75: tidy

She said nothing, and after checking everything once, she took out a jade bottle and poured out a few drops of milky-white liquid, dripping them onto the roots of several stalks of ice thread grass.

“This is diluted ‘Cold Jade Marrow’ to help them resist the slight solar baleful energy that might pierce through the clouds at noon. You can leave after guarding this place until the end of the Shen hour.”

Li Yun instructed, her tone not particularly warm, but not harsh either.

“Disciple understands,” Pillar replied, bowing his head.

Li Yun stopped looking at him and turned to leave. After walking a few steps, she stopped again and asked as if casually:

“While you've been here, have you sensed anything unusual? For instance... extreme cold, or perhaps hearing some strange sounds?”

Pillar's heart stirred, and he showed a fitting expression of confusion and a hint of fear. “Replying to Senior Sister, it has always been very cold here.

Strange sounds... I don't think so. It's just that the wind is a bit loud, sometimes sounding... like someone is crying.”

He spoke vaguely, which was exactly the normal feeling of an ordinary person in such a gloomy and cold place.

Li Yun glanced at him and saw no flaws. Assuming this handyman was just timid, she muttered, “Probably just the wind,” and left directly.

Pillar maintained his bowing posture until the sound of footsteps faded away.

He slowly straightened up, his eyes calmly sweeping across the deep surface of the cold pond, then looking in the direction Li Yun had left.

“Extreme cold? Strange sounds?” He silently noted this detail.

This Senior Sister Li seemed to be paying attention to things in the cold pond other than the ice thread grass. Was it a Sect mission, or personal curiosity?

He didn't dwell on it, simply compressing this detail along with everything he observed today into the information symbols he was about to transmit.

The setting sun slanted westward as the Shen hour ended. Pillar packed his things and, just as he had come, silently left the cold pond.

About fifteen minutes after he left, deep within the cold pond, behind a giant snow-covered rock near the Forbidden Ground, the air distorted slightly.

A pale white phantom, almost blending into the snow, quietly emerged. It cast a 'glance' in the direction Pillar had left, then slowly sank into the shadow of the rock and vanished... Deep within the “Nest”.

On the crystal light screen in front of Lin Mo, the information flow refreshed steadily. [Three] had already decoded, organized, and linked the symbols transmitted back by Pillar ([157]) today with information from other channels.

“Young Master, [157] reports that Xuan Yun Sect Outer Sect Disciple Li Yun specifically asked about anomalies at the cold pond today.

Combined with three days ago, when another infiltrated Disciple [162] (cleaning in the Scripture Pavilion) overheard two deacons on duty chatting.

They mentioned that the activity frequency of ‘Ice Puppets’ on the outskirts of the back mountain Forbidden Ground seems unusual recently, but it hasn't attracted much attention.

It is speculated that the cold pond may be near the edge of the Forbidden Ground, and there is some kind of movement related to the cold and Ice Puppets.

It has already caught the attention of some low-level Disciples, but the upper levels of the Sect have not yet officially intervened in the investigation.”

Lin Mo nodded slightly.

Ice Puppets? Were they naturally formed cold-baleful spirits, or derivatives related to Seals and demonic taint?

“Mark this intelligence and observe it alongside the information on the weak points of the Far North Ice Abyss tides.”

He instructed, “Order [157] to maintain the status quo and keep a moderate watch on the cold pond and Li Yun, but he must never actively probe the Forbidden Ground or the source of the anomalies.”

“Yes.”

“What about the status of the other hidden agents?”

“In the Divine Weapon Pavilion, [163] has been transferred to the ore primary screening workshop because of his decent eye for identifying ores, and has begun to come into contact with low-level Artifact Refining Materials.

In Wonderful Sound Valley, [171], relying on a solid Foundation in plants and herbs, was chosen by a Senior Sister who enjoys Alchemy to assist in processing medicinal Materials.

The rest of the hidden agents have basically adapted to their environments and have begun to access basic information and resource flow paths at their respective levels,” [Four] reported.

“Regarding the imperial court, the effects of the first stage are beginning to show.”

