... Inside the main hall, Chi Boqian remained standing in the same spot, motionless for a long time.
After several dozen breaths, he spread his divine sense in all directions, carefully scanning the ten-mile territory. Only after confirming that no divine sense was secretly spying on him did he turn around and walk towards the depths of the main hall.
A stone wall slowly slid open to both sides, revealing a hidden chamber where Chi Xiyue, Chi Tongyue, Chi Ninghua, and Qin Yu were already waiting.
Chi Boqian closed the stone door and said in a low voice, "The kite has been launched." Chi Tongyue nodded slightly, "Just now, I used my divine sense to scan the area around the hall and did not detect any unusual spying auras."
Chi Xiyue's gaze was calm and collected. "With such special mission conditions, the news has already spread throughout the entire clan. That traitor will surely take action soon. He will never allow the secret documents to Anran fall into the hands of the Ju Lineage."
Qin Yu remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "Although Chi Zhihan and her brother have already set off, we still cannot rush things."
All eyes turned to him. "We must be wary of one possibility: the traitor isn't acting alone; he may have already recruited accomplices within the clan. If he sees through their decoy status, he'll immediately shift his target, and all our plans will fail."
Chi Boqian's expression was deep as he slowly nodded.
Qin Yu continued outlining his strategy, "Therefore, we absolutely cannot let him sense the trap right now. Senior Tongyue, please immediately gather your most trusted elders and arrange for your trusted disciples and stewards to issue some unusual tasks, creating the illusion that the entire clan believes Chi Zhihan and her brother are the core targets. We need to make the clan lively."
"Only in this way can we force the traitor to take action personally. In his judgment, the task assigned by the clan chief is of paramount importance."
A glint of inspiration flashed in Chi Tongyue's eyes: "Use this to force him into the trap." "Exactly." Qin Yu nodded. "At the same time, we must closely monitor all his communication routes. The real mole must need to send messages outward, either to contact the Hua Lineage or to communicate with other hidden forces. As long as he makes a move, he will definitely leave traces that can be investigated."
Chi Xiyue nodded slightly. "This plan is feasible."
Qin Yu finalized the arrangements. "Later, the clan leader, Senior Xiyue, Senior Ninghua, and I will quietly follow them. We will protect the two kites' lives while waiting for our prey to reveal itself."
The room was silent; no one spoke further, and everyone nodded in agreement.
The time it takes for an incense stick to burn passes in the blink of an eye. In the inner city of the Chi Lineage, an ancient palace in a secluded location stands quietly. The palace doors are tightly closed, and the surrounding vegetation is silent. Only a few wisps of morning breeze brush past the eaves of the long corridor, creating a soft sound.
Deep within the palace, two figures stood facing each other. No spirit lamps were lit inside; only a few rays of sunlight slanted through the cracks in the window lattices, casting their silhouettes indistinct shadows, making it difficult to discern their reality from their illusion.
Outside the window, the branches and leaves of an ancient tree, several tens of feet tall, swayed gently. Through the layers of intertwined branches, outsiders could only vaguely see people whispering and talking inside the hall, but could not make out their true faces no matter what.
A slightly hurried voice slowly rang out. "My lord, the clan leader has personally manifested his Dharma form to issue this mission. The significance of this matter is self-evident. Moreover, the restrictions are extremely stringent; only those with a Water or Fire destiny and whose cultivation has reached the Eternal Silence Realm Initial Stage can carry it out. It's highly likely that it's closely related to the upcoming clan competition in the Eternal Nonexistence Limitless Domain. Those brother and sister are most likely heading to the Ju Lineage with a secret message."
Another figure remained with their back to the window, and after a long silence, slowly spoke, their voice low and cautious:
"Chi Boqian's personal involvement is enough to prove the mission's crucial importance. However... Chi Tongyue's sudden dispatch of various missions to the clan today is too coincidental. I have a feeling that there might be a trap involved."
The first figure's mind raced. "Should we hold back for now?" The hall fell silent once more.
After a long silence, the deep voice rang out again, growing increasingly chilling. "Things have come to this point; advancing or retreating is fraught with danger. Whether there are traps or not, we cannot stand idly by. If those brother and sister successfully reach the Ju Lineage and the news arrives, the consequences will be unimaginable."
The tone shifted abruptly, becoming firm and resolute:
"Go and accept the task assigned by Chi Tongyue, and keep a close eye on all movements within the clan. As for Chi Zhihan and Chi Zhiwei... I will handle them personally. No matter the cost, that secret scroll must not be sent out of the Chi Lineage's territory."
As soon as the words were spoken, the palace doors slowly opened inward, and two figures stepped out of the ancient palace one after the other, then disappeared in two completely opposite directions. From beginning to end, only the shadows of trees swayed in the wind outside the window, and there was no other movement.
