Begin your practice with the crane-shaped stance.

A few days later.

As soon as Xia Dong arrived at the Hundred Household Office, Zhao Ting summoned him to the inner hall.

"Brother Xia, I've got what you wanted." Zhao Ting took out a small gray cloth bag from his sleeve and pushed it in front of Xia Dong. "This contains some low-grade spirit rice seeds and a few easy-to-grow spirit herb seeds. There's not much, so take it and plant it as you like to pass the time."

Xia Dong took the cloth bag and felt the faint but pure vitality inside. He was slightly pleased and cupped his hands, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Brother Zhao. I will remember this favor."

"We're brothers, no need for formalities." Zhao Ting waved his hand, then picked up an official document stamped with the official seal from the desk and handed it to Xia Dong. "This is the document you requested. It's a support task; you can come back to report whenever you want."

Xia Dong took the document, glanced at it, put it away, and thanked him again.

After exchanging pleasantries and taking a seat, Zhao Ting's expression gradually turned serious. He sighed and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother, be extra careful when you go to the Yinling Mine this time. Things haven't been peaceful lately."

"Is it because of the Wusheng Sect?" Xia Dong asked.

Over the years, he had reviewed many files within the Eagle Wolf Guard and knew that the Wusheng Sect was a massive, ruthless, and manipulative cult. Its reach extended far beyond Lin Yuan Prefecture.

Zhao Ting snorted coldly, a hint of ferocity flashing in his eyes: "Isn't that right! In the past few years, how many times have our Eagle Wolf Guard and Qixia Immortal Sect joined forces to wipe out these demons? Logically speaking, we should have uprooted them from Lin Yuan Prefecture long ago. But these bastards are like weeds that can't be cut down; they just grow back after you kill them!"

He grew increasingly agitated as he spoke, slamming his fist on the table: "What's even more bizarre is that the core members of this cult are as slippery as eels. Every time we lay down a trap, just as we're about to close it in, their leaders seem to have developed supernatural vision and vanish without a trace! All we catch are brainwashed lower-level followers and some peripheral cannon fodder. If we can't eliminate these leaders, as long as things quiet down for a few months, the Wusheng Cult will spread again like weeds."

At this point, Zhao Ting paused, his eyes darkening, and his voice lowered considerably: "Brother, this matter is shrouded in mystery. The higher-ups have begun to suspect that there is a traitor from the Wusheng Sect hidden within our Eagle Wolf Guard, or even within the Qixia Immortal Sect. They are currently investigating in secret."

Xia Dong felt a slight chill run down his spine upon hearing this.

Zhao Ting continued to instruct, "The Yin Spirit Mine is a place where the sun never shines, and it is rich in yin-cold minerals, making it an excellent place of yin energy. The Wusheng Sect, those demons who cultivate demonic arts and refine evil spells, love this kind of place. You might easily be targeted by them. If you encounter any trouble after you go there, never be a hero; protect yourself first."

"Thank you for your advice, Brother Zhao. I will act with caution." Xia Dong nodded gratefully.

But then he frowned slightly and asked, somewhat puzzled, "Brother Zhao, although the Wusheng Sect is strange, our Great You Dynasty has a strong army and powerful cultivators. Is it really impossible to deal with them? Have we let them cause trouble for so many years?"

Upon hearing this, the anger on Zhao Ting's face suddenly faded, replaced by an awkward and apprehensive bitter smile.

He leaned closer, his voice barely audible: "Brother, do you think this is just a simple case of a cult causing trouble? I heard... recently the eunuchs in the palace in the capital actually caught a member of the Wusheng Sect."

Xia Dong's pupils contracted slightly, and he did not interrupt.

Zhao Ting swallowed hard and continued, "Not only that, but if we dig deeper into this matter, it actually involves the family of a very powerful 'big shot' in the capital..."

At this point, Zhao Ting immediately fell silent.

Xia Dong: "..."

He never expected that these demons would be so insidious, even managing to infiltrate the imperial palace of the Great You Dynasty.

It seems the water here is deeper than he imagined.

"No wonder they can't be eradicated..." Xia Dong realized.

Xia Dong pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Since we've involved the palace, the higher-ups must be furious... Brother Zhao, are they planning something big soon?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Ting looked at Xia Dong in surprise. This Brother Xia usually kept a low profile, so how could he have such a keen political sense?

Did they hear some top-secret information beforehand, or is it true that the cicadas sense the coming autumn wind before it even blows?

He put down his teacup and said seriously, "Xueyi, you're quick-witted. To be honest, I just heard some very confidential information about this from my family in the capital. Next spring, the court may be planning a massive crackdown on the Wusheng Sect."

Zhao Ting sighed, his face filled with worry: "An operation of this level will inevitably result in bloodshed. At that time, every single one of us Eagle Wolf Guards from the local area will have to go to the front line and fight those lunatics to the death."

He patted Xia Dong on the shoulder and reassured him, "But don't worry, you're a brother I value. I'll make arrangements beforehand, and no matter how the troops are deployed, I'll try my best to keep us in the rear."

"Then we'll have to rely entirely on you, brother," Xia Dong said, cupping his hands in greeting.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Xia Dong took his things and left.

