Bachelor [EN]: Chapter 992

“If we can’t hold them and can’t let them go, how about outwardly relaxing our vigilance while internally strengthening surveillance to make the spy reveal their own weakness?”

Cai Liuying carefully scanned the investigators in the main hall and stated her opinion.

“A lure…”

The young man from the Bi Clan murmured.

“That’s right. I don’t know how the spy avoided the search, but it will be difficult to find them in a short time. So, how about releasing a large number of soldiers to search the city thoroughly for a month, and then gradually reducing the number of personnel to deliberately create loopholes for them to escape? If we find the spy in the large-scale search, that would be ideal, and if not, we can secretly hide elite soldiers at the city gates and wait for the opponent to fall into the trap. We must also continue the search secretly, even if it is outwardly stopped. The spy will have to quickly smuggle the stolen goods out of the city, so they will inevitably get caught.”

Cai Liuying slowly laid out her plan.

“That’s a good method. But, what if we lift the blockade and a spy who is skilled in transformation techniques actually passes through the checkpoints and escapes?”

The young man from the Bi Clan, who had been nodding, hardened his face. Other investigators who had thought Madam Zhengzu’s plan was useful also listened carefully to her answer.

“Haha, Senior Bi. My story isn’t over yet. Would you like to hear the rest?”

Cai Liuying smiled faintly. She didn’t say these words out loud but conveyed them to the young man from the Bi Clan through a sound transmission. It was a bit unexpected, but the young man from the Bi Clan listened to Cai Liuying’s sound transmission, his face gradually brightening.

When a quarter of an hour had passed, she quietly closed her mouth.

“Is that true?”

The young man from the Bi Clan was asking Cai Liuying, but his gaze was unexpectedly directed towards Tian Jizi.

“How could I joke about such a thing?”

Cai Liuying calmly nodded.

The other investigators exchanged glances as they saw a secret conversation between her and the young man. Of course, they were perceptive enough not to ask what was said.

“How can I not believe what Fellow Daoist Cai says? Madam Sa must have heard it as well, what do you think?”

The young man from the Bi Clan turned his head and asked the old woman. His tone was quite respectful.

“What thoughts would I have? This old woman hates complicated matters. I was only going to help if a strong enemy appeared, so please handle the other matters yourselves. I need to go back and rest first. Investigator Bi, please make the decisions for the rest.”

Madam Sa smiled faintly and stood up. Her speech and movements made her seem very weak. The young man from the Bi Clan gave a wry smile and was about to reply, but the old woman had already walked towards the door.

The expressions of the other Saint Clan existences became strange at that sight.

Everyone knew that the old woman was a Great Ascension cultivator from the 13 Clans, but they didn’t know exactly which clan she was from or what divine abilities she possessed.

The old woman looked as frail as if she would be blown away, but even the young man from the Bi Clan treated her carefully, adopting a junior’s attitude. Therefore, no one dared to look down on her.

The young man sighed softly as the old woman completely disappeared out the door and turned his gaze.

“Since Madam Sa has left, there’s nothing more to discuss. Let’s proceed according to Investigator Cai’s suggestion. I will entrust this matter to Fellow Daoist Cai and Investigator Bai, and the others should fully cooperate.”

The young man from the Bi Clan decisively gave the order, and the investigators in the main hall respectfully accepted it.

“Next, let’s talk about the Guanghan Realm. Tian Jizi, please explain.”

The young man changed the subject and looked at Tian Jizi. The main hall stirred slightly at the mention of the Guanghan Realm.

“Investigator Tian, is the Guanghan Realm about to open?”

An impatient elder couldn’t wait and asked. Cai Liuying and Dan Tianren also briefly met eyes and then casually looked away.

“The Guanghan Instrument located in the Great War of the Myriad Clans showed a reaction two days ago.”

Tian Jizi answered slowly, without rushing.

“Already?”

“The Guanghan Realm is opening in this situation…”

“I’m afraid it’s a bit early.”

The investigators murmured, and the main hall became noisy.

“It’s strange that the Guanghan Instrument reacted so soon after the appearance of the Guanghan Tokens. Coincidentally, it’s also at the time when the Gakchi Clan invaded Tianyun, so the timing is even worse. However, the opening of the Guanghan Realm is a golden opportunity for each clan to increase their power in the Thunder Continent. I would like to hear the opinions of Senior Bi and the other investigators on how we should prepare.”

Tian Jizi said seriously.

“Investigator Tian is right. It’s true that our Tianyun’s forces are doing their best to stop the Gakchi Clan’s invasion, but if the Guanghan Realm is about to open, we must also prepare for it.”

The young man from the Bi Clan nodded.

“Frankly, everything that happens inside the Guanghan Realm depends on the luck and skill of the juniors! All we can do is decide who will enter the Guanghan Realm as soon as possible and set up the teleportation formation. This time, our 13 Clans have obtained too few Guanghan Tokens, and there are only two in Yun City, so we only need to perfectly set up two formations.”

A giant with a pitch-black body opened his mouth.

“That’s right!”

“However, there are too few cultivators who have reached the peak of the Void Refinement stage in Yun City right now. It won’t be easy to decide who will enter.”

“Also, we don’t know what the Gakchi Clan’s spies might be planning in this gap, so we must firmly guard the teleportation formation.”

The investigators sitting in their seats offered their opinions. The young man from the Bi Clan listened to the stories of the Saint Realm investigators and then turned his gaze towards Cai Liuying.

“Fellow Daoist Cai, is there anything to add?”

“The other investigators have given good opinions, so I have nothing to add.”

Cai Liuying answered with a slight smile.

