Chapter 182: Undercurrents Surging

On the seventh day since the Law Enforcement Hall was established, Fairy Biluo caught the person selling Spiritual Plants.

It was a middle-aged man, at the Spirit Transformation Peak Stage, thin as a bamboo pole, with a scar running diagonally from his forehead to his chin.

When he was escorted into the main hall by two female Disciples, his knees went weak, and he knelt directly on the ground, shaking like a sieve.

Fairy Biluo stood behind him, holding a cyan longsword, its tip pressing against the back of his neck.

Su Yun leaned back in his chair, looking down at him, his voice calm yet oppressive: "Speak, who sent you?"

The scarred man raised his head, his eyes darting around, his lips trembling: "No… nobody sent me! I stole the Spiritual Plants myself, wanting to trade them for some Spirit Stones to spend…"

Su Yun did not make a sound, just stared at him quietly.

That gaze was so calm it made one's spine go cold.

Cold sweat streamed down the scarred man's forehead, following the scar.

Fairy Biluo pushed the sword tip forward slightly, and the skin on his neck was immediately pierced, a bead of blood seeping out.

"Say it again." Su Yun said indifferently, a hint of chill in his tone.

The scarred man completely collapsed, his forehead slamming onto the ground, his voice trembling: "It is Shadow Pavilion! People from Shadow Pavilion forced me to steal Spiritual Plants and then sell them to Taixu Hall, wanting to provoke a fight between Star Pavilion and Taixu Hall! They promised me five thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones after the deed was done, and also to help me Breakthrough to the Void Refining Stage… This subordinate was blinded by greed, I beg Senior to spare my life! Spare me!"

Su Yun continued to ask about the location of Shadow Pavilion's stronghold.

The scarred man looked miserable: "This subordinate really doesn't know… They always took the initiative to find me, and I have never been to their place. The contact was a masked woman, I couldn't see her appearance clearly, but her cultivation was at least at the Mahayana Middle Stage."

Su Yun waved his hand: "Biluo, take him down and lock him up first, he might be useful later."

After Fairy Biluo escorted the scarred man away, Su Yun sat in the chair, fingers gently tapping the armrest.

Shadow Pavilion, a female Cultivator at the Mahayana Middle Stage, wearing a mask.

This organization was more cunning than he had anticipated.

But since they had already made a move, they would definitely not just do this one thing.

Sure enough, three days later, something happened at Star Pavilion again.

This time, it wasn't Spiritual Plants that died, but a life.

An Outer Sect Elder died in her own Immortal Cave, her chest punched through with a fist-sized bloody hole, the edges of the wound charred black, clearly caused by a lightning-type Cultivation Technique.

The Spirit Stones and Medicinal Pill inside the Immortal Cave were looted clean, appearing like a murder for wealth, but Su Yun knew in his heart that the matter was not that simple.

When he arrived at the scene with Fairy Biluo and Xing Yao, the female Disciples of Star Pavilion had already gathered in a circle, all of them pale-faced.

Xing Yao squatted beside the corpse to examine it for a long time, then stood up and said: "The lightning power on the wound is very pure, left behind by at least a Mahayana Initial Stage Cultivator."

Fairy Biluo also stepped forward to examine it, her brows locked in a frown: "Master, there are not many Mahayana Stage Cultivators in the Immortal Realm who Cultivate lightning-type Cultivation Techniques. Star Pavilion, Qingyun Palace, Zixia Sect, and Wanhua Valley do not have any; Heavenly Sword Sect has one, Taixu Hall has one, and Biluo Palace has two. But these people… all have alibis."

Su Yun asked: "Does Shadow Pavilion have anyone who Cultivates lightning-type Cultivation Techniques?"

Fairy Biluo shook her head: "This subordinate does not know. Shadow Pavilion is too mysterious; we cannot even find out who is inside."

Su Yun was silent for a moment: "Collect all the deceased's belongings and bring them back to the main hall."

He squatted down and carefully observed the wound on the corpse's chest.

The charred marks faintly presented the shape of some kind of rune.

He reached out to touch it, and a faint fluctuation of spiritual power came from his fingertips.

That fluctuation was somewhat familiar, similar to the aura of a void node, but it carried a cold, purplish-black hue.

Su Yun stood up: "Take the corpse back and let Fairy Zixia take a look. She also has research on lightning power; perhaps she can see something."

When they returned to the main hall, the sky had already turned dark.

Fairy Zixia had been waiting for a long time.

She took the corpse and examined it for a full hour, finally raising her head, her expression grave:

"Master, this lightning power is not ordinary lightning magic. It originates from the ancient Demonic Technique 'Dark Thunder Art'. This technique has long been lost; this subordinate has only seen records of it in ancient books."

