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Ning Ye paced back and forth in the cottage with his hands behind his back, his brows knitted into a deep furrow.

The inkstone on the table suddenly stirred and turned into a tiny stone figure. Its little legs dangled over the edge of the table as it asked, "What's troubling you?"

Ning Ye replied casually, "I'm just thinking about a few things."

Tianji sighed. "You still don't trust me very much."

At that, Ning Ye couldn't help laughing.

Just half a month ago, the question had been whether Tianji trusted Ning Ye. Now things had turned around.

Ning Ye smiled and asked, "Do you know what I'm thinking?"

Tianji replied, "The matter of Ningxin Cottage must be very important to you, right? But you have reservations, so you're hesitating. You want to do something, but you're worried about something. Is it related to your true identity?"

Ning Ye was taken aback. "My true identity?"

Tianji pouted. "Although you haven't told me, everything you've done looks like the actions of a sect disciple acting out of self-interest. But you forgot—I've been with you for half a month, and I already know some things about the Black and White Divine Palace. For example, ordinary disciples of the Black and White Divine Palace can only learn one basic spell before officially entering the middle stage. Your master is Zhang Liekuang, and he only taught you one blade technique. That means the only things you should know right now are the Yang Talisman Scripture and the Killing Heart Blade. But the methods you displayed in Ancient Spring Town, and the Earth Escape Technique you taught me, aren't things you should know yet."

Hearing that, Ning Ye laughed too.

It wasn't that Ning Ye hadn't considered that this might give something away. It was just that, first, he hadn't expected Tianji to be so sharp, and second, Tianji was his servant to begin with. He'd deliberately let a little information slip to test it.

Now it seemed Tianji hadn't disappointed him—better for it to say this to his face than to tell someone else.

Ning Ye asked, "Then what do you think I am?"

"Do I really have to say it?" Tianji's little mouth curled up. "A spy from the outer sect."

Ning Ye thought for a moment, then nodded. "That's not entirely wrong. It's just that this outer sect no longer exists."

"Huh?" Tianji was stunned.

Ning Ye answered, "I was originally a disciple of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect. It was destroyed by the Black and White Divine Palace more than a year ago."

Tianji was shocked. "No wonder you named me Tianji."

"Yes. I hope you can grow stronger and become the foundation of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect in the future." Ning Ye nodded.

Tianji was delighted. "So you trust me now? You're even telling me something this important."

Ning Ye sighed. "I don't have much choice. I can't manage what comes next without your help."

Tianji grumbled, "Can't you say something nice to make me happy?"

Tianji had enough intelligence, but its temperament was still a little childish.

Ning Ye laughed heartily, patted Tianji's head, and told it the gist of the Thousand Mechanism Hall Fragment.

Tianji finally understood. "So the reason you were troubled just now was that stealing the fragment requires my help, and you weren't sure whether you should tell me?"

"That's not all," Ning Ye replied. "The Thousand Mechanism Hall Fragment is of great importance. Most importantly, it's useless to anyone but me, since I'm the one who possesses the Thousand Mechanism Hall. No matter how much trouble I stir up in the Black and White Divine Palace, they won't suspect a disciple of the Heavenly Mechanism Sect. They have too many enemies for that. But if the fragment is stolen, they'll realize that someone from the Heavenly Mechanism Sect has come."

"So what if they know it was someone from the Heavenly Mechanism Sect? They still won't find you," Tianji said, puzzled.

It had intelligence, but lacked experience. It still didn't understand many things, and it couldn't see how exposing the Heavenly Mechanism Sect would hurt Ning Ye.

Ning Ye explained, "It makes a huge difference. The Heavenly Mechanism Sect was destroyed a year ago, so once they realize the culprit might be from the Heavenly Mechanism Sect, they can deduce that the person responsible must be a new disciple who joined within the past year. That narrows the search considerably. And since he's a newcomer, sneaking into Green Wood Hall by relying on his own strength would be extremely difficult. He'd most likely have to enter openly under an assumed identity. That makes everyone who was at Ningxin Cottage that day a prime suspect. If they investigate further, they'll find that I, the disfigured one, am the most suspicious. Then, if they cross-reference the events in Huaiyin Mountain and Ancient Spring Town, they'll discover that I appeared there too..."

Once all the clues were linked together, finding him would be easy.

Understanding Ning Ye's point, Tianji said, "In that case, let's just leave it alone for now."

"No," Ning Ye said, shaking his head. "There are too many things to do. The Thousand Mechanism Hall Fragment is only the first step, and I require myself to finish this step while I'm still in the Cang Xiang Realm."

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Tianji didn't understand.

"Because after I reach the Hualun Realm, I have to leave the Black and White Divine Palace and go to the Haotian Sect and the Taiyin Sect."

Ning Ye had always been concerned about what had happened to Qing Lin and Xin Xiaoye. He didn't know where they were or how they were doing now. There was fierce competition within the Immortal Sects, and even more backstabbing. If he had to tread carefully despite his own wits and strength, then it would be even harder for Qing Lin and Xin Xiaoye to make their mark.

So Ning Ye had to resolve his own problems and get out as soon as possible to help Qing Lin and Xin Xiaoye. Only if all three of them grew stronger together could they topple the three great Immortal Sects.

Besides, he had to visit the other Immortal Sects to find more fragments and set their factions at each other's throats.

With so much to do, he couldn't afford to delay.

"In that case, why not make a fake one?" Tianji continued offering suggestions.

Ning Ye shook his head. "I've never even seen what the fragment looks like. How could I make a fake? Besides, the forgery would be discovered sooner or later."

"Then investigate first, make your move, and come back another time."

Ning Ye still shook his head. "There won't be another chance. I know the fragment definitely isn't with Chi Wanning; there's no trace of its aura on her. And even if I'm invited to Ningxin Cottage, I can't just wander around Green Wood Hall. So if I want to go where the fragment is, I have to create a disturbance. One time is already too many. Besides, Ancestor Qingmu isn't in the Black and White Divine Palace right now. If I miss this chance and wait for him to return, I won't be able to get my hands on it even if I have heaven-reaching abilities. So either I don't make a move, or I settle everything in one go."

"If this won't work and that won't work, then what do we do?" Tianji was getting a headache too.

Ning Ye answered, "There is one way: clean the place out completely and make it look like a robbery. The fragment would just be an extra."

"Clean the whole place out? Great, then we can get more treasures!" Tianji was delighted. This little fellow was just as eager to stir up trouble.

Ning Ye snorted. "Dream on. The property of every Immortal Sect bears a mark that can be traced as soon as anyone uses it. Once the Thousand Mechanism Hall Fragment is reclaimed, the Thousand Mechanism Hall itself can erase its mark. But not a single other item can be kept."

"Oh, I see." Tianji's little face fell.

What a shame.

"But that's not even the most important issue," Ning Ye said. "Putting aside the fact that cleaning the whole place out would be too difficult, even if we managed it, there'd still be countless suspicious points. Those might fool Fu Dongliu, but they definitely wouldn't fool someone else."

Luo Qiuzhen's image had already appeared in Ning Ye's mind.

"Then kill him," Tianji said indifferently.

Kill him?

Hmm. Though it sounded like a rather crude solution, perhaps it really was the best one.