dàn wǔ lǎo huì de jiàn dié zǔ zhī yě sì hū shòu dào le bù xiǎo de yǐng xiǎng 。
但五老会的间谍组织也似乎受到了不小的影响。
But the spy organization of the Five Elders' Alliance seemed to have suffered significant impacts as well.
shǐ zhōng méi yǒu rén qián lái jiē yǐn 。
始终没有人前来接引。
No one came to guide her.
lǐ qíng zhǐ dé jì xù shēn rù ， zhí dào lái dào yī chù míng wèi fán qīng zhōu de dì yù ， cái zhōng yú yǒu suǒ huí yìng 。
李晴只得继续深入，直到来到一处名为樊清州的地域，才终于有所回应。
Li Qing could only continue advancing until she finally received a response when she arrived at an area named Fanqingzhou.
rán ér duì miàn lián shàng tōng xùn zhī hòu ， què bù shuō huà 。
然而对面连上通讯之后，却不说话。
However, after establishing contact with the other side, they did not speak first. Instead, they waited for Li Qing to initiate communication.
zhǐ shì děng dài lǐ qíng zhè biān xiān kāi kǒu 。
只是等待李晴这边先开口。
"I am a member of the Interstellar Alliance and have urgent matters that require me to contact your superior," Li Qing transmitted.
“ wǒ shì wàn jiè lián hé huì chéng yuán ， yǒu jǐn jí zhī shì ， xū yào gēn nǐ shàng jí lián xì 。” lǐ qíng chuán yīn dào 。
“我是万界联合会成员，有紧急之事，需要跟你上级联系。”李晴传音道。
"Interstellar Alliance? What is this?" The voice on the other end sounded like someone just waking up from a dream.
“ wàn jiè lián hé huì ？ zhè shì shén me ？” duì miàn rú mèng chū xǐng de shēng yīn chuán lái 。
“万界联合会？这是什么？”对面如梦初醒的声音传来。
The voice seemed very young.
shēng yīn tīng shàng qù shí fēn nián qīng 。
声音听上去十分年轻。
After a series of chaotic noises, a mature middle-aged cultivator quickly took over the conversation.
yī zhèn cáo zá de luàn yīn zhī hòu ， hěn kuài jiē tóu de rén jiù biàn chéng le yī wèi chén wěn de zhōng nián xiū shì 。
一阵嘈杂的乱音之后，很快接头的人就变成了一位沉稳的中年修士。
"I understand. Currently, things are in chaos everywhere. Many key figures have disappeared during the great battles, their fates unknown. Therefore, we cannot confirm your identity for now..."
“ dào yǒu jiàn liàng ， rú jīn gè dì dōu shì yí piàn hùn luàn 。 zǔ zhī xǔ duō guān jiàn rén wù dōu zài dà zhàn zhōng xiāo shī le ， shēng sǐ wèi bǔ 。 suǒ yǐ wǒ men zhè biān mù qián hái bù néng què rèn nǐ de shēn fèn ……”
“道友见谅，如今各地都是一片混乱。组织许多关键人物都在大战中消失了，生死未卜。所以我们这边目前还不能确认你的身份……”
They directly rejected Li Qing's request to meet.
què shì zhí jiē jù jué le lǐ qíng de huì miàn yāo qiú 。
却是直接拒绝了李晴的会面要求。
After a brief silence, Li Qing said, "The more critical moments like these, the more crucial intelligence is needed. The information I possess can turn the tide in favor of the Five Elders' Alliance..."
duǎn zàn de chén mò zhī hòu ， lǐ qíng kāi kǒu dào ：“ yuè shì zhè zhǒng shí kè ， yuè shì xū yào guān jiàn qíng bào 。 wǒ shǒu zhōng de xiāo xī ， zú yǐ néng niǔ zhuǎn nǐ men wǔ lǎo huì de wēi jú ……”
短暂的沉默之后，李晴开口道：“越是这种时刻，越是需要关键情报。我手中的消息，足以能扭转你们五老会的危局……”
"Such great achievements—would you really let them pass by? With positions currently vacant, if you could establish merit and rise to a higher position..."