Watching Xia Dong's departing figure, Zhao Ting's smile gradually faded, turning into an unyielding sorrow.

He spoke eloquently, but when the time came, military orders were absolute, and who could say for sure what would happen?

He actually wanted to be transferred away from Lin Yuan Prefecture, a place of trouble, before the great battle, but he couldn't be transferred.

In terms of relationships and background, he was just a collateral branch of the Zhao family in the capital, and he wasn't much of a threat. Besides, those damned superiors, in order to gain merit in this purge, would definitely force low-ranking officers like them to risk their lives to fill the pit.

"I heard that this time, True Person Guyue of the Qixia Immortal Sect will personally lead the team. A Grand Cultivator like her, who has reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, is unmatched in Lin Yuan Prefecture unless the Core Formation Ancestor comes out. If we could get close to her, it would be much safer..."

Zhao Ting secretly made his plans.

He vaguely felt that Xia Dong and Gu Yue Zhenren had some connection, but Xia Dong had never mentioned it, so Zhao Ting was still not quite sure.

For now, we can only wait and see.

...

...

Hundreds of miles away from the Qixia Immortal Sect, a range of mountains resembles a lurking crimson dragon. This is the site of the Qixia Immortal Sect's important industry—the Crimson Fire Mine.

The air was thick with the pungent smell of sulfur. Even in the dead of winter, the mine was still sweltering inside and out. The muffled sounds of excavation could be heard from deep underground as truckloads of reddish ore were transported out. The entire mining area was bustling with activity.

However, deep within an abandoned, dark, and desolate mine shaft, a chilling stillness and coldness permeated the air, a stark contrast to the scorching heat and clamor outside.

In the darkness, two blurry silhouettes stood facing each other.

With a soft "snap," a slender jade box with a sealing talisman attached was handed over.

One of the dark figures took the jade box and opened it slightly.

After seeing the single strand of hair lying quietly inside, the dark figure let out a sinister chuckle: "Fellow Daoist is indeed skilled; you actually managed to obtain a single strand of Lonely Moon True Person's hair without anyone noticing."

"With this strand of hair as a guide, locking onto the vital energy, once the 'Blissful Mortal World Curtain' is activated, even if True Person Lonely Moon is a Grand Cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he will definitely not be able to escape this inescapable net!" The hoarse voice revealed a hint of undisguised excitement.

The man opposite him snorted coldly. His voice sounded quite young, yet it carried an unyielding chill: "Take the stuff. But let me make this clear: no matter what, you absolutely cannot harm my master in the slightest!"

"Hehe, fellow Daoist, don't worry." The hoarse voice chuckled twice, trying to soothe him. "That Blissful Mortal World Curtain is just an illusionary trapping array; it doesn't have any real destructive power. We've gone to such great lengths just to use this opportunity to trap your master for a short while, so we can go up Lonely Moon Peak to do some 'other things.' We don't have the guts to fight a Foundation Establishment Perfected Grand Cultivator head-on."

"I hope you keep your promise." The young voice was chilling. "If anything goes wrong, or if you dare to have any ulterior motives, my uncle will definitely not let you off the hook! You should know how he does things."

Upon hearing the word "uncle," the hoarse voice seemed to show some apprehension, and quickly chuckled, "Don't worry, don't worry, we're in this together now. Besides, this wasn't just our family's idea."

The hoarse voice paused, then deepened in tone: "Since your master has failed to open her Purple Mansion, she will likely settle for a mid-grade Golden Core. Once she successfully forms her Golden Core, she will probably leave the Qixia Immortal Sect and return to the capital. This situation is not good for anyone. This action is to prevent her from forming her Golden Core, not to harm your master. You can rest assured."

The young voice seemed unwilling to dwell on the topic, and changed the subject coldly, asking, "How are things going with the Yinling Mine?"

"Heh, killing a nobody is nothing, why are you so worried, fellow Daoist?" The hoarse voice chuckled dismissively, its tone brimming with confidence. "Don't worry, the assassins sent to the Yin Spirit Mine are all highly skilled. In a close-quarters attack, unless the person you're trying to kill has already reached the late stage of Qi Refining, possessing a divine sense strong enough to react extremely quickly to this level of attack; or unless she has exceptional martial arts talent, with her body refinement reaching at least the 'Inner Strength Realm,' there's absolutely no possibility of failure!"

"However..." The hoarse voice changed tone, becoming slightly serious, "Recently, the Eagle Wolf Guard and your Qixia Immortal Sect have been jointly investigating internal traitors, and the situation is extremely tense. The defenses of all the mines have been strengthened considerably. To be on the safe side, we need to postpone our actions for a while and wait out this storm."

In the darkness, the young voice paused for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, before uttering a cold statement:

"Do whatever you want with this, but make sure it's done. I want her dead in the Yinling Mine!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a gentle breeze swept by, and the young figure vanished into the dark mine with a movement technique.

The remaining dark figure tossed the jade box in its hand and let out a contemptuous sneer.

Then, his body seemed to melt into the shadows, and he was completely silent.

Inside the abandoned mine shaft, deathly silence returned.

The only sound was the faint sound of excavation coming from the main mine tunnel in the distance.