“No need to worry about that.”
“This is just the beginning.”
“The Celestial Master of Insight said that even if the ten major forces fight amongst themselves, we should not interfere. As long as everything unfolds naturally, the cultivation treasure will surely be found.”
“The leader of the Chu Heavenly Clan had his Star Attraction Stone stolen. It can only be called fate.”
The Master of Purple Star Hall said.
“With that, I am reassured.”
Hearing the words of the Purple Star Hall Master, the old man showed a look of anticipation.
The mere thought that the cultivation treasure, which countless ancestors had failed to find, might be discovered by them sent shivers of excitement through his trembling body.
Purple Star Hall’s goal was simple.
Follow the prophecy and make arrangements. If someone truly found the legendary cultivation treasure, Purple Star Hall would claim it for themselves.
As for the so-called rule that whoever found the treasure could keep it, that was merely a lie.
But what Purple Star Hall didn’t expect was that someone had leaked their secret.
Someone had revealed what Purple Star Hall had told the ten major forces.
As a result, everyone inside and outside Purple Star Hall knew about the promises made to the ten forces.
This gave Purple Star Hall quite a headache.
In their eyes, the ten major forces were mere pawns.
Not only would they not give them the cultivation treasure, but even the three-stage Supreme Forbidden Technique was never meant for the ten forces.
It was just a lie to trick them into working hard for Purple Star Hall.
But now, the news had spread, and everyone believed it to be true.
This put Purple Star Hall in a difficult position.
Forget the cultivation treasure for now.
Just the three-stage Supreme Forbidden Technique was enough to make Purple Star Hall wince.
Would they really give it up?
The answer, of course, was no.
Purple Star Hall was, in truth, a domineering force.
Though they cared about their reputation, when it came to their interests, they would prioritise those.
But the leak still damaged their reputation.
Thus, they began a thorough investigation into who had spread the news.
Initially, they suspected someone from the ten major forces.
But after investigating, they found the source was within Purple Star Hall, and shockingly, it was their own elders.
Most astonishing was that among them was a high-ranking Supreme Elder of Purple Star Hall.
No wonder the news spread so quickly and was believed rather than dismissed as a rumour.
Who would dare call the words of a Purple Star Hall Supreme Elder a rumour?
Upon learning this, the Purple Star Hall Master was furious, rounding up the elders and preparing severe punishments.
But something strange happened.
Without exception, all the elders denied leaking the information.
If that were all, it wouldn’t be so odd.
What was truly bizarre was that many could testify that these elders had indeed spread the news.
And it was definitely them speaking, not someone impersonating them.
Under such testimony, the elders were dumbfounded.
At the same time, Purple Star Hall realised things were not so simple.
It was later discovered that these elders had all experienced brief memory lapses recently.
They couldn’t recall what they did during those times.
Initially, they didn’t think much of it, but to their shock, during those memory lapses, they had leaked Purple Star Hall’s secrets.
…
In that same grand hall, before that same formation.
The same old man knelt behind the Purple Star Hall Master.
This place was Purple Star Hall’s most secure forbidden area, off-limits even to ordinary Supreme Elders.
The old man’s presence here was due to his extraordinary status.
He was not only a Supreme Elder of Purple Star Hall but also second only to the Hall Master in power, the strongest after him.
In the entire Purple Star Upper Realm, he was a renowned figure.
His name was Pang Youyang!!!
“Lord Hall Master, it’s almost certain that our elders were controlled by someone who made them reveal our secrets to outsiders.”
“In a way, they are innocent.”
“Someone is deliberately sabotaging our hall.”
“But rest assured, Lord Hall Master, I will find this troublemaker soon.”
“I will make him pay.”
Pang Youyang said to the Purple Star Hall Master.
Hearing this, the Hall Master turned, looking at Pang Youyang with a serious expression but saying nothing.
“Lord Hall Master, what’s wrong?”
Being stared at like this made Pang Youyang uneasy.
“Elder Youyang, you’ve always been the one I trust most in Purple Star Hall.”
“But why aren’t you being honest with me?”
The Purple Star Hall Master asked.
“Lord Hall Master, I have always been loyal and never hidden anything from you.”
Pang Youyang replied.
“Never hidden anything?”
“Haven’t you noticed you’ve also lost memories recently?”
The Purple Star Hall Master countered.
At those words, Pang Youyang’s face changed. He suddenly realised something terrifying.
Because he had indeed lost memories.
“Lord Hall Master, are you saying… I was also…?”
Pang Youyang’s eyes widened, staring at the Hall Master in disbelief.
“Yes, you were controlled too. You were among those who leaked the secret, but because of your special status, no one dared speak up.”
The Purple Star Hall Master said.
“I actually…”
Pang Youyang’s face turned ashen.
Unlike the other Supreme Elders, his strength was second only to the Hall Master.
He was not only a Fifth-Rank Supreme Realm martial cultivator at his peak but had also touched the threshold of the Sixth Rank, just a step away from breaking through.
Yet a martial cultivator like him had been controlled without his knowledge.
This meant the one controlling him was immensely powerful, far surpassing him.
“Lord Hall Master, this couldn’t be the work of the ten major forces. They don’t have the ability. Could it be our rivals?”
Pang Youyang asked.
“Probably not.”
The Purple Star Hall Master shook his head.
“Then who did it?”
Pang Youyang asked.
“I’ve already identified a suspect.”
“This person seems to have some connection to the Chu Heavenly Clan.”
“You must have noticed him too.”
The Purple Star Hall Master said.
“Lord Hall Master, you mean that old man in the blue robe?”
Pang Youyang asked.
