Wu Wang could never have anticipated that the very first major task he undertook upon visiting the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion would not require him to personally take any action!

The Praying Star Technique used to investigate the Divine Soul of a Human God is considered a high-level Praying Star Spell, a secret method not imparted by the Northern Wilderness unless by the Grand Shaman himself. Back when Wu Wang investigated Wang Lin, his Divine Thought was far inferior to what it was today, and he would even feel a bit fatigued afterward.

In this case, one really couldn't blame Qiong Qi for being too arrogant.

The cultivation methods of the Human Domain focus on self-improvement, which presents a rather tricky problem—the 'Inner Demons'.

Qiong Qi's Divine Skills feed on Inner Demons, using the gap in a cultivator's Dao Heart to take over their Dao Heart, thereby controlling the cultivator. Although the experts of the Human Domain are powerful, they lack the means to 'peer into the heart'.

In its early years, Qiong Qi caused great chaos in the Human Domain. It was later pursued by Emperor Fu Xi for thousands of years, after which it dared not cause trouble in the Human Domain anymore, merely making a token appearance when an Evil God needed to show up.

However, now coerced by the pressure from the Heaven Palace, Qiong Qi resumed its old ways, only to be unlucky enough to encounter a ball-playing Young Master of Northern Wilderness.

Wu Wang had the ability to use the power of the Star God to look into others' Divine Souls, which just so happened to be the bane of Divine Skills like Qiong Qi's.

It wasn't that Qiong Qi's Divine Skills were flawed. Rather, it was because the Star God was a major figure on the Heaven Palace's side, and Wu Wang, as her 'loyal servant,' stood firmly with the Human Domain.

Moreover, the Star God had absolutely no authority over Wu Wang.

Qiong Qi, originally an exotic beast, had been designated an Evil God by the Heaven Palace, and its God position was completely suppressed by the Star God, who 'monopolized the Northern Wilderness.'

But simply seeing through Qiong Qi's tricks was only a necessary but not sufficient condition for Wu Wang's scheme.

Wu Wang had now taken the first step of this scheme by secretly releasing those three tidbits of information.

In the warm pavilion, the Pavilion Master gazed at Wu Wang with a piercing look and smiled, "Wu Wang, what should we do next?"

"The following steps are a bit complex. To complete the overall layout, it would take at least half a year. However, there's no need to rush for the time being. We should first keep a close watch on Xue Kailong to prevent Qiong Qi from having the chance to harm others."

Wu Wang, sitting cross-legged on a soft couch, pondered for a moment before adding, "To keep Qiong Qi from noticing anything unusual, I'll need your cooperation, Master Liu. I also need to continue playing the adversary with Xue Kailong."

Liu Baiyi sighed, "I'd say just toy with him and be done with it. Competing with an Evil God in secret always seems too risky."

"What of an Evil God? Are they not all living beings?"

Wu Wang smiled and said, "Qiong Qi may peer into human hearts, but my secret method can only tell if a person's Divine Soul is abnormal. The spies sent by the Ten Evils Hall don't necessarily have abnormal Divine Souls."

"You mean to say..."

"I mainly want to use Qiong Qi to find those spies who have allied themselves with the Ten Evils Hall while exhibiting no anomaly in their Divine Souls."

Liu Baiyi appeared thoughtful, and soon he nodded slowly.

"If you are confident, I will wholeheartedly support you."

Wu Wang said, "With the Pavilion Master's support, I have some confidence." He then advised, "Of course, to prevent Qiong Qi from carelessly inflating numbers, those whose Divine Souls appear normal must be interrogated and investigated repeatedly. We are only using the Evil God, not truly trusting it."

Liu Baiyi said, "You must also pay attention to your own safety."

"Just be ready to make a move at any time," Wu Wang replied, "I will also try to keep as much distance from him as possible... Beyond that, we must also provide Xue Kailong with a reasonable opportunity to make a move."

Liu Baiyi looked puzzled, "A reasonable opportunity to make a move? What do you mean by that?"

Wu Wang reminded him, "That bronze mirror of Xue Kailong's."

"Understood!"

Liu Baiyi raised an eyebrow and smiled, "However, at this moment, only you and I can be privy to this matter. I will find a disciple to hint subtly so that our subordinates pay attention to Xue Kailong."

Wu Wang laughed and said, "Just drop a casual hint, Pavilion Master. Don't seem too concerned. There are many military families in the Human Domain, but there is only one Pavilion Master of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion. You, Pavilion Master, are also a minister of authority in the Human Domain. If you show too much concern for Xue Kailong, that in itself will reveal weaknesses."

