Chapter 283: Absolute Immortal Captures Qianmo

The hidden room below was unlit and completely dark. However, under Li Fan's spiritual perception, everything inside was revealed.

He flicked out a wisp of flame from his hand, igniting the candles that were already there. In the flickering candlelight, Li Fan's expression gradually grew solemn.

In this space, which was neither large nor small, a faceless stone statue stood against the wall. In the center was a long, dark brown wooden table. Faint traces of dark red, congealed blood could be seen on the table. A wooden box was placed at the corner of the table.

Li Fan opened the box and found tools of unknown purpose inside, such as hammers, knives, nails, and needles. Along the walls, numerous transparent jars were arranged. Inside the jars, many strange-shaped organs were preserved in an unknown liquid. In one corner, Li Fan also saw several skeletal specimens of young humans.

"Mr. Bai..."

Li Fan's expression was unreadable as he continued searching the secret room. In another corner, he noticed that the ground bore different marks from other areas. His spiritual perception extended deep underground. Buried within were one, two... twenty-eight sets of human remains. Based on their appearance, the remains were all semi-human, semi-beast beings, similar to "Gouzi" from the small temple.

Beyond this, there were no further discoveries in the secret room. Li Fan did not rush into action; instead, he began to ponder. Judging by the various items found in this secret room, Mr. Bai's persona as "the kindest person in the world" seemed to be challenged.

However... it couldn't be entirely disproven yet. When he was still a mortal in Da Xuan and governed a region, Li Fan had judged countless cases, big and small. Some cases that initially appeared very simple often had hidden complexities. Taking the current scene as an example, it was possible that Mr. Bai was an excellent deceiver. He might appear benevolent on the surface but was, in fact, an extremely evil individual. The deeply buried skeletons underground could all have died by his hand. Even the half-human, half-beast beings in Ningyuan City might have been created by him, given his mastery of medicine. His rescue of orphans from the small temple could also have been to easily select research subjects.

But it was also possible that Mr. Bai was not deceiving anyone. The specimens and remains in the secret room might merely be for his medical research. Li Fan, who had transmigrated, found this scenario not difficult to accept. However, in Ningyuan City, such practices would likely be shocking and scandalous. Perhaps he conducted his research in this underground secret room because it was misunderstood by the world and he had no other choice.

Both possibilities existed. The true nature of things still required Li Fan's own verification. It was almost certain that the master of this relic space was the "Mr. Bai" whom he had never met.

Li Fan decided not to alter his previous plan: first, he would try to resolve the Ningyuan Longevity Fruit incident without any mortal casualties. After settling on his plan, Li Fan focused his gaze on the slightly damaged stone statue. A significant amount of time seemed to have passed since the statue's creation. It was covered in the marks of time, no longer possessing its former sacredness. Its faceless visage quietly met Li Fan's gaze.

"Such a large stone is more than enough to forge two or three sets of Immortal Isolation Stone Nails," Li Fan thought. Glancing again at the wooden box in the center, Li Fan was even more satisfied. "Excellent," he mused, "even the tools are prepared for me."

Without further hesitation, Li Fan used his spiritual perception to manipulate the hammers, nails, knives, and other tools. There was a clanking and banging sound. Soon after, dozens of slender Immortal Isolation Stone Nails were forged and laid out one by one on the long table in the basement by Li Fan.

"Next, I need to test if the Spirit-Sealing Immortal-Severing Needles can restrain Senior Brother Zhang," he pondered. "If so... Chu Liang and the others are nothing but mere ants; I can easily capture them with my Binding Worm Divine Ability. I can use the same method on Song Hesong, subduing him with the Immortal Severing Stone Needles. Hmm, this Immortal Severing Stone cannot be stored in a spatial ring, so I'll need to lure him into a trap."

After a moment's thought, Li Fan returned to the surface and brought the Immortal Isolation Stone slab into the basement. Then, he sent a message to Senior Brother Zhang. "Senior Brother, come quickly! I've made a significant discovery!"

Li Fan then returned to the underground secret room, blew out the candles, and quietly awaited Senior Brother Zhang's arrival. Not long after, Zhang Qianmo's voice came from above: "Hmm? Junior Brother, what have you found in this secret room? So many skeletons... Hmm? Beast-kin!?"

Upon noticing the half-beast, half-human skeletons in the secret room, Zhang Qianmo's tone instantly became grave. A hint of anger was subtly discernible. He descended swiftly into the underground secret room.

"Senior Brother, look, not only are there many strange-shaped remains here, but also an eerie stone statue," Li Fan said, slowly approaching Zhang Qianmo in the darkness and pointing to the increasingly dilapidated stone statue. "I don't know its origin."

Zhang Qianmo's spiritual perception was unable to detect it, so it was only by the faint light filtering from above that he noticed the faceless stone statue not far away. His mind was greatly shaken, and he gasped, "A Profound Sky Divine Statue?"

Just then, Li Fan, from behind, thrust a slender stone nail into Zhang Qianmo's back, precisely at the location of his dantian. It pierced straight through him. Zhang Qianmo let out a muffled groan. He had not expected his dear junior brother to ambush him. As if realizing something, Zhang Qianmo's expression changed drastically, and he turned to retaliate. However, the spiritual energy circulation in his dantian stagnated, and the Purple Cloud Thunder Art he intended to cast was delayed by a breath. In that instant, another stone nail ruthlessly pierced into his chest at the Shanzhong acupoint. Then, they came incessantly.

A total of thirty-six Immortal Isolation Stone Needles completely sealed all of Zhang Qianmo's vital acupoints. His aura plummeted sharply. Senior Brother Zhang, who outwardly possessed Foundation Establishment cultivation, now seemed no different from a mortal.

"Immortal Sealing, Spirit Severing..."

"Profound Sky Sect remnant..."

Although captured, Zhang Qianmo showed little panic on his face. Instead, he stared at Li Fan and spoke with hatred in his voice. "You are not Junior Brother Li Chen! What have you done to my Junior Brother?"

Li Fan had not expected the Immortal Isolation Stone Nails to be so effective, easily subduing Senior Brother Zhang. Upon hearing Zhang Qianmo mistakenly identify him as some "Profound Sky Sect remnant," Li Fan's heart stirred slightly. However, he remained expressionless, speaking in his usual tone: "Senior Brother, are you confused? Can you not even recognize your own junior brother?"

He then recounted various past events from Li Chen's memory, details known only to the two senior and junior brothers. Zhang Qianmo's expression continually shifted, filled with doubt and surprise. "Was Junior Brother soul-searched? No, with the protection of the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder Intent, he wouldn't fear soul-searching techniques... Could it be..."

Zhang Qianmo's face darkened completely. "I never expected, Junior Brother, that you were a secret agent of the Profound Sky Sect, planted in my Purple Cloud Sect from a young age?"

Li Fan was inwardly dumbfounded. However, he noticed that Zhang Qianmo seemed unconcerned by his predicament, not worried about his situation. Instead, he appeared to want to use this opportunity to extract information. So, Li Fan decided to play along, using Zhang Qianmo's plan against him.

"Senior Brother, you jest. Profound Sky Sect? I know absolutely nothing about it," Li Fan said, shrugging with an innocent expression.

"Know nothing?" Zhang Qianmo sneered. "Don't pretend anymore; it's come to this. Hiding a Profound Sky Divine Statue and performing such sinister deeds. Who else could it be but a remnant of the Profound Sky Sect? Junior Brother, you've hidden yourself remarkably well all these years."