Chapter 2 - The Profound Vein Detector: Unmasking the Truth in Public

The moment the enforcement disciples burst through the door, the chaos in the bedroom was laid bare for all to see—the amber wine on the floor still glimmered faintly, the Profound Vein Detector shone pitch-black as it wisped thin smoke, and sparks from Xiao Jingyuan's sword still clung to the bronze golem's giant axes.The leading enforcement disciple, Zhao Lei, was the Vice-Steward of the Enforcement Hall. Having reached the Mid-Stage of the Tongxuan Realm, he was renowned for his impartiality and strictness. His gaze swept over the room, finally settling on Ling Chen, and he spoke in a solemn tone: "Young Sect Master, we heard the clash of weapons just now, and saw someone escape through the window. What exactly happened here?"Ling Chen pointed to the wine and the detector on the floor, his voice calm: "Xiao Jingyuan brought this jug of 'Vein-Stabilizing Wine,' but he laced it with Vein-Dissolving Powder. When I saw through his trick, he pulled out a secret letter and admitted colluding with the demons. He even drew his sword to kill me—my activated Sect-Protecting Golem stopped him, and he fled through the window in the end.""Vein-Dissolving Powder? Colluding with demons?" Zhao Lei's expression changed. He knelt down at once, dipped his fingertip in the wine on the floor, and sniffed lightly. As an enforcement disciple, he was no stranger to poisons; he quickly caught the faint fishy tang beneath the medicinal aroma. "This does smell like Vein-Dissolving Powder!"Several other enforcement disciples crowded around. One of them, skilled in repairing Profound Vein devices, picked up the blackened detector and examined it closely. He said gravely: "Steward Zhao, the detector is fine—it only turns black when it comes into contact with highly toxic substances harmful to Profound Veins. The concentration of Vein-Dissolving Powder in this wine is no low amount. If the Young Sect Master had drunk it, his Profound Veins would have started to disintegrate within half an hour."With evidence staring them in the face, Zhao Lei's expression grew even more solemn. Xiao Jingyuan was the personal disciple of Qin Canglan, the Head Elder of the Elder Faction, and had always enjoyed an excellent reputation in the sect. No one could have imagined he would do such a thing.Just then, Ye Qinghan—still standing at the door—spoke up. Her voice was soft, but clear: "Steward Zhao, I can testify. Half an hour ago, in the Alchemy Division's herb garden, I saw Xiao Jingyuan secretly meet Senior Brother Li, who's in charge of brewing Vein-Stabilizing Wine. They talked for a long time in a corner, and Senior Brother Li looked very uneasy then."Ye Qinghan was an Alchemy Division disciple who never involved herself in sect factional strife. She was known for her integrity, and her testimony immediately convinced most of the enforcement disciples present. Zhao Lei gave an order at once: "Someone, go to the Alchemy Division and bring Senior Brother Li here for questioning! Also, send men to chase Xiao Jingyuan—make sure to bring him back to the Enforcement Hall!""Yes, sir!" Two enforcement disciples accepted the order and turned to leave.But just then, a hoarse old voice boomed from outside the door, carrying an unyielding authority: "No need."Everyone turned toward the sound. An elderly man in a gray elder's robe walked slowly in, his hair and beard completely white, his eyes sharp as an eagle's. It was Qin Canglan, the Head Elder of the Elder Faction. Behind him stood two disciples of the Elder Faction, their expressions arrogant.The moment Qin Canglan entered, his gaze fell on the wine and detector on the floor, and he frowned: "Ling Chen, you claim Jingyuan laced your wine with Vein-Dissolving Powder and colluded with demons—do you have solid proof? Jingyuan has always treated you like a brother. How could you falsely accuse him over a mere misunderstanding?"It was obvious to anyone that Qin Canglan was partial to Xiao Jingyuan. Ling Chen sneered inwardly. In his past life, it was Qin Canglan who had used "insufficient evidence" as an excuse to suppress his accusations against Xiao Jingyuan during the Sect Ceremony. This time, he would never let history repeat itself.Ling Chen held out the demon secret letter to Qin Canglan, his tone steady: "Elder Qin, this is the secret letter Xiao Jingyuan hid in a hidden compartment under my bed. It's written in demon runes, detailing his deal with the demons—he planned to frame me for colluding with demons when my Profound Veins went berserk at tomorrow's Ceremony, steal my Chaotic Profound Veins, and help the demons break the ancient seal. As a sect elder, you should recognize demon runes, shouldn't you?"Qin Canglan's eyes fell on the letter, and his pupils contracted almost imperceptibly. In his youth, he had accompanied the previous Sect Master to the Abyss of Demon Fall and seen demon runes before—he certainly recognized the content. But he quickly regained his composure and reached out to take the letter: "Let me check if this is a forgery. It might be that you deliberately had someone copy demon runes to frame Jingyuan.""Elder Qin, no need