I was reborn as a young master in an invincible family of immortals

The return of Lin Yun and his companions, and the failure of their stronghold exploration, cast a heavy shadow over the entire sect, including the representatives from various sects who had gathered to discuss the major plan. Gathering in the meeting hall, they observed a moment of silence for the fallen and injured disciples, then began to reflect seriously on the problems encountered during the operation and to draw conclusions.

Lin Yun said with a look of self-blame, "It's all our fault for not being careful enough. We fell into their trap, resulting in so many casualties among our fellow disciples. We truly failed to live up to their trust."

An elder from another sect patted him on the shoulder and said soothingly, "Young friend Lin Yun, this operation was inherently dangerous. It was already very difficult for you to break through and bring back this news. Don't blame yourself too much. Right now, we should learn from this experience and think about how to respond next."

Everyone nodded and began to analyze the situation. After some discussion, they realized that they had underestimated the defenses of the mysterious force's stronghold and underestimated the enemy. Moreover, during the operation, although the disciples of various sects were strong, their coordination was not good enough. This led to their difficulty in coping when surrounded by the enemy.

Based on the lessons learned, everyone began to recalibrate their response plan. First, they decided to strengthen joint training among disciples from various sects, familiarizing them with each other's techniques and fighting styles, thereby facilitating better coordination in subsequent operations. Led by elders from each sect skilled in combat instruction, they organized a multi-day intensive training session. The participating disciples were divided into teams and conducted actual combat simulations to enhance their overall combat effectiveness.

Secondly, the exploration of the mysterious force's strongholds will no longer be a large-scale simultaneous operation, but rather a multiple, small-scale, covert infiltration. Each team is equipped with more sophisticated concealment and detection tools to detect traps and enemy sentries in advance. Special personnel are also assigned to cover the rear and provide emergency rescue, ensuring an orderly evacuation in the event of danger to minimize casualties.

In addition, they also increased their investment in intelligence gathering. In addition to the previously arranged tracking of immortal cultivators, they sent several teams that are good at concealment and intelligence gathering to other areas where mysterious forces may appear, trying to obtain more key intelligence about their patterns of action, internal structure, and information about senior personnel, so as to provide a basis for formulating more precise strike plans.

As all parties frantically prepared, a small intelligence-gathering team returned with a rather suspicious report. They'd overheard rumors at a cultivation market that a mysterious figure had been appearing frequently on the fringes of conflicting sects. Each appearance intensified the conflict, and this figure's movements were elusive, often vanishing quietly amidst the chaos, making them difficult to pin down.

"This mysterious person is very likely related to that mysterious force. Maybe he is an important member of their team, responsible for secretly fanning the flames and provoking incidents." After hearing the news, Lin Yun keenly noticed the abnormality and said to everyone.

Representatives from other sects also felt the matter was of grave concern and immediately decided to dispatch several elite teams to investigate the mysterious figure, aiming to capture him and extract more secrets about the mysterious forces from him. Lin Yun and his team volunteered to join the investigation. Drawing on their accumulated experience and enhanced coordination, they hoped to achieve something in this mission and turn the tide.

Based on the clues provided by the intelligence team, Lin Yun and others first came to several places where fierce sect disputes had occurred, carefully examining the clues left at the scene, trying to find out the movements of the mysterious figure.

Chen Yu used the Stealth Tracking Technique and discovered some residual special spiritual energy in the ruins. This aura was different from that of ordinary cultivators, with a subtle and somewhat uncomfortable fluctuation. It was likely left by the mysterious figure. Following this aura, the group tracked it all the way to a remote mountain forest.

This mountain forest is usually seldom visited, shrouded in a thin layer of mist, exuding a mysterious aura. The spiritual energy in the forest fluctuates chaotically, as if many unusual events have occurred here in the past.

"That mysterious figure may have a place to stay in this forest, or he may often appear here. Everyone, be careful and search carefully." Lin Yun whispered. Everyone dispersed and carefully explored the forest, not missing any corner where people might be hiding or any suspicious signs.

However, as soon as they entered the forest, they were ambushed. From the woods on all sides, a group of mysterious assassins dressed in black and with their faces covered, emerged. They were holding sharp blades that gleamed with an eerie light and were obviously coated with poison. Without a word, they attacked the group.

These assassins were extremely agile and as fast as ghosts, and they were good at concealing their presence. If everyone had not been vigilant, it would have been difficult to detect them in advance.

Faced with the sudden attack, Lin Yun and the others remained calm. After all, their previous training had improved their coordination. Lin Yun waved his staff, unleashing a spiritual energy curtain that enveloped everyone, temporarily blocking the assassin's first attack.

