Standing on the carriage shaft and looking into the distance, Yin Xu felt a sense of relief. Upon seeing the speed at which the pursuer from inside the carriage sprung out, she realized it was the kind of master that could frighten someone to their core. She truly didn't expect that Shi Chun could still calmly escape under the pursuit of such a master. It really was brave, truly a great skill!

She knew that if it were her, seeing such a master make a move would have made her legs go weak with fear.

Thinking back to their initial encounter at Zhu Lang Pavilion, when she tried to tease him, she now understood what it meant to truly see someone's capabilities.

So this was the demeanor of the top participant in the Sky Rain Meteor Conference, the same demeanor that allowed the Divine Fire Covenant to win first place. No wonder he could catch the Ancestor's Dharma Eye.

Little did she know, even Shi Chun himself hadn't realized the change in his confidence when facing such masters. This confidence comprised a collection of Magical Treasures he painstakingly acquired to keep by his side, as well as his experience in personally slaying three masters of the Heavenly Immortal Realm.

Seeing that Shi Chun had disappeared into the night, her gaze was attracted by the light and shadow on the Divine Mountain, curious about the cause of the shockwaves emanating from there.

Many people in the city had climbed onto rooftops or walls to look into the distance.

Whether on the Divine Mountain or within Yao Mountain City, no one had ever seen such a magical scene appear in the City Defense Array of Mt. Sheng.

Meanwhile, the defense array within the city opened a passage to the city gate, and after some back and forth communication, a team was sent out to chase Shi Chun, who had long escaped.

Even the City Guard had no other options. When the city defense array activated, they themselves were sealed inside. This array's exit could not be opened by just anyone.

The disguised man chasing Shi Chun, on the other hand, was surrounded by the City Guard in the first instance because he too had violated the rule against unauthorized flight and openly engaged in pursuits. However, he did not resist the City Guard by force; instead, he used his identity and background to communicate through intimidation.

Inside the Divine Mountain Prison, the Phoenix Clan chieftains confronted Granny Qi through the bars, their expressions solemn, yet their stances were shaken by the shocking commotion.

They glanced around in confusion, and then one by one flashed out from the prison.

They hadn't even had time to say a word to Granny Qi before they all flashed outside the cage, looking up at the sky.

The Xubo triggered by the Divine Mountain Formation was something they had seen before, but the magnificent and ethereal protective virtual waves like a Milky Way was a first.

"What is happening?" Feng Xi asked in astonishment.

Unfortunately, no one beside him could provide an answer.

Suddenly, the ethereal virtual wave burst like a bubble, dissipating in an instant. Then, thirteen golden streams of light shot out from all around the Divine Mountain, heading straight for the mountain's peak.

At the mountain gate of the Divine Mountain, startled exclamations arose as the golden gong hanging there, used to open the Array Gate, suddenly moved on its own without wind, transforming into a stream of light that no one could stop in time, becoming one of the thirteen golden streams of light.

The peak of the Divine Mountain swayed as though within the Xubo, with the thirteen successive streams of golden light vanishing into thin air upon striking the mountain peak's virtual wave.

Inside the Divine Hall, a cloaked figure holding an umbrella stand watched as thirteen meteors shot from the starry sky, merging the black and gold arrow-like objects upon scattering, which shrank and returned to form the umbrella's canopy. The golden gong shrank and joined at the umbrel's tip.

A grand yet slightly eerie metal umbrella swiftly gathered and fell into the cloaked figure's hand, as the void illusion above vanished.

The swaying mountaintop calmed instantly, returning to normal.

Outside the prison, upon witnessing the direction the thirteen golden streams took, Feng Xi's face changed abruptly. He immediately dashed toward the Divine Hall, and so did Feng Qingping.

The cloaked figure inside the Divine Hall merely touched the metal umbrella and didn't bother to study it further. Instead, he swiftly stored it away, then turned and rushed toward the back of the hall, swiftly hiding and pressing two fingers against his brow, disappearing from the spot shortly after.

