Chapter 352: Hidden Frontline

Li Songgu was the current Hidden Lord of the Jiuli Hidden Sect, a fact already known to Zuoqiu Hongting, Yin Jiu, and Cang Li.

After Qi Xiao's injuries stabilized, he recounted in meticulous detail everything that had happened over the past two years, omitting nothing.

Even Cang Li, despite his immense hatred and profound grief, calmed down, realizing that if he acted impulsively, the arduous efforts of two generations—his father, Yao Qingxuan, and Li Weiyi—would all come to nothing.

At the same time, all three were deeply shocked. The evil cult's power, as described by Qi Xiao, far exceeded external expectations by several times.

Previously, it was generally believed that the evil cult's strength was inferior to that of the Myriad Sects.

Zuoqiu Hongting said, "The Zuoqiu Sect and the Zuoqiu Hidden Sect have repeatedly sent shrewd and capable cultivators to infiltrate the evil cult. Only one in ten who tried could even enter the main altar, and among those who did, exceedingly few managed to come out alive."

"They only knew that the main altar was located in a certain secret realm, and that travel to and from it was via spatial teleportation arrays. They had no idea that the main altar was in the underground immortal dwelling."

Qi Xiao gave a bitter smile. "If not for Li Weiyi, I would have long since died in the main altar and never gotten out. If not for Yao Qingxuan, brother Weiyi would certainly have died in there too. And if only Yao Qingxuan were involved, it still wouldn't have been enough; we also needed the backing of Palace Master An. The main altar truly presented a danger at every step. No one trusted us, and they used every means to kill us."

Yin Jiu said, "The fact that the Hidden Lord appeared precisely at Nanyan Pass makes Yao Qingxuan's identity self-evident."

Cang Li said, "Three months, and time is pressing. The demon race, the evil cult, and the Netherworld of the Deceased must have already completed their covert arrangements. The Dao Sect has been hidden for a thousand years, and its followers, the 'Dao people,' are spread throughout the world. Various major powers must have been silently infiltrated, becoming riddled with holes, making it difficult to distinguish friend from foe. We must take action. We cannot stand by and watch Lingxiao City fall. No matter how corrupt the imperial court may be, it is currently humanity's strongest pillar. Even if it is destined to fall, we must first exhaust the enemy."

Zuoqiu Hongting said, "As you said, it's now difficult to distinguish friend from foe. Once this news spreads, can you guarantee that all nine tribal chiefs of your Jiuli tribe are trustworthy? I, for one, cannot guarantee that there aren't evil cult members among the Longevity Realm masters of the Zuoqiu Sect. Even if there aren't, the evil cult will certainly try every means to plant agents, turn people against us, or coerce and entice them. We are in the open, they are in the dark. A thousand years allows for too much to be done."

"Once the demon race and the evil cult discover the leak, war will instantly erupt. They have been planning for a long time, and we have yet to do anything."

She looked at Qi Xiao. "The precise information about the current attack on Lingxiao City, within the evil cult, is known only to figures at or above the Venerable level, right?"

"That should be the case," Qi Xiao said.

"Yao Qingxuan is likely the highest-ranking presence from all human factions within the evil cult."

Zuoqiu Hongting pondered carefully. "Regardless of when they actually make their move, we will operate on a three-month timeframe. At this very moment, the three parties—demons, cult, and netherworld—must already be deploying forces in the imperial court's eight core provinces. To conceal their true objective, the demon race will undoubtedly act in the East Sea, Southern Border, and Western Border to draw the imperial court's attention to the periphery."

"To breach the Cloud Heaven Immortal Realm and Lingxiao City, a frontal assault from the outside would undoubtedly result in heavy casualties and might not even succeed."

"A coordinated inside-outside attack is the only way."

"In this battle that will decide the fate of the world, the crucial point lies within Lingxiao City, specifically at the four key passes leading to the Cloud Heaven Immortal Realm. If we can, before the main battle, eliminate as many of the demon race and evil cult's hidden forces and human traitors as possible, then if Qilin Zang and the evil cult dare to venture into the Cloud Heaven Immortal Realm, they will surely pay a heavy price."