[Three] took over the conversation, “Evidence of communication between the Third Prince's remnants and the grasslands has already caused the factions of two other princes to attack each other. Three censors from the Censorate have submitted successive memorials for impeachment this week.

Within the Heavenly Supervision Department, there is a disagreement over whether to investigate deeply and which department should lead the investigation. The court's attention has been somewhat dispersed.

The news that ‘there is a treasure in the Buried Dragon Ancient Marsh’ in the southwest has spread. According to reports, three Loose Cultivator teams and a small Family exploration team have already headed there to investigate.”

Everything was slowly fermenting according to plan.

Lin Mo looked at his own data on the light screen.

【Total Death Warriors】: 346/350

【Core Cultivation Group】: 102 people (Highest cultivation: Qi Refining Level 5)

【Self-Cultivation Assessment】: Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, stable

The daily attribute stacking and Cultivation Feedback, combined with his own never-slackening hard work, made his Foundation as solid as the roots of an old tree, becoming more and more grounded.

The refinement of the demon suppressing sword had also deepened by another layer. Although it was still in a damaged state, it could already trigger a stronger starlight sealing power.

He faintly felt that he was not far from the barrier of the Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

His gaze couldn't help but turn again to the three eye-catching coordinates on the light screen: Endless Sea Eye, Far North Ice Abyss, and Buried Dragon Ancient Marsh.

“Does the Boundary Breaking Group have any new discoveries from the remote monitoring of the ‘Ice Abyss’ and ‘Ancient Marsh’?” he asked.

“In the direction of the Ice Abyss, energy readings are stable but extremely cold, with sparse life reactions.

In the direction of the Ancient Marsh, energy readings are obscure and chaotic. Recently, several brief, high-intensity life energy bursts were detected, suspected to be the activity of powerful Yao Beasts or unknown existences, but it cannot be confirmed in depth.”

[Four] pulled up the data chart, “In the direction of the Sea Eye... the spatial disturbance values have had three small but detectable peaks in the past seven days, which do not match the regular fluctuation patterns. The cause is being analyzed.”

The Sea Eye has anomalies again? Lin Mo frowned slightly.

Was it a sign of the approaching tidal cycle? Or... was something else trying to squeeze in from there?

“Increase the monitoring density in the direction of the Sea Eye.

At the same time, notify [Two] to have him select the most elite team, carrying the latest models of concealment and protection Formation Plates, and head to a safe distance on the outskirts of the ‘Buried Dragon Ancient Marsh’ to establish a temporary observation point.

The goal is not to enter, but to record the characteristics of all those entering and leaving, as well as the patterns of energy bursts inside the Ancient Marsh.

I want to know exactly what is active there, and what the fate of those Cultivators attracted by the ‘exotic treasure’ news will be.”

Lin Mo made a slightly bold decision, but one based on controllable risk.

Observation from the outskirts, without entering dangerous areas, using resurrectable Death Warriors to obtain first-hand information.

“Yes. The team will be assembled and depart within three days,” [Two]'s voice came through the network.

After handling these matters, Lin Mo sat quietly for a moment, sinking his mind into the System interface.

He had not yet used today's “Targeted Summon.” After a moment's thought, he chose the “Research” bias.

【Targeted Summon activated... Determining... Determination successful!】

【Obtained Death Warrior: [180]】

【Innate Skills: [Basic Ancient Script Identification], [Basic Logical Deduction]】

Ancient script identification? Lin Mo's heart stirred.

Just right. Whether it was the runes on the dark gold foil or the ancient information that might be obtained from various ruins, specialists in this area were needed.

“[Four], assign [180] to the ‘Boundary Breaking’ research group to assist in ancient rune cracking and information correlation analysis.”

“Understood.”

Having done all this, Lin Mo slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air. His forces were steadily expanding, the chess pieces had been placed on the board, and waves were gradually rising on all sides.

He was like a patient fisherman, casting an ever-larger net amidst the increasingly turbulent undercurrents.

There were already fish and shrimp in the net, but what he was waiting for was that big fish—one sufficient to let him ride the wind and waves, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the world beyond the net.

And he knew that as the “tide” approached, that big fish... would arrive sooner or later.