Su Yao played the Lingxi Jade Flute, and the spiritual power fluctuations turned into spiritual blades, shooting towards the area where the assassins were more concentrated, trying to disrupt their attack rhythm. Chen Yu used the stealth technique to disappear in an instant, circled behind the assassins, and looked for an opportunity to perform a hidden spiritual blade and launch a sneak attack on them.

Wang Lin continuously threw various talismans. Some of them transformed into blazing flames, instantly igniting a sea of ​​​​fire in the woods, hindering the assassin's movement; others formed into tough ropes, attempting to bind the assassin's hands and feet, slowing them down. Zhao Gang, shield in hand, stood in front of the light curtain, vigilantly guarding against the assassin's attack that might break through the light curtain, creating a safe environment for his teammates to attack.

During the fierce battle, Lin Yun discovered that although these assassins attacked fiercely, they seemed to have no unified command and were fighting on their own. Moreover, their skills and moves seemed a bit messy, and they did not look like cultivators trained by formal sects.

"Everyone, please pay attention. These assassins may just be casual cultivators who are temporarily hired or controlled. They are not the core members of the mysterious force. We should try not to kill them. We should capture a few of them alive. Maybe we can get some useful information from them." Lin Yun reminded loudly. After hearing this, everyone adjusted their attack strategy and began to focus on attacking the assassins' legs and other non-lethal parts in an attempt to subdue them.

After a hard fight, they finally succeeded in subduing several assassins. The others, seeing the situation was bad, fled and disappeared into the forest. They hurried forward and restrained the subdued assassins, ready to extract some clues from them.

Lin Yun looked at the tied-up assassin and asked sharply, "Tell me, who are you? Why did you ambush us here? And who's behind you?"

At first, the assassins were stubborn and refused to reveal a single word. However, after Lin Yun and the others used some tricks, one of them finally gave in and tremblingly said, "We...we are all independent cultivators. Someone recently found us and gave us a large sum of spirit crystals. They told us to ambush here. If we see any cultivators investigating, we are to kill them. We really don't know anything else."

"Who found you? What does he look like?" Lin Yun continued to ask.

The assassin tried to recall the past and said, "The man was shrouded in a black robe, so we couldn't see his face. We only felt that the spiritual energy he exuded was very powerful and eerie. He didn't say who he was, so we didn't dare to ask any more questions."

After hearing this, everyone understood that the black-robed figure was most likely a member of that mysterious force. Apparently, they had sensed an investigation was underway, hence the assassins' intervention. However, this also indirectly proved that their investigation was on the right track; this mysterious figure and the mysterious organization behind him must be hiding even more secrets.

Although they didn't get much specific and useful information from the assassin, Lin Yun and others were not discouraged. They knew that as long as they continued to follow this clue, they would always gain something.

An assassin was released and asked to go back and deliver a message to the man in black, pretending that they had all been killed. Everyone followed quietly behind, trying to lure out the mysterious man through the assassin or find other clues about the mysterious force.

The assassin wandered through the forest for a long time before arriving at a hidden cave. He glanced around, making sure no one was around, and then entered. Lin Yun and the others waited for a moment, and seeing nothing unusual around them, they cautiously approached the cave, ready to explore what secrets lay within, hoping to uncover the true nature of the mysterious force.

After entering the cave, everyone discovered that the space inside was much larger than they had imagined, and the layout was quite complex. There were many branching paths in the cave, and the walls were inlaid with some luminous crystals, illuminating the way forward.

Walking along a main passage, they saw some strange runes carved on the wall. These runes emitted a kind of obscure spiritual power fluctuation and seemed to have some special purpose, such as concealing aura or setting restrictions.

Chen Yu walked in front. With his keen perception, he noticed that the spiritual energy fluctuations in one of the forks were the most abnormal. He whispered to everyone, "There might be something going on over here. Let's go this way."

Everyone followed Chen Yu and slowly entered the fork in the road. The further they went in, the stronger the mysterious atmosphere became. They could faintly hear some subtle voices coming from the depths, as if someone was discussing something important inside. Everyone's heart instantly rose, and they approached the direction of the sound more cautiously, ready to eavesdrop and maybe get some key information.

As the group quietly approached the source of the sound and peered from behind a large rock, they were met with a scene that both surprised and delighted them. Several black-robed figures sat in a spacious stone chamber in the cave. One of them was speaking to the others. On the stone table before them lay a map, marking the locations of various sects and some important cultivation resource points. Next to it were some documents, such as plans, filled with detailed plans for how to provoke more sectarian conflict and seize resources.

"Great, now we have finally found their core plan. We have to find a way to get these things, and then go back to inform the various sects." Lin Yun said excitedly in a low voice. Everyone also showed joy on their faces, and immediately began to discuss how to steal these important information and documents without being discovered. A thrilling theft operation is about to begin, and this will also become a key step in reversing the entire situation.