From Shi Zhizhai's perspective, if the Shi Family wanted to deal with the investigation by the Ancestral Hall, what could they do?

First, they could shift all the responsibility onto one or a few individuals, to protect the entire family to the greatest extent.

Hu Shulue is an option, but given his status, he alone probably can't bear this much blame. The already exposed Shi Haosheng, Shi Haowu, and Gu Jiang won't escape either, as they are the four high-tier sorcerers who activated the Spirit Lock Array.

In addition to this, adding the Patriarch Shi Zhizhai, they would each bear a part of the responsibility.

This assumption is good, but requires a precondition: internal discussions must happen, and there must be a unified account within the Shi Family.

If Kang Rulin were to mercifully intervene, but didn't want to be accused of favoritism and misconduct, this might be how he'd handle it.

However, Kang Rulin's previous words were like a wake-up call for Shi Zhizhai, telling him to abandon illusions and make a clear, decisive cut swiftly.

The Shi Family cannot be saved. The only thing Shi Zhizhai can do now is to try to separate the innocent as much as possible.

Upon arriving at the Kanglin Hotel, Shi Zhizhai found himself unable to privately contact anyone outside, and the above plan had no chance of implementation.

Originally, the Shi Family had another tactic: letting Shi Haosheng, Gu Jiang, and others flee, essentially making them disappear without a trace. Without solid evidence, the Ancestral Hall could only issue a Jianghu Order to apprehend them.

But Kang Rulin judged that Elder Zong and Elder Gu had already hurried to Huiming City, leaving Shi Haosheng and the others with no chance to escape.

Although no one told Kang Rulin, as an Elder of the Ancestral Hall, he could naturally anticipate such matters. He was right; upon receiving the materials, Zong Zheng and Gu Chun departed for Huiming immediately, and they are now at the location.

It's certain that more than just these two elders are heading to Huiming, and simultaneously, the Ancestral Hall will quietly deploy personnel nearby, monitoring the entire Shi Family and waiting for orders on how to proceed.

Kang Rulin also foresaw the potential countermeasures by the Shi Family. He was reminding Shi Zhizhai that those strategies wouldn't work.

The typical methods of coercive interrogation are not used by the Ancestral Hall, nor are they effective on high-tier sorcerers. However, the Shi Family still has a large group of low-tier sorcerers and Guests of Fate, and the Ancestral Hall has ways to make them speak the truth.

Anything the Shi Family has done, the information they know will be questioned out of them, and based on these clues, further internal details will be investigated.

The Ancestral Hall deployed four elders, accompanied by many more masters. Such a large operation is not a trivial matter, and the target is clear.

There's another point, which Kang Rulin couldn't directly state, but it was as if he indirectly questioned Shi Zhizhai—

"I know you're tough, but can you guarantee that your son Shi Haowu, such a person, would be as tight-lipped as you?

Let me ask you first, to show respect. If the situation were different, and Elder Zong questioned your son, could he keep anything hidden?

You have been the patriarch for many years, can you guarantee that everyone in the Shi Family is completely satisfied with you? In this situation, might there not be someone who would voluntarily testify against you?

Even if only for self-preservation, some inevitably would!"

There is no doubt about someone like Kang Rulin, what he says is certainly true. The question is, why would he speak that way? A Tier Six Cultivator approaches a Leakless Body, almost showing no flaws, or rather, their description reflects their state of mind.

But he and Shi Zhizhai, after all, have been brothers for many years. Regardless of their relationship, they certainly have a tacit understanding, conveying many unspoken words without any explicit hints or tones.

For example, what does it mean when Kang Rulin hands Shi Zhizhai a list?

Besides prompting Shi Zhizhai to confess, it also means telling Shi Zhizhai: Everyone on this list will be questioned by the Ancestral Hall, and there will be no lucky escapes.

It doesn't matter if Wild Phoenix is secretly listening, because this is how things must be done.