Bang, the grand entrance was nearly kicked open by Feng Xi. As he dashed inside, he began casting spells to scan the whole Divine Hall.

At the doorway, Feng Qingping shouted, "Who told you to close the door?"

A guard came forward to explain, "We didn't close it; it was closed by someone inside."

But inside, where was anyone? Feng Xi, who used his mana to scan the entire Divine Hall and found no trace of anyone, felt increasingly uneasy. He quickly moved to the center of the hall, flipping his hands, and again cast a spell into the air, only for the void to remain silent, unable to conjure any stellar illusion.

Seeing this, Feng Qingping was shocked.

Feng Xi's expression changed drastically. He quickly leaped outside the hall, unleashing a palm strike toward the high sky. Yet, even as the power of his palm dissipated at its zenith, nothing abnormal occurred.

He immediately ordered the approaching Feng Jue, "Seal the mountain immediately, no one is allowed in or out!"

Feng Jue hesitated, but Feng Qingping shouted angrily, "Go quickly!"

Feng Jue hurriedly dashed away to comply.

Meanwhile, Feng Xi soared rapidly into the sky, streaking toward the stars.

He flew to a very high altitude before stopping. The Divine Mountain Hall beneath his feet appeared tiny in the process, and he encountered no obstacles along the way.

Before long, Feng Qingping also arrived beside him, exclaiming in bewilderment, "Did someone break the 'Beidou Refusal Array'? How is that possible?"

Such a thing hasn't been done for countless years!

"Situ Gu…" Feng Xi suddenly bit out a name, "He just recently came into contact with the 'Beidou Refusal Array,' and shortly afterward, the 'Beidou Refusal Array' was breached. Isn't it a bit too coincidental? This matter probably can't be unrelated to Situ Gu."

Feng Qingping pondered, the logic was indeed sound, but it also depended on the person. Those of lower status could be directly brought in for questioning, but for someone of Situ Gu's status, without evidence, it wouldn't even be appropriate to accuse him face-to-face. You've got to be responsible for what you say to such people!

Feng Xi obviously understood this point as well, so after mentioning it, he didn't bring it up again and instead focused on the ground below, "The rescue of Granny Qi and the breaking of the array happened simultaneously. Is it a coincidence, or is it a strategy to lure the tiger from its mountain?"

Feng Qingping said, "Looking at the situation, it should be a strategy to lure the tiger from its mountain. Otherwise, if we were in the Divine Hall, the thieves wouldn't have succeeded. However, if Granny Qi knew we intended to hand them over to the East Victory Royal Court, it's possible she might think of saving herself."

Feng Xi laughed coldly, "With the great array hindered, if the thieves didn't sneak in from outside the mountain, then there must be an insider gone rogue! Immediately list all personnel on the mountain — not one missing."

"Alright."

Just as Feng Qingping agreed, Feng Xi added, "The method to break the array could be known to the Golden-haired Rat Clan. As soon as they left, this incident happened... Send someone to track them immediately, and once they are found, bring them all back in custody!"

"Understood."

Feng Qingping agreed, and more matters arose; she pulled out a Mother-child Talisman, glanced quickly toward Yao Mountain City, and reported, "The defense array of Yao Mountain City has also been activated. An elder from the Extreme Fire Sect, Ying Gang, was chasing someone inside the city, and the latter triggered the City Defense Array to block him. Ying Gang was stopped by the City Guard; he said that a bold thief stole his belongings, and in his urgency, he forgot the rules and pursued. He also claimed he didn't see the thief's appearance, nor did the City Guard. Ying Gang said he would cooperate with the City Guard's investigation and would not leave without permission; he will temporarily stay at Zhu Lang Pavilion."

Feng Qingping sneered maliciously, "What kind of thief can steal something from him and escape so casually? Today has really gone wrong; all the strange events sprang out at once. Do they think the Phoenix Clan is easy to bully? Alright, so everyone wants to play this way?"

