31: Emerging from seclusion! Late-stage Mahayana! Eradicating the malignant tumors!

The mist barrier Formation above Tingtao Pavilion dissipated without a sound at the darkest moment before dawn.

There was no earth-shattering phenomenon, no brilliant light of spiritual power soaring to the heavens. It was like a slumbering behemoth slowly opening its eyes.

Yet, the vast and intangible pressure that silently spread out, enveloping the entire core area of the Canglan Sacred Sect, caused every Cultivator with a cultivation at the Nascent Soul Stage or above to feel a sudden jolt in their hearts during their sleep, jolting them awake!

The Mahayana Stage!

Moreover, it possessed a depth and solidity far beyond what an ordinary Early Stage Mahayana Cultivator could compare to!

It even seemed more profound and unfathomable than before Leng Qingshuang was injured and entered seclusion!

Countless gazes, filled with shock, awe, ecstatic joy, or terror, simultaneously turned towards that solitary peak suspended amidst the sea of clouds.

Lu Yu stood in the guest courtyard, looking up towards the direction of Tingtao Pavilion, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He couldn't help but feel a sense of relief in his heart.

Success!

Leng Qingshuang had broken through to the Late Stage of the Mahayana Stage!

He could sense that within that pressure, the former weakness and sluggishness had been swept away completely, replaced by a flawless Perfection, a vitality and power as vast as the ocean.

Now, the Grand Elder was merely a clownish buffoon.

Leng Qingshuang had also basically identified those spies from the demonic territories hidden within the Sect, as well as the high-ranking members within the Sect who had been infiltrated by the Demonic Path.

Now, it was time for the final act of reeling in the net!

Once the matter of the Grand Elder colluding with people from the demonic territories is exposed, even the Loose Immortal Old Ancestor of the faction behind him would not shield him. On the contrary, he would personally take action to kill him!

Luo Qingxue arrived almost immediately, her ice-blue eyes filled with unbelievable joy and a trace of confusion.

"Revered Master... has left seclusion? This Aura..."

A hint of bewilderment flickered in Luo Qingxue's eyes. Didn't her Revered Master tell her she was entering seclusion to suppress the strange poison within her body?

How could she have broken through now?

She glanced at Lu Yu beside her... it seemed as if he knew her Revered Master was in seclusion for a Breakthrough, not to suppress the strange poison.

"Hmm, it seems the recovery went well."

Lu Yu nodded, offering no further explanation.

The two had also just reunited not long ago. The few Demonic Path spies on Luo Qingxue's side at the treasury had been captured by her and the Sect members. They were all at the Nascent Soul Realm.

It was also evident that Tang Zhen's infiltration into their Sect wasn't thorough enough; most of them were at the Nascent Soul Stage.

After all, their Canglan Sacred Sect bordered the demonic territories and had specialized detection Formations. Every year, many Demonic Path spies were detected by the Formations and subsequently killed!

But these Demonic Path spies seemed endless; for every batch killed, another would appear. It was highly likely that Tang Zhen was the one stirring up trouble behind the scenes!

It was just unknown how many demonic territory spies existed among those high-ranking members he was close to. Previously, Leng Qingshuang only knew that among the high-ranking members, only Tang Zhen had significant ties to the Demonic Path.

This was also the reason she played the long game to catch the big fish.

Those Demonic Path detection Formations were still very effective against those below the Void Return Stage, but their effect on powerful high-ranking members of their Sect like them was minuscule.

With powerful cultivation, there were many ways to resist or deceive the detection Formations!

At that moment, almost simultaneously, several streaks of light from Communication Talismans shot across the not-yet-fully-brightened sky like meteors, flying towards Tingtao Pavilion.

Some were routine greetings, some were reporting Sect affairs, and naturally, some came from those with ulterior motives, probing the situation.

Leng Qingshuang did not respond to any of the Communication Talismans.

She only did one thing.

A clear, calm voice, yet imbued with supreme majesty, like a biting winter wind, instantly echoed within the Sea of Consciousness of every Elder, Core Disciple, and above Cultivator in the entire Canglan Sacred Sect.

"All Elders, proceed to Canglan Hall immediately for a council. The Law Enforcement Hall is to Seal the mountain gates, allowing entry but no exit. The Xuanbing Guard is to apprehend individuals according to the list. Anyone who resists is to be executed on the spot."

Concise, decisive, and ruthless!

Previously, she was deeply afflicted by the strange poison, unable to exert even seventy percent of her strength. During intense battles, the nine nether profound dark balefulness would violently erupt. Now, not only had the nine nether profound dark balefulness within her body been completely cleansed, but her cultivation had also broken through to the Late Stage of the Mahayana Stage!

Moreover, over the past few years, she had largely identified the parasitic worms within the Sect, like the Grand Elder, who bit the hand that fed them. Some figures hidden among the high-ranking members had also been uncovered by her through Tang Zhen's connections.

Now was the time to reel in the net!

Instantly, the entire Canglan Sacred Sect was jolted completely awake from its slumber, plunged into a tense, boiling atmosphere of solemn killing intent.

Lu Yu and Luo Qingxue exchanged a glance, both knowing the moment of truth had arrived.

They were not qualified to participate in the highest-level council at Canglan Hall, but as a key party involved and the Saintess, Lu Yu was escorted by a squad of cold, sharp-eyed Xuanbing Guards from the Sect Master to a side hall outside Canglan Hall to wait.

The Xuanbing Guard—this was Leng Qingshuang's most loyal guard and her sharpest blade!

