Jian Li Zūnzhǔ listened to what Jin Liuli said, his brows tightening slightly. "Why trouble Jian Lu? She has only just rested for a few days."
A faint crack appeared on Jin Liuli's composed and dignified expression. Seeing Zūnzhǔ's displeasure, she thought she had mishandled the matter, only to realize the concern was because she had disturbed Jian Lu Zūnzhǔ's rest.
"It was reckless of Liu Li, lacking consideration. What should be done now? I beg Zūnzhǔ to instruct me."
Jin Liuli bowed respectfully, awaiting orders.
"Jian Lu was never one to sit idle. Since this has reason behind it, let her go. I am aware of the rumors circulating in the sect lately. It will do her good to get out and clear her mind. Pass on my words to Junior Sister, and she may summon a battle squad from the War Hall to accompany her."
Jin Liuli's brows immediately lifted with joy. Jian Li Zūnzhǔ had agreed. She bowed deeply in salute and departed the Enforcement Hall.
Jian Li then turned toward Wei Zhengrong, who had been standing silently at the side. "Zheng Rong, go and investigate who has been spreading slander about Junior Sister Jian Lu."
"Yes, I will set out immediately."
Wei Zhengrong had already discovered some clues in secret, but had not yet found the time to report to Jian Lu Zūnshàng. Among them, few understood better than he that Zūnshàng had never cared for the position of Acting Hall Master.
In their private discussions, they agreed that with Jian Lu Zūnshàng's ability, she was more than qualified to lead the Enforcement Hall. But Zūnshàng had always been carefree, disliking trouble, so when Jian Li Zūnzhǔ emerged from seclusion, she promptly returned all authority.
Now that Jian Li Zūnzhǔ himself had spoken, Wei Zhengrong naturally would pursue this investigation thoroughly. Receiving the order, he departed without delay.
By the time Jin Liuli returned to Tianyue Peak, Jian Dan had already finalized the list of companions and was ready to depart at any moment.
After Jin Liuli relayed Jian Li Zūnzhǔ's words, Jian Dan announced that they would leave within half an hour. She did not summon a squad from the War Hall. After all, this was not a battle. They were only going to face Jin Liuli's clan members, and with the four of them, their presence was weighty enough.
Yun Juan and Yun Shu attended Jian Dan as she returned to her cave residence. There, she removed the Heavenly Sword Sect's formal robes and donned a sky-blue top-grade robe. They retouched her hair, tying her bun with a matching sky-blue ribbon. The result lent Jian Dan an air of unworldly elegance, refined and transcendent.
This time, Jian Dan did not bring Yue Liang. Since that day Yue Liang had fallen into deep slumber, she seemed to have entered a breakthrough state. With each breath she drew in spiritual energy, her cultivation slowly climbing from mid-sixth tier toward the latter stage.
Jian Dan simply moved Yue Liang into her cultivation chamber, arranged a spirit-gathering array, and locked down the cave with restrictive wards. She instructed Steward Lü:"Lü Se, Yue Liang is in the middle of advancing. Guard the cave well. I will return within five days."
"Yes, Zūnshàng."
With matters here settled, Jian Dan flickered away and arrived at the eastern peak. Sweeping her senses over her two disciples, she saw Yu Zongfan and Maodou both seated in meditation within their respective chambers, cycling their cultivation methods to stabilize their realms.
Satisfied, Jian Dan brushed her storage bracelet, producing two jade talismans she had specially crafted for their protection. With a flick of her hand, she sent one into each of their bodies.
Sensing their unique auras, the jade talismans immediately bound themselves, transforming into streams of light that merged into the disciples' dantians. Yu Zongfan and Maodou remained unaware, still immersed in cultivation. In time, they would discover the surprise she had left for them.
Jian Dan returned to the front of her cave. In less than fifteen minutes, Senior Sister Jian Jing, Jian Po, and Jin Liuli had all completed their preparations.
Once gathered, the four departed. Jian Jing tore open the void, stepping inside, and the others followed in sequence, disappearing from the peak.
