Immortality and Cultivation: I can extract entries from all things.

Two weeks later, late at night.

On the cliffs behind Ironbone Island, the moonlight is cold and clear, and the sea breeze howls.

Fang He stood alone on the edge of the cliff, his blue robe fluttering in the night wind.

He gazed at the dark horizon in the distance, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.

Over the past two weeks, he has had multiple contacts with Qin Wujiu, working together to investigate the "three days later" clue left by Liu Zhong that day.

That day, they followed the note to a secret contact point of the Dark Abyss Pavilion, but the other party had already withdrawn, leaving only some insignificant miscellaneous items.

The trail went cold, but the two worked together with increasing synergy.

Qin Wujiu greatly admired Fang He's talent in formations and often gave him pointers.

Fang He took the opportunity to observe Qin Wujiu, trying to find out his background.

"This person is hiding too many secrets..."

Fang He muttered to himself.

After that day's formation sparring, he became even more certain that Qin Wujiu was related to the Qingyuan Sect.

But whether they are friend or foe remains to be seen.

Tonight, he received a message from Qin Wujiu, inviting him to a private meeting at the cliff behind the mountain.

This cliff, far from the Meng family's residence, is an excellent place for private conversations.

"Inspector Fang was indeed punctual."

A gentle voice came from behind.

Fang He turned around and saw Qin Wujiu standing with his hands behind his back, his green robe fluttering gently in the night wind.

The moonlight shone on his face, making his faint smile appear exceptionally profound.

"Master Qin"

Fang He cupped his hands in greeting, his gaze calm. "What brings you here so late at night?"

Qin Wujiu slowly walked to the edge of the cliff and stood side by side with Fang He.

He gazed at the distant horizon, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Inspector Fang, I have been very pleased with our cooperation over the past two weeks."

He paused, then turned to look at Fang He with a gentle smile: "But there are some things that we both know, yet we haven't explicitly stated."

Fang He's heart skipped a beat, but she remained outwardly calm: "What does Master Qin refer to?"

"Our identities."

Qin Wujiu bluntly stated, "Inspector Fang's familiarity with the Dark Abyss Pavilion's formations is far beyond what can be explained by mere 'a little research'."

And Qin... I'm sure you've also noticed something."

Fang He remained silent for a moment.

He quickly weighed the options in his mind.

Qin Wujiu's initiative in bringing this up shows that the other party also intends to be honest.

This could be an opportunity, or it could be a trap.

Fang He decided to take a gamble.

"Master Qin's familiarity with the Dark Abyss Pavilion's formations is indeed beyond what one would expect from mere research."

Fang He looked directly at Qin Wujiu, his voice calm, "I dare to guess that Master Qin is related to the Qingyuan Sect."

A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Wujiu's eyes, then he smiled and said, "Inspector Fang is indeed perceptive."

He turned around, faced Fang He, and said in a serious tone, "Then I, Qin, will not hide anything anymore."

Qin is indeed from the Qingyuan Sect, but he is not a formal disciple of the sect.

Fang He listened intently.

"Qin's biological father is Qin Tianxing, an inner sect elder of the Qingyuan Sect."

When Qin Wujiu said this, his tone was calm, as if he were talking about the weather.

But Fang He noticed a complex emotion flash in his eyes.

illegitimate child!

Fang He was startled.

This perfectly matches the setting he saw in the chapter outline.

"illegitimate child……"

Fang He repeated in a low voice, "No wonder Master Qin is so knowledgeable about the internal affairs of the Qingyuan Sect."

"learn?"

Qin Wujiu smiled bitterly, a hint of self-mockery in his smile. "I am nothing more than a pawn sent to monitor the Meng family's movements."

He gazed at the distant horizon, his eyes deep: "The Qingyuan Sect has long since split into two factions."

The main faction advocated for internal cleansing, while the deputy main faction attempted to cover up scandals and expand their influence.

