"How long have these symptoms persisted?"

In and around the pavilion stood seven or eight masters of the Xuan Nu Sect; Wu Wang couldn't simply sit down, so he had to stand behind the stone table. He looked at the Daoist before him, almost entirely wrapped in coarse cloth, asking in a concerned voice, "Let the Primordial Spirit that usually speaks for you come out and talk."

He couldn't directly say the word 'personality', so he had to conform to the local custom and call it 'Primordial Spirit Split'.

Daoist Wan Cai's body trembled slightly. His left sleeve hung empty; the arm that had been flung off moments ago was now burned to residue by a white flame.

He said in a low voice, "Several... several thousand years."

"You said just now that you're not a member of the Ten Evils Hall?"

"I..." Daoist Wan Cai hesitated for a moment, changed his mode of address, took a deep breath, and sighed, "I know you won't believe me no matter how I explain, but I truly, truly am not a spy from the Ten Evils Hall."

Wu Wang smiled. "Then where did the aura of Evil Gods on you come from?"

Daoist Wan Cai obviously hesitated.

Behind Ling Xiaolan, her master, who was wiping her hands, shot him a look, and Daoist Wan Cai shuddered violently.

"I am of the Human race," he began. "My parents told me that my ancestors were likely from a clan in the Eastern Wilderness, but they were relocated to the place where I was born.

"It was a vast expanse of mountain forests teeming with fierce beasts. Our daily task was to kneel before certain tablets and pray.

"Through constant prayer, an abundance of food would be delivered to various valleys.

"That was the livestock farm where we were raised. No one knew what dignity was. Offspring with beautiful faces were taken away, and the rest had to do their utmost to produce more offspring.

"I, or rather, the first batch of Elders of the Ten Evils Hall, were all born there..."

Daoist Wan Cai began to recount his story slowly, his voice trembling at first, then gradually steadying, only to tremble again. The several masters nearby showed expressions of compassion.

This situation had actually been anticipated by the Human Domain; after all, no one could explain how the Ten Evils Hall had managed to grow so rapidly—it was certain that a large number of fiends from the Ten Evils Hall had infiltrated from beyond. But when they faced the reality of it, they couldn't help but feel indignant.

Ling Xiaolan stood by with the Image Projection Bead, while a master from the Xuan Nu Sect took out a Jade Talisman to record Daoist Wan Cai's testimony.

Wu Wang suddenly asked, "Were only members of the Human race domesticated?"

Daoist Wan Cai said in a low voice, "Among those I came into contact with, there were only humans."

An old crone said, "Sect Master Wuwang, this person's Storage magic treasure contains a few recording Jade Talismans. They look quite ancient and have a lot of writing in them."

Wu Wang smiled. "Thank you, Senior. Please allow me to take a look."

"Good."

The old crone slid the Jade Talismans over. Wu Wang wrapped them in his mana and said to Daoist Wan Cai, "Continue. Don't stop."

"Sigh..." Daoist Wan Cai let out a long sigh and began to tell that somewhat distant story.

Wu Wang extended his Spiritual Sense into the Jade Talismans and took a quick look, swiftly multitasking as he organized the intelligence he had gathered.

This was indeed a big fish.

The captive members of the Human race lived for survival, doing only two things: praying and reproducing. Children were continuously selected and sent into a Blood Pool. Out of a hundred, only one survived, but those who did inherited the bloodline of the Evil Gods. Those with the strongest Bloodline Power were called Divine Children, while those with weaker power were known as God Servants. The Divine Children received special care and learned various kinds of knowledge about the Human Domain from a young age. God Servants were only taught how to fight cultivators, and some even died during the trials of the Divine Children.

"...After several decades, the nine of us were summoned by our fathers. That day, the father who summoned us was Tou Mu."

"You are a Divine Child?"

"Indeed, I was one of the nine Divine Children at that time."

Wu Wang went straight to the point. "How did you come to the Human Domain?"

"The Beast Tide."

"What Beast Tide?"

