[As expected, something happened between those two that I didn't know about.]

Listening to the discussions among the Hengyang Sect disciples, Qi Yue narrowed her eyes, her gaze subtly shifting between Xia Wanqing and Ye Qingyu.

[I don't know what happened to cause Ye Qingyu, such a loyal admirer, to change her personality so drastically, going on a crazy rampage without a care in the world.]

No, I need to ask that brat Mu Linghan.

Qiyue, who could endure anything except humiliation and the temptation of gossip, turned to Mu Linghan.

Gu Xingchuan and Le Luoxi followed silently.

Were they looking for gossip? No, they just wanted to protect their junior sister and, incidentally, gather intelligence on the enemy.

Seeing Gu Xingchuan and Le Luoxi following her, Qiyue naturally assumed that the two had come to protect her and didn't say anything.

Unfortunately, Mu Linghan did not receive any definite information.

"All I know is that the Hengyang Sect lost something, which was obtained from a heretical cultivator. As for what that thing is, I have no idea."

"Hmm..." Qiyue gave a soft "hmm" and walked to the side.

Le Luoxi and Gu Xingchuan looked at Qiyue, sensing something was wrong, and lowered their voices to ask, "What's wrong? Did you discover something?"

Qiyue looked at the two of them and whispered, "I guess the missing item is the key to Ye Qingyu's dissatisfaction with Xia Wanqing."

"You mean, Ye Qingyu might have taken that thing, but Xia Wanqing found out and notified the sect?" Gu Xingchuan guessed.

Le Luoxi shook her head in disagreement: "I don't think that's possible. Doesn't that kid like Xia Wanqing? Maybe he stole it for Xia Wanqing and then got discarded after being used."

Gu Xingchuan frowned: "Xia Wanqing is Xia Wuxin's only daughter. She will be the future sect leader of Hengyang Sect. The entire Hengyang Sect will belong to her. If she needs something, would she need someone else to steal it for her?"

Le Luoxi didn't speak, but stared intently at Qiyue, her gaze following her through the crowd to Xia Wanqing, who was getting along well with the Hengyang Sect disciples.

"What's wrong, Junior Sister?"

“When we were in the Forbidden Forest, I could sense that Xia Wanqing had fallen into evil cultivation. Last time, in the back mountain of Hengyang Sect, the evil aura on her body was even more obvious, but it’s gone now.”

July thought of something.

Gu Xingchuan and Le Luoxi, standing nearby, looked bewildered: "No, I didn't see any foul air on her. On the contrary, her aura was very clean..."

Qiyue didn't answer, but instead clenched her fists tightly.

The eerie aura she felt that day wasn't fake; the only possibility is that she stole that item.

【bite! soul! banner! 】

Le Luoxi's pupils constricted: The Soul-Devouring Banner! The Hengyang Sect actually possesses the Soul-Devouring Banner!?

Gu Xingchuan's brows were filled with solemnity: The legendary Soul-Devouring Banner, which was refined from tens of thousands of wronged souls, could absorb the souls and cultivation of cultivators for its master's use, and could also hide the master's aura. Once this thing was used, a blood sacrifice had to be made every ten days, making it a truly evil object!

This thing is too sinister; it absolutely cannot fall into Xia Wanqing's hands! I must find out what Xia Wanqing has been up to lately!

Qi Yue's gaze fell on Ye Qingyu.

[The puppetry technique is not yet fully developed. To figure this out, the only option right now is to find Ye Qingyu.]

Through telepathic communication, Qi Yue asked Ye Qingyu directly, "Senior Brother Ye, is the Soul-Devouring Banner in Xia Wanqing's possession? When did she obtain it?"

The familiar voice made Ye Qingyu tense up, her eyes darting around: 'You actually managed to sneak in? Where are you?'

"Never mind where I am. Xia Wanqing is no longer the Xia Wanqing she once was. Are you really going to just stand by and watch your former fellow disciples become sacrifices to the Soul-Devouring Banner to strengthen Xia Wanqing? Do you think you'll even survive that?"

"I know you hate her, but I advise you not to get involved. You saw how I treated her in the past, yet she could even harm me; she won't let you off the hook, Qiyue. Now that your spiritual root has been restored, run away, run as far away as possible, and never come back."

"Hey, didn't you used to wish for my death? What, not anymore?"

'Stop being stubborn. You can't beat her. Even if your masters, senior brothers, and sisters are powerful, they can't protect you all the time. Can't you value your life a little?'

'Did Xia Wuxin know that the Soul-Devouring Banner was in her hands?'

From Ye Qingyu's repeated persuasion, Qiyue vaguely sensed something, but Ye Qingyu refused to say anything and cut off contact.

Her gaze darkened.

[Tsk, that brat.]

It seems impossible to get anything more out of Ye Qingyu now, unless...

Gu Xingchuan's eyes flashed. Just because he couldn't get the answer now didn't mean he wouldn't be able to later. He decided that he would tie up that brat and give him to his junior sister later.

Le Luoxi's beautiful eyes were deep and thoughtful. If a child is disobedient, he probably deserves a beating. If he won't cooperate, then beat him until he does! She refused to believe that there was a mouth in this world that couldn't be pried open with a fist!

At this moment, Ye Qingyu suddenly felt a chill down her back.

Qiyue had a sudden inspiration, walked to a corner, found a book, studied it for a long time, fiddled with it for a while, and then took out the Phoenix Spirit Brush to draw talismans.

Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, I'm the best in heaven and on earth!

[Hehe, the cost of the pills is too high. I'm telling the truth, I don't believe this brat won't tell.]

Gu Xingchuan's eyes widened: Well, it seems that Junior Sister has created something amazing again.

The faces of her master and senior brother flashed through Le Luoxi's mind, her expression strange: she had an idea.

The three were completely unaware that the strange phenomenon of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth slowly gathering due to Qi Yue's drawing of talismans had already aroused the curiosity of the surrounding cultivators, who began to speculate.

"I wonder which genius is behind this, that they could actually trigger such a celestial phenomenon."

"What is this strange phenomenon? Could it be a tribulation?"

"This is terrifying! Look, that strange phenomenon is right among us. If this phenomenon is really a tribulation, aren't we doomed?!"

The disciples were abuzz with discussion; some were envious, some were jealous, and some were resentful.

The elders inside sensed something and shuddered.

Mu Linghan's pride was tinged with malice. His sister was as outstanding as ever, and he absolutely couldn't let these ordinary people discover her!

Then, he stood in front of Qiyue like a wall, blocking her way. Gu Xingchuan and Le Luoxi looked over and wanted to kick him away, but after thinking about it, they decided against it.

To avoid being exposed, they interrupted July.

"Junior Sister, let's paint inside the secret realm. Otherwise, if we keep going like this, we'll be discovered."

Immersed in her creative work, Qiyue looked up upon hearing this and was somewhat surprised to see the extraordinary celestial phenomena converging upon her.

[Wow, am I really that awesome?]

However, despite her surprise, she stopped writing, put everything away, and everything instantly returned to calm.

The disciples were stunned, and a deathly silence fell. The elder inside, who had been disturbed, sighed, paused in his attempt to get up, and then stopped moving.

In the silence, Xia Wanqing's seemingly innocent and confused yet mocking voice was extremely grating.

"I have never seen such a strange phenomenon before. It is truly an eye-opener. I wonder which fellow Daoist is undergoing tribulation. Perhaps we can admire its splendor and help you find the reason."