Qingxu Temple, the Main Peak Council Hall.
The atmosphere was so heavy it seemed water could be wrung from it. Inside the hall, Sect Master Master Xuanxuan sat high at the head, his expression calm yet his gaze sharp as an eagle's. Below, seated on left and right, were Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng acting as Sect Master, Enforcement Elder Third Sister Liu Yun, Transmission of Techniques Elder, and several of the most senior inner sect elders. Tang Xiaoqi, as the person involved and a Yuan Ying True Lord, was also among them, his position second only to below the Sect Master.
In the center of the hall, three disciples knelt -- two from the outer sect, one from the inner sect. Their faces pale, their bodies trembling slightly, they dared not raise their heads to look at the elders above.
Just three days ago, that rain-night assassination attempt on Tang Xiaoqi, though successfully resolved, with the assassin leader "Shadow" killed and the captured survivor revealing much intelligence, left one sharp question unaddressed -- how did those assassins so preciselygrasp Tang Xiaoqi's whereabouts, and bypass the perimeter patrols to reach directly near his cave dwelling?
This was by no means coincidence. Qingxu Temple's protective great formation was not for show, and the daily patrol had its procedures. The only explanation was that someone inside the sect was providing assistance, or in other words, there were "eyes and ears."
"Begin." Sect Master Master Xuanxuan's voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying undeniable authority.
Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng stood up. His handling of sect affairs had become increasingly steady, yet at this moment, his brow was creased with an indelible worry. He first bowed to the Sect Master and elders, then turned to the three kneeling disciples. His voice was calm yet carried pressure. "Chen Song, Zhao Ming, Li Yun. Tell us in detail your whereabouts recent days, who you have contacted, and... whether there have been any unusual matters. The sect values your cultivation efforts. If you confess voluntarily, you may receive leniency."
Chen Song, the outer sect disciple, was the first to kowtow, his voice carrying a crying tone. "The disciple is wronged! That day I was only collecting dew in the back mountain, and I happened to see Junior Grandmaster Xiaoqi return from afar. I absolutely did not follow, nor have I colluded with outsiders! The disciple swears to heaven!" His words were agitated, yet his eyes flickered, not daring to meet Mu Qingfeng's gaze.
Third Sister Liu Yun snorted coldly. Her nature was forthright, and she hated deception most. She had not fully recovered from the exhaustion of covering the retreat and blocking the demon cultivators, her face still somewhat pale, yet her gaze was like a drawn sword. "Collecting dew? At the third quarter of the Yin hour, in continuous cold rain, you went to the perilous back mountain to collect dew? Chen Song, you have been in the sect for seventeen years. When did you become so 'diligent'?"
Chen Song immediately fell silent, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
Seeing this, Zhao Ming beside him quickly said, "Senior Brother, Third Sister, the disciple... the disciple was entrusted by someone to deliver a newly issued sect newsletter to Junior Grandmaster Xiaoqi, and just happened to pass by..."
"Newsletter?" Tang Xiaoqi suddenly spoke, his voice calm. His gaze fell on Zhao Ming. Though he did not exert the slightest pressure, Zhao Ming felt as if he were being stared at by a mountain. "The mailbox at the entrance of my cave dwelling is collected and delivered by servant disciples on a regular schedule daily. Why would an outer sect disciple need to personally 'pass by' and deliver it on a rainy night? Besides, there was no new newsletter printed that day."
Zhao Ming's face instantly turned as white as paper.
The last disciple, Li Yun from the inner sect, was a female disciple responsible for inventory registration in the warehouse. She appeared relatively composed, but her tightly clasped hands had white knuckles. "The disciple was on duty that night, checking warehouse inventory until late. Junior Brother Liu, who was on duty at the same time, can testify. It's just that... I left the warehouse for about the time of one incense stick due to stomach pain, going to the nearby purification room."
"One incense stick..." Mu Qingfeng repeated this duration, his gaze turning to a steward disciple on the side of the hall responsible for intelligence compilation. That disciple immediately stepped forward, presenting a jade slip.
Mu Qingfeng swept it with his divine sense and said heavily, "According to the memory fragments we extracted from the captured survivor and our reconstruction of the assassination route, the key node for signal transmission was precisely on the path from the warehouse area to Junior Brother Xiaoqi's cave dwelling. The time coincided exactly with your 'one incense stick' absence from the warehouse."
