Li Yundong paused in thought for a moment, then looked up and said to Cao Yi and the others from the Fox Zen Sect, "You take the other disciples to your rooms first. Stay together, don't separate."

Cao Yi nodded, and along with Zhuang Yating and Liu Yuehong, led the young fox disciples away from the area. As soon as they left, the chattering and soft weeping sounds immediately vanished, leaving the backyard deathly quiet, so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Seeing the spiritual coffin wide open, two mummified corpses lying on the ground, and the surrounding silence so unnerving, Su Chan couldn't help but feel a chill creep up her spine. She instinctively moved closer to Li Yundong, tugging at his sleeve: "Yundong, why did you make Shibo and the others leave?"

Li Yundong glanced at her, stroked her head, but offered no reply. Instead, he turned his face toward Zhou Qin and asked, "How do you feel about this?"

Zhou Qin looked back at Li Yundong, knowing that he was both inquiring and assessing her. She spoke up, "I have a thought, I don't know if I should voice it."

Li Yundong said, "There's only me and Su Chan here, no outsiders. There's nothing to hold back. Say it."

Zhou Qin glanced at Su Chan, still appearing hesitant. She said, "Su Chan, if anything I say is inappropriate, please don't take offense."

Su Chan blinked, confused. "Of course not. As the saying goes, one person has limited wisdom, two have greater insight. Sister Zhou Qin, please speak."

Zhou Qin nodded. "Then I'll begin. Master, I find this whole affair extremely strange."

Li Yundong asked, "How so?"

Zhou Qin replied, "Why does trouble strike the Fox Zen Sect the moment Master Wuhua arrives? Why would someone die just as he was about to reveal the whereabouts of Ao Wushuang? If this is coincidence, it's a coincidence chilling enough to raise the hair on your arms."

Li Yundong pondered for a while. He said, "I also find it very strange. Master Wuhua had just told me 'far away in the sky, yet right before your eyes,' when Changsun Hong died, and Mei Niang died along with him."

Zhou Qin nodded. "Exactly. And Master, have you noticed anything odd about the positioning of their bodies?"

Li Yundong couldn't help but look at Zhou Qin, praising her, "You're right. In my view, the culprit likely killed Changsun Hong first, and then Mei Niang, wandering about, stumbled upon the scene. Upon seeing it, she let out a piercing scream, prompting the murderer to silence her as well."

Su Chan interjected then, "This murderer is so cruel. Killing them wasn't enough; they had to desiccate them into mummies, not even sparing their souls!"

Li Yundong gave Su Chan a gentle smile and said, "That's precisely what I was thinking. If the murderer wanted to silence her, simply killing Mei Niang would suffice. Why resort to such cruelty as sucking her dry and taking her soul too?"

Su Chan couldn't help but glance at the two desiccated corpses on the ground, then quickly turned her face away, saying with visible disgust and fear, "Maybe the culprit is just a major pervert!"

Li Yundong shook his head. "Whether they are a pervert is another matter, but I believe the fact that both were reduced to mummies is not a coincidence."

Zhou Qin suddenly said, "Although I don't understand cultivation, is it possible the culprit feared that if they didn't absorb the victim's soul, that soul could later reveal the culprit's name and appearance to us? So the culprit was concerned about that and thus..."

Li Yundong's eyebrows shot up. "That is an excellent hypothesis; it's very possible. However, reducing a person to a mummy and absorbing their soul in such a short time is no simple feat. Based on the current situation, Zheng Yuan is highly suspicious. But the other reason I sent the rest of the Fox Zen Sect away was..."

Su Chan and Zhou Qin both pressed him simultaneously, "What reason?"

Li Yundong said in a low, heavy voice, "I suspect there is a spy within the Fox Zen Sect!"

Hearing this, Zhou Qin raised an eyebrow, initially surprised, but quickly regaining her composure, her expression turning thoughtful. Su Chan, however, gasped audibly, "Ah? No way?"

Su Chan knew the entire backstory of the Fox Zen Sect's recent siege. In her mind, the primary reason for the devastating blow the sect suffered was the infiltration of Mo Ashi and others, who acted as 'spies' coordinating with the major sects from within. But now, hearing of another spy inside the Fox Zen Sect, she was both shocked and frightened, instantly becoming jumpy and nervous. The little girl clutched Li Yundong's sleeve tightly, leaning against him, her face full of apprehension, "Yundong, why do you say that?"

Li Yundong pointed to where Changsun Hong lay. "Although Changsun Hong wasn't skilled in direct combat, Cao Yi told me they are all masters of the Invisibility Art, Illusions, and various Seduction Arts. While they might lose a fight, escaping shouldn't be an issue. The scream earlier came from Mei Niang, not Changsun Hong. This suggests one of two things: either the killer's cultivation is much higher than Changsun Hong's, or someone she knew struck suddenly while she was unprepared!"

Su Chan cried out, clenching her hands fiercely, her eyes wide as she looked at Li Yundong, "Then who could it be?"

Li Yundong mused, "We don't know yet, but we can deduce a few points from the evidence: First, the person who killed Changsun Hong was either very familiar with her or possessed significantly higher cultivation. Second, whether this person sought treasure through murder or vengeance is unclear. If it was vengeance, they wouldn't need to drain Mei Niang into a mummy, and they could have approached us openly."

Su Chan interjected, "Would they dare? Don't they know that our Sect Leader, True Person Li, is unmatched in combat and divine abilities?"

