After the Guardian of Minzhou City returned to the Government Office, he couldn’t understand the implications behind Xiao Shui’s words, so he couldn’t help but visit the inn again.

The inn had long been entirely reserved by Ling Wuce. The first floor was shared by cultivators from the Cultivator Institute and the Hundred Herbs Bureau, while the second floor housed the unruly elders from the Nine Sects and their own people.

He arrived at the inn’s entrance, initially planning to visit Ling Wuce on the second floor, but hesitated and didn’t dare to proceed.

So he settled for speaking with the cultivators on the first floor instead.

"Oh? What did he ask?"

Ling Wuce turned his head to look at the cultivator who came upstairs to report, and furrowed his brow.

"He just asked the brothers downstairs if we have a major event planned since there are so many of us here."

The cultivator stood by and slowly spoke, not forgetting to inquire afterward.

"Sir, should we investigate?"

Ling Wuce definitely trusted his subordinates, and after pondering the cultivator’s inquiry, he spoke.

"If you think there’s a problem, follow the procedure and take a look."

The cultivator took the order and then turned to leave.

"Isn’t this a normal occurrence?"

Only after Han Yu and others left did the strange question emerge; he had already witnessed the Guardian’s timid and cautious behavior himself.

When he came that day, the guy had a fiery temperament, not even waiting for him to finish speaking before going out with his men to impose a nighttime curfew.

Now there are so many cultivators in the Realm of Transcendence in Minzhou City, not to mention the presence of those esteemed figures from the Nine Sects; just the sight of them is intimidating.

"It was overdone."

The ermine...no, Gao Feng at this time was lying on the table, his small forelegs hugging a cup of tea half the size of his own body, licking the tea.

As the former intelligence leader of the Inspectorate, Gao Feng didn’t feel this was something a Guardian should do.

While Han Yu described the Guardian’s behavior as cautious and fearful, bringing these traits to vivid life, it was too stiff. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

If a disaster really hits the State City, what’s the point of just imposing a curfew? The Fifth Tower has a contingency plan, prioritizing protecting citizens before the city if a crisis occurs.

"Being timid and cautious isn’t excessive, look at what the Chicken Feather Gall from the East Sea did."

Ling Wuce joked back, for back then, a Guardian who took the entire city’s people out to sea overnight seemed eccentric, but afterwards not only was he blameless, but he received some commendation from Ling Wuce.

It was because, although Han Yu’s battle with Celestial City Peak did not affect Sea Stone City, Chicken Feather Gall’s response was correct.

And look at the matter in Dongling City, how everyone in the Guardian Mansion responded was similar, with city gates tightly shut, relocating citizens.

Compared to Minzhou City, it was just getting mobilized, leading palace guards for a curfew, with no plan for city dwellers.

Aside from the nighttime commotion, wasn’t the city as normal during the day?

"You guys won’t they be overly sensitive?"

Han Yu stared wide-eyed in disbelief.

"I’ve been thoroughly investigated by the Inspectorate myself; investigating a Guardian is perfectly reasonable."

Ling Wuce pursed his lips.

If it weren’t for the Corpse Refining Lineage playing such a trick, there wouldn’t be such a thing as spies in the Cultivator Realm!

Everyone would cultivate peacefully, fight when necessary, feud when needed.

Damn bastards, disrupting tradition, bringing the despicable means from the mortal world into the cultivator circle, ruining the atmosphere.

Who among them hasn’t self-investigated within this group?

"This is also a necessary measure; any suspicion warrants mutual investigation, which is the tone set by Quan Xiaotong and Che Dapao."

Gao Feng sighed as he spoke, clearly agreeing with such measures since he didn’t stop them.

Leaks from the Inspectorate were a slap to Quan Xiaotong’s face, but also a hit to Gao Feng’s face, considering the current selection procedures were initially established by him.

"A Guardian not sitting in the Government Office, but instead imposing an overnight curfew with the palace guards?"

Gao Feng struggled to turn the cup; his usual habit of drinking tea was now incredibly difficult, eventually giving up and slumping back.

"Xiaoling, take my orders and find the spies in the city; I’m curious what this guy does at night."

...

Xiao Shui was also drinking water at this time, but soon he choked on the tea.

"Cough cough..."

He coughed a few times and poured all the tea out of the cup before lifting his head, looking incredulously at the butler.

"You said that fool actually went to the inn and asked?"

The butler looked puzzled, cautiously saying, "It seems you told him to go."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Shui’s neck visibly reddened as if something was lodged in his throat, desperately wanting to vent.

"I also told him to go home and reflect on himself. Why didn’t he listen?"

Asked to go there, and he really went? Doesn’t he have a brain?

"Do you need?"

The butler noticed Xiao Shui’s expression, seemingly understanding the situation, gesturing as if to slit his throat.

Xiao Shui kept staring at the butler with a look meant for fools, causing the latter to feel awkward.

"You want to kill someone under the noses of the Cultivators from the Realm’s peak?"

What kind of minds do this group of scoundrels have to come up with such unreliable ideas?

Someone who doesn’t understand human speech.

Someone who thinks they can read expressions, where did you get the idea I want to fight and kill?

"Then what should we do?"

The butler finally couldn’t stand the gaze anymore, quickly speaking up.

Xiao Shui pondered for a moment, lightly tapping his finger on the table before slowly speaking.

"Go back to your room first, reflect on why you are just a butler now."

The butler was dumbfounded, pointing at himself, does he need to reflect too?

"It’s best to exchange self-reflection experiences with that idiot."

Xiao Shui spoke weakly, evidently disappointed with the minds of these two.

...

"Found it!"

Elder Luo’s shout was immediately surrounded by others.

Heaven’s pity, he had been flying for half a day with a piece of bark before it finally reacted.

"Where is it?"

The group hurriedly asked.

Elder Luo spread his palm, seeing the piece of ancient bark constantly shaking in his palm.

"It should be nearby."

Beneath them was a vast wilderness; if it were in this area, it should be much easier to find than in the mountains.

"Keep searching."

The group was elated, with the reaction made continuing the search much easier.

After about another two-hour, ten people landed in a spot five miles away, no need for Elder Luo to say more; just seeing the bark shaking violently informed them they had truly found it.

...

"Really found it?"

Han Yu looked at Ou Mingdong who came back with the news in surprise, could these elders work this fast?

"Let’s go, take a look."

Ling Wuce was also quite curious about what the Fire Spirit looked like and began urging Han Yu.

When the group arrived, the nine elders had almost finished the task.

A giant stone seven feet long and wide was carried out by the Great Elder of Galan Temple.

The group looked at each other in confusion, for it didn’t seem related to fire in any way.

"Could it be mistaken?"

Elder Luo, with a puzzled expression, patted the stone, then discovered residual heat emanating from inside.

Ling Wuce approached and couldn’t resist touching the stone, then exclaimed.

"Fire within the stone!"