Chapter 85 Inquiry

Chu Prefecture, deep within the State Religion headquarters.

In a secret chamber constructed of special stone and inscribed with complex sound-dampening and protective runes, the light was dim. The air was filled with a faint scent of sandalwood and a trace of Medicinal Pill essence.

Yun Bai sat cross-legged on a cushion, his Qi having stabilized significantly.

The Medicinal Pill for healing that Supervisor Zhou Shengtai had given him was remarkably effective. It not only stabilized the weakness caused by his overexerted Divine Sense but also healed most of the wounds on his shoulder, leaving only a slight, lingering pain.

He had changed into a clean uniform, but a trace of fatigue still lingered between his brows.

In the center of the secret chamber sat a primitive stone table. Three people sat behind the table, an invisible pressure filling the small space.

In the main seat was Great Elder Xu Antong, with white hair and beard, a gaunt face, and eyes like torches. To his left was Enforcement Elder Yin Xin, with a stern, rigid expression and eyes as sharp as knives, seemingly able to pierce through a person's heart. To his right was Supervisor Zhou Shengtai, the Elder who had just brought Yun Bai in; he looked solemn, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Yun Bai," Great Elder Xu Antong began, "The matter of Niwa Village is of great importance. Tell us in detail everything you experienced, especially the beginning and end of the ambush by the Demon Race. Do not omit anything, and do not speak falsely."

He looked directly at Yun Bai, his gaze carrying scrutiny and a hint of imperceptible probing.

Yun Bai steadied his mind. He recounted everything, starting from receiving the emergency assembly order, to the team's encounter with the Gray Monkey at the outskirts of Niwa Village, then the terrifying Demon-corrupted mosquito swarm in the bamboo forest, the frantic siege by the Shadow Demon at the village center, and finally, the meticulously laid ambush by the Demon Race elite hunting squad and the trapping formation "Quicksand Trap"...

He narrated the entire process clearly and calmly. When he mentioned his Divine Sense Breakthrough in the face of despair and his use of Telekinesis to turn the tide, his tone was flat, as if he were speaking of something unrelated to himself, but the eyes of the three Elders in the secret chamber changed subtly.

Enforcement Elder Yin Xin tapped his fingers unconsciously on the stone table, his sharp gaze seemingly trying to dissect Yun Bai. Elder Yin Xin had witnessed the entire duel between Yun Bai and Wang Er in the State Religion last time. He quickly recalled the blade that Wang Er had deflected that day.

"So that is how it is." Elder Yin Xin nodded.

A flash of brilliance appeared in Supervisor Zhou Shengtai's eyes, filled with obvious surprise and contemplation.

Great Elder Xu Antong's expression remained unchanged, but the fingers resting on his knees twitched slightly.

"Divine Sense projection, Telekinesis..." Great Elder Xu Antong repeated these words slowly, his gaze falling on Yun Bai. "Yun Bai, do you know what this means? You haven't even stepped into the Late Stage of the First Realm, so how could you achieve such a feat? Is there some hidden secret here?"

Great Elder Xu Antong's question was very direct.

Yun Bai had long anticipated this question. He met Great Elder Xu Antong's gaze calmly: "Replying to the Grand Elder, this Disciple dares not conceal anything. This Disciple's Divine Sense is naturally stronger and more resilient than others, and my perception is sharp; my learning and memory benefit from this. After entering Xinyue Hall, my speed in reviewing files and classics has far exceeded my peers; Brother Du San and Captain Zeng Fu can both testify to this."

"In this desperate situation at Niwa Village, with life and death hanging by a thread, this Disciple had only one thought: 'break the situation and survive.' My spirit was highly concentrated, and it felt as if I touched some barrier; with a flash of inspiration, I broke through that threshold, allowing my Divine Sense to be projected for Telekinesis. As for the specific reason, this Disciple finds it difficult to fully explain, only feeling... it was a natural progression." His tone was sincere, using his "naturally strong Divine Sense" and "Breakthrough in the heat of battle" as the primary explanation.

Great Elder Xu Antong looked at Yun Bai deeply, his gaze seemingly able to penetrate the skin and look directly at his Soul's Origin.

After a moment of silence, he nodded slightly: "Having a natural gift and achieving a Breakthrough in a crisis is not entirely impossible. There are precedents in the records of the State Religion."

Great Elder Xu Antong did not pursue the matter further.

"Regarding the other teams," Great Elder Xu Antong changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of heaviness, "Except for your entire Squad Yi-34 surviving, Team Yi-226, Team Yi-78... all were wiped out, with no remains found. As for the Huben Army Team A, only Captain Chen Yuan and his deputy Yang Mo... luckily survived."

