Wei Tu’s eyes darkened as he observed the two corpses before him.

Both Huang Changkong and Huang Wenqing had been killed with a single piercing strike to the heart, swift and lethal. The method used bore an eerie resemblance to a technique of the Heavenly Maiden Sect, a demonic faction known for their infamous “Fractured Life Hand” technique.

Qin Zhenren stepped forward and examined the bodies closely. Her expression turned grim as she spoke in a low, serious tone:

“These two were killed instantly with a precision strike. This kind of technique is identical to the demonic martial arts of the Heavenly Maiden Sect.”

Although Cloud Ze Secret Realm did not explicitly prohibit killing, it was rare for cultivators to turn on their own faction members, especially a hired retainer betraying their employer.

Most cultivators who entered Cloud Ze Secret Realm carried artifacts marked by their Golden Core elders.

When cultivators from rival factions killed each other, the Golden Core elders outside the secret realm would often turn a blind eye—as long as the slain were not particularly important figures.

After all, killing for treasures was a widely accepted rule of the secret realm. It was an unspoken agreement among the major factions—since there were too few Golden Core treasures to divide equally, assassinations were an inevitable way to ensure one’s own faction secured more resources.

However, there was one absolute rule—

“Never betray your own faction.”

This was precisely why the Golden Core elders left tracking marks on artifacts—to prevent internal betrayals.

Yet, Si Qing, a trusted retainer of the Heshan Huang Clan, had just killed two of their Foundation Establishment cultivators.

If Huang Xinglie were to find out, he would never let her go.

At that moment, Qin Zhenren’s suspicions about Si Qing’s true identity deepened.

“Only demonic cultivators would be this bold.”

She glanced at Wei Tu and Kou Hongying, noticing their confusion. After a brief pause, she sighed and explained:

“The Heavenly Maiden Sect is similar to the Mirror Water Pavilion in structure—they are both female-only sects. However, while the Mirror Water Pavilion follows the righteous path, the Heavenly Maiden Sect belongs to the demonic path.”

“On the surface, their cultivators appear delicate and refined, but in reality, their sect’s cultivation techniques not only enhance beauty but also integrate body refinement.”

“This is why most Heavenly Maiden Sect disciples are both martial and magical cultivators.”

“If not for this dual cultivation approach, Si Qing would never have been able to take down two Foundation Establishment cultivators so easily.”

Heavenly Maiden Sect?

Martial and magical dual cultivation?

Fractured Life Hand?

Wei Tu’s eyes flickered with thought, committing the details of Si Qing’s techniques to memory.

Now that he, Qin Zhenren, and Kou Hongying had witnessed her crime, they had become her biggest threats.

If Si Qing wanted to leave Cloud Ze Secret Realm alive, she would have to eliminate them.

Unless…

She found another way to escape, bypassing the Golden Core elders guarding the exit.

After a moment of silent contemplation, Wei Tu gathered materials and carved two wooden coffins, placing Huang Changkong and Huang Wenqing’s bodies inside before sealing them in his storage pouch for safekeeping.

These bodies were evidence—proof of Si Qing’s betrayal.

They could not simply be buried or discarded.

Furthermore, Huang Changkong had been the one who initially brought Wei Tu into the Heshan Huang Clan.

Out of respect for that connection, Wei Tu could not allow his body to rot in the wilderness.

With the bodies secured, Wei Tu and his group resumed their journey toward the location of the “Huangyuan Grass.”

Just as Qin Zhenren predicted, the area was relatively remote, and only a few cultivators had set their sights on this Golden Core treasure.

Upon arrival, they spotted three rival cultivators already present—

One from Tai Xuan Sect, and two from Xuefeng Zheng Clan.

Among them, Wei Tu recognized one familiar face—Zheng Xian, a young master of the Xuefeng Zheng Clan.

The other two were both at the later stages of the Foundation Establishment realm.

Currently, these three cultivators had set up a blockade at the entrance of the valley, controlling access to the Huangyuan Grass.

Their strategy was clear—

They would wait for an opportunity to kill the guardian beast while also preventing other cultivators from seizing the treasure.

For solo cultivators, seeing two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators standing guard was enough of a deterrent to abandon their plans and leave.

