103: The final mystery of the chip is revealed

Night, deep as ink.

Li Dong hid in a safe house he had prepared in advance, a simple yet secluded place that contrasted sharply with the exquisite and treacherous Cold Moon Palace.

He leaned against the damp wall, his chest still feeling the intense thumping of his heart from the rapid escape earlier.

“Hmph… those old geezers, their noses are really sharp.” He muttered to himself, wiping away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, “I almost became a turtle in a jar. Golden Core Stage Cultivators are indeed not to be trifled with.”

He took out the chip he had seized from the core of the Golden Core Puppet, as well as the “Brood Mother Cultivation Log” replicated by the System and the “Cultivation Log” data from the earlier abandoned morgue.

“System, are the log data all in order? Did this chip yield any last-minute insights?” Li Dong sat down cross-legged, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

【System: Log data fully backed up. The final analysis of the core experimental data chip has been completed, and it is currently undergoing cross-referencing and integrated analysis with the “Brood Mother Cultivation Log” and the “Test Field No. 3 Cultivation Log” data…】

“Alright, spill everything you know.” Li Dong adjusted his breathing. He had a premonition that he was about to uncover the core secret of the entire incident. The powerful auras of the Golden Core Stage Cultivators outside Cold Moon Palace, like a sword hanging over his head, made him realize he had no time to waste.

A cold and complex stream of information rushed into Li Dong’s mind like a bursting dam. First, his brows furrowed slightly, then his eyes widened, and finally, only an expression of incredulous shock remained on his face.

“A… a thousand-year scheme?” He whispered in disbelief, his voice trembling slightly, “Using the ‘Soul-Devouring Demon Flower’ to devour living Souls, combined with ‘Artificial Dao Body’ technology, the goal is… to pollute and steal the Luck of the entire Great Yan Dynasty’s Imperial Dragon Vein?!”

This discovery was a hundred times more terrifying than any struggle for the throne among princes or rebellion by powerful ministers he had previously guessed.

“The ultimate goal… to awaken the ‘Ancient Forbidden Power’ sealed deep beneath the capital?” Li Dong abruptly stood up from the ground, pacing back and forth within the small safe house, the stormy waves in his heart almost engulfing him.

“What a joke! These lunatics! The real masterminds are not some princes or princesses, nor any powerful minister or aristocratic Family…” He murmured, the shocking records from the log surfacing in his mind, “But… but an ‘Shadow Council’ formed by several Golden Core Stage old monsters who have been living in seclusion in the capital for years?! They… they were actually founding elders from the early days of the Empire? And only went underground after failing in a power struggle?!”

This twist made Li Dong feel as if he were listening to an absurd storytelling tale. The founders of the Empire, in turn, wanted to dig up the Empire’s Foundation? This was simply the biggest joke in the world!

“A bunch of old undying sore losers, harboring resentment for hundreds of years, just to pull off such a grand scheme?” He almost wanted to curse out loud.

“He Tianzheng… that old dog who was conducting ‘special selections’ at the Heavenly Pivot Institute, turns out he was just an outer executor of the ‘Shadow Council,’ responsible for screening and modifying ‘primordial bodies’?” A flash of realization crossed Li Dong’s eyes, “Luo Yi, the Lin Family… they were merely tools providing funds and resources? No wonder, how could their few Families have such audacity and resources to shake the Foundation of the nation?”

Many previously incomprehensible links now became clear. From the strange selections at the Heavenly Pivot Institute, to the demon flower cultivation site at the abandoned morgue in the west of the city, and then to the brood mother in Cold Moon Palace, everything connected, pointing to a common, chilling source.

“The ‘Shadow Council’s’ goal is to completely overthrow imperial power and establish a… ‘Theocratic Empire’ controlled by these old monsters?” Li Dong was quite disgusted by this term, “And that so-called ‘Ancient Forbidden Power’ is their ultimate trump card to achieve this ridiculous ‘Theocratic Empire’?”

He scoffed. These old geezers, having lived for hundreds of years, had their brains gone to the dogs? A Theocratic Empire, who did they think they were? The Creator God?

