A Dragon Clan Spy Had Infiltrated

Lu Chen was not surprised in the slightest by the Dragon Clan sending spies.

Guixu now sheltered thirty-six clans.

Most of these clans had fled from the Dragon Clan's conscription and oppression.

As long as the Dragon Clan was not blind, it would notice something was wrong sooner or later.

Especially since that flood dragon named Ao Zheng had had one of his claws severed by him.

It would have been stranger if the Blackwater Dragon King had not investigated at all.

Lu Chen simply had not expected the Dragon Clan to move so quickly.

Nor had he expected a spy to have already infiltrated Guixu Outer City.

An image from the Book of Cause and Effect appeared in Lu Chen's consciousness.

It showed a slender Coldwater Fish Clan cultivator.

His cultivation was not high.

He was only in the True Immortal Realm.

After entering Guixu, he had kept an extremely low profile.

He normally tended coldwater fish fry in the spiritual pools of the outer city, occasionally auditing basic classes at Guixu Academy.

No matter how one looked at him, he was an utterly honest refugee.

Yet beneath the illumination of the Book of Cause and Effect, a black dragon scale lay hidden deep within his Primordial Spirit.

That dragon scale was faintly connected to the Blackwater Dragon Palace beyond the Northern Sea.

At regular intervals, he used the dragon scale to transmit messages outside.

However, the Guixu Womb Membrane blocked the secrets of heaven, so the messages he sent were incomplete.

Most merely contained vague information about the outer city.

For example, Guixu sheltered quite a few small refugee clans.

For example, the Sea Spirit Clan managed Guixu's affairs.

For example, Guixu had the Bureau of Cause and Effect, the Bureau of Calamity Avoidance, and the Bureau of Realm Patrol.

For example, the Emperor had never truly revealed himself.

It was precisely because of that last point that the Blackwater Dragon Palace seemed to have grown suspicious of Lu Chen's condition.

After reading it all, Lu Chen only felt a headache coming on.

The thing he feared most had still happened.

The livelier Guixu became, the more curious the outside world would be.

The more curious the outside world became, the more trouble there would be.

The more trouble there was, the more danger his four legs would face.

"Should I just throw him out?"

The moment that thought surfaced in Lu Chen's mind, the system's voice rang out.

"A Dragon Clan spy has been detected within Guixu. Please choose, Host."

"Option one: Kill the spy and intimidate the Dragon Clan. Reward: Dragon Soul Chains."

"Option two: Allow the spy to send messages and lure the Dragon Clan into attacking. Reward: one strand of Daluo Battle Intent."

"Option three: Alter the spy's memories and have him bring back false information. Reward: Heaven-Deceiving Water Mist."

After reading the three options, Lu Chen discarded the first two without hesitation.

Kill the spy?

Would that not tell the Dragon Clan that Guixu really had a problem?

Let him send messages?

That was even less acceptable.

What benefit was there in letting the Dragon Clan attack?

What the hell use was Daluo Battle Intent as a reward?

He did not want to fight.

The third option was the best.

Alter his memories.

Have him bring back false information.

Make the Blackwater Dragon Palace believe Guixu held no value, preferably so they would never come.

"I choose three."

"Congratulations, Host. You have obtained Heaven-Deceiving Water Mist."

The next moment.

A wisp of faint water mist condensed within Lu Chen's Primordial Spirit.

The mist existed between reality and illusion. It could conceal parts of Guixu's scenery and temporarily alter the perceptions and memories of those whose cultivation was lower than Lu Chen's.

Naturally, it had limited effect against experts at the Daluo Golden Immortal level and above.

But against a spy in the True Immortal Realm, it was more than sufficient.

Lu Chen was very satisfied.

This was good stuff.

It suited his style.

No killing.

No fighting.

No direct confrontation.

Quietly trick the other side into leaving.

That was what calamity avoidance meant.

The outer city.

The Coldwater Fish Clan cultivator was lowering his head as he sorted through the spiritual pool.

His name was Han Qi.

Of course, that was not his real name.

His true identity was an aquatic spy trained by the Blackwater Dragon Palace.

Because his bloodline was thin and his appearance was extremely similar to that of the Coldwater Fish Clan, he had been arranged to infiltrate Guixu.

When Han Qi had first entered Guixu, he had been very nervous.

He had originally believed that the legendary Guixu would surely be a dangerous place.

After all, the Blackwater Dragon Palace had always suspected that an ancient great power unwilling to submit to the Dragon Clan was hidden here.

But after truly entering, he discovered that Guixu Outer City was not as terrifying as he had imagined.

There were many weak clans here.

Their cultivation was not high.

They acted cautiously.

One could even say they were somewhat timid.

There were indeed several administrative offices in the city, but they did not look like powerful forces. They seemed more like refugees banding together for warmth.

The only thing Han Qi feared was the Bureau of Cause and Effect.

He had always avoided the Bureau of Cause and Effect.

He also tried not to approach Northern Darkness Dao Palace.

Over the past three years, he had sent out quite a few messages.

Unfortunately, the Guixu Womb Membrane's obstruction was severe, and many messages could not be transmitted in full.

On this day.

Han Qi came to the spiritual pool as usual.

But just as he lowered his head, a veil of water mist suddenly rose before his eyes.

"Hm?"

Han Qi was slightly startled.

Instinctively, he tried to activate his Primordial Spirit.

But in the next instant, his gaze turned blank.

The water mist silently entered his brow.

The Guixu he saw began to change.

The towering Guixu City became a crude outer city.

The radiance of Northern Darkness Dao Palace became incomparably dim.

The black-and-white divine light of the Book of Cause and Effect became an ordinary aquatic registry.

The Martial Practice Arena of the Realm Guard became a chaotic place where young cultivators sparred messily.

Guixu Academy also became a few rough stone houses.

More importantly, the aura of Lu Chen in his memories was altered by the Heaven-Deceiving Water Mist into "suspected to be severely injured and dormant."

Everything appeared barren, desolate, and chaotic.

It was like a group of small clans with nowhere else to go, barely clinging to life on the outskirts of Guixu.

Han Qi was dazed for a moment before quickly regaining his clarity.

He did not notice anything unusual.

A thought merely suddenly arose in his heart.

Guixu was not as terrifying as the rumors claimed.

The so-called Mysterious Abyss Emperor might merely be an ancient Black Tortoise, gravely injured and using the Ruins Sea Eye to barely survive.

Otherwise, why had he never shown himself?

Why did he allow the Sea Spirit Clan to manage affairs?

Why did he only shelter these weak clans?

A sharp gleam flashed through Han Qi's eyes.

This information had to be sent back.

That night.

He secretly activated the black dragon scale deep within his Primordial Spirit.

A faint wisp of aura traveled with difficulty along the edge of the Guixu Womb Membrane and made its way out.

Beyond the Northern Sea.

Blackwater Dragon Palace.

Within a dark side hall, the Blackwater Dragon King sat cultivating with his eyes closed.

Suddenly, the black dragon scale before him faintly lit up.

A fragmented message came through.

"Guixu... strong on the outside, weak within..."

"Black Tortoise... suspected to be severely injured and dormant..."

"Inner realm barren... weak clans gathered..."

"Sea Spirit Clan holds power... Emperor does not appear..."

"Bureau of Cause and Effect... all show, no substance..."

"Realm Guard... nothing to fear..."