Chapter 717 - 647: A Traitor in Our Midst, Ruins in the Demon Cave

For this reason, he decided to temporarily stop targeting Yang Chan. He would deal with him later, when he had some free time. He refused to believe Saintess He Zixuan could protect Yang Chan so carefully forever. Sooner or later, he would find his chance.

He believed the Saintess must have intervened for the timing to be so perfect.

"Saint Son, rest assured. I will find the mole!"

Zhao Zizhen vowed.

He looked as though he wouldn’t rest until the mole was found.

Coincidence or not, he had to produce a mole. It would serve as an explanation for Gongye Zhe and lessen his own share of the blame.

"Yes. I have faith in you, Elder Zhao."

"You may attend to your duties, Elder Zhao."

Gongye Zhe nodded, setting the matter aside for now. He ended the conversation, especially since there was another stirring in the shadows.

He had more important things to deal with than Yang Chan.

"Saint Son, I will take my leave then."

Zhao Zizhen cupped his fist and tactfully departed.

’There were some matters Gongye Zhe hadn’t assigned to him, so naturally, he wasn’t responsible for them.’

’The key is to handle my own tasks first. Otherwise, they’ll just become hot potatoes, which would be a terrible outcome.’

"Come out."

Gongye Zhe waited until Zhao Zizhen had left before speaking slowly.

A secret passage in the room opened, and a Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmaster clad in black stepped out.

"Greetings, Saint Son!"

Gongye Zhe’s supporters all knew his temperament. In private, they never used the "quasi-" prefix when addressing him. It was an unspoken rule to drop it, only to be used in public settings. This was why his followers addressed him as such.

"Elder Ding Yuan, have you finished investigating Baili Xi?"

Gongye Zhe asked urgently upon seeing the man.

He was far more concerned with Baili Xi than with Yang Chan; this matter directly affected his own interests.

Dealing with Yang Chan was a matter of reputation, a way to appease those who had been dismissed from the Spirit Medicine Tower. He had delegated it to Zhao Zizhen and had no intention of managing it himself for the time being. In his eyes, it wasn’t even as important as finding the mole.

"The Demon Cave does indeed hide a secret. Using some unknown method, Baili Xi found a previously undiscovered ruin inside."

"He must have obtained something from the members of the Alien Race he killed last time. That’s the only way he could have found this new site!"

"Baili Xi has already taken a large group of people into the Demon Cave. There must be something truly valuable inside; otherwise, he wouldn’t be making such a fuss!"

Ding Yuan, still clad in black, reported what he knew.

He had rushed over because he realized the situation in the Demon Cave was far more significant than he had first thought.

A new ruin could be hiding countless Treasures. Its value was even greater considering it had never been explored by humans or entered by any Alien Race before.

Moreover, the fact that the Merak Saint Son had located it, likely through some special means, made the situation even more complex.

For Merak Saint Son Baili Xi to be so invested, it couldn’t be just any ordinary ruin. Naturally, Ding Yuan had to report it to Gongye Zhe immediately and let him decide on the next course of action.

He couldn’t act on his own authority in a matter like this.

"I knew it. There had to be a reason Baili Xi was in such a rush to enter the Demon Cave!"

"Any movement from Saintess He Zixuan?"

Upon hearing this, Gongye Zhe slammed his palm down on the Xuan Iron chair, leaving a clear imprint. A chair made of any ordinary material would have been instantly destroyed.

Gongye Zhe was incredibly excited. The emergence of a new ruin in the Demon Cave was a massive opportunity for him, one he had no intention of missing.

’For me, this is a stroke of fortune,’ Gongye Zhe thought. ’And in a perilous place like the Demon Cave, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if Saint Son Baili Xi were to die inside.’

Countless people from the Merak Sacred Land had perished in the Demon Cave, yet the problem was never fully resolved. This just went to show that the Earth Demons within were anything but weak.

’If Merak Saint Son Baili Xi personally braves the dangers within... well, if he dies, he dies. And I can take his place.’