Li Yun raised her head sharply, panic finally appearing in her eyes. "No! Senior Brother, I... I just had a stomach ache! I don't know anything!"
Sect Master Master Xuanxuan slowly closed his eyes, then opened them after a moment, a flash of pain and regret in them. "Li Yun, three generations of your ancestors have served our Qingxu Temple. Your father died fighting for the sect. You grew up in the temple, never lacking resources. The sect has treated you well. Why?"
Those last two characters fell like heavy hammers on Li Yun's heart. Her body went soft, collapsing to the ground. Tears flowed, no longer the pretense from before, but genuine collapse. "They... they captured my brother in the mortal world... I... I had no choice... They only asked me to place a specific stone at a specific time on the windowsill at the back of the warehouse... I didn't know it was a signal... I really didn't know it would lead to an assassination..." She sobbed uncontrollably.
Seeing Li Yun confess, Chen Song and Zhao Ming's psychological defenses also completely collapsed. Chen Song had fallen into massive gambling debts, controlled by an underground money house, forced to provide seemingly "trivial" information like the approximate whereabouts of important figures. Zhao Ming had been bewitched by a treasured artifact he had long desired, accepting an unidentified person's "gift," with the price being passing along messages as well.
The hall was silent. Only the suppressed crying and confessions of the three disciples remained.
The truth was often not complicated, nothing more than coercion and temptation, seizing weaknesses in human nature. But these seemingly tiny loopholes had nearly caused a great disaster.
"Take them away, punish according to sect rules." The Sect Master's voice carried a trace of exhaustion as he waved his hand. Immediately, Law Enforcement disciples came forward to lead the three away.
However, the investigation did not end.
Mu Qingfeng looked at the Sect Master and elders, his expression solemn. "Master, esteemed Shishu and Shibo. This incident exposed gaps in our sect's internal management, especially in examining disciples' character, monitoring material exchanges with the outside world, and reviewing backgrounds of personnel in key positions. Only dealing with these few people may not prevent future troubles."
A white-haired elder sighed. "What Qingfeng said is quite correct. It's just that if we make a big stir with a comprehensive review, it's unavoidable that people will panic, harming the sect's vitality. Now, with Shadow Snake Pavilion and its remnants eyeing us from outside, the interior should not be too turbulent."
Third Sister Liu Yun immediately retorted. "Elder Lin, even a small sore can ulcerate and destroy a thousand-li embankment! Today they can buy disciples to spy on whereabouts; tomorrow they can tamper with the protective great formation! If we don't thoroughly investigate, how can we live up to the Master's entrustment, how can we live up to the many disciples who trust the sect?"
Another elder nodded in agreement. "What Liu Shishengzi says is reasonable. In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. Leniency does not mean connivance. All disciples must understand where the sect's bottom line lies."
Tang Xiaoqi had been listening silently. Now he finally spoke. "Senior Brother, Third Sister, esteemed elders. I believe the investigation is necessary, but the method may be worth deliberating. Why not, under the pretext of 'strengthening sect protection against potential threats,' conduct a comprehensive round of 'Heart Examination' and 'Trace Tracing.'"
"Heart Examination?" Everyone looked at him.
"Mn." Xiaoqi nodded. "Not torture or interrogation, but led by Transmission of Techniques Elder, Law Enforcement Hall, and trusted Yuan Ying fellow cultivators, using the 'Bright Heart Mirror' (a spiritual treasure that detects lies and malice) and gentle divine sense probing techniques. We would conduct a round of inquiries and examinations on all Nascent Soul and above cultivators, key position steward disciples, and those with frequent contact with the outside world, including myself. The focus would be on checking whether one is corroded by demonic energy, whether hidden prohibitions have been planted, whether significant conflicts of interest exist that could be exploited. Externally, we would announce it as a routine character assessment before a Yuan Ying lecture."
He paused, continuing. "At the same time, Second Brother's... team would assist the Law Enforcement Hall in retrospectively analyzing the sect's material outflows, disciples' large spirit stone transactions, and abnormal task contribution point redemptions in recent years, searching for possible leads. Although this approach seems mild, its coverage is broad and can have a deterrent effect."