“ tiān dà de gōng láo ， nǐ nán dào yuàn yì bái bái cuò guò ？ rú jīn zhí wèi kòng quē ， ruò shì néng lì gōng ér shàng ……”
“天大的功劳，你难道愿意白白错过？如今职位空缺，若是能立功而上……”
"Moreover, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance now holds an overwhelming advantage. Are you worried that I might be an agent from the other side?"
“ gèng hé kuàng ， wàn xiān méng rú jīn yǐ jīng zhàn jù jué duì yōu shì 。 nǐ hái dān xīn wǒ shì nà biān pài chū de jiàn dié bù chéng ？”
“更何况，万仙盟如今已经占据绝对优势。你还担心我是那边派出的间谍不成？”
Li Qing's tone was full of sarcasm. Her few words directly broke through the psychological defenses of the other party.
lǐ qíng yǔ qì mǎn shì jī fěng ， duǎn duǎn jǐ jù huà zhí jiē jī pò duì fāng xīn lǐ fáng xiàn 。
李晴语气满是讥讽，短短几句话直接击破对方心理防线。
The breathing on the other end suddenly became more rapid.
nà biān de hū xī shēng dùn shí biàn dé jí cù qǐ lái 。
那边的呼吸声顿时变得急促起来。
Communication temporarily interrupted.
tōng xùn què zàn shí zhōng duàn 。
通讯却暂时中断。
Li Qing did not rush but waited patiently, confident in her plan.
lǐ qíng yě bù zháo jí ， ér shì xiōng yǒu chéng zhú de nài xīn děng dài 。
李晴也不着急，而是胸有成竹的耐心等待。
Sure enough, after a short while, the middle-aged cultivator proactively contacted her.
guǒ bù qí rán ， xiǎo bàn tiān zhī hòu ， nà wèi zhōng nián xiū shì zhǔ dòng fā lái lián xì 。
果不其然，小半天之后，那位中年修士主动发来联系。
"Where shall we meet?"
“ wǒ men zài nǎ lǐ jiàn miàn ？”
“我们在哪里见面？”
"I will come alone. If your intelligence is unreliable, I won't have seen you."
“ xiān shuō hǎo ， wǒ shì zì jǐ sī xià lái de 。 rú guǒ nǐ shuō de qíng bào bù kào pǔ ， wǒ jiù zhǐ dāng méi jiàn guò nǐ 。”
“先说好，我是自己私下来的。如果你说的情报不靠谱，我就只当没见过你。”
Li Qing smiled slightly and told him her location.
lǐ qíng wēi wēi yī xiào ， jiāng zì jǐ de wèi zhì gào sù le duì fāng 。
李晴微微一笑，将自己的位置告诉了对方。
Not long after, a black streak of light flew from the horizon.
méi děng duō jiǔ ， biàn jiàn yī dào hēi sè liú guāng zì tiān biān fēi dùn ér lái 。
没等多久，便见一道黑色流光自天边飞遁而来。
A cultivator wrapped in metallic armor appeared before Li Qing, his face obscured.
yī wèi quán shēn bāo guǒ zài jīn shǔ kuī jiǎ 、 kàn bù qīng róng mào de xiū shì qiǎo rán chū xiàn zài lǐ qíng miàn qián 。
一位全身包裹在金属盔甲、看不清容貌的修士悄然出现在李晴面前。
"This outfit looks quite good," Li Qing commented.
“ zhè shēn xíng tou dǎo shì bù cuò 。” lǐ qíng diǎn píng dào 。
“这身行头倒是不错。”李晴点评道。
The armor worn by the middle-aged cultivator was identical to that of the cultivators who had flown out of the floating city in the sky.
zhōng nián xiū shì suǒ chuān de kuī jiǎ ， gēn nà zuò tiān shàng fú kōng chéng lǐ fēi chū de xiū shì de zhuāng bèi yī mú yī yàng 。
中年修士所穿的盔甲，跟那座天上浮空城里飞出的修士的装备一模一样。
"Only now are they willing to show these treasures."
“ yě zhǐ yǒu zhè ge shí hòu ， wú yōu lè tǔ cái kěn jiāng zhè xiē hǎo dōng xī ná chū lái le 。”
“也只有这个时候，无忧乐土才肯将这些好东西拿出来了。”
"If they hadn't been hiding them all this time, we wouldn't have lost so badly," the middle-aged cultivator replied tersely, his tone full of complaints.
