"What exactly are you hiding from us?!" Song Luzhou growled under his breath, his bloodshot eyes locked onto Song Xianyun as a wounded beast cornered.
Song Changsheng was startled. It was the first time he had ever seen Song Luzhou speak to the Grand Elder in such a manner. Could he be hiding something from the rest of us?
His gaze shifted to Song Xianyun's face, where he saw nothing but pain. The elder slowly said, "After the clan council that day, Luoyao came to see me."
"What did she say?" Song Luzhou asked urgently.
"That day, she told me that although her main mission was to bid for the Foundation Establishment Pill for Changsheng, she had another goal"
"What goal?" Luzhou interrupted.
"To lure the snake out of its hole."
....
Right after the clan council…
Song Luoyao quietly arrived at Song Xianyun's residence. Seeing that she had come in secret, Song Xianyun frowned. "What are you doing sneaking around like this?"
"There are spies and traitors within the clan. I have to be careful," Song Luoyao replied calmly.
"You have some idea who the traitor is?" The existence of a traitor wasn't exactly a secret among the upper ranks. As the one in charge of clan affairs, Song Xianyun took the matter very seriously.
Unfortunately, the traitor was deeply hidden. Over all these years, they had never left a solid trace. It had long been a thorn in Song Xianyun's side.
Song Luoyao shook her head, her voice cold. "He's hidden himself extremely well. Even after all my efforts, I've only found a few vague clues. It'll still take time to be sure."
"Then what are you saying?" Song Xianyun was now confused.
"I plan to lure him out," she said.
"Lure him out?"
Luoyao nodded and sneered, "This trip to Luoxia City to bid for the Foundation Establishment Pill is the perfect opportunity. I'm certain the traitor is a high-ranking member of the clan. The contents of today's council meeting will likely be leaked soon.
"To our enemies lurking in the shadows, this is a prime opportunity a chance to kill me.
"From their perspective, taking me out would not only crush the clan's morale and gain them a Foundation Establishment Pill, but more importantly, it would cripple our intelligence network.
"It's a win on all fronts. Tell me could anyone resist such temptation?"
Song Xianyun was shocked. He quickly protested, "That means your journey will be extremely dangerous! No, not. This is far too risky I won't allow it."
"Twenty-first Uncle, you know the saying: 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained.' Right now, the clan is exposed while the traitor hides in the dark. We're at a serious disadvantage.
"We must give him a chance to act. Only when he makes a move can he reveal himself. That's the only way we can rip this poisonous thorn out once and for all."
She spoke with such calm detachment as if this wasn't even about her life.
Song Xianyun wavered, falling into deep thought. After a while, he raised his head and shook it. "Still too dangerous. Have you considered that if he does strike, he'll do so with full force? You could die."
"My life won't be taken so easily. With the clan's cooperation, I'm confident we can turn the tables," Song Luoyao said with complete certainty.
Song Xianyun took a deep breath and asked, "What's your plan?"
From her sleeve, Song Luoyao took out a jade token. Injecting a bit of spiritual energy, she projected a translucent map into the air between them.
"From the clan to Luoxia City, this is the fastest route. Along this path, there's only one ideal location for an ambush. The enemy will almost certainly strike there.
"So I'd like to agree on a time with you. When that moment arrives, you and Luhuai will lead your team down the mountain to that location and surround them from behind!"
Her finger stabbed at a point on the map as she spoke, her voice resolute.
Song Xianyun frowned. "But if we all descend the mountain, we won't be able to keep our movements hidden. What if the Earthfire Sect uses this chance to invade?"
"Who says we need to hide our movements?" Luoyao responded. "Go openly and let as many people see you as possible."
Seeing his confusion, she patiently explained, "After the last battle, the clan leader's reputation still holds. As long as he remains on Cangmang Peak, Earthfire Sect won't dare act rashly.
"Yes, he's injured and can't fight, but Chang Wudao doesn't know that. He might have his suspicions, but as long as you move openly, those suspicions will vanish.
"It's simple Chang Wudao is a paranoid man. If we act boldly and openly, it gives the impression that we have nothing to fear, and that will make him hesitate.
"But if we try to be secretive, that will only confirm his doubts, and then war will be inevitable."
Song Xianyun suddenly came to a realization Song Luoyao had thought everything through. If things truly unfolded as she planned, there was indeed a strong chance of success.
Even so, a heavy sense of unease still lingered in his heart. Luoyao's plan was tightly interwoven, each step dependent on the next. If even one part went wrong, the consequences would be irreversible.
"Twenty-first Uncle, this is our best chance. If we miss it, there won't be another. Before I leave, I'll make all the necessary arrangements. Even if I die" she looked straight into Song Xianyun's eyes, unwavering "that traitor will die with me."
Song Xianyun stared at her in a daze. The little girl who used to never smile had now grown into someone who faced death without fear...
In the end, Song Luoyao got what she wanted to become the bait.
"Sigh... it's all my fault. I should have stopped her," Song Xianyun said, his aged eyes welling with tears, his heart full of guilt.
After hearing his account, everyone fell silent. None of them had expected that so much thought and sacrifice lay behind what had happened.
After a long silence, Song Changsheng finally spoke up. "Ninth Aunt planned everything so meticulously. Then… how did she end up so badly injured?"
Song Luzhou's eyes burned with rage. He spoke through gritted teeth, "Everything was going smoothly. Every step had been anticipated by Ninth Sister. But she miscalculated one thing the ambush didn't come from the Earthfire Sect, but from the Lieyang Sect. They were working together!
"Three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Lieyang Sect set the trap, and one of them was a Tier-2 high-grade formation master. Ninth Sister was caught in a formation the moment the fight began. We waited at the agreed ambush site for her, but she never arrived. By the time we realized something was wrong…"
He didn't finish the sentence.
No one had expected the enemy to go to such lengths. Everyone felt sick at heart. Though Song Luoyao had survived thanks to the pills Luzhou gave her, her legs were beyond saving.
There are many methods for regenerating limbs but the Song Clan didn't possess any of them. In other words, Song Luoyao would spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.
For a Foundation Establishment cultivator, that was a fate crueler than death.
"They all deserve to die!" Song Changsheng roared, hatred for the Earthfire Sect and Lieyang Sect flaring even brighter in his heart. He wanted nothing more than to wipe them out completely.
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