After My Rebirth, I Ended Up Happily Ever After with the Saintess - Chapter 81

The “Deep Dive” plan was quietly launched under Ye Li’s highest directive. The Dark Chamber operated like a precise shadow machine, coordinated by Lin Feng, with unprecedented caution and efficiency. However, the level of sensitivity involved in the investigation was too high; a single misstep could lead to eternal damnation.

Sun Xiaohou deployed all his deepest and most reliable informants, attempting to penetrate the situation from different angles. Some were tasked with monitoring the unusual spending and travel records of the core disciples of Battle Maniac Peak; others tried to contact the old disciples of Battle Maniac Peak who had been ostracized and marginalized by Situ Kuang; and still others mingled in the grey areas, liaising with the black market and information brokers, offering hefty rewards for any information related to “Shadow Demon,” the “Key,” or the major incident in Black Water City a decade or so ago.

Zhang Yuan, relying on his Artifact Hall background (though he had left, his connections remained), cautiously inquired about any abnormal material outflow records from the Artifact Hall or rumors of special “Key”-shaped magical artifacts from that time. Li Yun, utilizing her connections with Danxia Peak, kept an eye out for any demand for the refinement of special elixirs or poisons related to the Demon race or Yin spirits.

Meanwhile, Ye Li herself was not idle. Using her elite disciple privileges, she frequently visited the sect’s hidden archives, ostensibly to research Northern Territory history and ancient formations, in an attempt to access sealed original copies of the Black Water City mission scrolls from over a decade ago, as well as any ancient records mentioning the “Key” or abnormal spatial fluctuations.

However, a taboo is a taboo because it is surrounded by invisible webs. Although the actions of the Dark Chamber and Ye Li were extremely secretive, their target was Situ Kuang, who had entrenched himself in the sect for many years and possessed deep-rooted power, as well as the potentially more sinister force behind him.

The first to notice the abnormality was Situ Kuang.

Inside a secret chamber on Battle Maniac Peak, Situ Kuang’s face was terrifyingly grim as he listened to his trusted disciple’s report.

“Master, in recent days, several disgruntled disciples within the Peak seem to be restless and have increased contact with the outside world. Furthermore, someone in the black market has suddenly been offering a high price for information about ‘Black Water City’ and the ‘Key.’ Also… that bitch Ye Li has been frequently entering the library’s secret archives lately, checking out old cases and obscure ancient texts,” the trusted disciple reported cautiously.

A cold glint flashed in Situ Kuang’s eyes, and he abruptly crushed the armrest of his chair: “Investigate! Investigate those disloyal wretches who dare to leak information fiercely! Also, keep a close watch on Ye Li! She must have sensed something! She cannot be allowed to continue her investigation!”

A strong sense of unease welled up in his heart. Black Water City and the “Key” were his deepest secrets, concerning his grand plan in cooperation with the “Shadow Prison,” and absolutely no mistakes were permitted! Ye Li, this woman, was indeed a menace; she must be eliminated as soon as possible!

Almost at the same time, tens of thousands of miles away from the Profound Cloud Sect, in the depths of a dark valley perpetually shrouded in black mist, within a palace built of bones and black stone.

Upon the throne, a blurry, undulating phantom, seemingly composed of pure shadow, stirred slightly and emitted a cold, hoarse voice that directly affected the soul: “…The ‘dark piece’ at the Profound Cloud Sect has sent word that someone seems to be investigating ‘Black Water City’ and the ‘Key’… The aura points to that little girl with the ‘Primeval Fragment’…”

Beneath the throne, a cultivator wrapped in a black robe and whose aura had reached the Core Formation realm knelt on one knee, respectfully saying: “Lord Shadow Demon, should this subordinate send people to infiltrate the Profound Cloud Sect and eliminate her…”

“No need.” The shadowy phantom, the “Shadow Demon,” interrupted him. “The Profound Cloud Sect is a major human sect after all, with Spirit Communication realm elders residing within. Infiltrating rashly is too risky. Situ Kuang, that waste, can’t even handle this minor matter… Issue an order to him: spare no effort to eliminate that girl during the relic exploration and retrieve the ‘Fragment’! If he fails again, he knows the consequences!”

“Yes!” The black-robed figure slowly merged into the darkness and disappeared.

An invisible crisis, like a steadily tightening noose, was quietly closing in on Ye Li and the Dark Chamber.

