246: Black Fiend's schemes and the "nail" have taken root.

Just as "Starfire" was cautiously infiltrating the interior of the Qingxuan Sect and sowing the Seeds of doubt, the atmosphere around Falling Star Lake was becoming increasingly tense.

The three temporary outposts established by the Discipline Hall had already taken shape, like three nails driven into the lakeside.

The black-clad Disciples of the Discipline Hall patrolled day and night, their eyes as sharp as hawks, driving away any Loose Cultivator or even Disciples from other peaks of the Sect who attempted to approach the lake area.

Even more eye-catching was that certain specific areas on the lakeshore had been marked as absolute forbidden zones, where Formation Masters were busy at work, carving complex and massive Formation Bases, the faintly emanating energy fluctuations making nearby low-level Cultivators feel palpitations.

Within the Qingxuan Sect, deep inside the Discipline Hall, in a heavily guarded secret chamber.

Elder Heisha stood with his hands behind his back, looking at a floating, energy-constructed map of the Falling Star Lake area in front of him.

On the map, the three outposts and several Formation nodes under construction were clearly visible, and deep in the center of the lake, an extremely obscure, constantly fluctuating point of light was highlighted—that was the entrance to the unstable channel leading to the Starry Sky Debris.

"How is the progress?" Elder Heisha's voice was cold, devoid of any emotion.

A trusted deacon bowed and reported: "Reporting to Elder, the outer perimeter warning Formation has been set up, the Formation Bases of the 'Void Locking Grand Array' are seventy percent complete, and it is expected to be initially activated in another half a month.

It's just that... maintaining this Formation, as well as subsequent plans, requires truly massive resources, and there have already been some... criticisms within the Sect."

Elder Heisha gave a cold snort, a flash of ferocity in his eyes: "Criticisms? A bunch of short-sighted fools! What do they understand? This is the decree of the 'Upper Envoy'! It concerns the survival of the Sect, and even the safety of this world! What does a little bit of resources matter?"

He walked to the energy map, pointed his finger at the point of light in the center of the lake, his tone carrying a kind of near-fanatical determination: "The 'Purification Protocol' must be executed! Those 'viruses' hiding in dark corners must be completely eradicated!

This channel is the path for us to deploy the 'Purification Power'! As long as the 'Void Locking Grand Array' is completed and the channel is stabilized, we will be able to precisely deliver the 'Purification Light' bestowed by the 'Upper Envoy' to the other side, turning those rebels and filth, along with the ruins where they hide, into ashes!"

It turned out that Elder Heisha was making such a big fuss not because he wanted to explore the other side of the channel, but to launch a reverse invasion, using some kind of power that the 'Creation Heavenly Court' might have bestowed to directly destroy the base of 'Starfire'!

Those massive resources were precisely for maintaining the operation of the 'Void Locking Grand Array' and activating the so-called 'Purification Light'!

"But Elder," the trusted deacon hesitated for a moment before biting the bullet and saying, "The situation on the other side of the channel is unknown; to rashly invest such power, what if... what if it attracts an even more terrifying existence, or..."

"There is no 'what if'!" Elder Heisha interrupted him rudely, his eyes sinister, "This is the will of the 'Upper Envoy'! Just execute it! As for the noise within the Sect... hmph, when we succeed in purging the rebels and return with great merit, let's see who dares to talk back!"

He waved his hand, signaling the deacon to withdraw.

He was left alone in the secret chamber, staring at the constantly fluctuating point of light on the energy map, a cruel arc curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Wen Youyi... and the remnants of Danxia Peak... this time, let's see where you can escape to!"

...

Qingxuan Sect, Sword Pavilion.

Han Feng sat cross-legged in the quiet room, his body's Sword Qi hidden and unreleased.

Ever since he took that Medicinal Pill of unknown origin, he felt that his Sword Heart seemed more transparent, and the slight stagnation that had existed for years during the circulation of spiritual power had also lessened significantly.

This allowed him to be more focused when he Cultivated, and his progress was also a sliver faster than before.

But what followed was an even deeper suspicion.

What exactly was that Medicinal Pill? Why was the effect so peculiar, yet so covert? What was the purpose of the person who gifted the Medicinal Pill? He had tried to investigate in secret, but had no leads at all.

And within the Sect, rumors about Elder Heisha abusing resources and having unclear intentions were still quietly circulating, even intensifying.

Combined with his own changes, the balance in Han Feng's heart had already begun to tilt.

On this day, he went to the Scripture Pavilion as usual to check sword manuals, and on the inside of the title page of an obscure miscellaneous book about the maintenance of ancient sword weapons that no one cared about, he discovered a line of small characters newly added with extremely fine strokes:

"The shackles are invisible, the Sword Heart is self-evident. Where the starlight reaches, demons and monsters flee."

This line of words exploded in his mind like a thunderclap!

Invisible shackles? Does it refer to the 'spirit net'? starlight... is it the power of that Medicinal Pill?

He slammed the book shut, his heart module pounding, scanning his surroundings vigilantly.

After confirming that no one was paying attention, he forced himself to remain calm and returned the book to its original place.

This was definitely not a coincidence!

It was the person who gifted the Medicinal Pill!

He was guiding him!

Han Feng returned to his residence, his mind unable to calm down for a long time.

That line of words seemed to possess magic, echoing repeatedly in his mind.

He began to recall every detail after taking the Medicinal Pill more carefully, comparing it with his feelings when he Cultivated in the past... more and more doubts surfaced in his mind.

"Could it be... that the 'spirit net' we have always relied on to Cultivate really has a problem?" A terrible thought uncontrollably emerged from the bottom of his heart.

He did not make a sound, nor did he go to find that book again.

But he knew that some things were already different.

His attitude towards Elder Heisha's actions began to shift from initial dissatisfaction to a kind of scrutiny filled with investigation and vigilance.

The "nail" buried by "Starfire," under the watering of suspicion and guidance, had already begun to quietly take root and sprout in Han Feng's heart.

Similar subtle changes were also happening to that young Alchemist on Danxia Peak who had received the "ancient book fragment."

After repeatedly verifying that those "unconventional" techniques were indeed effective, he developed deep doubts about mainstream Alchemy theories, and in his fear of Elder Heisha, there was also a hint of hidden resistance.

The infiltration of "Starfire," silently and imperceptibly, was quietly changing the internal ecology of the Qingxuan Sect.

And all of this was something that Elder Heisha, who was obsessed with executing the grand plan of the "Purification Protocol," had not yet noticed.

He was full of ambition, preparing to deal a fatal blow to "Starfire," little knowing that the starfire quietly ignited in his backyard, though weak, already possessed the potential to start a prairie fire.