You were put to guard a shabby mountain gate, yet all your disciples became Immortal Emperors.

The shadowy figure slipped into Shi Yi's room, moving so lightly that it made no sound.

He looked at the figure wrapped in blankets on the bed, breathing steadily, and a cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

Ancient dragon bones!

Once I get my hands on it and offer it to the Holy Son, my status in the Hall of Ten Thousand Demons will rise to the top!

Without further hesitation, he formed his five fingers into claws, swirling with demonic energy, and fiercely grabbed at the figure on the bed!

However, when the claw struck, a muffled "thud" was heard.

There's no blood and gore flying everywhere, it doesn't feel right!

The shadowy figure was startled. Upon closer inspection, he realized that inside the blanket he had torn open, there was no person at all, but rather a piece of wood that had been shaped into a human figure!

Substitution Technique!

We've fallen for their trap!

"I've been waiting for you for so long."

A lazy voice echoed softly from the corner of the room.

"Snapped!"

With a snap of his fingers, the lights in the room instantly turned on.

Lin Zhou was sitting with his legs crossed in a grand chair, holding a steaming cup of tea in his hand, looking as if he were watching a show.

The shadowy figure's pupils suddenly contracted; he knew he had been completely exposed.

He simply ripped off the black cloth covering his face, revealing a face that surprised even Lin Zhou.

It's not Li Mu.

Instead, he had an honest, even somewhat dull face. He was Qian Tong, the steward elder who usually managed the outer sect servants in the sect!

This guy always smiles at everyone he meets, acting like a nice guy who can be taken advantage of by anyone. Who would have thought he would be the mole?

"Elder Qian, it's true what they say, life is full of unexpected encounters."

Lin Zhou took a sip of tea and greeted him with a smile.

The humility and taciturnity of the past were gone from Qian Tong's face; in their place was a cold and ferocious expression.

"Lin Zhou! How did you find me?"

He couldn't understand how he could have fallen into a trap when his plan was flawless and he had even obtained the token for the mountain-protecting formation.

"Want to know? Go ask Yama, the King of Hell, in hell."

Lin Zhou was too lazy to waste words with him.

"Hahaha!"

Qian Tong suddenly burst into wild laughter, his aura rising steadily, and a terrifying pressure mixed with spiritual power and demonic energy erupted instantly!

"A mere Golden Core cultivator dares to try and stop me? Today I'll show you what true power is!"

His cultivation level actually rose from the early stage of Golden Core to the early stage of Nascent Soul!

Although his aura was weak and his foundation unstable, the pressure he exuded was genuine that of a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator!

"So it turns out he received a demonic infusion and got a crash course to Nascent Soul cultivation."

Lin Zhou suddenly realized, then pursed his lips.

"this one?"

Qian Tong was thoroughly enraged by his contemptuous attitude and was about to make a move.

Linzhou, however, casually snapped his fingers.

"Close the door and release the disciple!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Xiaoqiong Mountain trembled violently!

"Buzz—"

Countless mysterious array runes lit up around the room, and a heavy, mountain-like pressure instantly descended upon Qian Tong.

The Yellow River Mountain Protection Formation is activated!

Qian Tong felt as if he were stuck in a quagmire. The circulation of demonic energy in his body became sluggish, and his cultivation, which had been painstakingly raised to the Nascent Soul Realm, was forcibly suppressed back to the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Realm!

"A formation?!"

Qian Tong's expression changed drastically.

Just then, the door was kicked open!

Shi Yi, carrying the Xuan Tie Heavy Sword, his muscles bulging, stood like a moving iron tower, blocking the doorway.

By the window, Xiao Fan held a cluster of blue flames in his palm, a smile on his face.

On the roof beam, Ye Ge carried his gleaming entrenching tool, grinned at Qian Tong, and revealed a set of small white teeth.

"Elder Qian, are you surprised or not?" Lin Zhou's voice rang out again.

Qian Tong's face was extremely grim.

He knew that leaving today would be difficult!

"court death!"

Qian Tong roared and decided to start with the weakest one, Ye Ge!

He swayed and transformed into a black shadow, rushing straight towards the roof beam.

But just as he rushed halfway there, Ye Ge's figure disappeared, leaving only a dark, unremarkable bullet.

"not good!"

Alarm bells rang in Qian Tong's mind; it was too late to retreat.

