Jian Dan heard the report, her lips curling into a faint smile as she accepted the jade slip.
"Not bad. With this blood sac destroyed by the Yin Yang Gate, we've now eliminated seven in total. I want to see how many more he has left. Once his supply is cut off, we'll see if he dares show himself."
After reading the contents of the slip, Jian Dan raised a brow and asked Wei Zhengrong, "This Fairy Yanyan who made the first merit… is she Du Yanran?"
"Yes."
Jian Dan set the jade slip back on the desk and instructed, "Send someone to find out which cultivators the Yin Yang Gate sent to our sect for the succession ceremony this time. Check whether this newly risen Du Yanran Jūnshàng is among them."
Wei Zhengrong sensed that the Zūnshàng's tone was unusual and immediately took his leave to make arrangements.
Inwardly, Jian Dan sneered. Du Yanran bore a heart demon she herself had planted. With such a loose and unstable cultivation base, for her to reach Divine Transformation meant she must have used some underhanded method. What was more troubling was that she had actually uncovered the blood sac, which made Jian Dan think deeper.
Not long after, Wei Zhengrong returned with his report. "This time, the Yin Yang Gate did not send Du Yanran."
"I knew it."
Jian Dan's voice was certain as she gave another order. "Go to the Hua Family's intelligence point. Pull up all records on Du Yanran from the last fifty years."
"Yes, Zūnshàng."
Before entering seclusion, Jian Sheng had given Wei Zhengrong permission to request certain intelligence from the Hua Family's Information Pavilion, a privilege granted only because of the Zūnshàng.
Inside the grand hall, Qi Hua and Jin Liuli exchanged glances. It seemed this Du Yanran from the Yin Yang Gate was someone the Zūnshàng had her eyes on, and they quietly took note of it.
A guard entered to report, "Zūnshàng, Meng Zhonglun from the Operations Hall requests an audience."
"Let him in."
Jian Dan recalled that Meng Zhonglun had been among the first batch sent into the mortal realm to track down evil cultivators. He had nearly been possessed, which was why she had specifically instructed Jian Wu to return to the sect immediately, while the Operations Hall sent another Nascent Soul cultivator to fill his place.
Meng Zhonglun stepped into the Enforcement Hall, bowing respectfully. "Meng Zhonglun greets the Jian Lu Zūnshàng."
"Sit. There's no need for formality."
Jian Dan waved a hand. As he sat down, her divine sense swept over him, noting that his cultivation had fallen badly, and still showed signs of decline. Clearly, he had taken a heavy loss.
Noticing the prayer beads on his wrist, Jian Dan recognized them as something Jian Wu had given him in case of possession, a precaution against the tricks of evil cultivators.
"Zhong Lun, your cultivation has dropped sharply, and it's still falling. What happened?"
Meng Zhonglun cupped his fists and replied, "Zūnshàng's insight is keen. When the evil cultivator tried to possess me, his Primordial Soul entered my sea of consciousness. During the struggle, the demonic taint on his soul kept trying to corrupt my own.
In the end, I only survived thanks to Jian Wu Jūnshàng's Buddhist artifact beads, which allowed me to devour his Primordial Soul. But I cannot purge the demonic taint. It is still eroding my soul and sea of consciousness. I fear…"
He trailed off. The moment Jian Wu ordered him back, he had rushed for the sect without pause. He could feel the taint like maggots eating into bone, staining his Primordial Soul bit by bit. In time, he would inevitably fall into demonic cultivation, something he could not accept.
Jian Dan nodded slightly, now understanding the situation. "Do not resist. I need to send in a strand of spiritual power to examine you in detail so I can prescribe the right treatment."
"I'll trouble you, Zūnshàng."
Raising her hand, Jian Dan released a strand of chaotic spiritual power, laced with specks of golden merit light, threading it into Meng Zhonglun's wrist.
The moment it entered his meridians and met the lingering evil taint, it pounced like a tiger descending the mountain, dissolving the corruption in an instant. With a twist of her wrist, the chaotic spiritual power branched out like growing roots, flooding through his meridians and cleansing every trace of remaining taint.
Meng Zhonglun trembled violently and collapsed to the floor. Sweat streamed down his face as he endured the sharp pain, forcing himself into a cross-legged posture with eyes shut, not daring to circulate his own power for fear of hindering her work.
Finally, the chaotic power dove into his sea of consciousness. His Primordial Soul instinctively took the form of a sphere of light. Warm golden radiance filled his mind, bringing exquisite relief.
A sharp, thin scream echoed inside as a wisp of black smoke burst apart, but before it could escape, the merit-laced chaos power swept it clean away.
With another flick of her wrist, Jian Dan drew the chaotic energy back.
Everyone in the hall could feel the change. Black smoke carrying a rancid stench seeped from Meng Zhonglun's body, followed by a layer of black impurities pushed out through his skin.
Qi Hua and Jin Liuli watched as the Zūnshàng withdrew her hand and gestured for them to approach.
"Zūnshàng, your orders?"
"Liu Li, prepare a cup of spirit tea for Xiao Meng."
"Qi Hua, give Meng Zhonglun a jade medallion for entry into the Advancement Hall."
"Yes, Zūnshàng."
They went to carry out her instructions.
Opening his eyes at last, Meng Zhonglun felt lighter than he had in weeks. The constant gnawing of the taint was gone. Breathing out in relief, he quickly cast a Dust-Cleansing Technique, then rose to bow deeply. "Thank you, Zūnshàng, for removing the corruption from me."
"There's no need for such formality. You suffered this tribulation while carrying out the sect's mission."
Jin Liuli returned with the tea, smiling. "This was ordered by the Zūnshàng. Drink it to stabilize your qi."
"My thanks, Jūnshàng."
He had no spiritual power left in his meridians and could not even fly his sword, so the tea was a welcome aid.
By the time he drained the cup, Qi Hua had returned with the jade medallion.
"Zhong Lun, I recalled you not only because of the risk of possession, but also to learn what you know of this evil cultivator's origins. Can you speak now?"
"Yes, Zūnshàng. After devouring his Primordial Soul, I gleaned fragments of his memory. He was a Loose Cultivator who struggled for years in the cultivation world. During one conflict over resources, his teammates struck him down into the sea. Gravely wounded, he thought he would die, but a hidden current swept him into a submerged cavern.
The rest is hazy, but it seems he obtained a set of evil cultivation arts, sustaining himself through repeated possession. Yet the more often he possessed others, the shorter each new body lasted. Before targeting me, the body he wore had only held out for fifty years."
Jian Dan's mind raced as she listened. "That stretch of sea where he fell—do you remember it? Could you mark it?"
Meng Zhonglun frowned in thought. "It should be near the Cloud Sea Sect. I'd need to check a sea chart to be certain."
Jian Dan nodded and turned to Qi Hua. "Bring him the map of the ancient cultivator's estate."
Qi Hua understood, handing over the map and projecting a three-dimensional sea chart.
Meng Zhonglun scanned it with his divine sense, pointing to a spot. "This is about eighty percent like the place in his memory."
It lay on the very outskirts of the Cloud Sea Sect's domain, right against an area of treacherous undercurrents.
Jian Dan gave a slow nod, her mind settling on a conclusion. She smiled slightly. "I've removed the taint. Go to the Advancement Hall and restore your cultivation. I look forward to seeing you rise higher."
"Zūnshàng's care is deeply appreciated. I won't disappoint. I hope my clues aid you. I'll restore my realm quickly so I can return to serve the Law Enforcement Hall."