Li Yundong chuckled, feigning anger as he glared at Su Chan, "Nonsense! There are countless cultivators in this world; how can I claim to be 'unmatched'?"

Li Yundong patted the little girl's head and continued, "Between stealing treasure and seeking vengeance, I lean toward the former. Only someone intent on robbery would be truly afraid of the victim knowing who took the magic treasure. But even this point has a flaw..."

Before he could finish, Zhou Qin nodded and picked up the thread, "Indeed. If it was about stealing treasure, why take the body of the former Sect Leader, Liu Ye, as well? Oh, wait, could it be that the former Sect Leader ascended, and thus his body wasn't left behind?"

Li Yundong laughed upon hearing this, shaking his head. "No, Liu Ye died from grievous injuries. Ascension is impossible under those circumstances."

Su Chan suddenly voiced her fear, "Could it be that the Sect Leader died and then resurrected?"

Li Yundong froze for a moment, but then shook his head. "Unlikely. Why would Liu Ye kill his own disciples? Besides, I saw the severity of his previous injuries; he was beyond saving."

As he spoke, Su Chan and Zhou Qin both frowned, saying in unison, "Then who could it be?"

Li Yundong thought for a moment and said, "Su Chan, please don't take this the wrong way, but since I took over the Fox Zen Sect, I've noticed an indescribable atmosphere permeating everyone here, especially today's events—they reek of wickedness! I believe someone has been watching the Fox Zen Sect in secret, harboring ill intent!"

Su Chan looked worried. "Yundong, I'm dragging you down. Why don't you stop being the Sect Leader of the Fox Zen Sect? Don't let our sect's troubles implicate you."

Li Yundong laughed, "Don't be foolish. One doesn't retreat at the first sign of trouble or run from an enemy. Whether this person is an external foe or an internal spy, I believe they will eventually reveal their true colors. If it's an inside mole, I refuse to believe they won't eventually show their fox tail!"

The saying was too apt for the moment; the little fox instinctively reached behind her, as if afraid a fox tail might suddenly sprout.

Seeing the girl's reaction, Li Yundong chuckled. "I wasn't talking about you. What are you worried about?"

Su Chan pouted. "I'm worried you might start suspecting me!"

Li Yundong burst into laughter. "Even if everyone else in the world died, I would never suspect you! Stop being silly!"

Hearing this, the little girl instantly brightened, grinning, and was about to affectionately loop her arm through his when Li Yundong quickly coughed dryly and said, "Insolence! Is this a place for fooling around?"

The little girl then remembered she was at a crime scene. She stuck out her tongue and then cautiously stole a glance at Zhou Qin. She saw that the girl's face was impassive, and no hint of emotion could be read in her brow, as if she were entirely unbothered by the playful interaction between her and Li Yundong.

Su Chan secretly felt relieved. She knew Zhou Qin was exceptionally gifted and would undoubtedly be Li Yundong's strongest support in the future. While she was Li Yundong's cherished girlfriend, Zhou Qin was destined to be his senior disciple, and Su Chan had no desire to create friction between them.

Li Yundong hadn't noticed the little girl's subtle feminine introspection. He said, "For now, we cannot remain on Tianlong Mountain. The area is too large, making it easy for the culprit to strike, and I cannot possibly guard it twenty-four hours a day."

Zhou Qin asked, "Then where do you plan to send them? To the Fox Zen Sect's secret chamber?"

Li Yundong shook his head. "No. If there is truly an insider, moving them there would be tantamount to revealing the existence of the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art. I want them to temporarily stay at Hongsheng New District, where I am residing."

Zhou Qin's mouth dropped open in surprise, a strange look on her face. "All those female disciples moving into your place? This... can you handle it?"

The remark was suggestive, and Li Yundong couldn't help but glare at her. "Do you think I'm some sort of Joyful Buddha? I mean for them to live there, and I will take Su Chan to find another place to stay!"

Zhou Qin's cheeks flushed slightly, and she gave a weak laugh. "I meant, wouldn't you be bothered by the noise?"

Li Yundong wasn't about to believe her explanation. He simply rolled his eyes and said, "Now, come with me to the Fox Zen Sect's secret chamber. Su Chan, go inside and fetch paper and brush. Zhou Qin, you too. Each of you copy down the Nine Revolutions Golden Elixir Art. Then I'll figure out a way to seal this chamber shut, and we'll all return to Tiannan City together."

Su Chan and Zhou Qin turned and went into the inner room to look for writing materials. Li Yundong remained at the crime scene, frowning and pacing back and forth. A short while later, Su Chan and Zhou Qin emerged. Li Yundong took Zhou Qin's wrist in his hand, then nodded to Su Chan, "Let's go."

The three of them ascended into the air. When Li Yundong brought the two to the entrance of the secret chamber halfway up the mountain, he suddenly noticed that the branches and leaves around the cave mouth had been partially pushed aside, revealing a clear opening.

This shock was significant. Li Yundong gave Su Chan a look, signaling her to take Zhou Qin and fly further away. He took a deep breath, pushed aside the foliage at the entrance, and stepped inside alone.

Li Yundong held his breath, moving slowly and lightly all the way in, almost like a spectral cat, making not the slightest sound.

As he neared the inner chamber, he distinctly heard a faint, almost inaudible rustling sound coming from within.

Li Yundong's heart clenched. He knew this person was highly likely the murderer, and the whereabouts of Ao Wushuang were probably tied to them!

He hesitated no longer and burst inside in a sudden rush.