At the same time, inside the main hall where Chi Tongyue was stationed, people were coming and going in an endless stream. Disciples, stewards, and even elders came forward to receive tasks. The entire hall was bustling with activity, looking no different from any other day.
Chi Tongyue sat calmly in the main seat, her expression indifferent as she distributed the mission jade slips one by one.
"Inspecting the Eastern Ridge Mine." "Patrolling the Western Territory Spirit Spring." "Collecting Void Spirit Herb in the Northern Mountain." Each task was ordinary and unremarkable, without a trace of deliberate planning.
Just then, a man dressed in a steward's robe slowly walked into the main hall. Reaching the steps, he clasped his hands in a respectful gesture and said, "Disciple Chi Junyi has come to receive this mission."
Chi Tongyue raised her eyes, calmly looking at the other person as she would at everyone else, and casually took out a jade slip. "Go to the Northern Mountain and collect three Void Spirit Herbs. The mission deadline is three days."
Chi Junyi stepped forward and took the jade slip with both hands. The moment the jade slip touched his hand, a very subtle ripple flashed in Chi Tongyue's eyes. She clearly caught that Chi Junyi lowered his head for a moment, and his gaze subconsciously looked away.
It wasn't the awe and restraint of a junior facing an elder, but rather a deliberate attempt to conceal his inner turmoil. This unusual behavior was fleeting and would go unnoticed by ordinary people. Fortunately, Chi Tongyue was prepared and had been secretly observing everyone's expressions and actions.
A warning bell rang in her mind: something was wrong with this person, but she didn't show it on her face. She continued to assign tasks according to the established procedure, as if nothing had happened.
Chi Junyi bowed and took his leave, quickly merging into the crowd and disappearing from sight. A moment later, Chi Tongyue finished arranging all the remaining tasks, got up and instructed the guards on duty beside her to continue registering and scheduling, and then slowly left the main hall alone.
On the other side, behind the Chi Lineage's mountain, ancient trees towered into the sky, and few people usually set foot there. Chi Junyi fled all the way to the back of a huge blue stone, carefully explored the surroundings, and only stopped when he confirmed that no one was watching.
He looked down at the jade slip in his palm, a mocking sneer curling at the corner of his lips. "What 'gathering Void Spirit Herb'? What a load of rubbish, just ordinary tasks you see everywhere."
He muttered to himself, with a hint of disdain. "The lord is too cautious. He could have simply ordered me to follow them and eliminate the brother and sister. Why bother the lord to go in person?"
Having said that, he flipped his hand and took out a Soul Sound Talisman, gently holding it up with both hands, his expression becoming respectful again.
"My lord, I have successfully received the task assigned by Chi Tongyue. I have carefully examined it and found that it consists entirely of routine gathering and patrol duties, with no unusual arrangements discovered. You can proceed with your mission to intercept and kill Chi Zhihan and Chi Zhiwei without worry. Leave the clan's movements to me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the Soul Sound Talisman transformed into a streak of light, piercing through the void and disappearing in an instant. Chi Junyi let out a long sigh of relief, gazing at the distant horizon, preparing to set off to carry out the so-called patrol mission.
Unbeknownst to him, hundreds of feet behind him, deep within the dense shade of a towering ancient tree, a wisp of divine consciousness, so Ultimate as to be almost one with heaven and earth, had been quietly enveloping the area from beginning to end, taking in all his words and actions.
Behind the Chi Lineage's mountain, layers of dense shade hung from the ancient trees. Chi Tongyue stood silently in the void, her aura completely Ultimate, her Fate Soul fluctuations utterly dissolved into the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, leaving no trace. Her gaze was firmly fixed on the figure in the distance— Chi Junyi.
At this moment, Chi Junyi had already shed all pretense. Standing amidst the desolate rocks, he took out the Soul Sound Talisman and reported everything he had just witnessed, word by word. Chi Tongyue, hidden in the shadows, saw the entire process unfold.
From the Chi Junyi took the opportunity to leave the mission area and deliberately avoided his clansmen, to the moment he activated his soul sound to secretly contact an unknown person, every movement, every change in expression, and every subtle fluctuation in his Fate Soul aura was completely recorded by her using secret methods.
A faint light pattern slowly emerged from her palm, clearly reflecting all of Chi Junyi's actions within it.
Chi Tongyue's gaze gradually turned cold. "As expected... the traitor's henchman is you." Her voice was extremely low, without any ripples or overwhelming anger, only a calm stillness.
She knew that rashly taking down Chi Junyi now would only alert the enemy. The real mastermind, orchestrating everything from behind the scenes, had not yet revealed himself. There was still no news from the clan leader, so it was not the right time to kill him rashly.