However, the arrival of Wei Tu’s group changed the balance of power.

For the first time, the strongest faction present was no longer the defending group.

Seeing Qin Zhenren’s approach, the Tai Xuan Sect cultivator, a robed Daoist named Gu Xuan, narrowed his eyes slightly before stepping forward and cupping his hands.

“Greetings, Daoist Qin.”

This time, both Mirror Water Pavilion and Tai Xuan Sect had entered Cloud Ze Secret Realm together, so their cultivators were familiar with each other.

Qin Zhenren returned the courtesy.

Gu Xuan glanced at the valley below and smiled.

“According to my observation, there are exactly five stalks of Huangyuan Grass. That should be more than enough for all three factions present to share.”

“I propose we work together.”

“The three factions will combine our strength to kill the guardian beast—the Flying Fox Demon Spider. Once the battle is over, we divide the spoils according to our contributions.”

Gu Xuan’s tone was casual, but his calculations were precise.

As a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he was in a position of strength.

Even if he contributed less in the battle, he would still receive a fair share of the treasure.

No one would be foolish enough to argue with a cultivator of his level over minor discrepancies in contributions.

Qin Zhenren was intrigued and prepared to agree—but before responding, she hesitated and glanced at Wei Tu.

“Fellow Daoist Wei, what do you think of this arrangement?”

Her reaction surprised everyone present.

Even Gu Xuan and Zheng Xian exchanged subtle glances of shock.

They hadn’t expected Qin Zhenren to consult Wei Tu’s opinion before making a decision.

“How much influence does he have over her?”

Wei Tu remained calm. He knew his role well—he was not the leader of this group, and he wasn’t about to overstep.

“It is up to Daoist Qin to decide. There is no need to consult me on this matter.”

Hearing this, Qin Zhenren nodded and turned back to Gu Xuan.

“I accept your proposal.”

The Flying Fox Demon Spiders guarding the Huang Yuan Grass numbered two, one male and one female, both top-tier Second Rank Demonic Beasts.

However, their strength was far inferior to the combined forces of three late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators and three mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

With a six against two battle, the Flying Fox Demon Spiders quickly showed signs of struggle, attempting to flee.

At this moment, Qin Zhenren summoned a blue binding hook, which shot forward like a flying sword, piercing deep into the male spider’s carapace.

With its carapace shattered, the male spider let out a baby-like wail, spitting out a dark green spider web aimed at Qin Zhenren.

Upon seeing the male spider injured, the female spider became enraged, immediately spitting out its demonic core, which emitted crackling thunder as it aggressively charged at the cultivators.

However, just as it was about to reach them, the female spider suddenly changed direction, its eyes gleaming with murderous intent as it lunged at Gu Xuan.

It had realized that Gu Xuan, controlling the formation flags, was the reason for its and its mate’s dire predicament.

“You think such tricks can harm me?” Gu Xuan smirked, waving his sleeve as the formation gathered power, condensing a faint red light barrier in front of him.

Boom!

The demonic core crashed into the red light barrier.

The light barrier rang like a struck metal bell, denting inward by several inches but holding firm against the female spider’s demonic core.

However, at that moment—

The female spider’s demonic core suddenly rotated, glowing brilliantly before shooting out an extremely fine thread of silk, piercing straight through the red light barrier towards Gu Xuan’s forehead.

The silk was entirely cyan, flashing like lightning as it struck towards him.

“Innate Spider Silk?!” Gu Xuan’s expression changed drastically. He hurriedly pulled out a dark purple spirit bracelet, attempting to block the attack.

Innate Spider Silk, much like the lifebound treasures of Golden Core cultivators, was a unique offensive ability of spider-type demonic beasts.

He hadn’t expected that a mere top-tier Second Rank Demonic Beast like the Flying Fox Demon Spider would have condensed Innate Spider Silk, catching him completely off guard.

But ultimately—

Gu Xuan was a step too slow.

As the cyan silk reached him, he managed to shift his body just in time, preventing it from piercing through his skull. Instead, it pierced his right ribcage.

Yet—

Rip!

The cyan silk, as sharp as a blade, sliced through Gu Xuan’s right side, severing half of his body. He fell to the ground, gravely injured.