"Li Weiyi's deployment of Jiuli Hidden Sect experts to Lingxiao City must be for this purpose: to severely cripple the enemy on the covert front and secure as much advantage as possible for humanity."

Yin Jiu said solemnly, "Unfortunately, the Hidden Lord may have already... The Divine Hidden ones can only mobilize young hidden individuals from our generation. To contend with the evil cult's thousand-year plan is like trying to crush a rock with an egg. Moreover, Lingxiao City also has formidable figures like Yao Qian."

Cang Li said, "The Jiuli tribe—if even the nine tribal chiefs and nine great high priests cannot be fully trusted, then who can be trusted? How can we guarantee that the news will not be leaked at all?"

Zuoqiu Hongting said, "Since this is a covert front, we can only use the power of the Hidden Sects. Large-scale mobilization of overt experts would surely alert the enemy. If the Jiuli Hidden Sect isn't enough, there's also my Zuoqiu Hidden Sect. Only two months remain, and I don't know if that will be enough time."

"Isn't it three months?" Yin Jiu asked.

Zuoqiu Hongting said, "In the final month, or even the last half month, even if the imperial court is cumbersome and slow, it should still sense the danger. Qi Xiao, the Death Spirit Fire in your body is quite special. The evil cult most likely has a way to use it to pinpoint your location. I cannot take you back to Qiuzhou Prefecture City."

Qi Xiao's expression was incredibly bitter, and he nodded, saying, "I understand! Only if I die will the Dao Sect not suspect anything. Before I returned, I had already prepared myself. Just give me a quick end!"

Zuoqiu Hongting shook her head. "There's another path, perhaps more valuable than death."

Qi Xiao looked at her blankly.

Zuoqiu Hongting said, "Go back to the Dao Sect's main altar, returning through the underground immortal dwelling entrance a hundred miles away. Whether you survive depends on your fate! To be safe, I will erase this memory from you and place a letter with Li Weiyi's handwriting in your embrace. When you wake up and read the letter's contents, you will naturally know what to do."

"Whoosh!"

Her Mind Realm opened between her brows, drawing the power of the shattered lamp. A light, sharp as a blade, cut into Qi Xiao's sea of consciousness.

Qi Xiao fainted.

Yin Jiu imitated Li Weiyi's handwriting, wrote a letter, and slipped it into Qi Xiao's embrace, saying, "The letter tells him that if there's any change at Nanyan Pass, he should immediately return to the Dao Sect's main altar and inform Venerable Nan."

Yin Jiu carried Qi Xiao and headed towards the entrance of the underground immortal dwelling.

"Cang Li, please control your grief. Uncle Li might have made preparations and perhaps didn't die at Nanyan Pass. Put aside your emotions and clean and arrange this place. We mustn't let the evil cult find any clues. I need to return to Taoli Mountain immediately." Zuoqiu Hongting departed first.

After Li Weiyi's secret meeting with Zhuang Yue, he recalled the Seven Phoenixes and immediately rushed back to the three-courtyard residence where the retainers lived, not daring to stay away for too long.

He leaped over the wall and landed in the courtyard.

Releasing his spiritual sense, he surveyed the courtyard.

The two maidservants lay fast asleep on their beds in their respective rooms, their breaths long and faint.

"Something's wrong!" he thought. "They are both Mind Masters. How could they both be sleeping soundly on their very first night of service?"

Li Weiyi became alert, immediately stuck a Divine Movement Talisman onto himself, and clutched a Binding Talisman in his hand. With his hands behind his back, he pushed open the door and entered the room.

The formation arranged in the room had been broken.

In the darkness, a graceful and slender figure lay on the bed. A faint fragrance wafted through the air, inducing a sense of intoxicating enchantment.

"What took you so long to come back? I was almost asleep!" Long Xiangcen's voice was soft and gentle, with a hint of weariness.

Li Weiyi flicked his fingertip.

A spark of spiritual fire flew out, lighting the glazed lamp on the table.

