Assuming Thousand Faces was enraged because she had withdrawn without asking for instructions, Lanxin grew flustered and hurriedly explained, "Master, your disciple was indeed gripped by a guilty conscience back then. Jiang Haoran was a fellow brother of our Sacred Cult, something even I did not know, yet that Lianshan Xin managed to uncover him. Fearing he possessed formidable methods, I took it upon myself to depart, and my identity is certainly blown by now. If Master wishes to punish me, your disciple has no complaints."
Thousand Faces said nothing.
He had yet to digest this information.
For every shred of it was entirely news to him.
"Master, are you all right?" Lanxin asked, growing more uneasy.
Thousand Faces spoke in a hollow voice, "How was Haoran discovered?"
"Your disciple does not know either. I only heard that he clashed with Lianshan Xin, who killed him on the spot and tore off his human-skin mask. Before that, not even the Prefect or Iron Hand could tell he was an imposter. Having lurked in the Prefectural Estate for years, I never noticed anything either."
At this point, Lanxin flattered Thousand Faces once more: "Master's schemes are truly like a ram hanging by its horns—leaving no trace to be found. Were it not for this Lianshan Xin, with me and that imposter young master inside the Prefectural Estate, it would have surely become Master's private garden."
Thousand Faces closed his eyes, falling silent for a full minute.
Only then did he recover his composure. "It seems I have underestimated this Lianshan Xin."
He had heard the name the day before yesterday and had seen Lianshan Xin in person from afar. In his eyes back then, the young man had seemed utterly unremarkable, unworthy of his attention.
Even so, he had instructed Dai Yueying to make contact with Lianshan Xin.
In Thousand Faces's view, sending someone with an innate charm physique like Dai Yueying to handle an innocent eighteen-year-old boy should have been effortless, like using a lion to catch a hare.
There was no question of carelessness on his part.
Yet reality proved that he had indeed been careless.
Just what had Dai Yueying done?
Thousand Faces began to consider calling her to account.
Glancing at Lanxin, he said gravely, "You made a prompt decision, and you were not mistaken. Remaining in the Prefectural Estate would indeed have carried the risk of exposure."
Lanxin felt a surge of relief.
"However, as for this Lianshan Xin, I already sent someone to win him over the day before yesterday. Reason dictates he should not be making an enemy of our Sacred Cult." Thousand Faces frowned. "Here is what we shall do, Lanxin. Go find someone for me."
Now that Lanxin had pulled out of the Prefectural Estate, he decided to temporarily use her as his liaison to gather intelligence on his behalf.
It would have been safer for him to step forward personally, but Thousand Faces still needed to heal his wounds.
Like Zhang Aniu, he was genuinely injured—and far more severely than Zhang Aniu was.
Receiving her orders from Thousand Faces, Lanxin set off at once to look for Dai Yueying.
In less than an hour, Lanxin returned.
"Master, something terrible has happened."
Thousand Faces's heart sank. "What is it?"
"Just now, while observing the Dai household from the outside, I discovered hidden sentries stationed nearby. Not daring to go inside, I hurried back. Master, if nothing unexpected happened, Dai Yueying has also been discovered by Lianshan Xin," Lanxin said solemnly.
Thousand Faces suddenly felt a sharp pang in his chest.
The wounds Heavenly Sword had dealt him were still far too severe.
"You did well. Once you noticed something was amiss, you were right not to place yourself in danger."
Thousand Faces did not forget to praise Lanxin.
"Even Dai Yueying wound up falling into Lianshan Xin's hands?"
Thousand Faces could hardly believe it.
How had a mere innocent eighteen-year-old college-age youth resisted an innate charm physique?
By relying on eighteen years of boyish celibacy arts?
Yet according to his experience, Xiao Chu'nan should have been far easier to beguile.
Naturally, Thousand Faces could never guess that in his past life, Lianshan Xin had stored more art films on his hard drive than Thousand Faces had experienced in his entire lifetime.
"Could he have been chosen by Qi Shiyun and entered the Heaven's Chosen lineage?"
