Secrets and Undercurrents

At the summit, four people stood on an arc-shaped platform.

Climbing to a high vantage point, one can take in the breathtaking scenery of the vast landscape, while the chilling wind whistling across the mountaintop brushes against the colorful robes worn by the group of people.

A beautiful woman with a flat figure, a hunched old man with a cane, a handsome middle-aged man, and a fat man.

Their appearances were all different, but the only thing they had in common was that the auras of the four people on the mountaintop were all as long and deep as the ocean tide, unfathomable.

The four stood silently on the mountaintop for about fifteen minutes, braving the cold wind.

"Tsk."

A clicking sound suddenly rang out, followed by a rough voice full of dissatisfaction:

"Taishi Ran, you summoned us to this Ten-Thousand-Li Peak with the Heaven Pavilion Token just so we could sit here and starve?"

As soon as the words were spoken,

The other three all looked in the direction from which the sound came.

It was that fat, middle-aged man.

His cheeks were piled with fat, his eyes were squeezed into slits, and the gaze in his small eyes carried a hint of coldness.

Seeing that all three were looking over, the fat man's squinty eyes also swept over the other three.

Those whose gaze swept over him all frowned slightly.

Especially the middle-aged beautiful woman; the moment the fat man's gaze passed over her, a look of disgust immediately flashed in her eyes.

A vortex of air appeared out of thin air around her, stirring up some pebbles, and her thin white gauze dress, embroidered with exquisite floral and bird patterns, fluttered in the air.

As a major sect in weapon forging, the Iron Profound Sect possesses the supernatural Divine Ability of seeing through objects and reaching their core, thanks to the Forest Soul Divine Eye cultivated by this fat man.

The middle-aged fat man was so excited to see the beautiful woman. His cold, narrowed eyes held a hint of helplessness, but he didn't explain anything.

His practice of Cultivation Method has led many people to have some prejudice against him.

He's gotten used to it over the years.

In the silence,

"Oh"

With a soft chuckle, the handsome middle-aged man spoke slowly:

"Another friend is coming, please be patient, Elder Zhou."

The middle-aged fat man raised an eyebrow upon hearing this, his gaze sweeping over the group again before he said with interest:

"Heh, and another thing, Taishi Ran, I wonder which other fellow Daoist you invited?"

Taishi Ran smiled slightly and said in a low voice:

"Brother Zhou, have you ever heard of the name Jing Tingxi?"

"."

Upon hearing the name, the pupils of the other three people present all contracted.

They were very familiar with this name.

After all, everyone present had lived through that era.

Jing Tingxi was an incredibly popular name in their era.

A wild boy who appeared out of nowhere wreaked havoc on the world with a wicked skill, and even won first place in the Tianyuan Grand Competition under an assumed name.

If it weren't for Xu Yinhe's sudden emergence back then, this person could almost be said to have dominated all the geniuses of his time.

However, Jing Tingxi was like a shooting star; after a dazzling period, he suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Rumors circulated among the sect's high-ranking members that this was because Jing Tingxi had attempted to assassinate the late emperor, relying on his unique Secret Method.

However, the imperial palace was not only heavily guarded, but also protected by the emperor, a great array, and military experts stationed there year-round.

Jing Tingxi was naturally outmatched and was killed by the powerful figures within the palace.

Looking back now

Thinking of this, the old man frowned and said:

"Brother Taishi, are you saying that Jing Tingxi didn't die in the imperial palace?"

Taishi Ran chuckled softly upon hearing this, a mountain breeze brushing past the corner of his lips as he spoke gently:

"No, he only escaped with serious injuries back then."

The middle-aged beauty possessed a refined and dignified appearance; her delicate brows were slightly furrowed, her cherry-like lips parted slightly, emitting a faint fragrance, and carrying a hint of anticipation.

"Brother Ran, will Jing Tingxi also participate in this trip?"

"Of course not."

Taishi Ran shook his head, his tone flat. "He's already dead."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged woman lowered her eyes and sighed inwardly.

The middle-aged fat man looked somewhat annoyed and said sternly:

"Taishi Ran, are you playing us? Why bring it up now that he's dead?"

"Brother Zhou is still the same as ever, with such a straightforward temper."

Taishi Ran was not annoyed by this, and said with a light laugh, "It is naturally related to him."

As he spoke,

He chuckled softly and said:

"Although Jing Tingxi is dead, he still has many confidantes and close friends in this world."

After saying that, Taishi Ran glanced at the middle-aged beauty over there.

Everyone present saw the look in Taishi Ran's eyes.

The old man simply pretended not to see it.

A playful smile appeared in the eyes of the middle-aged, overweight man.

This dignified middle-aged beauty was once renowned for her beauty and had many romantic escapades with outstanding men.

This woman has been with all the top geniuses like Ran Jianli, Xu Yinhe, and Jing Tingxi.

However, the first two clearly didn't fancy her, while the latter was known for her womanizing ways and must have had some wonderful memories with her.

Of course, her current husband is unaware of all these things.

After all, her husband was her disciple, and he was only just over forty years old.