’As for his father, the current Merak Saint Master, I’m not worried. There are struggles even at the level of Blood Exchange Martial Saints, and I have my own backers.’

’Besides, once I become the new Merak Saint Son, my status will rise. The Merak Saint Master won’t be able to move against me openly. After all, a Saint Son is a candidate for Saint Master; I might very well be the one to take his place someday.’

’So, all I have to do is make sure no one sees me kill Merak Saint Son Baili Xi.’

"The Saintess has already sent people into the Demon Cave, but she hasn’t gone herself. For now, she’s just watching."

"This is Baili Xi’s discovery, so the Saintess is likely worried it could be a trap."

Ding Yuan relayed the intelligence he had gathered.

The emergence of a new ruin also signified danger. These places often concealed perils that could threaten even Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters.

Bone Marrow Cleansing Grandmasters possessed immense Combat Power, but they weren’t invincible. Certain methods could still bring about their death.

And since this was all initiated by Saint Son Baili Xi, one couldn’t rule out the possibility that it was a ploy to lure people to their deaths. After all, as the discoverer, Merak Saint Son Baili Xi would know more about the situation, making it entirely possible for him to set a trap.

People like them were well aware of the intense struggle between the Merak Saint Son and the Merak Saintess within the Merak Sacred Land. Many had already died because of it.

Yang Chan hadn’t felt the full extent of it in the Pill Pavilion, as the conflict wasn’t as pronounced there. Furthermore, now that Yang Chan was a Steward of the Spirit Medicine Tower, his position actually shielded him from much of the fallout.

Chiyu Peak had allowed Yang Chan to bring some of the Pharmacists, like Xu Gaocen, into the Spirit Medicine Tower precisely to shield them from the conflict.

Xu Gaocen and the others felt the pressure far more keenly than Yang Chan did.

Ultimately, the effects were most apparent among the lower ranks; the upper echelons were less entangled.

The supporters of the Merak Saint Son and the Merak Saintess had already clashed countless times outside the Merak Sacred Land, and plenty of times within the Holy Land itself.

Conflicts between the various peaks, people dying, others being exiled from the Merak Sacred Land—all these were outcomes of their unending struggle.

Gongye Zhe and his faction had been observing the two of them all along, so they were keenly aware of these events.

"We’ll send our own people in as well. Have them contact the Saintess’s faction and propose a collaboration!"

Just moments ago, Gongye Zhe had been furious with Saintess He Zixuan over the incident with Yang Chan and was plotting revenge. Now, he was considering an alliance.

In the face of profit, such things could be easily ignored.

This was one of those times.

For now, at least, they were united in their stance against Merak Saint Son Baili Xi. A temporary alliance would make it easier to handle the current state of affairs.

Gongye Zhe was confident that Saintess He Zixuan would likely agree.

How long such an alliance might last, however, was anyone’s guess.

"Very well, Saint Son. I will make the arrangements immediately!"

Ding Yuan wasn’t surprised by this. In fact, he had anticipated this outcome from the moment he reported on the Saintess’s movements.

’There are no permanent enemies, only permanent interests.’

’When profit is on the line, he trusted that Gongye Zhe would make the right choice. The man he’d chosen to support was clear-headed in such matters and would not act rashly.’

"You’ll take more of our people in as well. Get familiar with this new ruin. If you learn anything, arrange for someone to immediately report back from the Demon Cave."

"If you’re in danger, I will be there to support you without delay!"

Gongye Zhe had a knack for winning people over. He was no fool; he knew exactly what to say and what choices to make.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have garnered so much support, especially with an incumbent Merak Saint Son already in place. His followers backed him because they believed in his future.

Even if some were simply making a long-shot bet on an underdog, he was more than happy to accept their support.

"Rest assured, Saint Son. We will not fail you!"

A look of genuine emotion appeared in Ding Yuan’s eyes, as if he were deeply moved.

After a few more pleasantries, Ding Yuan departed.

He was responsible for the operation in the Demon Cave and needed to gather a group to go inside, so he couldn’t afford to linger any longer.