"Xuanwei, are you certain Ding Mou is the mastermind behind those people?"
On the Fifth Layer of the Yaochi Sacred Land, beneath a dazzling star map, a Red-Clothed Woman stood at the edge of the Purple Tenuity Star Enclosure, gazing toward the space beneath the Stargazing Platform at its center.
Below the Stargazing Platform, four tall, black-robed cultivators held out their hands, levitating a massive white ape bound to an enormous stone pillar as they slowly ascended toward the platform.
At the woman's question, one of the black-robed cultivators turned and answered her with great respect:
"Lady Chixue, I used the Luoshu Tortoiseshell's heavenly secrets power of deduction to divine the matter. The mastermind behind those youngsters is undoubtedly Ding Mou."
The woman Supreme Venerable Xuanwei had addressed as Lady Chixue curled her lips slightly, and a streak of crimson radiance flashed through her scarlet eyes.
Her gaze made Supreme Venerable Xuanwei frown despite himself.
The hand he kept hidden in his sleeve instinctively formed a hand seal.
Lady Chixue, however, shifted her gaze away from Supreme Venerable Xuanwei and looked up at the enormous Purple Tenuity Star Map overhead.
"Hurry up, all of you. Even This Palace can only halt this star map's workings for a moment."
The four black-robed cultivators answered in unison.
Then, with a boom, the four levitated the enormous stone pillar and flew straight up onto the vast Stargazing Platform.
Bang!
A tremendous crash rang out.
Together, the four set the enormous stone pillar bearing the bound white ape upright.
Once this was done, Supreme Venerable Xuanwei raised a hand slightly toward the other three black-robed cultivators, signaling for them to wait.
Then he turned to Lady Chixue again.
"Lady Chixue."
"The Luoshui Tortoiseshell's deduction is accurate. Ding Mou and the young cultivators under him