Zhao Xuanting was merely one of the pawns of the vice sect leader.

Fang He quickly processed this information in his mind.

Internal strife within the Qingyuan Sect! This was information he had been speculating about but had been unable to confirm.

Qin Wujiu's initiative in revealing this indicates that the other party is indeed interested in cooperating.

"What has the deputy sect leader's faction been up to lately?"

Fang He asked.

Qin Wujiu turned to look at him, his eyes flashing: "Inspector Fang, this is an exchange."

"Since Qin told you this secret, you should also be more honest with him."

Fang He pondered for a moment.

He weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

Revealing one's past means exposing one's weaknesses, but it's a necessary price to pay if one wants to gain Qin Wujiu's trust.

Moreover, Qin Wujiu had already revealed his identity, demonstrating his sincerity.

If Fang He continues to cover it up, it will only make him seem insincere about cooperating.

"it is good."

Fang He nodded, "I have indeed fought against the Dark Abyss Pavilion many times."

Fang was the vanguard in the operation to clear out Black Reef Island.

Zhao Xuanting... was killed right before my eyes.

A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Wujiu's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure: "No wonder."

Your familiarity with the Dark Abyss Pavilion's formations comes from actual combat.

"good."

Fang He admitted, "Moreover, I suspect that the Dark Abyss Pavilion's infiltration of the peripheral islands is far deeper than imagined."

Qin Wujiu remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing something.

A night breeze blew by, causing their clothes to flutter.

The cliff edge was silent for a moment, with only the sound of waves crashing against the rocks coming from below.

Fang He pondered in his heart.

Qin Wujiu's silence at this moment was either a judgment of the truthfulness of Fang He's words, or a consideration of how much information to reveal.

In any case, Fang He has already shown his sincerity.

Next, it depends on whether Qin Wujiu is willing.

Finally, Qin Wujiu spoke.

"The deputy sect leader is searching for an ancient site on the edge of the outer sea."

His voice was low and his tone was solemn. "It is said that the ruins contain the secret method for breaking through to the Golden Core stage."

Fang He's pupils constricted slightly.

The secret method to break through to the Golden Core stage!

What astonishing news! In the mortal cultivation world, the Golden Core realm is the dream realm of countless cultivators.

If one can break through to the Golden Core stage, not only will their lifespan increase significantly, but they will also truly join the ranks of the strong.

"How many people did they contact?"

Fang He pressed on, her voice unconsciously lowering.

"The core forces have secretly moved to the open sea."

Qin Wujiu said solemnly, "The strongholds on Qing Shi Island and Black Reef Island are just a cover."

Qingshi Island!

Fang He felt a chill run down her spine.

The truth behind the Shi family's devastating attack by the sea monster... could it be...?

He recalled Meng Hao's loss of composure at the clan meeting that day.

Fang He released false information about the Shi family, making Meng Hao look foolish.

But now it seems that the problems with the Shi family may not be unfounded.

Why did Master Qin tell Fang all this?

Fang He stared directly at Qin Wujiu, her gaze sharp as a knife.

This is a crucial question.

Although Qin Wujiu was an illegitimate child, he was, after all, the son of an inner elder of the Qingyuan Sect.

Why would he reveal such crucial information to outsiders?

Qin Wujiu smiled slightly, a smile tinged with bitterness: "Because I believe that Inspector Fang is trustworthy."

and……"

He paused, then his smile became meaningful: "We have a common enemy."

The deputy sect leader's faction also attempted to control Qin.

Qin refused to be a pawn, much less a puppet.

Fang He understood.

Although Qin Wujiu was the illegitimate son of an inner sect elder of the Qingyuan Sect, he was a marginal figure within the sect and was even regarded as a usable object by the vice sect leader.

He chose to cooperate with Fang He because he saw the same situation in Fang He—both were marginalized people who were not accepted by the mainstream forces.

