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Translator: CinderTL
Anmu City, located in the southern part of the Southern Nether Continent, lay approximately 300,000 li from the Primordial Qi Death Zone. Though considered a frontier city, it was still quite sizable.
The Bao Clan, who governed the city, boasted five Void Refinement Stage cultivators and held considerable power in the region.
Song Wen traveled tirelessly for over a month, finally arriving at Anmu City from Thousand Blades City.
To avoid drawing attention, he assumed the Incarnation of an early-stage Divine Transformation cultivator before entering the city.
After spending a few mid-grade spirit stones to gather information from two low-level rogue cultivators selling wares at street stalls, Song Wen entered a small shop at the end of the street.
The shop was modest, with no attendants or customers, only an elderly man with a golden core cultivation base sitting behind the counter.
"What intelligence does the guest seek?" the old man asked, his cloudy eyes glancing briefly at Song Wen before returning to their original position. He showed neither enthusiasm for the customer nor any respect for a senior expert.
"I heard that several corpse cultivators visited this city a few months ago," Song Wen stated directly. "Do you have any information about them?"
The old man shook his head. "No."
Song Wen wasted no time and turned to leave the shop.
After winding through several streets and alleys, he arrived at another intelligence shop.
Yet, after visiting five such establishments, he still hadn't uncovered a single clue.
Standing on the bustling street, Song Wen frowned slightly.
After a moment's contemplation, he glanced back at the shop he had just left, sensing something amiss.
News of Six Fiends Hall cultivators operating in Anmu City had reached Thousand Blades City, even Duan Qingwan knew about it. How could the local intelligence shops remain completely ignorant?
A cold smile curled at the corner of Song Wen's lips.
"It seems someone is deliberately concealing the movements of the Six Fiends Hall corpse cultivators!"
Song Wen slowly ascended into the air, his gaze fixed on the mountain range dozens of miles east of the city—the territory of the Bao Clan.
"Perhaps I should pay a visit to the master of this domain."
Just as Song Wen was pondering how to meet the Bao Clan's Void Refinement Ancestors without alerting the Six Fiends Hall corpse cultivators, three figures suddenly flew toward him from the distance: two men and a woman, all at the Divine Transformation Stage.
The woman, in particular, had reached the peak of the Divine Transformation Stage.
"Li Tu, you cultivate evil arts, slaughter countless mortals, your hands stained with blood, your sins beyond measure! How dare you appear openly in Bao Clan territory!"
The woman's face was exquisite, her figure slender, her voice resonant and each word ringing with righteous indignation. Her dignified bearing and unwavering gaze inspired an inexplicable trust in her words.
Cultivators flying through the air nearby scattered like startled birds at the sight of this confrontation.
"Li Tu?" Song Wen murmured, momentarily taken aback.
The woman seemed to be addressing him.
But... he didn't recall ever using that name.
Song Wen narrowed his eyes, a playful smile flickering across his lips.
The Bao Clan had long been accustomed to fabricating accusations against him. Such hypocritical tactics were common among orthodox cultivators, used to maintain their facade of righteousness.
"But why would the Bao Clan target me? Could it be because I inquired about the Six Fiends Hall's corpse cultivators?"
With this thought, Song Wen glanced down at the city below, his gaze sweeping over the shops he had visited earlier. Someone among them must have informed the Bao Clan.
The Bao Clan's connection to the Six Fiends Hall ran deeper than he had anticipated.
Otherwise, they wouldn't be so eager to eliminate this potential threat to the Six Fiends Hall's operations.
This situation, however, conveniently provided him with an opportunity to meet the Bao Clan's Void Refinement Stage cultivator.
"Fellow Daoist, you must have mistaken me for someone else. I go by the name Wen Xuan, not Li Tu," Song Wen said with an innocent expression.
"Li Tu! Stop your lies! A dignified Divine Transformation Stage cultivator like you should have the courage to own up to your actions!" the beautiful woman rebuked sharply.
Instead of attacking directly, she and the two men flanking her dispersed, forming a circle around Song Wen.
"I truly am not Li Tu," Song Wen insisted.
By now, the trio had closed in, completely blocking Song Wen's escape routes. An ordinary early-stage Divine Transformation cultivator would have no chance of breaking through their encirclement.
"Are you absolutely certain you're not Li Tu?"
The beautiful woman scrutinized Song Wen suspiciously, but a hint of amusement flickered in her eyes.
This fool actually believes we're here to capture some 'Li Tu' character.
She herself had no idea who this 'Li Tu' was—perhaps the person didn't even exist. The name was merely something she had fabricated on the spot.
Still, this worked out perfectly. Since the target was so eager to prove his identity, they could use this pretext to bring him back to the Bao Clan without causing a scene in the city, which would inevitably lead to collateral damage.
"Of course not," Song Wen replied with unwavering sincerity.
"The massacre of mortals by Li Tu was discovered by Bao Tianming, one of the five Ancestors of the Bao Clan," the beautiful woman said. "Ancestor Bao Tianming swore to eradicate Li Tu and restore righteousness to heaven and earth. He disseminated Li Tu's appearance and aura throughout the Bao Clan, and you bear a striking resemblance to him. If you claim not to be Li Tu, do you dare accompany me to the Bao Clan and confront Ancestor Bao Tianming face-to-face?"
"I walk upright and sit straight—what have I to fear?" Song Wen's voice rang with conviction.
"If that is the case, then come with me."
The beautiful woman exchanged a glance with the two men beside her before turning and flying toward the Bao Clan's stronghold.
Without hesitation, Song Wen followed closely behind.
The two men flanked Song Wen, positioning themselves on either side.
"Fellow Daoist, I haven't yet had the honor of learning your esteemed name," Song Wen inquired.
"Bao Rong," the beautiful woman replied without turning her head.
"So you are Immortal Maiden Bao Rong. This humble one offers his respects," Song Wen said, clasping his hands in a formal greeting.
"Fellow Daoist Wen, rest assured," Bao Rong said, taking over the conversation. "If you truly aren't Li Tu, the Bao Clan will ensure you receive justice, and I will personally apologize to you."
As she spoke, the four of them had already passed through the Bao Clan's mountain gate and arrived deep within the clan's territory, landing before a pavilion perched atop the mountain peak.
Entering the pavilion's main gate, they were greeted by a spacious chamber furnished with lavish decor.
At the center of the room stood a stone couch.
A middle-aged man sat cross-legged on the couch, his eyes closed in meditation.
"Reporting to the Ancestor, we have brought the person," Bao Rong said, bowing deeply.
The middle-aged man's eyes snapped open, his gaze falling indifferently on Song Wen. He asked casually, "What is your identity? And why are you investigating the corpse cultivators of the Six Fiends Hall?"
"May I ask how I should address you?" Song Wen countered, refusing to answer directly.
Before the man could reply, Bao Rong, standing in front of Song Wen, turned around and rebuked him angrily.
"This is Ancestor Bao Tianming! Answer his questions properly!"
(End of the Chapter)
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