Su Yun pursued the question: "Who could possibly know this technique?"

Fairy Zixia gave a bitter smile: "Unclear. But cultivating the Dark Thunder Art requires an extremely rare Lightning Spirit Root, which is hard to encounter in ten thousand years. If Shadow Pavilion truly has such a person, it must be a Mahayana Stage expert."

Su Yun nodded: "Organize the information on the Dark Thunder Art. Also, Biluo, strengthen the patrols on each peak. An Outer Sect Elder has died, which means Shadow Pavilion has begun to act and will not stop after killing just one person."

Sure enough, five days later, something happened at Taixu Hall as well.

An Inner Sect Elder, at the Mahayana Initial Stage, went missing on the road to purchase supplies in Biluo City.

The three female Disciples traveling with her were knocked unconscious and thrown by the roadside; when they woke up, they didn't remember anything.

They only said they were on their way when they suddenly smelled a sweet fragrance, and then lost consciousness.

When Su Yun arrived at the scene, the three female Disciples were still slumped on the ground, their faces pale, their bodies trembling.

Su Yun searched the surroundings but found no clues.

The other party's actions were clean and efficient, leaving not a trace behind.

Fairy Biluo stood behind him, her voice low: "Master, Shadow Pavilion is testing our bottom line step by step. First stealing things, then killing people, and now kidnapping people; it's getting more and more chaotic."

Su Yun nodded slightly: "They want to make us chaotic."

Fairy Biluo said: "After the Seven Great Immortal Sects merged, our strength increased greatly, and Shadow Pavilion couldn't sit still. They fear that Qinghe Sect will become the sole dominant power, leaving them no path to survive in the future."

Su Yun smiled, a flash of cold light in his eyes: "Then let them come as much as they want. Catch one if one comes; catch a pair if two come."

He immediately had Fairy Biluo summon the Mahayana Stage Elders from each Sect to hold a meeting and discuss counter-attack strategies.

Shadow Pavilion was hiding in the dark, so they would lure the snake out of its hole.

The next day, the main hall was full of people.

Fairy Biluo, Fairy Zixia, Valley Master Hua Qianying, Sword Wuxin, Xing Yue, Xu Chen, and the Mahayana Stage Elders from each Sect, totaling over twenty people.

Su Yun stood before the main seat, briefly explained the matter of Shadow Pavilion, and then put forward a plan:

"Shadow Pavilion wants Spiritual Plants, so we will give them Spiritual Plants. Starting from today, a batch of high-quality Star Spiritual Plants will appear in the Biluo City market, with prices pressed extremely low—so low that everyone will want to snatch them. They will definitely come. We will set up manpower around the market and wait for them to appear."

Fairy Biluo frowned and asked: "Master, what if the other party doesn't take the bait?"

Su Yun smiled indifferently: "Then continue to increase the stakes. If Star Spiritual Plants are not enough, add Star Pavilion Pill; if Star Pavilion Pill is not enough, add Soul Transformation Stage Pills. There will always be something they covet."

Everyone nodded and went off to receive their orders.

For the next half month, the Biluo City market was bustling with activity.

Batches of Star Spiritual Plants and various Medicinal Pills were placed on stalls, the prices ridiculously low, attracting a large number of Loose Cultivators and Cultivators from small Sects.

Su Yun sent over a dozen Mahayana Stage female Elders to disguise themselves as Loose Cultivators, mingling in the crowd to wait.

On the sixteenth day, the fish finally took the bait.

A woman wearing a grey cloak appeared in the market.

She had a tall figure and light footsteps, her cloak covering most of her face, revealing only a chin.

Her cultivation was hidden extremely well, appearing to be only at the Soul Transformation Stage, but Elder Qing Ye of Biluo Palace saw the flaw at a glance—her footsteps were as light as if stepping on cotton, which was definitely something a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator could not do.

Elder Qing Ye quietly followed.

The woman stopped in front of the stall selling Star Spiritual Plants, picked one up to look at it, asked for the price, and bought two.

After paying the Spirit Stones, she turned and left.

Elder Qing Ye continued to follow.

The woman walked out of the market, turned into a small alley, and then disappeared into thin air.

Elder Qing Ye chased into the alley, but it was empty, with only a wall left.

Elder Qing Ye returned to the main hall to report the situation.

After listening, Su Yun was not disappointed, but rather slightly hooked the corners of his mouth.

The more cautious the opponent, the more it showed how much they cared.

As long as they cared, they would definitely come again.

He let Elder Qing Ye continue to watch the market, and at the same time instructed Fairy Biluo to set up a net of heaven and earth around Biluo City.

Next time, he would absolutely not let that person escape again.