"Thank you, Master!"

Yang An breathed a sigh of relief when he learned that he could control the Concealment Seal himself.

It would be torture for him if his Cultivation Level was constantly suppressed to the Fake Food stage.

However, if he could control its release, it wouldn't really affect him. In a true life-or-death situation, he could even remove all the Seals and unleash his full power.

From this perspective, Elder Zhuan Yu's actions were surprisingly considerate, not compulsory.

"One more thing."

At this moment, Elder Zhuan Yu spoke again.

He reached into the bloody hole in his chest and scooped out a large pool of bright red blood.

The blood writhed and twisted in his hand as if it were alive. It was quickly compressed to the size of a grain of rice before he flicked it into Yang An's body.

"I am gifting you a sliver of the Power of Rules for protection. If anyone with a Cultivation Level below mine attacks you, it can take your place in death at a critical moment. However, this can only be used once. Remember not to provoke anyone too powerful!"

The moment it entered Yang An's body, it vanished without a trace. 'Clearly, it can't be actively triggered, only passively used.'

From Elder Zhuan Yu's words alone, it was clear that the journey to the Great Virtue Temple would be extremely perilous.

"Thank you, Master!"

'Having a wisp of the Power of Rules that can take my place in death is like having an extra life.'

Still, Yang An summoned his courage and asked, "I just don't know what its limit is."

He was, in fact, asking about Elder Zhuan Yu's current Cultivation Realm to get a clearer picture.

Elder Zhuan Yu didn't hide it.

"Middle Stage of the Insect Dao!"

Hearing this, Yang An couldn't help but be surprised.

'I figured Elder Zhuan Yu's Cultivation Level might be in the Insect Dao, and I was right, but I still underestimated him. To think he's in the Middle Stage of the Insect Dao.'

'Someone at the Insect Dao realm can only be an Internal Affairs Elder in the Golden Thread Pavilion. And above the Internal Affairs Elders, there's the Pavilion Master. Just how terrifying must he be?'

'Rumor has it that a true Great Power, an expert at the Immortal Platform realm, resides within the Golden Thread Pavilion. Not even the Great Virtue Temple has such an expert, which is why the two sects can contend as equals within the Treasure Temple Domain.'

'I wonder if that legendary Great Power of the Immortal Platform is the Pavilion Master of the Golden Thread Pavilion?'

'I'm a member of the Golden Thread Pavilion, yet I have to go be a mole in another Overlord Level power, navigating between the two. I can already imagine how dangerous it will be.'

'One wrong step, and I'll be beyond saving!'

"I understand!"

Yang An took a deep breath. 'In this situation, the only way to protect myself is to become stronger. I can't rely on anyone else.'

"Once you're at the Great Virtue Temple, I will communicate with you through the Rule Seal if anything comes up. Do not let your guard down, no matter what."

"Yes!"

"Also, if you must face our own people from the Golden Thread Pavilion in the future, run if you can, kill if you must. Don't be indecisive!"

"Yes!"

At this moment, Elder Zhuan Yu sounded like a nagging old man. 'At least as a master,' Yang An thought, 'he's far more reliable than that old geezer Life Crane.'

"If that is all, then go! Head east to the Cyan Lotus State."

Elder Zhuan Yu waved his hand. Before Yang An could respond, his body, completely beyond his control, transformed into a streak of light and shot out of the Golden Thread Pavilion, heading east.

Just as Yang An's figure vanished from the small loft, Elder Zhuan Yu seemed to sense something and disappeared from where he stood.

「Outside the Golden Thread Pavilion, above the clouds.」

A streak of light shot past like a meteor, vanishing over the distant horizon in the blink of an eye.

But just then, a figure flew out from the Golden Thread Pavilion, poised to give chase.

SHINK!

A thin line of blood suddenly materialized from the void and landed on the figure, instantly kicking up a cloud of green mist.

Elder Zhuan Yu's figure abruptly materialized in midair. Holding a short sword, he smiled at the figure now wreathed in green gas.

"Wen Zhao, to attack my disciple so brazenly… you're underestimating me quite a bit."

The man stopped by the Sword Qi was none other than Wen Zhao, one of the Golden Thread Pavilion's Internal Affairs Elders.

Faced with Elder Zhuan Yu's obstruction, green gas billowed from Wen Zhao's body, as if he were engulfed in green flames.

"Heh, I was just out for a stroll. Why such a big reaction? I can just go back, it's no big deal."

"You'd better have been just strolling!"

A cold sneer crossed Elder Zhuan Yu's face. He sensed Yang An's aura growing more and more distant until it vanished completely, at which point he finally sheathed his short sword.

Wen Zhao snorted, turned, and flew back toward the Golden Thread Pavilion, clearly abandoning his pursuit.

However, just as he was about to enter the Golden Thread Pavilion's Floating City, a voice suddenly resounded in the ears of every Internal Affairs Elder within the Pavilion, including his.

"Zhuan Yu's disciple, Mu'an, has betrayed the sect! Effective immediately, anyone who sees this person is to execute him on sight. No report is necessary; whether he lives or dies is irrelevant!"

'That's… the Pavilion Master's voice!'

Wen Zhao froze in midair. He spun around to face Elder Zhuan Yu, the veins on his forehead bulging.

"You stopped me just to let him get away? You bastard!"