"boom!"

With a loud bang, Ye Ge's specially made "Thunderbolt Fire Bomb" exploded, and the flames and thick smoke blasted Qian Tong into a dusty mess, tearing several large holes in his black robe.

The roof of Zizhu Dormitory was blown off.

"Cough cough... Damn little bastard!" Qian Tong burst out of the smoke, furious.

"Second Senior Brother, it's your turn!" Ye Ge's voice came from the corner.

Shi Yi roared and, like a tiger descending a mountain, swung his Xuan Tie Heavy Sword and smashed it down.

Qian Tong was, after all, a Nascent Soul cultivator. Even though his cultivation was suppressed, his combat experience was far superior to Shi Yi's.

He moved with unpredictable speed, dodging the sharp edge of the heavy sword, and struck Shi Yi in the chest with a palm.

"Bang!"

Shi Yi staggered back three steps, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but his heavy black armor actually withstood the blow!

"Again!"

Shi Yi, full of fighting spirit, charged forward again.

"Senior Brother, unleash full firepower!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Fan rubbed his hands together, and more than a dozen explosive pills, enveloped in strange fire, rained down on Qian Tong from all directions like a shower of flowers.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

For a moment, explosions echoed throughout the room.

Qian Tong was thoroughly outmaneuvered by the three brothers' shameless fighting style and was unable to defend himself effectively.

Shi Yi confronted them head-on, refusing to reason with them.

Xiao Fan launched a long-range bombardment, giving you no chance to breathe.

The most disgusting one was Ye Ge, that sixth brother, who would run around the house with a shovel, occasionally shooting a poisoned arrow from the shadows or digging a hole under your feet.

Qian Tong felt like he wasn’t fighting three cultivators, but rather engaging in hand-to-hand combat with three bandits and thugs!

"If you've got the guts, fight me fair and square!" Qian Tong was so angry he was about to vomit blood.

Lin Zhou, the mastermind behind all of this, was sitting in a chair, cracking sunflower seeds and giving a live commentary.

"Hey, Shi Yi, how many times have I told you to keep your stance stable! That step you took was really awkward, start over!"

"Xiao Fan! You threw that pill way off course! It exploded and damaged the flower! You spendthrift, that flower was very expensive!"

"Ye Ge! Yes, yes, right there! Dig up his ancestral grave! No, dig up his feet! Finish him off! Don't just run!"

Qian Tong, listening to Lin Zhou's explanation, coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Deceiving too much!

Is this something a human being would do?!

Under the relentless attrition of the trio from Xiaoqiongshan and Linzhou's verbal attacks, Qian Tong's demonic energy was finally exhausted, and his movements began to slow down.

opportunity!

Shi Yi seized an opening, closed in, and without using the blade, used the broad side of the sword to slam Qian Tong to the ground with a loud "smack," knocking him unconscious.

The battle is over.

Lin Zhou slowly stood up, patted the sunflower seed shells off his hands, and walked forward.

"Well done. Although the teamwork is still a bit rusty, you've made great progress and deserve praise."

He glanced at the unconscious Qian Tong and stepped on his chest.

"Let me see what secrets you're hiding in your head, you old codger."

Lin Zhou placed his palm on Qian Tong's crown, and a surge of powerful spiritual energy flowed into him.

Soul search!

Countless chaotic fragments of memory flooded into Linzhou's mind.

We can only obtain partial information.

A moment later, Lin Zhou withdrew his hand, his expression turning somewhat strange.

"Master, how is it?" Xiao Fan came closer.

Linzhou let out a breath.

"Li Mu was indeed involved, but he was just a middleman who took money to do things, responsible for passing on intelligence and providing tokens."

"The real mole is Qian Tong."

"But... things are more complicated than we thought."

Linzhou's expression turned serious.

From Qian Tong's memories, he discovered an astonishing secret.

The reason why the Wanmo Palace was able to connect with Qian Tong was because the person behind the scenes was a behemoth from the Central Divine Continent—Xuantian Pavilion!

Moreover, Qian Tong's memory clearly records an extremely secret ancient teleportation array that can directly connect a forbidden area in the Eastern Xuan Domain to other states!

"Xuantian Pavilion..."

Linzhou pondered this name.

How did a trivial matter in the Eastern Xuan Region end up involving a top power in the Central Divine Continent?

The water was much deeper than he had imagined.