Chapter 1064: Chapter 48: Operation Rectification

“Actually, this betrayal by my husband is different from ordinary spy defections.”

“Let’s not talk about distant matters, just look at Lei Caiyan’s betrayal in the past. Not only did she steal numerous clues to the Protective Sect Array, but also murdered our Heavenly Craft Workshop’s fourth disciple, Shi Wenshi, and led the Demon Cult to exploit the array’s vulnerabilities to take over Penglai, abducting countless precious resources.”

“All of this, we thought, was to be expected. Because the risk of planting an internal spy is extremely high, once their identity is exposed, they are bound not only to die and have their Dao vanish but may not even free their soul to reincarnate.”

“Perhaps it is precisely because of this that, when we view my husband’s betrayal, we subconsciously equate it with other traitors… but now, Liuli dares to ask Immortal boldly.”

“Aside from the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, has my husband ever stolen any other rare cultivation treasures?”

“…He hasn’t.” Wan Xiang Immortal slowly said.

Not only did he not exploit the sect for gain, but he also discovered the Lianshan Treasury for Penglai, finding the long-lost Shennong Cauldron… If these were tricks used by an internal spy to gain trust, then Wan Xiang Immortal would even wish for more of such schemes.

“Moreover,” Shi Liuli continued, “the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasure Bag left by my father, as the main legacy of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, previously was always held by my husband.”

“But on the night he left the sect, he handed this Hundred Treasure Bag over to me… What does the Immortal think of this?”

Wan Xiang Immortal chuckled and asked:

“Liuli, are you trying to say that Jingyun did not meticulously plan a betrayal but was compelled out of necessity? That because of guilt within him, he took nothing from the sect before defecting, and even attempted to return the Heavenly Craft Hundred Treasure Bag he had already obtained to Penglai?”

“That’s not quite what I mean,” Shi Liuli said plainly. “Connecting these pieces of evidence alone only shows that my husband bears no malice toward the Penglai Yuqing View, and most likely feels guilty, which is why he seeks compensation.”

“As for why my husband defected, whether it was voluntary, and whether there were other forces behind it, I’m not sure and thus don’t dare to speak rashly.”

“Ah, you.” Wan Xiang Immortal sighed deeply, “Talk as much as you want, but in the end, you still can’t let go, can you?”

Shi Liuli remained silent, not answering.

Once upon a time, when she knew her husband had identities as both Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo, and even formed a Daoist partnership with Xu Yinglian, while mutually admiring An Zhisu, she was so angry she couldn’t eat or sleep, and even once considered completely abandoning these feelings.

Just think of it as a poor judgment, falling for a scoundrel!

Once the grief subsided, her anger flared up fiercely once more.

She swore to find that bastard, force him to admit his wrongs, repent with tears streaming down, and finally cut off his roots with a single slice, making him pay entirely for his sins.

But all these illusions… vanished without a trace when she found Chen Guanshui.

She discovered that Chen Guanshui not only did not admit to straying with other women but also would not acknowledge the Daoist partnership with Shi Liuli. He had completely abandoned all his disguised identities, displaying an obsessive, stubborn, even cold and unfeeling attitude, severing and breaking away from everything in the past.

This gave Shi Liuli an uncontrollable sense of fear. She realized that to stand on a moral high ground and accuse the other of infidelity, the premise was that a Daoist partnership still existed between them.

However, if either party wished to unilaterally sever this relationship until it utterly ceased to exist, then all efforts would be meaningless.

In simple words, if love no longer exists, then what use is there in crying, throwing tantrums, or threatening suicide?

Shi Liuli’s sadness and anger were all suppressed by this deep fear. She dared not confront Chen Guanshui head-on, only futilely expressing her grievances and pain in hopes of moving him to repentance and change his ways.

From that time, she realized her true feelings deep within.

Though he meticulously planned to betray the sect, left without a word, abandoning her; though he played other roles, even entangling with many female immortals.

Though he now sees himself as “Wang Shan Taoist,” wanting to sever ties with all previous identities…

But I actually… I still…

“Yes.” Faced with Wan Xiang Immortal’s question, Shi Liuli finally lowered her eyelids and closed her eyes.

“I still can’t let him go.”

—————-

Among the many sects, the reaction of Penglai Yuqing View has recently differed from that of Kunlun and Shushan.

Kunlun Taiqing Sect and Shushan Shangqing Faction have not mentioned Changgeng Qingheng outwardly, nor have they taken any extra actions internally or in private.

It was as if these two persons never existed in the sect in the first place–clearly a strategy to completely handle it with cold treatment.

However, recently for some unknown reason, Penglai has suddenly launched some kind of “Rectification Campaign.”

Why Elder Jingyun left remains unmentioned, but the Master of Xuandu has publicly stated more than once, saying “in this matter, Elder Dong You definitely has no problems.”

Such words obviously address the recent trends inside the View: as everyone knows that Elder Jingyun stole a certain treasure of the Wan Xiang Immortal, then boldly defected and disappeared, nowadays, basically, no one dares to interact with the Heavenly Craft Workshop.