"The way you put it, it sounds like I'm some kind of traitorous or sycophantic official!" Liu Baiyi glared at him.

"If that's how you wish to interpret it, then I won't argue."

"Hey! Are you asking for a beating?"

"Hahaha! I'll take my leave now!"

Liu Baiyi pretended to strike, and Wu Wang agilely leapt to the side.

"Don't be in such a rush to leave. What exactly are you going to do next?" Master Liu asked worriedly.

"Cultivation," Wu Wang waved his hand without turning back, "Now is not the time for me to take action. Wait another month or two."

Liu Baiyi seemed to have more to say, but seeing the bright light in Wu Wang's eyes, he said no more.

Let the young one take the lead, then.

As for myself, the middle-aged Pavilion Master, my role is simply to secretly protect the Human Emperor's esteemed grandson.

「Several days passed.」

Xue Kailong, who was patrolling the outskirts of the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, was taken to the Punishment Hall by an official.

In the Punishment Hall, over a hundred Immortals of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion had gathered; among them were two individuals whose Divine Souls had been marked by Wu Wang as unusual.

This time, the main seat of the Punishment Hall was empty. Wu Wang did not make an appearance.

An official said, "Kai Long, may I borrow your Heart Illuminating Mirror for a look?"

Xue Kailong intentionally showed a touch of difficulty on his face, gesturing for the internal affairs official who had spoken to step outside the hall with him for a word.

He did not hide the truth, directly saying that the mirror was but an ordinary bronze mirror and that he had bluffed those two people that day.

Xue Kailong said, "Sir, if someone has a guilty conscience, their expressions and mannerisms will inevitably differ slightly. Place them in ever-changing circumstances, and it becomes easy to find the flaws in their Dao Heart."

The official, holding the bronze mirror, expressed his admiration after a long look, sizing up Xue Kailong from head to toe.

"Truly worthy of being from a Military Family, Kai Long, you indeed possess such clever wit!"

Xue Kailong smiled modestly and spoke softly, "It's just the teachings of my father and elders."

"Good," the official nodded slowly and said with a smile, "Then I'll take the initiative to decide. Why don't you try to find the spy here?"

Xue Kailong replied with a smile, "I will not disappoint you, sir. May I ask a few experts to come over and intimidate them with their aura? It would make it easier to spot their slipups."

The official nodded slowly and said, "I shall think of a way."

After he spoke, the middle-aged man hurried away, but Xue Kailong's gaze had already settled on those two individuals with unusual Divine Souls.

Should I take action against the others as well? Make them reveal their flaws?

In the cave dwelling within the Northwestern Region, Qiong Qi, maintaining a human form, pondered this and then shook its head slightly.

These spies from the Ten Gods Hall aren't very useful, to begin with. The entire Ten Gods Hall now seems like a poor decision from the past; it wasted so much of our Divine Power without achieving any significant results. What we need now is an up-and-coming star who can access the upper echelons of the Human Domain. If Xue Kailong could become a stepping stone, allowing me to connect with some 'elders' whose Dao Hearts have issues, then the value… immeasurable.

Within the cave dwelling, a slight smile touched the corners of Qiong Qi's mouth.

In the Punishment Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, Xue Kailong stood quietly to the side, his back straight, his head held high, exuding extraordinary confidence and a spirit of righteousness.

A moment later, the official invited several old men at the pinnacle of the Heavenly Immortal Realm, who, following Xue Kailong's suggestion, radiated their imposing aura.

Then, Xue Kailong began to ask each person about matters of their family, even going back to the details of their birth, as if he were looking for clues, though in truth, it was all just for show.

Four hours later, Xue Kailong felt that the 'stage was set' and once again resorted to his old trick, taking out the bronze mirror and secretly infusing black qi into those two from the Ten Evils Hall, subtly sabotaging their Dao Hearts.

His second effort to expose spies was a resounding success!

The official was completely unaware of the truth. He now looked at Xue Kailong as though he were a precious treasure.

"Come with me. I'll introduce you to some superiors, to see if they will let you take charge of this matter."

Xue Kailong quickly said, "It's all thanks to your guidance, sir. I dare not take all the credit."

"Ah! We of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion don't bother with such pretense," the official said with a smile. "You are from a Military Family and have now captured spies from the Ten Evils Hall consecutively. How could the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion not nurture you? Come, let's talk on the way."

Xue Kailong said with a smile, "I would like to invite you for a simple meal later."

"That won't be necessary. I simply recognize your talent."

The official waved his hand and led Xue Kailong to a grand hall.

Qiong Qi, sensing secretly for a while, was unable to find any cracks in this official's Dao Heart, lamenting inwardly a few times in disappointment.