Meanwhile, at Jiusha Hall, Hao Meng, after nearly becoming prey to the new strain of insect and reporting to his Hall Master, had been assigned a squad under his command to uncover the one who had plotted against him.
The Hall Master understood Hao Meng's vengeful nature well, so he indulged him. Hao Meng pursued the investigation with relentless focus—and soon found traces of a lead.
He first went to question the rumored cultivator who had obtained demon flora from the Chimei Mountains. This demon cultivator, surnamed Shao, was an Ancestor of a minor cultivation clan and had attached himself to Jiusha Hall. To Hao Meng's inquiries, he answered without reservation.
It turned out this Shao, a Divine Soul stage demon cultivator, had indeed gathered sufficient demon plants to refine a "Mo Yan Pill" and was preparing to attempt Void Refinement.
But the demon flora he used had indeed been harvested from the Chimei Mountains, only not from the location Hao Meng had previously visited.
"I don't know who spread such talk. Because of it, I've been constantly harassed by people probing for information. Some even offered high prices for my Mo Yan Pill!"
Shao fumed bitterly.
Hao Meng's eyes flickered, but he did not act rashly. He only told his men: "The one spreading this news is clever. Mixing truth with falsehood, hard to distinguish, easily misleading others into straying toward that specific mountain."
He then carefully screened the cultivators around Shao and discovered a suspicious figure—someone who made his living selling spirit plants.
Several of the crucial spirit and demon plants Shao needed for alchemy had been sourced by this man. The two were close companions, even calling each other brothers, which was why Shao had not immediately suspected him of leaking information.
But Hao Meng found him very suspicious and set out with his men to pursue him.
As though guilty, the man had already fled from the Chimei Mountain area.
This only strengthened Hao Meng's suspicion. Certain the man was guilty, he launched a full pursuit.
What followed was a chase from demon sect territory all the way into Daoist lands.
At the same time, Du Yanran was in the inner zone of Yin-Yang Mountain. She cast an illusionary technique to deliberately separate herself from her sect companions, concealing her presence as she prepared to slip past Yin-Yang Gate patrols and leave sect territory altogether.
Hua Lei and Hua Xi also arrived at the Yin-Yang Mountain Range. With a slight sense, they detected that the "flower seal" was moving toward the outer ridge. A little later, and their quarry would have left the mountains.
Hua Xi's eyes narrowed. She ordered her plant-spirit companion: "Zi Die, delay her steps."
Zi Die transformed into a violet butterfly, trailing radiant purple light as it vanished from their sight.
Hua Lei glanced at his elder sister helplessly. "You want Zi Die to pull her into an illusion?"
Hua Xi's eyes glinted coldly. "Yes. I want to see what this woman, expelled from her sect and marked for extermination, has truly done. I do not believe it is only for betraying her Master."
"Fine. Let's hurry."
Hua Lei was curious too. After all, their Hua clan had once reaped many cultivation resources from this woman. Even though their agreement with Mo Yue Zūnzhǔ had ended, they still kept watch over Du Yanran.
"Since Mo Yue Zūnzhǔ disappeared, another power has been watching Du Yanran from the shadows. Even our Hua clan's informants reported that someone used our family's token to probe her whereabouts."
Hua Xi pressed on swiftly, speaking to her younger brother.
"Did you trace who it was? Our clan's tokens should reveal to whom they were given."
"Of course we traced it. The token used was one issued by our Hua clan in Tianmo City. The holder was Mo Yue Zūnzhǔ."
"You mean, Mo Yue has returned?"
"That I cannot say. I arranged men to tail him in secret, but every time they lost him. The person seems to know our methods. Not long ago, he personally sought Du Yanran's information."
"Did you meet him yourself?"
"Yes. He came directly to me, declaring his token was legitimate and there was no need to follow."
Hua Xi's reply carried a note of frustration. Hua Lei chuckled inwardly. It was rare to see his elder sister thwarted.
As they conversed, they reached the outer edge of the mountains—just as Du Yanran completed an elaborate play of a beauty saving a heroic man.
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