Why Had I Become His Stepping Stone?!

Perhaps it was because Li Ye was cooperative and composed.

Or perhaps the three law enforcement disciples had already received instructions before coming.

The three merely remained on guard, surrounding Li Ye as they escorted him to the Law Enforcement Hall, rather than shackling him with restraints or other instruments of punishment.

Along the way, he saw many law enforcement disciples patrolling everywhere, or escorting figures both familiar and unfamiliar to Li Ye toward the Law Enforcement Hall.

Among those standing guard, there were even glimpses of Foundation Establishment elders!

Other than them, not a single other disciple could be seen outside.

With the sect's grand formation fully activated, the entire Purple Profound Sect's mountain grounds were almost completely sealed off and under strict lockdown. The atmosphere was unbearably tense!

The sight made Li Ye sigh inwardly.

If the Ancestor had not been injured, why would such an enormous operation have been necessary?

They were practically prepared to face a powerful enemy attacking the mountain at any moment!

This had come at a truly bad time.

His few mu of Blood Li Rice were in excellent condition, and the experience feedback was almost within reach!

Still, the trouble before him was not a major problem. He should be able to collect this round of experience feedback without a hitch.

What came after that was harder to say...

Li Ye only hoped the situation would remain stable at least until those few mu of Blood Li Rice ripened and yielded their harvest.

He was counting on the enormous amount of Blood Li Spiritual Essence he would receive as feedback to help him reach the second layer of Elephant Armor Force!

Once he advanced further in body refinement and gained strength in battle, he would have a better chance of dealing with the chaos, wouldn't he?

While his thoughts wandered, the group soon arrived at the Law Enforcement Hall.

The palace here was solemn in style and gave off a killing aura. The disciples coming and going hurried about with cold, stern expressions. Almost as soon as one approached, one could feel an imposing chill.

Li Ye even felt a faint prickling on his skin and a sense of suppression upon his mind.

But his face merely paled slightly, and his expression remained composed.

Even the three law enforcement disciples escorting him were somewhat surprised. They thought to themselves that he was either concealing his true abilities or truly had a clear conscience.

Otherwise, there was no way he could have acted like this!

After they entered, the cold, solemn atmosphere grew even heavier. Li Ye was escorted into a great hall.

Inside, a clean-shaven, pale-faced Foundation Establishment elder in black robes sat high above them. His presence was cold and sinister, and his gaze was as sharp as a blade.

Law enforcement disciples stood solemnly on either side, subtly echoing the hall's icy surroundings and lending it an even more imposing air.

In the center of the hall, several disciples wearing restraints knelt prostrate on the floor.

Among them was none other than Li Zongyin!

His hair was disheveled, his robes were in tatters, and his face was blank and numb. He seemed to be seriously injured, looking every bit the hardened criminal.

As someone close to Cai Shiwei, he had been among the very first to be arrested!

"Reporting to the elder, Li Ye has been brought here!"

The three law enforcement disciples reported loudly as they brought Li Ye into the hall.

At that moment, Li Zongyin abruptly raised his head from the floor. His face twisted with agitation as he shouted,

"It was him! Li Ye was the one who introduced me to that scoundrel Cai Shiwei!"

"He joined that scoundrel's group after entering the sect and had deep ties with him... He's that scoundrel's accomplice! I've been wronged, Elder!"

Li Zongyin was desperate and unhinged.

He looked at Li Ye as though he had spotted his only lifesaving straw, struggling to throw himself at him.

Li Ye watched calmly, though he sneered inwardly.

What had given this fellow the illusion that, after being pushed out to take the fall, he could still drag Li Ye down with him?

"Silence!"

The pale-faced elder gave a cold snort. A surge of magic power immediately descended, sealing Li Zongyin's mouth and pinning him firmly in place, unable to move.

After the interrogation just now and further verification through various harsh methods, he could naturally see that these disciples who had followed Cai Shiwei knew nothing at all. They were merely tools Cai Shiwei had used.

