Chapter 912: Manipulation
Chapter 912: Manipulation
In the subsequent operations targeting the Demon Sect, as expected, the Dao Prefecture Office repeatedly came up empty-handed, only to be left "frustrated and furious."
Having the Dao Prefecture Office under his control, and seeing Gu Changhuai's "anger and despair," this sense of accomplishment further deepened Elder You's belief:
"There is indeed an inside informant within the Demon Sect, leaking secrets to the Dao Prefecture Office."
"Mr. Yuan" is indeed helping them intercept magnetic patterns and safeguarding confidential information.
The magnetic patterns provided by Mr. Yuan are all genuine.
And the intelligence he deciphered is also not false.
Elder You increasingly trusted "Mr. Yuan," and as a result, his desire to keep "Mr. Yuan" in the Demon Sect forever became even stronger, and his attitude became more amiable.
Mo Hua also knew that the timing was almost right.
His "role-playing" was a success, even more so than the original "Mr. Yuan."
The deceased "Mr. Yuan" probably wasn't as trusted and likable as he was.
He could now proceed with the next step of his plan:
This time, he intended to kill two Golden Core Demon Lords with a borrowed knife, devouring them in one go to satisfy his appetite, and then refining enough Divine Marrow to break through the late Foundation Establishment Stage.
But which two should he kill? This required careful consideration.
Mo Hua began searching within the Demon Sect for suitable candidates, but after much deliberation, he felt none were quite right.
The Golden Core Demon Lords who were easy to kill had already been manipulated by him and died at the hands of the Dao Prefecture Office.
By now, the remaining Golden Core Cultivators either hid in deep seclusion, had extensive experience, or had endured countless bloody trials and tribulations, making their Elder positions unshakable.
These people were Demon Cultivators, ruthless killers with insane minds. Who knew what connections they had, and who knew what they were thinking deep down?
The situation was a bit complex.
Mo Hua didn't believe that the small amount of information he had eavesdropped on in this short time would be enough to untangle the Demon Sect's intricate interpersonal relationships.
Accusing someone without solid evidence could easily lead to trouble.
After much deliberation, Mo Hua decided to let "Elder You" choose for himself.
Since there were potential pitfalls in choosing any candidate, he decided to pass the difficult task directly to "Elder You."
He would let Elder You select the "favored" inside informant himself.
"I'll only guide him, but not make decisions for him. Anyway, it doesn't matter which Demon Lord dies; the Divine Remains are all the same, and I'm not picky."
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before sending a letter to Elder You:
"Over these days, I've screened through hundreds of times and finally found some clues..."
"The Lightning-Magnetic Array Disk at the bottom of the Primordial Magnetic Composite Array originates from a rare Lightning-Magnetic Array Disk."
"This Lightning-Magnetic Array Disk is well-hidden and hard to detect, but it requires a certain foundation in array techniques to operate."
"The fluctuations of the Lightning-Magnetic Array Disk are mostly concentrated around midnight."
Mo Hua provided some "clues."
Elder You, as expected, took this very seriously.
Following these clues, he pondered for a while before saying, "Mr. Yuan implies that the 'inside informant' in our sect is an Array Master or, at the very least, has a certain understanding of array techniques."
"Every night, around midnight, he secretly steals our sect's secrets and then transmits this confidential information to the Dao Prefecture Office in the form of Lightning-Magnetism?"
Mo Hua vaguely replied, "There's a possibility..."
"But..." Elder You frowned, "...among the current Elders in our Demon Sect, none are proficient in array techniques..."
Mo Hua paused, at a loss for words.
Array Masters are usually crucial and easier to kill.
That's why he gave such a "hint," trying to lead Elder You towards an Array Master.
Yet, among so many Elders in the Demon Sect, not a single one was an Array Master?
Were they not ambitious at all? Could learning array techniques be fatal? Mo Hua inwardly scoffed and sighed, sending another letter, "It's possible that my speculation is wrong."
Elder You remained silent for a moment, then said, "Not necessarily..."
Mo Hua was taken aback.
Elder You himself had doubts:
"Is it possible that someone is proficient in array techniques but keeps it hidden to avoid suspicion?"
Mo Hua: "It's not impossible..."
