Setting a Trap to Lure the Snake, Inviting the Guest into the Jar

Having obtained irrefutable evidence of Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal's betrayal, Xuan Chuan did not immediately make a move.

To kill a snake, one had to strike seven inches from its head. He wanted not only to punish Long-Eared Immortal, but also to use this opportunity to intimidate all those harboring ulterior motives, and perhaps... uncover even deeper clues.

Capturing and killing him outright would certainly be satisfying, but it would inevitably invite criticism and might cause the Western Religion's hidden agents to go dormant once more.

He needed an indisputable trial, one where the culprit and evidence were both present.

After careful thought, a plan took shape in Xuan Chuan's mind.

Several days later, an elder of Jiejiao happened to be giving a lecture on the essentials of formations at Myriad Immortals Plaza. This elder had always been highly respected, and listeners gathered in droves. Xuan Chuan sat among those in the front rows.

During a break in the lecture, while the disciples exchanged insights, Xuan Chuan seemed to casually lower his voice and speak with Zhao Gongming beside him. His voice was just loud enough for quite a few disciples nearby to hear.

"...Junior Brother Gongming, you may not know this, but I have been entrusted by Master with the task of reorganizing the sect's affairs, and the responsibility weighs heavily upon me.

"To guard against petty villains taking advantage of the opportunity to frame us, or outside forces spying on us, I have stored certain important lists and key restriction mechanisms elsewhere, just to be safe."

Although Zhao Gongming was somewhat puzzled as to why Xuan Chuan had suddenly brought this up, he trusted him and played along.

"Oh? Where have you stored them, Senior Brother? Do you need me to send people to guard them?"

Xuan Chuan waved a hand, deliberately lowering his voice in a relaxed manner, though that deliberate restraint only made it more conspicuous. "No need to trouble yourself, Junior Brother.

"I have sealed them deep within the Sinking Sword Abyss behind the mountain. That place is filled with fierce sword qi, and ordinary disciples would not dare approach it. I have also set up my personal restrictions there, so nothing can go wrong."

As he spoke, Xuan Chuan's peripheral vision keenly caught the ears of a short, stout figure in the crowd twitching slightly before the man casually looked away. It was Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal!

"Sinking Sword Abyss..." Long-Eared Immortal silently repeated, a flash of greed and excitement passing through his eyes.

A list of core disciples and diagrams of their cave abode restrictions! This was extremely important intelligence! If he could obtain it and present it to the Western Teachings, it would be a tremendous achievement!

Moreover, the Sinking Sword Abyss truly was remote and filled with crisscrossing sword qi. It really was an excellent place to hide things.

He forcibly suppressed the wild joy in his heart and pretended not to care as he continued listening to the lecture. Yet he had already begun plotting how to slip into the Sinking Sword Abyss unnoticed and steal those "important" jade slips.

What he did not know was that all of this had been within Xuan Chuan's expectations.

The so-called "list of core disciples and cave abode restriction diagrams" had naturally been carefully forged by Xuan Chuan.

The list deliberately marked several disciples known to have possible ties with the Western Religion or exceptionally heavy Karmic Force. The cave abode restriction diagrams were a mixture of truth and falsehood, with the crucial points wildly inaccurate.

Once the Western Religion acted according to them, they would surely suffer greatly.

As for the jade slip itself, Xuan Chuan had marked it with the aura of The One That Escaped. The moment it was disturbed, he would sense it immediately.

The lecture ended, and the crowd dispersed. Xuan Chuan acted as though nothing had happened, handling affairs and patrolling the island as usual.

Night arrived as expected, dark and windy beneath a moonless sky.

A furtive figure quietly made his way toward the Sinking Sword Abyss behind the mountain under cover of darkness.

It was Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal. He relied on his Taiyi Golden Immortal cultivation and mastery of concealment techniques, believing this trip to be a sure thing.

The Sinking Sword Abyss, as its name suggested, was a bottomless chasm filled year-round with fierce sword qi.

It was said to have been left behind by a great battle in ancient times. The broken sword fragments scattered within had endured countless years, yet their edges remained terrifyingly sharp. Ordinary disciples did not dare venture deep inside.

Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal circulated his mana to protect himself, carefully avoiding the streams of erratic sword qi shooting in every direction as he descended into the abyss.

Sure enough, upon a relatively flat stone platform midway down the abyss, he discovered a jade box shrouded in a faint clear glow. Runes flowed across the glow, precisely the "personal restriction" Xuan Chuan had mentioned.

"Hmph, a mere Golden Immortal restriction thinks it can stop me?" Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal sneered inwardly. After observing it carefully for a moment, he found the restriction's weak point.

Gray light gathered at his fingertips as he tapped several rune nodes in succession, as though unlocking it.

With a soft pop, the clear-glow restriction shattered.

Delighted, Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal impatiently opened the jade box. Inside lay a jade slip of extraordinary material.

He snatched up the jade slip, and his divine sense eagerly probed inside.

Sure enough! It recorded the names of dozens of core disciples, the locations of their cave abodes, and seemingly detailed methods for breaking their restrictions!

It even included patrol routes through several important areas of Golden Turtle Island!

"Hahaha! Heaven is helping me!" Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal laughed wildly in his heart, as though he could already see the immense rewards from the Western Religion and his glorious future in the Blissful World.

"Xuan Chuan, you little brat, no matter how cunning you are, you'll still have to drink this old man's foot-washing water!

"Something so important, and this old man obtained it so easily!"

His hands trembled slightly with excitement as he carefully put away the jade slip, preparing to leave this dangerous place.

However, just as he turned around—

A cold voice, as though it had come from the Nine Nether Hells, suddenly rang out in the deathly silent Sinking Sword Abyss and clearly entered his ears:

"Uncle-Master Dingguang Immortal, does this item... suit your liking?"

!!!

Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal's entire body suddenly stiffened, his blood seeming to freeze in an instant!

He turned around in horror and saw Xuan Chuan standing at the abyss entrance in the direction from which he had come, hands clasped behind his back and expressionless as he watched him.

Moonlight filtered through the cracks in the abyss, outlining Xuan Chuan's cold, stern profile. That gaze was as though he were looking at a dead man.

The Purple Lightning Hammer in his hand crackled with arcs of electricity, forcing back even the raging sword qi around it.

Caught red-handed!

Long-Eared Dingguang Immortal's face instantly turned as white as paper.