Demonic Qi Traced, Qingwan and Wuchen's Joint Defense Line

Her fingers tightened around the medicinal powder, her knuckles turning white.

I watched her, my gaze unwavering. The wind blew in from the outside, stirring the ashes of burnt incense on the offering table and carrying them past the blood-stained corner of cloth. It still lay on the tray, its luminescence unfaded, as if pinned in place by some force.

The elders hadn't gone far.

Footsteps paused at the end of the corridor, and hushed discussions began, voices so low they barely escaped my hearing. They hesitated, unwilling to make a hasty judgment, and even more reluctant to immediately offend the power behind Ji Hantian.

But the evidence was right there.

I slowly raised my hand, my fingertip gently brushing my palm—that wisp of faint golden Origin was still circulating, like a hidden river flowing through my blood. The Battle Intent Fragments accumulated during the confrontation had now transformed into tangible strength, slowly advancing through my meridians. Seven parts divided into three, just a little more and I could condense a Dao Foundation.

I didn't need to act.

I just needed to push a little further.

While everyone's attention was still on Ye Qingwan, I slightly pressed my fingertip down. A thread of extremely fine energy seeped into the air, silently descending towards the piece of fabric. The Heaven-Slaying Origin carried no killing intent, but it could resonate with the remnant Dao of heaven and earth. Especially when faced with something like Demonic Qi, which was rejected by the rules, its reaction was even more intense.

Almost instantly, the luminescence on the cloth trembled violently, then surged.

The originally faint glow became blinding, and the entire corner of the cloth seemed to ignite, rippling with interwoven crimson and golden light. This was not an illusion, but the true manifestation of Spiritual Power resonance.

A middle-aged elder standing at the front had a sudden change in expression, taking half a step back: "This... this is a sign of Demonic Qi backlash! Only those who have been in long-term contact with soul-corrupting artifacts would bear such a deep mark!"

The expressions of several other elders who had been observing also shifted.

"It couldn't have been accidental contact," another said gravely. "The intensity of this fluctuation indicates it has been ongoing for at least three months."

"Silence!" a sharp shout came from the doorway.

Ji Hantian had returned at some unknown time, his face ashen, his arm trembling slightly beneath his Purple-Gold Python Robe. He stared intently at the glowing piece of cloth, a flicker of panic in his eyes, quickly masked by rage: "You've all been deceived! This is a poison powder refined by Ye Qingwan, deliberately creating a false impression to slander me!"

"Whether it's a false impression can be re-examined on the spot," a white-bearded elder stepped forward slowly, forming a Sect Secret Technique, the Demon Identification Seal, in his hand. With a flash of spiritual light, he held his palm three inches above the cloth.

Time seemed to freeze.

Three breaths later, the old man opened his eyes, his voice as cold as forged iron: "The depth of Demonic Qi penetration reaches the residual level in seven layers of meridians, perfectly matching the operational cycle of the Blood Demon Sect's 'Soul Devouring Array'. This item is indeed the result of long-term contact with Demonic Dao artifacts."

The entire place fell silent.

Even the elders who had sided with Ji Hantian fell silent.

A member of the Punishment Faction immediately stood up, holding a clan token and proclaiming loudly: "Ji Hantian, for colluding with external enemies and secretly possessing forbidden arts, the evidence is conclusive! Effective immediately, you are confined to your room for contemplation and are forbidden from leaving until summoned by the Elder Council!"

Two Law Enforcement Officers stepped forward to apprehend him.

Ji Hantian's eyes turned bloodshot, and he abruptly flicked his sleeve: "How dare you? I am the Great Elder's grandson, on what grounds do you convict me?!"

"On the grounds of Family Rules," I spoke, my voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears.

He suddenly turned to look at me, his eyes practically spitting fire.

I didn't avoid his gaze, merely stating calmly: "If you are innocent, why fear investigation? Your intense resistance, however, suggests you have something to hide."

His lips trembled, wanting to say more, but he was forcibly led away from the Ancestral Hall by the Law Enforcement Team.

The moment the door closed, the air finally seemed to loosen a bit.

The crowd dispersed gradually, some whispering amongst themselves, others looking back repeatedly. This storm seemed to have subsided, but in reality, it had just begun.

I remained standing in place, the Origin in my palm still not withdrawn. Seven parts divided into six, just a sliver away from the Dao Foundation. With just one more similar pressure, perhaps I could break through.