Thousand Faces suddenly recalled that when observing Lianshan Xin the day before yesterday, the young man had been very close with Qi Shiyun, conversing pleasantly with her.
Lanxin replied carefully, "Your disciple has not confirmed this point yet, but when he went to the Prefectural Estate, it was indeed Qi Shiyun who brought him. Even the search and seizure of the Qu household was conducted by Qi Shiyun and him together."
"Barring any surprises, he must have entered the Heaven's Chosen lineage." Thousand Faces steadied his nerves. "If that is the case, Lianshan Xin actually possesses the innate ability for cultivating immortality. Master truly underestimated him. An immortal cultivator's methods are bizarre and unpredictable; Yueying falling into his hands is barely understandable."
Lanxin said, "Master, your disciple was in a hurry and has not investigated Dai Yueying's exact whereabouts in detail. But judging by Lianshan Xin's style of doing things, I fear Yueying faces dire peril. From the looks of it, this Lianshan Xin truly has some skill and poses an obstacle to our Sacred Cult's success in Jiangzhou."
"Then eliminate him."
As one of the Four Great Elders of the Demon Cult, Thousand Faces was a ruthless man who killed decisively. Once his mind was made up, he did not hesitate in the slightest.
Looking at Lanxin, Thousand Faces extinguished the thought of sending her to kill Lianshan Xin. "Since Lianshan Xin could kill Haoran, his strength is likely already in the Qi Condensation realm. Moreover, he constantly has people from the Nine Heavens at his side, so it is too risky for you to act. Here: go to the academy, find Lin Xiangwen, the 'Purple Lightning Sword', and have him take action."
Lanxin was overjoyed. "Master, our Sacred Cult still has people in the academy?"
"Of course."
"Master is truly far-sighted."
Lanxin was filled with admiration once more.
"With Master here, a mere Lianshan Xin is nothing more than a superficial ailment, hardly worth fretting over."
Thousand Faces gave a slight nod.
He thought the same.
Right now, his only regret was that yesterday, when Lin Xiangwen had actively proposed killing Lianshan Xin, he had stopped him.
He had simply been too merciful.
This time, he definitely would not be.
And so.
In less than an hour once again.
Lanxin returned, travel-worn and breathless.
"Master, something terrible has happened."
Thousand Faces felt another stab of pain in his chest.
An ominous premonition washed over him yet again.
"Could it be that Lin Xiangwen met with trouble as well?"
Lanxin nodded hesitantly.
"Did something happen to him or not?!"
Lanxin hurriedly explained, "I could not find Lin Xiangwen. Today, he did not show up to teach martial arts classes to the academy students. I investigated discreetly, and someone said that yesterday, Lianshan Xin clashed with Lin Xiangwen's student He Ruoyu, after which Lin Xiangwen went off in a rage to confront Lianshan Xin. And then... and then he never returned."
Thousand Faces's heart sank drastically.
Lanxin offered comfort: "Master, Lin Xiangwen is Bailudong Academy's Master of Martial Studies and possesses Grandmaster cultivation. Lianshan Xin could never harm him. In another hour, I can slip back to the academy to check again."
Thousand Faces immediately refused. "No, we cannot leave things to chance. Besides, you just visited the academy; going back would multiply the danger. Master will arrange for others to scout the situation. You need not involve yourself further; keeping yourself safe takes precedence."
Lanxin's mind was put at ease. "Thank you, Master. Ah, right, Master... could you also have connections with the Sakura Kingdom?"
Thousand Faces's hands trembled, and his gaze turned sharp as he fixed his eyes on Lanxin. "Why do you ask that?"
Lanxin explained, "When I went to investigate at the academy, I overheard students discussing that Lianshan Xin had captured Prince Mingren of the Sakura Kingdom and his younger sister Baihezi, on the grounds that they were linked to you. Master, is that true?"
Blackness swam before Thousand Faces's eyes.
"Master, Master...!"
"I... I am fine. Master merely had a sudden feeling... that Lianshan Xin might just become my greatest nemesis!"
Chapter 73