Chapter 131: The Results of the Probe

Liu Junhuai continued, "The leads I have obtained are closely related to a secret technique I cultivate. My divine sense allows me to mask my aura entirely, which is how I was able to stealthily infiltrate the Blood-Slaying Alliance’s meetings several times and eavesdrop on many of their secrets. However, I must ask you both to keep this minor skill of mine a secret. Once this is discovered by the enemy, I will never again be able to infiltrate their ranks."

Guan Chaoyong said solemnly, "Rest assured, Sect Master Liu! Only the three of us know of this. You have placed such trust in us; if news were to leak because of us, our own consciences would never be at ease."

Fang Yexu also looked grave. "We know what kind of person you are, Junhuai, though you don’t yet fully know us. Let me put it this way: in the Western Domain Government, we are known for being impartial and unyielding, indifferent even to our own kin. But there is a prerequisite—once we consider someone fully trustworthy, they become one of our own, and we can speak freely. It is a necessity; the relationships within the Domain Government are so intricate that one wrong word can offend many. We chose to play the role of the 'black-faced enforcer' simply to survive there longer."

Liu Junhuai nodded and produced four jars of Sanggan Fruit Wine. After giving two to each of them, he said, "Through these few operations against the Blood-Slaying Alliance, I have deeply realized the importance of security. Often, the leakage of a single piece of information leads to the total annihilation of the participating cultivators, and all the efforts made by countless people beforehand go to waste. Even worse than failure is the fact that all the members of the participating sects become targets for the Alliance’s retaliation. That would be a burden too great for us to bear."

Hearing this confession, both Guan Chaoyong and Fang Yexu were visibly moved. Indeed, walking under the eyes of the enemy, a momentary lapse could mean death, especially when the enemy is so deeply hidden.

Fang Yexu turned to Guan Chaoyong and said, "Brother Guan, from now on, don’t call him 'Sect Master Liu.' He is one of us, a person worth befriending. Even Domain Lord Mu no longer addresses him that way!"

Guan Chaoyong patted Liu Junhuai firmly on the shoulder and sighed deeply. "Junhuai, our mission is somewhat similar to what your Sect Alliance is doing now, so I understand your words deeply. To be honest, shortly after the two tragedies in the Fengling Kingdom, I received information and found some leads. When we reported them to the Domain Government, everyone expressed outrage and swore to bring the perpetrators to justice. But once we deployed our men, there was no further word from the government. Every time we pressed them, they claimed the matter was of great importance and required further deliberation. That 'deliberation' lasted an entire year!"

"Later, Domain Lord Mu revealed to me privately that someone in the government was vehemently opposing these 'groundless' pursuits, and the leads we had obtained earlier had long since vanished. Only then did I realize that the Western Domain Government itself has ties to these people. If they truly believed it was groundless, why not state it clearly? Why give no clear instructions when our Intelligence Hall and Penal Hall mobilized so many? There is a major problem here."

Fang Yexu’s emotions also stirred. "Brother Guan speaks the truth. I have advised him several times not to show his inner feelings—not because I distrust you, Junhuai, but because we must learn from Domain Lord Mu. Have you ever seen him as impulsive as Brother Guan? He is always calm and detached, appearing as if nothing concerns him. But do you know? It was his reasoned arguments that convinced the government to agree to our visit to the Wanyuan Sect!"

"He appears incredibly slick on the surface, but deep down, he hates evil with a passion. He once told me that this is a way of surviving. If you cannot even ensure your own survival, how can you talk about punishing evil? That would be foolish! Killing in silence does not necessarily damage one's reputation, yet it can strike terror into the enemy. Brother Guan, you must listen to me this time—stay composed! Do not be as rash as you were in the past."

Watching the two men, whose emotions were clearly fluctuating, Liu Junhuai could use his celestial sense to probe their inner helplessness. It seemed they were indeed trustworthy. However, he did not rush to reveal anything, keeping his celestial sense focused on their emotional shifts.

Guan Chaoyong had gradually calmed down, though the sense of helplessness in his words grew stronger. "The series of strikes you and the Sect Alliance have carried out have thoroughly shaken the foundation of the Blood-Slaying Alliance in the Western Domain. However, if you think you have eliminated their core strength, you are sorely mistaken."

"The Blood-Slaying Alliance is incredibly powerful. It is extremely easy for them to gather a new batch of men to enter the Western Domain, and with financial incentives, many more sect disciples will quickly join their ranks. Only by finding those hidden deepest within the Western Domain can we deliver a fatal blow to their organization."

