Chapter 186: The Opportunist

Yuan Tou is gone.

Qiao Qian Zhi patted Ye Xiao Tian on the shoulder and said softly.

Cultivating an inner court disciple was no easy task, especially since this one had secured a spot among the new thirty-three elites, with a bright future ahead.

Though he had some flaws, nobody's perfect, and those could be forgiven.

In this world, people don't pay special attention to anyone's shortcomings; what matters most is strength.

What a shame...

Ye Xiao Tian just sighed quietly. On the path to pursuing the great dao, there were always many unexpected twists, and it was all too normal for someone to meet an untimely end.

He turned around and said, "In one day, we'll activate the Tianxuan Men array as usual and try one last time."

Alright.

Qiao Qian Zhi agreed without hesitation, then glanced back at Zhao Xi Dong. "Time to get to work."

I've been waiting for this!

Zhao Xi Dong had somehow managed to stick a blade of grass in his mouth, and his eyes now held a hint of playful irreverence. He held the Ling Pan and vanished in a flash.

When he reappeared, he was already squatting on the railing of the pavilion.

Hey!

Everyone looked over, their moods varying widely.

A few of the veteran inner court disciples froze at the sight of Zhao Xi Dong in his enforcement mode, as if they were staring at an execution platform, instinctively panicking.

I'll cut to the chase.

Zhao Xi Dong pushed the Ling Pan forward and said, "This thing is called the 'Shi Er Zhu Ling Lian Pan.' It can show the real-time status inside the Tianxuan Men."

Once four of the twelve Zhenjie Zhibao are lost, the Tianxuan Men will start to collapse. I'm sure you've all felt that already.

The outsiders who were still confused suddenly understood— so the collapse of the Tianxuan Men was man-made?

Xu Xiao Shou glanced at the others and noticed that except for Luo Lei Lei and Mo Mo, almost everyone had a look of sudden realization...

These guys were really slow on the uptake!

Zhao Xi Dong continued, "In past years, events like this barely ever happened. Even if someone got lucky and found a Zhenjie Zhibao, it was hard to break the seal and take it."

But if anyone succeeded, that was their reward!

Reward? Xu Xiao Shou's eyes lit up. Did that mean the four Zhenjie Zhibao he had in his pocket were all his?

Zhao Xi Dong gave him a meaningful look, then changed tack: "But this time is different!"

Oh?

The Tianxuan Men has only been open for two days— it's impossible for four Zhenjie Zhibao to go missing that quickly, so...

There's an infiltrator? Xu Xiao Shou chimed in.

Zhao Xi Dong stared at him with a cold smile. Did he really think a few words from his side would make me drop my suspicions?

He said firmly, "Yes, and not just one— there are two!"

Two?

Mu Zi Xi blinked her big eyes, looking puzzled.

If it was just one, she probably knew who it was— Mo Mo was definitely involved, since that girl had been chasing her "life spirit seal" all along, which was suspicious.

She glanced at Xu Xiao Shou, even more confused.

After all, from what happened, not only had the "life spirit seal" mysteriously ended up with her senior brother, but even the "seal stone" had been split in half...

She decided to keep quiet— with Xu Xiao Shou around, he'd say whatever needed to be said.

Xu Xiao Shou was also taken aback.

If there were two infiltrators, he had already figured out that Luo Lei Lei was a "holy slave," so who was the other one?

He thought of Mo Mo— the gray mist figure should count as one.

Of course, that guy's target was originally the Zhenjie Zhibao.

But in the end, he probably had the most of them... Thinking about that, Xu Xiao Shou started to panic.

Zhao Xi Dong had been carefully watching everyone's reactions— some were bewildered, some blank, some calm, some serene...

But Xu Xiao Shou's reactions were the most exaggerated. Way too suspicious!

This guy definitely knew inside information and was probably very familiar with the Zhenjie Zhibao. Maybe he was the infiltrator.

