Chapter 1639: Frankness

Lu Yin ended the call. He actually had no expectations for Xun Jiong and did not expect to gain any useful information at all, but it was still better to leave a hidden spy within Flying Horse Manor than to have nothing at all.

Elder Hu was the hidden tool that Wei Rong had hidden within Chaosgod Mountain. While these tools often seemed inconspicuous, there were also times where they played extremely important roles.

Flying Horse Manor was currently a mess, and no one could reach Madam Hong.

At this moment, Madam Hong was being questioned by Bluedome Elder. The woman’s face was completely blank, as she had no idea what Progenitor Wushang’s hide even was.

Elsewhere, the overseers’ council concluded a meeting, and they refused to stop the war in Blazing Mist Flowzone.

Non-interference with internal powers was a basic tenet of the Hall of Honor. Qing Tan had controlled old man San Shang to have him agree to the proposal, but it had failed to be passed due to the small number of votes in support.

San Liang had actually voted against the proposal, as Lu Yin did not actually have any intention of ending the war in Blazing Mist Flowzone war. Once that war ended, Wang Wen would have to come up with other plans to distract the Innerverse.

Once the overseers’ meeting concluded, Qing Tan received a call from Bluedome Elder. He was unable to discover any issue with Madam Hong or her answers, and it was also impossible for him to thoroughly interrogate her given her status. Thus, Bluedome Elder could only slowly investigate this matter.

However, if people really were agreeing to allow the Great Eastern Alliance to retain five weaves, it meant that there was already a problem within the Sixth Mainland.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Qing Tan was very confident that Lu Yin would not lie to her, mostly because he had no reason to do so and he would gain nothing from doing so. Bluedome Elder naturally believed her report along with the claim that the Autumnfrost family and the others had reached an agreement with Lu Yin. However, actual confirmation required hard evidence.

The proof would be whether or not the Great Eastern Alliance managed to retain five weaves. Once that happened, Bluedome Elder would immediately have cause to take action. What he wanted the most was Progenitor Wusheng’s hide.

On Mt. Microcosms, Qing Tan felt quite exhausted. Old Man San Shang stared off into the distance with dull eyes. His face betrayed the many years he had lived, and his eyes were blank.

Qing Tan glanced over at the old man, and then no longer cared about him.

Soon after, she received a visitor: San Liang. He was the new overseer who had replaced Cong Ying.

Qing Tan was quite wary of San Liang. Even though he did not have any background or support, he had still been approved by Overseer Si Hong. It was very strange for such a person to have slowly climbed up to his current position one step at a time.

San Liang had stopped by to visit Old Man San Shang. In the outside world, there was almost no one who knew that the overseer was being controlled by Qing Tan.

Qing Tan stood behind San Shang as the two greeted San Liang.

"Overseer San Liang, do you have any business with this old man?" old man San Shang asked politely.

San Liang smiled. "I’ve wanted to visit Senior for a long time but have never had the opportunity. During our recent meeting, this junior felt that Senior seemed to be in poor health, so I stopped over to check on you."

The old man San Shang smiled back. "You’re too kind. I’m old, so many a times the heart is willing but the body is not."

San Liang then asked, "Senior has been made an overseer three times and thus should be very clear on the Hall of Honor’s position of non-interference in the disputes of the other various powers. Could I ask, why did you suddenly propose for us to interfere in Blazing Mist Flowzone’s war?"

The old man glanced over at Qing Tan. Her eyes flashed. "Overseer San Liang, this matter is rather complicated, and my father-in-law is not in good health. Might I take my father away to rest?"

San Liang apologized, "This junior was abrupt, so Senior, please rest."

"Qing Tan, help me see Overseer San Liang out," the old man said.

Qing Tan agreed and smiled at San Liang. "Overseer, please."

San Liang nodded and followed Qing Tan as she led him out. Once the two were out of sight of San Shang, San Liang suddenly stopped and turned to look at Qing Tan. "By the way, I have a question, though I don’t know if Miss Qing Tan will know the answer."

Qing Tan felt curious. "What can this little girl know? If the overseer has any questions, he can bring them to my father in a few days."

