115: Chapter 115 The Seed of Doubt

"Elder Li Tai is right."

"The main force of the Yao Race is over at Taiyue Mountain near the Mass Grave. The Xuanyi Sect is camped at the very front line; their casualties will only be greater than ours. Perhaps that old geezer Inner Sect Elder Han Song is fretting over corpses right now."

Granny Bixia stopped her hand, which was twisting her prayer beads. A hint of joy flashed in her cloudy, aged eyes, and her voice was indifferent.

"The Xuanyi Sect has lost men, and their strength is damaged. Our opportunity has arrived."

"Indeed. Now that the Yao Race has helped us weaken their strength, once we reach the Secret Realm, who devours whom is not yet certain."

"Let's go! Increase speed. We must reach the Mass Grave before dawn."

"I really want to see what kind of expression that old geezer Inner Sect Elder Han Song has now."

After saying this, the three of them led their remaining Disciples and increased their speed, rushing toward the Mass Grave.

In the night wind, the scent of blood gradually dissipated, but the bloodstains on the ground remained. Under the moonlight, the dark red pools of blood shimmered with an eerie light.

The three parties quickened their pace, traveling through the night. The Disciples behind them followed closely. Soon, as the horizon began to turn pale, the outline of the Mass Grave was revealed.

"Hm?" After Ding Yuan, Li Tai, and Granny Bixia arrived, their expressions changed instantly.

In the clearing at the center of the Mass Grave, the Xuanyi Sect's encampment was neatly arranged, and their black banners fluttered in the morning breeze.

Around the encampment, the patrolling Disciples were full of energy, and there were no wounded. There were no signs of a fight.

The people of the Xuanyi Sect had even begun using a Formation to scout for the location of the Secret Realm, preparing to break it open.

Li Tai widened his eyes, his voice changing pitch: "They... don't seem to have fought the Yao Race at all!"

Ding Yuan's expression turned slightly cold. His gaze was fixed intently on the pristine encampment of the Xuanyi Sect, and his voice was very low: "The Mass Grave is right at the foot of Taiyue Mountain. There is no reason for those Yao Race to bypass them and come straight for us. What do you think..."

He stopped halfway through his sentence, but that unspoken suspicion had already taken root in the hearts of the three.

Granny Bixia stopped her hand, which was twisting her prayer beads. Her cloudy, aged eyes narrowed into slits. She looked at the Xuanyi Sect, then at the wounded Disciples behind her, but said nothing.

Over there, the people of the Xuanyi Sect had also discovered them.

A middle-aged man wearing grey dharma robes walked out of the encampment. He had a square face, thick eyebrows, and large eyes, and his aura was steadily at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage.

He was followed by two Qi Refining Disciples, walking at a leisurely pace. This man's surname was Sun, and his given name was "Mao." He was an Elder Deacon under Inner Sect Elder Han Song. He was a slick person, and his tongue was sharper than his hands.

Sun Mao walked up to them, his gaze sweeping over the bloodstains and wounds on the Disciples of the three sects, and his eyebrows raised slightly.

He cupped his hands in greeting, a smile piling up on his face. His voice was neither high nor low, carrying a hint of concern: "The three of you... encountered an attack?"

Ding Yuan's face was livid, and his voice was as cold as wind scraping out of an ice cellar: "Isn't it obvious? When we were on our way here, we were attacked by the Yao Race in the mountains!"

Sun Mao's eyes rolled, and the corners of his mouth just began to curl up, wanting to say a few lukewarm, cutting remarks. However, before he could open his mouth, he caught the strange look in the eyes of the three. Soon, Sun Mao's smile froze on his face. His mind spun rapidly, and he realized something was wrong.

Sun Mao's smile only froze for a moment before it piled up again, even more warmly than before. He sighed and patted Ding Yuan's arm, his tone carrying just the right amount of indignation.

"Oh my, these beasts in the mountains are truly courting death!"

