Deep within the Cloudmist Dao Field on Purple Firmament Peak.
Pill Furnace shrouded in purple qi, the fire had gone out, yet faint Daoist chants still echoed within.
On the jade throne, the light of a communication jade talisman on Immortal Lord Yunmiao's fingertip had just dimmed, and the wisp of divine thought on it also dissipated.
The temple was completely silent, with only the spiritual herbs swaying gently in the breeze in the distance.
"Junior Brother Shenglin... has his mind been disturbed?"
Immortal Lord Yunmiao frowned, his face ashen, and his fingertips unconsciously tapped the armrest of the jade throne.
Outside the palace, the sea of clouds rolled and the rosy clouds shone in myriad rays, yet they could not dispel the gloom in his heart.
This news is horrifying.
Immortal Lord Sacred Forest, the master of a peak, possesses the cultivation level of Late Golden Immortal.
Unbeknownst to them, they had become puppets of the Heavenly Devil Demon.
His first reaction was disbelief, and he even wondered if Han Xuanji had misread it, or if there was something else going on.
"Without absolute certainty, given his nature, he would never report this lightly..."
Immortal Lord Yunmiao muttered to himself, his eyes shifting uncertainly.
Han Xuanji Double Pupils and was calm and collected; he was by no means someone who spoke carelessly.
More importantly, Han Xuanji's candor actually added to her credibility.
This matter is far too important for him, the leader of a single peak, to decide.
Immortal Lord Yunmiao took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes.
It's better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't!
Even if it turns out to be a misunderstanding, at most he, as the senior disciple, will bear the reputation of "suspicion of his fellow disciples".
However, if the truth is concealed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Then, he took a deep breath, a resolute glint in his eyes, and without further hesitation, he gathered immortal power at his fingertips, outlining a talisman in the void.
The moment the talisman took shape, it transformed into a stream of light, disappearing into the void and heading straight for the deepest part of the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace, the Spirit Void Palace that symbolized the highest authority of the sect.
The next moment, his figure flickered and disappeared from his original spot, heading towards the place where the Immortal Venerable Yuheng was cultivating.
It was a Daoist temple suspended above the Heavenly Gang, with a celestial palace sitting atop it, seemingly unchanged since time immemorial.
The hall was sparsely decorated, except for a central mass of mysterious energy constantly arising and ceasing, evolving into earth, water, fire, and wind. The figure of the Immortal Venerable Yuheng sat vaguely within this Chaos.
"Master."
Immortal Lord Yunmiao respectfully bowed outside the palace gate.
A peaceful yet supremely majestic voice emanated from it:
" Yunmiao, is this true?"
Without hesitation, Immortal Lord Yunmiao repeated what Han Xuanji had said, but naturally did not mention Han Xuanji's name.
Even if something goes wrong in the future, he will take full responsibility.
"This disciple would never speak falsely; please make the decision, Master."
A long silence fell over the hall, broken only by the faint humming of the surging and evolving Chaos Qi.
After a long while, the voice of Immortal Venerable Yuheng slowly rang out, carrying a hint of barely perceptible coldness:
"If that's true, then I truly believe I've failed in my teaching."
Spirit Void Palace.
A peculiar space.
At this moment, four blurry figures sat facing each other on the platform.
Their forms were indistinct, as if they were formed from the purest principles of the Dao Principles, their aura as vast as the starry sea, or as ethereal as clouds and smoke.
The purple-gold communication talisman of Immortal Lord Yunmiao was currently hovering in front of Immortal Venerable Yuheng, and the information within it had been instantly perceived by the four supreme beings.
An absolute silence fell over the hall.
After a long silence, the Immortal Venerable Yuheng spoke:
"What's your opinion on what Yunmiao reported?"
"If that's the case, it's not impossible. Calamity arises from the mind, Free Heavenly Devil... is formless and shapeless, most adept at eroding the Dao heart, and impossible to guard against."
The slightly aged and deep voice that spoke was that of the head of the Heavenly Mystery Lineage, the Immortal Venerable Tianji.
"If Sheng Lin is in charge of a peak, and his mind is truly troubled, he is indeed a major threat."
However... this matter concerns the reputation of a Peak Master, and must be handled with utmost care."
"Hmph, empirical evidence?"
Another voice rang out, Immortal Venerable Yuxuan said:
"By the time we can produce concrete evidence, my Spirit Void Heavenly Palace will probably have already suffered a great calamity."
Have you all forgotten the methods of the Free Heavenly Devil and Unfettered Demon?
Subtle and gradual, like a gentle rain nourishing the earth, by the time it takes effect, it is often too late.
Better to investigate wrongly than to let it go unpunished!
"What Yuxuan said is not without merit."
The last ethereal voice joined in; it was the Immortal Venerable Changgeng of the Formation Lineage.
"Furthermore, Yunmiao is a steady and reliable person, and his words should not be taken lightly. Perhaps... we could ask the ' Heaven-Illuminating Mirror ' to take a look?"
The moment the words " Heaven-Illuminating Mirror " were uttered, the atmosphere inside the hall became slightly tense.
That is one of the Law Artifact guards the Spirit Void Heavenly Palace. It can see the source Breaking Illusion, but the price of using it once is not small, and it is easy to be detected if it is used on Golden Immortal.
A moment later, the voice of Immortal Venerable Yuxuan rang out again:
"We joined forces to activate a ray of light from the ' Heaven-Illuminating Mirror,' illuminating the Sacred Forest Peak."
There's no need to uncover all its secrets; simply observe whether there are any discrepancies between its energy flow and the origin of its spirit.
If there are no doubts, let this matter rest, and I will personally apologize to Saint Lin.
But if...
The words were not finished, but the meaning behind them was clear to all the dignitaries present.
The next moment, the four supreme beings simultaneously pointed their fingers.
Buzz--!
From the depths of the Spirit Void Palace, a beam of azure light suddenly erupted, connecting with the supreme power in the the Unseen.
A beam of light, capable of piercing through illusion, was drawn forth, traversing layers of spatial barriers, and silently descending upon the location of Sacred Forest Peak.
The mirror's light fell, but only for a moment before quietly receding.
However, just as the mirror light receded...
"Um?!"
"Really!"
"What a veiled demonic thought!"
Several voices rang out almost simultaneously, each carrying a different degree of shock.
Under the reflection of the " Heaven-Illuminating Mirror," they could clearly see that deep within the Sacred Forest Peak, the soul of the Immortal Lord Sacred Forest was entwined with an extremely faint, almost imperceptible, pitch-black demonic thought.
That demonic thought, like a leech, lurked deep within the depths of his mind, subtly influencing his thoughts and decisions.
Although not completely under control, it is undoubtedly true.
"This is outrageous!"
The voice of the Immortal Venerable Yuheng carried the fury of thunder, and the surrounding energy dissipated.
"This is the demonic thought of the Free Heavenly Devil, daring to extend its tentacles into the body of my Spirit Void Heavenly Palace Peak Master."
The voice of Immortal Venerable Tianji also turned cold.
Fortunately, it was discovered early, before the Devil Seed took hold and the person was completely corrupted.
The voice of the Immortal Venerable Yuheng remained calm, yet it carried a chilling aura.
"A thorough investigation must be conducted throughout Sacred Forest Peak."
Myriad Phenomena Garden
Han Xuanji seemed to sense something, raised his eyes to look in the direction of Sacred Forest Peak, and then slowly closed them again.
Inside the cave abode, the sky remained clear and the breeze gentle. On the table, a cup of spiritual tea steamed, gradually cooling down.