Chapter 248: The Person Behind the Scenes

“No!” Chen Mobai couldn't help but cry out in alarm at the sight.

Although Kong Feichen had schemed against him, Chen Mobai found himself largely understanding him after their conversation, given that it was ultimately to cure Yang Jing's mental illness. Therefore, as Kong Feichen departed with Yang Jing, Chen Mobai felt a sense of relief, believing it might be a favorable outcome for the siblings.

The instant Lin Yin abruptly appeared, Chen Mobai wished to stop her, but Kong Feichen's "knot" was incredibly potent. Even with his powerful divine sense, he couldn't muster a single wisp of spiritual energy from his Dantian. A flicker of inexplicable sorrow crossed his eyes, and he involuntarily closed them, unwilling to witness Kong Feichen's death.

Just then, his divine sense registered a magnificent aura, unlike anything Chen Mobai had ever encountered. A faint whistling sound broke the air as a withered yellow leaf shot from the adjacent rooftop, gently landing on Lin Yin's dagger, which had already drawn blood from Kong Feichen's neck.

*Clink!*

A crisp shattering sound followed as the leaf not only broke the dagger but continued its trajectory, slicing across Lin Yin's outstretched right shoulder. Blood splattered. Lin Yin grunted, clutching her wounded shoulder, and vanished into the void once more.

"Who was that?"

Chen Mobai was filled with surprise and suspicion. The blood-stained, withered leaf spun gracefully before settling on the table in front of him, alongside an empty glass bottle. He looked up and saw Kong Feichen wearing an equally astonished expression, as if he hadn't anticipated anyone lying in wait. He didn't know who had struck, nor who had saved him.

"Go!"

A synthesized electronic voice spoke. Chen Mobai looked towards its source and saw a figure in a black hoodie with the hood drawn up. Their form was indistinct, their face obscured; only a pair of bright eyes confirmed their humanity.

"Thank you, Senior," Kong Feichen said, touching the wound on his neck. Daring not to delay further, he thanked the mysterious figure before embracing Yang Jing and plunging directly into the silver ring of fire.

After watching them disappear, Chen Mobai glanced back at the adjacent rooftop, only to find the mysterious figure gone. He took a deep breath, then slowly raised a hand to touch the withered leaf on the table. It was a perfectly ordinary leaf, one that could be plucked from any of the cypress trees lining the streets. Yet, this single fallen leaf had, before Chen Mobai's eyes, defeated a Foundation Establishment master whom he hadn't even been able to sense.

Who *was* this person? They were certainly stronger than him. After all, Chen Mobai's most powerful technique, the Sword Rainbow Splitting Light, required the use of second-tier magical artifacts like the Flying Sparrow Hairpin to unleash its full power. But this individual had used only the most common withered leaf. To pluck a leaf and send it flying, to repel an enemy with a flick of the wrist. Chen Mobai had a feeling that this person seemed even more powerful than the formidable Lan Haitian and the white-eyed woman from the Ascension Sect. Yet, Lan Haitian was already considered the strongest Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Immortal Sect. Someone even stronger than him...

Could it be a Golden Core True Immortal!

The realization made Chen Mobai gasp. After a considerable time, once he felt his hands could move freely, he retrieved his phone and found his teacher Che Yucheng's number in his contacts. As he was about to dial, a faint cough sounded beside him.

"You're still here?" Though Chen Mobai didn't know Lin Yin's identity, he instantly recognized her presence.

"Every action taken by a Golden Core True Immortal in the Immortal Sect requires prior notification to the Kaiyuan Hall." Lin Yin appeared before Chen Mobai, clutching her shoulder. She sat down where Kong Feichen had been, speaking as she took out two pieces of white adhesive tape and applied them crisscross over her wound. Soon, Chen Mobai watched as her wound stopped bleeding, rapidly healed, and began to scab.

"What are you trying to say?"

"No other Golden Core True Immortals have arrived in Danxia City recently, only the two stationed here." Lin Yin raised her head, her brown eyes fixed on Chen Mobai, and spoke words that left him utterly stunned.

"Are you implying...?"

"If the matter involves a Golden Core True Immortal, the Zhengfa Hall may not be able to handle it. It would have to be reported to the Kaiyuan Hall."

The Immortal Sect has Three Halls: The Immortal Affairs Hall oversees the three hundred million cultivators, managing their lives from birth to death according to the law. The Zhengfa Hall is responsible for upholding the law, eradicating any heretics who violate it or disturb the peace and well-being of the populace. Finally, the Kaiyuan Hall is tasked with formulating the Immortal Sect's laws and decrees.