“The ‘Brood Mother Cultivation Log’ mentioned… the ‘Vortex Trap Zone’?” Li Dong tried to recall the jumbled information, “That place is the Seal of the ‘Ancient Forbidden Power,’ and also where the ‘Shadow Council’ plans to hold the final ritual. Once the ritual begins, the capital… will turn into Hell?”

He shivered, not from cold, but from the understated description of the “Hell” scene in the log, which was even more terrifying. It wasn't just a simple massacre; it was turning the entire city, along with its millions of living beings, into sacrifices to nourish that “Forbidden Power.”

“This is no longer some Family grudge, nor a simple power struggle.” Li Dong took a deep breath, feeling as if the burden on his shoulders had suddenly increased by a thousand catties, “This is an extermination! The entire capital, the entire Foundation of the Great Yan Dynasty, is going to be dug up by them!”

Before, he only wanted to avenge the Li Family, seek justice for himself, and stir up the muddy waters of the capital. But now, he found that he had inadvertently kicked open a door to Hell.

【System: Host has fully grasped the core secret. Mission objective updated to “Prevent the Shadow Council from awakening the Ancient Forbidden Power and purify the Imperial Dragon Vein.”】

“Prevent? Purify?” Li Dong gave a bitter smile, “System, oh System, you make it sound so easy. The opponents are a group of Golden Core old monsters who have lived for hundreds of years, and there’s an ‘Ancient Forbidden Power’ whose nature is unknown. How am I supposed to stop them? By moving them with love?”

Despite his complaints, Li Dong’s gaze gradually became firm. He wasn’t a savior, but he couldn’t just stand by and watch these lunatics turn the capital into Hell on earth. Moreover, if the capital truly fell, where could he escape to? The methods of this “Shadow Council” were so bizarre that he probably wouldn’t find peace anywhere, even at the ends of the earth.

“The problem now is that the things I have in my hands are explosive enough to turn the capital upside down.” Li Dong stroked his chin, beginning to ponder, “If I directly throw out this evidence, I’m afraid it will immediately alert those old monsters, causing them to jump the gun, accelerate their plan, or simply turn me, the ‘informant,’ into ashes.”

He didn’t believe that his current Cultivation at the Late Foundation Establishment Stage, plus a stack of trump cards, would allow him to directly confront a group of Golden Core old monsters. That wouldn’t be brave; that would be suicidal.

“I need to find a way to get the message out, attract the attention of certain people, without exposing myself, and also prevent them from reacting too quickly and targeting me.”

His eyes flickered.

“Inspector Zhou… Zhou Boqian.” A name surfaced in his mind. That Censorate Official who served in the Heavenly Punishment Department, known for his uprightness, and one of the few officials not completely corrupted by the capital’s murky atmosphere. More importantly, Zhou Boqian seemed to have some connections with certain factions within the imperial Family.

“If… I take a portion of the evidence, such as the dangers of the ‘Soul-Devouring Demon Flower’ and ‘Artificial Dao Body,’ and some of the officials involved, and after ‘processing’ it, reveal it through Inspector Zhou’s channels to those factions within the imperial Family who are wary of the ‘Shadow Council’ or certain unusual movements…”

Li Dong’s lips curved slightly upward, “Using their strength against them, stirring up these muddy waters. Let those high-and-mighty bigwigs suspect and bite each other first. The more fiercely they fight, the more opportunities I’ll have to find that ‘Vortex Trap Zone’ and see if I can solve the problem at its root.”

“Hmm, that’s the plan. Don’t these old monsters like to manipulate everything from the shadows? Then I’ll shine a spotlight on them, letting them taste what it’s like to be watched.”

He made up his mind and began to carefully filter and organize the intelligence in his hands, thinking about how to package this information “reasonably” so that it would attract enough attention without immediately exposing himself as the source.

“This capital, it seems, is really going to change.” Li Dong chuckled, his eyes, however, gleaming with a hint of excitement and anticipation, “But before the storm comes, I need to find myself a safe harbor, and incidentally… cause some trouble for certain people.”

He stood up and stretched his limbs. The sense of power brought by his earlier Breakthrough still filled his body.

“Shadow Council, Ancient Forbidden Power… sounds very exciting. But, if you want to cause trouble in front of this young master, you’ll have to ask if I agree first!”