My best friend asked me if I was still doing system tasks.

Tao Man said, "Since this incense belongs to Le Shu, and Le Shu did not experience the Illusion Mirror when she ascended to the Daoist Realm, then it means that Le Shu is suspected of something that cannot be cleared up."

Xu Hengzhi muttered to himself, "Could their target be the ferocious beast beneath Mount Burong?"

“I can understand spirit beasts being attracted, but ferocious beasts wouldn’t be, would they?” Tao Man fell silent under the gazes of Xu Hengzhi and Jiang Shiren. After all, who could say for sure? What if?

Mount Burong is a forbidden area of ​​the Shiren Sect. A ferocious beast is sealed inside the mountain. No one can enter or leave Mount Burong except for Daoist Yuchen Qi Huixian and his only disciple Ji Daoyun. Not even Hua Shiqing and Li Shuhe are allowed to enter or leave Mount Burong.

The ferocious beast Fire-Eyed Golden Lion wreaked havoc in the Central Plains of China. It was captured by Qi Huixian's master, Ci'an Daozun Gu Liuzhi, and Shen Xusi, the former head of the Shiren Sect, among others. Unable to kill it, they brought it back to the Shiren Sect for sealing. More than a thousand years have passed since then.

If the Fiery-Eyed Golden Lion were to appear in the world, the Blade-Slaying Sect would surely face great calamity, and the world would be thrown into turmoil.

The situation would be even worse if the ferocious beast had an evil master.

Jiang Shiren looked at his disciple beside him, his heart heavy: "Yuanzheng, quickly report this matter to Headmaster Li."

After receiving the order, Fu Yuanzheng activated the communication jade slip.

Xu Hengzhi pondered: "I wonder if this incense comes from a secret realm, or if it was carefully designed by Le Shu..."

What is the relationship between Ruan Chayan and her that makes her willing to expose it now...?

Or is it that Yue Shu wants to hide a secret about Ruan Chayan?

"What secrets could Ruan Chayan possibly have? Could she be like incense?"

Tao Man had another question: "We all know Le Shu has a problem, so why not just arrest her and interrogate her? Why go through all this trouble?"

Jiang Shiren said helplessly, "Isn't this because we're worried there might be spies within our Shiren Sect?"

You can't guard against thieves forever if you're a thief for a thousand days. If the sect leader wants to know Le Shu and the others' purpose, we will naturally do our best.

Besides, if we can't eliminate them completely, how can our Shiren Sect continue to develop?"

"Le Shu entered Xinglin Peak, where Song Yingshi was skilled in incense making."

Once Xie Qiongfang understood this, she immediately bowed to the elders and said, "This disciple will go and inquire whether Song Yingshi has had any contact with Le Shu recently."

Jiang Shiren nodded and said, "Investigate thoroughly and then report back."

*

Ruan Chayan was truly facing the wall; she and Le Shu were studying the array on the wall.

She recounted the events in her mind.

After marveling at how Ruan Chayan had escaped unscathed, Luo Hanying asked in surprise, "[How could Le Shu happen to have such incense?]"

"How did she happen to help you?"

"Who says otherwise?" Ruan Chayan reached out and scratched the wall, saying, "I also think this is too much of a coincidence."

We all think so, and the elders definitely think so too, which is why they're only now going to the back to study it, and we don't know when they'll be able to notify us.

"At least you weren't subjected to any punishment, no matter what."

Luo Hanying was still shaken. ["I heard there were many instruments of torture at the execution ground."]

Ruan Chayan forced a smile: "My mistake isn't serious enough to warrant punishment, is it?"

Luo Hanying glanced at her passing fellow disciples and gave them a kind smile. A deep, resonant voice echoed in her mind: "Who knows? What if they're all psychopaths?"

"I'm impressed." Ruan Chayan sighed. "I was worried about how to get to know Fu Yuanzheng and Xu Fengyu at the Discipline Hall, but now I'm a VIP customer."

Luo Hanying remained silent for a while.

Ruan Chayan added, "But I haven't met those two yet; they're probably out there handling some matters."

Ruan Chayan didn't hear Luo Hanying's movements and knew she was in a bad mood: ["Cheer up, I'm fine, aren't I?"]

"It's better to be safe than sorry. We're fine now, but what about later?"

Luo Hanying felt a pang of unease. ["Putting everything else aside, we also deceived the Shiren Sect. I wonder if we can keep this a secret forever."]

"Besides Demon Lord Huaiwei, the only people in the know are those from those small towns in the Western Barbarian Divine Continent. We're not going there, so what are we afraid of being exposed?"

Ruan Chayan was both amused and exasperated. [“Why are you worrying even more than I am these past few days?”]

Luo Hanying let out two soft sobs: "Maybe it's because I feel guilty."

"That's all, those elders and disciples have come out of the back hall."

Ruan Chayan left those words and ended the call with Luo Hanying.

Tao Man asked Le Shu in a kind and friendly manner where and how she obtained the incense that attracted the spirit beasts.

Le Shu explained everything clearly and completely, and there were no loopholes in her words.

The elders exchanged glances, and Ruan Chayan knew without a doubt that they were discussing it telepathically. She simply watched these seemingly kind elders quietly.

Jiang Shiren ordered Le Shu to hand over all the incense she had on her, as the incense and bronze censer needed to be destroyed.

As for Ruan Chayan, Xie Qiongfang had already checked and found that she did not have such a thing on her.

Le Shu said that she didn't receive much to begin with, and most of it had already been used. Apart from what she had just handed over, she had nothing left.

As Ruan Chayan's master, Xu Hengzhi reprimanded this disciple who couldn't distinguish right from wrong, warning her that cultivation is about competing with the heavens and one must never take shortcuts.

The elders of each peak were basically of the same generation, and were related as fellow disciples. Although Le Shu was an inner disciple of Xinglin Peak, she was also given a lesson.

Ruan Chayan and Le Shu's actions were recorded, and the two were punished by having to spend six months facing the wall at the Cliff of Repentance.

After settling in, Tao Man and the others went to the Xunyu Hall to report to Li Shuhe.

"Sect Leader Li, should we remind Daoist Yu Chen?"

Jiang Shiren respectfully said, "Since Xie Qiongfang said that Le Shu intended to get close to Song Ying, Le Shu's purpose is probably to see through Song Ying's scheme."

Li Shuhe nodded: "I will remind Yu Chen."

She looked in the direction of the Cliff of Repentance. "Now that they've both gone to the Cliff of Repentance, we'll have someone keep an eye on them for the next six months to see who contacts them."

"Sect Leader Li, please don't worry," Tao Man comforted him. "Our Discipline Hall will definitely handle this matter well."

"Our Shiren Sect has survived for thousands of years, how could we possibly encounter problems because of a mere Foundation Establishment disciple?"

"Since you've made a promise, you can't make excuses for anything unexpected."

Li Shuhe knew Tao Man's personality; no matter how many times she tried to persuade him, it wouldn't work. So she turned to Jiang Shiren and Tao Man and told them to cooperate well and make up for each other's shortcomings.

"The atmosphere in the cultivation world has become increasingly strange over the past few decades."

Li Shuhe is a woman with an exceptionally delicate mind. "I don't know exactly where the problem lies."

The Shiren Sect needs to conduct multiple screenings for new recruits this time, and not let anyone with an unclear background join.

Another group of disciples has gone down the mountain for training, and some elders will also be going into seclusion. No one has much time to deal with all those messy matters.

The people below agreed and took their leave to attend to other matters.