai Quan to the pavilion.
The Great Elder dispatched servants to search for Cai Quan.
But the man had disappeared.
Cai Quan had witnessed the power of Gu Chenyuan's group that day. And then… he'd seen the force that silenced a thunder tribulation with just a word.
That was more than enough to convince him to flee with his belongings in tow.
The Yue family had offended such formidable beings—sooner or later, destruction was inevitable.
He wasn't going to stick around and die with them.
With no sign of Cai Quan anywhere, the Great Elder resorted to bringing in Cai Quan's uncle.
The moment they stepped inside the Hidden Pavilion, the elder saw Yue Dekong sprawled on the floor, lifeless eyes staring ahead, soul-scoured and broken.
The sight made him jump in fright.
When he realized they wanted to soul-search Cai Quan to trace the strangers from that day, he nearly wet himself from fear.
He had been at the inn that day too. If the Emperors discovered that, and turned their soul-seeking gaze on him…
He had to deal with the others who'd gone to the inn with Cai Quan, and fast.
Fortunately, the soul-scroll only showed Cai Quan accompanying the visitors to the Yue family. No one else was implicated—yet.
He kept his head low and swallowed nervously.
Cai Quan's uncle, meanwhile, was already kneeling and kowtowing repeatedly, stammering that he hadn't seen Cai Quan in days and had no idea where he had gone.
Beiye Xun didn't waste time listening. He reached out with a soul-search spell.
The truth emerged quickly—Cai Quan's uncle was telling the truth. He hadn't seen his nephew since that day.
But Cai Quan's uncle was below the Immortal realm. Even this short soul search left him dull-eyed and slow to react. His speech was sluggish, his awareness faded.
He'd narrowly avoided becoming a complete simpleton.