149: Chapter 149 The Traitor Revealed

The black light on the Concealment Ring flashed and vanished, but it scorched Zhang Wen's wrist like a red-hot branding iron.

He jerked his hand up, examining it closely in the dim light of the tent.

The runes on the bracelet, which had seemed chaotic before, now revealed a few twisted characters that bore a striking resemblance to the fluctuations of the Talismanic Incantation energy released when Teacher Liu detonated himself.

Dean was their mentor, having led this group of New Students through the Level 4 region, and he had been inseparable from them during their field training, so how could he...

Zhang Wen's heart accelerated, and memories of Dean's actions flashed through his mind: when the ant tide erupted, he had appeared to command with composure, yet he had coincidentally sent Zhang Wen and Su Xinyue to the most dangerous eastern formation eye.

That comment he made when handing over the Concealment Ring, 'It might cause some trouble,' seemed in hindsight like a plot laid in advance.

And there was the fact that he was currently 'organizing the defensive formation patterns'—who could guarantee he wasn't using this opportunity to sabotage the camp's final line of defense?

'Impossible...'

Zhang Wen muttered to himself, trying to dispel the thought.

Dean's cultivation level was not the highest among the five in the Transformation Realm, yet he had always protected the New Students at critical moments, so how could he...

But the lingering heat on his wrist could not lie, and the residual Talismanic Incantation energy in the runes certainly wouldn't deceive him.

[System Prompt: Unknown Talismanic Incantation energy residue detected, 99% homology with the 'Heart-Eating Curse'.]

The System's prompt felt like a bucket of ice water poured over his head.

Zhang Wen threw off his blanket, ignoring the sharp pain in his chest, and struggled to get out of bed—he had to tell Teacher Zhao and the others immediately!

At that moment, the tent flap was gently lifted, and a figure stood in the doorway against the light, holding a tray—it was the very person he had just been thinking about.

'You're awake. I just happened to stew some meat broth to replenish your Qi.'

Dean's voice was gentle as always, and his face wore his customary smile, but his eyes, which usually held warmth, seemed to conceal something else now.

Cold sweat broke out on Zhang Wen's back. He instinctively hid his wrist behind his back and quietly gripped the water glass by the bedside—it was the only 'weapon' he could reach right now.

'Dean...'

He suppressed the tremor in his voice, 'Teacher Zhao just went out, saying Teacher Wang found something.'

Dean walked in and placed the tray on the low stool by the bed. The meat broth in the clay bowl was steaming, but its aroma was laced with a faint, bloody scent, identical to the smell of Teacher Liu's blood essence.

'Oh? What did Teacher Wang find?'

Dean picked up a spoon and slowly stirred the broth.

'It's a coincidence, really. Teacher Liu's ability to hide things was something I taught him. Back then, he always said my 'Blindfold Formation' was clever. I didn't expect us to find it today.'

His tone was as casual as if he were chatting about daily life, but every word felt like a needle pricking Zhang Wen's heart.

Zhang Wen noticed that his cuffs were stained with dark red powder, which was different from the hematite powder commonly used for defensive formation patterns; it looked more like the residue of a burned Talismanic Incantation.

'Dean, this bracelet...'

Zhang Wen decided to test him, deliberately revealing his wrist, 'It's a bit hot to wear. Is it broken?'

Dean's gaze lingered on the bracelet for half a second, then he smiled.

'It probably absorbed too much baleful energy from the ant swarm. Just take it off and let it rest.'

He reached out to touch the bracelet, but his fingertips paused slightly just before making contact.

That pause!

Zhang Wen suddenly recalled that when Su Xinyue was tucking in the blanket earlier, Dean had used the same gesture—it wasn't an unconscious movement, but a way to secretly channel Qi!

'No need to trouble yourself!'

Zhang Wen abruptly pulled his hand away, avoiding his touch, and splashed the water from the glass at him.

Dean seemed to have anticipated this. While dodging sideways, his other hand had already pressed onto Zhang Wen's shoulder.

His palm was not heavy, but it carried a chilling Qi that surged from his shoulder straight to his chest, hitting exactly on Zhang Wen's damaged Meridians.

'Ugh!'

Zhang Wen let out a muffled groan of pain, his vision blacking out for a moment, but in this intense agony, he clearly saw what was on Dean's wrist—an extremely thin black bracelet, with runes carved on the beads that were identical to those on his own bracelet.

'Why?'

Zhang Wen asked through gritted teeth, the taste of blood filling his throat.

Dean withdrew his hand, and the smile finally disappeared from his face, replaced by an expression of near-pity: 'Because you are too much of an eyesore, Zhang Wen.'

He picked up the bowl of meat broth and gently swirled it: 'Why do you think the Soul Devouring Hall is targeting you all?'

'It's not because of Principal Gongsun and the others, but because of you lot with your so-called 'top-tier talent'. Especially you. The Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder suppresses evil cultivators, and yet you are so hardworking...'

Dean's eyes suddenly turned cold: 'It's a pity about the Ding Family. If that girl from the Ding Family had been willing to join us, she wouldn't have ended up with her Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering.'

'Tell me, how could I let someone she favored continue to get in the way of the Soul Devouring Hall?'

Ding Siyi! Zhang Wen's pupils contracted sharply.

'Teacher Liu was a pawn you planted, the fake hostage was a lure you arranged, and even the ant tide was brought here by you!'

Zhang Wen finally pieced together all the clues, 'You deliberately let us get infected with the Heart-Eating Curse, then used the Concealment Ring to track our location, waiting for us to go to the cave to die, so you could take the opportunity to sabotage the camp's defenses, right?'

Dean sighed, as if regretting it: 'It's a pity Teacher Liu was too eager for success and failed to trap you.'

