Chapter 113: Of Course It Was Intentional

Time flew by, and Nie Li spent seven days at Ye Ziyun's private courtyard. During those seven days, aside from dedicating himself to cultivation, setting up the Myriad Demon Spirit Formation, and chatting with Ye Ziyun from time to time, nothing particularly noteworthy happened.

Nie Li's cultivation had stabilized at the Silver Five Star level. Advancing from Silver Five Star to Gold was an extraordinarily difficult process. Ordinary people often needed just the right catalyst to complete the breakthrough, but for Nie Li and Ye Ziyun and the others, it was simply a matter of time.

The courtyard was filled with birdsong and the fragrance of flowers — an incredibly peaceful and serene environment.

To keep an eye on Nie Li, Ye Zong had no choice but to move his place of work into the courtyard. Though he was busy every single day, he still periodically swept the entire courtyard with his Soul Power to confirm whether Nie Li had done anything out of line.

Between handling a mountain of official duties and watching Nie Li like a hawk, Ye Zong was genuinely exhausted. But he didn't dare let his guard down for even a moment.

Ye Xiu suddenly hurried in.

"City Lord, Master Gu Yan requests an audience," Ye Xiu said with a slight bow.

"Oh? Master Gu Yan is here? Show him in at once," Ye Zong said quickly. The Alchemist Association had always been respected, but it had never held such an extraordinary position as it did now. Because Master Gu Yan had mastered the refinement of several types of pills, his status in the entire City of Radiance had become nearly equal to Ye Zong's own.

A moment later, Master Gu Yan, clad in a gray robe, walked in. He looked up and saw Ye Zong, offering a slight bow. "City Lord."

"There's no need to be so formal, Master Gu Yan. When you're here, consider it your own home," Ye Zong said with a hearty laugh. His gaze swept across Gu Yan's face, and he asked with some surprise, "Master Gu Yan, you seem rather grave. May I ask what brings you here?"

Gu Yan glanced around, appearing very cautious.

"Please don't worry, Master Gu Yan. Everyone here is one of our own. Even a Black Gold level powerhouse couldn't get in here," Ye Zong said, a slight chill running through him. If Master Gu Yan was this serious, something major must have happened.

Gu Yan's expression was solemn as he looked at Ye Zong. After a moment of silence, he said, "There are things I'm not sure whether I should say, but if I don't, I'm worried there could be serious consequences."

"Please, speak freely."

Master Gu Yan nodded and said, "Our Alchemist Association had long suspected that the Sacred Family and the Dark Guild might share some unsavory secrets. A while ago, the Sacred Family's elder overseer Shen Ming led a group to ambush Nie Li and was captured. Under our interrogation, he revealed some of the Sacred Family's dealings."

"Is that so?" Ye Zong's brow furrowed deeply. "Surely Shen Ming's confession alone isn't sufficient to determine whether the Sacred Family and the Dark Guild are colluding. We need concrete evidence!"

"When Shen Ming revealed these matters, we understood that solid evidence was indispensable. Later, the Sacred Family suddenly placed a large order for pills from us. We concealed Soul Tracking Pills in that batch, then sent people with Three-Headed Hound Demon Spirits to track it. We ultimately confirmed that those pills ended up with the Dark Guild." Gu Yan looked up, his expression grave.

If this was true, then the Sacred Family could absolutely not escape suspicion.

"The Sacred Family's influence in the City of Radiance runs deep. Simply confirming these things isn't enough. Even with Shen Ming as a witness, we can't shake the Sacred Family's position." Ye Zong was silent for a moment. Master Gu Yan wouldn't slander the Sacred Family without reason. "I will send someone to investigate this matter."

Ye Zong turned to Ye Xiu beside him. "Ye Xiu, you'll be responsible for this."

"Understood!" Ye Xiu nodded immediately.

Gu Yan said with some worry, "We've already drawn the Sacred Family's attention through our previous investigations. Lord Ye Xiu, you should be on your guard as well."

"I understand." Ye Xiu nodded. The Sacred Family alone had no fewer than three Black Gold level Demon Spirit Masters, not to mention the even more powerful Dark Guild lurking in the shadows. Even he couldn't afford to be careless.

After chatting a little longer, Gu Yan took his leave.

"Ye Xiu, I'm sorry to burden you with this," Ye Zong sighed softly. "Nowadays in the City of Radiance, there really aren't many people we can trust and rely on. Over the years, the city walls have been built higher and higher, but fewer and fewer talented individuals have risen. Walls alone can't keep out the Demon Beasts."

"There's no need to worry, City Lord. There are still the younger generation like Yuner and Nie Li. They will surely become the pillars of the City of Radiance," Ye Xiu said comfortingly.

"I just don't know if we can hold out until then." Ye Zong shook his head with a bitter smile. He knew all too well how precarious the City of Radiance's situation was. Now even the Sacred Family — one of the three great pinnacle families — was prepared to betray the City of Radiance. Who could say what the future would bring?