The brilliance of the "Trickster Flashstrike" faded away.
The chaotic power of the Rules and the dazed souls caused by the Sword Intent, as well as the "Ten Precepts" of desire triggered by the High-Grade Dharma Treasure, the Soul-Enrapturing Heart-Unraveling Bell, were finally dispelled from the crowd.
The first thing that met their eyes was Li Yaozu suppressing Heavenly Lord Ning'an in an instant.
Everyone present—even Ling Xu, who was hiding in the void, and the four Stitched Beasts—ceased their hostilities.
Ling Xu revealed his true form.
The Void Refinement Space was filled with Monster Qi; this Ling Xu, one of the Four Great Titans of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, turned out to be a multicolored falcon!
However, at this moment, everyone gazed at Li Yaozu with vigilance, their hearts filled with both dread and a sense of relief.
They asked themselves: if that tightly woven combination of those techniques and Dharma Treasures that Li Yaozu just unleashed had been directed suddenly at any one of them, they would not have been spared either!
"Li Yaozu!"
Even Han Shi of the Sword Pavilion—who had reached the peak of the Void Refinement Realm—took a few steps back from Li Yaozu.
His long sword, which had remained sheathed even when facing Ling Xu, was now unsheathed.
He gazed intently at Li Yaozu, who currently had Heavenly Lord Ning'an pinned beneath his foot.
However, his long sword was not pointed at Li Yaozu.
His eagle-like eyes cast a seemingly unintentional glance toward the remaining two Heavenly Lords of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary as he spoke:
"I need an explanation."
Left Sword and Right Sword exchanged a glance.
Seeing that the two members of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary were already surging with Spiritual power—ready to unleash their techniques upon Li Yaozu at any moment—they immediately moved to stand beside the two Heavenly Lords.
They stared coldly at this sword genius who had once ascended the Sword Pavilion, while also remaining ready to deal with Ling Xu, who had ceased hostilities.
...
These three old seniors appeared to be facing him with cold hostility, but in reality, they were secretly protecting him.
If not for their interference, Heavenly Lord Jiang of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary would have already struck.
A slight warmth rose in Li Yaozu's heart.
A voice transmission from Sister Fang sounded in his ear: "There are only two sources of killing intent. No need to flee."
Li Yaozu looked down at Heavenly Lord Ning'an.
The man's eyes were filled with panic and confusion.
His mouth had already been sealed by Li Yaozu to prevent him from spouting any desperate pleas for survival.
He had wanted to take down Heavenly Lord Ning'an for a long time.
The chaotic situation just now had undoubtedly been the perfect opportunity.
Just like his sword meant for killing, when the moment arrived, he struck with fatal precision.
He glanced around at the crowd, remained silent for a moment, and then revealed the truth about the Grand Tower.
"Phantasm Ghost was not lying. The reason the news about the Ling Tian Three Corpses was made public is because the Grand Tower betrayed the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems."
"The usual tactic of the members of the Grand Tower is to conceal themselves within various major factions.
Ordinary people have no way of knowing their true identities.
By doing so, they can obtain the 'materials' needed for corpse stitching and use the techniques of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems to strengthen their own bodies."
Li Yaozu glanced at Heavenly Lord Jiang of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary, who was holding a jade vase in his hand.
"Your Heavenly Lord Ning'an is a member of the Grand Tower."
"What evidence do you have?!!"
Heavenly Lord Jiang was seething with killing intent.
In truth, he already believed seventy percent of the accusation, yet he could not bring himself to accept that a member of the Grand Tower had emerged from within his own sect.
If this matter were to spread, the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary would undoubtedly lose all face.
"Why would the Grand Tower betray the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems?
Are they not afraid that the Mountain will expose them in return?"
"I do not know."
Sword cultivators were straightforward and direct.
Li Yaozu shook his head, then cast a glance toward the distant falcon, which was flapping its wings but remaining stationary.
"Sir Ling Xu, it seems you are not familiar with him."
Ling Xu was glaring furiously at the restrained Heavenly Lord Ning'an, his eyes filled with hatred.
His voice was crisp and clear, resembling that of a child.
"Over the past sixty thousand years, passed down through generations, our two factions have only ever engaged in transactions for the sake of security.
We have had very little direct contact.
In every exchange, the Grand Tower provides us with 'materials,' and in return, we trade our techniques with them.
