The moment the Sect Master's figure faded away, Xie Zhaolin immediately sent an urgent message to Mo Yan through their contract.
No matter what, this act had to continue.
Since the Sect Master had chosen to believe her excuse, she had to make the story look even more convincing. Surely, by now he'd already exchanged signals with Elder Chou.
After a long, dragging hour, Mo Yan finally returned. His expression was heavy as he stepped inside and spoke in a low voice. "Master, your foresight was flawless. The Sect Master really was watching me and Elder Chou in secret."
He paused, a trace of relief slipping into his tone. "Fortunately, you warned me ahead of time. Elder Chou seemed prepared as well. The moment I arrived, she came right up, acting overly intimate…"
His voice grew awkward. "She even… grabbed my arm, and deliberately made some suggestive moves. If you hadn't reminded me, I'd probably have sent her flying on the spot."
Although demon cultivators weren't shy about matters of intimacy, Mo Yan's identity was too sensitive. Besides, he'd never shown interest in performing any taboo hobbies in front of others.
Elder Chou's sudden closeness had completely thrown him off guard.
Xie Zhaolin gave a small nod. "What did Elder Chou want from you today?"
Mo Yan's expression twisted, clearly still unsettled. "She came because of the investigation I ran on her. But her attitude… was strange."
He hesitated, as if searching for the right words. "She said if I wanted to know her, I should ask her directly, instead of sneaking around behind her back."
As he recalled what came next, he shivered involuntarily. "Then she… she leaned close and whispered in my ear…"
He coughed lightly, uncomfortable. "She told me her name's just a single character, 'Chou'. She even said it really suits her."
Xie Zhaolin's eyes narrowed slightly. "What else did she say?"
Mo Yan's tone grew hesitant. "She also said… if I was truly interested in her, I should get to know her more deeply…"
At that, Xie Zhaolin's gaze turned subtle. She completely understood the meaning behind Elder Chou's words. That wasn't just acting—it carried a real undertone. Her eyes lingered on Mo Yan, sharp and thoughtful. Even if part of this was a performance, Elder Chou's words weren't something anyone could throw out casually.
Mo Yan felt her stare pressing on him, and he instinctively stepped back half a pace, feeling utterly awkward.
"Master…" his voice was tinged with embarrassment, "I only followed the plan…"
Her lips curved into a faintly teasing smile. "I know."
Seeing him look even more uncomfortable, she let him go and sank back into thought. Her mind drifted again to the Sect Master's strange attitude—why had he believed her excuse so easily? Combined with Elder Chou's unusual reaction, a suspicion slowly began to form in her heart. But the evidence was lacking, and she couldn't yet be sure.
She suddenly raised her head. "When Elder Chou first met us… did she actually notice you?"
Mo Yan shook his head firmly. "Absolutely not. With my cultivation, plus the concealment artifact the Demon Sovereign gave me, a mere early Nascent Soul cultivator like her couldn't possibly sense me."
His tone grew even more certain. "I can guarantee she didn't know I was there. If she suspected it, it must've been because you triggered the slave contract."
Xie Zhaolin suddenly chuckled softly. "Interesting. This is getting more and more interesting."
She lifted a teacup and sipped slowly. "A Nascent Soul elder of Formation Peak can't sense you, yet she can detect the Sect Master spying on her, and even prepare for it in advance…"
Mo Yan stiffened, clearly realizing the same point.
"And more curious still, the Sect Master chose this exact time—right when you were called away—to visit me. And Elder Chou had that disciple from the Sect Master's Peak fetch you…"
Her eyes gleamed as she looked at him. "That disciple carried a slave contract. If Elder Chou sent him, wasn't she afraid the Sect Master would notice?"
Mo Yan's face darkened. "Master, do you mean… they're working together? Testing us as a pair?"
But she slowly shook her head, thoughtful.
Judging from their subtle behavior, even if they appeared aligned on the surface, behind the scenes… they were likely just using each other. As for that disciple, the Sect Master probably knew, yet for some reason, he allowed Elder Chou to act.
Rubbing her brow, she sighed inwardly. The whole matter was tangled in too many knots. Without a crucial thread, she couldn't untangle it.
There was definitely some kind of special relationship between the Sect Master and Elder Chou, but it wasn't purely cooperation. Perhaps they restrained each other, or perhaps they both got something out of it. And as for Elder Chou controlling the disciples of the Sect Master's Peak, he must've known long ago, only choosing to turn a blind eye.
One thing was certain though: neither trusted the other fully. Otherwise, he wouldn't have personally tested her, and Elder Chou wouldn't have played such petty games.
Xie Zhaolin knew that if she wanted to uncover the truth between them, she had to start with another elder. But which elder she chose required careful thought.
After a long silence, her gaze finally landed on Artifact Peak.
Elder Lian was indeed the best candidate. He was allied with Formation Peak, yet also tied to demon cultivators, so he had to know plenty of secrets. The problem was, since Elder Lian and Formation Peak were close, Elder Chou had surely guarded against him leaking anything. With her craftiness, she'd be well prepared.
"Mo Yan," Xie Zhaolin asked slowly, "if I sent you to infiltrate Artifact Peak, what's your chance of coming back alive?"
Mo Yan's face hardened. "Under normal circumstances, I'd say seventy percent. But now… less than thirty."
He explained gravely, "Elder Lian's tied to demon cultivators. He must understand our concealment techniques. And Artifact Peak excels at defense. If they're already on guard…"
He hesitated, then added cautiously, "Even if I succeed in sneaking in, I may not find the information you want."
Her thoughts drifted through the other elders, until they stopped at Elder Liu of the Law Enforcement Hall. With Liu Feng and Lin Ziye around, connecting with him was easy. But Elder Liu leaned toward the Sect Master, always putting profit first. If it suited him, he wouldn't hesitate to sell them out.
She dismissed the idea with a shake of her head.
So… was there really no better option?
Wait.
Xie Zhaolin's eyes suddenly lit up.
There was someone else.
Someone she'd overlooked, but who might just be the perfect choice.
===
仇 (Chóu) is a surname meaning "enmity" or "hatred."