Undercover Work Was Hard

"Junior Disciple Xuanxiao, were you present when Murong Mo was killed?"

Song Qize asked.

"No."

"Then where were you at the time? How did you determine that Senior Brother Murong had died? Did you see Senior Brother Murong's corpse?"

Ling Xuanxiao's expression did not change, but stormy waves overturned seas within his heart.

They were trying to bait him into talking. Every question was a pitfall.

"At the time, two great powers were fighting, and Mount Wu Wang was in complete chaos. I hid, then took the opportunity to escape afterward. I never encountered Senior Brother Murong."

After saying that, Ling Xuanxiao let out another sigh, clenched his fists, and said bitterly:

"What a pity... Senior Brother Murong was the strongest among us. Who would have thought we would encounter Di Nüfeng and Liu Qiushui? Those damned bastards—Senior Brother Murong... they must have killed him."

Song Qize's gaze blazed. "So you did not see Senior Brother Murong's corpse either? You are not certain whether he is truly dead?"

"Yes, but afterward, we searched all over Mount Wu Wang and still could not find Senior Brother Murong."

Song Qize fell silent for a moment before saying, "Tell me, could it be that Murong Mo did not actually die?"

Ling Xuanxiao: Impossible!! Pure rumor.

I burned his soul myself, and I recited the Rebirth Mantra myself.

But of course, he could not say that, so he asked:

"Senior Brother Song, what do you mean by that? Did you discover something?"

Naturally, Song Qize would not tell Ling Xuanxiao that he had received news from the demonic sect that Murong Mo was still alive.

A possibility suddenly occurred to him.

Could it be... could it be that Liu Qiushui had mistaken Murong Mo for Ling Xuanxiao?

The person Liu Qiushui was truly looking for was Ling Xuanxiao?

She had merely mistaken the person she encountered for Murong Mo.

That made everything fall into place.

"Junior Disciple Xuanxiao, did you return to the sect only recently?"

"Yes."

Having received an affirmative answer, Song Qize was overjoyed and became even more convinced that he was right.

He hurriedly bid Ling Xuanxiao farewell and went to contact Liu Qiushui.

After he left, Ling Xuanxiao's expression turned grave.

"..."

"Ahhhhhh!!"

"Hall Master, stop hitting me! Ahhh... I'm dying, I'm dying..."

"Hall Master, spare my life!"

Because of the Life-Death Talisman, Song Qize writhed across the ground in agony.

Liu Qiushui stared at him with icy eyes.

"You think I would even get someone's name wrong? He would not deceive me. His name is Murong Mo!"

"Hall Master, this subordinate knows his mistake, this subordinate knows his mistake."

"Useless people deserve only death! You cannot even handle such a trivial matter."

"This subordinate understands. This subordinate will certainly become someone useful to Hall Master."

"..."

Several days later.

"Hall Master... could you describe Murong Mo's appearance?"

After making inquiries through many channels, Song Qize still believed that Murong Mo was already dead.

The person Liu Qiushui sought was Ling Xuanxiao.

"Ahhhhhh!!"

"Trash will always be trash. How did I ever send an idiot like you to Shu Mountain as an undercover agent? You cannot even accomplish such a simple task!"

"Ahhhhhh, Hall Master, Hall Master, I was wrong."

"..."

Several more days later.

Song Qize unfolded a portrait of Ling Xuanxiao for Liu Qiushui to see.

Liu Qiushui gave it a faint glance. "That is right. It is him."

"Hall Master, this man is called Ling Xuanxiao. He is not Murong Mo." Song Qize's tone was filled with grievance.

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"Idiot! You already knew. Why did you not act?"

Song Qize once again writhed across the ground in pain.

"Lure him out of Shu Mountain. Someone will receive you."

"Yes."

"..."

The next day.

"Junior Disciple Xuanxiao, let us go down the mountain together."

Song Qize's face was full of resentment.

Ling Xuanxiao: (⊙o⊙)...

Senior Brother, you have practically written 'ill intentions' across your face. You cannot even give me a reason?

"I discovered the tomb of a Nascent Soul cultivator at the foot of the mountain. It is filled with treasures!"

Ling Xuanxiao looked at Song Qize. This... was such an absurd excuse.

Besides, Senior Brother, our relationship is not that good, is it? Why are you looking for me?

At the very least, make up a suitable excuse.

Ling Xuanxiao fell into hesitation.

For the sake of safety, he definitely ought to refuse.

But if he refused this time, Song Qize would surely find another way to plot against him and do something unexpected.

Better to beat him at his own game and see what exactly he wanted to do.

The key was, what was his backup plan? Reinforcements from the Murong family?

Having thought this through, Ling Xuanxiao made his decision and arranged to meet Song Qize outside the mountain gate the next day.

Song Qize even specifically reminded him, "Junior Disciple Xuanxiao, digging up treasure and raiding tombs is forbidden within the mountain gates, so when we leave the sect, it would be best for us to leave separately and each make up a reason. Do not tell anyone else about this."

Ling Xuanxiao nodded and agreed.

Crude. Far too crude.

"..."

The following day.

Song Qize left the mountain gate early and arrived alone at the place he had arranged to meet Ling Xuanxiao.

He inwardly wondered how Ling Xuanxiao had offended Liu Qiushui.

For Liu Qiushui to use an undercover agent like him, one who had been hidden for many years, and risk exposing him just to lure Ling Xuanxiao out.

To put Ling Xuanxiao at ease, even the meeting place had been chosen by Ling Xuanxiao.

However, Liu Qiushui had already made arrangements in secret.

Two Nascent Soul cultivators had hidden themselves away.

As long as Song Qize led Ling Xuanxiao there, the two Nascent Soul cultivators would swiftly strike and take Ling Xuanxiao away, ensuring Shu Mountain would not notice.

Nascent Soul cultivators could already be sensed by Shu Mountain's sword formation, so they had to fight swiftly and decisively, then move far beyond the vast search range of the Shushan Sword Formation.

The reason the Nascent Soul cultivators had not been stationed here—

Was also because of that. The place Ling Xuanxiao had chosen lay within the range of the Shushan Sword Formation.

The Nascent Soul cultivators did not dare set foot inside.

Just as Song Qize was idling about in boredom, a hand suddenly reached out from the ground.

Song Qize was dragged straight into the earth.

Then came a savage beating.

Song Qize felt that he had no strength to resist at all.

This was Ling Xuanxiao's first time fighting someone after reaching the Golden Core stage.

Naturally, his method of fighting was somewhat undignified, and his opponent was only at Foundation Establishment.

Ling Xuanxiao had long since changed his appearance. He wore a jade ring that concealed his aura, and a hairpin that altered his features was tucked into his hair.

A sharp Talisman Blade was pressed against Song Qize's throat.

Ling Xuanxiao said in a low voice, "Song Qize, you brought this upon yourself today."

Though Ling Xuanxiao said that, he did not strike immediately.

With his personality, if he truly wanted to kill someone, he would never waste words.

Sure enough, Song Qize panicked the moment he was frightened like this.

"I am a Shushan Disciple. This is Shu Mountain territory. Who are you?!"

"Hehe, do you not know what you have done yourself?"

"...You are a disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall!?"

Song Qize's face drained of color.

"Not too stupid!"

It was over! His identity as an undercover agent must have been discovered.