Such an upright chap. I indeed wanted to make him my new toy.

「Three days later.」

The Punishment Hall was filled with hundreds of Immortals, and after questioning around the clock for a day and a night, Xue Kailong finally identified three spies.

The Benevolent Emperor Pavilion was astir, and Xue Kailong's reputation soared, earning him the nickname 'the Young Master Who Catches Spies'.

In my view, the development of events was quite smooth and perfectly reasonable. He displayed the talent to see through spies, so the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion naturally began to value him more and more. However, they wouldn't just give him a high position right away; they would definitely use ranks and posts as bait to keep him working hard. I was also observing the power factions within the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion to facilitate Xue Kailong's integration into one of them...

「Half a month later.」

An official appointment from the Hall of Immortal and Mortal Affairs declared Xue Kailong formally promoted to a third-tier officer, free to roam the outer periphery of the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, which provided him with a squad of over twenty people called the 'Root-Out-Spies Team'.

Xue Kailong was like a fish in water, patrolling around every day with his team. He also wracked his brains to come up with ways to 'accidentally encounter spies', to make his actions appear completely normal.

If it hadn't been for Wu Wang spotting Qiong Qi's tactics early on, anyone looking at Xue Kailong at this time would see him as a bright and promising new star of the Human Domain.

In just over a month, through his continuous discovery of spies and accumulating merit, Xue Kailong officially became a fourth-tier internal affairs officer of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion!

Wu Wang finally made his move.

The timing of his intervention was perfect, striking just before Qiong Qi could form the thought, 'This matter has also become quite dull.'

That day, Xue Kailong was leading his team on patrol when a large troop of Immortal Soldiers came rushing to surround them, taking them all to the Punishment Hall.

Inside the Punishment Hall, several officers from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion with cold expressions interrogated Xue Kailong's subordinates, the reason given to Xue Kailong being that they suspected spies were hidden among them.

At that moment, Xue Kailong's face went dark with anger, and back in its cave dwelling, Qiong Qi was cursing with fury.

The interrogation went on for several hours, naturally yielding no results.

This event not only failed to have any substantial effect on Xue Kailong, but it seemed to ignite his fighting spirit.

In the following half month, Xue Kailong achieved even greater merits. Due to his high profile, he even triggered an assassination attempt orchestrated by the Ten Evils Hall, barely escaping with his life.

Further rewards came from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, and Xue Kailong was just half a step away from being promoted to a fifth-tier officer!

On this day, as Xue Kailong and a few of his subordinates were drinking, sonorous voices suddenly rang out from all over the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion:

"Announcement from the entire Benevolent Emperor Pavilion! Announcement from the entire Benevolent Emperor Pavilion! Inspector Wu Wangzi brilliantly thwarted the Ten Evils Hall's conspiracy! During an external operation, he smashed through the Ten Evils Hall, rooting out dozens of internal enemies! Wu Wangzi has been promoted to a sixth-tier Inspector General, receiving special privileges and stipend from the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion!"

CRACK!

The wine glass in Xue Kailong's hand shattered, and his subordinates also showed dissatisfaction on their faces.

They exclaimed, "Sir, that Wu Wangzi is truly despicable!"

"There's definitely foul play here! Why should Wu Wangzi be promoted to the sixth tier!"

"Everyone, be careful with your words!"

"Ahem," Xue Kailong cleared his throat and smiled, "Don't talk like that, everyone. We are all serving the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, all working for the Human Domain. Lord Wu Wangzi has his own unique aspects."

"Sir, let's continue to push hard! We can't lose to Wu Wangzi!"

"Exactly! We all see and know your talents."

Xue Kailong sighed softly and yet rallied his spirits, continuing to drink and exchange cups with his subordinates.

「A few days later,」 Xue Kailong, leading a few spies they had just captured, rushed to the Punishment Hall and had an 'accidental encounter' with Wu Wang.

Their gazes collided like lightning and thunder.

Afterward, they each revealed a slight smile, their eyes shifting to the side. They exchanged brief, formal greetings without any further conversation and then passed by.

This encounter marked the beginning of a competition.

The gazes from everyone in the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, from top to bottom, were now fixed on these two men.

Xue Kailong worked tirelessly day and night, even foregoing cultivation, leading his team in constant patrols inside and outside the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion, directly questioning anyone suspicious.

Wu Wang often left the Main Hall to circle around the major branch pavilions, always coming back with gains from each trip.

The number of spies they each rooted out kept growing, and every one was spot on, with no errors, no miscarriages of justice.

Furthermore, some enthusiasts outside the Hall of Immortal and Mortal Affairs had started a 'Root-Out-Spies Ranking', with two names standing out at the top.