But the Ancestor was furious, and that meant everyone with close ties to Cai Shiwei was bound to be implicated.

Li Ye, however, was somewhat different from the group below.

The pale-faced elder's expression remained as icy as ever. Looking at the composed Li Ye, he asked mildly,

"Li Ye, this man is a member of your clan. He says you introduced him to Cai Shiwei. Is that true?"

His tone was calm, but his voice pierced straight into Li Ye's mind like a steel needle, making him instinctively afraid to utter a single lie or conceal anything through the pain.

Pain immediately appeared on Li Ye's face, but he hurriedly bowed.

"Disciple Li Ye greets the law enforcement elder!"

Seeing the man's attitude, Li Ye began to have a faint inkling.

He then endured the pain of the other party's secret technique pressing down on him and spoke frankly.

"What he said is true, but it was all merely a transaction!"

He went on to recount every detail: how he had been seriously injured and cut ties with Cai Shiwei's little group, how Cai Shiwei had suddenly risen to prominence afterward and word had spread that he was recruiting again, and how Li Ye, short of money and seeking an inheritance, had made a deal with the Li Household's third branch when they approached him.

"...After that, I had no further contact with Cai Shiwei. Even with this fellow clan member, I only ran into him once at the Hundred Treasures Pavilion in the market. He did try to get me to follow Cai Shiwei then, but I flatly refused him again."

"I usually devote myself to my fields and have little social contact, aside from a few like-minded Spirit Plant farmer friends. I truly had no way of coming into contact with the scoundrel Cai Shiwei's schemes..."

"I have concealed nothing and spoken not a single lie. I can swear a heart demon oath, and many spirit farmers and the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's shopkeeper from back then can serve as witnesses. Please see the truth, Elder!"

His account had laid out the whole sequence of events and his connection to Cai Shiwei with almost complete clarity, and he had even named numerous witnesses.

His factual, straightforward account both established his own innocence and once again emphasized how much Li Zongyin had waited on Cai Shiwei hand and foot, and how close the two had been.

As he listened to every word, Li Zongyin remained unable to move, but his eyes stayed fixed on Li Ye.

Especially when Li Ye said that he had decisively refused Li Zongyin's attempt to recruit him for Cai Shiwei, murderous intent and madness flickered in his eyes, and he looked ready to devour someone!

But no matter how he struggled, he could not break free of the suppression. The madness on his face gradually turned to despair...

Too much!

He had done too much to curry favor with that man, gained too many benefits, and offended even more people-too many to count!

His ties to Cai Shiwei could not be erased, and there would be no shortage of people ready to throw stones at him while he was down.

Li Ye was only one of them.

But now, even he could step on Li Zongyin to keep himself safe!

Li Ye was just a man of poor aptitude, a dirt-caked peasant who could do nothing but toil in the fields...

Whereas Li Zongyin was the Li Household's Foundation Establishment seed, its future Foundation Establishment Ancestor, its hope of reaching new heights!

Why had he become Li Ye's stepping stone now?!

Li Ye...

I hate you!

Ignoring Li Zongyin's near-madness below, the pale-faced elder merely said after hearing Li Ye out,

"There is no need to find witnesses. Everything you said matches the evidence I have, and you did not lie even in the more detailed parts..."

"Since Ji Qing has provided evidence to vouch for you, you may leave."

"Thank you, Elder!"

Li Ye bowed deeply, glanced at Li Zongyin on the floor, then turned and strode out of the hall.

Ji Qing vouched for you...

Could it be that the elder personally looked into this and vouched for him!?

When did Li Ye come to enjoy such circumstances?

A trace of bewilderment mingled with the hatred in Li Zongyin's chest.

Only today did he discover that, while he had been immersed in the benefits of attaching himself to Cai Shiwei, his elder clansman, whom he had considered nothing more than a dirt-caked peasant, seemed to have long since achieved more than he could imagine...