“Struggling in vain… What an opportunity!”

Seeing this, one of the Zheng Clan’s late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators ignored Gu Xuan’s fate. His eyes gleamed as he lunged toward the female spider, wielding a bronze spear that pierced straight through its skull, killing it instantly.

With its mate dead, the female spider’s demonic core dimmed, letting out a sorrowful wail before dropping to the ground.

Upon witnessing its mate’s death, the male spider howled in fury, preparing to unleash its demonic core for a final desperate attack.

But this time, Wei Tu and the others did not give it a chance. They unleashed their artifacts in unison, overwhelming the male spider.

Its attack faltered, leaving an opening for Qin Zhenren and the Zheng Clan’s late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, who seized the opportunity to deal the killing blow.

The five Huang Yuan Grass plants, growing atop the Flying Fox Demon Spiders’ cave, swayed in the breeze, exuding a rich medicinal fragrance.

Yet, at this moment, none of the three factions made a move. Instead, they watched each other cautiously, eyes filled with wariness.

Gu Xuan, gravely injured by the female spider’s Innate Spider Silk, was still alive but severely weakened.

This meant that the previous balance between the three factions had been disrupted.

Distributing the Huang Yuan Grass based on contributions was no longer a viable option.

“Wei Daoyou, you are a guest elder of the Heshan Huang Clan, while my uncle and I are from the Xuefeng Zheng Clan. Our two factions are allies with family ties.”

“Right now, why don’t we kill Gu Xuan and split both his treasures and the five Huang Yuan Grass plants between our two factions?”

After a brief pause, Zheng Xian, under his uncle’s instruction, transmitted his voice to Wei Tu, proposing how to divide the spoils.

Wei Tu was momentarily surprised. He hadn’t expected Zheng Xian and his uncle to so easily decide to kill Gu Xuan, a Foundation Establishment cultivator from one of the Three Great Immortal Sects.

After all, Golden Core families were always inferior to the Three Great Immortal Sects.

Wei Tu understood that Zheng Xian was trying to persuade him to convince Qin Zhenren to accept this plan.

Without hesitation, Wei Tu relayed Zheng Xian’s words to Qin Zhenren.

“Sit back and watch the tigers fight,” Qin Zhenren chuckled softly, giving Wei Tu this cryptic response.

As Wei Tu puzzled over her meaning—

Suddenly, the gravely injured Gu Xuan’s expression turned vicious. He summoned a needle-shaped talisman treasure, which shot forward at twice the speed of the female spider’s Innate Spider Silk.

Neither Zheng Xian nor his uncle had anticipated that Gu Xuan would strike first.

Zheng Xian’s face turned pale, his body trembling as he instinctively retreated. In his panic, he forgot to summon his defensive artifact.

“No! Uncle, save me!”

Zheng Xian screamed in terror as the needle-shaped talisman treasure streaked towards him.

But he was too slow.

After barely escaping ten meters, the talisman pierced through his skull, exploding his head like a fragile doll.

His body tumbled from the air, collapsing lifelessly onto the ground.

“Xian’er!”

His uncle gasped, stunned by what had just happened.

Roaring in fury, he cursed Gu Xuan’s treachery, activating his artifact in an attempt to flee.

At this moment, with his keen insight, he could clearly see that Qin Zhenren, Wei Tu, and the others had sided with Gu Xuan, abandoning him and Zheng Xian.

However—

The power of the talisman treasure was beyond what Zheng Xian’s uncle could withstand. Within just a few exchanges, he met the same fate as Zheng Xian, his body obliterated, his soul dispersed.

Having witnessed everything unfold, Wei Tu finally understood why Qin Zhenren had advised them to “watch the tigers fight from the mountain”.

She must have known that Gu Xuan was not someone to be trifled with, that he had a needle-shaped talisman treasure—a powerful trump card. This was why she refused to ally with Zheng Xian and his uncle to kill Gu Xuan and split his possessions.

“Daoist Gu…”

“This battle left you gravely wounded, yet your contributions in eliminating the Flying Fox Demon Spiders were the greatest. Among these five Huang Yuan Grass plants, you rightfully deserve two.”

