Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

After parting ways with Shen Wei, Wen Yutang silently turned and returned to the Wen residence.

As soon as they stepped into the mansion, they bumped into Wen Jingxing, who had just returned.

His moon-white brocade robe was stained with dust, and his eyes were solemn, clearly indicating that he had just finished dealing with some business.

"Brother..." Wen Yutang called softly.

Wen Jingxing stopped and turned around, his gaze falling on her, his tone revealing a hint of concern:

"Hmm? It's Yutang. I heard... Shen Wei has been with you all day?"

"Yes," Wen Yutang nodded.

"Xu Yun, the younger brother of Senior Brother Xu Yu, was murdered yesterday. You were very busy, so I took him with me to investigate. I didn't expect him to be so capable. He single-handedly identified the real culprit, and the murderer is most likely connected to the Demonic Sect."

He had already explained these things to Xu Yu when they first met.

After listening, Wen Jingxing simply nodded slightly, then asked calmly,

"Yutang, what do you think of Shen Wei...?"

Wen Yutang was clearly surprised that Wen Jingxing would ask this question. She paused for a moment, then thought about it seriously before speaking:

"His cultivation is high, his attacks are swift and decisive, and his methods are varied. His identity must be extraordinary; he could never be just an ordinary rogue cultivator..."

"Hmm... I also think this person's identity is not simple." Wen Jingxing nodded in agreement, then changed the subject...

"Moreover, the Shangqing Sect disciple he was escorting did not seem to be an ordinary disciple either."

A hint of doubt flashed in Wen Yutang's eyes. Just as she was about to ask further, Wen Jingxing continued:

"After leaving the City Lord's Mansion today, I went back to the Fuyou Sect to ask my master for help, but he still refused to budge and was very cold. However, I did hear some startling news from the idle chatter of the sect's disciples."

He paused, then said, word by word,

"Ye Qingci has defected from the Shangqing Sect."

"How...is this possible?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Yutang covered her mouth, seemingly in disbelief.

If it were an ordinary cultivator, they might not know who Ye Qingci was.

But as a disciple of one of the five great immortal sects, she was already very familiar with this name.

Ten years ago at the Immortal Alliance Conference, she, an unknown figure dressed in white and carrying a jade sword, swept aside all the geniuses from various immortal sects and won the championship.

The world was shocked.

However, after that, whether she kept a low profile or something else, there was no news of her at all. The next time we heard of her was that she had defected from the Shangqing Sect!

"How could this be...."

Back then, she and Wen Jingxing, accompanied by their parents, attended the previous Immortal Alliance Conference and witnessed firsthand Ye Qingci's unparalleled swordplay.

As the sword flashed, her elegance was unparalleled, and that composure and confidence were deeply imprinted in her heart.

For a long time, she regarded Ye Qingci as a role model for female cultivators, and worked hard to cultivate, hoping that one day she could stand shoulder to shoulder with her.

"I'm not entirely clear on the specifics. The disciples only mentioned it in casual conversation, and their accounts were vague. All I know is that on the day of the incident, Ye Qingci went on a killing spree within the Shangqing Sect, single-handedly killing several highly respected elders. The commotion was immense, alarming the entire Shuobei region. She herself seemed to have suffered severe injuries and then disappeared without a trace. The Shangqing Sect has issued a kill order."

As soon as he finished speaking, he changed the subject, "Based on my previous assessment, I have reason to suspect that the person Shen Wei was escorting all the way was the injured Ye Qingci."

Wen Yutang eagerly raised questions,

"That's impossible. If that were true, why would he help us? Wouldn't he just be asking for trouble?"

Wen Yutang was somewhat unwilling to accept this conclusion. If Shen Weizhen was escorting the defector Ye Qingci, then to them, she could be considered an enemy.

"I'm just saying there's a possibility, not a definitive conclusion."

Wen Jingxing waved his hand, his tone steady, and gently comforted her.

"The truth will only be known after we understand and investigate it thoroughly. Besides, you forgot, when we first met him, he was very cold, as if he didn't want to get involved and just wanted to leave Qingyun City as soon as possible."

He paused.

"Now that you've changed your mind, I'm afraid something must have happened."