How should Shi Zhizhai make the cut? There are typically two ways, the first is like surgery, removing the affected part to ensure the main body remains healthy and alive.

The second way is like handling scrap, where the whole is discarded, but seeing what intact parts or materials can be salvaged and retained.

Shi Zhizhai certainly wants to choose the first way, but the actual situation can only be the second.

Secretly investigating Hidden Moth's identity doesn't violate any rules, but killing to silence witnesses is intolerable. Why was Hidden Moth provoked? Because they also caused an accident, involving Xiaomiao's father and Xiaopang's mother.

If such deeds were discovered, it could alarm the Ancestral Hall, leading to larger problems being uncovered, which is why Shi Haowu and others were fearful.

Not to mention, Shi Zhizhai directed his disciple Gu Jiang to secretly establish a Cleaning Department, secretly nurturing cultivators to do dirty work for the Shi Family… this is something the Ancestral Hall absolutely cannot allow!

Shi Zhizhai's face looked ashen, as if he had aged significantly in a short time.

He finally picked up the list and started marking it, explaining the situation as he did so... The Ancestral Hall wouldn't fully believe him, of course, they would investigate and verify each point.

The hotel, including the courtyard they resided in and the garden they were conversing in, had been taken over by those brought by the two elders, with no outsiders to disturb them, and they talked until late at night.

The circumstances that needed explanation were mostly explained, or rather, enough to serve as a basis for punishment.

Shi Zhizhai finally said, "Senior brother, I'm truly sorry! All these years, I've done so many things behind your back!"

Kang Rulin suddenly asked, "Junior brother, why did you target Hidden Moth? As far as I know, with the previous matter of Qi Yuan, the Shi Family wasn't originally involved."

Shi Zhizhai explained, "It's not me, it's Haowu.

The Ancestral Hall has issued a notice about the Hidden Moth Object, stating that the Divine Artifact is invisible yet possesses a spirit, and it will choose its master on its own, making it impossible to seize. When Haowu heard this, he came to ask me what kind of artifact it was.

Our Shi Family descends from the lineage of Ancestor Master Cangyun, mastering the most intricate secret techniques of the Magic Sect's artifact refining. Could we possibly decipher it thoroughly?

This object may be useless in the hands of others, but in the hands of the Shi Family, its significance is vastly different. Even if we don't attempt to seize the Hidden Moth Object, simply collaborating with the person behind it for study would be valuable.

You should understand, senior brother, that some call the Shi Family 'A Cloud in the South,' not only because the Shi Family is large and influential, but also because we possess the flying treasure 'A Piece of Cloud' passed down from our ancestor.

That is also an Invisible Artifact, which you have borrowed multiple times. Our Shi Family has mastered the rituals for refining such Invisible Artifacts, and through generations, we've tried to replicate 'A Piece of Cloud.' Though not entirely successful, we've achieved some harvests.

Therefore, even if the Hidden Moth Object can't be replicated, any insights that lead to crafting a new Invisible Artifact with some unique utility would be unimaginable in value, and could benefit the entire Magic Sect..."

Kang Rulin: "Is that what Haowu said? So you were tempted."

Shi Zhizhai: "Yes, that's why I was tempted and agreed to Haowu's plan, letting him undertake the investigation of the Hidden Moth's identity first."

Kang Rulin: "Junior brother, you're being foolish! Isn't possessing 'A Piece of Cloud' from the South enough? Were you to cover the skies both North and South, what the Magic Sect would require is not a single cloud but the entire clear sky!

And since you mentioned 'A Piece of Cloud,' you should also clarify the location and access method of the Shi Family's secret vault to save the Ancestral Hall further effort."

Shi Zhizhai was suddenly startled, looking up at Kang Rulin, yet unable to discern any intent from Kang Rulin's eyes or expression. He was surprised because Kang Rulin already knew the location and access method of the Shi Family's secret vault.

