172: A climate of fear and "deep cleaning"

Returning from Falling Star Lake, Wen Youyi hadn't even had time to digest the gains from the trip when a warning from the Star Core made his heart tighten.

A deep scan of the 'spirit net'? This wasn't the usual regional routine check; it felt more like a targeted investigation triggered by some security mechanism!

He immediately contacted Senior Brother Zhang and Ying through the 'Star Network'.

[Old Zhang, Ying, the main node just received a warning. It seems the 'spirit net' has initiated a deep scan of the Qingxuan Sect area. Do you feel anything on your end?]

[Yes!] Senior Brother Zhang's voice was grave. [About an incense stick's time ago, the energy background outside the Shelter showed extremely subtle but regular disturbances, as if it had been filtered by some more precise 'sieve'! Fortunately, our concealment Formation is strong enough, and with the Star Core's disguise, we haven't been discovered yet.]

Ying added: [This scanning mode has vague records in ancient knowledge. It is usually used to locate 'major anomalies' or 'System vulnerabilities'. It seems our previous actions might have been judged as 'viruses' that need to be cleared.]

Wen Youyi frowned. Sure enough, it was a chain reaction again. They had been too conspicuous during the Outer Sect competition, there were accidents at Falling Star Lake, and coupled with the scattered interference from the 'Spark Alliance'... These seemingly insignificant small actions had accumulated, finally attracting the attention of the 'server administrator'.

[Initiate highest-level silence.] Wen Youyi ordered. [The 'ark' enters deep concealment mode; no external energy interaction unless necessary. All external contact for the 'dandelion' plan and the 'Spark Alliance' is suspended and moved underground.]

[Understood!] Senior Brother Zhang and Ying executed immediately.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere within the Qingxuan Sect became tense at a visible rate.

First, the Discipline Hall's patrols intensified sharply. Elder Xuan Shi led the team personally, patrolling every peak and courtyard almost day and night. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, making many Disciples hold their breath in fear.

Next, the Sect issued a series of seemingly ordinary but actually strict new rules: for example, requiring all Disciples to go to designated locations for 'spiritual power verification' periodically, euphemistically called checking for hidden dangers and promoting Cultivation; for example, strengthening the inspection of outsiders and Materials; even restricting private gatherings among Disciples.

What concerned Wen Youyi even more was that the faction under Elder Heisha had become unusually active. They seemed to have received some kind of authorization or support, starting to place some strange, non-Sect traditional Formation runes in key areas, such as the Hall of Teaching, the perimeter of the Scripture Pavilion, and even some important Spiritual Vein nodes.

Wang Wu found out through secret channels that Elder Heisha had obtained a batch of items called 'qingyuan array base' from a certain 'special envoy from the Upper Sect', which were said to be used for 'purifying the earth veins and stabilizing the spirit net'.

'Purifying the earth veins? Stabilizing the spirit net?' Wen Youyi sneered, 'I think it's installing a 'firewall' and 'antivirus software'!'

He had Wang Wu manage to get some rubbings of the runes on those array bases and transmitted them to Senior Brother Zhang and Ying via the 'Star Network' for analysis.

Soon, the analysis results were sent back.

[These runes... the structure is very strange!] Senior Brother Zhang's tone was shocked. [Their main function is not attack or defense, but... marking and inducing!]

Ying explained further: [They will continuously emit a very special type of energy fluctuation. This fluctuation is almost harmless to normal Cultivators, but it will have an implicit marking effect on individuals who have Cultivated specific Cultivation Techniques or whose internal energy structure is highly repellent to the 'spirit net', and may even trigger energy disorder within them! It's like... tagging specific 'files' in a System to facilitate subsequent positioning and deletion!]

Wen Youyi felt a chill in his heart. This move was too poisonous! This was trying to pull the firewood from under the cauldron, directly rooting out all potential 'viruses' and 'abnormal files'!

It was imaginable that once these 'qingyuan array base' were spread throughout the Sect, all Disciples like them who were trying to break free from the control of the 'spirit net' or who had Cultivated non-mainstream Cultivation Techniques would have nowhere to hide! At best, they would be marked and monitored; at worst, they might directly suffer from Qi Deviation!

'What a 'Deep Cleaning'!' A cold light flashed in Wen Youyi's eyes, 'This is to sweep up all unstable factors in one go!'

The situation suddenly became severe.

Although their previous actions had achieved some results, they had also successfully pushed themselves and more 'Sparks' to the forefront. Once marked by these array bases, the consequences would be unimaginable.

'Boss, what do we do? We can't just sit and wait for death, right?' Zhao Iron Pillar said in a muffled voice. Although he didn't quite understand the intricacies, he could feel the oppression of the impending storm.

'Of course not.' Wen Youyi took a deep breath, his brain running at high speed. 'The other side has made a move, and we can't just sit idle.'

He looked at Wang Wu: 'Senior Brother Wang, use all our secret channels to reveal the true function of the 'qingyuan array base' in the most subtle way possible to those Inner Sect Disciples and small and medium-sized forces that are worth winning over or might be affected. Especially those peaks that don't get along well with Heisha, like Danxia Peak and the Sword Pavilion.'

'We want to create panic—no, make them 'vigilant'!' Wen Youyi corrected, 'We must make more people realize that what Elder Heisha and the forces behind him are doing might harm their own interests and even safety!'

'Understood! I'll go do it right away!' Wang Wu went off to carry out the order.

Wen Youyi looked at Zhao Iron Pillar and Senior Brother Zhang (via Star Network) again: 'Iron Pillar, Old Zhang, you have more important tasks.'

'Isn't Heisha trying to set up a Formation? Then we'll give him some 'hardware destruction'!' A glint of cunning flashed in Wen Youyi's eyes. 'However, we can't do it openly. Iron Pillar, you are responsible for 'accidents'. Find opportunities to create some small 'construction accidents' without exposing yourself, such as a sudden ground collapse at a certain array base burial point, or a Disciple carrying Materials 'accidentally' tripping and causing cracks in the array base.'

Zhao Iron Pillar's eyes lit up: 'I'm good at this! I guarantee I'll do it flawlessly!'

'Old Zhang, you are responsible for studying the energy circuits and rune structures of these array bases.' Wen Youyi continued, 'See if you can find their weaknesses, or... if you can perform a 'reverse compilation' on them, making their marking effect ineffective, or even marking their own people in return!'

Senior Brother Zhang pushed up his glasses, and a gleam of excitement reflected on the lenses: 'Interesting! I accept this challenge!'

After arranging these, Wen Youyi pondered alone.

He knew these were just stopgap measures to delay the opponent's deployment and create internal conflict. To truly break the situation, more powerful strength and more fundamental means were needed.

His gaze once again turned to the vast ancient knowledge in his Sea of Consciousness and the increasingly powerful Star Core in his arms.

'The greater the pressure, the greater the motivation.' He whispered to himself, 'It seems it's time to try those more 'Advanced' technologies.'

For example, how to use the Star Core and the 'Star Network' to achieve small-scale 'rule shielding'? Or how to create a 'virus program' that can permanently interfere with the 'spirit net' connection?

An offensive and defensive battle centered on 'System permissions' was quietly escalating in this small 'Ranch' of the Qingxuan Sect.

(End of Chapter)