His gaze focused downward as he flashed down to land directly at the entrance to the prison.

By this time, the entrance was heavily guarded, yet Feng Xi passed through without hindrance, heading directly to the innermost 'VIP cell,' staring at Granny Qi inside, and asked directly, "Granny, who rescued you?"

"I don't know." Granny Qi handed a bunch of keys out of the cell with a wry smile on her face, "Is this how a rescue is done? Feels like someone is framing me."

Feng Xi retorted, "Who do you think might have the need to frame you?"

Granny Qi shook her head, "I don't know either, I've always been kind to others, don't have any enemies."

She truly was unclear.

The North District Commander, Huang Ye, after organizing personnel according to Feng Qingping's instructions, also gazed in the direction of Yao Mountain City, muttering under his breath, "Tonight is truly strange."

Within Yao Mountain City, Yin Xu's carriage was returning to Zhu Lang Pavilion, but now with two additional passengers. One of them she recognized, having dealt with him many times, the manager of the Extreme Fire Sect here, Xi Quan.

The other was a middle-aged man with a perpetual creased brow, an elder from the Extreme Fire Sect, Ying Gang, who was earlier in pursuit of Shi Chun, but now forced to reveal his true appearance.

In fact, he hadn't wanted to expose his true self; he planned to disappear quietly after taking action, but after being trapped in the city post-action, he went to the city gate only to get cornered by the City Guard. Was he really supposed to fight his way through them?

As for Yin Xu, she was blocked back inside the carriage by Xi Quan first thing, with the coachman quietly taken down by people from the Extreme Fire Sect.

Having not caught Shi Chun and already alerted him, there was no point in having Yin Xu as an opening left for Shi Chun. Hence, Yin Xu had to speak up today.

The person whom even Xi Quan respected, she had seen his speed earlier, and knowing trouble was upon her, she could only pull out the Mother-child Talisman to seek help from the West Emperor, her only conceivable backing thus far.

Even though Shi Chun had previously informed her that the West Emperor was problematic and had already betrayed her.

But now, apart from the West Emperor, she had nowhere else to turn.

Ying Gang and Xi Quan coolly watched her seek help and didn't intervene, showing they didn't deem her worth considering at all.

The Extreme Fire Sect had long learned from the West Emperor that Qiu Ben was duped by this fox spirit at the beginning and was never a maidservant of the Qingqiu Ancestor.

Such leniency towards an ant-like individual made Yin Xu even more afraid, while there was no response from the West Emperor.

The carriage returned to Zhu Lang Pavilion, where the Chief Steward Hu Gongxian awaited at the side entrance after receiving the news in advance.

Seeing this, Yin Xu widened her eyes, locking her gaze on Hu Gongxian, realizing something.

Hu Gongxian said awkwardly, "Sister Hong, it's for your own good, the Domain Master is waiting upstairs."

This wasn't the place for many words, and he quickly led the people upstairs.

Back to the top floor, Yin Xu's own room, they barged in to find the West Emperor leisurely strolling among the meticulously cared-for plants in Yin Xu's apartment, with the lamplight and moonlight as his company.

Upon seeing her lover, Yin Xu immediately dashed forward, seeking refuge by his side in a timid manner.

The West Emperor glanced at her, saying indifferently, "Cooperate well, answer whatever they ask you, and you might suffer less."

Yin Xu felt a pain in her heart as if stabbed by a needle, with her last bit of hope utterly shattered, she said with difficulty, "You arranged for me to meet Shi Chun, was it to use me?"

The West Emperor turned to look at her, "Use you? Don't you know what you've been involved in? Haven't I warned you to halt all your dealings and stay away from matters you shouldn't be involved in, for your good? Did you listen? Shi Chun was sent out by the City Lord Mansion's carriage before, you wouldn't be unaware of who did it, right? Coming to me when needed, but doing whatever you want behind my back—who exactly is using whom?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.