to rush." Ling Chen stepped back, avoiding his hand. "Besides the demon runes, this letter also bears Xiao Jingyuan's natal spiritual energy mark. You are his master—you should recognize his spiritual energy fluctuations, shouldn't you? Why don't we go to the Enforcement Hall and verify this in front of all elders and disciples? If I falsely accused him, I'm willing to accept punishment. But if he did collude with demons, he should be dealt with according to the Sect's rules."Ling Chen's words hit the mark. If Qin Canglan insisted on verifying the letter privately, he would only seem guilty. But if they verified it publicly, once the letter was proven real, Xiao Jingyuan would be ruined—and Qin Canglan himself, as his master, would be implicated.Qin Canglan's face turned alternately green and white. After a moment of silence, he ground out: "Fine! We'll verify it publicly in the Enforcement Hall! I want to see if you really have evidence!"Soon, the news spread throughout Cangwu Sect. The square in front of the Enforcement Hall was packed with disciples who had heard the news, and even several other elders had been invited to attend. A table was set up in the center of the square, holding the remaining jug of Vein-Stabilizing Wine, the blackened Profound Vein Detector, and the demon secret letter.Qin Canglan spoke first, addressing the disciples present: "Today, Ling Chen accuses Jingyuan of lacing wine with Vein-Dissolving Powder and colluding with demons. This matter is of great importance—we must verify it publicly to clear Jingyuan's name!"As soon as he finished speaking, disciples of the Elder Faction chimed in: "Senior Brother Xiao is such a good person! It must be a misunderstanding by the Young Sect Master! Maybe the Young Sect Master accidentally spilled Vein-Dissolving Powder into the wine himself!""That's right! The Young Sect Master has been busy preparing for the Ceremony lately. Maybe his Profound Veins are unstable, and he's looking for an excuse to back out!"These words were clearly biased toward Xiao Jingyuan, but Ling Chen remained unannoyed. Instead, he looked at Senior Brother Li from the Alchemy Division—who had already been brought to the square by the enforcement disciples. Ling Chen asked: "Senior Brother Li, half an hour ago, did Xiao Jingyuan meet with you? What did he ask you to do?"Senior Brother Li's face turned pale. Under the gaze of everyone present, he stammered for a long time before whispering: "Xia-Xiao Jingyuan told me to add Vein-Dissolving Powder to the Young Sect Master's Vein-Stabilizing Wine. He said if I refused, he would… he would cripple my Profound Veins. I had no choice but to do it…""You're lying!" Qin Canglan snapped, cutting him off. "How could Jingyuan threaten you? Did Ling Chen bribe you to slander him!"Senior Brother Li trembled with fear, but he forced himself to speak: "It's the truth! Xiao Jingyuan even gave me a 'Veinsilence Pill,' saying he'd give me more benefits once it was done… The pill is still in my medicine box in my room!"The enforcement disciples immediately went to Senior Brother Li's room and soon returned with a black pill. The Elder of the Alchemy Division took the pill, examined it carefully for a moment, and nodded: "This is indeed a Veinsilence Pill. When taken, it temporarily hides Profound Vein fluctuations—it's often used for secretly practicing forbidden arts or covering up traces of poisoning."The appearance of the Veinsilence Pill made the disciples present murmur among themselves, and their gazes toward Qin Canglan became subtly suspicious.Qin Canglan's face was grim, but he still insisted: "Even if Jingyuan threatened Senior Brother Li, that demon letter might still be a fake! Ling Chen could have forged it!"Ling Chen was prepared. He looked at the only elder in the sect who understood demon runes—the Ancient Texts Elder: "Elder Zhang, in your youth, you studied ancient demon texts. Could you please examine the runes on this letter to see if they're real demon writing? And check the spiritual energy mark on it to see if it belongs to Xiao Jingyuan?"Elder Zhang took the letter, put on his reading glasses, and studied it carefully for half an hour. Finally, he looked up, his tone certain: "These are authentic demon runes, and they detail a deal to trade the Chaotic Profound Veins with the demons. Furthermore, the spiritual energy mark next to the runes matches Xiao Jingyuan's natal spiritual energy fluctuations perfectly—this letter was written by Xiao Jingyuan himself. There's no mistake.""Boom!"Elder Zhang's words were like a thunderclap, echoing across the square. The disciples who had defended Xiao Jingyuan fell silent at once. Everyone turned to Qin Canglan, their eyes filled with doubt.Qin Canglan could hold on no longer. He stumbled back a step, his face as pale as paper.Ling Chen looked at the disciples present, his voice loud and clear: "Xiao Jingyuan not only poisoned me but also colluded with demons, attempting to break the ancient seal and endanger the entire Xuanhan Continent! Such a person is unworthy of staying in Cangwu Sect!""Well said!" The disciples in the square chorused. "Find Xiao Jingyuan and punish him according to the