Otherworldly Affairs Office-Chapter 680 Internal Debate (Subscription Requested)

Seeing the hesitant look on Sword Stand Man's face, Pei Yan knew his words had already touched him, so he stepped forward and patted his shoulder to reassure him, "I spoke to you because I believe you are a reliable person. You don't need to make a decision; just report my words unchanged to your sect, and they will have their own judgment."

"Sigh!" Sword Stand Man sighed helplessly, a look of loneliness on his face as he turned to leave. After a while, when he appeared before Pei Yan again, he had already composed himself and spoke calmly, "I have notified my master, and the sect has agreed with your suggestion to report the news to the Immortal Palace. I will act as a witness from the Daoist Realm, accompanying you. Whether questioned later or not, there will be an explanation. However, my strength has not yet recovered to forty percent, I fear..."

Pei Yan waved his hand with a sinister smile and said coldly, "You can come along, but you don't need to make a move when we catch them. I have old accounts that I must settle personally with them."

Seeing Sword Stand Man frightened by his hideous face, Pei Yan broke into a smile to cover up his eagerness for the upcoming battle and asked, "Did your master also agree to my second request? Have you arranged everything for your fellow disciples?"

Sword Stand Man shook his head and smiled bitterly, "You already guessed it, so why ask? I have arranged for the sect to issue strict orders that during my trip with you, no one is allowed to leave Yirong Pavilion or contact outsiders. Violators of the rules will be dealt with, including my junior sister."

"Oh, your sect doesn't even trust your junior sister?" Pei Yan asked in slight surprise after hearing this.

Clearly, Sword Stand Man did not want to discuss this issue with Pei Yan, so he waved his hand to change the subject, "This is a matter for our sect, Young Master Pei need not worry. What should we do next?"

"Wait!"

"Wait?" Sword Stand Man asked in puzzlement.

Pei Yan nodded and spread his hands in resignation, "Li Songtao is still wandering around the city aimlessly, probably to see if anyone is tracking him. Once he settles down and reaches his hideout, we will act."

"Can you monitor him from such a distance? Won't he be aware of it?" Sword Stand Man looked at Pei Yan with confidence, bemused.

"I have my ways, and whether he is aware or not doesn't matter. If this is truly a trap to lure me, he would love for me to follow him into it. Had he not lingered in the city for so long, he would have already missed his chance to escape from my grasp. So don't worry, be patient and wait for the news."

At night, in a residential house in Yonghe Square, Li Songtao, who had been wandering outside all day, quietly opened the door. Just as he was locking it behind him, a voice, slightly irritated, asked from the shadows, "Coming back so late, where have you been?"

Upon hearing this voice, Li Songtao sneered, dismissively locking the door, "Nowhere, just wandering around to ease my mind."

"Just wandering around? Don't forget this is beneath the Immortal Palace! Do you really believe someone in the Immortal Palace is veiling the secrets of the Ten-Eyed Well, turning a blind eye to us, and you are truly at ease? The Immortal Palace dismantling the bridge after crossing it is commonplace, and they're masters at reneging on their word," the voice in the shadows retorted, lowering its voice in admonishment.

"Hmph!" Li Songtao snorted coldly, stretched leisurely, and turned to head inside, speaking casually, "I know more about this place and the nature of the Immortal Palace people than you do! I know what I'm doing; you from the Keystone Plane don't need to point fingers!"

"Li Songtao, don't forget this is a joint operation from multiple parties! You've repeatedly ignored orders and gone out on your own. If you don't give me a satisfactory explanation today, I will report this matter, and someone will deal with you," a tall figure stepped from the shadows, blocking Li Songtao's way, scolding sternly.

Intimidated by the overwhelming presence of the middle-aged man before him, a murderous intent arose in Li Songtao, but recalling the Sect Leader's orders at the time of departure, he knew the upcoming mission was vital. Any mishap due to conflict would not be easily forgiven by the sect as the last time he was captured. Thinking of this, Li Songtao exhaled deeply, relaxed his tightly clenched fists, forced a smile, and explained, "Suhabaru, there's no need to make things so tense; I just went out for a walk to clear my head. I can assure you I didn't provoke any sect disciples, and I returned here after confirming no one was following me. Does this answer satisfy you?"

Hearing Li Songtao's words, Suhabaru, the middle-aged man, eased his expression and was about to reprimand him slightly to remind him, when a person shrouded in a black robe in the corridor began to sarcastically speak, "Hmph, you didn't provoke sect members? You didn't, but you probably went to provoke the Investigation Hall, right?"

"Audacious, I'm talking to your elder, where is your turn to speak? Are young ones from the Keystone Plane all so disrespectful?" Li Songtao retorted angrily, ashamed.

The black-robed man, unperturbed, laughed and said, "Did I say anything wrong? A few days ago, when the message about the Investigation Hall arrived at the residence, your face turned unsightly. Since that day, you, who had been adhering to the rules, began to leave early and return late. Surely, you were investigating the Investigation Hall's information?"

Faced with the questioning from the black-robed man and Suhabaru's suspicious eyes, Li Songtao, seeing the truth revealed, admitted honestly, "So what if I was? You God's Desire people have been besieged by the Investigation Hall like a family dog, scared out of your wits, but not me! Since the next plan targets the Investigation Hall, there's nothing wrong with me gaining intel on them early."

What God's Desire! What Investigation Hall! Li Songtao held them in no regard! Back when he crossed into the Keystone Plane, if not for the misfortune of encountering the source entity's avatar, how could those few people have captured him? How would he have been interrogated and tortured? That is all secondary; the scene of defeat, where two juniors, whom he regarded as ants, mounted him, beating him fervently, still haunts him. It burns him with resentment, wishing those two would appear before him so he could personally tear them to pieces to quell his anger.

Therefore, when he learned the Investigation Hall arrived from another dimension, his heart became restless and agitated. Later, when he heard about the significant incident at the Heroes Pavilion, Li Songtao could no longer suppress his murderous intent, braving the possible reprimand from the Sect Leader, determined to seek revenge. But upon following the trail to the destination, he was forced by the circumstances, unable to find an opportunity to strike.