"Senior doesn't know about this issue, but Miss Qing Tan definitely does. After all, you know Bluedome Elder, don’t you?" San Liang asked as he suddenly lashed out and grabbed Qing Tan by the neck as horror filled her eyes.

San Liang had first worked as one of Mt. Microcosms’ guards, which meant that his power level exceeded 400,000. Even though Qing Tan was Bluedome Elder’s disciple, she was still a bit weaker than one of the Realmlings, let alone someone like San Liang. When he moved against her without warning, she did not even have a chance to react.

San Liang held Qing Tan's neck in a vice-like grip as he grinned at her. "The alliance leader sends his greetings to Miss Qing Tan."

Qing Tan's pupils instantly shrank to pinpricks. Too many people had that title, but only one of them qualified for an overseer like San Liang to use it.

Lu Yin knew that she was from the Sixth Mainland! Not only that, but he also knew that she was Bluedome Elder’s disciple; he knew everything!

Qing Tan instantly understood that everything that Lu Yin had told her during their last call had been a lie. He had simply wanted to send Bluedome Elder a message and had decided to use her as the messenger. However, to what end?

Had it all been to verify her identity? Qing Tan instantly regretted her actions. Lu Yin had to have a mole within the Sixth Mainland feeding him information. He had definitely known that Madam Hong had been summoned for questioning, and he had used that to confirm Qing Tan’s identity. This had to be the situation.

"Whe- when?" Qing Tan's face grew red as she struggled to speak. San Liang had a very tight grip on her, which made it difficult for her to breathe.

San Liang opened his gadget and called Lu Yin. It was not long before they heard Lu Yin's voice. "Done?"

"Alliance Leader, Miss Qing Tan is with me." San Liang was very respectful towards Lu Yin as he handed his gadget over to Qing Tan and set her down.

Qing Tan gasped for air as she stared at the gadget.

"Miss Qing Tan, why don’t you properly introduce yourself?" Lu Yin casually asked. He sounded both overbearing and absolutely confident.

Qing Tan rubbed her neck. "I don't know what Alliance Leader Lu is talking about."

"Since Miss Qing Tan is able to keep Old Man San Shang under control and almost wiped out his family, I fully believe that you are able to keep yourself safe on Mt. Microcosms. However, can Miss Qing Tan leave? Are you able to escape with your life when the Interstellar Supreme Court chases you to the Outerverse?" Lu Yin continued.

Qing Tan sneered. "Alliance Leader Lu, you are too brazen! San Liang clearly is someone who answers to you, which means that you already have a voice representing you among the overseers. And now, you’re trying to manipulate things into making my father become your puppet! Stop dreaming! Even if I die, I will still not allow my father to become your puppet!"

"It looks like Miss Qing Tan is convinced that I don’t have any proof." Lu Yin fiddled with something on his own gadget, and San Liang raised his own as a video appeared; it showed San Shang’s grandson.

Qing Tan paled the moment she saw the little boy.

"Even if you aren’t from the Sixth Mainland, secret controlling an overseer is already a crime deserving of capital punishment. Besides, I also have proof that Miss Qing Tan is Bluedome Elder’s disciple. Tell me, Miss Qing Tan, do you think the Interstellar Supreme Court will give you the death sentence?" Lu Yin said.

Qing Tan's expression instantly changed. She had never expected Lu Yin to find that little boy. In fact, she had been looking for him herself but had never found any trace of him.

"What is it that Alliance Leader Lu wants?" Qing Tan asked quietly.

Lu Yin spoke slowly, "First of all, I want to know if Miss Qing Tan fears death. San Liang, get in touch with the Interstellar Supreme Court and request for a trial."

"Yes, Alliance Leader Lu." San Liang instantly agreed, and he immediately placed a call to the Interstellar Supreme Court as Qing Tan watched.

Her expression changed even more as she stared at San Liang's actions. She watched carefully, and he was indeed calling the Interstellar Supreme Court, not merely putting on an act. Qing Tan knew that it was real, not a fake, because she saw that San Liang was calling Da Qiu. He was an Envoy who belonged to the Interstellar Supreme Court, and he was slated to become the fourth Judicial Commissioner.

