38. Sect of Seeking Truth
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The three fell silent. Lin Jiuge was probably the only person who could declare so matter-of-factly that she did not understand.
“It wasn’t something I meant to create. It ran onto the Weak Stone I had carved. I only took one look, and there were words on the bottom of the box.” Lin Jiuge offered a further explanation. How could she possibly understand something so far beyond her level?
Zhou Yan glanced at the bottom. There really were words there, along with traces of talisman inscriptions. He supposed his junior sister had copied them down in precisely that manner.
“It is meant to ward off evil,” Zhou Yan said.
The three of them looked toward Lin Jiuci. Why did it feel as though this had been prepared especially for Fubaby? Yesterday, she had nearly been possessed; today, she had been equipped with a protective talisman combining an ancient formation, talismans, and inscriptions—something that would drive any demon or monster to despair.
“Uncle, Brother, Fubaby likes the protective talisman,” Lin Jiuci said.
How should she put it? It had been a gift from her sister. If she had to choose what she liked best, she would naturally choose whatever her sister had given her.
“As long as you like it.”
Because it was Fubaby’s birthday, the atmosphere was unusually relaxed that day.
Three days after the birthday celebration, the great bell of the sect rang out. Everyone was startled, wondering what had happened, and hurried to gather in the sect’s main square.
“Three days ago, a demon slipped into our Mount Dai Sect without making a sound. It was discovered by Elder Martial Uncle Enlightened Battle of our sect and has already been captured. However, we do not know whether it had accomplices. This is the Truth-Seeking Gate, created by the Heavenly Secrets Master. Every disciple of our sect must pass through it one by one. I will not permit such a scourge to remain within our sect.” The Sect Master spoke with solemn authority.
The three had discussed the matter and decided to give the credit to Li Yun. As for the Truth-Seeking Gate, they had asked the Heavenly Secrets Master to make it.
The crowd erupted in an uproar. Some were furious, some bewildered, and some avoided everyone’s eyes. Sect Master Enlightened Origin saw every reaction clearly.
“Very well. I will go first. The disciples will proceed according to their lineages, beginning with my own.”
The Sect Master passed through quickly, and nothing happened. Revered Enlightened Dao and Li Yun went through next, with the same result. Zhou Yan, Lin Jiuge, and even the unaffiliated Lin Jiuci also passed through without incident.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and hurried forward.
Yet an accident still occurred. As one disciple passed through, the Truth-Seeking Gate suddenly turned red.
Everyone was stunned. It actually worked.
At Lin Jiuge’s suggestion, Revered Enlightened Dao had already assigned people to keep watch.
The Truth-Seeking Gate was genuine. Lin Jiuge had merely been one layer of additional insurance.
They poured in a specially prepared potion, and the disciple’s aura immediately changed. His appearance transformed into that of another person. Those who had spent a long time with that disciple found it even harder to believe.
“This person has been replaced by a Tiejue,” the Sect Master announced.
“So do not cling to any illusions of luck,” he said sternly.
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Those who remained proceeded with great caution. In the end, more than a dozen were exposed. Everyone drew a deep breath.
How could this have happened?
Some of those uncovered had been people they saw every day. There were even two elders among them.
“Sect Master, all of them are Tiejue,” an elder from the Hall of Discipline said with difficulty.
“Indeed. If Senior Brother Enlightened Battle had not discovered this matter, the consequences would have been unimaginable.” The Sect Master’s face was still pale with lingering fear.
At first, they had assumed that only the Mount Dai Sect had been infiltrated. No one had expected every sect and clan to conduct an investigation together. The results were shocking: every sect and clan uncovered figures of elder rank among the infiltrators.
For a time, the entire continent was thrown into panic.
“My Lord, this subordinate has failed in his duty.”
Inside a cavern, ten men in black had gathered. One of them was speaking to a man wearing a golden mask; the others wore silver masks.
“Enough. Fortunately, those deeply embedded agents were not exposed. This operation was far too reckless. Even I did not dare infiltrate that mad bunch from the Sect Master’s lineage, yet you had the nerve to do so.” The man in the golden mask could not help but admire the other’s audacity.
