“That’s not necessarily true. The spy might also be skilled in soul-hypnosis techniques. Perhaps the people Brother Bai sent weren’t capable enough to see through them and have already let this person slip by,” said a figure shrouded in gray light, resembling nothing more than a shadow, who suddenly spoke up impassively from the side.
“Hmph. If we were talking about other techniques, perhaps our clan wouldn’t dare to claim superiority among the various races. But when it comes to the study of soul-hypnosis, our Water Spirit Clan is undoubtedly the foremost among the Thirteen Clans. If Fellow Daoist Cangying believes the Shadow Demon Clan surpasses us in this regard, then by all means, this matter can be handed over to you,” retorted the white-haired man sharply.
“I only mentioned it out of caution. In terms of mastery of soul-hypnosis, how could our Shadow Demon Clan ever compare to your clan’s innate talents?” The gray shadow chuckled dismissively, appearing entirely indifferent.
The white-haired man’s gaze turned cold, but before he could say more, the young man surnamed Weng abruptly interjected with a stern expression: “Enough. No more idle talk. It’s impossible for that Horned Demon spy to have escaped. The moment we discovered the theft, I ordered all exits sealed. For the past few days, no one has been allowed to leave Cloud City—only enter. Even a mosquito wouldn’t be able to slip out. According to the sole guard who was injured by the spy, the culprit is only at the Void Refinement stage, making it highly unlikely they could deceive Fellow Daoist Bai’s subordinates. This suggests the spy has either been hiding in the city for a long time or has had a legitimate identity here for years, which is why they weren’t flagged in the initial sweep.”
Hearing this, the white-haired man and the gray shadow immediately adopted respectful expressions and fell silent.
“If it’s as Senior Weng says, then this situation is quite troublesome. If we expand the scope of suspicion to those who arrived half a year ago, it’ll be impossible to investigate thoroughly. Moreover, causing panic among other foreign races could make things even worse,” Qian Jizi remarked with a light cough.
“Indeed, Fellow Daoist Qian Jizi raises a valid point—one that concerns me greatly. However, this thief stole the diagrams of the newly established restriction formations in Cloud City. No matter the cost, we cannot allow them to leave. If the Horned Demon army were to besiege the city, half our defenses would be rendered useless,” the young man surnamed Weng said calmly.
“Senior Weng is absolutely right. As long as the Horned Demon spy remains in the city, we cannot let them leave. But if we continue mobilizing forces like this every day, even for ten days, a month, or two, it might be manageable. However, if the spy decides to lie low for years or even over a decade, we can’t possibly maintain such a state of high alert indefinitely,” added an elderly man with a long black beard.
“Oh? Does Fellow Daoist Ning have a better suggestion?” The young man surnamed Weng turned his gaze toward the elder, his eyes flickering with interest.
“This junior has no brilliant plan, but isn’t Fairy Cai present? With Fellow Daoist Cai’s wisdom, resolving this matter should be effortless,” the black-bearded elder replied, gesturing toward the silent Cai Liuying.
The beautiful Crystal Clan woman’s eyes gleamed as she chuckled lightly. “Brother Ning jests. With Senior Weng and Mountain Lord Sha here, how could this junior dare to flaunt her meager intelligence? I will simply follow orders to the best of my ability.”
“Fellow Daoist Cai, now is not the time for modesty. I’d like to hear the opinion of a Crystal Clan elder,” the young man surnamed Weng said seriously, addressing her directly.
“Since Senior insists, this concubine will overstep her bounds just this once.” The Crystal Clan woman frowned slightly but quickly composed herself, standing up to bow respectfully to both the young man and the elderly woman.
“Please speak freely, Fairy Cai.”
“Yes, Fellow Daoist Cai surely won’t disappoint us.”
…
At her words, most of those present smiled and voiced their approval.
Though Cai Liuying’s cultivation was among the lowest of the assembled Saint Clan members, her reputation was evidently quite high.
The elderly woman, who had been nearly dozing, now lifted her eyelids slightly to scrutinize the beautiful woman.
The young man surnamed Weng also regarded Cai Liuying with anticipation.
“In this concubine’s opinion, since neither strictness nor leniency is ideal, we should adopt a strategy of appearing relaxed while tightening internally—luring the snake out of its hole,” Cai Liuying declared after sweeping her gaze across the hall.