"But who could this person be?" Elder You asked.
Mo Hua: "This is an internal matter of your Demon Sect, so I'm not very clear about it..."
He distanced himself from the matter.
Elder You pondered for a moment, then confirmed, "Is it necessary for an Array Master to operate the Lightning-Magnetic Array Disk? Can ordinary cultivators, with practice, also manipulate the array disk?"
Mo Hua carefully replied, "The Lightning-Magnetic Array Disk is intricate and precise, and without some foundation in array techniques, it's incomprehensible. Moreover, the Lightning-Magnetic Array Disk is prone to damage. If this person is hiding within the Demon Sect and lacks array technique skills, once the array disk is damaged, even repairs would be impossible."
Mo Hua spoke with great conviction.
Elder You deeply agreed, "Mr. Yuan's words are reasonable..."
The direction of an Array Master was indeed worth investigating.
However, he had one more doubt, "There's one more thing... At midnight, the Elders of the Demon Sect often gather to drink fresh blood and exchange insights. They shouldn't have the time to leak secrets using Lightning-Magnetism..."
Mo Hua frowned.
He had just made up a time, and coincidentally, the Demon Sect Elders chose this very time for their gathering.
Were Demon Cultivators all night owls?
At this point, he couldn't change his story, so he firmly said, "I only focus on array techniques, and the Lightning-Magnetic Patterns indicate this. I'm not familiar with other details..."
Elder You had his suspicions, but after some thought, he also felt it made sense.
Mr. Yuan was an Array Master, and naturally, he spoke according to the principles of arrays. If something existed, he would say it did, and if it didn't, he would say it didn't.
Other matters were not within his scope of consideration.
Elder You contemplated, "Precisely because it's midnight, the elders are gathered, so leaking secrets at this time won't arouse suspicion, and the method is more covert..."
He had convinced himself.
Mo Hua: "That makes sense..."
Elder You's gaze intensified, and he nodded, "I'll look into this matter. Thank you, Mr. Yuan."
Mo Hua said, "When entrusted with a task, one must be loyal to the task. Elder You, you're too kind."
After that, the two had nothing more to say.
In an unknown bloody stone chamber.
Elder You put away the Elder Token used for sending messages and drank a cup of blood wine, beginning to ponder the clues Mo Hua had given him.
After some thought, a sudden thought occurred to him: "Could this Mr. Yuan be deceiving me?"
Elder You pondered for a moment, then couldn't help but ask himself, "What has Mr. Yuan deceived me about?"
It was inevitable that the Demon Sect had an inside informant.
It was also reasonable for the informant to know arrays.
From beginning to end, this Mr. Yuan seemed to have little interest in the Demon Sect's internal affairs.
He was hired by Elder You to serve the Demon Sect.
Everything he said was based on the Lightning-Magnetic Array, and while he didn't hide anything, he also didn't reveal more than necessary.
Moreover, the information he provided had indeed helped the sect resolve crises and break through the Dao Prefecture Office's encirclement multiple times.
Elder You reflected on this, slightly nodding and dismissing his concerns.
"Since the information is credible, I can investigate based on these clues..."
"Arrays..."
"Among the Demon Sect elders, who secretly studied arrays? Who has the ability to use arrays but keeps it hidden, doing things that cannot be revealed..."
Elder You's gaze turned cold as he calculated each possibility.
"First, my eldest brother couldn't be the informant."
"My second brother, the most senior, also has no reason to betray the sect. After all, this sect was temporarily formed for a grand scheme, to raise blood slaves. It's just a makeshift demon sect, to be discarded after use. How could my second brother betray..."
"The third brother is me, and I'm definitely not the problem..."
"The fourth brother is an executioner, bloodthirsty and murderous. He's used to hunt down traitors. He's usually chained up and not allowed to go out. His mind only knows the word 'kill,' and it's difficult to ask him to memorize array patterns."
"The fifth and sixth brothers just escaped from that valley and are temporarily lying low. They're also suspects..."
"The seventh brother was lecherous and is already dead."
"The eighth brother has a meticulous mind and is loyal. The Demon Sect's plans usually go through him, and although he may not have achievements, he has endured hardships..."
"The ninth brother is greedy and not very scheming..."