“ rú guǒ bú shì tā men yì zhí cáng zhe yē zhe ， wǒ men nǎ lǐ huì bài de rú cǐ zhī cǎn 。” zhōng nián xiū shì jiǎn duǎn de huí dá dào ， yǔ qì zhōng mǎn shì bào yuàn 。
“如果不是他们一直藏着掖着，我们哪里会败的如此之惨。”中年修士简短的回答道，语气中满是抱怨。
A transparent wave rippled from his armor and spread outward, forming a circular barrier that enveloped both of them.
shuō zhe ， yī dào tòu míng de bō wén cóng tā shēn shàng de zhàn jiǎ shàng yǒng chū 。
说着，一道透明的波纹从他身上的战甲上涌出。
The scene outside became blurry as if separated by a veil.
cháo zhe zhōu wéi kuò sàn ， xíng chéng yí gè yuán xíng jié jiè ， jiāng liǎng rén lǒng zhào zài nèi 。
朝着周围扩散，形成一个圆形结界，将两人笼罩在内。
"Alright. This place is safe now. What important intelligence do you have?" The middle-aged man sounded tense as he stared at Li Qing.
gé jué nèi wài ， jié jiè zhī wài de chǎng jǐng dùn shí biàn dé mó hú qǐ lái 。
隔绝内外，结界之外的场景顿时变得模湖起来。
Li Qing laughed derisively: "I've already told you—it's crucial information that can turn the tide of battle. How could I just tell it to you so easily?"
“ xíng le ， zhè lǐ ān quán le 。 nǐ suǒ shuō de zhòng yào qíng bào shì shén me ？” zhōng nián nán zi yǒu xiē jǐn zhāng ， dīng zhe lǐ qíng wèn dào 。
“行了，这里安全了。你所说的重要情报是什么？”中年男子有些紧张，盯着李晴问道。
The middle-aged cultivator became agitated: "Then what do you want?"
lǐ qíng shěn rán yī xiào ：“ dōu shuō le ， shì néng gòu niǔ zhuǎn zhàn jú de zhòng liàng jí qíng bào 。 wǒ yòu qǐ néng jiù zhè me qīng yì gào sù nǐ ？”
李晴哂然一笑：“都说了，是能够扭转战局的重量级情报。我又岂能就这么轻易告诉你？”
"At the very least, I need to see someone who can make decisions before I speak," Li Qing said firmly.
zhōng nián xiū shì dùn shí yǒu xiē jí le ：“ nà nǐ xiǎng zěn me yàng ？”
中年修士顿时有些急了：“那你想怎么样？”
"How am I supposed to know if you're lying? In such a sensitive moment, taking an unknown person to my superiors—aren't you just asking for trouble?" The middle-aged cultivator had clearly not been responsible for intelligence or espionage work. He was almost visibly angry.
“ zuì qǐ mǎ ， wǒ yào jiàn dào yí gè néng zuò zhǔ de cái huì kāi kǒu 。” lǐ qíng zhǎn dīng jié tiě dào 。
“最起码，我要见到一个能做主的才会开口。”李晴斩钉截铁道。
Seeing this, Li Qing did not want to纠缠 with him further and said straightforwardly: "The Interstellar Alliance knows how to break through the Ten Thousand Immortals' Heavenly Deity Formations. What do you think?"
“ nǐ bù kāi kǒu ， wǒ zěn me zhī dào nǐ yǒu méi yǒu shuō huǎng ？ zài zhè ge mǐn gǎn shí kè ， wǒ dài zhe yí gè shēn fèn bù míng de rén qù jiàn shàng miàn ？ wǒ huó nì wāi le ？” duì miàn de zhōng nián xiū shì zhī qián xiǎn rán bú shì fù zé qíng bào 、 jiàn dié gōng zuò de 。
“你不开口，我怎么知道你有没有说谎？在这个敏感时刻，我带着一个身份不明的人去见上面？我活腻歪了？”对面的中年修士之前显然不是负责情报、间谍工作的。
"What?" The middle-aged cultivator was initially stunned before he shouted in disbelief.
jī běn háo wú chéng fǔ kě yán ， zhí jiē nǎo nù dào 。
基本毫无城府可言，直接恼怒道。
"Is that true?" His voice trembled slightly.
lǐ qíng jiàn zhuàng ， yě bù xiǎng zài gēn cǐ rén jiū jié ， zhí jiē liǎo dàng dào ：“ wǒ men wàn jiè lián hé huì ， zhī dào rú hé pò jiě wàn xiān méng de tiān zūn fǎ xiàng 。 nǐ kàn rú hé ？”
李晴见状，也不想再跟此人纠结，直接了当道：“我们万界联合会，知道如何破解万仙盟的天尊法相。你看如何？”
"I am waiting here for someone who can make a decision," Li Qing said coldly.