'But it doesn't matter. Your Meridians are already severed, your Qi Foundation is damaged, and now you are not even as good as someone in the Forming Realm.'

He brought the meat broth to Zhang Wen's lips, his tone becoming gentle once again.

'Drink it. I've added 'Soul-Soothing Grass' to it; it will make your death more comfortable.'

'I've already made arrangements with Principal Gongsun; I'll just say your injuries were too severe and you didn't pull through. No one will suspect a thing.'

A foul, bloody stench hit his face. Zhang Wen jerked his head away, but Dean grabbed his chin and forcibly poured the meat broth into his mouth.

Just then, Teacher Zhao's voice came from outside the tent: 'Is Zhang Wen awake? You need to see what Teacher Wang found...'

The voice cut off abruptly.

Teacher Zhao lifted the flap and entered, just in time to see Dean gripping Zhang Wen's chin, with the bowl of meat broth hovering in mid-air.

Dean's reaction was extremely fast; he instantly let go and put a smile back on his face: 'Teacher Zhao is back? I brought Zhang Wen some meat broth, but he refuses to drink it, saying he's afraid of the bitterness.'

Teacher Zhao's gaze swept between Dean, Zhang Wen, and the bowl of meat broth, finally landing on the wrist Zhang Wen was hiding behind his back—the Concealment Ring there was faintly glowing.

'Is that so?'

Teacher Zhao's voice turned cold, and a flame Talismanic Incantation quietly condensed at his fingertips, 'But how is it that I smell the scent of the 'Heart-Eating Curse' in this soup?'

Dean's expression finally changed.

Zhang Wen seized the opportunity and shouted with all his might: 'He is from the Soul Devouring Hall! The bracelet is problematic!'

Dean let out a low shout, suddenly lunging to grab Zhang Wen's throat, while his other hand flung out three black talisman papers, instantly setting up a barrier in the tent, trapping the three of them inside.

'Since I've been discovered, no one is leaving!'

His cultivation level surged instantly; originally only at the Early Stage of the Transformation Realm, he was now unleashing pressure approaching the Peak of the Transformation Realm.

'Teacher Zhao, do you think you can protect him? You couldn't protect her back then, and today you won't be able to protect Zhang Wen either!'

Teacher Zhao's body trembled, but he still quickly shielded Zhang Wen behind him, with the flame Talismanic Incantation burning fiercely in his palm: 'Dean, you've been lurking in Azure Mist for so many years, what exactly are you trying to do?'

'What am I trying to do?'

Dean's laughter was filled with madness: 'Once Principal Gongsun is dead, Azure Mist will be in the pocket of the Soul Devouring Hall! At that time, all you unappreciative fools will have to die!'

He slammed his hand onto the ground, and the ground inside the barrier suddenly cracked, with countless black vines shooting out.

They coiled toward the two like venomous snakes—it was the 'Spirit-Corroding Vine' that Teacher Chen Mingda excelled at; clearly, he had even stolen and learned Teacher Chen's Cultivation Technique.

Teacher Zhao's flames instantly burned the vines to ashes, but he realized that Dean had already rushed in front of Zhang Wen, holding a dagger coated with a green light, stabbing directly at his heart!

'Watch out!'

Teacher Zhao roared and lunged over, using his back to take the blow head-on.

The dagger sank in half an inch, and the dark green venom instantly spread along the wound.

Teacher Zhao let out a muffled groan, backhanded a palm strike onto Dean's chest, and knocked him back several steps.

'Teacher Zhao!'

Zhang Wen's eyes were wide with rage, watching the wound on Teacher Zhao's back turn black rapidly, and an unprecedented anger swept through his entire body.

[System Prompt: host's emotional fluctuations have reached the threshold, triggering the potential of the 'Nine Heavens Tribulation Thunder'. A temporary Breakthrough is available. Execute?]

'Execute!'

Zhang Wen almost roared the word, but it was enough to let him unleash his final strength at this moment!

Pale golden Lightning Radiance exploded from within his body; although weak, it carried an unquestionable determination.

He grabbed the scroll Teacher Zhao had left by the bedside and threw it with all his might at Dean—the scroll contained a flame talisman that Teacher Zhao had casually drawn, and now, triggered by the Lightning Radiance, it exploded with a boom!

Dean was forced back repeatedly by the flames, and a crack appeared in the barrier.

'Teacher Wang! Over here!' Zhang Wen shouted with his final strength.

Outside the tent came the sound of a giant blade hacking, and Teacher Wang Wude's roar made the barrier hum: 'Dean, you traitor! I'm going to hack you to pieces!'

Dean glanced at the crumbling barrier, then at the red-eyed Zhang Wen, and suddenly sneered: 'You're lucky today, but the Soul Devouring Hall won't let you off.'

He bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed a mouthful of blood essence onto the barrier. His figure turned into a trail of black smoke, slipped through a crack in the barrier, and disappeared in the direction of the canyon.

The moment the barrier dissipated, Teacher Wang Wude rushed in carrying his giant blade. When he saw Teacher Zhao's wound, his eyes turned red instantly: 'Son of a bitch! I'm going after him right now!'

'Don't chase him.'

Teacher Zhao held his bleeding back, his face as pale as paper, 'If he wants to run, you won't be able to catch him... Quickly, send a message to Principal Gongsun, tell him... the claws of the Soul Devouring Hall have already reached into the heart of Azure Mist.'

Zhang Wen supported Teacher Zhao, looking in the direction where Dean had disappeared. The Concealment Ring on his wrist had cracked at some point, revealing three small characters carved inside—Soul Devouring Hall.

He knew this was only the beginning; he would avenge the Ding Family sooner or later.