The Sect Master’s lineage of the Mount Dai Sect was a lineage of madmen whose reputation had endured for countless generations. Apart from the current Sect Master, who was relatively normal, every other one had been a complete fanatic. They had found no way to infiltrate that lineage for centuries.
“It was this subordinate’s negligence. Who could have imagined they would devote so much attention to a little brat who cannot even cultivate?” The man in the silver mask was equally baffled. Why waste so much effort on a useless child who could not cultivate?
If he had not seen it with his own eyes in the Sect Master’s quarters, he would never have believed that the little brat had been equipped from head to toe with nothing worse than spiritual artifacts. If the operation had succeeded, the silver-masked man would have been heartbroken over the loss.
He had tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice. Everything had gone smoothly before this!
“Enough. Be more careful from now on. Do not meet unless absolutely necessary. The watch will certainly be tightened after this, so do not get yourselves captured. We cannot afford any more losses. Disperse.”
The man in the golden mask left first.
After returning to the Mount Dai Sect, the man in the silver mask changed his clothes and appearance.
“So it was him. He concealed himself deeply.” Li Yun was somewhat astonished when he learned the man’s identity. He had never imagined that the elder with the best reputation in the sect was actually a hidden Tiejue.
“Now that we know who he is, matters will be easier to handle. But this is not the time to move against him,” Revered Enlightened Dao said.
The other sects also made discoveries. The Pine Mountain Sect, which ranked last among the sects, uncovered the fewest Tiejue. Everyone grew wary. Judging by the evidence, they feared that the entire sect might be made up of Tiejue.
It was obvious that the Pine Mountain Sect was exactly such a place.
The other sect masters held a meeting. After returning, everything appeared normal on the surface, but certain things were quietly changing.
Those decisions had nothing to do with Lin Jiuge. She was meditating and cultivating when a beam of light suddenly descended upon her, enveloping her body in warmth.
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An unknown sword appeared above Lin Jiuge’s head like a phantom, bathing in golden radiance. Her cultivation, which had only just increased, surged rapidly until it reached the Eighth Layer of Mortal Refinement, where it finally stopped.
The cracks in the unknown sword were slowly repaired. It was visibly different from its former battered state.
“This is the golden light of merit.” Lin Jiuge spoke the name of the radiance aloud. What had she done to make the Heavenly Dao so generous?
Li Yun and Revered Enlightened Dao returned just as the golden light faded. From the lingering warmth in the air, they immediately understood what had happened.
“The Eighth Layer of Mortal Refinement.” Li Yun was stunned. This was his disciple.
“Master, Martial Uncle.” Lin Jiuge hurriedly rose to her feet.
“Jiuge, you advanced across another realm again.” Revered Enlightened Dao was filled with envy.
“Yes. The Heavenly Dao just bestowed golden light of merit upon me. I do not know why.” Lin Jiuge herself did not quite understand. The reward felt strangely undeserved.
“It truly was your achievement, Jiuge. You need not feel uneasy.” Revered Enlightened Dao calculated for a moment and understood the reason. This purge had resolved part of a calamity, and the Heavenly Dao had naturally recognized her as the one who had made the greatest contribution.
After hearing the entire explanation, Zhou Yan was envious. It seemed his earlier guess had indeed been correct.
Lin Jiuge still felt somewhat unreal. Heaven alone knew that she had merely become furious because someone had dared to target her little sister. She had never expected the matter to produce such a result.
In the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, the Heavenly Secrets Master looked at his body, which had recovered to the size of a seven- or eight-year-old child, and arrived at the same thought as Zhou Yan.
If he clung tightly to this grandniece-disciple’s coattails, would he be able to return to his original form?
The sect-wide upheaval caused by Lin Jiuci’s near replacement had temporarily subsided. Feeling that some injustice remained, Li Yun decided to give his disciple some training.
“My disciple, your cultivation has increased again. I will accompany you and your senior brother for a practice match.”
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