"About eighty percent of Dengyun Tower's disciples have already been possessed by evil cultivators; there are a few cultivators like Xia Yiwan as well. The remaining twenty percent are newly recruited disciples whose spirits are still intact. Their cultivation is too low, however, and their physical bodies can't bear the evil soul's corrosive baleful aura for long. They aren't worth using expensive Yinxi medicine on yet, so they're still in the early stage of raising their cultivation until they're ripe for possession."
Yun Po finished saying everything he knew in one breath, her expression cooling as she relayed the intelligence.
After hearing this report, Yunxi said, "Then now that Xia Yiwan has gone back, and with Jin Xiu already infiltrated inside the tower, if we add this Niao Niao to the mix, we can work from both sides and take down Dengyun Tower completely."
She shook her head, her fingers drumming a slow rhythm. "Han Qingwen is very cautious. All those disciples who went back were likely interrogated with great scrutiny. If he senses anything off, he will directly search their souls without hesitation. Don't move Niao Niao for now. We can keep her by our side to maintain the facade and let Han Qingwen know our movements through her."
She immediately understood her intention, her eyes brightening with the strategy. "You're planning to set an ambush midway and take him and those disciples down in one sweep?"
"That's the idea. Hidden families always keep their clan lands extremely secret; they won't let outsiders find them easily. If he thinks he can follow the two of us and find the entrance to a hidden family, then after taking it over, they will gain another safe foothold for their operations. He shouldn't be able to resist that kind of temptation."
Yunxi rubbed Li Li's head, her touch soothing the white beast. "You're not wrong, but there are too many variables here to account for. Since it's a hidden family we are portraying, there are at least two Mahayana Zhēnzūn guarding it in the narrative. If evil cultivators want to seize that territory, they will have to send Mahayana-level evil cultivators to ensure success. With just the two of us at our current strength, we can't handle that many high-level threats."
"Hehe, aren't there still the two of us?" she said with a grin full of ill intent. "If Han Qingwen is also thinking about capturing the two of us and then pulling an inside-out move to replace us, he will definitely keep his eyes glued to us."
She thought it over, weighing the risks against the potential rewards. "It's not impossible. It depends on what he does next. Then we will see who is more skilled in this game. We also can't let him feel like everything is going too smoothly. If we add some difficulty to his pursuit, he will actually pay even more attention to us and believe the ruse."
Both of them were at the Unity stage. If they were really successfully possessed by evil souls, they would very likely become terrifying killing tools in the hands of evil cultivators, a prize Han Qingwen would covet.
After hashing things out in the quiet of the room, they had a preliminary plan. Then they each returned to their rooms to prepare for the coming days.
On the other side of the city, as soon as Xia Yiwan returned to Dengyun Tower, she went to see Han Qingwen in the inner sanctum.
Her face was pale, the skin almost translucent in the dim light. "Tower Master, I'm back," she said.
Han Qingwen swept a glance at her, his sharp gaze assessing her state, and immediately saw that one layer of her cultivation was gone. He asked directly, "Did you plant the evil seed as instructed?"
She shook her head, her posture low and submissive. "Tower Master, please forgive me. I didn't get the chance. That Yun Po was extremely cautious during our time together. He didn't dual cultivate with me directly to allow the transfer. Instead, he used a purple gourd spirit treasure to absorb one layer of my cultivation. I didn't dare send out the evil seed at all in that moment. If I had acted, he would definitely have noticed the anomaly."
"They're actually that cautious," he said, narrowing his eyes as he pondered the information.
"Yes, Tower Master. After we went to the two siblings' temporary residence, they even examined our bodies with their divine sense. They seemed worried you had done something to us before we arrived. When Zhuge Muyu went back just now, that Xi Yun Zūnshàng even used questioning as an excuse to grab his hand and check his body with spiritual energy."
Han Qingwen brushed his sleeve, the fabric snapping in the still air. "Looks like they're indeed troublesome, but that also makes them more worth targeting in the end. A hidden family is a real piece of fat meat that we cannot ignore."
"Tower Master, Niao Niao has already stayed behind with them. What should we do next? I heard Yun Po say they will leave Songran City in two days. As for where they're going, neither of them revealed the destination."
