218: Chapter 218 The Jin family is actually a spy for the demonic path!

Xiao Caiyue stepped forward, tidied his collar, and said softly, "Go on, husband. I will wait for you here."

Ye Changge held her hand, squeezed it gently, and then turned to leave.

Although Qingyun City was not as prosperous as Qingxuan Immortal City, it was still fully equipped with all the essentials.

Ye Changge wound through the city's alleys and soon arrived at a secluded street.

At the end of the street was an inconspicuous little shop with a mottled plaque hanging over the lintel.

"Zhiwei Pavilion."

This was the intelligence organization of Qingyun City.

Although the intelligence organization of such a small city was far from being as complete and comprehensive as the Tingfeng Pavilion in Qingxuan Immortal City...

...it was still sufficient for getting a general idea of the situation.

After all, Ye Changge had already been traveling for two months now, and it would still take another month to reach home.

He was eager to learn what had happened during this period.

When Ye Changge entered Zhiwei Pavilion, he did not intentionally hide his aura.

His Foundation Establishment Mid-stage Spiritual Pressure naturally radiated outward. Though he didn't exert it forcefully, it still caused the air in the small shop to stiffen slightly.

The maidservant behind the counter was organizing jade slips. Feeling that unfathomable aura, her movements paused, and she quickly looked up.

When she saw that the newcomer was an exceptionally young yet composed male Cultivator, her heart skipped a beat.

Late Foundation Establishment Stage!

In Qingyun City, a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator was already a local powerhouse, someone even the City Lord would treat with courtesy.

The maidservant dared not be negligent. She quickly stepped out from behind the counter, a perfectly respectful smile on her face, and bowed slightly.

"Senior, what kind of information are you looking for?"

Her tone was attentive but not fawning, showing a well-trained sense of propriety.

Ye Changge's gaze swept over the shop's furnishings, and he got straight to the point.

"Give me the most comprehensive report on recent events within the Lingxiao Sect's territory."

Hearing this, a flash of understanding crossed the maidservant's eyes.

In the past six months, the Lingxiao Sect's territory had indeed been restless. The number of Cultivators coming to inquire for news was several times higher than usual.

This Senior before her had likely heard some rumors and came specifically to understand the situation.

"Senior, this type of information is divided into four Ranks."

The maidservant held up four fingers and introduced them at a moderate pace.

"Rank C is the most brief, containing only summaries of major events; Rank B is slightly more detailed, listing key figures and dates; Rank A includes the movements of various forces and specific battle conditions. As for the Special Rank—"

She paused and lowered her voice.

"Special Rank information also includes lists of involved Cultivators, images, and deductions regarding the subsequent movements of all parties. Of course, the price is correspondingly higher."

"Give me the best one."

Ye Changge did not hesitate.

Hearing this, a flash of joy appeared in the maidservant's eyes, and she nodded quickly.

"Please wait a moment, Senior. Special Rank information costs three thousand Spirit Stones."

Three thousand Spirit Stones.

Ye Changge's expression remained unchanged as he took out the Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch and placed them into a hidden compartment on the counter.

Although three thousand Spirit Stones was not a small sum, in these turbulent times, it was necessary to spend a bit more to gain a clear understanding.

He knew in his heart that he had been away from Longmai Mountain for a year and three months, far exceeding his initial estimate of half a year.

To what extent had the undercurrents between the Zhao State and the Yu Kingdom developed during this time?

Were there any battles in the Lingxiao Sect's territory?

Had the Ye Family of Longmai Mountain been affected?

If he didn't get these questions answered, his heart would always be in suspense.

The maidservant took the Spirit Stones, said "Please wait a moment, Senior," and turned to walk quickly toward the back of the shop.

Ye Changge stood before the counter with his hands behind his back, his gaze casually scanning the shop's decor.

Although this Zhiwei Pavilion was not as grand as the Tingfeng Pavilion in Qingxuan Immortal City, it still possessed some depth.