"Shall we go?" a voice came from beside me.

Ye Qingwan had appeared beside me at some point, her Black Cloak falling, obscuring half her face. She still clutched the clump of medicinal powder, a faint light emanating from between her fingers.

I nodded and followed.

We walked out of the Ancestral Hall side by side, the incense smoke behind us gradually fading, the ancestral tablets returning to silence. Outside, the sky was gloomy, the clouds hanging low, as if it were about to rain.

Guards were already lined up on both sides of the long corridor, blocking the passages to various parts of the inner courtyard. One team was guarding the direction of Ji Hantian's secret room, preventing anyone from approaching.

"They're afraid he'll destroy evidence," I said.

Ye Qingwan gave a soft hum, her steps not faltering.

As we reached a corner where the crowd thinned, she suddenly slowed down, waiting for me.

"What you said earlier," she said very softly, "about my mother, it wasn't an accident."

I didn't deny it.

I merely asked, "Why do you think a woman from a branch family would die on the edge of the Direct Lineage's forbidden ground? And with no injuries to her body, but her soul completely gone?"

Her breath hitched.

A golden light flickered in her eyes, as if some power was awakening within her.

"Do you know who did it?"

"I don't know," I said. "But I know that on that night, someone used the Soul Nurturing Cauldron to extract her consciousness. And that cauldron is now in Ji Hantian's secret room."

She stopped.

I stopped too.

Raindrops began to fall, hitting the eaves with a soft patter.

She stared at me, and said, word by word, "What about you? You pretended to be useless for three years, what exactly were you waiting for?"

I didn't answer immediately.

A low rumble of thunder came from afar, rolling across the sky.

Just then, a Law Enforcement Officer ran over from the direction of the secret chamber, his face tense, heading straight for the guard captain. The two spoke in low voices, and the captain, frowning deeply, immediately ordered reinforcements.

Something seemed to have happened.

I withdrew my gaze and looked at Ye Qingwan, "I'm waiting for an opportunity."

"What opportunity?"

"To let everyone know," I said in a low voice, "that I'm not a piece of trash."

She looked at me, her eyes complex, as if trying to see through something, or perhaps confirming a certain answer.

A moment later, she nodded gently and continued walking forward.

I didn't speak again, silently following half a step behind her. The Origin in my palm flowed slowly, its temperature a little higher than before. Seven strands were dividing into seven, approaching the critical point.

The guards around the secret chamber were clearly reinforced, patrols were more frequent, and figures could even be seen flashing across the rooftops.

I knew what they were guarding against.

But some things, once they leave a trace, can never be erased.

Back in the Ancestral Hall, the moment I injected my Origin, it wasn't just to enhance the Demonic Qi reaction.

I also left a trace of sensing.

As long as that blood-stained corner of cloth remained in the secret chamber, I could continuously absorb the scattered Demonic Qi fragments around me, converting them into Heaven-Slaying Origin. The more dangerous the situation, the stronger the enemy, the faster the System would operate.

And now, Ji Hantian was trapped in the secret chamber, his anger, fear, and unwillingness—these emotions would breed more fluctuations of battle intent.

For me, it was the perfect breeding ground.

The rain grew heavier.

We reached a fork in the road. She was going to the East Garden, and I was returning to the West Wing.

She turned to look at me, raindrops sliding down her hood, leaving wet streaks on her cheeks.

"Tomorrow in the Court Hall, there will be a confrontation," she said, "Will you go?"

"Yes," I replied, "And you should go too."

She nodded and started to leave, but then stopped.

"Don't die before that day," she said, her back to me.

I didn't respond.

She took a few steps, then suddenly stopped again.

She reached into her medicine pouch and took out a small packet of unused fluorescent powder. Without turning around, she gently placed the paper packet on the roadside stone steps, letting the rain dampen one corner.

Then she quickly departed, her figure disappearing into the rain.

I stood there for a moment, then walked over and picked up the packet of medicine powder. The paper was damp, but the powder inside hadn't dissolved yet.

I put it away in my sleeve.

I looked up in the direction of the secret chamber. The lights there were dim, and the guards were strict.

And behind a certain closed window, a letter was being torn into pieces and thrown into a brazier. The flames suddenly surged, illuminating a distorted face.