"The tenth brother is dead."
"The eleventh is dead."
"The twelfth is dead..."
...
Elder You went through the list in his mind, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure out who was secretly studying arrays.
The brothers were all bloodthirsty and powerful.
But when it came to studying arrays... who had the brains for that? Yet, Mr. Yuan's words couldn't be wrong, and the signs of Lightning-Magnetic energy couldn't be wrong either.
"Go investigate. As long as we investigate, someone will eventually slip up..."
Elder You's expression turned cold.
As for how the Demon Sect conducted the investigation, Mo Hua had no way of knowing.
A few days later, Elder You sent a message to Mo Hua: "Mr. Yuan, I've found some clues. Currently, the fifth, sixth, eighth, and ninth brothers are all suspects..."
Mo Hua replied indifferently, "Oh."
Elder You said, "I'd like to ask Mr. Yuan for his opinion."
Mo Hua was slightly startled. He naturally wouldn't answer such a risky question but said, "I'm just an Array Master."
Elder You quickly explained, "Mr. Yuan, you've misunderstood. I'm not testing you; I'd like to ask you to observe and determine who among them is most likely to be an Array Master."
Mo Hua contemplated for a moment before agreeing, "Alright..."
Elder You said, "Among these people, the ninth brother loves to eat and often locks himself in his room, doing who knows what. After he comes out, he eats a lot, or else he'll over-exert himself..."
"The eighth brother has the most intricate thoughts. The Demon Sect's plans usually go through him, and he's the most cautious in his actions."
"The fifth and sixth brothers recently escaped from... that place..."
"That place?"
"This place is secret, so it's not appropriate to reveal it."
Mo Hua furrowed his brows but didn't ask further, only replying with an "Mmm."
Elder You continued, "After they escaped, according to custom, they joined our Demon Sect temporarily for shelter. Therefore, it's also possible that they don't share the same intentions as us."
"The fifth brother is short and skinny, while the sixth brother is tall and has deep, steady eyes..."
...
Elder You explained the situations of these individuals to Mo Hua and then asked, "Mr. Yuan, who do you think is most likely to be an Array Master?"
For a moment, Mo Hua also felt a bit conflicted.
Because he felt that these four individuals all had the characteristics of an Array Master.
One was greedy, one was cunning, one was short, and one had deep eyes...
This made it difficult for him to choose.
Mo Hua casually pointed at one, "Elder Ba, he's deep in thought and meticulous. He's a bit like that."
Elder You shook his head, "Elder Ba has been in the sect for many years, working tirelessly for the sect's interests. He has no ulterior motives."
"What about Elder Jiu? Array Masters often deplete their divine perception, and sometimes they need to eat more."
"Elder Jiu is big and fat. He may not have the cunning or the dedication to learn array formations."
"What about Elder Wu? He's not tall, so his Sea of Consciousness should be more condensed..."
"Is that so?"
"It should be..."
"But he doesn't seem like that either."
"Then Elder Liu."
"Elder Liu has demonic energy on his body. Demonic Cultivators usually can't learn array formations..."
...
And so, Mo Hua, the "inside informant," was seriously discussing with the Demon Sect's elders, trying to figure out who the real inside informant was.
But no matter whom he guessed, Elder You denied it.
Mo Hua was at a loss.
Because he was just making things up, and it was possible that none of these people were Array Masters.
Mo Hua decided to be honest, "Is it possible that none of these people know array formations?"
Unexpectedly, Elder You shook his head, "No, I can assure you that one of them definitely has a foundation in array formations."
Mo Hua didn't know what else to say...
You've already made up your mind.
"After discussing with Mr. Yuan, I have a lead. Please allow me to investigate further." Elder You said.
"Okay, Elder You, please go ahead with the investigation. I'll continue to screen the Primordial Magnetic Array." Mo Hua said, appearing busy.
"Thank you, Mr. Yuan," Elder You replied, and without disturbing Mo Hua further, he went to investigate.
Mo Hua, however, was feeling a bit pessimistic.
This investigation seemed to be hitting a dead end...
Should he offer some other clues to guide Elder You in another direction?
What kind of clues should he give? Mo Hua pondered for several days. Just as he was about to change his approach and guide Elder You from another angle, Elder You found him first.