"Heh!"

Elder Zhuan Yu didn't answer. With a cold laugh, his figure vanished in an instant.

Wen Zhao's chest heaved. He looked in the direction Yang An had gone, but he could no longer sense his aura and had no idea where he was. It was obvious he could no longer give chase.

"You old bastard! Get your ass out here and fight me!"

-----------------

The Cyan Lotus State was one of the Sixty-four States under the jurisdiction of the Great Virtue Temple. Its territory was vast, spanning nearly two thousand li, and it bordered Weishui State, which was controlled by the Golden Thread Pavilion. The two states were separated only by a murky, yellow river.

The river's water was a turbid, grayish yellow.

Weeds bobbed on the surface, while dead branches and fallen leaves hugged the banks, creating a particularly desolate and barren scene.

This river had been the boundary between the two states since ancient times. On one side of the river lay a continuous, majestic mountain range with undulating peaks. The other state was pleasantly flat, with a thousand li of fertile plains.

But even though this boundary river had meandered for who knows how many years, no one had ever been willing to settle and live along its banks.

The river's depth was unknown, but everyone knew what lurked beneath it. From afar, there was not a single sign of life to be seen, making it look like a slumbering portrait. Up close, no one dared approach.

Suddenly, a falling star shot from the horizon and plunged into the river, instantly raising waves dozens of feet high.

In an instant, indistinct shadows flickered beneath the water as countless black things swarmed forward like writhing snakes.

SPLASH—

The river's surface erupted in a massive spray of water as a figure quickly escaped from it. Several black shadows followed close behind, leaping several meters out of the water. With scarlet eyes fixed upon him, they opened their terrifyingly fanged mouths, aiming for his head.

Suddenly, a discus radiating a solemn and holy light appeared in the man's hand. He timed it perfectly. Just as the Demon Fiends descended in unison, the discus shot through their bodies in an instant.

THUD THUD THUD—

Seven or eight grotesque heads slammed heavily onto the ground. A torrent of scarlet blood gushed out, staining the area red.

The headless bodies fell back into the water, sending up more splashes.

Yang An caught his breath and retracted the glowing discus. He looked down at his soaked clothes, now spattered with disgusting blood, and his mood soured completely.

'Who knew that when Elder Zhuan Yu sent me flying a thousand li, he was aiming right for this river?' He'd had no control and could only plunge headfirst into the water. He didn't regain command of his own body until the Demon Fiends were drawn out.

Luckily, these Demon Fiends weren't very strong; they were just some low-level fodder.

With the discus in hand, he could eliminate them.

He took a clean set of clothes from his Meat Burial Talisman and changed into them. The blood-stained garments were tossed into the river and were immediately fought over by a swarm of Demon Fiends that surged up from the water. Yang An, meanwhile, took a look at his surroundings.

Through the Bow Lady, he learned that he was currently within the territory of the Cyan Lotus State. Continuing east would lead him to its main city.

Under the jurisdiction of the Great Virtue Temple, every city was guaranteed to have a Buddha-Worship Glazed Tower and a temple established by the sect. The Buddha-Worship Glazed Tower and temple in the main city naturally held the highest status.

And the main city of the Cyan Lotus State was named Celestial Buddha City.

What Yang An needed to do now was proactively approach the Great Virtue Temple and become one of its members, so naturally, he had to go to Celestial Buddha City.

'How can I be a mole if I don't first become a member of the Great Virtue Temple?'

Just like with the Golden Thread Pavilion, not just anyone could enter the main sect. The only feasible path was to first go through these Glazed Towers and temples.

'First, I'll use Celestial Buddha City to enter a branch of the Great Virtue Temple, and then I'll figure out how to get into the main sect's headquarters.'

This was also why Elder Zhuan Yu had sent him to the Cyan Lotus State first.

It was worth noting that the streak of light had not only transported him here but had also completely erased all traces of his aura.

This meant that even if he encountered a Great Power Cultivator, they wouldn't be able to detect who he had been in contact with or where he had been.

Elder Zhuan Yu's arrangements had been quite thorough, which put Yang An much more at ease.

Unfortunately, his Cultivation Level was suppressed to the Middle Stage of Fake Food, so he couldn't use Sky Control to travel and would have to go on foot.

Fortunately, he had mastered a Body Technique. Though he hadn't used it in a long time, it would come in handy now.

A day later, in the early morning, Yang An unexpectedly encountered a merchant caravan on his journey.

The caravan had over thirty people and six horse-drawn carriages laden with goods.

To be able to travel as merchants in an environment teeming with Demon Fiends was certainly no simple feat.

Sure enough, Yang An spotted several people among them who had a Cultivation Level. They were traveling with the caravan, and two of them even looked like Monks.

His appearance immediately put the entire caravan on alert. Even after they saw he wasn't a Demon Fiend, they didn't relax their guard.

The few Cultivators with cultivation moved to protect the caravan, sizing up Yang An as he emerged from the forest.

"Seeing as you're headed this way, you must be going to Celestial Buddha City? I was wondering if I might be allowed to travel with you."

Although Yang An had always been accustomed to traveling alone, the current situation was different. Since he needed to get into the Great Virtue Temple, he first had to learn about its current state of affairs. He therefore took the initiative to strike up a conversation, hoping to make contact with these people and obtain the information he needed.