260: Chapter 255 The Secret of Hidden Sword Peak

The night was as dark as ink; the moon was hidden, and the stars were sparse.

On Hidden Sword Peak, all was silent, save for the mountain breeze brushing through the treetops, producing a soft rustling sound like the steady breathing of a sleeping giant beast.

Chen Zhiwen sat cross-legged within his Immortal Cave at the peak. His eyes were slightly closed, but his mind had transformed into an invisible, intangible giant net, silently enveloping the entire peak.

His powerful Divine Sense, having just reached the Peak Golden Core, was many times more refined than before. Like the most delicate tentacles, it easily penetrated the simple Restrictions outside each Immortal Cave, reflecting everything within the peak into his mind with absolute clarity.

At first, it was merely out of curiosity.

But soon, this curiosity turned into deep astonishment.

In his perception, the ten Disciples he had casually selected were, surprisingly, each full of secrets!

The first thing that caught his attention were six waves of spiritual energy far exceeding what a Disciple in the Qi Refinement Stage should possess.

Although these six waves were strictly constrained by some highly sophisticated breathing-concealment technique, under the exploration of Chen Zhiwen's massive Divine Sense—which was comparable to the Early Nascent Soul Stage—they had nowhere to hide, clearly marking their respective locations like fireflies in the dark night.

Core Condensation Stage!

These six seemingly green youths were actually all Cultivators in the Core Condensation Stage, about to attempt the Golden Core!

This discovery made Chen Zhiwen's brow furrow instantly.

Although the Core Condensation Stage could not be considered top-tier experts in the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, they were definitely the backbone of its strength.

As long as they followed the proper steps, there was a high chance they could successfully achieve Core Formation in the future, become an Elder of the Sect, and take charge of a peak.

With such cultivation, in any Sect, they would be sufficient to become key Inner Sect Disciples, enjoying the most generous resources.

And now, these six people were willing to disguise themselves as the lowest-level Qi Refinement Stage Disciples, mixing in with a group of newcomers, and coming to this already forgotten Hidden Sword Peak.

What were they after?

Chen Zhiwen's mind stirred, and his Divine Sense, like mercury pouring onto the ground, began to conduct a more detailed investigation of these six people.

His first wisp of Divine Sense landed in an inconspicuous Immortal Cave on the mountainside.

Inside the Immortal Cave, a young man with an ordinary face and a sturdy build sat cross-legged, his eyes tightly closed, breathing steadily.

The spiritual energy within his body was not circulating according to the light and sharp basic sword techniques of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, but rather an Earth-attribute Cultivation Technique filled with a heavy and steady aura.

Every time the spiritual energy circulated, it felt like the pulse of the earth, heavy and powerful.

On the surface of his skin, a faint, earth-yellow halo would even periodically emerge, appearing indestructible.

Chen Zhiwen's Divine Sense lightly touched that halo and actually felt a trace of tough, rebounding force.

"What a pure Body Refining Cultivation Technique, and it follows the path of Earth-element defense."

"Looking at the veins of his Cultivation Technique, it is seventy percent similar to the 'Rock Sect's' Sect-guarding technique, the 《Profound Rock Immovable Sutra》. This person is likely a True Disciple of the Rock Sect."

Chen Zhiwen thought to himself and made a note of this person.

Immediately after, his Divine Sense quietly turned toward another Immortal Cave located on the edge of a cliff.

This location was remote, shrouded in clouds and mist, and difficult for ordinary people to stand on.

Inside the Immortal Cave, a petite girl with delicate features was forming a peculiar hand seal, meditating with her eyes closed.

Around her, a faint fluctuation of illusion arts lingered, making her entire aura appear erratic, as if she could merge into the surrounding shadows and mist at any moment, becoming one with the environment.

Chen Zhiwen could even clearly "see" that in an inconspicuous sachet at her waist, several strange-looking spirit insects were sleeping.

Among them, a jet-black beetle with silver patterns on its back exuded an aura of highly toxic poison that made even him feel a palpitation of fear.

"Illusion arts, supplemented by the unique insect-control techniques of the Southern Border... this is the core method of the 'Hundred Illusions Sect'."

Chen Zhiwen's gaze gradually became serious.

The Rock Sect, the Hundred Illusions Sect—these were all well-known first-class Sects in the Eastern Region.

His Divine Sense continued to move, investigating the other four people.

The results further confirmed his guess.