"Old Man San Shang-"

San Liang had only just started speaking when Qing Tan interrupted him by shouting, "What do you want?"

San Liang stopped and calmly looked over at Qing Tan.

A voice came from the other end of the call, asking, "Overseer San Liang, what were you trying to say?"

Qing Tan stared at San Liang, powerful fear welling up from the depths of her eyes.

San Liang saw her fear and also clearly sensed it in her words and microexpressions. "It's nothing. I was just chatting with Old Man San Shang and Alliance Leader Lu, and the alliance leader mentioned Your Excellency to us. Old Man San Shang became quite curious about you, so I decided to call you."

Da Qiu politely replied, "So it turns out that Overseer San Liang and Alliance Leader Lu knew each other. The alliance leader is the entire reason why I was able to become an Envoy and pass my tribulation. Please send him my regards, and I will soon personally make a visit to Old Man San Shang."

"Understood." San Liang then ended the call and turned to look at Qing Tan.

"It looks like Miss Qing Tan is not yet ready to leave this world, which makes it easier to have a conversation and discuss things." Lu Yin's voice was heard once more. "I would like Miss Qing Tan to reach out to Madam Hong and comment on how you coincidentally heard Overseer Liu Ran of the Sword Sect during a call and how he managed to take the Sea King and the colossal giants away while Madam Hong was absent and that he did so because the Sea King possesses something the Sword Sect wants."

Illumination suddenly struck Qing Tan's mind. "You deliberately told me about an agreement you reached with Madam Hong, Ancestor Autumnfrost, and the Arrow Sect just to get Madam Hong away from Flying Horse Manor so that you could go in and take the Sea King and the giants?"

"It looks like this girl’s pretty smart, though you got one thing wrong: the Sword Sect rescued the Sea King and the giants, not Lu Yin," Lu Yin repeated.

Qing Tan ground her teeth. She had been tricked! Completely and totally deceived! Lu Yin had long since known that she was Bluedome Elder’s disciple, and that was how he had revealed his agreement with Madam Hong. This was all to force Madam Hong into revealing an opening so that Lu Yin could snatch the colossal giants and the Sea King. This was why he had deceived Qing Tan, and that was the story behind this matter.

"When did you learn about my identity?" Qing Tan asked.

"I’m going to need to have Miss Qing Tan contact Madam Hong to tell her what I just mentioned." Lu Yin ignored her question and repeated his orders.

Qing Tan wanted to refuse, but there was no choice; she wanted to live. The entire reason why she was on Mt. Microcosms was because she was one of Bluedome Elder’s disciples who had never been seen by anyone from the Fifth Mainland. In fact, there were very few people, even in the Sixth Mainland, who even knew of her existence. This was supposed to keep her true identity hidden, but after being exposed, the only way for her to survive would be to listen to Lu Yin.

This was also why Lu Yin had tested her. If she proved to be someone who did not fear death, then there was no chance that Lu Yin would dare to risk letting her speak with Madam Hong.

In the Outerverse, Madam Hong's eyes were cold as she flew through outer space on her way back to Flying Horse Manor. She had just received word that Hong Ying had died and that her manor’s Imprinter, the hideous woman, had gone missing. Also, the giants and the Sea King had disappeared. Clearly, someone had attacked her Flying Horse Manor while she had been gone.

Upon her return to Flying Horse Manor, everyone present trembled, and not a single person dared to meet Madam Hong’s eyes.

Hong Ying's corpse was still lying flat on the floor. It was clear that she had been killed from the overwhelming pressure of someone’s domain.

Madam Hong then went to see the planet where the Sea King and the giants had been imprisoned. On the surface of the planet, she discovered traces of the Sword Sect’s Thirteen Swords.

Her gadget let out a gentle beep. People from the Sixth Mainland had gradually started using gadgets, as the little devices were just too convenient.

"Madam Hong, I am Qing Tan."

Madam Hong frowned. "You shouldn't have called me."