But...

Zhao Xi Dong felt conflicted. Even Elder Xiao had said the infiltrator couldn't be Xu Xiao Shou. How were they so sure?

Elder Sang's reasoning made sense— there should indeed be two infiltrators, and so far, besides Luo Lei Lei seen in the Da Ban Tian Jing, the other was a complete mystery.

If he went by gut feeling, Zhao Xi Dong might tie up Luo Lei Lei, Xu Xiao Shou, and Mo Mo right away.

But the Ling Fa Ge enforcement division never relied on gut feelings— they needed evidence!

Even for Luo Lei Lei, who was the biggest suspect, she could claim it was just a coincidence that she went to the top of Hei Luo Cliff and saw the sword sheath—who wouldn't want to pull it out?

So...

I'm sorry to say this, but all of you here are suspects, so hand over your rings! Zhao Xi Dong held out his hand.

Everyone's faces changed. A spatial ring was someone's most private possession, often holding their personal opportunities— how could they just hand it over?

This is just suspicion— this demand is way over the line! The longer someone had been in the inner court, the more secrets they had, so naturally, there was discontent.

Oh? Zhao Xi Dong looked at the speaker with ill intent. "If you go to the 'Xing Tai,' we won't even leave you your underwear. This is already being nice— what more do you want?"

I...

Want to come with me? Zhao Xi Dong tilted his head.

The person's face turned beet red, choked and speechless.

Xu Xiao Shou raised his hand. "I have a question."

Go ahead!

What if, besides the two infiltrators, someone else just got lucky and got a Zhenjie Zhibao by chance? How would that work?

Zhao Xi Dong was stunned. He hadn't thought of that, but he quickly dismissed it in his mind.

There were only ten people who went in, and with two infiltrators, adding another lucky one? What a coincidence that would be!

No such coincidences! he snapped. "Do you think Zhenjie Zhibao just fall from the sky like pie?"

Yes. Xu Xiao Shou said seriously, "This world is full of surprises."

Heh, so you're saying you got a Zhenjie Zhibao, but you're not the infiltrator? Zhao Xi Dong sneered coldly.

Xu Xiao Shou didn't say more and simply pulled out "Zang Ku," thumping it down on the ground.

Not coincidentally, I'm that lucky one.

Under suspicion, passive points: 472.

Zhao Xi Dong laughed. "Do you think I'm blind? That's just your broken sword..."

He suddenly froze.

The sword was indeed the same one from the group preliminaries that had lured everyone into a brawl.

But the sheath on it...

The Hei Luo Jian Qiao? he exclaimed.

In the Da Ban Tian Jing footage, Luo Lei Lei was the one pulling the sword, with Xu Xiao Shou watching from the side.

That meant there must have been a confrontation between them.

So how had Xu Xiao Shou managed to take the "Hei Luo Jian Qiao" from Luo Lei Lei, the strongest among the new thirty-three?

How is that possible?

He looked at Luo Lei Lei, who blushed. "Why are you looking at me?"

Was it really taken from you? Zhao Xi Dong's heart shook.

He recalled how Xu Xiao Shou, at the ninth realm of refining spirit, had turned Chao Shu into fireworks that night. Now, having entered the early Yuan Ting Jing stage, grabbing the sword sheath from Luo Lei Lei seemed... not entirely impossible?

But still!

Zhao Xi Dong felt his worldview crumbling. How could this be? It was absurd!

An early Yuan Ting Jing fighter against a peak Ling Jing expert?

It wasn't unheard of, but it was incredibly rare. If Chao Shu losing was a fluke, then Luo Lei Lei... well, she and Chao Shu weren't even in the same league!

Most importantly, if the "Hei Luo Jian Qiao" was in Xu Xiao Shou's hands, how could they confirm Luo Lei Lei's guilt?

Zhao Xi Dong was completely baffled.

Were these two infiltrators now a mystery again?