Starting from iron smelting

On this quiet night with the moonlight pouring down on the earth like water, Lu Xiuyuan, his master Xuanjizi, and his senior sister sat together in a quiet barracks in the base camp of the human race. The lights in the room swayed slightly, as if echoing the anxiety and confusion in their hearts.

The three people who had just experienced a thrilling escape and escaped from the demon camp were sitting there silently, with solemn and thoughtful expressions on their faces. They needed to calm down and carefully review and explore the reasons and conspiracies behind this disaster.

Xuanjizi took a deep breath, stared at Lu Xiuyuan, and then slowly said: "Xiuyuan, do you know what happened inside and outside the Beiya Cave when you went to the secret realm of Beiya Cave?"

This sentence hit Lu Xiuyuan's heart like a heavy hammer, and he couldn't help but tremble. He stared at Xuanjizi with wide eyes, eagerly waiting for the next words. The senior sister pursed her lips tightly, revealing a trace of worry in her eyes.

Xuanjizi was silent for a moment and then continued, "Soon after you entered the secret realm of Beiya Cave, a mysterious force suddenly descended upon the area near Beiya Cave. The barrier that originally protected this place was forcibly broken, allowing the demons to easily break in and put great pressure on our defense!"

Lu Xiuyuan was shocked to hear this! He had never thought that someone or a force could break through that powerful barrier and choose this time to attack, obviously targeting him or the entire plan. But who would do this?

Xuanjizi seemed to see what Lu Xiuyuan was thinking and continued, "Not only that, according to my investigation, I found that there are many unfamiliar faces frequently entering and leaving the area recently, and their actions are very strange and unpredictable. It is very likely that these people are related to this matter in some way, and they may even be the mastermind behind it!"

Lu Xiuyuan frowned and fell into deep thought. Could it be that this incident was not accidental but premeditated? If so, what was the other party's purpose? Why did they choose to take action at this time? A series of questions came to his mind, making him feel more and more confused.

Senior Sister couldn't help but interrupt and said, "Master, in my opinion, this matter is not simple. Perhaps we should send more people to investigate it secretly to avoid any unexpected events. At the same time, we should notify other sects as soon as possible to prepare for the response!" Xuanjizi nodded to show his agreement with her opinion, then turned around and reminded Lu Xiuyuan, "Xiuyuan, as a key figure in this operation, you should be more vigilant and not take it lightly. Do you understand?"

Lu Xiuyuan nodded and said firmly: "Don't worry, Master, I will do my best to find out the real culprit and never let them succeed!" In the days to come, Lu Xiuyuan and others will face greater challenges and tests, but they are ready to face all difficulties just to protect justice and peace in the world...

Lu Xiuyuan shook his head, a sense of foreboding welling up in his heart. He stared at his master, waiting for his next words.

Xuanjizi narrowed his eyes slightly and continued in a serious tone: "The Beiya Cave Secret Realm has been a place where major forces of the human race compete since ancient times. When you left, that place had already gathered many famous people of the human race, and each force was eyeing the rare resources and secret books handed down from generation to generation in this secret realm. However, it was precisely this gathering of talented people that provided an opportunity for those traitors with ulterior motives to take advantage of it."

He paused, as if thinking about how to better express his meaning, and then slowly spoke: "Originally, everyone gathered here to explore the secrets and seek opportunities together, but now it seems that some of them have bad intentions. These traitors may be hiding very deeply and difficult to detect; or they are good at disguise, blending into various forces to fan the flames and stir up disputes. In short, the situation has become more and more confusing..."

When Lu Xiuyuan heard this, his heart tightened. He realized that there might be a more complicated conspiracy and betrayal behind this disaster. He asked anxiously: "Master, do you know who the traitor is?"

A trace of resentment flashed in Xuanjizi's eyes, and his lips trembled slightly, as if he was suppressing the endless anger in his heart. He was silent for a long time, and finally raised his head slowly, and said in a low and hoarse voice: "He is my heartless and treacherous junior brother - the elder Xuanhuanzi of the Juling Sect!"

Hearing this name, Lu Xiuyuan couldn't help but widen his eyes, his face full of astonishment and disbelief. For him, the name Xuanhuanzi was well-known. The elder of the Juling Sect had always been respected for his gentle and respectable image. Lu Xiuyuan could not connect the shocking fact in front of him with the noble person in his memory.

However, the reality is so cruel that it catches people off guard. Xuan Huanzi, who was once regarded as a role model, has now become a betrayer and a traitor, which undoubtedly dealt a heavy blow to Lu Xiuyuan. His original unshakable belief began to waver, and he began to have deep doubts about human nature.

Xuanjizi seemed to see Lu Xiuyuan's shock. He nodded and continued, "Yes, it was Xuanhuanzi. He has been hiding his true identity and secretly colluding with the demons in an attempt to undermine the unity and stability of the human race. In the secret realm of Beiya Cave, he used his identity and status to spread rumors and sow discord, causing contradictions and conflicts between the major forces."

"At the same time, he secretly colluded with the demon clan and leaked the human race's action plan and deployment in the secret realm. This put us in a passive position in the confrontation with the demon clan and caused us to suffer heavy losses." Xuanjizi clenched his fists angrily, his voice filled with endless regret and anger.

After hearing this, Lu Xiuyuan was filled with anger and confusion. He could not imagine that a person who seemed so upright would do such a thing. He asked, "Master, why did Xuan Huanzi do this? Why did he betray the human race?"

Xuanjizi sighed and said, "The human heart is hard to predict. Xuanhuanzi has always been dissatisfied with our Juling Sect. He longs for more power and status. Colluding with the demon clan is his means to achieve this goal. He used his wisdom and means to get close to the top leaders of the demon clan step by step and gained their trust and support. Then, he began to secretly plan and implement his conspiracy."

"The incident in the secret realm of Beiya Cave was part of his plan. He used his influence among the human race to bring together various forces and created an excellent opportunity for the demon race. But we fell into danger because of our trust in him." Xuanjizi said sadly.