"Mr. Yuan, as you predicted, there is indeed an Array Master among our elders."
Mo Hua was surprised, "Really?"
"Didn't you say so?"
"Well... I was just speculating based on the principles of the Lightning-Magnetic Array. I wasn't entirely sure."
Mo Hua remained impartial and objective.
Elder You said, "As expected of Mr. Yuan, you are meticulous and thoughtful in your actions."
Mo Hua asked curiously, "Who is the Array Master?"
Elder You's gaze turned slightly solemn, "Elder Ba."
Mo Hua, "Oh..."
Elder You explained, "I sent someone to investigate, and it was then that we discovered that over the years, Elder Ba seemed to be strategizing and working hard for the sect, but behind the scenes, he had embezzled numerous Blood Dan, taken kickbacks, and secretly kept many Blood Slaves."
"He hid these well."
"He learned array formations just to protect his ill-gotten 'assets'."
"Greed and personal gain are truly unforgivable!"
"Now, he's probably afraid of being exposed and eliminated by the sect leader. That's why he's collaborating with the Dao Prefecture Office, hoping for a glimmer of survival..."
Mo Hua was momentarily shocked.
Elder You had actually uncovered the truth...
Indeed, even a flawless egg, when pestered by a fly for long enough, will eventually show cracks.
Not to mention the Demon Sect, whose actions were already under scrutiny.
What surprised Mo Hua the most was that even the Demon Sect had "corruption"...
As expected, where there are people, there is greed, and Demon Cultivators are no exception.
"I see..." Mo Hua said indifferently.
He was mindful of his identity as an impartial Array Master.
"What do you plan to do with Elder Ba?" Mo Hua asked.
"Betraying the sect is unforgivable!"
"The sect will sentence him to death!"
Elder You's eyes filled with killing intent, "He doesn't understand that the foundation of our sect is for a grand ambition."
Grand ambition?
Mo Hua's pupils constricted.
This Demon Sect had an even greater plot.
Could this plot be... the resurrection of the Great Desolate Evil God?
But how was the resurrection of the evil god related to the Demon Sect's actions? How could their blood-sucking and blood banquets help the evil god's rebirth?
"Is there something else I don't know?" Mo Hua frowned.
"Never mind, regardless of what it is, let's deal with it later. For now, consuming the Divine Remains is the priority."
But at this thought, Mo Hua suddenly realized a crucial issue.
If Elder Ba was sentenced to death by the Demon Sect, wouldn't the Divine Remains on his body slip through Mo Hua's fingers?
Wouldn't all his efforts be in vain?
No!
Mo Hua hesitated for a moment and said, "Elder You, is it a bit hasty to decide the life and death of an elder based on this?"
Elder You furrowed his brows in confusion, "What do you mean, Mr. Yuan?"
Mo Hua explained, "The evidence is insufficient. This 'Elder Ba' might not be the inside informant. We can't make a rash decision and sentence him to death just because he knows array formations."
Elder You said, "It doesn't matter. Even if he isn't the inside informant, his greed is enough to warrant his execution."
Mo Hua, "..."
If he's executed, I'll go hungry.
"No..." Mo Hua thought for a moment and continued, "It's not that simple.
If they killed Elder Ba just like that, they wouldn't be able to confirm whether he was truly the 'inside informant'..."
"If he is, then all will be well, and we can put this matter to rest."
"But if he isn't, it means the real informant is still hiding within, and there's a possibility that they might continue to leak information to the Dao Prefecture Office."
Upon hearing this, Elder You's heart tightened, and he had to admit, "Mr. Yuan is indeed thorough in his considerations."
Exposing the inside informant was the most important task.
He almost ruined everything due to his momentary impulsiveness.
Elder You said, "I'll immediately arrest Elder Ba, subject him to the Blood Punishment, interrogate him harshly, and pry out his secrets to see if he's truly the informant colluding with the Dao Prefecture Office."
Mo Hua quickly replied, "No!"
Elder You was taken aback and furrowed his brows, asking, "Mr. Yuan, what's the problem?"
"Torturing him won't work..."
No one understood Elder Ba's situation better than Mo Hua; he wasn't the informant, he was being "wrongly accused."
