Chen Chunyang, gripping a long sword and draped in a sword-themed robe, descended slowly from the sky and stood atop a tree branch.
"Leader, it's just a minor matter. Why get so angry?" Chen Chunyang spoke up.
The Second Elder halted in his tracks, awaiting the leader's instructions.
"Minor matter? Gathering crowds to cause trouble and showing disrespect to elders—is that a minor matter?" Luo Yangtian said coldly.
"Moreover, digging up the spiritual veins is a grave offense!"
"Second Elder, what are you waiting for? Take them away for investigation!"
Upon hearing this, the Second Elder glanced at Chen Chunyang and led the disciples of Tianjian Peak away.
"Peak Master, save me!" The disciples of Tianjian Peak shouted hurriedly.
Chen Chunyang couldn't help but tighten his grip on the sword, staring at the figure before him.
"Leader, even if they're wrong, it doesn't warrant a soul search. A minor punishment will suffice!" Chen Chunyang backed down.
To protect his Tianjian Peak disciples, he admitted his fault voluntarily.
"Second Elder, who's in charge here in Xinghe Sect?" Luo Yangtian said coldly.
Upon hearing this, the Second Elder dared not linger and left with the Tianjian Peak disciples.
"Chen Chunyang, if you have anything to say, come to Xinghe Hall and tell me."
After saying this, Luo Yangtian flashed and flew back to Xinghe Hall.
Chen Chunyang stood in the air, gripping the sword tightly, with a dark expression on his face.
After much deliberation, he finally flew towards Xinghe Hall.
Ye Kong stood with his hands behind his back and watched them leave before turning back.
Since it concerned the Demon Cult, the leader would handle it properly, and his help wasn't needed.
The patriarch of the Demon Music Palace had been suppressed, and the Demon Cult couldn't stir up any trouble.
However, who was it that destroyed the spiritual veins of his Xiaoyao Peak?
Qin's words were unlikely...
Forget it, the puzzling reasoning was best left to the leader to investigate.
Lin Yaoyao and Xiao Bai followed their master back to the peak.
On the way back, Lin Yaoyao kept reasoning about who was framing their Xiaoyao Peak.
If she hadn't intervened to defeat the Demon Cult disciples that night, their master might have been in danger.
No, she had to investigate it clearly, not just for her master but also for her own safety!
Lin Yaoyao secretly made up her mind to get to the bottom of it.
Meanwhile, Xiao Bai, riding on Erha's back, felt relieved.
Fortunately, it wasn't his concern.
He needed to find time as soon as possible to locate the demon and consume him to regain his strength. Otherwise, if he failed, he'd be in big trouble.
Just as they returned to the mountain, a crane slowly landed.
"Uncle Ye Kong, the leader requests your presence," said a young attendant as he stepped down.
"Why do they want to see me?" Ye Kong asked, puzzled.
"It's about a traitor in Xinghe Sect. All nine peak masters must attend."
Upon hearing this, Ye Kong pondered for a moment and nodded.
"Alright, I'll be there right away."
After saying this, he looked at Lin Yaoyao and Xiao Bai.
"You two go practice. I'm going to watch the show… Oh no, to attend."
Lin Yaoyao and Xiao Bai stared intently at Ye Kong.
"Master, I want to see the world," Xiao Bai spoke up.
"Hmm," nodded Lin Yaoyao.
She wasn't at ease with her master going alone. As an emperor, she could follow him and protect his safety.
Seeing that both of them wanted to go, Ye Kong hesitated for a moment and then nodded.
Alright, he would take his disciples to watch the show together.
Since they were idle and not practicing, it didn't matter.
"Let's go then."
The three of them mounted the crane's back together.
The crane, burdened by the weight of three people, took off slowly and somewhat unsteadily.
"Xiao Bai, you need to lose some weight," Ye Kong said softly.
Xiao Bai: ?
I'm just a kid. Can't you tell who's heavier among the three of us?
The crane flew towards Xinghe Hall, hovering above it.
In front of them was a river of stars, with stars shining brightly and mist swirling around. A grand hall stood amidst the stars, which was the origin of Xinghe Sect's name.
Xiao Bai gazed at the star river and sensed a familiar aura.
What he was looking for was suppressed beneath the star river.
He wondered why he couldn't sense its aura before. It had been suppressed beneath the star river, shielded completely by its power, making it hard to find.
Now that he had found it, he had a target.
Once he consumed it and regained his strength, he would suppress his master under the star river!
Xiao Bai felt a surge of determination!
After circling once, the crane landed in front of Xinghe Hall.
Ye Kong, with his hands behind his back and accompanied by his two disciples, walked slowly into Xinghe Hall and sat down at his designated seat.
The leaders of the other eight peaks, the three elders, the director of the Enforcement Hall, and other senior members of Xinghe Sect were all present.
The peak disciples of the eight peaks were also there.
Except for the Yushu Peak representatives who stood in the hall, the other peak masters were seated.
Luo Yangtian, dressed in white and floating above the star river, spoke after sensing Ye Kong's arrival.
"Qin Wuyi, do you know your crime?" Luo Yangtian directly accused him.
"I don't know what crime I've committed," Qin Wuyi said, confused.
Qin Wuyi was baffled. He didn't know what was going on and had been summoned.
Even being summoned was one thing, but being watched by the Enforcement Hall personnel and not allowed to sit was another.
It felt like a trial for a criminal.
Qin Shou was also confused. Chen Changqing had orchestrated the whole thing, and he had just added fuel to the fire. Why was Yushu Peak being accused?
"You dug up the spiritual veins of Xiaoyao Peak and allowed Demon Cult members to invade. This is a serious offense!" The First Elder said beside him.
Qin Wuyi was stunned. He couldn't refute the first part.
Initially, he planned to enter Xiaoyao Peak and casually dig up the spiritual veins to temporarily disrupt them.
But he was stopped later, wasn't he?
"Leader, please investigate clearly. After being stopped by the First Elder, I never approached there again. It wasn't me," Qin Wuyi hastily defended himself.
"You dug up the spiritual veins. Are you saying it wasn't you?" Luo Yangtian said coldly.
Qin Wuyi felt wrongfully accused, "It really wasn't me!"
Qin Shou understood now. The hidden danger left from digging the spiritual veins had erupted.
"Second Elder, what are the results of the soul search?" Luo Yangtian continued to ask.
"My leader, two disciples from Tianjian Peak are spies from the Demon Music Palace. They obeyed the orders of someone codenamed 'Dark Guard' and deliberately framed Xiaoyao Peak, aiming to drive away its peak master and occupy and destroy Xiaoyao Peak," the Second Elder said seriously.
Upon hearing this, Ye Kong understood everything.
So it was Demon Cult disciples framing his Xiaoyao Peak.
However, there was still a Dark Guard lurking within Xinghe Sect, which was indeed dangerous.
"Second Elder, did you see what the Dark Guard looked like?" Luo Yangtian inquired.
"My leader, the Dark Guard was wearing a black hood, so we couldn't see his face clearly," the Second Elder bowed and replied.
Luo Yangtian nodded slightly and said coldly, "Qin Wuyi, do you have anything else to say? You're allowed to defy."
"Leader, it really has nothing to do with me. I've been on Yushu Peak for the past few days and haven't left!" Qin Wuyi defied.
"Yes, leader, it has nothing to do with my master," Qin Shou also hastily defended.
"Besides, this incident was provoked by Tianjian Peak. What does it have to do with Yushu Peak?"
Qin Shou passed the blame to Tianjian Peak.
Upon hearing this, Chen Changqing hastily defended, "This has nothing to do with my Tianjian Peak. It wasn't us who dug the hole."