Hun Miesheng Was a Mole

After Yao Ling left, Fan Tian stayed in her shop to recover from his injuries.

The pressure Yao Wangui exuded as a Dou Sheng Expert alone was already more than Fan Tian, who was only in the Dou Zong Realm, could withstand.

"Damn it, that Yao Wangui is a real bastard!" As Fan Tian cursed Yao Wangui's entire family, he suddenly began to sympathize with Yao Lao.

Yao Lao had been a member of the Yao Clan, after all. Yet just because he lacked a Dou Di bloodline and came from a collateral branch, the elder in charge of punishments had all but killed him.

Competition within these Ancient Races really was vicious. It felt like a hierarchy of discrimination: whoever stood at the bottom had to bear everyone else's malice.

Fan Tian sat cross-legged and immediately began cultivating.

Although he now possessed Spirit Devouring, he still could not neglect his daily cultivation. It was just like eating. Having fish and meat was naturally best, but he could not starve himself whenever there was no meat.

Besides, the Emperor Clans had all manner of tricks at their disposal. With Fan Tian's current strength, once he was discovered, hunter and prey would switch roles in an instant.

Walk along the river often enough, and sooner or later your shoes would get wet.

So Fan Tian did not have the nerve to try his luck in the Ancient Races' territory. His thinking was simple: as long as the Hun Clan did not gather the Ancient Jade too quickly, the Origin Qi within him would keep him in an invincible position.

Of course, if he encountered someone with a Dou Di bloodline alone outside, Fan Tian would not hold back.

After all, who would turn down an extra chicken drumstick with dinner?

As for Yao Ling returning to the Yao Clan, that had been within his expectations too.

Fan Tian simply was not sure whether staying in the Yao Clan would bring the girl fortune or disaster. After all, word of the flyer would spread through the Pill Tower until everyone knew about it. Other factions might take it in stride, but those Ancient Races could not possibly sit still.

Thus, war was inevitable. As for whether the Hun Clan would forcibly devour the Ling, Shi, and Yao Clans for their Ancient Jade and bloodlines, just as in the original novel, Fan Tian had no way of knowing.

Fan Tian could only set things in motion; he could not control the outcome. He was a mere Dou Zong. Before the Eight Clans, he did not amount to shit.

"Hopefully, once the Yao Clan learns of the Hun Clan's intentions and strength, they'll prepare a few more contingencies!" Fan Tian put aside his distracting thoughts and devoted himself to drawing in the surrounding natural energy.

Sacred Pill City was the Pill Tower's headquarters, after all. Its natural energy was as dense as liquid, no less abundant than in Sound Valley. Combined with the Tunling Clan's abilities, it allowed him to achieve twice the results with half the effort.

Part of the Hun Clan's thousand-year plan had been exposed, and the situation on the Dou Qi Continent was bound to change. Fan Tian intended to cultivate quietly in Sacred Pill City for a while, then decide on his next steps as events unfolded.

He would definitely have to visit the Jia Ma Empire. So many opportunities awaited him there-he could hardly let Blondie pocket them all for nothing!

He could not miss the Black-Corner Region either. There was someone there whose bloodline and background were every bit Gu Xun'er's equal...

Several days passed in a flash.

During those days, many baffling events occurred on the Dou Qi Continent.

First, the Pill Tower sealed itself off. Almost none of its Dou Zun could be seen anywhere in Sacred Pill City.

Then, the next day, the Flower Sect and the Heavenly Underworld Sect, two superpowers ranked just below One Hall, One Tower, simultaneously announced that they were sealing their sects. Half-Saint experts even secretly relocated their core disciples, as though they were all fleeing some impending disaster.

Another half-day later, the two great superpowers, Burning Flame Valley and Sound Valley, also abruptly announced that they were sealing their valleys and would take no part in any affairs of the Central Plains. They then activated their sect-protecting formations, leaving many people utterly bewildered.

Fortunately, Ice River Valley seemed to show no reaction. Venerable Bing He had been in seclusion cultivating a special physique. Once he succeeded, Ice River Valley would be able to rise again.

As for factions on the level of the Four Pavilions, they were deeply agitated too, because they had no idea what had happened. They pulled strings everywhere to ask around: what exactly had happened in the Central Plains?