“Appearing relaxed while tightening internally…” The young man surnamed Weng murmured thoughtfully.
“Indeed. Regardless of how the spy evaded detection, capturing them immediately seems unlikely. Therefore, for the next month, we should deploy all available forces to conduct another thorough search of the city. If we catch the spy during this time, all the better. If not, we can gradually withdraw our personnel, creating the illusion that we’re easing our efforts. In reality, however, we’ll secretly increase surveillance at the four gates. Additionally, we’ll form a separate elite team to covertly monitor anyone attempting to leave Cloud City. If the spy is eager to deliver the stolen goods, they’ll walk right into our trap. If they choose to remain hidden, the prolonged relaxation of vigilance will eventually cause them to lower their guard and reveal themselves,” the Crystal Clan woman explained methodically.
“A sound plan. But if we reopen the gates and the spy possesses extraordinary transformation abilities, allowing them to slip past our detection and escape boldly through the main entrance, what then?” The young man surnamed Weng nodded initially but then shook his head.
The others, who had initially found Cai Liuying’s proposal reasonable, now exchanged uncertain glances at the young man’s hesitation.
“Senior Weng, this concubine has only shared half of the plan. There’s more to it,” the Crystal Clan woman said with a faint smile.
She then moved her lips soundlessly, transmitting the rest of her plan directly to the young man surnamed Weng.
At first, he appeared surprised, but after a few moments, his expression shifted to astonishment and then delight.
The silent exchange lasted nearly the time it took to drink a cup of tea before Cai Liuying finally closed her mouth.
“Truly?” The young man surnamed Weng inhaled deeply, casting a glance toward Qian Jizi before addressing her again.
“This junior wouldn’t dare jest about such matters,” the Crystal Clan woman replied solemnly.
The other elders, observing the cryptic exchange, exchanged puzzled looks but wisely refrained from probing further.
“Very well. Since Fairy Cai has spoken, I have no reason to doubt her. Madam Sha, I assume you also heard Fellow Daoist Cai’s transmission. What do you think?” The young man surnamed Weng turned courteously to the elderly woman, who seemed half-asleep.
“I have no objections. This old bag of bones came out of seclusion not to rack her brains but to lend a hand if any strong enemies appear. The rest is up to you. Now that you’ve settled things, I’ll take my leave to rest. Fellow Daoist Weng, you may proceed as you see fit.” The old woman chuckled hoarsely before rising unsteadily and shuffling toward a side door without another glance.
The young man surnamed Weng could only sigh helplessly as he watched her depart.
The other Saint Clan members exchanged odd looks.
Truth be told, the old woman’s origins were shrouded in mystery. Though everyone knew the Thirteen Clans had a Great Ascension cultivator among them, no one knew which clan she hailed from or what supreme techniques she practiced to reach such heights.
Rumors suggested she was the longest-lived among their Great Ascension elders, her lifespan far exceeding ordinary comprehension.
Most of the assembled Saint Clan members had known of her existence since they first began cultivating.
Thus, despite her frail appearance, even the young man surnamed Weng treated her with the deference of a junior.
The other Saint Clan members naturally dared not slight her in the slightest.
Once the old woman had vanished through the side door, the young man surnamed Weng sighed again before refocusing.
“Since Madam Sha has left, there’s no further need for discussion. We’ll proceed according to Fellow Daoist Cai’s suggestion. Fairy Cai, Fellow Daoist Bai, I entrust this matter to the two of you. The rest of you will provide full support,” the young man declared decisively.
No one objected, all voicing their assent.
“Now, let’s discuss the matter of the Frost Moon Realm. Qian Jizi, you may begin,” the young man surnamed Weng shifted topics abruptly.
At the mention of the Frost Moon Realm, the expressions of those present shifted subtly.
“Fellow Daoist Qian, what do you mean? Has the Frost Moon Realm’s opening drawn near?” someone asked impatiently.
Cai Liuying and Duan Tianren exchanged a fleeting glance before averting their eyes.
“Two days ago, the Frost Moon Instrument in our Ancient Clan’s Spirit Hall showed signs of activation. Based on past predictions, the Frost Moon Realm will open within three to four years at most, or as soon as a few months,” Qian Jizi replied calmly.
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