"Sixty thousand years ago, everyone in our Imperial Dynasty knew Venerable Xuan Er as the supreme figure of the age.
He held the promise of breaking through to the Integration Realm, to the point where even His Majesty ordered the Peerless Hall to go into seclusion.
In an era where true powerhouses were rare, his fame had eclipsed every other figure of the time."
"Venerable Xuan Er's brilliance was simply too blinding. The world knew only the number one, unaware of the number two. And that second person was the son of Min Youguo, Min Tiange."
"Yet, at the critical juncture when Venerable Xuan Er entered seclusion to break through to the Integration Realm, news of his death suddenly spread.
From that day forth, the world was deprived of Venerable Xuan Er.
Mu Xueqing of the Peerless Hall ascended as Hall Master and became Min Tiange's Dao Companion.
Since then, Min Tiange has vanished without a trace, but those with clear eyes know the truth: the fall of Venerable Xuan Er was the work of a vile schemer."
As Zhao Guang recounted the events of the past, Li Yuanshang's expression grew dark.
Su Chen was his Great-Uncle.
He had never imagined that his Great-Uncle possessed such a history in his previous life.
Suppressing the fury burning within him, he asked in a deep voice, "Then what is the connection to the Grand Tower and the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems?"
"Although Min Tiange and Min Youguo were father and son, their natures were poles apart.
Min Youguo was unwaveringly loyal to the Imperial Dynasty, but Min Tiange refused to submit to the Human Emperor.
This was because the entire Min Clan, much like those secluded factions, lived under the suppression of His Majesty."
Zhao Guang continued solemnly,
"A few years after the death of Venerable Xuan Er, Min Tiange disappeared from the public eye.
However, our agents discovered that he had visited both the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower.
Following that, sixty thousand years ago, the three great factions simultaneously went into seclusion.
They vanished without a trace, and their forces disappeared from the world entirely."
"Thirty thousand years ago, there was another faction that nearly fell into ruin. I imagine you are quite familiar with them."
Hearing this, Li Yuanshang frowned, but as Zhao Guang dropped the name, Li Yuanshang's expression turned ghastly.
"Azure Mist Mountain."
Zhao Guang continued,
"Back then, Azure Mist Mountain was like a rising star; it was well on its way to potentially becoming one of the hidden factions.
They possessed a certain object within their sect that allowed them to forge the Eternal Sun Prefecture into an impregnable fortress—every other faction had no choice but to submit.
That object was the Dao Seed. Once a Dao Seed is planted in a person's body, their life and death are completely under control!"
"Azure Mist Mountain was nearly wiped out in a single night. Daoist Baimei was one of the survivors of Azure Mist Mountain.
It was precisely because of that battle that Daoist Baimei became more cautious than any other Void Refining cultivator.
He never revealed his treasures to anyone, hiding them all within Tian Xing's Cave Abode."
"It was only when His Majesty was gravely injured and nearing the end of his lifespan that the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower reappeared in the world—bearing the Dao Seeds."
Zhao Guang sighed.
"We realized then that over these tens of thousands of years, Min Tiange had leveraged Min Youguo's authority and the Min Clan's influence to amass power beyond imagination."
"The Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems was merely a tool Min Tiange used to harvest the power of the Three Corpses.
As for the Grand Tower... the Grand Tower has always delighted in infiltrating major factions. But the Dao Seed allowed the Grand Tower to ascend to a terrifying new height.
Min Tiange, hidden within the Peerless Hall, is the true mastermind behind it all!"
"The Lord Commander believed that Min Tiange already posed a threat to the Imperial Dynasty's safety. That scoundrel might even force Min Youguo into rebellion. We had to clip his wings."
Bam!
Li Yuanshang slammed his hand onto the table. He had heard the stories of his family history long ago.
His distant ancestor had nearly lost his life, and Wang Jinhu's deceased senior brother had been manipulated by the Peerless Hall.
Now, he finally knew exactly who was behind it all!
"What are you doing?" Seeing Li Yuanshang's sudden outburst, Zhao Guang was stunned. Why would a mere merchant be so righteously indignant?
Li Yuanshang waved his hand dismissively.
"It's nothing. Now that the people from the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems have fled, does this mean the Peerless Hall intends to step into the fray themselves?"
"Does Min Tiange dare?" Zhao Guang snorted coldly.
"The moment the Grand Tower appeared, the Lord Commander set his sights on Min Tiange. And it's not just the Lord Commander—even the Grand Tutor won't stand idly by.
Why do you think the Fourth Prince exposed the matter of Ling Tian's Three Corpses to the whole world?
It's likely because Min Tiange went too far. Now that the Three Corpses have been revealed, Fourth Prince almost certainly has the ultimate goal of eradicating Min Tiange!"
The entanglement of these secret factions made the corners of Li Yuanshang's mouth twitch.
The twists and turns involved were no less complex than his own business dealings.
"According to the Lord Commander, that scoundrel Min Tiange is sharp. With the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems exposed, the Grand Tower is no longer a secret."
Zhao Guang sighed. "At a time like this, knowing what to sacrifice is key. Min Tiange will absolutely not leave those Three Corpses behind. Moreover, he won't let the matter rest there!"
"He dispatched a thousand members of the Grand Tower to surround and exterminate the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
The Three Corpses must be in the possession of those Grand Tower agents. However, that bastard Qi Wunian disobeyed orders, so the Grand Tower's forces must have retreated.
I have just received the command—it is time for me to lead my men to eradicate them."
Li Yuanshang tapped his fingers lightly against the table.
Zhao Guang frowned as he picked up the brocade box. "That is all I know. If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."
"Wait."
Just as Zhao Guang rose to leave, Li Yuanshang stopped him, his voice turning grim.
"I want the location of those thousand people."
"What do you need the location of the Grand Tower's people for?" Zhao Guang scoffed.
"Don't tell me your Li Clan intends to take them down and seize those Three Corpses..."
But before he could finish his sentence, Zhao Guang's voice trailed off into silence.
The fat man sitting before him looked dead serious!
"You... you must be joking, right? The Grand Tower has at least seven or eight Void Refining cultivators. They might even have Integration Realm experts!"
"I will absolutely not assist your Li Clan in this. Don't even think about it!"