59: Chapter 59 The Traitor Revealed

"Come with me, Elder Mu wants to see you." Elder Xuan pushed open the door to the quiet room and led Su Chen inside.

Inside the quiet room, Mu En was lying peacefully on a reclining chair.

His once ruddy face was now as pale as paper, and his breath was as weak as a candle flickering in the wind.

From time to time, he would break into a violent coughing fit, and with every cough, a trickle of fresh blood containing eerie black sparks would spill from the corner of his mouth.

But even so, those clouded eyes remained wise and calm, as if he had insight into everything in the world.

"You're back." Mu En looked at him and smiled gently.

"Teacher!" Su Chen's eyes instantly turned red, his voice choking up.

He quickly composed his emotions and reported everything he had seen in the Extreme North Land, as well as the Holy Spirit Cult's complete plan for the Netherworld Blood Sacrifice, to Mu En in detail.

After listening to Su Chen's account, there wasn't the slightest hint of surprise on Mu En's face; those deep eyes seemed to have seen through everything long ago.

"I already had a premonition about this."

"The Holy Spirit Cult's ambitions are immense; a single Extreme North Land cannot satisfy their appetite. The so-called Netherworld Blood Sacrifice is likely just a beginning, and behind it... lies a deeper planar crisis."

Before he could finish his sentence, Mu En's body suddenly trembled violently.

A look of pain flashed across his face before he forcibly suppressed it, but within the already weak golden light surrounding him, wisps of black gas began to emerge uncontrollably.

Behind him, an illusory shadow of the Golden Dragon God flickered and vanished, appearing incredibly dim as if it might dissipate completely at any moment.

Those wisps of black gas were like maggots on a bone, frantically eroding his last remaining light.

"Teacher!" Su Chen was struck with horror and lunged forward to support him.

"Don't touch him!" Elder Xuan grabbed him, his voice full of pain and suppression, "The evil fire is contagious!"

Mu En forced himself to sit upright and waved his hand, indicating he was fine.

Instead, a smile of relief appeared on his pale face. His gaze swept over Su Chen and Elder Xuan, finally landing outside the quiet room.

"Investigate."

Only one word.

But the weight contained in that word caused the temperature of the entire Sea Gods Pavilion to drop by several degrees.

"I understand." Elder Xuan's fists were clenched so tight his knuckles turned white, and a towering rage almost erupted from his chest.

He spun around and issued the strictest orders to the various elders outside the door.

"Lock down the academy! No one is allowed to enter or leave!"

"Xian Liner, Cai Meier, you two stay with Elder Mu."

"Shaozhe, you come with me!"

"Take all Inner Court disciples who have had contact with Elder Mu's food or daily life into custody! Not a single one is to be let go!"

Elder Xuan's instructions were clear and decisive, carrying an unquestionable authority.

The oppressive atmosphere instantly became murderous.

Yan Shaozhe and the others had ashen faces and immediately sprang into action.

Huo Yuhao had been standing outside the door the whole time, seeing everything that happened in the quiet room clearly.

When he heard Elder Xuan's order, he didn't hesitate for a moment and immediately stepped forward.

"Elder Xuan, let me do it."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear at this moment.

"My Spiritual Detection might be able to find some clues."

Elder Xuan snapped his head back, a glimmer of hope flashing in his bloodshot eyes.

He had almost forgotten that Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection was unparalleled in the world, and his perception of minute details was second to none.

"Good!" Elder Xuan nodded heavily, "Yuhao, I'm leaving this to you. No matter who it is, drag them out for me! I will tear them into ten thousand pieces with my own hands!"

Huo Yuhao solemnly accepted. Taking a deep breath, his massive and pure mental strength instantly centered on him, spreading out like an invisible, intangible giant net, silently enveloping the entire Sea Gods Pavilion.

This wasn't his overbearing Spiritual Detection Sharing, but a more refined and meticulous Soul Scan.

Every person's heartbeat, every breath, and every flicker of emotional fluctuation flowed into his perception like small trickling streams.

Dozens of Inner Court disciples were gathered in an open space outside the Sea Gods Pavilion, each of them looking terrified, not knowing what had happened.

Yan Shaozhe and several elders stood around them, their powerful Soul Power fluctuations blocking all paths of retreat.

Huo Yuhao kept his eyes closed, his mental strength acting like a precision instrument as it scanned each person one by one.

Nervousness...

Fear...

Confusion...

These were all normal emotional reactions.

Suddenly!

Huo Yuhao's spiritual net captured an extremely faint trace of... secret joy and cruelty, hidden beneath extreme panic.

That trace of emotion was fleeting, so fast it was almost impossible to catch.

If Huo Yuhao's mental strength hadn't already reached the Tangible-but-Substanceless realm, it would have been impossible to discover this momentary anomaly.

Found him!

Huo Yuhao snapped his eyes open, his gaze like lightning, instantly locking onto a young man in the corner of the crowd.

He was a very ordinary-looking Inner Court disciple with plain features and a cultivation level only at the Spirit Emperor rank, making him unremarkable in the genius-filled Inner Court.

He had been responsible for delivering Elder Mu's daily meals for three years.

At this moment, like the others, he wore a terrified expression, and his body was even trembling slightly.

A truly convincing performance.

If not for that momentary psychological flaw, no one could have linked him to that sinister and ruthless traitor.

Huo Yuhao used spiritual transmission to tell Elder Xuan and Yan Shaozhe his discovery word for word.

The muscles on Elder Xuan's face instantly tightened.

"Him?"

"Are you sure?" Yan Shaozhe also found it hard to believe.

"I'm sure." Huo Yuhao's answer was categorical. "His emotional disguise is seamless, but just a moment ago, he thought he could get away with it and leaked a sliver of his true thoughts."

Killing intent exploded in Elder Xuan's eyes.

But he didn't act immediately.

If they seized him directly, the opponent would likely deny everything or even commit suicide.

He had to make him reveal his own flaws and obtain ironclad evidence!

Yan Shaozhe instantly understood Elder Xuan's meaning. He cleared his throat, stepped forward, and said loudly, "There is no need for alarm. Elder Mu simply encountered some trouble in his cultivation and needs quiet rest. The academy is temporarily locked down only to prevent anyone from disturbing him."

He paused, then changed the subject.

"However, during Elder Mu's recuperation, we discovered that someone mistakenly placed a conflicting medicinal herb in his diet. We have now found a way to save him and are currently preparing the antidote."

As soon as these words were spoken, most of the disciples breathed a sigh of relief.

So it was just a misunderstanding.

But when the young man Huo Yuhao had locked onto heard the words 'way to save him' and 'preparing the antidote,' his pupils contracted uncontrollably.

Although he quickly returned to normal, this minute change was captured perfectly by Huo Yuhao's mental strength.

He was afraid!

He had to destroy the evidence!

The special vessel he kept in his dormitory to hold the catalyst for the evil technique absolutely could not be discovered!