"But even if it's really as I said, it's not a big deal."

At this point, Wen Jingxing's tone was filled with disappointment.

"In recent days, I have been going back and forth to the Fuyou Sect every day, lowering myself and begging the sect to help me in every way possible. But the sect has given me nothing but cold looks and excuses. Only now do I realize that the so-called immortal sects and the so-called righteousness are just acting out of self-interest. Those high-sounding moral principles are just excuses to deceive the world and decorate their facades."

He sighed softly, then added,

"Perhaps Ye Qingci only drew his sword because he shared the same feelings as us."

During this time, Wen Yutang's expression changed repeatedly. Wen Jingxing seemed to understand the girl's thoughts, and he spoke gently.

"Yutang, Shen Wei may have a handsome appearance, but he is far from being worth your concern."

A slight blush rose to Wen Yutang's pretty face. She waved her hand.

"Brother, what are you talking about... I'm not that shallow."

He smiled.

"Of course, this is only my senior's side of the story; we'd need to get to know him better to know the full picture. But..."

Wen Jingxing paused for a moment, then said, "We probably don't have much time left."

......

the other side,

Shen Wei returned to Wangyue Pavilion, where Ye Qingci was quietly meditating, recovering from her injuries.

Hearing soft footsteps, Ye Qingci slowly opened her eyes, her gaze falling on Shen Wei. Her voice was gentle, "How's the investigation going?"

Shen Wei sat down on the newly replaced wooden chair and told Ye Qingci about most of what had happened that day.

"What do you think?" Shen Wei picked up the cup of tea in front of him and took a small sip.

He felt that Ye Qingci, as an elder of the Shangqing Sect, might have profound insights.

"What do you think of the relationship between the Fuyou Sect and the Demonic Sect? I think if the Fuyou Sect were to join forces with the Demonic Sect to attack Qingyun City, it would be like shooting themselves in the foot."

Ye Qingci was slightly surprised to hear this, but after calming down and thinking about it, she realized that it was not entirely unreasonable.

After a moment of contemplation, she slowly spoke, "I don't think the matter is as it seems on the surface."

Shen Wei nodded; he thought so too.

"Perhaps this has something to do with the current emperor."

"Hmm...maybe."

As the candlelight flickered, both of them fell into deep thought.

The Great Zhou Immortal Emperor, after ascending the throne for only a few years, displayed unprecedented ambition, a stark contrast to the gentle and patient nature of the previous dynasty's Immortal Emperor.

At the beginning of his reign, he implemented sweeping reforms, weakening the power of aristocratic families, consolidating military power, and eyeing the five major immortal sects covetously.

First, the "Xuanqing Division," which was specifically responsible for supervising the interactions between the immortal sects and the secular world, was abolished, breaking the old precedent of non-interference between the immortal sects and the imperial court. From then on, all kinds of resources needed by the immortal sects had to go through layers of "processing" and verification by the government before they could be transported to the major immortal sects, thus indirectly taking control of the immortal sects' lifeline.

He then repeatedly sent people to secretly contact various immortal sects, either by offering them high-ranking positions and generous salaries or by threatening them with the safety of their clans, in an attempt to bring the power of the immortal sects under his control.

After a long silence, Ye Qingci slowly spoke, her tone grave.

"Qingyun City has a special geographical location, serving as the only route between the capital and Cangying Continent. The Fuyou Sect's ambiguous actions are likely an attempt to cut off the supply lines between the capital and Cangying Continent through the Demonic Sect."

"Wouldn't this be like shooting yourself in the foot?" Shen Wei frowned slightly, his tone tinged with doubt. "Cutting off the supply lines won't benefit the Fuyou Sect itself; on the contrary, it will only backfire."

Ye Qingci looked up at him: "If they really have ties with the Demonic Sect, then their surplus resources can be sold to the covetous demon race in Shuobei. This would not only gain the support of the Demonic Sect and the demon race, but also weaken the power of the Immortal Emperor, killing two birds with one stone."

"But Cangyingzhou and Shuobei are separated by many passes, making travel inconvenient. Without the intervention of the Shangqing Sect, how could they have successfully transported resources to Shuobei? Could it be... that the Shangqing Sect is also involved with the Demonic Sect?"