"I see that the three of you have had a hard journey. I will go report this to Elder Han Song immediately and arrange a place for you so we can discuss the matters regarding the Secret Realm together."

After finishing, Sun Mao didn't wait for the three to respond. He stepped aside and gestured with his hand, inviting them in.

Ding Yuan's expression was ugly. He looked at Sun Mao, swallowed the words that came to his lips. All three of them knew clearly in their hearts that saying anything right now was useless. Without evidence, just relying on suspicion, could they really tear off the mask and face each other down?

Ding Yuan waved his hand, said nothing, and led the people of the Heavenly Sword Sect into the encampment. Li Tai and Granny Bixia exchanged a glance, then each signaled for their own Disciples to follow.

Inside the encampment, people had already come out to greet them, leading the people of the three sects to settle down in a clearing. Some were setting up tents, some were starting fires, some were distributing medicine. The wounded Disciples were lying or sitting, and it was a scene of busy activity.

Ding Yuan stood in front of his own tent, looking at the orderly Formation on the Xuanyi Sect's side, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.

After Sun Mao finished arranging for the people of the three sects, he turned and walked quickly through the tents, heading straight for the commander's tent where Inner Sect Elder Han Song was located.

He lifted the curtain and walked in. Inner Sect Elder Han Song was sitting behind a table, holding a teacup, his hawk-like eyes half-open and half-closed.

Sun Mao leaned forward, lowered his voice, and recounted what he had just seen and heard in detail.

"Elder Han Song, Ding Yuan's group has suffered significant casualties; it can be seen at a glance. And..." Sun Mao paused. "The look in their eyes when they look at us is wrong. That kind of look is not because they are heartbroken over how many of their own have died, but because they are suspicious of us."

Inner Sect Elder Han Song's hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and he narrowed his eyes. He didn't speak, and Sun Mao dared not stop, continuing: "We've been guarding the foot of the mountain without closing our eyes all night, and we haven't even seen a single hair of a Yao. They, on the other hand, traveled from afar only to be blocked and attacked by the Yao Race halfway here. This is clearly not right."

"Elder Han Song, if those three families are also suspecting something, then we should..."

Inner Sect Elder Han Song put down the teacup, his fingers tapping lightly on the table. After a long while, Inner Sect Elder Han Song finally spoke: "What are they suspecting? Suspecting that we are colluding with the Yao Race?"

Sun Mao lowered his head, not daring to answer. Inner Sect Elder Han Song sneered, his fingers stopping. He picked up the teacup, took a sip, and spoke as if to himself, yet also as if speaking to Sun Mao: "Colluding? Is it worth it for us to collude with those beasts?"

"They just had bad luck being targeted by the Yao Race; who can they blame? Everything remains as usual. This Secret Realm belongs to my Xuanyi Sect. If they dare not to follow the rules, then we will just tear off the mask directly!"

Sun Mao opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but Inner Sect Elder Han Song raised a hand, blocking the words. "You may go down. Keep an eye on them."

Sun Mao acknowledged the order and retreated. Inner Sect Elder Han Song leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes as he stared at the top of the tent, his fingers tapping on the table unconsciously again. 'What are these Yao Race up to...'

Over the next two days, the people from the City Lord's Mansion and the people from the Xiao Family also arrived, and the camp was calm and peaceful.

The people of the Xuanyi Sect were busy, and the people of the three sects were recovering from their injuries. Each went about their own business; no one paid any attention to anyone else, and no one caused trouble for anyone else.

But that indescribable, murky atmosphere kept hovering over the camp, like the Death Qi of the Mass Grave, unable to dissipate.

Early on the third day, Inner Sect Elder Han Song gathered everyone for a meeting. In the large tent, both sides of the long table were filled with people.

Inner Sect Elder Han Song sat in the main seat, Ding Yuan sat on the left, Li Tai sat on the right, Granny Bixia sat below Ding Yuan, City Lord Zhao Kai sat below Li Tai, and Xiao Yi, along with those four young men and women, sat at the very end.