“ shén me ？” zhōng nián xiū shì xiān shì yǒu xiē lèng zhù ， ér hòu zhí jiē shī shēng dào 。
“什么？”中年修士先是有些愣住，而后直接失声道。
The middle-aged cultivator thought for a moment and finally gritted his teeth.
“ cǐ yán dàng zhēn ？” tā de shēng yīn yǒu xiē chàn dǒu 。
“此言当真？”他的声音有些颤抖。
Without any signs of mental activity, he quickly relayed the message.
“ wǒ jiù zài cǐ dì ， děng shuō de shàng huà de rén lái 。” lǐ qíng lěng mò dào 。
“我就在此地，等说的上话的人来。”李晴冷漠道。
In light of this crucial intelligence, the Five Elders' Alliance finally showed some semblance of its original efficiency. Within half an hour, over a hundred streaks of black light flew to the location.
zhōng nián xiū shì dī tóu sī kǎo le piàn kè ， zhōng jiū shì hái shì yǎo le yǎo yá 。
中年修士低头思考了片刻，终究是还是咬了咬牙。
All dressed in metallic armor, they surrounded Li Qing.
yě bú jiàn yǒu shén shí bō dòng ， biàn wán chéng le tōng zhī 。
也不见有神识波动，便完成了通知。
The leader turned out to be a female cultivator who walked straight up to Li Qing: "A fellow from the Interstellar Alliance?"
zài zhè zhòng liàng jí de qíng bào miàn qián ， wǔ lǎo huì zhōng yú zhǎn xiàn chū le yī sī yuán běn yīng yǒu de xiào lǜ 。
在这重量级的情报面前，五老会终于展现出了一丝原本应有的效率。
Li Qing nodded, confirming her identity.
bàn zhǎn chá de gōng fu ， shàng bǎi dào de hēi sè liú guāng jiù qí qí fēi zhì cǐ chù 。
半盏茶的功夫，上百道的黑色流光就齐齐飞至此处。
"My name is Qing Yang. I am responsible for rebuilding the post-war intelligence system. Follow me."
quán dōu shēn chuān jīn shǔ zhàn jiǎ ， tuán tuán jiāng lǐ qíng wéi zhù 。
全都身穿金属战甲，团团将李晴围住。
Surrounded by over a hundred cultivators, Li Qing entered an underground fortress.
wéi shǒu de jū rán shì yī wèi nǚ xiū ， tā jìng zhí zǒu dào lǐ qíng miàn qián ：“ wàn jiè lián hé huì de dào yǒu ？”
为首的居然是一位女修，她径直走到李晴面前：“万界联合会的道友？”
She remained unperturbed throughout, which convinced the Five Elders' Alliance members to some extent.
lǐ qíng diǎn le diǎn tóu ， suàn shì què rèn le zì jǐ shēn fèn 。
李晴点了点头，算是确认了自己身份。
This underground fortress was clearly built in anticipation of an attack from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
“ wǒ jiào qīng yāng ， fù zé zhàn hòu qíng bào xì tǒng de chóng jiàn 。 gēn wǒ lái 。”
“我叫青央，负责战后情报系统的重建。跟我来。”
Upon entering the deepest inner room, she ordered everyone else to leave. Only Qing Yang faced Li Qing alone.
zài shàng bǎi wèi xiū shì de cù yōng xià ， lǐ qíng lái dào le yī chù dì xià bǎo lěi zhōng 。
在上百位修士的簇拥下，李晴来到了一处地下堡垒中。
"Say what you need to say now," Qing Yang's voice devoid of any emotion.
quán chéng miàn bù gǎi sè 。
全程面不改色。
"You're right, I can't show my face. It makes it hard for me to believe you," Li Qing laughed lightly and shook her head.