"It's..." Daoist Wan Cai slowly lifted his head, gazing into Wu Wang's face. "A Beast Tide, identical to the ones now ravaging the Northern Region. They occur periodically to deplete the Human Domain's strength."

Wu Wang nodded slowly and asked further, "Tell me exactly how you came over."

"Actually, the method was not complicated." Daoist Wan Cai said in a low voice, "At the time, we were told that if we landed from the sea bordering the Human Domain, we would likely be discovered by various military outposts. For safety, one of the Divine Children came up with a strategy. That year, one of the fathers took action, allowing the Beast Tide to breach the northwest defenses of the Human Domain. We hid within the belly of the Beast Tide, and when it rushed into the heartland of the Human Domain and destroyed villages, we mixed in with the refugees amidst the chaos."

Daoist Wan Cai's eyes were full of reminiscence. "According to the plan, we paired up and went to different places, agreeing to meet once every hundred years. I was the one left alone, drifting in the sea of people. I don't know why, but I saw the prosperity of the Human Domain. I saw that mortals here didn't need to pray; they could eat their fill by farming, keep warm by weaving, men and women married and raised their children together... ah, children, I mean. Suddenly, I was at a loss. The fathers had said the Human Domain was a blasphemous land that would surely be destroyed by the gods. I began to wonder if that was true or false."

Daoist Wan Cai lifted his head, his voice trembling. "I haven't harmed a single person; I haven't killed anyone. For thousands of years, I've been hiding in the Human Domain, not daring to contact them, not daring to join a major Sect, not daring to get too close to people. In the end, I secluded myself with a few good friends for cultivation. It was only in recent years that I... I got this somewhat absurd reputation. I knew I shouldn't have come here, but I still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that after so many years in the Human Domain, I no longer carried the scent of the Evil Gods on me."

Wu Wang did not delay. Playing with the Jade Talismans, he said softly, "Tell me the locations of the Ten Evils Hall strongholds you know of."

"I haven't been in contact with them..."

"Really?" Wu Wang nodded and looked towards the several seniors by his side.

Ling Xiaolan's master stepped forward again, her expression carrying a hint of indifference.

Daoist Wan Cai urgently said, "I truly haven't been in contact with them!"

"Would they allow a Divine Child like you to move freely without control?" Wu Wang countered.

"They... they did indeed find me," Daoist Wan Cai sighed. "Perhaps out of respect for our old camaraderie, they didn't take my life."

Wu Wang squinted with a smile, sighing, "Ah, so there's true affection in this world after all."

Fairy Ling's master said, "Kill him. If we can't get anything else out of him, the stench of his blood alone makes me sick!"

"I! I still know some information that might be useful to you!" Daoist Wan Cai said with a trembling voice, then suddenly glared at Wu Wang, cursing, "You will ultimately be destroyed by Father!"

Fairy Ling stepped forward half a step, her Treasure Sword already half-drawn from its sheath.

"This evildoer may still be of some use," an old woman mused. "Why not hand him over to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to deal with? Perhaps they can extract other information from him."

Daoist Wan Cai immediately said, "I know when the next batch of Divine Children will arrive in the Human Domain! I want to tell this to the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion in person in exchange for my life!"

"The second batch of Divine Children?"

"Yes," Daoist Wan Cai said in a low voice. "They had previously sought me out, saying that the earlier operation had failed and the fathers were somewhat angry, deciding to send a second batch of Divine Children. They also asked if I was willing to lead the way for them."

After that, he clamped his mouth shut tightly, not daring to look at the people beside him, and no longer uttered another word.

An older Fairy Immortal sneered, "The fellow is smart enough, but to think this alone would save his life is to underestimate us far too much!"

Several experts from the Xuan Nu Sect spoke in succession:

"If it is true as he says, that he hasn't harmed or wronged anyone, then he is indeed a pitiable person."

"It is indeed difficult for the Human race outside the domain, enslaved by the gods."

An old woman said, "Sect Master Wuwang, this man was found by you, so how to deal with him next shall be decided by you."