The conditions for joining the Kaiyuan Hall are straightforward: One must be a Golden Core True Immortal and a cultivator who has not been stripped of their political rights by the Immortal Sect. This signifies that every Golden Core True Immortal is an administrator of the Immortal Sect. The two Golden Core True Immortals in Danxia City are both listed in the Kaiyuan Hall. If they were truly involved, the Zhengfa Hall would have no authority to intervene. The Kaiyuan Hall would first need to delist them before the Immortal Sect's laws could be applied.

"I don't believe the two True Immortals are that kind of people," Chen Mobai stated, shaking his head. However, he refrained from directly naming Danxia City's two True Immortals.

"The Kaiyuan Hall certainly wouldn't initiate an investigation based solely on my word." As Lin Yin spoke, her brown eyes fixed directly on Chen Mobai, who promptly shook his head.

"Whether the one who intervened was a Golden Core True Immortal is merely your speculation; I cannot corroborate it."

"As you wish." Lin Yin said nothing further. She formed a hand seal with one hand, and her form began to fade once more.

"I still don't know your name."

"You will know in time."

As the Sixth Heaven-Mending Unit is responsible for combat, its members typically conceal their identities. Although Lin Yin knew Lan Haitian intended to recruit Chen Mobai, he was not yet her colleague, so she refrained from revealing her name. Despite her silence, Chen Mobai had already formed a theory based on her recent remarks. She must be from the Zhengfa Hall, and the only person he had recently interacted with from that Hall was Lan Haitian. This suggested she was likely a member of the Heaven-Mending Group. If so, the credibility of Lan Haitian's previous statements became questionable.

However, at this juncture, these were minor concerns. If the one who ultimately allowed Kong Feichen to escape was indeed a Golden Core True Immortal... A flicker of worry crossed Chen Mobai's brow at the thought.

He considered the situation, then drafted a detailed document outlining the events and sent it to his teacher, Che Yucheng. As the Head of Teaching at the Wuqi Dao Academy, Che Yucheng was also a Golden Core True Immortal and had previously served as a standing committee member for a session of the Kaiyuan Hall. He would undoubtedly have more experience with such matters than Chen Mobai. However, Che Yucheng didn't seem to be near his phone and didn't reply immediately.

It wasn't until dawn, almost midday, that Chen Mobai finally felt capable of regaining control over the spiritual energy within his Dantian. He took a deep breath, marveling at the spiritual energy that now felt even more concentrated than before. The medicine proved quite effective; it seemed to have cleared the slight accumulation of pill toxins from his Foundation Establishment Pills, saving him at least half a year of arduous refinement.

*Beep, beep, beep!*

Just then, Che Yucheng finally sent a message. It contained only one sentence: "I understand. Return as soon as your business is concluded. Do not rashly investigate Golden Core True Immortals until the truth is revealed."

Upon reading this, Chen Mobai promptly replied with, "Understood."

In fact, upon his initial return to Danxia City, he had attempted to visit True Immortal Scarlet Robe at the Chixia Academy, but the latter was in seclusion and unavailable. Given the current circumstances, Chen Mobai might not return to Danxia City for several years.

Once he confirmed his spiritual energy was restored, Chen Mobai went into the living room. Seeing Qing Nu sound asleep on the sofa, he sighed and reached out to tap her fair, smooth forehead.

"Mmm... what happened to me...? Where's Jing'er?" Qing Nu awoke, disoriented, rubbing her eyes as she searched for her sister, whom she believed had just been rescued.

"Kong Feichen took her to a very distant place for treatment," Chen Mobai explained after a moment of hesitation, recounting the full story.

Qing Nu's expression turned blank as she listened. After an indeterminate time, uncontrollable tears welled in her eyes, and she wept so profusely that Chen Mobai was at a loss for what to do. With no other option, he simply held and comforted her.

Two days passed.

Chen Mobai received a call from Lan Haitian, who asked him to meet at their usual spot.

"Thank you for your efforts last time," Chen Mobai said as he landed in the courtyard, greeting Lan Haitian, who was seated on a medicinal vat. Despite Kong Feichen ultimately taking Yang Jing away, Lan Haitian had come at his request, and Chen Mobai felt he owed him a favor.

"So, how have you been considering joining the Heaven-Mending Group?" Lan Haitian asked with a smile, seemingly in excellent spirits.

"I've thought about it, and I truly don't believe I'm suited for combat and killing. My apologies." After instantly defeating Tuoba Wanyi of the Ascension Sect with a single sword strike, Chen Mobai had initially thought that joining wouldn't be a significant issue, believing his strength to be respectable within the Immortal Sect. However, when Kong Feichen departed, the mysterious master's effortless use of a withered leaf shattered the confidence he had gained from his earlier, decisive victory. He was still too weak; he needed to cultivate further and advance his realm.