On the curio shelves against the wall, various jade slips were arranged by category.

Labels such as "Yao Beast Distribution," "Spirit Mine Resources," and "Family Forces" were written on them, showing that they also conducted ordinary intelligence business.

Before long, the maidservant returned quickly, holding a green jade slip in her hand.

She presented the jade slip with both hands and said respectfully, "Senior, this is the information you requested. Our shopkeeper specifically instructed that the contents of this report are still confidential, so we hope Senior will not spread it."

Ye Changge took the jade slip, nodded slightly without replying, and turned to sit in a chair in a corner of the shop.

He pressed the jade slip to his forehead and probed it with his Divine Sense.

In an instant, a vast amount of information flooded in like a tide—

The first piece of information made his brow furrow tightly.

---

The Jin Family of Jinxia Mountain

[The Jin Family of Jinxia Mountain, a False Core Family, has been protected by the Lingxiao Sect for generations. They govern five counties and twenty-one marketplaces around Jinxia Mountain. The number of Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the clan is consistently maintained at five or more. With their robust strength, they are known as the "Number One False Core Family" in the Lingxiao Sect's territory.]

[Upon investigation, the Jin Family is actually a mole placed in the Lingxiao Sect's territory by the Yin Corpse Sect—one of the three major demonic sects of the Yu Kingdom—and has been lurking for over sixty years.]

[After the revelation, the Lingxiao Sect was furious. They dispatched Core Formation True Person Meng Qingcheng to lead a team, summoning Cultivators from seven Foundation Establishment Families surrounding the Jin Family. A total of twenty-three Foundation Establishment Cultivators and hundreds of Qi Refinement Cultivators headed to Jinxia Mountain for the crusade.]

Seeing this, Ye Changge's heart tightened.

A Core Formation True Person leading a team, summoning Cultivators from subordinate families—

His Ye Family of Longmai Mountain was also a Foundation Establishment Family under the jurisdiction of the Lingxiao Sect!

He hurriedly looked further down, searching for the list of participating families.

A moment later, he slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

In the list of participants, there was no mention of Ye Fan, Lu Shiyin, or Ancestor Lu.

Ye Changge's heart settled slightly. He continued reading while quickly pondering in his mind.

As the suzerain sect, it was common for the Lingxiao Sect to summon Cultivators from its subordinate families whenever there was a war. Unless someone in the Family reached the Golden Core Stage and became a "Golden Core Family" in the true sense, only then would they have the right to decide for themselves whether to participate.

The Ye Family of Longmai Mountain had not been summoned, likely because the Lingxiao Sect considered that every spiritual land needed at least one Foundation Establishment Cultivator to guard it and prevent demonic Cultivators from taking advantage of the situation.

Only...

Ye Changge's eyes narrowed slightly.

Although not being summoned was a good thing, it also meant that in the eyes of the Lingxiao Sect, the Ye Family was still a marginal role that was dispensable.

If one day the Ye Family became an indispensable pillar of the Lingxiao Sect...

He shook his head, suppressed the thought for the time being, and continued reading the report.

---

The Battle of Jinxia Mountain

[At the beginning of the crusade, the morale of the Lingxiao Sect's side was high.]

[After all, the leader was Core Formation True Person Meng Qingcheng, while the opponent was merely a False Core Family. In the eyes of most people, this battle was practically a guaranteed victory; some even privately calculated how much loot they could seize from the Jin Family.]

[However, when the Lingxiao Sect's army bore down on Jinxia Mountain, a sudden change occurred.]

[Unbeknownst to anyone, the Jin Family had actually set up a Rank 3 protective Grand Array at their mountain gate! This array, though only a Rank 3 Low Grade, was definitely not something that Foundation Establishment Cultivators could shake.]

[Immortal Master Meng Qingcheng personally took action, striking the Grand Array with great magical power, yet even she was held back for seven full days.]