"Yes." Yuan Yuan answered at once.
If anyone was around, forcing the camera to move could draw unnecessary attention.
But right now, just as Yun Jin had said, everyone in Qingxiao Pavilion was gathered in the central grand hall, most likely discussing the matter of choosing the next Sect Master.
At this moment, no one would be watching this place.
Nor would anyone expect that inside this Holy Land, a camera had been secretly lurking all along.
Yuan Yuan carefully manipulated the device, letting it drift silently through the void. Earlier, during the playback, when Lin Xiao and Xuan Kong had been speaking, there was a faint mention of Xuan Kong's residence being located on a secluded peak.
Following that clue slowly, soon, the camera found a cave mansion built atop a lonely mountaintop.
On the cave's entrance, three bold calligraphic characters were carved: Xuan Kong.
"Master, this should be it. The cave is protected by a barrier. It cannot be viewed directly. If we try to force through, it will likely alert the owner," Yuan Yuan reported.
Yun Jin narrowed her eyes and said bluntly, "Force it open."
She needed to see something with her own eyes to confirm her suspicions. Even if it meant sacrificing this one camera, it was worth the price.
"Yes." Yuan Yuan no longer hesitated and began to drive the camera to forcibly break through the protective array.
In the Central Hall
"The Sect Master died without clarity! I say we must uncover the true culprit first, before deciding who will succeed as Sect Master!"
"Finding the culprit and deciding on the next Sect Master has never been a contradiction! The Sect Master mentioned more than once while alive, if he were to fall, the only one fit to inherit his mantle is Xuan Kong!"
"That was before! What if the Sect Master's thoughts changed at the final moment? Traditionally, each Qingxiao Sect Master personally designates their successor before death. Lin Xiao is the first to die suddenly outside, without leaving a single final word. To rely on a few old statements to hand the position to Xuan Kong, I fear many will not accept it."
"What do you mean 'many'? I think it is just you who refuses! Elder Xuan Kong and the Sect Master cultivated the same lineage of arts. Why would he not be suited for this great responsibility?"
"But his cultivation is far inferior to the Sect Master. Within Qingxiao Pavilion, the number of people stronger than him exceeds a single hand!"
"Other than those sword cultivators, whose brains are full of brawn, who ever said the Sect Master must be the strongest in raw cultivation? Elder Xuan Kong is perfectly suitable!"
The central hall erupted in a fierce dispute.
At the heart of it all, Xuan Kong himself remained seated, silent, face pale as paper.
As the arguments went nowhere, one supporter grew anxious and called out, "Elder Xuan Kong, say something!"
The others turned their gazes on him.
Xuan Kong's lips moved. In a soft tone he said, "Elder Brother, in his lifetime, always set the standard of a future Sect Master upon me. Now that he has died so unjustly, do you mean to deny even this one small wish of his?"
For so long, Xuan Kong had presented himself as indifferent and uncompetitive. Now, he finally voiced a claim for himself.
His supporters nearly burst with joy, just about to speak on his behalf, when—
Suddenly.
Xuan Kong's expression twisted, contorting as if suppressing unbearable pain. After a long struggle, he gritted out, "But! My cultivation truly falls short. If I forcibly take the mantle, Qingxiao Pavilion may forever be pressed beneath the other three Holy Lands."
"???" His supporters froze.
Those against him almost laughed aloud. "Elder Xuan is indeed righteous and clear-sighted. These are no longer days of peace. With the war of humans and demons looming, the sect needs someone of pinnacle battle strength to lead us forward."
"But," Xuan Kong suddenly added, "I am on the verge of breaking through the final ninth layer of the Void Spirit Codex. According to sect law, whoever achieves that shall be the next Sect Master. So this position—I must obtain."
His supporters straightened with delight. Ah, so Elder Xuan was playing a humble-first, assertive-later strategy!
Just as they prepared to cheer,
Xuan Kong's expression contorted again, his voice painfully forced: "But I am… not yet at the ninth layer."
Then his face shifted once more.
"But I will break through very soon."
Moments later,
"A breakthrough is not something so easily guaranteed."
"But I have confidence in myself."
"But my confidence is not that absolute."
Under the stupefied gazes of all Qingxiao Pavilion disciples, Elder Xuan Kong descended into a bizarre spectacle—arguing with himself, contradicting his own words back and forth.
Elder Xuan Kong had… split his mind?!
None knew that in truth, he was suffering torment beyond words. That day, as usual, he had been sleeping inside his cave, deliberately delaying his breakthrough.
Suddenly something abnormal stirred within his dantian.
A strange force sprouted within him.
In an instant, it rooted itself, forming a great tree in his dantian. Countless tendrils spread, seizing control of his meridians.
Xuan Kong tried to circulate his art to resist— but then realized.
His art could not move at all.
That thing was innately designed to restrain the Void Spirit Codex.
Next moment he felt it battling him for control of his body.
By rights this thing countered him perfectly. If its strength were even slightly greater, he would have had no chance of survival.
Yet by fortune, its power was weak. Even restrained in every way, he managed to endure. The struggle dragged on for days.
At one point, he tentatively called out, "Elder Brother."
That thing froze, then stopped concealing itself. It revealed its voice, urging him desperately—it was Lin Xiao, who had perished, leaving only a shred of remnant soul. He claimed he merely wished to borrow Xuan Kong's body to nourish himself, and meant him no harm.
But Xuan Kong had already been wary. Faced with this, he trusted nothing.
The two locked in violent struggle once more.
In the end Lin Xiao's remnant grew desperate. He abandoned the idea of existing separately and directly fused himself into Xuan Kong's soul.
At that very moment the sect's Immortal artifact resonated, sounding the funeral bell. From then on, Lin Xiao's remnant became a part of Xuan Kong's very soul.
Two powers constantly repelled each other, rending him with endless agony.
One moment he was himself.
The next, he became Lin Xiao.
As if he had split into two men.
Lin Xiao's portion urged him relentlessly to seize the position of Sect Master. Precisely because Lin Xiao desired it so much, Xuan Kong vowed never to yield. And so appeared the bizarre spectacle in the great hall—
Elder Xuan Kong violently quarreling with himself.
Then suddenly,
Xuan Kong froze.
Someone was breaking into his cave!
He felt the barrier being forcibly breached.
"There is an ene—" Lin Xiao's remnant surged, trying to cry out.
Xuan Kong crushed it down with all his might and forced out, "There is an ene…my, so I shall play everyone a tune."
Everyone: "???"
They all stared at each other.
Neither side could find words.
Elder Xuan Kong…
Had he truly gone insane?