Qin Zhenren spoke at the right moment.

After that, she motioned for Wei Tu and Kou Hongying to step back a mile away, allowing Gu Xuan to claim his share of the Huang Yuan Grass first.

“I hope Daoist Qin won’t be as treacherous as those Zheng Clan cultivators.”

“Otherwise… my talisman treasure won’t hesitate to strike.”

Gu Xuan’s gaze flickered with cold intent as he locked eyes with Wei Tu’s group, his tone chilling.

After all, using the talisman treasure had already drained nearly seventy percent of his spiritual power. He couldn’t afford to engage in another battle.

Even if he were to push himself to the limit and somehow kill all three of them, he wouldn’t have the strength to escape afterward.

Moments later.

Under the watchful eyes of Wei Tu’s group, Gu Xuan slowly used his remaining spiritual energy to reattach his severed body. Then, he approached the Huang Yuan Grass, picked two of the plants, and swiftly departed.

Only after Gu Xuan was completely out of sight did Qin Zhenren lead Wei Tu and Kou Hongying forward to collect the remaining three Huang Yuan Grass plants.

“One for each of us.”

Qin Zhenren allocated the shares.

Although she had done most of the work, the three remaining plants could be distributed evenly without causing unnecessary conflict within their small group.

Moreover.

The only outsider here was Wei Tu.

If she took two plants for herself, it was only right to give Wei Tu one as well.

As for Kou Hongying, she was her disciple.

No matter how one looked at it, it was only proper to give her a share as well.

“Gu Xuan is cunning. He didn’t take everything. He only took Zheng Xian’s storage pouch, leaving behind the two demon beast corpses and Zheng Xian’s uncle’s storage pouch for us.”

As she picked up Zheng Xian’s uncle’s storage pouch, Kou Hongying smirked in amusement.

“I only need the male spider’s demonic core and the female spider’s corpse. You two can split the rest.”

Wei Tu spoke up, deliberately giving up his share of the other treasures.

Throughout the entire battle, much like Gu Xuan, he had only used his regular combat abilities, never revealing his true trump cards.

Thus, being able to obtain Huang Yuan Grass at all was already thanks to Qin Zhenren. He didn’t want to overreach by demanding a share of Zheng Xian’s uncle’s inheritance, as that would only draw resentment.

Additionally.

The Xuefeng Zheng Clan and the Heshan Huang Clan were allied—if he took their treasures, he risked trouble once he left Cloud Ze Secret Realm and the Zheng Clan’s Golden Core patriarch found out.

Most importantly.

The male spider’s demonic core wasn’t a bad prize. If it contained Innate Spider Silk like the female spider’s, he could refine it, combining it with his Yuan Gravity Law Seal to create another deadly trump card.

“It’s a pleasure working with you, Daoist Wei.”

Seeing his actions, Qin Zhenren smiled in approval.

Although Flying Fox Demon Spiders’ Innate Spider Silk was valuable, at best, it was only equivalent to a mid-tier Second Rank artifact.

The reason the female spider’s silk had gravely injured Gu Xuan was that the spider had wielded it itself. Once refined by a cultivator, it lost much of its lethal power, retaining only its toughness.

After clearing the battlefield, the group found a secluded place and began meditating to recover their strength.

During this time.

Wei Tu extracted the Innate Spider Silk from the male spider’s demonic core, refining it into a personal artifact.

Half a month later.

The three set off again, heading toward the next location recorded in their jade slips, hoping to find another Golden Core spiritual herb.

But this time, they came too late—by the time they arrived, the treasure had already been taken.

“Something is off.”

Suddenly, Wei Tu stopped in his tracks and called out to Qin Zhenren and Kou Hongying, his expression darkening.

“What’s wrong?”

Qin Zhenren raised an eyebrow and summoned her artifact, scanning their surroundings cautiously.

“No, it’s not an ambush.”

Wei Tu shook his head.

With Wind-Cleaving Eagle patrolling the skies, the chances of falling into a trap were slim.

The Seven-Colored Phantom Moth was simply an exception.

“Then what is it?”

Qin Zhenren and Kou Hongying exchanged glances.

