Taking part in the Outer Court Grand Competition

"Dead?"

Chen Yan's brows knitted slightly. This was a conclusion he had never expected.

Given the immense vitality of a Qi Sea Realm cultivator like Zhang Xishun, bringing about his death would hardly be easy.

What was more, Elder Fu Qian had already sealed his meridians. It should have been impossible for him to destroy his own Qi Sea and meridians to kill himself.

"He'd been infected with a poisonous gu long ago. His internal organs have dissolved into blood. Even the immortals can't save him."

Chu Xiyao said,

"I think that even if we capture more people in the future, it may be difficult to get anything out of them."

Most likely, those people had all been infected with poisonous gu as well.

The trail had gone cold again.

"We also investigated Zhang Xishun's background."

Chu Xiyao continued,

"He joined Empty Mountain Sect's outer court as a Rogue Cultivator twenty years ago. At the time, he was already at the mid stage of the Body Tempering Realm.

"He had several close friends among the Outer Court Disciples. From what we observed, they really did seem to know nothing about Zhang Xishun's affairs. They were also baffled by his sudden decision to enter the Outer Court Grand Competition.

"In the eyes of the disciples who were close to him, Zhang Xishun was the sort of person with virtually no talent for cultivation. His joining Empty Mountain Sect was pure dumb luck, and he might not even break through to the Qi Condensation Realm in his lifetime.

"But the truth was, at some point Zhang Xishun had quietly broken through to the Qi Sea Realm. He'd also been taking suppressive pills of unknown origin, keeping his cultivation at the Body Tempering Realm."

Chen Yan's expression turned grave. There were too many suspicious details here, and the more he thought about them, the more chilling they became.

What exactly were they after?

What could make a Qi Sea Realm cultivator willingly pose as a Body Tempering Realm disciple, staying in the outer court for decades?

"We don't know how many people like Zhang Xishun are hiding in the outer court—or among the various peaks."

Chu Xiyao looked deeply troubled.

Empty Mountain Sect was a colossal power situated in the north of Chenping Continent.

It was hailed as one of the Five Great Sects, with a legacy stretching back tens of thousands of years. Several mighty cultivators of the Ascension Realm had once emerged from its ranks, and even now it had cultivators of the Divine Ability Realm—and even the Dao Integration Realm—at its helm.

Empty Mountain Sect still seemed powerful on this land, standing tall and unshaken, but in truth, it had long been strong on the outside and hollow within.

The sect's peaks and branches were riddled with factions, all plotting against one another. That was nothing unusual; it was a common ailment of super-sized sects.

The real threat to the sect came from the vermin hidden in its depths—and the schemers among them.

Perhaps Empty Mountain Sect could keep limping along like this for thousands more years, but it would still only be limping along.

"Any leads on the list?"

Chen Yan asked.

"None."

Chu Xiyao shook her head.

"No one knows where Song Mingde hid the list."

One thing was certain: nobody had found Song Mingde's list yet.

Otherwise, Zhang Xishun wouldn't have come looking for him.

If they really couldn't find the list, they could try a different angle.

For example, what had Song Mingde discovered while handling Shang Gong Hall's letters and documents, and how had he compiled that list?

He was merely an Outer Court steward with no backing, yet he'd still managed to seize the lifelines of those lurking in the shadows.

It was a question well worth pondering.

Just then, footsteps came from the other side of the Detention Center.

A Law Enforcement Hall disciple in an outer court robe appeared outside Chen Yan's cell. He bowed first to Chu Xiyao, then to Chen Yan.

"Senior Sister Chu, Senior Brother Chen."

Over the past half month, Chen Yan had gotten quite familiar with this disciple.

The disciple had brought him most of his meals and other necessities.

"What is it?"

Chu Xiyao asked him.

"Elder Yuechi of Kongyuan Mountain's Pill Hall wishes to see Senior Brother Chen. Senior Sister Chu, please step outside for the time being."

The Law Enforcement Hall disciple said.

Elder Yuechi?

Chen Yan knew exactly who he was: Lin Qifeng's senior brother, and his own second martial uncle.

When Chen Yan had gone to Kongyuan Mountain to deliver a message, he'd delivered it to Yuechi.

"I understand."

Chu Xiyao replied softly. Then she glanced at Chen Yan and left the Detention Center.

A quarter of an hour later, the white-haired elder appeared outside Chen Yan's cell, gazing at him meaningfully through the bars.

He said nothing.

"...Second Martial Uncle."

At last, Chen Yan couldn't hold back and spoke first.

"You can still call me Martial Uncle?"

The white-haired elder sounded almost amused, and almost helpless.

"Your rotten master doesn't even treat me like his senior brother. He's practically... practically making a fool of me like I'm some demonic cultivator!"

Chen Yan was utterly confused. He had no idea what Yuechi meant.

"He said I gave you the pills."

Yuechi's face darkened.

"..."

This time, Chen Yan understood.

Lin Qifeng really had been using his senior brother as a scapegoat, making him out to be a demonic cultivator.

But from Elder Yuechi's reaction, it seemed he really had taken the blame Lin Qifeng had pinned on him.

Chen Yan couldn't figure out what sort of relationship Lin Qifeng and Yuechi had, but those two senior and junior brothers must have been unusually close.

Not everyone could shoulder a blame like that.

"Do you know what happened at the Outer Court Grand Competition afterward?"

Yuechi asked.

"I've heard a little."

Although Qi Yadong had died and Chen Yan had been locked up in the Detention Center, the events surrounding Lin Qifeng and Song Wencheng had caused an uproar in the martial arena.

But under the supervision of Xue Xiu, the arena steward, the Qi Condensation Realm competition had soon resumed.

A few outstanding Outer Court Disciples had tried to challenge the inner court's gatekeepers during the event, but they'd all ended in defeat.

Still, the one who drew the most attention was Xu Aotian.

After Xu Aotian won seven consecutive bouts in the opening match, he went on to easily defeat this year's champion, claiming the title of outer court champion himself.

Of course, in past Outer Court Grand Competitions, the emergence of a rare outer court prodigy like the champion would naturally have drawn everyone's attention.

But not this year.

Everyone's focus was fixed on the cheating scandal involving Outer Court Elder Lin Qifeng and his disciple, Chen Yan.

Cheating happened almost every year, whether at the Outer Court Grand Competition or the sect-wide competition.

But this was the first time in Empty Mountain Sect's history that an outer court elder had colluded in cheating.

"Qifeng had no choice. This was the only way to keep you safe."

Yuechi said,

"Do you know what would have happened to you if your master hadn't used this method to protect you?"

"They'd have branded me a Calamity Cause."

Chen Yan replied calmly.

Yuechi narrowed his eyes slightly, then fell silent for a moment.

"You seem to understand everything. Then why did you do it?"

"Rather than ask me that, I'd rather know why you and my master are so determined to protect me."

Chen Yan shot back.