"Then I shall presume." Wu Wang cupped his hands together, staring at Daoist Wan Cai, a flicker of brightness in his eyes. He pushed the remaining cup of wine in front of him with mana towards Daoist Wan Cai, smiling. "Please, drink this wine."

Daoist Wan Cai shuddered but still opened his mouth and drained the wine, his gaze somewhat evasive.

Wu Wang smashed the wine cup, stating firmly, "You've had your final drink. It's time to go!"

Daoist Wan Cai's eyes bulged, nearly popping out of their sockets.

CLANG!

Ling Xiaolan's Immortal Sword was drawn, and then she presented the Longsword to her master.

Daoist Wan Cai looked up at Wu Wang with fury, as if his second 'Primordial Spirit' was now in control.

Ling Xiaolan's master looked at Wu Wang with increased admiration, grasped the hilt of the sword, producing a clear ringing sound as she flicked it, and approached Daoist Wan Cai.

Daoist Wan Cai's expression was constantly changing, at times furious, at times ashen-faced, while his aura also fluctuated wildly.

"Sect Master Wuwang," an old woman said softly, "let's investigate this matter thoroughly before making a decision. Perhaps the information he holds is quite important for the Human Domain."

"Indeed, Sect Master Wuwang..."

Then why did you ask me to decide earlier? Wu Wang thought.

"I will heed the advice of the seniors," Wu Wang said with a smile, gazing into Daoist Wan Cai's muddy old eyes. "Fairy Ling, take me back to the main hall, please. I'm not feeling too well."

Ling Xiaolan also frowned slightly, but since there were many elders from the Sect around, and a few martial granduncles as well, she didn't say much, just apologetically smiled at Wu Wang and led the way.

Ling Xiaolan's master, Jue Tian, said, "I will escort Sect Master Wuwang. We were a bit too hesitant today. My apologies for the poor showing."

Wu Wang repeatedly demurred politely, following behind Ling Xiaolan and her master, walking towards the exterior of the Barrier.

An old woman gave an order, immediately assigning several experts to escort Daoist Wan Cai to the Main Hall of Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, and to inform the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion in advance to make preparations.

Wu Wang seemed hesitant to speak. As he was about to leave the Barrier, he turned his head to look at Daoist Wan Cai, only to find that the latter was also watching him. The man's eyes, peeking from within the hessian rags, appeared to have regained their clarity. He suddenly spoke, asking weakly, "I am truly puzzled… Sect Master Wuwang, how did you perceive the Bloodline Power within me? Even other Divine Children are unable to detect each other's bloodline..."

"Ah," Wu Wang responded offhandedly. "Actually, I'm quite well-acquainted with your ten fathers. I refrained from having you call me Uncle today simply because the occasion wasn't appropriate."

After speaking, he turned and left, causing the experts of the Xuan Nu Sect to suppress their smiles, naturally aware that Wu Wang's words were but a jest.

Daoist Wan Cai glared at Wu Wang, but soon became confused and hesitant.

「…」

The Daoist name of Ling Xiaolan's master was Jue Tian. When Wu Wang heard this name, he didn't feel the slightest surprise and mentally added the suffix 'Nun' to her name.

Nun Jue Tian—ahem, Fairy Jue Tian saw Wu Wang out of the bamboo forest, then cupped her hands in apology, saying that some of the Sect's elders had been too soft, and apologized for their embarrassing display of weakness.

Wu Wang repeatedly said there was no need to apologize and advised Fairy Jue Tian to be extra vigilant later on.

"Xiaolan, you escort Sect Master Wuwang back to the hall," said Fairy Jue Tian. "You needn't do anything else later; just keep Sect Master Wuwang company and catch up. I will contact the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion and may even need to personally escort this evildoer later."

Wu Wang pondered for a moment, then spoke slowly, "Elder, considering the significance of this man, it would be more appropriate to have a Transcendent expert escort him."

"How can a Transcendent be used so casually?" Fairy Jue Tian laughed lightly. "Don't worry, being discreet about it will suffice. You two also take your time heading back to the hall. There might be a second spy around here. If they notice that Daoist Wan Cai hasn't returned, it could lead to unexpected developments."

