Chapter 608 - 615: Exposed

"Then I must thank you, Shopkeeper!"

Song Wanning said with a chuckle.

The Shopkeeper’s expression shifted slightly as she pried Song Wanning’s hand away with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

Song Wanning didn’t seem to mind. She simply turned and left with Liu Xingzhi.

As soon as the two had gone, the Shopkeeper began to inspect her own hand with extreme caution.

Only after checking several times and confirming that her hand was fine did she let out a sigh of relief. She put away the Elixir Pills and walked toward a private room.

She carefully stored the items away. ’These Elixir Pills? I’m certainly not putting them up for auction. Once they’re in my pocket, they’re not coming back out.’

Once inside the room, the Shopkeeper took out a Communication Talisman and whispered secretively, "Master, the map has been sold. This mark’s cultivation is quite formidable."

After a long while, a faint "Mm" came from the talisman, followed by silence.

The Shopkeeper was used to such responses. Her task complete, she gave the matter no further thought and leisurely turned to leave.

Meanwhile, after leaving the auction house, Song Wanning and Liu Xingzhi made a show of hurriedly leaving the city and heading in the direction indicated on the map.

Their tail turned back not long after they left the city.

Only when the feeling of being watched vanished did the pair slow their pace.

"Lan Garden is definitely behind this!"

A murderous aura swirled around Liu Xingzhi. Lan Garden had been so blatant; it was clear they not only knew about the situation but had gone to great lengths to involve themselves.

Song Wanning nodded. She hadn’t expected it either—that someone was actually breeding monsters on purpose.

Those things had nearly caused the collapse of the Immortal Realm. If they were allowed to multiply to a certain scale, they could destroy the entire Spirit Realm. ’The person behind this is far too ambitious. They must be trying to dominate the whole Spirit Realm!’

She couldn’t help the cynical thought.

There were always people trying to take over the world, committing atrocities in the process.

This time was no different.

"So, we’ll follow the map and hunt the monsters?"

Liu Xingzhi asked, tilting his head.

He had established his role before they came: Song Wanning was in charge, and he would simply follow her instructions.

After all, Song Wanning knew the most about this situation.

"Right. For now, we’ll just go take a look."

Song Wanning’s eyes narrowed. "I planted a medicinal lure on the Shopkeeper, but I’m not sure if it will lead us to what we’re looking for."

She had deliberately grabbed the Shopkeeper’s hand to distract her, while simultaneously planting the medicinal lure in her hair.

A Divine Soul Mark is too easily detected, which is why she used her unique medicinal lure. She could only hope it wouldn’t be found.

After that brief exchange, the two fell silent again and hurried toward the location marked on the map.

...

At the Ancient Cold Sect, Luo Hantian gathered his people to discuss the situation with Lan Garden.

Everyone was shocked to learn that Lan Garden was breeding monsters.

Jiang Wentian’s expression was grim. He had been despondent for some time after the tragic loss of his daughter, but he had finally started to recover.

He was the first to erupt in anger upon learning of Lan Garden’s vile activities.

"How outrageous! To think someone has been breeding monsters right under our noses for a century, and we were completely oblivious..."

The very thought terrified him.

If no one had ever found out, once the time was right, wouldn’t they have been able to upend the entire Spirit Realm?

Their primary targets would have been the great clans and Major Sects!!!

"Sigh... I’ve already informed several other Sect Masters and asked for their help in the investigation."

"But our adversary is hidden far too well. So far, no one has any idea who’s pulling the strings."

Luo Hantian sighed. He had summoned them all because he was out of options.

With Song Wanning and Liu Xingzhi still out there dealing with this, he worried they might be in danger.

"Lan Garden..."

Liu Lan Yi’s brow furrowed deeply at the name.

’That name... I feel like I’ve heard it somewhere before...’

Leng Qingzhu noticed her reaction and frowned as well. ’Wan Ning always puts herself in such dangerous situations,’ she thought. As her master, she was constantly worried sick but felt powerless to help. After all, whose fault was it that her own cultivation now lagged behind even her disciple’s?

She sighed internally. Just as she was about to speak, Liu Lan Yi, who was beside her, suddenly stood up.

"Sect Master, back when I was imprisoned in the Water Prison, I overheard Gong Ye mention ’Lan Garden’ while he was responding to a Communication Talisman."

The mention of Lan Garden wasn’t as important as the fact that it was Gong Ye who said it. Liu Lan Yi felt the Sect Master needed to know.

If there was a connection between them, it would provide a new direction for the investigation.

"Gong Ye? The Palace Master of the Hundred Demons Palace?"

Luo Hantian’s eyebrow shot up, and the others immediately exchanged glances.

Supreme Elder Song Que said to the group with a grave expression, "That Gong Ye is a ruthless man. It’s possible he’s involved. We should split up and investigate from multiple angles to ensure we find the culprit as soon as possible."

Everyone nodded. "Yes!"

...

SKREEE—

With a piercing shriek, a monster was cut down, exploding into a bloody mist that filled the air.

Song Wanning’s Longsword hung at her side, blood dripping steadily from its edge.

DRIP! DROP!

The cave fell silent. With a cold expression, Liu Xingzhi cut down the last monster.

Pools of blood spread out around them, and the foul stench that filled their nostrils made it hard to breathe.

Song Wanning stared at the corpses, lost in thought. ’No mutated ones this time. It seems the mutations are still rare.’

"Let’s go!"

She disposed of the remains and was about to leave with Liu Xingzhi when she suddenly heard a noise.

The pair froze and spread their Divine Sense.

What they perceived made their expressions change drastically.

Countless monsters were rushing toward the cave from outside.

The entrance to the cave was now completely blocked by monsters. They were trapped.

Song Wanning glanced at Liu Xingzhi and let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Did we just stumble into the monsters’ nest?"

Usually, the monsters crawled out of fissures. This time, they were coming for them from the outside!

And their numbers were staggering—thousands, tens of thousands of them, a dense, writhing mass that was enough to make one’s skin crawl.

Liu Xingzhi didn’t look back. His icy gaze was fixed on the monsters outside the cave, a chill creeping into his heart.

"We’ve been discovered!"

These monsters had clearly been summoned from elsewhere.

It would be impossible unless someone was commanding them!

Song Wanning knew it, too. The smile on her face turned cold.

"I don’t care who’s commanding them. They’ll all die here!"

She unleashed her full aura, her eyes completely devoid of fear.

It was as if she had returned to the Ancient Battlefield.

Facing the countless monsters, her heart filled with nothing but an infinite will to fight.

Liu Xingzhi silently moved to stand in front of Song Wanning, his long saber already aimed at the mouth of the cave.

SKREEE—

The monsters charged in!

With a sharp glint in their eyes, they both struck at the monsters in unison.