"Eastern Barren Mountain-we've finally found a real lead!"
Excitement spread across Elder Fang's face, but he could not help asking Xia Ziyi, "You really remembered? Everything?"
Xia Ziyi's expression shifted slightly, and he shook his head. "No, not everything."
Elder Fang rose solemnly. "Regardless, we will enter the mountain at once and get to the bottom of this."
Everyone obeyed, quickly heading off to make their preparations as instructed.
Before long, the party swept into the mountains with the speed of thunder and the force of the wind. Their first destination was the modification site Xia Ziyi had once visited, guarded by the Mountain Ogre Corpse Puppet.
The cultivators accompanying Elder Fang were all experts. They covered several hundred li in mere moments. Xia Ziyi stayed close among them, hesitation still lingering on his face when they landed.
Elder Fang asked, "What are you thinking?"
Xia Ziyi said, "Elder Fang, does this count as betrayal?"
Elder Fang scoffed. "Young man, you think far too highly of yourself. With your current cultivation and strength, you're nothing more than a pawn. What betrayal could you possibly commit?"
"Besides, you were born and raised here. You belong to our Spell Dao, while he is a Puppet Dao Master. Do you think a struggle between Dao Paths is child's play?"
"A struggle between Dao Paths... the Puppet Dao?" An indescribable heaviness settled over Xia Ziyi's face.
"Elder, why tell him all this?" someone quietly asked Elder Fang through a voice transmission. Lately, Elder Fang seemed to have been treating this young man with particular regard.
Elder Fang said, "Whatever the circumstances, this young man has done nothing wrong. As cultivators of the Immortal Alliance, we ought to guide him onto the proper path and keep him from being exploited by the Puppet Dao."
"Besides,