143: question

Ye Hao nodded slightly. "Naturally. Take back these spirit fate crystals."

Originally, Ye Hao had planned to wait until the Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony concluded before secretly searching for traces of the Ye Family. After all, the powers in the Central Region were complex, and rash inquiries could easily stir up trouble. However, running into an information broker like the "All-Knowing Rat" saved him a lot of trouble.

Li Hu's hand trembled slightly as he took back the spirit fate crystals, the clouds of suspicion in his heart growing even thicker.

He had seen many Cultivators from the Central Region; they were either arrogant, viewing local Cultivators as mere grass, or sinister and ruthless, ready to kill and rob at a moment's notice. Yet, this group of people actually returned the benefits so easily?

Or were they just pretending, waiting until they finished asking for information before making their move... He had to be on his guard!

Thoughts churned in his heart, but the fawning smile on Li Hu's face became even more diligent. "I admire your magnanimity, Fellow Daoist! I naturally trust you."

Changing the subject, his gaze timidly swept over Ye Hao's palm, and his voice dropped even lower.

"It's just... the aura in your palm, Fellow Daoist, is truly too intimidating. Looking at it makes me feel uneasy. If it's convenient, could you please temporarily withdraw your spiritual power?"

Hearing this, Ye Hao's eyes narrowed slightly.

With a gentle clench of his palm, the gray Chaos Qi swirling within instantly vanished like a candle flame swept by a gale, leaving not even a trace of spiritual power fluctuation.

Beside him, Xiao Lingxian's gaze remained fixed on Li Hu.

Xiao Lingxian sized up the thin, small man, her brow furrowed as she considered whether to ask about Sister Qiyue later.

She only knew that Sister Qiyue had previously come from the Profound Moon Holy Land in the Central Region.

Scenes of her past wandering life with Sister Qiyue flashed through her mind, and she couldn't help but clench her fists.

Sister Qiyue had never been willing to say who had harmed her, and it wasn't easy for Xiao Lingxian to ask. Since this person was very familiar with the affairs of the Central Region, perhaps he knew something.

"Can you speak now?" Ye Hao urged.

Seeing Ye Hao withdraw his spiritual power, Li Hu felt slightly more at ease and quickly took the initiative to speak. "Since you wish to inquire about the Ye Family, Fellow Daoist, although I am not the All-Knowing Rat, I do know a thing or two."

"That Ye Family is located by the 'Withered Bone Abyss,' three hundred miles south of the Netherworld Holy Land. Their clan grounds are built against the Black Stone Cliff by the abyss. From afar, one can see the words 'Ye Manor' carved into the cliff face; it's quite conspicuous."

"Withered Bone Abyss!" Ye Hao muttered the location to himself a few times.

"Thank you for the information. You may go."

Li Pingan also released his shoulder and stepped aside.

Li Hu felt somewhat surprised. He didn't turn around immediately but hesitated for a moment before asking in a low voice, "Is your inquiry about the Ye Family due to a grudge, Fellow Daoist?"

Ye Hao admitted frankly, "A death feud!"

"If you... if you want to cause trouble for the Ye Family, Fellow Daoist, there's actually no need to take action yourself."

Hearing this, Ye Hao raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why?"

"You may not know, Fellow Daoist, but the Saintess of the Netherworld Holy Land, Ye Jing, has already fallen within this Myriad Spirit Affinity Realm."

"How overbearing is the Netherworld Holy Land? With their Saintess dead, how could they let it go? Since the Ye Family is Saintess Ye Jing's Family, the Holy Land will surely hold them accountable. The Holy Land always acts based on interest and never makes a losing deal. Now that Saintess Ye Jing has lost her value, her Family will sooner or later be used as a scapegoat by the Holy Land or directly annexed. There's no need for you to do it yourself, Fellow Daoist."

Xie Xingchen added, "Indeed, the several great Holy Lands of the Central Region are all the same."

Ye Hao frowned slightly upon hearing this but said nothing.

Just as Li Hu was about to turn and stumble away, a cold female voice suddenly came from behind him.

"Wait, Fellow Daoist," Xiao Lingxian suddenly called out.

His body stiffened, and he slowly turned around, the fawning expression still on his face.

"Fellow Daoist, do you know anything about Fairy Qiyue? Who was it that killed her?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Mu Wanqing and the others all looked grave, their gazes fixed on the thin, small man.

Only Xie Xingchen stood there, somewhat bewildered.

Isn't Elder Qi Yue perfectly fine? When was she killed?

Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Li Hu's eyes, but it was quickly hidden.

He abruptly took two steps back, his hands waving frantically, his voice trembling. "Fellow Daoist! You can't just say things like that!"

He even looked left and right as if afraid someone might overhear, and whispered urgently, "Fairy Qiyue is a major figure of the Profound Moon Palace. She is currently in closed-door Cultivation within the palace. How could she possibly have been killed?"

"Although the Profound Moon Holy Land isn't as unreasonable as other Holy Lands, Fairy Qiyue has countless followers in the Central Region. If some people overhear this, you'll inevitably be taught a lesson."

Seeing him like this, Xiao Lingxian's eyes darkened slightly.

After some thought, she slowly raised her right hand, palm upward, and a small porcelain bottle appeared in her hand.

"I give this bottle of blood marrow pills to you, Fellow Daoist. You only need to tell me what you know."

Li Hu narrowed his eyes slightly. A fifth-grade elixir, the blood marrow pill, given so freely. These five people were indeed not simple; no wonder they were associated with that Mysterious Realm Emissary.

After a brief interaction, Li Hu had already figured out the identities of the five people before him.

He said with some difficulty, "Fellow Daoist, I truly do not know anything about Fairy Qiyue."

Xiao Lingxian made one final attempt. A palm-sized jade pendant carved with the character for 'Moon' slowly floated in the air.

"Fellow Daoist, this Qingling Pendant is an item of the Profound Moon Palace. You surely recognize it."

"As long as you truthfully tell me what you know about Fairy Qiyue, this pendant will be yours. In the future, if you encounter anyone from the Profound Moon Palace, this pendant can save your life."

Li Hu stared at the "Qingling Pendant," his eyes instantly lighting up. He rubbed his hands together, quickly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

"Alright then, let's talk as we walk. This soul-confusing miasma will shrink again in fifteen minutes."

Mu Wanqing nodded and gave an "Mhm"... On the high platform!

Qi Yue narrowed her eyes, gazing at the images within the blue smoke.

She was curious about what Mu Wanqing and the others were discussing with this person, why they had those expressions, and why they were traveling with him.

From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the Sect Master.

He still had that ethereal, transcendent appearance of a Banished Immortal, making it impossible not to look at him.

While watching the competition, Chen Xuan felt a bit curious.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, I just thought of a few more questions I'd like to ask you."

Qin Tianxing maintained his smile. "Brother Chen, you're being too polite. You can say whatever's on your mind."

"Then I shall speak plainly."

Chen Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the Cultivators participating in the ceremony below.

"I am truly curious, why is the number of spots for the Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony specifically fixed at sixteen? Since the Sect has that Slave Seal to restrain Cultivators and make them obedient, why not take all the potential Cultivators to the Profound Realm to be carefully nurtured? Why set up layers of trials here and only select these mere sixteen people?"