dǎo shì ràng wǔ lǎo huì de rén xìn fú le bù shǎo 。
倒是让五老会的人信服了不少。
After a brief silence, the black metallic armor peeled away, revealing Qing Yang's true appearance.
cǐ chù dì xià bǎo lěi ， xiǎn rán shì wèi le yìng duì wàn xiān méng de jìn gōng ér gāng gāng jiàn zào de 。
此处地下堡垒，显然是为了应对万仙盟的进攻而刚刚建造的。
Her looks were unremarkable; she blended into the crowd easily.
lái dào zuì shēn chù de yī jiān mì shì nèi ， mìng lìng qí tā rén chū qù ， qīng yāng dú zì yī rén gēn lǐ qíng miàn duì miàn 。
来到最深处的一间密室内，命令其他人出去，青央独自一人跟李晴面对面。
But Li Qing keenly noticed that there was a sense of indifference towards life in her eyes.
“ yǒu shén me huà ， xiàn zài kě yǐ jiǎng le 。” qīng yāng de shēng yīn bù dài yǒu rèn hé gǎn qíng 。
“有什么话，现在可以讲了。”青央的声音不带有任何感情。
Li Qing carefully studied her for a long time before slowly saying: "Exchange intelligence from the Chosen Ones for what we want."
“ qīng yāng gū niáng liǎn dōu bù gǎn lù ， hěn nán ràng wǒ xiāng xìn a 。” lǐ qíng què shì qīng xiào zhe yáo le yáo tóu 。
“青央姑娘脸都不敢露，很难让我相信啊。”李晴却是轻笑着摇了摇头。
"Agreed," Qing Yang nodded.
duǎn zàn de chén mò zhī hòu ， hēi sè jīn shǔ zhàn jiǎ tùn qù ， qīng yāng lù chū běn lái róng mào 。
短暂的沉默之后，黑色金属战甲褪去，青央露出本来容貌。
"What do you need?" Qing Yang, decisive as always, asked directly.
róng mào bìng bù chū zhòng ， fàng zài rén hǎi zhōng háo bù qǐ yǎn de nà zhǒng 。
容貌并不出众，放在人海中毫不起眼的那种。
"What are the secret treasures that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance seeks?"
zhǐ shì lǐ qíng mǐn ruì de chá jué dào le ， duì fāng yǎn jīng zhōng yǒu zhe mò shì shēng mìng de dàn rán 。
只是李晴敏锐的察觉到了，对方眼睛中有着漠视生命的澹然。
"Hmm?" Surprised by this question, Qing Yang stood still in shock.
lǐ qíng zǐ xì duān xiáng dǎ liàng le xǔ jiǔ ， cái huǎn huǎn kāi kǒu ：“ yòng xiān xuǎn zhě de qíng bào ， huàn qǔ wǒ men xiǎng yào de qíng bào 。”
李晴仔细端详打量了许久，才缓缓开口：“用仙选者的情报，换取我们想要的情报。”
"I don't know either. But it's not a secret; I'll ask," metallic light once again obscured her face.
“ xíng 。” qīng yāng diǎn tóu dā yìng 。
“行。”青央点头答应。
When she reappeared, her expression was filled with uncertainty.
“ nǐ men xiǎng yào xiē shén me ？” qīng yāng shí fēn guǒ duàn ， zhí jiē wèn dào 。
“你们想要些什么？”青央十分果断，直接问道。
"The intelligence exceeds my authority..."
“ wàn xiān méng suǒ yào de xiān méng mì bǎo ， jiū jìng shì shén me ？”
“万仙盟所要的仙盟秘宝，究竟是什么？”
Now she seemed unsettled.
“ ń ？” sì hū duì zhè ge wèn tí shí fēn chà yì ， qīng yāng dāng chǎng lèng zhù 。
“嗯？”似乎对这个问题十分诧异，青央当场愣住。
"Sorry, give me a moment." Qing Yang hurriedly left the room.