The middle-aged woman naturally knew what the three were thinking, and she snorted coldly, her voice no longer gentle:

"Since Jing Tingxi's close friend is willing to help, then is our purpose in coming here related to Jing Tingxi's death?"

Taishi Ran gazed at the horizon and answered calmly:

"It's somewhat related."

"I guess so?"

"Certainly."

A sharp glint flashed in Taishi Ran's eyes, but his tone remained smiling, "After all, our trip should be considered as revenge against the murderer who killed Jing Tingxi."

The middle-aged fat man stroked his fleshy chin:

"Oh? Jing Tingxi Mortal Shedding when he was already a Transcendent being. Who in the world today can kill him?"

Taishi Ran turned around and gave the fat man a deep look.

whispering:

"The Prime Minister's Mansion."

"."

The moment those two words were uttered, the atmosphere atop the towering mountain froze instantly; you could hear a pin drop.

Taishi Ran seemed oblivious to the gravity of the situation. His golden boots swayed as he stepped forward toward the precipice, gazing at the lush forest below, and muttered to himself:

"The Pavilion Master told me that after Jing Tingxi disappeared, he went to the Burial Village, where he recuperated from his injuries and became a saint. Then, they were wiped out."

The hunched old man tightened his grip on his cane slightly, his aged voice extremely solemn:

"I have heard of Burial Village. The powerful figures it harbors should be no less than those of a large sect. Brother Taishi, could you tell us why Xu Yinhe went to such lengths to slaughter them?"

Taishi Ran suddenly grinned:

"Are you aware that Xu Yinhe and Jing Tingxi were once inseparable friends?"

Silence. No one answered.

"That's right, if it weren't for the Pavilion Master's deduction, no one in this world would know such a secret."

Taishi Ran shook his head and chuckled softly:

"The reason why Jing Tingxi was able to sneak into the palace back then was because of Xu Yinhe's scheme."

"Xu Yinhe exploited Jing Tingxi's personality and Cultivation Method to orchestrate a conflict between Jing Tingxi and the late emperor, and together with Li Yaoxuan, he plotted to help Jing Tingxi infiltrate the palace and seriously injure the late emperor."

Upon hearing this, a knowing glint flashed in the middle-aged fat man's eyes.

With Xu Yinhe's help, it's no wonder that Jing Tingxi was able to sneak into the imperial palace with his Mortal Shedding body.

After a moment's pause, he frowned and asked:

"If Xu Yinhe planned all this, why was Jing Tingxi able to escape? His death in the palace would have been more in their best interest."

Taishi Ran shook his head and chuckled softly:

"Brother Zhou, didn't you pay attention to court affairs back then?"

"If Jing Tingxi is dead, how can they pin this blood debt on the Crown Prince? He was on duty at the Military Affairs Department that Crown Prince."

As he spoke,

A meaningful glint appeared in Taishi Ran's eyes:

"He did some extraordinary things in advance, angering the late emperor so that he summoned Li Yaoxuan the palace that very night. He also orchestrated an assassination attempt to make Li Yaoxuan risk his life to save him, and then helped the assassin escape."

Upon hearing this secret, a hint of hesitation flickered in the hunched old man's cloudy eyes:

"Such a coincidence, wouldn't the late emperor have suspected something?"

"."

Looking at the expressions on their faces, Taishi Ran recalled his own expression when he first heard the news, and chuckled softly:

"Of course they would be suspicious, but this is part of their scheme within a scheme."

"Xu Yinhe and Li Yaoxuan's methods are very clever. The extraordinary actions that Li Yaoxuan took back then were suspicious and seemed to be framed by others."

"Moreover, the late emperor's summons to Li Yaoxuan was a secret order, and no one knew the relationship between Xu Yinhe and Jing Tingxi. This suspicion would turn into distrust of the Crown Prince when Li Yaoxuan was seriously injured and on his deathbed."

"If Li Yaoxuan hadn't risked his life to save him, the late emperor would have died on the spot."

"After all, can there be Crown Prince for seventy years in this world?"

"You all know what happened next. Li Yaoxuan gained a position to compete with the Crown Prince, while the Crown Prince, suspicious of his unstable position and the gradual reduction of his power, eventually took the risk of staging a military coup in the palace."

Silence followed the words, and a long silence ensued.

Hehehe

The hunched old man suddenly let out a dry chuckle, and bowed respectfully towards the southern void, holding his cane. "Sect Master's cultivation is truly extraordinary. If not for such methods, this secret would probably remain unknown to the world."

After the ceremony, the old man said softly:

"So, Xu Yinhe destroyed Burial Village because he knew in advance that the Pavilion Master wanted to expose what happened decades ago, so he nipped the problem in the bud?"

A glint flashed in Taishi Ran's eyes, and he shook his head:

"No matter Xu Yinhe is, with the Pavilion Master's meticulousness, how could he possibly discover it?"

"Even though they haven't been in contact for decades, Jing Tingxi naturally tends to believe his former best friend more than a stranger. This matter was the result of the Pavilion Master informing Jing Tingxi, after which he took the initiative to contact Xu Yinhe to demand an explanation."

