Chapter 1024: Chapter 1024: The Confusion at Celestial Sword Manor
Mei Simiao and Lin Junzhao’s conversation sent a chill down Pei Yan’s spine. He instinctively reached out to touch the hair on top of his head, wondering if there was any possibility of someone gathering his personal information.
Seeing his action, Lin Junzhao laughed and said, "Do you think this spell is so simple to use? It’s one of Blood Magic’s trump cards prepared to deal with Lin Daozi. Nero wouldn’t use it unless absolutely necessary, otherwise, if he used it from the start, he wouldn’t have to suffer so much, because he knows that once he uses this hidden inside line in the Immortal Palace, it would be exposed. And don’t scare yourself either. If this Power of Origin were used by Candle Dragon himself, none of you here could escape, but if used by someone else, the conditions are too harsh. In this room, only you Pei Yan are worth such elaborate arrangements, but with me possessing your body, what are you worried about?"
Lin Junzhao’s explanation was a reassurance to Pei Yan, calming his emotions. He suddenly remembered something and asked, "Director Mei, is there any news about Celestial Sword Manor in this eradication of Peach Blossom Spring?"
"Celestial Sword Manor?" The seldom-mentioned term made Mei Simiao pause. He then understood Pei Yan’s meaning and asked back, "Are you asking if there’s any connection between them?"
"Yes!" Pei Yan repeatedly nodded to confirm. Before coming to the Daoist Realm, this sect’s name, Celestial Sword Manor, within the investigation department had always been synonymous with negativity. After a disciple was shot dead in the cornerstone realm for committing crimes, the sect sent people to seek revenge, only to discover intricate ties within with Blood Magic. It became the first target for the investigation department’s defenses against the Daoist Realm.
However, based on the intelligence collected in the Daoist Realm, there appear to be doubts about the events back then. Just as Pei Yan and others wanted to delve into the mystery for deeper research, Celestial Sword Manor was confirmed as a traitor due to the large-scale harassment incident by Blood Magic on the day of Suhabaru’s Celestial Prison event. The entire sect was secretly detained. As the Sword Discussion Conference took place, this matter gradually faded from memory, and today’s Peach Blossom Spring incident reminded Pei Yan of this old friend.
"No definite news has come out yet." Facing Pei Yan’s expectant eyes, Mei Simiao clapped his hands with regret and said, "The time is too short, so many things have happened in just two days. Even if there is information on Celestial Sword Manor, it wouldn’t be released so quickly. The information we obtained today is due to our increasingly close relationship with the Immortal Palace. They’re revealing some operational details. Since you’re interested in this information, I can try to communicate with people from the Immortal Palace to obtain some intelligence, but given the current situation, it’s difficult and unlikely to yield results in the short term."
"There are difficulties? Didn’t you say our relationship with the Immortal Palace is close? They’re still reluctant to reveal information?" Gu Shenghui, chewing betel nut, asked.
"Better not!" Mei Simiao waved his hand in refusal and said, "Doing so would make us appear too aggressive, which would hurt the so-called self-esteem of Daoist Realm experts and create resistance, which would be counterproductive! Your strong performance on the field has increased the investigation department’s attention among various forces. Even the Magic Realm’s three major councils, which aren’t very close with us, have extended olive branches to improve relations. I’ve been frequently moving between various sects in the Immortal Palace recently and have established fairly decent personal relationships with some elders. These intelligence are revealed by them."
Speaking of this, Mei Simiao sighed and said, "Ah, now everyone in the Immortal Palace’s major sects is on edge. Nobody knows the origin of the sudden hidden forces clearing the Six Mansions of the Immortal Palace. Being able to gather so many high-end forces that move efficiently clearly indicates it’s not something cultivated in a short time. This long-hidden strength unknown to the Immortal Palace is evidently Lin Ruxue’s true confidant. Their actual target is also intriguing."
"In such a vast Daoist Realm, it’s not surprising that Lin Ruxue has her private army. Even before our investigation department merged, weren’t there two separate institutions, the investigation department and the Superpower Team, each overseeing different aspects?" Zheng Jia Ru, who once came from the Superpower Team, said indifferently.
"But both the investigation department and the Superpower Team are exposed, mutually balancing forces. If you were suddenly told there’s an unknown force hidden under these two, observing and supervising you in secret, wouldn’t you feel a sense of crisis?"
Mei Simiao’s rebuttal left Zheng Jia Ru speechless momentarily. He continued, "If it’s us, it’s only a concern of crisis. But for the Immortal Palace, it’s a matter of life and death security. Because the current Immortal Palace, before replacing the previous administrators, the Underworld Eighteen Courts, was Lin Ruxue’s private army! Whether Lin Ruxue intends to replace the Immortal Palace is secondary, but her lack of trust toward it is already obvious."
After speaking, Mei Simiao turned to Pei Yan helplessly and said, "Under such circumstances, the situation for Celestial Sword Manor becomes much worse. Whether they have connections with Blood Magic has become irrelevant. Peach Blossom Spring has been eradicated, hasn’t it? The evidence of Celestial Sword Manor disciples’ involvement in sabotaging the teleportation array is clear, along with prior corroboration from us. Just these two points are enough to plunge the current Celestial Sword Manor into an abyss. The remaining five of the Six Mansions are now desperate to show loyalty and sever ties with Blood Magic. For Celestial Sword Manor, which might bite back, they find it in their best interests to destroy them. That’s why obtaining definite intelligence is difficult."
It’s no surprise that intelligence analysts find it reasonable. After listening, Pei Yan nodded repeatedly and clicked his tongue in difficulty, saying, "So even if Celestial Sword Manor is falsely accused, there’s no chance for them to speak up in defense now. But the problem is if they were indeed framed, the perpetrator must be a sect inside the Immortal Palace. If it’s Peach Blossom Spring, it’s irrelevant, the prime culprit is already gone, and the Immortal Palace will gather intelligence anyway. The outcome for Celestial Sword Manor doesn’t concern us since we’re unrelated, no need to wade into this murky water. But if it’s not Peach Blossom Spring, it suggests more than one sect betrayed within the Immortal Palace."
Saying this, Pei Yan rubbed his chin and muttered, "And I think the latter possibility is more likely. Even though Lin Ruxue’s aggressive performance on the arena made Candle Dragon unavoidable, I still feel that her throwing out this trump card was too rash, giving me a sense of sacrificing the pawn to save the general."