“ zhè ge …… wǒ yě bù zhī dào 。 bù guò cǐ shì yīng gāi bú shì shén me jī mì cái duì ， wǒ wèn wèn 。”
“这个……我也不知道。不过此事应该不是什么机密才对，我问问。”
Li Qing fell into deep thought.
jīn shǔ liú guāng zài dù jiāng qīng yāng de miàn páng zhē bì 。
金属流光再度将青央的面庞遮蔽。
"So indeed, this seemingly pretextual relic of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is real."
dāng tā zài dù xiǎn xiàn miàn kǒng de shí hòu ， liǎn shàng mǎn shì jīng yí bù dìng 。
当她再度显现面孔的时候，脸上满是惊疑不定。
"What precious treasures did the ancient Ten Thousand Immortals possess that they were remembered for millennia?"
“ qíng bào chāo guò le wǒ de quán xiàn fàn wéi ……”
“情报超过了我的权限范围……”
Just as Li Qing was pondering, Qing Yang quickly returned.
zhè xià tā yǒu xiē bù dàn dìng le 。
这下她有些不澹定了。
Her expression was strange.
“ bào qiàn ， shāo děng piàn kè 。” qīng yāng cōng cōng lí kāi le mì shì 。
“抱歉，稍等片刻。”青央匆匆离开了密室。
She directly answered: "The so-called relics of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance are the souls and remains of the initial members."
lǐ qíng zé shì xiàn rù le shēn sī 。
李晴则是陷入了深思。
"During the purge by the Immortal Sects on the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, to set an example, they extracted the souls of those who lost in battle or were stubborn, tormenting them day and night."
“ guǒ rán ， zhè kàn shì shì gè jiè kǒu de xiān méng yí bǎo ， jū rán zhēn yǒu qí shì 。”
“果然，这看似是个借口的仙盟遗宝，居然真有其事。”
"What was common back then is now seen as somewhat unseemly, so it's kept secret."
“ dāng nián de wàn xiān méng ， jiū jìng yǒu shén me bǎo wù 。 zhí de shù qiān nián niàn niàn bù wàng ？”
“当年的万仙盟，究竟有什么宝物。值得数千年念念不忘？”
In the Spirit Wood Realm, Li Fan sensed his doppelgänger hearing this answer. His eyes narrowed.
zhèng dāng lǐ qíng sī suǒ de shí hòu ， qīng yāng hěn kuài fǎn huí le 。
正当李晴思索的时候，青央很快返回了。
He remembered that during the 115th cycle, when the Five Elders' Alliance had suddenly attacked Ten Thousand Immortals Island to excavate the remains of the initial transmitters.
But the spy organization of the Five Elders' Alliance seemed to have suffered significant impacts as well.
No one came to guide her.
Li Qing could only continue advancing until she finally received a response when she arrived at an area named Fanqingzhou.
However, after establishing contact with the other side, they did not speak first. Instead, they waited for Li Qing to initiate communication.
"I am a member of the Interstellar Alliance and have urgent matters that require me to contact your superior," Li Qing transmitted.
"Interstellar Alliance? What is this?" The voice on the other end sounded like someone just waking up from a dream.
The voice seemed very young.
After a series of chaotic noises, a mature middle-aged cultivator quickly took over the conversation.
"I understand. Currently, things are in chaos everywhere. Many key figures have disappeared during the great battles, their fates unknown. Therefore, we cannot confirm your identity for now..."
They directly rejected Li Qing's request to meet.
After a brief silence, Li Qing said, "The more critical moments like these, the more crucial intelligence is needed. The information I possess can turn the tide in favor of the Five Elders' Alliance..."
"Such great achievements—would you really let them pass by? With positions currently vacant, if you could establish merit and rise to a higher position..."
"Moreover, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance now holds an overwhelming advantage. Are you worried that I might be an agent from the other side?"
Li Qing's tone was full of sarcasm. Her few words directly broke through the psychological defenses of the other party.
The breathing on the other end suddenly became more rapid.
Communication temporarily interrupted.
Li Qing did not rush but waited patiently, confident in her plan.
Sure enough, after a short while, the middle-aged cultivator proactively contacted her.
"Where shall we meet?"
"I will come alone. If your intelligence is unreliable, I won't have seen you."
Li Qing smiled slightly and told him her location.
Not long after, a black streak of light flew from the horizon.
A cultivator wrapped in metallic armor appeared before Li Qing, his face obscured.
"This outfit looks quite good," Li Qing commented.