The Soul Realm.

Nihility Devouring Flame had been extremely agitated these past few days.

Starting with the Four Demon Saints of the Soul Clan, he had interrogated and investigated them one by one.

Anyone who knew his secrets so thoroughly had to come from a fairly narrow circle. The Four Demon Saints of the Soul Clan were the prime suspects.

Of course, he could not be certain. The Four Demon Saints might have been loose-lipped and leaked some crucial information to others.

But if that were the case, the circle of suspects would become much broader.

Given Nihility Devouring Flame's temper, he would not spare a single suspicious person. However, this was precisely when they needed manpower. Without clear evidence, he could not be too unreasonable. After all, the Four Demon Saints were all Late-Stage Seven-Star Dou Saint experts of the Hun Clan, and several of them had long since secretly pledged themselves to him.

Hun Tu, one of the Four Demon Saints of the Soul Clan, looked at the stumped Nihility Devouring Flame and spoke in a low voice.

"Lord Void, there is someone whose strength is nothing special, but who enjoys the Clan Leader's deep trust. He knows a great deal. More importantly, he spends most of his time outside the clan. Although we are clan elders, we have virtually no authority over him because of the Clan Leader."

Beside him, Hun Sha first frowned slightly and glanced at Hun Tu. Seeing Hun Tu repeatedly signal him with his eyes, he finally caught on and said, "Indeed, Lord Void. In my opinion, this man is the most suspicious of all. For all we know, the Gu Clan has already turned him."

"Who exactly are you talking about?" Nihility Devouring Flame was momentarily baffled. These humans simply loved speaking in riddles.

Hun Tu and Hun Sha exchanged a glance before saying, "Who else? Hun Miesheng!"

"Hun Miesheng?" Nihility Devouring Flame frowned slightly. "He does indeed take orders directly from Hun Tiandi, but isn't he merely a Late Four-Star Dou Sheng? Would he have the nerve to oppose me?"

"Lord Void, I heard from the Hall of Souls' deputy hall master that Hun Miesheng has secretly reached the early stage of Five-Star Dou Sheng. He merely pretends to be a Late Four-Star Dou Sheng to outsiders," Hun Tu continued.

"Outsiders? Am I an outsider in the Hun Clan, then?" Nihility Devouring Flame narrowed his eyes, pitch-black flames burning in their depths.

Hun Tu froze in astonishment. Hun Sha immediately stepped forward and said, "Of course not. In our eyes, you are the very pillar supporting the Hun Clan. Lord Void, Hun Miesheng has not only broken through in cultivation. His soul power has also quietly reached Heaven Realm Great Perfection, catching up directly with veteran Dou Sheng like us."

Nihility Devouring Flame's expression shifted.

Heaven Realm Great Perfection?

He, Nihility Devouring Flame, was a mighty Nine-Star Dou Saint, yet even his soul power had only barely reached Heaven Realm Great Perfection.

"Over the years, Hun Miesheng has used the Clan Leader's trust to hold the position of Soul Hall Master. His main task is to hunt soul bodies across the continent and obtain Soul Origin for Lord Void to use in advancing your soul to the Emperor Realm. Yet look at this: your soul has yet to break through, while he has quietly reached Heaven Realm Great Perfection himself."

"So those soul bodies were being collected for him all along? How much has he skimmed off the top?"

Nihility Devouring Flame tilted his head slightly. The strange runes covering his body flickered incessantly, and two flames replaced his pitch-black pupils.

"The Xiao Clan doesn't even have a Dou Emperor left, yet he still can't get the Ancient Jade. The clan has urged him repeatedly to retrieve it himself, but after all these years, there hasn't been the slightest news. We haven't even heard of him clashing with the Gu Clan. If he isn't a mole, who is?"

Hun Tu and Hun Sha played off each other, appealing to his emotions and laying out their reasoning.

"What else?" The air in the room seemed to congeal, and Nihility Devouring Flame's hand trembled slightly.

"The person on that flyer calls himself Hun Mieba, while our Soul Hall Master is named Hun Miesheng. One is Mieba, the other Miesheng."

Hun Tu said.