But with the Master of Xuandu’s statement, it seems to indicate some sort of shift in trend: Could it be that Wan Xiang Immortal is no longer angry?

Gradually, the Heavenly Craft Workshop seemed to regain some liveliness.

Many cultivators who were familiar with the View began to visit quietly–of course, all were extremely cautious about being discovered by others.

“Will this really work?” Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua asked puzzledly.

“At least we need to send out signals first,” Shi Liuli replied calmly, “If Penglai still holds hostility against him, then the subsequent plans won’t be able to proceed.”

“I suppose Senior Stone Sister is already prepared.” Shi Qing said obediently, “I see Immortal and Sect Leader are willing to cooperate, so there shouldn’t be any issue.”

“Not necessarily.” Shi Liuli slowly rose to her feet.

Liang Ruohua and Shi Qing both involuntarily looked at her, waiting for her to explain the subsequent actions, but Shi Liuli just slowly walked to the center of the courtyard, gazed at the slightly curling clouds at the horizon, and sighed:

“Who knows what he’s thinking…”

Meanwhile, Jiang the Witch reached the vicinity of the Heavenly Dome, and then, using her overwhelming demon skill, forcibly broke through the Heavenly Dome and rushed into the universe.

Looking back, the barrier of the Heavenly Dome had already restored itself completely, without any signs of damage.

She transformed into a black mist, swiftly traversing the chaotic heavenly river as if there was nothing, finally arriving at the Great Unrestrained Heaven’s Demon Palace.

This Demon Palace was built upon a rocky planet. As Jiang the Witch stepped inside, countless dark shadows emerged from behind pillars, corridors, doors, and windows, transforming into various beauties–playful, charming, innocent, and cute–and said in many voices:

“Sister Li An is back!”

“Sister, did you bring anything fun back?”

“How about I go with Sister to the lower realm?”

“Sister’s cultivation has immensely improved again, can you teach me?”

Five hundred sisters clamored together like five hundred ducks arguing, driving Jiang Li An to her limits, releasing her demonic power abruptly, forcibly pushing all the witches to the edge of the wall.

“Shut up!” She shouted, “No one is allowed to speak!”

The witches were pressed to immobility, only able to nod, secretly astonished within.

This fearsome strength is on par with the father of all their demon kings in years past.

“Alright.” Jiang the Witch saw everyone silent as cicadas, satisfied and said, “I need two good hands who can break illusions. Note, it’s not performing illusions, but breaking them, understand?”

The sisters nodded again in unison.

“What does nodding mean?” Jiang Li An frowned and asked, “Is it understanding, or volunteering?”

The sisters exchanged glances.

“Speak!” Jiang the Witch shouted, and only then did they seem to unzip the mouths, and raised their hands clamoring:

“I can do it! Sister, pick me, trust me!”

“I said break illusions!” Jiang the Witch seeing every sister raising their hands, suddenly had a headache again, “Don’t muddle with me, I’ll check each one of you!”

The witches were unfazed, their raised hands didn’t retract at all.

“Alright.” Jiang the Witch said with a cold smile, “I will personally perform illusions, creating an illusion domain, you all self-nominated will go inside, those who can walk out will pass, those who can’t… will be trapped inside alive forever!”

In a swish, everyone withdrew their hands–For the Great Unrestrained Heavenly Demon, what they fear the most isn’t fighting, but being sealed somewhere, being endlessly bored and unable to escape, that would be suffering.

Jiang the Witch saw the situation shift from overwhelming response to no volunteers, instantly bewildered.

Upon thinking carefully, she realized she is the strongest among all witches. The illusion domain she designed herself, even sisters who studied illusion-breaking wouldn’t have the confidence to come through.

Thus, regardless of ability, everyone claimed incompetence for safety.

“Sister.” Suddenly a witch spoke timidly, “I did learn to break illusions, but to break the illusion domain designed by Sister, I don’t really have confidence…”

“You learned?” Jiang Li An was overjoyed, “You’re the one, come with me!”

She quickly transformed into black mist, wrapping that sister directly inside, and swiftly dashed out of the Demon Palace.

The remaining sisters exchanged glances briefly, then unhesitatingly followed out, after all, who wouldn’t want to enjoy some fun?

But this time Jiang the Witch moved faster, she already left most sisters behind while still within the range of Great Unrestrained Heaven.

“What’s your name?” She suddenly asked the sister in her embrace.

“Huan Yue.” The witch answered.

“Oh.” Jiang Li An had no embarrassment at all, after all, there are several hundred sisters in the Demon Palace, how could she remember every name?

“Where did you learn illusion-breaking?” She continued to probe.

“Here’s how.” Huan Yue responded, “Previously when following sisters to the lower realm, after consuming a cultivator, I found a certain book in his satchel.”

“I thought it was an illusion technique and brought it back for study… only after mastering it did I realize it was a secret technique for breaking illusions.”

Jiang Li An: ……….

A witch who could even mistake secret techniques, can this one really help me break the maze there?

No matter, we’ll test it first!