There were three hundred and sixty members in total. Each Xuanbing Guard possessed at least Soul Transformation Stage cultivation. The squad leaders of the Xuanbing Guard required at least Void Return Stage cultivation, while the battalion commanders needed Body Integration Stage cultivation!

The three guard captains who directly received orders from Leng Qingshuang were all at the Late Stage of the Tribulation Crossing Stage!

This was the sharpest blade of the entire Canglan Sacred Sect!

Outside Canglan Hall at this moment, Tang Wu, pale-faced and supported by others, along with several Elders and deacons wearing expressions of fear or bewilderment, had been brought here.

Seeing Lu Yu and Luo Qingxue enter, a flash of venomous hatred appeared in Tang Wu's eyes, but it was overshadowed by barely concealed panic.

His grandfather, Tang Zhen, was currently inside the main hall.

Inside the main hall of Canglan Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt like water could drip from it.

Dozens of Elders and Peak Lords stood in two rows. Some kept their eyes downcast, some had grave expressions, while others had flickering eyes.

Everyone could sense that the figure seated on the cold jade throne at the highest position was different today.

She still wore the same moon-white palace dress, her beauty peerless. But when those ice-blue eyes swept across the hall, they no longer held the weariness of chronic illness from the past, only a deep, unfathomable cold pool.

And... an awe-inspiring majesty that made one dare not meet her gaze!

Grand Elder Tang Zhen stood at the foremost position on the left, barely maintaining composure on his face, but his fingers curled slightly within his sleeves.

The Aura with which Leng Qingshuang emerged from seclusion far exceeded his expectations!

That nine nether profound dark balefulness... How was it possible?!

Could she have truly found a method to resolve it?

No, impossible!

Even if resolved, she would surely have suffered severe damage to her Origin Qi. It was absolutely impossible to be so flawless, even advancing a step further!

Moreover, this Aura... had already reached the Late Stage of the Mahayana Stage!

She must be bluffing!

"The Sect Master's Breakthrough is truly a blessing for our Sect,"

Tang Zhen suppressed the shock and doubt in his heart, speaking first. His tone carried the usual deference, but it concealed a hidden edge.

"May I ask why the Sect Master has urgently summoned us? Has something happened within the Sect?"

Leng Qingshuang's gaze fell upon his face, calm and unruffled, yet it caused Tang Zhen's heart to skip a beat.

"During this Venerable One's seclusion for a Breakthrough, there indeed have been changes within the Sect,"

Leng Qingshuang spoke, her voice clear and cold like the chime of jade.

"Treasures from the treasury have been stolen, the Law Enforcement Hall has engaged in favoritism and false accusations, and what's more, some have secretly colluded with external demons, harboring treacherous intentions!"

With each sentence she uttered, the atmosphere in the hall grew heavier.

When she said "colluded with external demons," the entire hall erupted in an uproar!

Tang Zhen's face changed, and he forced himself to remain calm.

"What does the Sect Master mean by these words? The theft from the treasury did indeed occur, and the Law Enforcement Hall is investigating. As for colluding with external demons... such a shocking matter cannot be spoken of lightly without solid evidence! It might harm the innocent and shake the very Foundation of our Sect!"

He first distanced himself, then placed the heavy hat (hat) of "shaking the Foundation" on others.

"Evidence?"

A cold arc curled at the corner of Leng Qingshuang's mouth.

"This Venerable One has evidence."

She lightly raised her fair hand, and several objects flew out, suspended in the center of the hall.

A simple, ancient-looking Token for Breaking Restrictions, carved with the unique cloud patterns exclusive to Tingtao Pavilion.

Several Magical Artifacts emitting a sinister Aura, clearly of Demonic Path style.

A sealed Shadow Recording Gu, still struggling slightly—a Gu insect refined by some Gu Cultivators capable of recording brief images.

"This token can open the backup treasury Restrictions of this Venerable One's Tingtao Pavilion. Three days ago at the hour of Zi (midnight), someone used this token to infiltrate and steal the earth core fire lotus."

Leng Qingshuang's voice was icy, her eyes emitting faint threads of killing intent.

"Those three thieves have been captured by this Venerable One and are currently detained outside the hall. They have confessed to acting under the orders of Grand Elder Tang Zhen!"

"Slander!"

Tang Zhen interrupted sharply, his beard and hair bristling, putting on an appearance of great indignation at being wronged.

"That token must be a forgery! Or someone is framing me! How can the Sect Master believe the one-sided words of thieves?!"

"One-sided words?"

Leng Qingshuang's gaze shifted to those Demonic Path Magical Artifacts and the Shadow Recording Gu.

"Then how do you explain these? According to the thieves' confessions, they and another team sent to steal the ten-thousand-year cold marrow from the Saintess's private treasury are all trusted confidants of the Grand Elder. The Cultivation Techniques and Magical Artifacts they used all bear traces of the demonic territory's Heavenly Nether Hall!"

"And this Shadow Recording Gu happened to record footage of them handing over items to a mysterious, sinister, Devilish Qi-cloaked figure in black robes before their operation. Elder Tang, would you like to personally identify who that black-robed figure is?"

With a wave of her hand, the Shadow Recording Gu was activated. A blurry yet recognizable image was projected into the air.

Night, desolate outskirts. Several figures in black were handing some items to a figure shrouded in black robes. As the figure received the items, the sleeve cuff vaguely revealed a ferocious ghost-head insignia—the exact emblem of Heavenly Nether Hall!

The hall immediately erupted into chaos!