After spending over a month with Wei Tu, Qin Zhenren had a solid grasp of his personality. She knew he was cautious and level-headed, not someone who would make baseless claims.

“Doesn’t something seem strange to you?”

Wei Tu took a deep breath before speaking:

“We’ve been in the core region for quite a while now. We’ve encountered various factions, yet… not a single member of the Chisong Jia Clan.”

“The Chisong Jia Clan only sent six people, but it’s been this long, and we haven’t seen even one of them?”

Hearing this.

Both Qin Zhenren and Kou Hongying frowned deeply.

“Now that you mention it… I haven’t seen any of them since entering the core region either.”

“Same here.”

The two nodded in agreement.

“Could they have skipped the seven outer spiritual sites and gone directly into the deeper core region?” Kou Hongying guessed.

“Impossible.”

Qin Zhenren rejected the idea without hesitation.

While the inner core region had better treasures, the Chisong Jia Clan was merely a Golden Core family. They wouldn’t recklessly risk their lineage for dangerous gains.

Even the Three Great Immortal Sects only occasionally sent cultivators deep into the core region.

For a Golden Core family, stability and safety always took priority.

“And then there’s Si Qing…”

Wei Tu narrowed his eyes.

“Si Qing is a Second Rank formation master. Based on Qin Zhenren’s judgment, she’s part of the Heavenly Maiden Sect, meaning she’s a demonic cultivator…”

“Why would she suddenly slaughter Heshan Huang Clan cultivators? If it was simply to steal treasures, that doesn’t make sense—once she leaves Cloud Ze Secret Realm, she’ll be hunted down by the Huang Clan’s Golden Core patriarch.”

“So the real reason she killed them… must be because she wanted to take their intelligence on Cloud Ze Secret Realm.”

Wei Tu paused for a moment before continuing, “These two suspicious points together make me suspect that the Chisong Jia Clan and Si Qing have a hidden agenda in Cloud Ze Secret Realm.”

“You’re saying that Si Qing and Chisong Jia Clan are working together? Or rather, that Chisong Jia Clan has allied with Heavenly Maiden Sect?” Qin Zhenren keenly grasped the implications of Wei Tu’s words and summed it up.

“I can’t say for sure.”

Wei Tu shook his head.

Unlike Qin Zhenren and Kou Hongying, he had promised to cooperate with Qiyue Zhao Clan, so he had been paying close attention to Chisong Jia Clan.

That was how he noticed this anomaly.

But… he still wasn’t completely certain if these two suspicious points were actually connected.

“We should leave the core region and search in the inner and outer regions first.”

After thinking for a moment, Qin Zhenren looked at Wei Tu and Kou Hongying, making her decision.

Cloud Ze Secret Realm would remain open for three years.

Right now, only half a year had passed—there were still two and a half years left, plenty of time to explore the core region later.

There was no need to rush.

If their suspicions were correct and Si Qing and Chisong Jia Clan were up to something, uncovering their plan could be far more valuable than obtaining a few Golden Core spiritual herbs.

As for the risk—

Everyone here was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and with Wind-Cleaving Eagle providing early warnings, even if they were at a disadvantage, escaping unharmed wouldn’t be difficult.

“I think we should first form an alliance with Qiyue Zhao Clan and Heshan Huang Clan—that would be the safest approach.”

Wei Tu suggested.

A larger group would mean sharing the spoils, but it would also reduce the danger.

“Let’s establish an alliance first.” Qin Zhenren nodded, agreeing with Wei Tu’s plan.

With their decision made.

Wei Tu ordered Wind-Cleaving Eagle to start searching for Qiyue Zhao Clan and Heshan Huang Clan cultivators.

A few days later.

Wind-Cleaving Eagle found Qiyue Zhao Clan’s group.

Like most factions, Qiyue Zhao Clan had only four people left—the other two had perished in battles in the inner and core regions.

“Wind-Cleaving Eagle?”

Upon seeing the familiar spirit beast, Zhao Qingluo was visibly shaken. Her gaze toward Wei Tu became complicated.

She had never expected that the cultivator she had once been intimate with—the one who had saved her life—was actually Wei Tu.

But that emotion vanished from her eyes almost instantly.

