Thus, Yuan Ming followed Gu Zhiping and others, escorting Tao Wenlong directly back to the Punishment Hall, where they immediately began an intense interrogation.

Under the coercion of elixirs, talismans, and various interrogation magic tools, Tao Wenlong soon opened his mouth and spilled everything he knew without any omissions.

"Are you saying that he's not the real Tao Wenlong, but a Loose Cultivator who, through magic and disguise, took on his identity?"

Inside the Punishment Hall, Yuan Ming felt surprised when he heard Gu Zhiping's summary of the interrogation results.

"That's right, he's merely a Loose Cultivator affiliated with the Beiming Alliance. His infiltration into our sect was for a certain mission. However, the person issuing the mission did not inform him of the specific objective, just instructed him to lie low under Tao Wenlong's identity and wait for contact when needed," said Gu Zhiping.

"He just impersonated him like that, and Tao Wenlong's fellow disciples didn't notice anything amiss?" Yuan Ming frowned.

"Tao Wenlong was a reclusive person with few friends. Besides, after infiltrating, he exhibited no unusual behavior, conducting himself orderly and scarcely leaving Xiu Jie Peak. Were it not for Junior Brother Zhen discovering his misuse of the token, no one would have suspected that he was replaced," Gu Zhiping said with some helplessness.

"About the matter of him stealing a token to enter the intelligence vault, what exactly was he trying to do?" Yuan Ming nodded thoughtfully, pressing for answers.

"It seems to be in order to destroy a Strange Story. According to his account, it was about an experience of Junior Cui from Changle Peak. He and a Loose Cultivator friend went out to search for herbs but encountered a third-level demon beast. As the two fled for their lives, only Junior Cui survived. Everyone thought that was the end of it, yet after several days, Junior Cui saw his friend alive and active as a normal person, only with a complete reversal in personality and some memory loss. This raised suspicions in his heart. After numerous investigations, it was found that his friend was indeed dead, and it was a strange insect that had parasitized the body, creating an illusion of resurrection," Gu Zhiping narrated with evident amazement.

However, Yuan Ming was puzzled after listening, "Is this the intelligence that the Beiming Alliance went to such lengths to destroy using a Dark Child? It doesn't seem to have anything particularly notable."

"Indeed, that's what puzzles me! So I specifically sent someone to look for Junior Cui... Ah, look, they're just coming back," Gu said as he suddenly noticed someone hurrying over and smiled, waving to him.

"Senior Brother Gu, I went to Changle Peak and inquired around. They all said that Junior Cui left the sect more than a month ago and has yet to return," the newcomer said with a grave expression.

Hearing this, both Gu Zhiping and Yuan Ming's expressions darkened, knowing that Junior Cui must have learned something he shouldn't have and was very likely in grave danger.

"Senior Brother Gu, this matter appears to be more serious than we thought. We should immediately inform the Peak Master of your esteemed peak to avoid disaster," Yuan Ming said on the spot.

"That might not be a good idea. While we've caught a spy, he's only a small fry. And we've yet to uncover any key information. Besides, with the sect's grand celebration at a critical juncture, it may not be wise to disturb it hastily, lest we be blamed for incompetence," Gu Zhiping replied with evident reluctance in his voice.

Yuan Ming was about to further persuade him when suddenly he saw Shen Peng approaching from outside, waving a jade scroll in his hand.

"Junior Brother Zhen, you were right. Out of the twenty-one peaks, including Lingxing Peak, there are a total of five peaks with this peculiar array embedded within. I have asked a friend from Array Talisman Hall to help decode it, and we should be able to understand its purpose soon," Shen Peng said, obviously excited.

Yuan Ming feigned surprise as he took the jade scroll, then his expression turned serious.

"Senior Brother Gu, I've discovered crucial intelligence on my side. The situation is urgent; please contact the Hall Master of your esteemed hall immediately. Any blame should fall on me alone," Yuan Ming insisted, leaving no room for refusal.

Gu Zhiping seemed to sense something amiss as well, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded, taking out a Sound Transmission Talisman.

Soon, Di Tao, the Peak Master of Tingtao Peak, descended from the sky and strode into the Punishment Hall.

Yuan Ming had previously inquired about the appearance of the twenty-one peak masters. Upon seeing him arrive, he immediately went to greet him before Gu could report.

"Uncle Master Di, I am Zhen Luo, a direct disciple of Lingxing Peak, and I have urgent matters to report," Yuan Ming said respectfully.

Di Tao's eyebrows furrowed, and he seemed somewhat displeased. Seeing this, Gu Zhiping immediately came forward and informed him that Yuan Ming was the one who caught the undercover operative.

Having learned the basics about the spy through the Sound Transmission Talisman, Di Tao's attitude softened somewhat. He nodded to Yuan Ming, indicating him to speak his mind.

"Reporting to Uncle Master, I've discovered three unusual incidents in the sect these days. The first is the matter of the spy stealing the token, the second is that my master had conversed with a suspicious black-robed old man in his Cave Mansion; I felt uneasy and secretly recorded his portrait, which is now on this jade scroll. The third is a special array shrouding Lingxing Peak, the originator of which is unknown to me. I've documented it and later found similar arrays in four other peaks, seemingly from the same origin," Yuan Ming spoke rapidly, handling two jade scrolls as he did so.