"The elder's considerations are astute."

"Master, let me take Brother Wuwang for a walk on the mountain."

"Good."

Fairy Jue Tian didn't say much more, stepped on a cloud, and drifted to the mountaintop, while several figures also flew out from the bamboo forest.

Fairy Ling asked, "Would you like to visit the place where I cultivate?"

Wu Wang replied, "Let's just wander around here. There are still a few doubts I haven't figured out."

"What doubts?"

Wu Wang took out several Jade Talismans from his sleeve—the very instruments Daoist Wan Cai used to record events—and pushed them with mana into Fairy Ling's hands. The two walked along the mountain path for a while as Fairy Ling carefully examined the Jade Talismans. They didn't say much, and the atmosphere was somewhat solemn.

The Xuan Nu Sect's efficiency in handling matters was quite high. At this time, a silver shuttle darted into the night sky, with several experts escorting Daoist Wan Cai to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion. Fairy Jue Tian and two other old crones sat at the front and back of the silver shuttle. Daoist Wan Cai's body was covered with Talismans and pierced with thirty-six long needles, making him look like a withered wooden sculpture. After all, tomorrow was the grand disciple acceptance ceremony, so it was best to resolve this matter early and keep it from being publicized.

"These Jade Talismans are quite old," Ling Xiaolan said softly in the Xuan Nu Sect, exhaling a breath of orchid fragrance. "The messages inside range from blurry to clear, showing they've been written over a long period, bit by bit. This item is hard to fake. It should be Daoist Wan Cai's usual notes, mixed with poetry, stories, complaints, confessions, and some major events that happened thousands of years ago. All these things are consistent, and they corroborate what Daoist Wan Cai said... Shouldn't we have sent this item to the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion as well?"

"Your master and the others didn't ask for them, and I forgot to return them," Wu Wang said, looking up at the sky with a smile. "Let's keep them as a souvenir. The identity and personal history of this Daoist Wan Cai are really too convincing. A journal that began thousands of years ago, that somewhat insubstantial Heavenly Immortal Realm strength, and the reputation he's made in the Human Domain in recent years. His relationship with the Ten Evils Hall is too clean."

Ling Xiaolan said, "Brother Wuwang, are you suggesting that this man should have connections with the Ten Evils Hall?"

"That's the first doubt." Wu Wang saw a pavilion ahead and gestured towards it, continuing to murmur as they walked, "The second doubt is what Daoist Wan Cai said about how the Ten Evils Hall found him and didn't kill him. Is that possible? It's not the Ten Evils Hall's style. Especially since he was a first-generation Divine Child carrying such important secrets. How could they let him roam freely?"

Ling Xiaolan hummed softly. At some point, she had taken off her veil, her face glowing softly under the moonlight. She said, "Now that we've extracted the secret, it's unlikely the Ten Evils Hall will be able to send Divine Children over through the Beast Tide. We just need to monitor each area that gets breached later on. As for catching this big fish today, it could just be due to your strong luck, Brother Wuwang."

Ling Xiaolan thought of the Treasure Bead in her Storage magic treasure and cleared her throat, glancing somewhat guiltily to the side.

Little Golden Dragon.

"This is a matter for the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to deal with; it has nothing to do with us." Wu Wang crossed his arms and leaned on the railings, whispering, "What I can't understand is, if I were the Hall Master of the Ten Evils Hall or one of the nine Divine Children in power, I certainly wouldn't leave such a liability unattended."

"Could it be that the Divine Children feel sympathy or camaraderie for each other?" Ling Xiaolan blinked. "Do the nine of them share deep bonds?"

"That's a bit far-fetched. Divine Children raised by the Evil Gods should have temperaments similar to the Evil Gods." Wu Wang tilted his chin towards the Jade Talismans in Ling Xiaolan's hand. "Besides, what kind of normal person writes this stuff?"

Ling Xiaolan suppressed a laugh and said softly, "I actually think that this Daoist Wan Cai was just unlucky to encounter you today, Brother Wuwang. As the saying goes, 'if you walk by the river often, your shoes will inevitably get wet.' He's gained some fame for writing miscellaneous essays these past few years; perhaps he let his guard down after being tense for thousands of years. That's not impossible.

"Brother Wuwang, let's consider it from another angle. Daoist Wan Cai gained fame for writing and received our invitation; that was a chance occurrence. That day, I spontaneously had the disciple in charge of sending invitations deliver one to your Demonic Sect as well; that, too, was a chance occurrence. Your meeting today was actually a chance upon a chance. If there's any calculation in this matter, the person behind it is too frightening; and what could that person be plotting?"

Wu Wang laughed. "It was these thoughts that barely convinced me to let your grand-masters make the decision themselves... Speaking of which, Fairy Ling, why did you suddenly think of inviting me to the ceremony?"

"Of course, I wanted you to join in the fun." Ling Xiaolan chuckled softly, looking at the serene valley in the night. "Tomorrow may be the day I step down from my title of Saintess. I naturally wanted to invite some friends to witness it."

"Is there always a Saintess with each disciple induction ceremony?"

"No, it's about aptitude," Ling Xiaolan said. "If someone with better aptitude than mine comes along, they become the new Saintess."

Wu Wang laughed. "Then there's no need to say more. You'll continue to be called Saintess Ling."

"I'd rather not," she said. "Being called Saintess is quite exhausting." A trace of weariness appeared on her face, her almond eyes revealing a hint of helplessness.

Wu Wang stared at her profile for a while, then sighed in relief in his heart...

These almond-shaped eyes were not *those* almond-shaped eyes. The almond-shaped eyes he saw in his dreams and Fairy Ling's almond-shaped eyes, though similar, were actually not the same.

Hm? These almond-shaped eyes are not those almond-shaped eyes... this is not that, this is not that...

"Xiaolan, tell me."

Ling Xiaolan was slightly startled. How could he just call her by her name so directly, and with 'Xiao' at that? It felt... oddly intimate.

Wu Wang's eyes had a somewhat distant look, his spiritual mind already at full tension.

"What is it?" Ling Xiaolan asked softly.

"If this Daoist Wan Cai is not the real Daoist Wan Cai..." Streaks of insight flashed through Wu Wang's mind. The area around the Nascent Soul on his Spirit Platform suddenly turned pitch black, and one after another, messages slowly emerged behind the Nascent Soul, resembling the countless branches of a tree, constantly flickering and pulsating.

A coincidental event? No, that's not right. My coming here might have been a coincidence, and him encountering me and having his identity exposed might have been accidental, but *his* coming to the Xuan Nu Sect was likely not coincidental! That's also not right. How could he have managed to have someone send *me* an invitation?

[The most troublesome are those spies from the Ten Evils Hall who don't have the bloodline of the Evil Gods and have infiltrated the major sects.]

Considering Fairy Ling was in a position to send me an invitation, it shouldn't be difficult for her master's generation in the Xuan Nu Sect to arrange such a thing. If that's really the case, there's one critical issue that remains unexplained.

[What is this person doing at the Xuan Nu Sect?]

At the Spirit Platform, a series of messages continued to jump, and Wu Wang replayed the scenes from the bamboo forest in his mind.

The Daoist with the split personality... The Jade Talismans with records spanning thousands of years... The Ten Evils Hall turning a blind eye to Daoist Wan Cai... 'I know when the next batch of Divine Children will arrive in the Human Domain!' The second batch of Divine Children!

Wu Wang's expression became extremely grim. He suddenly looked up towards the direction where the shuttle had just disappeared and whispered, "Fairy Ling, was your master on that shuttle?"

"She should be," Ling Xiaolan said. "What's wrong?"

Wu Wang's Adam's apple bobbed. Ling Xiaolan's face was filled with confusion.

"Quick, go ask for a Transcendent... Hurry! Catch up to them! That Daoist Wan Cai might be a problem! He is indeed one of the first batch of Divine Children, but he could be an imposter right now! Although I have no certainty, consider this: the Ten Evils Hall's previous plan to capture Lin Qi ended in utter failure, and the Whistling Serpent was repelled by the Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion. This likely caused dissatisfaction from the Ten Evil Gods towards the Ten Evils Hall. They're sending a second batch of Divine Children... Who will call the shots in the Ten Evils Hall in the future? Is it the current higher-ups of the Ten Evils Hall, or the second batch of Divine Children? In this situation, it's highly likely that someone within the Ten Evils Hall has orchestrated this, deliberately leaking the news of the second batch's imminent arrival in the Human Domain—even the method of hiding within the bellies of fierce beasts—to the Human Domain's higher-ups. My visit today was by chance. That Daoist Wan Cai's arrival today was definitely not a coincidence; and this Daoist Wan Cai could have found various ways to deliberately expose himself. This is a ploy to kill with a borrowed knife! The higher-ups of the Ten Evils Hall are by no means easy to deal with! If that's the case, all the doubts... are explained."

Ling Xiaolan's face turned deathly pale, and she was about to turn.

Wu Wang quickly said, "This is just my speculation. Go directly and ask for a Transcendent to take action. Better to err on the side of caution."

"Understood!" Ling Xiaolan nodded in agreement and was about to pilot her Lotus Platform towards the back mountain.

But just as she took off, a spark of fire exploded in the depths of the clouds, like fireworks.

Master!

「A hundred miles away, in a dense forest illuminated by flashes of fire.」

Fairy Jue Tian lay in a pool of blood, with horrendous claw marks on her shoulders and both feet. A figure holding an old crone slowly flew from the side of the forest, hovering three feet above the ground, his eyes gleaming with a hint of amusement. He still bore the face of Daoist Wan Cai, but the facade was slack, revealing a dark shadow beneath it.

"You really enjoyed hitting me just now, didn't you, vermin?" the dark shadow said coldly, his right hand clamped on the old crone's head. She struggled for a moment before becoming motionless, as streams of blood essence flew out of her, merging into the shadow's right hand. His missing left arm began to grow back swiftly, soon restored to its original state.

"Do you want to die?"

Fairy Jue Tian's eyes bulged with fury. She tried to speak, but the other's hand gripped her throat and lifted her up. The shadow exhaled a breath, its blood-red tongue flickering before Fairy Jue Tian's face.

"But I'd rather let you live. Let them wonder if you, the once Saintess, were my informant. That would certainly be interesting. Tell that Wu Wangzi, he won last time, and I won this time. If he loses again next time... two out of three, and I'll flay his skin and draw his spine."

At that moment, two astonishing presences burst forth from the direction of the Xuan Nu Sect. The dark shadow casually tossed Fairy Jue Tian aside and transformed into a cloud of black mist, vanishing in the night breeze. Two old crones flickered through the air, leaving several afterimages, but they arrived a step too late beside Fairy Jue Tian. One of them immediately administered an Elixir to her while the other pursued in the direction where the shadow had disappeared.

「An hour later.」

In the bamboo house in the back mountains of the Xuan Nu Sect.

Wu Wang looked at Fairy Jue Tian lying unconscious on the bed, exhaling softly. An old crone suddenly collapsed to the ground, tremblingly saying, "I was foolish, so foolish! I didn't heed Sect Master Wuwang's words and kill that fiend on the spot!"

"Go outside and cry," Wu Wang said indifferently. The old crone hesitated, wanted to say something, then, her face etched with shame, got up and walked out of the house.

"Please summon your Sect Master of the Xuan Nu Sect. I have urgent matters to discuss." Wu Wang glanced at the Crystal Ball in his sleeve, his eyes narrowing slightly as the scene in the bamboo forest came to mind.

Those two cups of wine were not just a simple bluff. Originally, it was a precaution. If the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion ultimately refused to hand over the man, preventing me from obtaining the Divine Power in his body, it was a small trick I had to resort to. Unexpectedly, it seems to have brought an unexpected boon.

"Fairy Ling, go bring Mao Aowu here. As for the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, I will contact them myself."

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