In just half a breath, Zhao Qingluo had returned to her usual calm expression.

Although her reaction surprised Wei Tu, he quickly understood.

That incident had been seventy years ago, and besides, Wind-Cleaving Eagle had advanced in cultivation recently.

It was only natural that Zhao Qingluo hadn’t recognized Wind-Cleaving Eagle’s true identity.

Putting aside his emotions, Wei Tu explained his suspicions about Chisong Jia Clan and Si Qing to Qiyue Zhao Clan’s cultivators.

Hearing his analysis.

The Zhao Clan cultivators nodded in agreement, stating that they too had not seen a single Chisong Jia Clan cultivator since entering Cloud Ze Secret Realm.

“Let’s find Jia Clan cultivators first.”

The two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators of Zhao Clan exchanged a glance before nodding in agreement.

Opportunities for Golden Core breakthroughs could always be found elsewhere.

Zheng Kingdom had other secret realms, not just Cloud Ze Secret Realm—there were still other chances to obtain Golden Core resources.

But the threat posed by Chisong Jia Clan was immediate—if given the chance, they wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate Zhao Clan cultivators.

After reorganizing their forces.

Wei Tu and Qiyue Zhao Clan joined forces to search the inner and outer regions for Chisong Jia Clan cultivators.

Like Wei Tu, Qiyue Zhao Clan also had a flying spirit beast, a Flame-Winged Sparrow.

—The Flame-Winged Sparrow, like Wind-Cleaving Eagle, was at the early Foundation Establishment stage. It had clearly advanced after entering Cloud Ze Secret Realm.

As the search continued, Wei Tu’s expression gradually darkened.

Because along the way, he hadn’t encountered a single Heshan Huang Clan cultivator.

Other than Huang Changkong and Huang Wenqing, the remaining five Huang Clan cultivators had completely vanished, as if they had been wiped out.

“We found them!”

In the fifth month of searching.

Qiyue Zhao Clan sent a talisman message to Wei Tu, informing him that they had discovered traces of Chisong Jia Clan cultivators in a valley near Red Leaf River, an inner region spiritual site in Cloud Ze Secret Realm.

Five days later.

All the cultivators gathered.

“As Daoist Wei predicted, Si Qing really is working with Chisong Jia Clan. It seems Chisong Jia Clan truly has colluded with demonic cultivators…”

The Zhao Clan elder, Zhao Pengzong, chuckled, his face relaxed as he turned to Wei Tu.

With solid evidence that Chisong Jia Clan had allied with the demonic sect Heavenly Maiden Sect—

No matter how strong Chisong Jia Clan was, they would still face total annihilation by the Three Great Immortal Sects.

Just uncovering this one secret made their journey to Cloud Ze Secret Realm worthwhile.

“Brother Pengzong, can you identify what Si Qing is setting up in that valley?”

Wei Tu asked.

From Wind-Cleaving Eagle’s aerial reconnaissance, Si Qing seemed to be setting up a formation, while Chisong Jia Clan cultivators stood guard.

“I’m not sure.”

Zhao Pengzong shook his head.

“No need to overthink it. We have seven people, plus two Second Rank flying spirit beasts—we can just launch a direct assault.”

From his perspective, Zhao Clan had two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, and together with Qin Zhenren, that made three.

On the other side, Chisong Jia Clan only had two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Their strength outmatched the enemy’s.

“Let’s wait for now.”

Wei Tu shook his head—he wasn’t as optimistic as Zhao Pengzong.

“That’s… Huang Caiyu?”

Suddenly, Zhao Pengzong exclaimed in shock, staring at the image projected by the Flame-Winged Sparrow.

There, on a hexagonal array platform, Huang Caiyu was bound tightly. Her wrists and ankles had been slit open, and her fresh blood was flowing into the grooves of the formation.

As the blood seeped into the formation—

An ancient bronze mirror atop the platform radiated five-colored light, revealing a pale yellow barrier.

Beyond that barrier, in the depths of the light, loomed a majestic stone palace.

Three large characters were inscribed on the plaque above its entrance:

“Nanhua Sect”

“An Ancient Immortal Sect—Nanhua Sect?”

The cultivators gasped in shock.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep