Chapter 354: Chapter 171: Lin’an
Deep within Lake Heart Island, in a quiet cove.
He Yuzhou, Sect Leader of the Wutai Sect, still sat cross-legged upon a large, flat stone. He held a green bamboo fishing rod, his aura completely merged with the surrounding landscape.
The water rippled without a sound as a figure in plain white robes materialized from the mist, appearing silently on a stone beside him and casting a line into the water as well.
The two sat in silence for a moment, the only sounds being the rustle of the wind through the treetops and the soft lapping of the lake against the shore.
Suddenly, He Yuzhou’s fishing rod dipped slightly. The tip tapped the surface, sending out a circle of ripples.
With a steady flick of his wrist, he pulled a plump, silver-scaled fish from the water. It struggled, glinting in the sunlight.
He Yuzhou expertly unhooked the fish and placed it in the basket beside him, his movements unhurried.
His gaze remained on the water’s surface as he asked casually, "Have you seen Heart Devourer?"
The white-robed man beside him didn’t take his eyes off his own float. His voice was flat and emotionless. "Only once. The Demon Sect’s main force is currently locked in a fierce battle with the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect, and the pressure is immense. The main headquarters has ordered all Sub-Pavilions that our primary objective for now is to lay low, develop, and grow stronger. We are to accumulate our strength. As the leader of the Yunlin Sub-Pavilion, Heart Devourer won’t show his face easily. All our actions are centered on stability."
He Yuzhou nodded, unsurprised.
The Demon Sect’s various Sub-Pavilions were generally weaker than the local Sects, and the Yunlin Sub-Pavilion was no exception.
A direct confrontation would only drain their resources, which was not their intention. Lying low and waiting for the right moment was their consistent strategy.
He pondered for a long moment before his tone grew serious. "The last time we tried to encircle their stronghold at West Sun Mountain, the information leak was suspicious. They slipped away completely, one step ahead of us. Do you have any leads?"
"No."
The man in white answered crisply. "There was no warning before the operation. Heart Devourer gave the withdrawal order directly and suddenly. We moved to a new secret stronghold with extreme speed and stealth. I was only following orders."
He Yuzhou’s brow furrowed. "It seems there really is a high-ranking Hidden Stake planted within the Four Great Sects."
"Correct."
The man in white affirmed, "And this person’s position is by no means low. They have access to core operational plans and can pass information directly to Heart Devourer."
He Yuzhou’s expression was as dark as still water.
The Four Great Sects’ joint campaign to exterminate the demons was already fraught with selfish motives. Each Sect wanted to eliminate the threat, but they also wanted to preserve their own strength as much as possible. This balancing act inevitably created openings for the Demon Sect to exploit.
If there was a high-level traitor in their midst, it would undoubtedly make the situation extremely complicated and reactive.
"Can you find a way to learn who this person is?"
He Yuzhou asked, his voice laced with gravity.
"It would be very difficult."
The man in white shook his head. "Heart Devourer is extremely paranoid and cautious. He’s always acted alone and keeps himself well-hidden. Although I hold the rank of Protector, I rarely see his true face, let alone know his channels of communication. This person must be a core Hidden Stake with a direct, single line of contact to him. I’m afraid that besides Heart Devourer himself, no one knows their identity."
He Yuzhou fell silent for a moment before asking, "What is your situation now?"
"The usual,"
the man in white replied, his voice devoid of inflection. He turned slightly, fiddling with the hook in his hand and checking the bait. "The blood on my hands can never be washed clean."
He spoke the words matter-of-factly.
When a person has been in the shadows for too long, regardless of their original intentions, they are no longer who they once were. Turning back is easier said than done.
This was an indisputable fact.
He Yuzhou naturally understood the meaning behind his words. He was silent for a moment, then said slowly, "Since there’s no going back..."
The man in white continued to toy with his hook, waiting for him to finish.
He Yuzhou took a deep breath, as if steeling himself for a decision. His gaze shifted to the depths of the lake. "Then let’s see this dark path through to the end! Find a way... to eliminate Heart Devourer! You will become the next leader of the Yunlin Sub-Pavilion—the next ’Heart Devourer’!"
A sharp glint flashed in the white-robed man’s eyes. It vanished in an instant, but for a split second, the aura around him surged, causing the lake water at his feet to ripple slightly.
He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he cast his hook back into the water, his eyes fixed on the small float as if weighing this world-shaking plan.
Neither spoke again. They fell back into silence, with only the faint sound of the fishing lines entering the water. The air was thick with a silent, turbulent storm.
After a long time, the man in white slowly stood up and reeled in his fishing rod.
"I should go,"
he said. His voice was still flat, yet it seemed to carry a new, different meaning.
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure melted silently back into the dense shadows of the lakeside forest, just as he had come, as if he had never been there at all.
He Yuzhou remained seated on the stone, holding his fishing rod, as if he had entered a state of deep Meditation.
The surface of the lake shimmered, as if nothing had happened. And yet, it felt as though an undercurrent had begun to stir in the depths.
...
Chen Qing sat cross-legged on a cushion, the image of Leng Qianqiu merging his Dual True Astral still vivid in his mind. Its power was far greater than a simple sum of its parts.
He carefully guided a wisp of pure Cyan Wood True Qi up from his Dantian.
Wood could overcome Earth, but it could also loosen it. He attempted to use his Wood Element True Qi as a bridge to draw upon the power of the Earth Essence Marrow Pearl, trying to initiate a preliminary contact and harmonization with his own Earth True Qi.
However, the moment his True Qi touched the surface of the pearl, something unexpected happened!
The Earth Essence Marrow Pearl suddenly flared with a brilliant yellow light. The Earth True Qi within it instantly turned the tables, not only easily repelling the probing wisp of Cyan Wood True Qi, but also nearly causing all the Earth True Qi in his body to boil over and run rampant!
Chen Qing forcefully suppressed the agitated True Qi and cut off his direct True Qi connection to the Treasure Pearl.