This is the way of survival for both our factions!"
Ling Xu continued,
"The ones who meet with us year-round are merely Divinity Transformation stage cultivators from the Grand Tower.
They take the goods and leave immediately.
We don't even know the true extent of their strength, so how could we possibly betray them?"
"As long as we die, they will remain safe and sound!"
"So it was you! You were the one who led the Immortal Suppression Department to my Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems!!!"
Ling Xu let out a piercing screech, causing everyone to frown deeply.
Observing this, Li Yaozu silently released the restriction on Heavenly Lord Ning'an's mouth.
Heavenly Lord Ning'an had been caught completely off guard, instantly suppressed by Li Yaozu.
With the sword suspended above his head, should it fall, the result would be the death of his body and the dissipation of his Dao.
His heart was filled with endless confusion and unwillingness.
How did Li Yaozu know his identity?
How did he know so many secrets?
He was completely in the dark.
Gazing into Li Yaozu's cold eyes and meeting the suspicious stares of the other two Heavenly Lords of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary, Heavenly Lord Ning'an wore a bitter expression.
He never expected to capsize in a mere gutter like this.
"Spare me!
Imprison me within the Immortal Suppression Department—just let me live out my natural lifespan!
I will tell you everything! Everything!"
"Sigh."
As soon as Heavenly Lord Ning'an spoke, Heavenly Lord Jiang's last shred of hope vanished into thin air.
Fearing that the face of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary was now irretrievably lost, he could only let out a long sigh.
He could no longer find it in himself to blame Li Yaozu. Instead, he was left with nothing but goosebumps.
A traitor had infiltrated the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary; had Li Yaozu not exposed him, Heaven only knew what tragic fate would have befallen the sect in the future.
The group quickly settled the terms with Heavenly Lord Ning'an.
Although Li Yaozu desperately wanted to obtain Heavenly Lord Ning'an's physical body, the Family had been investigating the secrets of the Grand Tower for years, yet knew very little.
Thus, Li Yaozu had no choice but to agree to the arrangement.
Heavenly Lord Ning'an spoke with bitterness:
"Back when I was still a disciple of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary, I encountered a sworn enemy.
Just as I was consumed by resentment, I received unexpected aid.
At the time, I could not ascertain the identity of my benefactor, but later I learned they were from the Grand Tower."
"From that point on, opportunities and treasures came into my possession frequently.
Yet, in the unseen, I had accumulated a debt to them that was far too great.
They began to make me serve them—secretly capturing living humans for them, and at the same time, supplying the Grand Tower with intelligence."
"They started teaching me the Art of Corpse Stitching to strengthen my own body, but that was only one aspect of it..."
Before his voice had even faded, Heavenly Lord Ning'an's face turned a deep crimson.
Blue veins bulged violently all over his body, and the Rules and Spiritual power within him erupted into chaos at that very moment.
Within his Divine Soul, a bloody character for "Dao" suddenly materialized!
In this instant, Heavenly Lord Ning'an's face was filled with terror and absolute despair.
"Save me! Save me! It's the Dao Seed! My Dao Seed!!!"
"Fall back, quickly!"
Heavenly Lord Jiang's expression changed drastically.
The Spiritual power within Heavenly Lord Ning'an's body was surging with terrifying intensity—this was the precursor to an imminent self-destruction!
"Bastard!"
Li Yaozu cursed inwardly and abruptly flashed out of the Void Refinement Space.
Feeling the spatial tremors emanating from the space ahead, he asked in a deep voice, "Sister Fang, did you notice any clues?"
Inside the sword case, Fang Linglong sat atop a floating long sword, her legs crossed casually.
Her skirt was draped to the side, revealing skin as smooth as creamy jade, while her shapely willow brows were knit tight.
"Earlier, when I infused my Spiritual power into his body, I actually failed to detect any anomalies.
Heavenly Lord Ning'an has triggered a Restriction within his body.
What a terrifying Restriction it is—to think that even a Void Refinement cultivator cannot withstand it."
"Dao Seed... Restriction?"
Li Yaozu narrowed his eyes slightly.
"The forces controlled by the Grand Tower have already surpassed what Su Chen knew.
It is best to retrieve the Ling Tian Three Corpses as quickly as possible."
In the distance, the faces of the remaining two members of the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary were completely pale, while the expressions of the three seniors from the Sword Pavilion were even graver.