The opening scene reveals the story of Yao Lao, alarming the Soul Emperor.

Hun Feng knelt before the steps, sweat dripping from his forehead and nose, hitting the stone slabs on the ground with a soft sound.

Those blood-red vertical pupils stared at him through the gaps in the black mist, like staring at a piece of meat whose cut hadn't yet been decided.

"The Intelligence Division is under your jurisdiction."

"The route planning for this top-secret operation was done by your people."

"The final approval of the strike time goes through you."

"The personnel allocation roster, stamped with your seal."

With each word spoken from the throne, Hun Feng's body shrank.

"Three months."

The voice of Hun Miesheng was chilling to the bone.

"Recite it for me."

"Eight operations, when were they launched, how many people were sent, and how many were lost."

"Not a single one can be missed."

Hun Feng's chin twitched twice, and his lips moved several times before he finally managed to squeeze out a sound.

"The first time... on the seventh day of the sixth month, the twelve members of Group A set out, targeting the ancient tribe's western grain transport route."

"They were ambushed 30 miles outside the city, seven were killed, and the remaining five retreated."

His voice was trembling, but he dared not stop.

"The second time, on June 19th, Group B, consisting of eight people, launched an attack, targeting the ancient clan's secret sentry network in the northern border."

"Upon reaching the White Bone Pass, they were surrounded from three sides, resulting in six deaths and two captures. Later interrogation confirmed that the two captured men had been silenced."

Every time Hun Feng uttered the word "death in battle," some of the Dou Zun kneeling in the hall tensed their shoulders even more.

Among those who died were their comrades, their subordinates, and their colleagues with whom they had shared drinks.

"continue."

Only two words were written on the throne.

Hun Feng swallowed hard.

"The third time, on the second day of the seventh month, Group C will launch an attack to carry out a trap and kill mission. The route has been personally approved by the Palace Master."

When he said the words "personally reviewed by the temple master," his voice suddenly became even softer.

Because these six words signify the highest level of secrecy, even he, the head of the intelligence department, only knew the departure time and general direction.

They were still intercepted.

"Nine men were killed in action; the entire force was wiped out."

"Not a single one survived."

The black mist churned.

The pale hand gripped the edge of the dark gold table, its fingertips sinking into the metal surface.

Hun Feng lowered his head even further, almost touching the ground.

"The fourth time, July 15th. The fifth time, July 28th."

"The sixth time, on the third day of the eighth lunar month."

His voice grew faster and faster, as if he wanted to finish speaking before the lightning struck overhead.

"From the fourth to the sixth time, the size of the operation was reduced from eight people to three, the route was changed twice, and the departure time was communicated using three layers of encryption."

"Eleven people were killed in action, including two two-star Dou Zun."

"The seventh time..."

Hun Feng paused for a moment.

His Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

"On August 17th, two members of the Ding group will launch their attack. This time, only my subordinate and the Grand Celestial Venerable know the route."

As he said this, Hunyuan's body twitched slightly.

It's such a subtle movement that you can't see it unless you look closely.

But Hunyu saw it.

He saw Hunyuan's hand, which was placed at his side, tighten by half an inch, and then relax.

"The Ding-group encountered the elite of the ancient clans two hundred miles north of White Bone Pass, resulting in one death and one serious injury. The seriously injured Dou Zun who managed to escape said something during his report."

"He said that before the ancient people took action, they smiled and recited their marching route word for word."

"Not a single word is different."

Hun Feng's voice shattered at those four words.

Among the kneeling Dou Zun in the hall, some clenched their fists, and some breathed heavily.

It wasn't fear anymore, it was anger.

Those who died in those operations were all people from the Heavenly Gang Palace. It's acceptable for them to die at the hands of the ancient clans, but it's unacceptable for them to die because they were betrayed by their own people.

"The eighth time."

The voice from the throne replaced the spirit offering.

Hun Miesheng himself reported the last debt.

Three days ago.

"I personally chose the route, the people, and the departure time."

"I was the only one who knew all the details from beginning to end."

"I divided the three sections of the route and assigned them to three different people, and each person only knew their own section."

"And the result?"

He didn't wait for anyone's reply.

"All three routes have been exposed. All three directions have been intercepted."

"Of the six Dou Zun, four are dead, and the fate of the remaining two is unknown."

A heavy silence hung over the hall, so thick it could suffocate anyone.

Hunyu stood at the bottom of the steps, holding a white feather fan upright in front of him.

The Bagua pattern in his mind was spinning faster than before, and the fragmented information collected by his golden eyes was rapidly rearranging itself.

The three routes were held by three different people, and all three routes have been leaked.

With this condition added, he narrowed down his suspicions to two people in the carriage, allowing him to further eliminate one of them.

His lips twitched slightly, then he closed them again.

Not now.

Not urgent.

The black mist above the throne had dissipated to its limit, revealing most of Hun Miesheng's face.

The burning light in those blood-red vertical pupils grew brighter and brighter, so bright that Hun Yuan, who was staring directly at him, had to look away.

"Three months, eight top-secret operations, twelve teams, and fifty-three Dou Zun from the Tian Gang Hall went out to carry out the missions."

"Less than ten came back alive."

His palm slammed onto the dark gold long table.

A muffled thud.

The long table split open in the middle.

The crack stretched from the tabletop to the table leg, and dark gold fragments sprang out from the break, clattering and bouncing onto the bone steps.

"Who leaked the information?"

The voice of Soul Extinction rose a notch.

"The route is top secret. The timing is top secret. The personnel are top secret."

"The number of people who have access to these things is no more than five at most."

He lifted his hand from the shattered tabletop, covered in dark gold metal fragments, and pointed his finger forward.

It refers to the offering of souls kneeling in front of the steps.

"You're in charge of the Intelligence Division; all the drafts for those eight operations passed through your hands."

"you tell me."

"Who is it?"