In this world, only the two of them, the senior and junior brothers, knew this secret.

Even Shi Zhizhai's own son, Shi Haowu, was unaware, as the time was not yet ripe. Perhaps Shi Zhizhai would only tell him when he succeeded as the Patriarch.

If Shi Zhizhai remained silent, then only Kang Rulin knew this secret, meaning the treasures concealed in the vault would solely belong to Kang Rulin in the future, accessible to no one else.

Shi Zhizhai originally didn't plan to disclose it, but Kang Rulin directly questioned him, implying he was now representing the Ancestral Hall in openly confiscating the Shi Family's secret vault!

What was the need for Kang Rulin to do this, allowing the Ancestral Hall to take all the collections instead of keeping them for himself?

Yet upon reconsidering, Shi Zhizhai inexplicably felt at ease, as if all strength left his body. He realized Kang Rulin had a reason since Shi Haowu was involved.

Though Shi Haowu didn't know the vault's location and access method, he knew of its existence and had heard of its contents.

Since the Ancestral Hall might inquire Shi Haowu, the matter wouldn't stay hidden. Even if Shi Zhizhai stayed silent, it wouldn't be easy to explain the origins of items Kang Rulin retrieved from the vault in the future.

Thus Kang Rulin might as well reveal it all, leaving no doubts or stains for himself.

Was this Kang Rulin's real intention? Shi Zhizhai couldn't discern, mistakenly believing they had an understanding. They indeed had, but now it seemed opaque to him.

The Shi Family's secret vault, of course, housed the most precious treasures, with the most famous being the flying treasure 'A Piece of Cloud.' 'A Piece of Cloud' was handed down from Ancestor Master Cangyun, and both Shi Zhizhai and Kang Rulin belonged to the Cangyun Lineage.

Cangyun was a founder of the Micro Realm Sect fifteen hundred years ago, reportedly of supreme cultivation, renowned for "fashioning a cloud into a Divine Artifact, freely wandering beyond the limits of sun and moon."

Shi Tianjing, who founded the Shi Family, was a direct disciple of Ancestor Master Cangyun and received many invaluable heritages, including 'A Piece of Cloud.'

The Shi Family then constructed a vault specifically for storing these significant treasures, initially solely containing Cangyun Lineage's ancient transmissions, later adding modernly refined and acquired treasures.

Only the most exquisite heirlooms qualified to be stored there.

Shi Haowu intended to deal with the Hidden Moth, and some time back, Shi Zhizhai specifically retrieved the Spirit Lock Array from the vault and handed it to him.

Both 'A Piece of Cloud' and the Spirit Lock Array were known to be in the Shi Family's possession, but the vault contained many other items known to no outsiders, not even Shi Haowu.

Shi Zhizhai had originally thought that even if Kang Rulin opened the vault, he could turn over only the known items to the Ancestral Hall, gaining merit this way.

So he left the choice of this affair and the opportunity for merit to Kang Rulin.

Unexpectedly, Kang Rulin did not appreciate this gesture and didn't act according to Shi Zhizhai's presumed tacit agreement, directly demanding Shi Zhizhai himself surrender all treasures from the Shi Family secret vault.

The Cangyun Master's secretly transmitted artifacts in the Shi Family are to be confiscated by the Ancestral Hall, shared by the Magic Sect.

Could senior brother's intent be for him to offer treasures to seek leniency? Shi Zhizhai asked painfully, "How many of my Shi Family direct lineage can survive this?"

When asking this, his voice was already weak, nothing like a Tier Five Sorcerer.

Kang Rulin shook his head and said, "I also do not know. You have to ask yourself and them, over the years, what sort of enemies they have antagonized?

Apart from the principal culpable offenders, the Ancestral Hall does not claim lives, for those who are aware and involved, banishment is the extent; regarding the Shi Family's descendants, an additional pursuit and seizure apply."

**

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