Chapter 883: Wooden Sword Establishes a New Path

“Heavenly Spirits, having received their divine mandate, will never suddenly disappear unless they are killed before completing their mission,” the white-haired man whispered.

The black-robed cultivator paused, not understanding why the other man had suddenly brought this up.

A moment later, he was slightly startled and asked uncertainly, “Brother Zhan, are you suggesting that these two incidents were carried out by the same organization?”

“That’s impossible, isn’t it?” the black-robed cultivator frowned. “To be able to kill a Heavenly Spirit without alerting the Immortal Alliance... such power...”

The white-haired man, surnamed Zhan, chuckled dismissively. “Brother Xiang, don’t you find it strange? Your Xiang family only recently discovered this Gale Grotto-Heaven. How did these foreign cultivators come to know about it?”

“Honestly, a mere Nascent Soul Grotto-Heaven isn’t much in itself. The unsettling part is the power demonstrated behind it.”

“It’s said that the Immortal Alliance is taking this matter very seriously, and even a Dharma Transmitter has become involved,” the white-haired man said with a solemn expression.

The black-robed cultivator was startled and alarmed. “This... how could it come to this?”

His tone, which had been somewhat arrogant just moments before, became noticeably nervous after hearing the words "Dharma Transmitter."

The depth of the involvement behind this matter was truly beyond his imagination.

“Brother Xiang, as you know, my father holds a position in the Heaven-Overseeing Bureau. Therefore...” The white-haired man stopped, letting the implication hang.

The black-robed cultivator nodded, his mind constantly calculating.

The cultivator surnamed Zhan looked at his friend, holding back some thoughts.

The Heaven-Overseeing Bureau, as it was called, was a mysterious organization within the Immortal Alliance, specifically tasked with observing and supervising the Heavenly Spirits and the traces of the Principles of Heaven and Earth.

It was not on the official list of organizations, and only a very small number of cultivators were aware of its existence.

Heavenly Spirits were connected to Dao Integration combat power. Each one was extremely important, so it was only natural for the Immortal Alliance to seek to regulate them.

Over the years, the Bureau's efficiency in bringing every Heavenly Spirit under its monitoring had steadily improved. Although it couldn't achieve 100%, nearly one-third of the Heavenly Spirits currently in existence had been registered by the Bureau.

This was considered one of the Immortal Alliance's most precious assets.

However, this was actually just a secondary task for the Heaven-Overseeing Bureau.

The Bureau's true responsibility was to constantly monitor the traces of the Principles of Heaven and Earth. Even though the Principles of Heaven and Earth remained largely unchanged for thousands of years, the Heaven-Overseeing Bureau had to keep a constant, vigilant watch, without the slightest relaxation.

The Principles of Heaven and Earth were like a vast, interwoven net, forming the Heavenly Dao of the Xuanhuang Realm. There were Celestial Venerables of Longevity who defied the Principles of Heaven and Earth, thereby becoming part of this vast net.

The process of defying these principles would inevitably agitate the threads of this vast net, causing ripples of fluctuation. The greater the degree of defiance, the stronger the fluctuations. Through this method, it was possible to observe whether a cultivator was defying the Principles of Heaven and Earth to attain Longevity Dao.

If such traces were discovered, the identity of the defying cultivator had to be immediately ascertained. If they were a neutral cultivator, that was fine. However, if they belonged to the Council of Five Elders, then every effort, at all costs, had to be made to prevent them from successfully defying the principles.

All these details about the Heaven-Overseeing Bureau flashed through Zhan Fei's mind. He actually had no fondness for this organization where he was about to take up a position, even though his father had emphasized its importance to him countless times. After all, once one joined the Heaven-Overseeing Bureau, the better part of their life would be spent dryly sitting in front of those instruments. They might not even get a single day off in a hundred years.

Such a life...

Unfortunately, the appointment to the Heaven-Overseeing Bureau was not something he could influence. Zhan Fei looked at his friend beside him, a hint of envy flashing in his heart. Perhaps being a local power wasn't so bad after all.

Meanwhile, the black-robed cultivator, named Xiang Zengqiang, had no idea what his friend was thinking. He pondered and hesitated for quite some time before finally making a decision. First, ascertain the identity of the cultivator who stole the Gale Grotto-Heaven, but do not act rashly. Wait and see what actions the Heaven-Overseeing Bureau takes.

***

Cloud Sea.

Ji Shaoli, who had returned to Haixuan Island, was initially unaware that he was being targeted. However, after he finished dealing with the various miscellaneous matters of the Mutual Aid Society, he received an anonymous message.

“Fellow Daoist Ji, do you have a grudge with the Xiang family of Juchao Continent? I’ve seen people there quietly inquiring about you.”

Ji Shaoli's expression was unreadable. “Juchao Continent?” He frowned deeply. His only connection to Juchao Continent was likely the Gale Grotto-Heaven he had assimilated not long ago. He instantly understood the probable reason for having offended them.

After a brief investigation, Ji Shaoli felt a little relieved. The Xiang family was merely a local power in Juchao Continent, with only one Dao Integration expert presiding over them. Even if they came seeking trouble, Ji Shaoli would remain fearless.

“Nevertheless, some preparations should be made.” Ji Shaoli's eyes flickered.

***

Heavenly Sword Sect, Sword Mound.

Li Fan, who had been meditating intently, suddenly awoke. It wasn't due to a potential crisis his clone might face, but because, for some inexplicable reason, he could no longer perceive anything from the sword.

Li Fan looked around. He realized it wasn't just him. The thousands of ancient swords in the Sword Mound also seemed to have lost their connection to the sword at this moment. Their slightly bent blades straightened, appearing utterly bewildered.

Li Fan stared intently at the wooden sword before him. “Is this a change in the sword itself? Has its spiritual essence been lost?”

“No, this is temporary.”

Soon, Li Fan detected a clue. He didn't act rashly, but simply observed the wooden sword carefully and waited patiently. Sure enough, just a quarter of an hour later, the wooden sword regained its magnificent aura as a Heavenly Wonder. It brimmed with sword mysteries, causing thousands of swords to bow in deference.

The question was... What happened during that quarter-hour?

Li Fan immediately became interested. He continued to comprehend the way of the sword while waiting for the next “malfunction” incident to occur.

After several consecutive days of observation, Li Fan discovered the pattern. At regular intervals, the sword would consistently lose its spiritual essence for a quarter of an hour. During this period, the thousands of ancient swords in the Sword Mound also simultaneously lost their connection to the sword.

There was only one exception!

Thanks to the existence of the Dao Transformation Stone in his mind, Li Fan was able to fully record and then compare the reactions of every single sword before and after. Thus, he discovered this unique anomaly!

Having locked onto his target, the next time the “malfunction” occurred, Li Fan swiftly moved to its side. It was an unremarkable, dust-covered black sword. Simple and unadorned. It had neither a sharp edge nor intricate patterns. It seemed utterly ordinary, even somewhat ugly, like a blacksmith apprentice's very first practice piece.

Yet, it was precisely this sword that had gained the favor of the wooden Heavenly Wonder sword. If the scene of thousands of swords bowing in the Sword Mound could be described as the wooden sword giving a unified lesson, then during the “malfunction” period, it was as if the wooden sword was giving private tutoring exclusively to this black sword.