In the lamplight, Long Xiangcen lay on her side on the bed, still wearing her goose-yellow ruqun. But she was completely different from her elegant and refined demeanor during the day. Her snow-white, slender legs were exposed up to the full and smooth tops of her thighs. Her tail was fluffy, her eyes were full of allure, and her expression was utterly seductive.

Even the most resolute man would likely disregard everything else and first pull her into his arms for an embrace and caress.

Li Weiyi stood at the doorway, his expression grave. "If we fight here, it won't benefit anyone. If Grand Historian Bai were to know of Immortal Long's provocative posture, straddling the legs of Luan Sheng and Lin You, I'm afraid all your past beautiful memories would turn to dust."

"You saw it after all!"

A cold glint flashed in the depths of Long Xiangcen's eyes, then vanished. Her roseate lips then curled into a smile as she said, "Do you think he'd believe you, or me? My aunt is in charge of the General's Mansion now, and she's my own aunt."

"If Madame Taishi were a member of the demon faction, I would have long since fled. Why would I have offered myself up?"

The reason Li Weiyi believed the Long clan was not involved in the demon faction's activities was that, regarding Jiang Xin's identity as "Mansion Elder," she was genuinely investigating him. If she had intended to cover for him, the letter Li Weiyi had sent to Grand Historian Bai would surely have vanished without a trace.

Could he really expect the Jiang family and the Imperial Observation Bureau to overthrow Jiang Xin?

Li Weiyi continued, "If I were to shout now and call over all the Grand Historian family's retainers nearby, they would surely be very curious how a powerful figure like Immortal Long came to be on my bed. If you can climb into my bed, can you also climb into theirs?"

Long Xiangcen's smile vanished. She stared at Li Weiyi for a long time. "You're truly bold! Do you think your disguise technique can fool everyone?"

Li Weiyi could tell she didn't dare to act easily; if she had intended to, she would have ambushed him in the courtyard long ago. His tense nerves relaxed slightly, and he chuckled, "This is my true face. I'm not afraid of being exposed."

Long Xiangcen chuckled, sat up on the bed, and leaned softly against the bed frame. "I came here to verify your true identity, to see if you are truly the Divine Son or the so-called hundred-year-old man. Show me the Dao Sect's Divine Son Life Tablet again."

She extended her hand, demanding it.

How could Li Weiyi give her the Divine Son Life Tablet and allow her to gain leverage? He said, "Actually, our objectives are the same. There's no need for us to both suffer losses."

"What is your objective?" Long Xiangcen asked with a disbelieving chuckle.

Li Weiyi said, "Whatever your objective is, that is my objective too. In fact, we can cooperate."

Long Xiangcen grew serious. "You are not a member of the Dao Sect at all, and certainly not its Divine Son. The Dao Sect's foundation at Nanyan Pass was utterly destroyed by you."

Li Weiyi walked into the room, sat down by the lamp at the table, and sighed, "This matter is a secret of the Dao Sect; I cannot tell you too much. I will only tell you one thing: Yao Qian, the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Observation Bureau, originated from the Dao Sect. The Dao Sect's foundation at Nanyan Pass was entirely destroyed by his hand."

Long Xiangcen was truly startled by this piece of news, finding it hard to discern if Li Weiyi was telling the truth. She said, "If you truly are a member of the Dao Sect, why did you, at the Thirty-Six Thunder Tombs, kill several of our demon race's Dao Seed Realm experts?"

Li Weiyi sneered, "The Dao Sect and the demon race are merely allies in the matter of attacking Lingxiao City. You wouldn't naively think that such a relationship is very stable, would you? When Qilin Zang, the Lord of the Demon Race, blasted open the underground immortal dwelling, how terribly he harmed us!"

How could Long Xiangcen be fooled by his few words? She didn't want to suffer a second loss, lest she lose all face before Luan Sheng and Lin You. "There must be a reason, right?"

Li Weiyi pondered for a long time and then exhaled slowly. "If I don't tell you, I'm afraid you will continue to target me and ruin my important affairs."

"Good that you know," Long Xiangcen said.