Chapter 1548: Locking Down the Real Culprit

The Wang family would also be implicated. However, given their involvement in demon-slaying in the South Sea and insect extermination in the Northern Frontier, their reputation was at its peak. Coupled with Liu Ye's presence, this incident would have little impact on them.

Both Ouyang Hongguang and Zhang Wuchen were linked to the Ouyang family, making it difficult for the Ouyang family to avoid implication.

"Illusions can alter appearance, but they cannot transform someone into a specific individual. Moreover, even if someone were impersonating them, why wouldn't they choose to impersonate someone else? The cultivation techniques and divine abilities they used matched those of Zhang Wuchen and his wife. If you don't believe it, you can perform a soul search."

Shangguan Wei said coldly. If the Zhang family weren't based in the South Sea cultivation world, she would personally lead a team to raze their family. She always avenged grievances, and when she vowed to wipe out a clan, she did it. No fewer than twenty cultivation families had been directly or indirectly annihilated by her. The Wang family was one of the few who had managed to escape her wrath.

Ouyang Shengtao stepped forward and performed a soul search on Ouyang Hongguang, confirming that Shangguan Wei's words were true. The other two Nascent Soul cultivators also conducted soul searches, with identical results.

"Fairy Shangguan, what do you intend to do?" Ouyang Shengtao asked, "The Zhang family is an affiliated force of the Myriad Swords Sect." Ouyang Shengtao said with a frown, deliberately mentioning the Myriad Swords Sect, hoping Shangguan Wei would exercise some restraint. Shangguan Wei was exceptionally ruthless; her actions were lethal, leading to the complete annihilation of her opponents, regardless of whether innocents were involved. She was extremely domineering.

Shangguan Wei's contributions were indispensable for the Nine Nether Sect to firmly hold its position as the foremost sect in the Northern Frontier. If Ouyang Shengtao hadn't intervened, Shangguan Wei would have killed all members of the Song family and razed Golden Cypress Manor.

"The Zhang family is also related by marriage to the Qinglian Wang family, and the Wang family is also allied with your Ouyang family through marriage. I understand this puts you in a difficult position. I will report the truth to Senior Ye. How you choose to deal with Zhang Wuchen is your affair. As for Ouyang Hongguang, I will take him back to the Northern Frontier for Senior Ye to decide his fate. No one involved in this matter will be spared."

Shangguan Wei's tone was indifferent. The Zhang family had a complex network of connections, and she preferred not to act personally. Out of respect for Ye Yan, the Myriad Swords Sect would certainly not spare Zhang Wuchen and Lin Yuzong. Ideally, the Wang family could also be implicated.

Ouyang Shengtao nodded and said, "No problem. This time, we owe it to Fellow Daoist Shangguan. This fellow stole our Ouyang family's most prized treasure, the Seven-Colored Phoenix Feather Fan. Given his mid-Nascent Soul cultivation, it wouldn't have been easy for even a late-Nascent Soul cultivator to apprehend him. This must be your sect's Nine Nether Demon-Binding Chain, one of your three most treasured artifacts! It can imprison a cultivator's spiritual power and soul, catching people off guard. Why does it seem different from the legends?"

His gaze fell upon the two black iron chains, a hint of confusion in his eyes.

"The Nine Nether Demon-Binding Chain is a treasure forged by the Puppet Emperor," Shangguan Wei replied. "This one is merely a replica. If it were the genuine article, he would have been subdued in an instant." Shangguan Wei's tone was indifferent, but her words implied the Nine Nether Demon-Binding Chain was incredibly powerful.

Over a thousand years ago, the Vice Sect Master of the Nine Nether Sect took the damaged Nine Nether Demon-Binding Chain to the South Sea cultivation world, intending to find a special mineral in the Buried Immortal Sea to repair it. For unknown reasons, he provoked Situ Mei, the Vice Palace Master of the Sun Moon Palace, and was powerfully killed by her. The Nine Nether Demon-Binding Chain also fell into Situ Mei's hands, leaving the Nine Nether Sect with only a replica.

Shangguan Wei speculated that Situ Mei might have murdered the Vice Sect Master of the Nine Nether Sect for the Nine Nether Demon-Binding Chain. The specific reason was known only to Situ Mei herself. It was said that Situ Mei later died during an internal conflict within the Sun Moon Palace.