Sect's rules!"Zhao Lei stepped forward at once and said to Ling Chen: "Young Sect Master, we've sent men to search all the places Xiao Jingyuan might be, but we haven't found him. Could he have fled the sect?"Ling Chen shook his head. In his past life, after framing him, Xiao Jingyuan had not fled the sect—instead, he had gone to the Cangwu Secret Realm. The realm hid Chaotic Profound Crystals, which could rapidly boost one's cultivation. Ling Chen was certain Xiao Jingyuan intended to take the crystals first before meeting up with the demons.Just then, an enforcement disciple ran over, out of breath, and shouted: "Steward Zhao! Young Sect Master! We found traces of Xiao Jingyuan on the road to the Cangwu Secret Realm! He's with several disciples of the Elder Faction—it seems they're going into the realm to look for something!"Ling Chen's eyes sharpened. Just as he had thought! The Chaotic Profound Crystal was the key to awakening the Chaotic Profound Veins. If Xiao Jingyuan got his hands on it, his cultivation would skyrocket, and defeating him would become far harder.When Qin Canglan heard this news, a strange glint suddenly flashed in his eyes. He quietly stepped back and gave a subtle signal to one of the disciples behind him. The disciple understood, quietly turned, and ran toward the Cangwu Secret Realm.Ling Chen watched this out of the corner of his eye and sneered inwardly. He knew Qin Canglan must have sent the disciple to warn Xiao Jingyuan—perhaps even to set an ambush in the secret realm, waiting for Ling Chen to walk into the trap.But Ling Chen was not afraid. In his past life, he had entered the Cangwu Secret Realm many times and knew every trap and treasure inside like the back of his hand. If Xiao Jingyuan wanted to steal the Chaotic Profound Crystal, and Qin Canglan wanted to set an ambush, he would turn their plan against them—not only reclaiming what belonged to him but also severing the Elder Faction's influence once and for all.Ling Chen turned to Zhao Lei and said: "Steward Zhao, gather the enforcement disciples at once. Come with me to the Cangwu Secret Realm—Xiao Jingyuan is trying to steal the treasure inside, and we must not let him succeed!""Yes, sir!" Zhao Lei accepted the order and immediately went to gather the men.Ye Qinghan walked up to Ling Chen, her eyes filled with worry: "Young Sect Master, the Cangwu Secret Realm is very dangerous. Xiao Jingyuan still has help from the Elder Faction's disciples. Please be careful."Ling Chen looked into her pure eyes, and his heart warmed. He nodded: "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Stay in the sect and keep an eye on Qin Canglan. If he does anything suspicious, send someone to notify me in the secret realm at once.""Okay." Ye Qinghan nodded firmly.Soon, Ling Chen led a dozen enforcement disciples toward the Cangwu Secret Realm. Along the way, memories of his past visits to the realm flooded his mind—the Chaotic Profound Crystal was hidden in an ice cave deep in the realm, guarded by an Ice Flame Bear whose cultivation had reached the Peak of the Ningdan Realm. Xiao Jingyuan's current cultivation was only at the Late-Stage of the Tongxuan Realm—he stood no chance against the Ice Flame Bear. Ling Chen was certain Xiao Jingyuan would try to lure the guardian away, or find an excuse to send other disciples to their deaths.What Ling Chen did not know, however, was that after he left the sect, Qin Canglan secretly went to the Enforcement Hall's hidden chamber. He pulled a black token engraved with demon runes from his bosom, infused it with spiritual energy, and the token suddenly glowed with black light. A hoarse voice emanated from it: "Qin Canglan, how is the matter progressing? Have you obtained Ling Chen's Chaotic Profound Veins?"Qin Canglan bowed, his tone respectful: "Lord Demon Envoy, Ling Chen saw through Jingyuan's plan and is heading to the Cangwu Secret Realm now. But rest assured—I've told Jingyuan to wait at the 'Demon Fall Pit' in the realm. Your demon slaves are already there. Once Ling Chen enters, he'll never come out!"The voice in the black token sneered: "Good. Remember—you must get Ling Chen's Chaotic Profound Veins. Otherwise, both you and your precious disciple will die!"The light faded. Qin Canglan straightened up, a malicious smile spreading across his face: "Ling Chen, this time, not even the gods can save you!"By then, Ling Chen had already led the enforcement disciples to the entrance of the Cangwu Secret Realm. The entrance was shrouded in mist, and towering ancient trees and steep cliffs could be faintly seen inside. He looked up toward the depths of the realm, his eyes resolute—he had to get the Chaotic Profound Crystal, shatter Xiao Jingyuan's plot, and never let the tragedy of his past life repeat itself.He was completely unaware that a treacherous net woven by Xiao Jingyuan was quietly tightening around him. The demons hiding in the shadows had already set a deadly trap deep in the Cangwu Secret Realm. In the mist-choked depths of the realm, a pair of eyes glinting with scarlet light locked onto his figure. A cold laugh echoed, and its fangs pierced its lower lip, leaving a faint trail of blood in the air.