"So, Master Qin wants to cooperate with me?"

Fang He asked.

"Mutual benefit, each getting what they need."

Qin Wujiu said frankly, without any attempt to conceal his thoughts, "I need Inspector Fang's influence and intelligence on the outlying islands, while Inspector Fang needs my information within the Qingyuan Sect."

Fang He pondered for a moment.

This proposal is pragmatic, without any insincere pleasantries, and directly points out the essence of cooperation.

This attitude, on the contrary, made Fang He feel at ease.

He quickly weighed the pros and cons in his mind.

The benefits of cooperating with Qin Wujiu are obvious: gain access to intelligence channels within the Qingyuan Sect, learn about the movements of the deputy sect leader's faction in advance, and gain the initiative for the Zhou family.

However, risks also exist: Qin Wujiu's identity is complex and his stance is ambiguous, so it's hard to guarantee that he won't turn against them one day.

Moreover, cooperating with the illegitimate son of an inner sect elder of the Qingyuan Sect could bring trouble to the Zhou family if the sect finds out.

This shows that cooperation itself does not pose a fatal risk, but caution is required.

Fang He made a decision.

He held out his hand: "Deal."

Qin Wujiu grasped his hand, and the two smiled at each other.

The smile didn't even reach his eyes, but the cooperation had already been reached.

"As a gesture of goodwill for cooperation, Qin sent another message to Inspector Fang."

Qin Wujiu released his grip, his tone turning serious. "The Shi family of Qing Shi Island... there's something wrong with them."

Fang He's heart skipped a beat: "What does Master Qin mean?"

"The truth behind the Shi family's devastating attack by the sea monster is probably more complicated than meets the eye."

Qin Wujiu lowered his voice, "I have received information that Shi Lie, the patriarch of the Shi family, has been frequently in contact with unfamiliar cultivators recently. Those cultivators... have the aura of the Dark Abyss Pavilion on them."

Fang He's eyes flickered.

Could it be that the Shi family of Qing Shi Island has also sided with the Dark Abyss Pavilion?

If this is true, then the situation around the Zhou family is more dangerous than imagined.

Qingshi Island is located on the edge of the Zhou family's sphere of influence. If the Shi family really colludes with the Dark Abyss Pavilion, it would be tantamount to stabbing the Zhou family in the back.

"Thank you for the reminder, Master Qin."

Fang He cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "I will keep a close eye on things."

Qin Wujiu nodded: "Three days later, I will return to Qingyuan Sect to report back."

During this period, if Inspector Fang has any urgent intelligence, he can relay it through Elder Meng Yuan.

"clear."

Qin Wujiu turned to leave, then stopped and turned back, saying, "Inspector Fang, we are both smart people."

Some secrets don't need to be revealed; some collaborations don't need to be explicitly stated.

Fang He smiled: "We understand each other without saying a word."

Qin Wujiu laughed loudly, his laughter echoing in the night wind.

His blue robe fluttered as his figure gradually disappeared into the night.

Fang He stood alone on the edge of the cliff, gazing in the direction where Qin Wujiu had disappeared, her eyes deep and thoughtful.

He mentally reviewed everything that had happened that night.

Qin Wujiu... the illegitimate son of an inner sect elder of the Qingyuan Sect, was sent to monitor the Meng family, but chose to cooperate with Fang He.

Is this person genuinely cooperating, or do they have ulterior motives?

Regardless, Fang He has obtained crucial intelligence:

The deputy sect leader is searching for ancient ruins, which may contain secret methods for breaking through to the Golden Core stage.

The Shi family on Qing Shi Island has acted strangely; they may have already defected to the Dark Abyss Pavilion.

These two pieces of news are enough to change the current situation.

Fang He turned around and walked towards the Meng family's residence.

He needed to relay the intelligence back to the Zhou family as soon as possible, and at the same time begin investigating Qing Shi Island.

The truth is often more complicated than we imagine.