Upon hearing this, all three people present were stunned for a moment.

It wasn't that I was surprised by Jing Tingxi's choice, nor by Xu Yinhe's cold-bloodedness, but rather that I was puzzled as to why the Pavilion Master would act in this way.

Isn't the Pavilion Master capable of predicting the future?

The powerful figures in the Burial Village are basically equivalent to those of a top-tier large sect in the world.

A sage, Mortal Shedding Origin Beginning being.

Wouldn't it be better to win over the strongest among them than to let them be surrounded and killed?

Seeing the confusion in the eyes of the three, Taishi Ran let out a soft breath:

"You all find it strange that the Pavilion Master would do this?"

The hunchbacked old man, with his high level of political awareness, immediately shook his head.

"Everything the Pavilion Master has done has its reasons, and it's normal that we don't understand it."

Taishi Ran chuckled:

"When I asked the Pavilion Master, she only said that this was the best choice among countless future possibilities, and that having a single pawn was more important than the powerful figures in the Burial Village."

At this point, a sigh appeared on his handsome face:

"However, now that darkness has already enveloped the future, this optimal solution probably no longer exists."

After the words were spoken, the mountaintop fell silent.

The other three, having heard this secret, remained silent, basking in the cold wind as they processed the information they had just learned.

Time passed second by second, and the clouds in the sky gathered and dispersed.

The sun, high in the sky, gradually began to set in the west, its golden rays painting vast fields and forests red.

Just as it was about to sink into the earth, a surge of Source Qi suddenly emanated from the horizon covered by the golden sun.

The four people, who had been exposed to the cold wind on the mountaintop all day, simultaneously looked up.

This Source Qi was neither strong nor weak, and one could not discern the person's cultivation level. It seemed that the person had deliberately suppressed their own energy while traveling.

Soon after, a woman in a black dress arrived at the mountain peak.

Bathed in the glow of the setting sun against a backdrop of a long black dress, the woman's white skin appeared as pure as snow, and the sensual allure in her eyes was irresistible.

Upon seeing the person who had arrived...

Apart from Taishi Ran, the other three were all shocked, as they were unable to discern the opponent's cultivation level.

Mortal Shedding to the extraordinary.

Landing atop the mountain peak, the woman in the black dress moved with glimpses of her jade-like legs peeking out from beneath the hem of her skirt.

As she approached, her eyes were as beautiful as amber, her voice as clear as silver bells, but her tone was indifferent:

"Some unforeseen circumstances occurred along the way, and we were half a day later than agreed."

Taishi Ran gracefully bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Half a day shouldn't be a problem; that person should still be some distance away."

The woman in the black dress glanced at the group of people behind Taishi Ran and asked in a low voice:

"Is this all the personnel we have for this trip?"

Taishi Ran smiled slightly:

"Does Fairy Luo feel this is not enough?"

The woman in the black dress replied indifferently:

"That woman surnamed Lou hasn't shown up in Guangyang Prefecture for quite some time; it's very likely she's gone south with that man."

"..." Taishi Ran's eyes narrowed slightly upon hearing this.

Hehehe

After a brief silence, the middle-aged fat man suddenly smiled kindly, his narrowed eyes gleaming with shrewdness. "Brother Taishi, now that everyone has arrived, could you please tell us the purpose of our trip?"

Upon hearing this, the woman surnamed Luo frowned slightly and glanced at Taishi Ran:

"They don't know the purpose of their trip?"

Taishi Ran raised his hand to signal someone to calm down, then turned around and said softly:

"Gentlemen, our purpose here is simple: to assassinate one of Xu Yinhe's blood relatives."

"."

The middle-aged fat man was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. He opened his mouth but didn't say anything, but his eyes looked at him as if he were a madman.

A moment of silence fell, until finally the middle-aged woman beside them frowned and asked:

"Taishi Ran, is this the Pavilion Master's intention, or your own?"

Taishi Ran did not answer the question directly:

"It can be considered both my intention and the Pavilion Master's intention."

As he spoke,

He took out a Bagua (Eight Trigrams) divination plate engraved with intricate formations from his Sumeru Ring and said slowly and deliberately:

"Although the Pavilion Master didn't explicitly tell me, he gave me this."

"Spirit Heaven Instrument?"

The hunched old man narrowed his cloudy eyes slightly. "I remember this item is used to examine the Root Bone of mortals and to find those with exceptional talent."

"Yes, but that's only one of its functions."

Taishi Ran shook his head and said in a low voice, "Another function of this secret treasure is to detect those who possess the Yantian Divine Soul. It is a divine object used by successive Pavilion Masters to monitor the Holy Maiden and Holy Son."

The middle-aged, overweight man said in a serious tone:

What do you mean by that?

Taishi Ran chuckled softly, his smile gentle:

"The Holy Maiden passed on the Yantian Divine Soul Chapter to Xu Yinhe, her blood relative, and the Pavilion Master then entrusted it to me. Brother Zhou, what do you think the Pavilion Master intends to do?"