The armor worn by the middle-aged cultivator was identical to that of the cultivators who had flown out of the floating city in the sky.
"Only now are they willing to show these treasures."
"If they hadn't been hiding them all this time, we wouldn't have lost so badly," the middle-aged cultivator replied tersely, his tone full of complaints.
A transparent wave rippled from his armor and spread outward, forming a circular barrier that enveloped both of them.
The scene outside became blurry as if separated by a veil.
"Alright. This place is safe now. What important intelligence do you have?" The middle-aged man sounded tense as he stared at Li Qing.
Li Qing laughed derisively: "I've already told you—it's crucial information that can turn the tide of battle. How could I just tell it to you so easily?"
The middle-aged cultivator became agitated: "Then what do you want?"
"At the very least, I need to see someone who can make decisions before I speak," Li Qing said firmly.
"How am I supposed to know if you're lying? In such a sensitive moment, taking an unknown person to my superiors—aren't you just asking for trouble?" The middle-aged cultivator had clearly not been responsible for intelligence or espionage work. He was almost visibly angry.
Seeing this, Li Qing did not want to纠缠 with him further and said straightforwardly: "The Interstellar Alliance knows how to break through the Ten Thousand Immortals' Heavenly Deity Formations. What do you think?"
"What?" The middle-aged cultivator was initially stunned before he shouted in disbelief.
"Is that true?" His voice trembled slightly.
"I am waiting here for someone who can make a decision," Li Qing said coldly.
The middle-aged cultivator thought for a moment and finally gritted his teeth.
Without any signs of mental activity, he quickly relayed the message.
In light of this crucial intelligence, the Five Elders' Alliance finally showed some semblance of its original efficiency. Within half an hour, over a hundred streaks of black light flew to the location.
All dressed in metallic armor, they surrounded Li Qing.
The leader turned out to be a female cultivator who walked straight up to Li Qing: "A fellow from the Interstellar Alliance?"
Li Qing nodded, confirming her identity.
"My name is Qing Yang. I am responsible for rebuilding the post-war intelligence system. Follow me."
Surrounded by over a hundred cultivators, Li Qing entered an underground fortress.
She remained unperturbed throughout, which convinced the Five Elders' Alliance members to some extent.
This underground fortress was clearly built in anticipation of an attack from the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
Upon entering the deepest inner room, she ordered everyone else to leave. Only Qing Yang faced Li Qing alone.
"Say what you need to say now," Qing Yang's voice devoid of any emotion.
"You're right, I can't show my face. It makes it hard for me to believe you," Li Qing laughed lightly and shook her head.
After a brief silence, the black metallic armor peeled away, revealing Qing Yang's true appearance.
Her looks were unremarkable; she blended into the crowd easily.
But Li Qing keenly noticed that there was a sense of indifference towards life in her eyes.
Li Qing carefully studied her for a long time before slowly saying: "Exchange intelligence from the Chosen Ones for what we want."
"Agreed," Qing Yang nodded.
"What do you need?" Qing Yang, decisive as always, asked directly.
"What are the secret treasures that the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance seeks?"
"Hmm?" Surprised by this question, Qing Yang stood still in shock.
"I don't know either. But it's not a secret; I'll ask," metallic light once again obscured her face.
When she reappeared, her expression was filled with uncertainty.
"The intelligence exceeds my authority..."
Now she seemed unsettled.
"Sorry, give me a moment." Qing Yang hurriedly left the room.
Li Qing fell into deep thought.
"So indeed, this seemingly pretextual relic of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance is real."
"What precious treasures did the ancient Ten Thousand Immortals possess that they were remembered for millennia?"
Just as Li Qing was pondering, Qing Yang quickly returned.
Her expression was strange.
She directly answered: "The so-called relics of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance are the souls and remains of the initial members."
"During the purge by the Immortal Sects on the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, to set an example, they extracted the souls of those who lost in battle or were stubborn, tormenting them day and night."
"What was common back then is now seen as somewhat unseemly, so it's kept secret."
In the Spirit Wood Realm, Li Fan sensed his doppelgänger hearing this answer. His eyes narrowed.
He remembered that during the 115th cycle, when the Five Elders' Alliance had suddenly attacked Ten Thousand Immortals Island to excavate the remains of the initial transmitters.