"Although you have struck many, the highest-ranking members caught so far are only Taishu Yong and Zisang Yanqi. Their six elders, two of whom have not yet been exposed, plus that mysterious female leader—at least half of the Alliance’s power in the Western Domain remains hidden. They have been alerted now, and the rest will hide even deeper."

Liu Junhuai listened patiently until Guan finished, staring straight into his eyes without speaking. Beside him, the exceptionally sharp Fang Yexu also remained silent, observing them both. Guan Chaoyong began to feel restless under Liu’s intense gaze, and a flicker of anger stirred in his heart. Being stared at blankly like this by another man was, after all, extremely rude.

Seeing that Guan Chaoyong’s explosive temper was about to flare, Fang Yexu quickly pulled on him and said to Liu Junhuai, "Junhuai, I know you still have some distrust toward us. I don't know what to say to win your approval, but since we both aim to eradicate the Blood-Slaying Alliance, Brother Guan and I can swear an oath to the heavens. That should suffice, right?"

Only then did Liu Junhuai stand up and bow deeply to them. "Please forgive my probing, seniors! This matter is of such gravity that if I were to reveal it, the entire Western Domain would fall into panic. I had to be this cautious."

Fang Yexu and Guan Chaoyong’s expressions changed drastically. In an instant, they realized something, and both were shocked to the core.

Liu Junhuai continued, "There is no need for you to swear an oath to the heavens; I believe you are both trustworthy. I must seek the consent of my sect before disclosing the specific details, but I can reveal a little information now: aside from that female leader, we have locked onto suspects for the remaining deputy leaders and elders. Furthermore, we have discovered a suspect with an even higher status than the female leader herself!"

Fang Yexu and his companion were immediately struck with horror. Even though they had been mentally prepared, Liu’s words stunned them. It wasn't just the news itself that shocked them, but the realization that Liu Junhuai and his Sect Alliance possessed such formidable investigative capabilities. They had spent decades specializing in intelligence and reconnaissance, backed by the powerful Western Domain Government, yet they had discovered nothing. The strength of Liu and his alliance was truly terrifying.

Liu Junhuai added, "I know it is disrespectful to ask, but I must: Do you believe Domain Lord Mu is trustworthy? The stakes are so high that we must guard against even the slightest uncertainty."

Guan Chaoyong immediately collected himself and said, "We have only known each other for a few hours; your suspicion is completely valid—it is the first rule we must follow. Let us do this: I don't know how else to earn the trust of you and the Sect Alliance, but before you reveal those secrets, the three of us must swear an oath to the heavens. It is necessary for the sake of dismantling the Blood-Slaying Alliance."

Liu Junhuai lowered his head in thought for a moment before saying, "To be fair, everyone present must take the oath. From then on, we will face the trials together."

Fang Yexu beamed. "That is for the best. It doesn't matter for us, but for Domain Lord Mu, whose identity is unique—while he is one of us, his subordinates might feel uneasy. This way, it honors the senior and puts our minds at ease."

Guan Chaoyong chuckled, poured himself some wine, and gulped it down. He suddenly froze with a dazed expression. Liu Junhuai and Fang Yexu burst into laughter, having anticipated this reaction.

Pointing at the jar, Guan stammered, "T-this is the real Immortal Wine, isn't it? Was the Sanggan Fruit Wine in the main hall watered down? Junhuai, you cunning merchant!"

"Hahaha!" The two laughed even harder. Liu Junhuai found Guan Chaoyong quite endearing. After the laughter subsided, Liu produced several cups, and the three toasted to their alliance.

Shortly after, Liu Junhuai said, "Do not let the government subordinates know. The smaller the circle, the safer it is. After tonight's banquet, you two must slip away from your attendants. I am certain that among them are people sent by the suspects; you will know who they are tonight. Tomorrow, Domain Lord Mu should proceed with the original plan to return to the government, while you two remain here."

Fang Yexu nodded. "I think we should return to the banquet hall. Being away too long will attract attention."

The three tidied up and returned to the feast. Dozens of tables were in full swing. Although some had initially heeded Mu Fanghe’s warning, as the alcohol took hold, the warnings became mere formalities, and everyone began to drink freely. Since they now knew the wine served was diluted, Mu Fanghe simply joined in the heavy drinking—after all, even the diluted Sanggan Fruit Wine was a top-tier treasure in the world of cultivation.