If the Demon Sect tortured him, it would ruin everything.
Mo Hua said, "Golden Core Realm demon cultivators have strong willpower, and harsh interrogations may not yield results. Moreover, if he's forced to confess, it might lead to incorrect conclusions, muddying the truth and allowing the real informant to slip away..."
Elder You's admiration for Mo Hua grew, "Mr. Yuan is indeed a profound array master with meticulous thoughts. In that case..."
Mo Hua suggested, "We can set up a trap to test Elder Ba and see if he will meet with the Dao Prefecture Office."
"What kind of trap?" Elder You asked.
"I'm just an array master," Mo Hua said, "I'm not very knowledgeable about setting traps."
He passed the question back to Elder You.
Elder You furrowed his brows in thought for a moment, then slowly said, "Then... we'll send Elder Ba on a sect mission. After that, we'll leak this intelligence to the Dao Prefecture Office and see if they will take drastic measures to kill Elder Ba."
"If the Dao Prefecture Office takes lethal action, it proves that Elder Ba isn't the informant. And if he dies at their hands, it saves us the trouble of doing it ourselves, fulfilling our brotherly bond and giving him a dignified end. I won't pursue the past matters."
"On the other hand, if the Dao Prefecture Office lets him go... it proves that Elder Ba is indeed problematic, and he is, without a doubt, the 'inside informant'!"
Mo Hua nodded.
This Elder You had his own style; he was well-versed in the art of killing with a borrowed knife.
Mo Hua said, "I don't understand this matter well, so I'll leave it to Elder You's discretion. But if Elder Ba is indeed the informant, my task will be complete, and I'll claim my reward."
He maintained a professional demeanor.
"Of course, Mr. Yuan has helped us greatly, and we won't mistreat you..."
In the bloody stone chamber, Elder You revealed a playful smile.
"Thank you, Elder You."
In the elegant surroundings of the Great Void Sect, Mo Hua's lips also curled into a faint smile.
...
After that, all plans were arranged by Elder You.
While the Dao Prefecture Office was intensively suppressing the Demon Sect, a mysterious mission was suddenly assigned to Elder Ba within the sect.
Strictly speaking, this mission wasn't impossible for Elder Ba, but with orders from above, he had no choice but to accept.
Elder You's investigation was very discreet.
Elder Ba didn't realize that his actions had already been exposed.
Then, under the careful planning of Mo Hua and Elder You, he naturally walked into the encirclement of the Dao Prefecture Office.
Seeing the overwhelming forces of the Dao Prefecture Office, Elder Ba's heart sank, and he prepared for a life-or-death battle.
But to his surprise, the Dao Prefecture Office, which was known for its relentless pursuit, suddenly showed "strange" mercy.
Gu Changhuai and the others only went through a few symbolic moves with him, without taking lethal action.
Elder Ba easily escaped from the Dao Prefecture Office's encirclement, feeling like he was in a dream, and found it hard to believe.
Just as he thought he had escaped a calamity and felt relieved, a vibration came from the Elder Token.
Someone sent him an anonymous message: "Your secret is exposed. Elder You has set a trap to kill you. Run."
Attached were pieces of evidence of his greed for Blood Pills, his secret Blood Slaves, and his taking of kickbacks.
Each of these was a capital offense within the Demon Sect.
Elder Ba's face turned deathly pale in an instant.
Mo Hua, who had just sent the anonymous message to Elder Ba, turned and sent another message to Elder You: "There's been a change of plans. I'm monitoring Elder Ba's Elder Token..."
"Someone just sent a message to Elder Ba, informing him that his secret is out and telling him to escape."
"You should send a Golden Core Elder to pursue and kill him as soon as possible, to silence him. Otherwise, there might be endless troubles..."
After sending the message, Mo Hua silently counted in his mind.
One Elder Ba on the run.
Plus one Golden Core demon lord chasing Elder Ba.
With these two Golden Core cultivators, he would have enough to break through his cultivation realm.
Of course, he wouldn't mind if Elder You sent more Golden Core demon lords to pursue Elder Ba.
The more, the merrier...
Mo Hua narrowed his eyes and smiled slightly.
(End of Chapter)
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