“Then, let’s prepare for the opening of the Guanghan Realm as usual. The list of investigators should be decided on your own, but they must be cultivators in the late Void Refinement stage. The security of the teleportation formation should be strengthened three times as much as usual, and the surrounding area should be designated as a restricted area so that strangers can never approach. The Myriad Clans will be in charge of the formation, so Investigator Tian and the elders of the Myriad Clans will have to work hard.”

The young man from the Bi Clan gathered the opinions of the investigators and made a decision. Tian Jizi and the Myriad Clan elders on both sides bowed their heads to receive the order.

“Oh, have the people who will activate the Guanghan Tokens been selected?”

“One has already been selected, and the other has already been activated, so there is no need to select them.”

Tian Jizi hesitated and answered the young man’s question.

“I know that the people who will activate the Guanghan Tokens are carefully chosen and a separate activation ritual is performed, so what does that mean?”

“The circumstances of how they obtained the Guanghan Tokens are a bit complicated. What happened was…”

Tian Jizi carefully told the story about Han Li.

“So, that person is not from Tianyun, and not even from the Thunder Continent.”

“That is correct. In exchange for cooperating with this matter, we promised to allow them to use the intercontinental teleportation formation. They will have to find the spirit stones needed for the teleportation themselves, though.”

“It’s not a big problem to let them use the intercontinental teleportation formation. The key is whether that person’s identity is certain.”

“You can rest assured about that. As long as we can get the Tianyun investigators into the Guanghan Realm with their help, what could happen after that?”

Tian Jizi answered confidently.

“Since the Guanghan Token has already been activated, there’s no use worrying about it now. Just in case, put them under surveillance.”

At the young man from the Bi Clan’s request, Tian Jizi immediately said that he would do so. As Tian Jizi and the Myriad Clan elders sat down, a Saint Clan member with dark green skin stood up and began to report on another matter.

“News has arrived from the six investigators at the front! The Gakchi Clan has sent reinforcements, and the number of Saint Realm investigators has increased by about six. As a result, we have lost three cities and are retreating. It seems that the Gakchi Clan is determined this time.”

“Immediately select five Saint Realm investigators and about a thousand mid- and high-stage investigators and dispatch them to the front lines. If they come out like that, we can’t just stand by.”

“Yes!”

The young man from the Bi Clan sneered and quickly gave the order, and then other matters were discussed one after another.

The meeting of the highest-ranking officials ended after half an hour, and the Saint Realm investigators rose from their seats and scattered to their respective duties.

* * *

At that time, Han Li was in secluded cultivation in a secret chamber in the east.

One year later, he suddenly left Yun City, and in just half a day, he secretly entered the city again and locked himself in the secret chamber. After that, three years passed.

Han Li was still sitting in the dark secret chamber, but for some reason, there were not one but three people. A man covered in golden scales, a vague divine figure with black energy surging, and a figure with purplish, shimmering green skin.

They were each forming different hand seals and sitting on cushions. After a long time, the golden man suddenly opened his eyes. A navy blue light exploded from his eyes.

“Why is that senior here… Could it be!”

*Paaah.*

The golden man muttered, sending a white light towards the ceiling of the secret chamber. The secret chamber brightened, revealing the three figures.

The golden man was none other than Han Li. He narrowed his brows and was pondering something. And the figure with purplish green skin was looking at Han Li with sparkling eyes.

Finally, a golden monster with three heads and six arms appeared from the black energy, with Buddhist chanting sounds. Two of the three heads had clear faces, while the other was vague without eyes, nose, or mouth, creating an eerie atmosphere.

The two faces opened their eyes and stared into the void.

“It seems we have a guest, so you two continue your cultivation.”

Han Li gave instructions to the other two and jumped into one of the walls of the secret chamber, shimmering with gold. The gold seeped into the wall, and soon after, the tightly closed door of his eastern residence slowly opened.

Han Li walked out of it, looking perfectly fine.

“Greetings, Senior Cai. What brings you to my humble abode?”

Outside, Madam Zhengzu Cai Liuying was standing.

“Investigator Han, it seems you are not happy that I have come to visit.”

“No, it’s a pleasure to have someone like you visit. But, who is this…”

Han Li answered politely and turned his gaze towards the back of Cai Liuying. A woman was wearing a white bamboo hat, covering her face.

“She is my disciple whom I recently took in.”

Cai Liuying introduced her simply, and the woman quietly bowed her head without opening her mouth. Seeing this, Han Li didn’t ask any further and led them to the main hall.

After they took their seats, Han Li manipulated a puppet to bring out fruits and tea. Cai Liuying took a sip of the tea and showed a surprised look.

“Judging by the dense spiritual power, it seems to be made from tea leaves that are over a thousand years old. The tea tree itself is also a rare variety, so it’s a good tea that is hard to find even in Yun City.”

Cai Liuying praised sincerely.

“Since you say so, I will prepare a separate set of tea leaves for you out of respect, Senior.”

Han Li smiled and took out a milky white box from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

“I will accept it without hesitation. I really like this tea.”

Cai Liuying smiled gently.

Han Li watched her take the milky white box but didn’t ask why she had come. And for some reason, Cai Liuying didn’t bring up the topic first either, so they sat there chatting about various things for about an hour.

“Investigator Han, your patience has increased quite a bit since I last saw you. You haven’t even asked why I came until now.”

“Patience? I was just waiting because I knew you would tell me, Senior.”

“You probably have some idea of why I came, right?”

“Ah… I was thinking that you might have come because of something related to the Guanghan Realm.”

“That’s right! The reason I brought my disciple to see you is because of that matter. Investigator Dan will probably come with an investigator as well.”

“Does that mean, perhaps this person is…”

Han Li’s gaze towards the woman in the bamboo hat changed.