Chi Tongyue slowly gathered the life runes that recorded her trajectory, gazing into the vast void in the distance. "Let's observe for now. Now that we've laid out this vast net, we must lure out all those lurking in the shadows." The next instant, her fingertips trembled slightly, and a Soul Sound Talisman silently condensed, transforming into a wisp of light that dissolved into the depths of the void.
Millions of miles away, deep in the void, the four people— Chi Boqian, Chi Xiyue, Chi Ninghua, and Qin Yu —who were lying in wait, simultaneously sensed the telepathic transmission.
Chi Tongyue's voice slowly resounded in everyone's souls. "The little fish has already appeared and is swimming away; the big fish will soon be caught in the net." The soul sound dissipated, and the surrounding void fell into a brief silence.
A hint of approval flashed in Chi Boqian's eyes as he spoke softly, "Fellow Daoist Qin, everything is exactly as you predicted. The traitor has already begun to act, and it won't be long before the mastermind reveals himself. And the clan leader is indeed more than just one big fish."
Qin Yu stood in the void, his gaze calmly fixed on the path ahead. "This person has been lurking in the Chi Lineage for countless years, always cautious and suspicious. But the more careful someone is, the less they can withstand the unpredictable twists and turns of a plan going out of control. This time, he will definitely come personally to intercept and kill me."
Chi Xiyue nodded slightly, her cool gaze fixed on the distance. "As long as he dares to step out of the shadows, today, he will have no chance of escaping."
Above the void river, Chi Zhihan and Chi Zhiwei sped through the air, their Fate Soul essences shimmering. A pool of azure spiritual energy and a cluster of crimson flames intertwined and echoed each other behind them. Their water and fire destinies resonated, transforming into a unique escape light that tore through the sky.
Chi Zhiwei gazed at the endless, desolate void ahead, her eyes resolute and clear. "Zhihan, the clan leader has entrusted us with such a heavy responsibility; we must not allow the slightest mistake. This secret document is crucial for the planning of the Chi and Ju clan competition."
Chi Zhihan nodded solemnly, "Sister, rest assured. After so many years of arduous cultivation and waiting, all we seek is to shoulder the heavy responsibility for the Lineage. As long as the secret scroll can be Anran delivered to the Ju Lineage, we will never back down, no matter how fraught with danger lies ahead."
Chi Zhiwei, about to continue urging his escape light to continue his journey. Boom—at that moment, the void ahead trembled violently, and a muffled roar resounded in all directions.
The previously smooth flow of space suddenly twisted and collapsed, and a pitch-black spatial rift, like an unparalleled sharp blade, cleaved through the heavens and earth, running across the middle of their path. Chi Zhihan and Chi Zhiwei's expressions changed drastically. "Not good!" The two stopped almost simultaneously.
The next moment, a terrifying divine power surged out from the crack, and the sky was filled with dark light like a giant wave from the abyss, engulfing the two of them.
Chi Zhihan's pupils contracted sharply, her Fate Soul essence surged with all its might, and she shouted in a deep voice, "Water and Fire Share the Same Origin!"
With a deafening roar, the azure essence and crimson flames instantly merged, forming a massive defensive light shield. Chi Zhiwei stepped forward in sync, layers of fiery life patterns blooming on her body, the power of the siblings becoming one in an instant.
The black torrent slammed into the water and fire barrier, causing a massive tremor in the heavens and earth. Layers of the void crumbled and collapsed. Fortunately, the two reacted quickly, using the recoil from the impact to retreat backward, barely avoiding the power of the core of the divine ability.
As the aftershocks slowly dissipated, a figure emerged from the spatial rift, shrouded in a thick black robe, his face hidden in shadow, his aura sealed away, making it impossible to trace. Only his eyes held a chilling killing intent.
Chi Zhihan and her brother were on edge, staring intently at the newcomer. Chi Zhiwei's fingers clenched slightly as she asked in a low voice, "Who are you? How dare you intercept my Chi Lineage?"
The man in black robes did not answer, but slowly raised his head, his hoarse, dry voice reverberating through the void. "Hand over the secret scroll. Otherwise, you will die."
As soon as she finished speaking, the temperature in the entire void seemed to plummet to freezing. Chi Zhihan's eyes turned icy. "You hid your head and tail, launched a sudden attack halfway, and still dared to try and seize my Chi Lineage's token?"
The man in black robes slowly raised his hand, the surrounding space continuing to distort, "I'll give you one last chance. Hand over the secret scroll, and I might spare your lives." Chi Zhiwei's eyes narrowed; she had already sensed something amiss. The other party had a precise grasp of their route and was aware of the existence of the secret scroll.
A chilling suspicion surfaced in her mind—someone from within the Chi Lineage? At this thought, a cold glint appeared in her eyes. Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a major battle seemed imminent.
Several miles away in the hidden void, Qin Yu slowly opened his eyes. A glimmer of light flashed from the depths of his eyes. The prey had finally appeared as expected.