Xue Kailong was now completely maniacal!

...

「In the Southeastern Region of the Great Wilderness, inside a secret cave dwelling, several shadows gathered around a few flickering Jade Talismans. From the Talismans emerged sighs from time to time.」

"Fellows, since the rise of our Ten Gods Hall, we have never suffered such significant losses."

"With the Divine Power bestowed by our fathers, we can train Immortals in batches, even True Immortals."

"But those agents we've planted inside the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion and the Four Seas Pavilion... even those that have been there for three thousand years, have lately been removed."

"Is it that heaven wants us to perish?"

"That damned Xue Kailong! One day I must annihilate their entire Xue family!"

"How did he see through the disguise of the people we sent?"

"It is said that there was a bronze mirror."

"Grand Elder, we should send new insiders…"

"Send what? To add to the merits of Xue Kailong and Wu Wangzi? Let those already sent withdraw if they can. Preserving our strength is most important. This time… we have met our nemesis."

"Alas."

"That goddamned Xue Kailong, how shall we explain this to our fathers?"

The Elders sighed deeply, the few Jade Talismans seeming to carry a hint of worry.

...

「Meanwhile.」

In the Main Hall of the Benevolent Emperor Pavilion in the central part of the Human Domain, steam rose in the Pavilion Master's warm study.

Wu Wang and Liu Baiyi stood beside a large pot, fishing out various scalding rare ingredients and eating with dipping sauce until they were sweating profusely.

Liu Baiyi muttered, "This Qiong Qi isn't that bright either."

"This is a standard playbook; it has nothing to do with how smart the trapped person is," Wu Wang said with a smile. "What's important is to see if the person feels lonely."

Liu Baiyi wondered, "Oh? How so?"

Wu Wang raised his wine cup to clink with Liu Baiyi, smiling and saying, "Those tidbits of information we started spreading were actually to create an atmosphere, the kind of 'catch spies to get promoted' atmosphere. This is the basis of the playbook—the thrill of leveling up."

"The thrill of leveling up?"

Wu Wang said, "Exactly. If we compare this scheme to a game, we are the game designers, and Qiong Qi is the player. We need to give the player a goal, a basic source of pleasure, something to look forward to. This is the main significance of accumulating merits to advance in rank."

"And then?"

"A single method can easily bore the player."

Wu Wang said with a smile, "During this process, appropriately adding some difficulty can make the experience feel more real for the player. I secretly had people deal with Xue Kailong, interrogating his subordinates, simply to suppress and create challenges for him. Xue Kailong is just Qiong Qi's puppet; we are trying to stir up Qiong Qi's fighting spirit."

Liu Baiyi's eyes lit up, and he chuckled, "That guy really took the bait."

The Pavilion Master pondered for a moment, swallowed a piece of spirit beast meat, then asked, "And lately you personally entered the fray to compare with him, and even had someone create that 'Root-Out-Spies Ranking,' was that also to suppress him?"

Wu Wang tapped his fingers on the table and slowly said, "This is the essence of the playbook. As for the game's leaderboard, it's just about organizing existing numbers neatly and publicizing them, yet it can give those on the list a great sense of satisfaction and achievement. It will also make them invest more energy and resources to maintain their position. And by constantly competing with him, on one hand, it makes him feel a sense of crisis in his current position. On the other hand, it makes him feel he is not playing alone. That's the importance of a foil."

Liu Baiyi was momentarily speechless.

"I've always thought Evil Gods were cunning and resourceful, but now I find they are still too naïve."

"Hahaha," Wu Wang shook his head, "It's just that they've never experienced this kind of playbook before, and I just took advantage of that. Besides, these things were not created by me."

"Oh? Then who?"

"From a torn page I stumbled upon in the chronicles of the Human Domain," Wu Wang explained vaguely. "Its age is unknown. It seems to have been written by some cultivator called Daoist Ce Hua; I think his surname was Gou, or something like that."

"What's next in the plan?"

Wu Wang said with a smile, "Naturally, there will be a celebration where we publicly ridicule Qiong Qi, and also protect the life and reputation of Xue Kailong. After all, he is Young Master Xue; it's not appropriate for him to suffer harm."

"That might be difficult. Qiong Qi might have already devoured his Divine Soul."

"Even if only the shell is left, we must protect him... Have all these events been recorded with the Image Projection Bead?"

"They have been."

Wu Wang pondered for a while, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"Master Liu, invite several more experts. We need to make a detailed edit. Now that we have come to this step, merely disgracing Qiong Qi is a minor issue. Let's see if we can drive a wedge between the Ten Evil Gods and the Ten Evils Hall!"

"Good! Let's do it!"

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