"No problem. Let them go. As long as Niao Niao and Muyu follow them, we will definitely find these two. You go cultivate first and make up for the layer of cultivation you lost. I will have other arrangements for you later once the plan progresses."
"Yes, Tower Master."
Xia Yiwan respectfully bowed, her movements precise, and withdrew from the highest chamber of Dengyun Tower.
Han Qingwen looked toward the direction of Xianke Ruyun, his eyes fixed on the distance. His eyes flickered as if he were considering how to make his move to ensure their capture.
-
Niao Niao had followed beside Yun Po for three days, yet she still hadn't been able to get close to him or find an opening. Three days later, the Su family siblings were preparing to leave Songran City behind. She felt anxious, a restless energy buzzing beneath her skin, but she didn't dare show it on her face.
Yun Po said to her, his voice echoing in the courtyard, "This Lord is going to meet up with my clansmen. Are you following this Lord, or staying here to wait for our return?"
"Niao Niao will naturally follow Zūnshàng," she replied.
"Alright. Get ready. We're leaving in an hour."
She hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Zūnshàng, where are we going?"
He replied coldly, his gaze turning sharp as a blade. "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask."
As soon as the words fell, heavy pressure from the Unity stage flooded over Niao Niao's body, making it difficult for her to draw breath.
Her face changed, the color draining away. She immediately lowered her head, avoiding his eyes. "Yes. Niao Niao overstepped."
She didn't say another word after that, keeping her head bowed in a show of contrition.
Yunxi, meanwhile, said to Muyu, "You get ready too. We will take the teleportation array shortly."
Then she added coldly, her voice echoing the frost in her eyes, "Tell your senior sister as well. Don't pry into things you shouldn't if she wishes to keep her place."
"Yes."
After that, Zhuge Muyu found an opportunity to see Niao Niao while they prepared their belongings. On the surface, she warned her not to drag her down with her mistakes, but secretly she sent a voice transmission through the air.
"What are you doing? How come you still haven't succeeded in getting close?"
"Hmph. You have got the nerve to say that to me. Aren't you the same?"
"At least Xi Yun Zūnshàng is planning to take me back to the family. You might get discarded halfway if you aren't careful."
"What do you mean by that?"
"The Su family has discovered an ancient cultivator's estate and is preparing to explore it. They only received the news yesterday, so they're setting off today. Who knows how many Su family members are rushing to Xiaolong City right now. Chances to act will probably get even fewer with so many eyes on us."
"Then notify the Tower Master immediately. Let's pull a mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. The more Su family people come, the better it's for us. We want their bodies for possession, and we want the ancient cultivator's treasure too."
"But Xiao Long City is very close to Yixian Gate. If things get noisy during the ambush, it won't be good for our secrecy."
"What is there to fear? Isn't Xia Yiwan still around? Let her return to the sect first and stir up some trouble. As long as Yixian Gate can't spare any attention to the surrounding areas, the Tower Master can take down all the Su family members.
The Tower Master still needs time to prepare for such a large operation. Let's send the news out as soon as possible. On the road, delay things as much as we can and let Xia Yiwan return to Yixian Gate first."
"Alright. I got it."
After that brief exchange, the two separated to finish their preparations.
On Yun Po's side, she had already told Yunxi everything Niao Niao had said during their time together.
Yunxi raised an eyebrow, a small smile touching her lips. "Looks like since you didn't dual cultivate with her, she has started to suspect something is amiss."
Yun Po said roguishly, "This Lord was afraid I would drain her cultivation dry in one go and she would lose her little life before the plan was ready."
"Then once we reach the next city, you act. She is an evil cultivator anyway; killing her is killing her. That will make Han Qingwen think we're ruthless and unwilling to expose the ancient cultivator's estate. He won't suspect our identities at all if we act like arrogant clan members."
"Alright."
Niao Niao still had no idea that her fate had already been decided by the two siblings.
An hour later, the group of four entered Songran City's teleportation hall and stood on the glowing array leading to Xiyuan City. This was a necessary stop on the way to Xiao Long City. They planned to transfer here and deal with Niao Niao along the way.
Not long after they left, Han Qingwen received the message Zhuge Muyu sent back. A flash of delight crossed his face. He immediately waved his hand and sent out several communication talismans to his subordinates. Half an hour later, Xia Yiwan also stepped into the teleportation hall.