Assessed individually, these three matters did not seem noteworthy, but when connected, one could understand the implications of his suggestion.

After listening to him, Di Tao's eyebrows knitted tightly together. He took a long look at Yuan Ming before taking the jade scrolls.

However, as soon as he saw the old man's likeness in the scroll, his face drastically changed, and a flicker of shock crossed his eyes.

Instantly, he thrust out a hand, casting a spell. Blue spirit light fell upon Yuan Ming, transforming into shackles that bound his limbs.

The action stunned everyone present. Although Yuan Ming was prepared, Di Tao's decisiveness still caught him off guard.

"Disciples of Tingtao Peak, heed my command: before I return, you must strictly guard Zhen Luo. Do not let him escape, and do not subject him to torture or interrogation."

Di Tao commanded in a stern voice and then hastily left the Punishment Hall, transforming into a tunneling light, darting straight toward Chaotian Sect's Main Peak.

Seeing Di Tao leave in a hurry, everyone was somewhat puzzled, only Yuan Ming knew that his trip was to report the situation to the Nascent Soul Ancestors, feeling a bit relieved, he cupped his hands toward Gu Zhiping and asked calmly,

"Now the trouble falls to Senior Brother Gu. I wonder if there is a quiet room in the hall, suitable for Brother Gu to guard conveniently."

...

Late into the night, at Chaotian Sect's Main Peak.

The two Nascent Soul Ancestors, who had sequestered themselves for many years, suddenly appeared and summoned the Peak Masters of the twenty-one peaks to the Main Peak for a meeting, which lasted until the early morning of the next day. As the first ray of sunlight fell upon the Chaotian Sect, the tightly closed doors of the Main Peak's grand hall suddenly swung open. However, of the twenty-one Peak Masters who walked out of the grand hall, only sixteen remained.

At the same time, within the Punishment Hall, the Hall Master, who had received Di Tao's orders, released Yuan Ming.

Yuan Ming stood under the sunshine again, and upon learning that his master, along with four other Peak Masters, had been punished to face the wall in contemplation on the Main Peak for speaking out of turn, he couldn't help but reveal a slight smile.

However, an hour later, when he realized he had not left the Illusion Array, the smile on his face vanished completely.

In a side room of Lingxing Peak, Yuan Ming paced back and forth, brows furrowed in thought, pondering over potential oversights.

Through his efforts, most of the adverse factors in the battle for Chaotian Sect's downfall had been eliminated. The only thing remaining might be the mysterious man in grey, the leader of the rebellion.

But that person was a Nascent Soul cultivator; surely they couldn't expect him, a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, to deal with the man himself?

Yuan Ming sighed and looked up, only to see a painting hanging on the wall.

In the painting, Shen Lingyun, dressed in a pristine white robe, gazed like water, gentle and clear, and his smiling face was as warm as the winter sun.

In front of him, Zhen Luo, in tattered clothes, knelt and kowtowed, his face full of tears, as if he had just endured an indescribable hardship.

The two figures in the painting stood against different backdrops; the stark contrast between light and dark subtly conveyed the painter's deep yearnings and aspirations.

In the bottom right corner of the painting, the name of the piece was written—just two characters: Master.

Yuan Ming gazed at the painting and felt a flash of spirit light in his mind, as memories from the time he entered the Illusion Array flooded in, finally connecting all the dots.

Shen Lingyun was a Soul Cultivator, yet he called the grey-clothed old man his revered teacher. However, judging from the grey man's actions last time, he was not a Soul Cultivator.

Who then provided Shen Lingyun with the Soul Cultivation Method? Could it be a fortuitous encounter?

But the duality of cultivating both one's magic soul and divine soul is exceedingly difficult. Yuan Ming himself had barely managed thus far, relying on the Stealing Heaven Tripod and various chances. Shen Lingyun had to infiltrate Chaotian Sect and hide his Soul Cultivator identity from the grey-clothed man, how did he obtain the resources to get this far?

Furthermore, what was so important about the intelligence specifically destroyed by the Beiming Alliance, which mentioned only a special demon beast? Why spend so much effort to eradicate it?

Linking this question with the term "Soul Cultivator," all problems seemed to unravel.

The methods of a Soul Cultivator, setting aside signature techniques like Illusion Techniques, are fundamentally extensions of Divine Soul Refining.

Knowing what a Soul Cultivator uses for Refining, while it may not completely reveal their specific capabilities, at least provides an understanding of their general range of abilities.

For instance, the most prominent feature of Sha Hao and the Great Elder's Blood Bat is "Sound Waves," whereas Yuan Ming's own Soul Crow is critical for "Far Travel."

The information erased by the Beiming Alliance might contain the details of a key figure.

Realizing this, Yuan Ming didn't hesitate and immediately dashed out of the side room, hurrying to the Punishment Hall to find Gu Zhiping, and without preamble, said,

"Senior Brother Gu, please help me get a message to Uncle Master Di; I have an urgent matter to report."

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