Ouyang Shengtao smiled without speaking. For any major power to endure, the continuous emergence of new Nascent Soul cultivators was a crucial reason, and powerful treasures were also vital for ensuring the lineage would not be broken. To become a prominent cultivation sect or family, merely having many Nascent Soul cultivators was not enough; they also needed formidable treasures to ensure their continuous inheritance.

The Ouyang family had a legacy spanning tens of thousands of years, during which their lineage had also experienced breaks. At their lowest point, the entire family had only three Nascent Soul cultivators. It was by relying on their three most prized family treasures that they avoided being swallowed by other major powers.

"Alright, I'm taking the person with me," Shangguan Wei stated. "I hope to soon hear news of Zhang Wuchen and the other involved individuals being punished. If your South Sea cultivation world dares not act, this Sect Master does not mind doing it personally."

Shangguan Wei's tone was icy. With a flick of her wrist, a black light shot out, transforming into a black peacock with a wingspan of five zhang. Its tail feathers were long, its head was unusually small, and its pair of scythe-like sharp claws flickered with a faint black light. Its entire body was engulfed in black flames.

This was Shangguan Wei's spirit beast, a Fourth-tier mid-grade Nine Nether Sparrow that she had raised for many years. It possessed vast divine abilities, with strength comparable to a late-Nascent Soul cultivator.

Shangguan Wei took Ouyang Hongguang and leaped onto the Nine Nether Sparrow's back. The Nine Nether Sparrow powerfully flapped its wings, kicking up countless flying sand and stones, and soared into the sky. In less than three breaths, the Nine Nether Sparrow disappeared into the horizon.

"Let's go!" Ouyang Shengtao said. "We should head back too! Today's events must not be leaked."

Ouyang Shengtao led the others to rendezvous with Hai Xinnian. Hai Xinnian then instructed Wang Tianwen and the others, "You may leave now! Do not speak of today's events. We will notify the Myriad Immortal Division." Wang Tianwen acknowledged and departed with his subordinates.

Ouyang Shengtao recounted the events, his brows deeply furrowed. If the Ouyang family wished to clear their names, the best course of action was to quickly kill Zhang Wuchen and Lin Yuzong, pinning all the blame on them. If they were to implicate the Ouyang family, the Ouyang family's businesses in the Northern Frontier and Central Plains would be affected to some extent.

"Zhang Wuchen, how did she know the Sun Moon Palace's Moon Palace's unique spiritual art, the Silver Moon Soul-Slaying Blade?" Hai Xinnian pondered. "This spiritual art can only be cultivated by the Moon Palace Master and Vice Palace Master. It is also the Sun Moon Palace's treasured foundational cultivation method and cannot be passed down externally." Hai Xinnian said with a frown. Major cultivation sects strictly controlled their foundational cultivation methods; only a select few could cultivate these methods, and outsiders who cultivated them would be killed without mercy. Hai Xinnian was a Nascent Soul cultivator, yet she wasn't qualified to cultivate the Myriad Beasts Island's foundational cultivation method. How could Zhang Wuchen, a cultivator from a minor family, have obtained the Sun Moon Palace's foundational cultivation method? It was inconceivable.

"As far as this old man knows," Ouyang Shengtao proposed a bold speculation, "the former Vice Palace Master of the Sun Moon Palace, Situ Mei, died in an internal conflict. If Zhang Wuchen was possessed by Situ Mei, then it would make sense." Ouyang Shengtao proposed a bold speculation, reasoning that if the Sun Moon Palace were implicated, the Ouyang family's pressure would be lessened.

"Situ Mei? I've heard of her," Hai Xinnian said curiously. "I heard she possessed the Lunar Radiance Spirit Body and was originally the undisputed choice for the Moon Palace Master of the Sun Moon Palace. I don't know what happened, but there was an internal conflict in the Sun Moon Palace, and she died during it."

Ouyang Shengtao chuckled and said, "Heh heh, back then, Situ Mei's name shook the South Sea cultivation world. This old man was fortunate enough to have seen her once; back then, I was only at the Qi Refinement stage. We have already uncovered the truth. Let's return to the South Sea and report back! Let the Myriad Swords Sect deal with the headache; it's none of our concern anyway."