Sect Master Master Xuanxuan's eyes showed approval. "Xiaoqi's method is excellent. It investigates the hidden dangers while avoiding excessive panic. Qingfeng, proceed as he suggested. You will be in overall command, with Liu Yun, Transmission of Techniques Hall, and Law Enforcement Hall coordinating, Xiaoqi assisting from the side. The scope... shall be as Xiaoqi said. Be thorough, but also maintain discretion."
"Obeying Master's command!" Mu Qingfeng, Liu Yun, and the others said in unison.
The following half month, a silent storm raged within Qingxu Temple.
There were no large-scale arrests or interrogations, but every disciple and steward on the list was invited into a specific meditation room one by one. Under the gentle light of the "Bright Heart Mirror," they answered a series of questions about loyalty, recent behavior, and interpersonal interactions. Mu Qingfeng, Liu Yun, or an elder Yuan Ying elder presided personally, and Tang Xiaoqi also participated in questioning some core personnel.
The process was not easy. That feeling of beingseeing through the soul made many innocent disciples feel pressure. But it also truly rooted out several problematic individuals.
One mid-Nascent Soul elder was discovered to have hidden connections between his family business and a black market controlled by Shadow Snake Pavilion. Though he had not directly betrayed the sect, his resources were constrained, and he had intentionally or unintentionally leaked some non-core sect movements.
One steward responsible for maintaining the outer formation foundations was discovered to have had his dao partner secretly controlled by Shadow Snake Pavilion. He was forced to make some extremely subtle changes to the formation foundations. Though it did not affect the overall operation of the formation, it could cause localized defense weakening under specific circumstances.
There were also several disciples, some tempted by great gains, others exploited due to personal grudges, to varying degrees.
These people, depending on the severity of their actions, were either stripped of their cultivation and expelled, imprisoned for meditation with a chance to redeem themselves, or severely warned and transferred from key positions.
Throughout the entire investigation, Tang Xiaoqi consistently upheld the principle of "punishment and salvation coexisting." For those coerced and regretful like Li Yun, he interceded on their behalf, giving them opportunities to atone for their crimes through meritorious service. For that Nascent Soul elder, he suggested giving him a chance to make amends by having his family proactively cut ties with the black market and providing more intelligence about Shadow Snake Pavilion's peripheral industries to the sect.
This internal investigation was like a complete internal examination and debridement. Although discovering some pus-filled sores was heartbreaking, after removing them, the sect's body became healthier and purer.
When the investigation ended and the results were announced within a certain scope, Qingxu Temple did not fall into panic but instead achieved unprecedented cohesion. Disciples more clearly understood the sect's bottom line and principles, and gained deeper understanding of the fairness and skill with which the leadership handled affairs. That feeling of being secretly watched vanished, replaced by a more solid sense of security.
"The storm has temporarily calmed." Under the night sky, Tang Xiaoqi stood shoulder to shoulder with Senior Brother Mu Qingfeng at the peak of the Main Peak, overlooking the sect's buildings glowing like ten thousand households.
Mu Qingfeng let out a long breath, the worry in his brow dissipating considerably, yet his gaze remained profound. "The hidden dangers have been eliminated, and the people's hearts are united. After this matter, it will be difficult for Shadow Snake Pavilion to infiltrate from within again. Xiaoqi, I am indebted to you this time."
Xiaoqi shook his head, gazing at the heavy darkness in the distance. "Senior Brother is too kind. The sect is our root; protecting it is our duty. It's just that external threats will not disappear because of this investigation."
Mu Qingfeng nodded, his tone heavy. "Mn. According to the intelligence squeezed out of the survivor at the end, and the news secretly passed by Aunt Su, 'Shadow' was merely a pawn. The true mastermind behind the scenes, that mysterious 'divination cultivator,' and Shadow Snake Pavilion's real core, remain hidden in the shadows. They failed this time; next time, they may resort to even more desperate measures."
Tang Xiaoqi's eyes gleamed particularly bright and firm in the night. "Then let them come. Qingxu Temple is no longer the Qingxu Temple of the past."
The internal investigation removed the rot and united the people's hearts. But everyone understood clearly that this was merely necessary fortification before the storm arrived. The true darkness may have just begun.