"Kong Feichen of the Taiyi Medical Palace has colluded with the Ascension Sect, severely violating the Immortal Sect's laws. He has been listed as a second-level wanted criminal. Any cultivator providing clues will receive a reward of 100,000 merit points," Lan Haitian suddenly announced.

Chen Mobai stood still, impassive. Kong Feichen was no longer his concern. Since he had chosen that path, his fate was now entirely up to his own luck.

"The Zhengfa Hall has also issued an internal notice: Slaying Kong Feichen will be rewarded with one Barrier-Breaking Pill and 600,000 merit points." At this, Chen Mobai's eyes lit up.

"A Minor or a Grand Barrier-Breaking Pill?" The Barrier-Breaking Pill was one of the most sought-after second-tier elixirs in the Immortal Sect, capable of helping cultivators overcome bottlenecks, as its name implied. Minor Barrier-Breaking Pills were for smaller bottlenecks, such as progressing from Foundation Establishment Layer One to Layer Two, or Layer Four to Layer Five. Grand Barrier-Breaking Pills, however, targeted major bottlenecks, like advancing from Foundation Establishment Layer Three to Layer Four, or Layer Six to Layer Seven. Regardless of whether it was a Minor or Grand Barrier-Breaking Pill, both were considered the most precious elixirs for Foundation Establishment cultivators within the Immortal Sect. This was because, while the Immortal Sect possessed a comprehensive and mature system of spiritual herbs and waters for cultivating and enhancing spiritual energy, only a handful of elixirs existed to overcome the barriers between cultivation realms. Even at the Wuqi Dao Academy, any Barrier-Breaking Pills offered for exchange at the end of the term were instantly claimed.

"The Grand one," Lan Haitian replied with a knowing smile, giving Chen Mobai an answer that made him marvel.

"He's worth that much?"

"What, do you intend to capture him for the Barrier-Breaking Pill?"

"I'm considering it, but mainly, it's hard to believe that he, a mere Qi Cultivation realm cultivator, would warrant such a reward from the Zhengfa Hall—a Grand Barrier-Breaking Pill." Lan Haitian had initially shared this sentiment, but he understood that a higher reward meant greater motivation for their Heaven-Mending Group. Moreover, after hearing Lin Yin's report, it became clear that the hidden figures behind this incident were truly formidable. This made the reward understandable.

"If you join the Heaven-Mending Group, you would be among the first to know if Kong Feichen's whereabouts are discovered within the Immortal Sect."

"What are you implying?"

"Aren't you on good terms with his sister? I assume you'd want to save both him and the girl who cultivated forbidden arts. If you were in the Heaven-Mending Group, I could turn a blind eye."

Chen Mobai chuckled wryly at Lan Haitian's words, shaking his head. "It seems you still don't understand me." Having said this, Chen Mobai raised his phone, turned, and took his leave.

"If I reach Foundation Establishment Layer Nine and have no other means to obtain the Golden Liquid Jade Return Pill, I will consider joining the Heaven-Mending Group. But for now, I still value my freedom."

"Freedom? Joining the Heaven-Mending Group offers considerable freedom; you merely need to complete five tasks annually," Lan Haitian offered one last piece of persuasion.

But Chen Mobai remained entirely uninterested. "I owe you a favor. Should you ever require my assistance near Mount Chicheng in the future, feel free to call me." With that, Chen Mobai leaped up and departed from the Evergreen Pharmacy.

"Leader, I thought you had already recruited him into the group," Lin Yin's figure emerged from atop the medicinal vat behind Lan Haitian. She wore a black mask, was tall and long-limbed, with fair skin. Her only perceived flaw was her utterly flat chest.

"After all, I'm merely an individual; I can't guarantee everything goes as planned," Lan Haitian replied with a shrug and a sigh.

"No, the other person, as you predicted, Captain, readily agreed to join the Heaven-Mending Group as soon as I explained our purpose."

A smile touched Lan Haitian's lips upon hearing Lin Yin's words. "While we didn't add someone to Group Six, at least Group Four gained a talent. This trip still yielded something."

"Leader, but her sole condition for joining the Heaven-Mending Group is to be assigned to our Sixth Unit."

"What!" Lan Haitian exclaimed, turning his head in surprise, though he quickly regained his composure. "Decline her. Our Sixth Unit doesn't need her."

"Captain, she possesses a Heavenly Spirit Root."

"A Heavenly Spirit Root merely indicates faster cultivation and an absence of bottlenecks. Our Sixth Unit only needs ruthless individuals."

"Her resolve seems strong. With proper training, she could very well become a qualified member of the Sixth Unit." Lin Yin argued, regretting the loss of such a talent, but Lan Haitian remained unmoved.

"The Sixth Unit only requires naturally ruthless individuals, like Chen Mobai."