Ye Li was the first to feel the pressure. She noticed that her access privileges to the library’s secret archives seemed to be under some implicit restriction; certain especially sensitive areas required higher-level approval for entry. When she tried to access the complete scrolls of the Black Water City mission again, a senior deacon in charge of the archives (who was secretly friendly with Battle Maniac Peak) politely declined her request, citing that “parts of the scroll involve the sect’s secrets and require personal approval from the Sect Master or Elder Yan of the Enforcement Hall.”

This seemed to comply with the rules, but the timing was too coincidental. Ye Li sneered inwardly, knowing that the opponent had begun to take precautions.

Even more alarming was the subtle feeling that she was being monitored by several extremely well-hidden auras. These auras were faint and elusive, and their stealth techniques were highly refined, far beyond what ordinary Pulse Condensation or even Spirit Mansion cultivators could manage, resembling specialized secret agents. She tried to counter-track them with her divine sense, but the other party always managed to conceal themselves a step ahead, clearly having undergone special training.

“As expected, I’ve alerted the enemy…” Ye Li felt a chill. The opponent’s quick and professional reaction further confirmed the extraordinary nature of the force behind them.

Things also started to go wrong with the Dark Chamber. Several key informants developed by Sun Xiaohou successively lost contact, neither seen alive nor found dead. An peripheral member who tried to contact the marginalized old disciples of Battle Maniac Peak encountered an “accident” on his way back, falling off a cliff; though he luckily survived, he was severely injured and fell into a coma. A secret liaison point set up by Lin Feng in the market was destroyed overnight by unidentified individuals, and all its supplies were plundered.

All signs indicated that a cleanup operation targeting the Dark Chamber was quietly unfolding. The opponent’s counterattack was ruthless and efficient.

“Chamber Master, the situation is grim! ‘Shadow Fang’ lost contact after sending the last message! The message contained only four words: ‘Danger, retreat quickly!'” The message transmitted by Lin Feng through the subsidiary mirror carried an unprecedented urgency.

Ye Li’s heart sank. Shadow Fang was a trusted confidant of Gao Sheng; his disappearance and warning meant that the Dark Chamber’s infiltration might have been detected, and Shadow Fang himself had likely been exposed and was in danger.

“Initiate the emergency plan!” Ye Li decided immediately. “All active members must immediately enter a state of deep dormancy and sever all non-essential contacts! Abandon all potentially exposed strongholds! Lin Feng, leave your current residence immediately and activate the backup safe house! Zhihe, Xiaohou, Xiaoyi, Zhang Yuan, Li Yun, the five of you must temporarily disperse, take long-distance sect missions as rogue cultivators, and seek refuge outside the sect’s sphere of influence! You are not to act or make contact without my direct order!”

This was a decision to sacrifice a limb to save the body. It meant that part of the network the Dark Chamber had painstakingly built would be forced to be abandoned, and their development momentum would suffer a severe setback. But to preserve the core strength, this was the only choice.

“Yes! Chamber Master! You must also be extremely careful!” Lin Feng knew the severity of the situation and immediately executed the order.

After cutting off communication with the Dark Chamber, Ye Li sat alone in her quiet room, the atmosphere so oppressive it was suffocating. The investigation had just begun, and it had met with such a fierce counterattack. The opponent’s cunning and strength exceeded her expectations. The truth of her parents’ disappearance seemed to be shrouded in an even thicker layer of mist, and she herself had fallen into unprecedented danger.

Overt difficulties with the Heart-Questioning Mirror, secret surveillance, and the cleanup operation targeting the Dark Chamber… Crises surged from all directions.

But there was no trace of retreat in her eyes; instead, an even colder flame ignited. The more frantically the opponent tried to cover up, the more it indicated that she had touched upon the crucial point! This only strengthened her resolve to continue the investigation.

“You want my life? Then let’s see who falls first!” Ye Li slowly clenched her fist, her fingertips turning slightly white from the effort.

She realized that her previous strategy needed adjustment. Under the absolute disparity in strength and the opponent’s tight defense, secret investigation would be difficult to make progress and would only continuously deplete her resources. Perhaps the Ice Palace Relic, this seemingly most dangerous vortex center, might instead become the opportunity to break the deadlock! The complex environment there, mixed with various factions, was the perfect place to fish in troubled waters and find a breakthrough!

She needed stronger power, and she needed to give those enemies hiding in the dark a fatal “surprise” in the relic!

In the following days, Ye Li entered a complete seclusion. She dedicated all her energy to cultivation and honing her killing moves. All the disturbances of the outside world seemed irrelevant to her. However, an even more intense storm was rapidly brewing beneath this seemingly calm seclusion. A life-and-death crisis was imminent.