One of the tall, thin young men was cultivating a technique filled with the explosive intent of thunder; every time his spiritual energy circulated, it was accompanied by tiny electric arcs jumping within his Meridians, wide and open, incomparably domineering.

This was clearly the "Heavenly Thunder Pavilion's" 《Purple Firmament Divine Thunder Guide》.

Another gloomy-tempered youth sat cross-legged like a dagger hidden in its sheath.

He was not cultivating, but instead, with a special soft cloth, was meticulously wiping a short sword.

His Sword Intent lacked the grand and upright nature of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect; instead, his sword moved with lightness and agility, unpredictable and mysterious, carrying a trace of the coldness and deathly silence unique to assassins.

This aura was identical to the style of the "Shadow Killing Tower," the most feared assassin organization in the Eastern Region.

The remaining two were equally extraordinary.

One person had already quietly set up several micro-spirit gathering Formations and warning Formations around his Immortal Cave using specially made small flags.

The skillfulness of his technique and the subtlety of the Formations were far beyond what ordinary Disciples could reach; he was clearly an expert proficient in the Dao of Formations.

The last person was a scholar who looked weak and scholarly.

He was not cultivating; instead, he had set up a small Pill Furnace in his Immortal Cave and was cautiously refining some Medicinal Pill.

Judging by his technique in handling medicinal materials and that lingering, pure pill aura, this person was at least a second-grade Alchemist.

Six people, six completely different systems.

Body Cultivator, illusionist, Thunder Cultivator, assassin, Formation Master, Alchemist.

Each of these people was a Genius in a certain field.

They absolutely could not be ordinary Loose Cultivators!

They had all infiltrated the Ten Thousand Swords Sect together, and happened to be chosen by him, this "lone Peak Master," coming to this legendary, rumor-filled Hidden Sword Peak...

If there were no connection in this, Chen Zhiwen himself would not believe it.

The only explanation was that their goal, from the very beginning, was this Hidden Sword Peak!

Thinking of this, Chen Zhiwen pondered repeatedly.

This matter had already exceeded the scope of ordinary Disciples entering the Sect and had risen to the level of infiltration and confrontation between Sects.

Although he had absolute confidence in his current strength and did not fear these Core Condensation Stage juniors stirring up any trouble, as the nominal master of Hidden Sword Peak, he needed to report this matter.

This was not just a responsibility, but also a test.

He wanted to see what the attitude of the high-level members of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, especially that seemingly gentle and harmless Sect Master, was regarding this.

With his mind made up, Chen Zhiwen did not hesitate any longer.

He picked up the Sect Master token, injected a wisp of refined Divine Sense into it, and concisely transformed his discovery into a message, transmitting it over.

"Sect Master, among the ten Disciples I newly recruited, six are at the Core Condensation Stage, their Cultivation Techniques are of unknown origin, and they are suspected to be spies from other Sects. Their purpose is likely related to this peak."

The moment the sound transmission was sent, almost without any delay, Sect Master Li Daoxuan's response immediately rang out.

"Peak Master Chen, wait a moment; I will arrive immediately."

The voice was as steady as a mountain, without a hint of surprise, as if what Chen Zhiwen reported was just a trivial matter like "the weather is nice today."

This calmness made Chen Zhiwen harbor even more speculation in his heart.

A moment later.

A slight ripple, like water waves, came from the simple Restriction outside Chen Zhiwen's Immortal Cave.

The person who came did not force their way in, but politely touched the Restriction to signal their arrival to the host.

Chen Zhiwen waved his hand to open the stone door, and the figure of Ten Thousand Swords Sect Sect Master Li Daoxuan stood at the entrance of the Immortal Cave with his hands behind his back.

He was still wearing a plain white Daoist robe, his long hair casually tied up with a wooden hairpin, his face gentle as jade, and his eyes deep and peaceful.

His whole person exuded an otherworldly, transcendent temperament, like an immortal.

He looked at Chen Zhiwen with a gentle smile on his face, as if he were not here to handle some urgent matter, but was just an old friend coming to visit.

"Peak Master Chen."

"Sect Master, visiting late at night, please come in."

Chen Zhiwen stood up to welcome him and led Li Daoxuan into the Immortal Cave.

What made him feel even more surprised was that after hearing that there might be spies from six major Sects infiltrating the heart of his own Sect, Li Daoxuan did not show the slightest bit of seriousness or anger on his face.