The Alliance of Nature only possessed one advanced Meditation Method, and Leilin had recorded a copy of it as well — the Crystal Mask, an advanced Meditation Method centered primarily on illusion magic with a small amount of plant-type energy as auxiliary support. It consisted of only two simple tiers.
Furthermore, because the second tier required special materials from another plane, no Wizard in the Alliance of Nature's history had ever conclusively reached the second rank.
Leilin himself possessed the Eyes of Komoyin and had long since committed to the path of a Sorcerer, so naturally he would not switch to cultivating anything else.
This meant that anyone with a shred of perception would immediately realize that he was not a Wizard truly raised within the Alliance of Nature.
And according to the established practice of the Joint Council, while such Wizards were permitted to participate, a small school could only select one representative, with no substitutions allowed.
"Don't worry — I have full confidence in Leilin!" Xiling's voice was brimming with assurance.
What Leilin openly displayed was peak first-rank strength. A Wizard of that caliber could serve as the hidden trump card for a mid-sized school. Xiling naturally had nothing to worry about.
"Is that so? How wonderful!" Madam Sache unfurled a black folding fan to veil her lips, laughing softly.
"What is it? Did you receive some intelligence as well?" Seeing this, Xiling immediately deployed a soundproofing barrier around the three of them.
"Yes! I received a few reports from some of my adopted little wolves. That Eight-Legged Spider's Sligray still harbors ill intentions toward you! And behind him stands the backing of a mid-sized school — Misty Forest!"
Madam Sache revealed the intelligence, then glanced at Leilin. "Moreover, it seems they've made preparations specifically for you, this outside reinforcement."
"A mid-sized school! Misty Forest!" Xiling's expression shifted slightly.
Mid-sized schools did not merely boast peak first-rank Wizards as trump cards — their number of formal Wizards and overall heritage far surpassed those of the Alliance of Nature. How could Xiling not be worried?
"What does the Alliance of Nature possess that Misty Forest would covet?"
Meanwhile, Leilin's mind had already leapt to this question.
As a mid-sized school, Misty Forest commanded resources and mineral deposits that the Alliance of Nature could not even begin to compare with. Moreover, even if the Alliance of Nature were demoted, the faction that ultimately absorbed the spoils would not necessarily be Misty Forest.
"So Misty Forest had to rope in the Eight-Legged Spider as an ally. Once the Alliance of Nature declines and loses its seat, the Eight-Legged Spider could step in to claim it. With just a bit more effort from Misty Forest, the Joint Council's committee members would have no reason to refuse..."
"And what mineral deposit is uniquely shared by the Alliance of Nature and the Eight-Legged Spider? There is only one — the Ice Cavern!"
Power struggles of this nature were something Leilin could untangle with barely a moment's thought. By now, he had pieced together roughly half the picture.
Moreover, one needed only look at who the ultimate beneficiary — or the indirect beneficiary — would be to understand the full picture. After all, nobody took on thankless tasks for nothing.
Leilin had spent enough time studying the Alliance of Nature's assets. In truth, such minor interests were hardly worth Misty Forest's attention.
The only possibility was that a deeper secret of the Ice Cavern had been exposed.
"The Ice Cavern was previously just a place that produced cold-attribute materials. Only the Ice Jade Scorpion was a reasonably noteworthy specialty, and its value was not high enough to attract serious attention — which was why it was allocated to the Alliance of Nature. But deeper within the cavern lies an immense frozen world containing even the remains of a Morning Star Wizard-level creature and a single drop of blood from a far more powerful Bloodline bearer!"
The data on the Ice Cavern — having obtained the inherited memory fragments from the Ice Jade Scorpion Emperor's bloodline — was something no one understood better than Leilin. Put bluntly, that place was a massive treasure trove. Especially for a Bloodline Sorcerer!
Leilin's eyes grew increasingly bright, until a trace of cold gleam flickered through them.
"Only a prize of this magnitude would justify Misty Forest intervening from the shadows! And judging by the situation, this intelligence hasn't leaked out either. That makes sense — if it had, the entire Dark Pinnacle Domain would have been stirred into a frenzy, and every Wizard organization would have rushed to explore it together..."
"Xiling! Find out how the Oak Leaf and Emerald Vine schools have been faring recently!"
Leilin suddenly issued the command.
"Yes, my Lord!" Xiling straightened, walked to one side, and the runes of her secret sigils began flashing repeatedly. When she returned, her expression was grim.
"Both schools have been recruited by Sligray. His influence has already spread through them like a spider's web..."
"As expected..." Leilin sighed.
That was the final confirmation.
He could now be absolutely certain that Misty Forest had discovered the Ice Cavern's true nature and had consequently bribed the Eight-Legged Spider to keep pushing out rival schools, aiming to monopolize the entire Ice Cavern.
"It seems I must find an opportunity to kill them!"
A flash of crimson light passed through Leilin's eyes, and Xiling felt her heart tighten, as though some primordial beast coiled right beside her.
Leilin had already staked his claim over the entire frozen world as his own territory, and since Misty Forest dared to extend its hand there, the only course of action was to sever it.
"Actually, if the goal were merely to defuse the Alliance of Nature's crisis, there is a better approach — simply publicize the Ice Cavern's secret. Even Misty Forest could not withstand the combined pressure of the entire Dark Pinnacle Domain. Under the weight of the Joint Council, it would be nothing more than an ant, ground to dust without question. But that does not serve my interests."