"Luckily survived?" Yun Bai's brows knitted together instantly, his voice carrying a hint of coldness.

"According to feedback from the military," it was Enforcement Elder Yin Xin who replied, his voice like clashing metal, devoid of any emotion, "When Chen Yuan and Yang Mo were besieged by the main force of the Demon Race, they relied on powerful protective Talismans and life-saving trump cards bestowed by their Family. They paid the price of their Storage Pouches being destroyed and all means of communication being lost, allowing them to break out while heavily injured. Their encounter was similar to your team's, only... their luck was slightly better, as they did not fall into the core of the final trapping formation."

"Storage Pouches destroyed? Communication means lost? Luck slightly better?" Yun Bai repeated these words, the corners of his mouth curling into a smile devoid of warmth.

He raised his head, his gaze shooting toward the three Elders like cold electricity, especially at Great Elder Xu Antong in the main seat.

"Grand Elder, Elder Yin, Elder Zhou." Yun Bai's tone was exceptionally calm, every word clear. "The moment this Disciple broke out of the purple haze of Niwa Village and my Divine Sense was liberated, the first thing I did was scan the surrounding environment. This Disciple clearly 'saw' that Chen Yuan and Yang Mo were right behind a hill eighty zhang away from the village entrance!"

"They were unscathed, their robes were tidy, and they hadn't even fully activated their protective spiritual light to resist the rain! They stood side by side, their posture calm, and their eyes were cast in the direction we broke out from! May I ask the two Elders, does this... look like the appearance of someone who has just escaped death, had their Storage Pouch destroyed, and was heavily injured and dying?"

There was silence in the secret chamber.

Enforcement Elder Yin Xin's fingers, which were tapping the table, suddenly stopped, his eyes becoming incomparably sharp.

Supervisor Zhou Shengtai's expression changed slightly as he looked at Great Elder Xu Antong.

Great Elder Xu Antong's expressionless face finally showed deeply furrowed brows, and a brilliant light burst forth from his murky eyes, an invisible pressure spreading out.

Yun Bai continued, his voice growing colder: "This Disciple would like to ask, if they were truly as the military claimed, having already broken out, why didn't they send a distress signal immediately? Why didn't they try to support possible survivors on the periphery? Were their communication means truly all 'lost or destroyed'? Or is it... they were simply watching coldly, waiting for us... or rather, waiting for me, Yun Bai, to be buried in the mouths of the Demon Race?!"

The last question was like a cold dagger, piercing the core of the issue.

Great Elder Xu Antong was silent for a long time; the air in the secret chamber seemed to solidify.

The scent of sandalwood also became stagnant.

Finally, he spoke slowly: "Yun Bai, your suspicions... the State Religion is not unaware. The explanation given by the military regarding the survival of Chen Yuan and Yang Mo is indeed difficult to convince."

He paused, seemingly weighing his words: "However, the Chen Family has a deep Foundation in Chu Prefecture. Chen Kuang rendered distinguished service in battle years ago, and his son, Patriarch Chen Sheng, did indeed lead the remnants of the Chen Family and the garrison to resist desperately during the crisis when Chu Prefecture city was broken, ensuring the city did not fall, and thus has the merit of preserving Chu Prefecture. The Huben Army is directly under the military system and is not something our State Religion can directly manage. One move affects the whole situation..."

He looked at the unconcealed disappointment in Yun Bai's eyes and sighed softly: "Without irrefutable evidence, relying solely on what you saw with your Divine Sense, it is difficult to shake the Chen Family's Foundation in the military, let alone convict them of the monstrous crime of 'colluding with the Demon Race'."

"Acting rashly will only alert the enemy and may even trigger turmoil within Chu Prefecture, giving the Demon Race an opportunity. This matter... the State Religion needs to deliberate carefully and investigate secretly. Your discovery is very important, and we will make a note of it."

These words were spoken earnestly, filled with political helplessness and realistic constraints.

Yun Bai listened.

The State Religion... also had its own difficulties. The great tree that is the Chen Family had deep roots and was not easily toppled.

He lowered his eyelids, hiding the murderous intent and cold mockery in his eyes.

As expected, it was just as he had anticipated. Expecting the State Religion to strike with thunderous force immediately was unrealistic.

"This Disciple... understands."

Yun Bai's voice returned to calm, with no joy or anger detectable. Only his hand resting on his knee quietly clenched.