Elder Sang's hands were hidden in his sleeve. He curled his fingers and effortlessly sealed the invisible raging fire away.

Elder Qiao was the first to speak. "Where's the enemy, Xu Xiaoshou?"

​​

What enemy?

Xu Xiaoshou was puzzled. Had the Spirit Palace been infiltrated by yet another enemy? What was going on?

Hovering in midair, Ye Xiaotian looked as tall as the rest. He glared at Elder Qiao. They should have let Xu Xiaoshou speak first.

If what he said aligned with what they knew, that would mean that there was nothing wrong with him. But they would have a problem on their hands if it didn't.

Speaking first was akin to giving Xu Xiaoshou a chance to weasel out of the precarious spot that he was in right now.

Elder Qiao glared back fearlessly.

It was clear what Elder Qiao thought about that. Who subjected to the appraising looks of four men would be able to withstand that kind of pressure?

Xu Xiaoshou was just a kid!

Now that Elder Qiao had spoken, Zhao Xidong naturally no longer restrained himself. "We communicated via a series of hand signals just now. Didn't you tell me you were being held hostage by a kidnapper?"

Hand signals?

Xu Xiaoshou was stupefied. What hand signal?

When had he ever communicated with Zhao Xidong via a series of hand signals?

Xu Xiaoshou wasn't an idiot. He'd managed to learn a great deal of important information from the little the two men had just said. He had half a mind to use the clues that he'd been given and play along. Surely that would enable him to escape the blame for what he'd just done...

…wouldn't it?

As his eyes flickered between Elder Qiao and Zhao Xidong, his Sense caught every minute detail of everyone's reactions.

Despite his stern look, Xiao Qixiu was still a familiar face. He could be persuaded as long as Elder Qiao was around.

Elder Sang was his master. He might not have said anything yet, but it was clear that they were on the same side.

Ye Xiaotian, the snowy-haired child, was the only person whom he'd only met but once. The only impression he had of the child was of his reticence.

But Xu Xiaoshou had known right from the start that this was a shrewd man. A man who had the capabilities to assume the role of dean of the Inner Yard wasn't someone to be trifled with.

Besides, he didn't know him very well. He couldn't afford to act rashly.

Xu Xiaoshou was a man guided by reason. He was very astute and rarely reckless.

He might have caused a minor explosion in the Spiritual Law Division, but the damages had been minimal. They had only lost a few hundred bookshelves and many, many tables and chairs…

Well, tables and chairs that had looked like they would cost an arm and a leg.

If he admitted to his wrongdoing, he would only suffer a monetary loss. But if he tried to hide the fact that he'd caused the explosion, he would lose a moral battle.

"There were no enemies, no intruders, no kidnappers," Xu Xiaoshou said calmly.

"Suspected, Passive Points +5."

Xu Xiaoshou froze momentarily.

What was going on? He was telling the absolute truth!

He wasn't lying!

"Are you playing me for a fool?" Zhao Xidong couldn't take it anymore and said what was on everyone's mind. "If there's no one else in the building, are you saying that you were the one who caused the explosion?"

"That's right." Xu Xiaoshou nodded.

"Suspected, Passive Points +4."

Hmm?

Four?

Xu Xiaoshou caught the slight curl of Elder Sang's lips. The old man seemed to have caught onto something. He yanked his straw hat down and kept his silence.

That was right.

The old man was the one who'd taught him how to refine the Infernal Fire Seed. He was probably the only one who believed what Xu Xiaoshou was saying...

"What nonsense!"

Elder Qiao gave Xu Xiaoshou a hard smack on the shoulder. "Kid, you don't have to be afraid. The most powerful warriors in the Tiansang Spirit Palace are standing right before you. If there's someone trying to threaten you, just tell us. You don't have to worry at all."

Well…

Something about this conversation struck Xu Xiaoshou as vaguely familiar, and he got the feeling that he'd heard it before. He subconsciously looked at Xiao Qixiu.

Xiao Qixiu gave him an encouraging look. "No crime will go unpunished. Sooner or later, justice will be served. Tell us!"

"Encouraged, Passive Point +1."

Xu Xiaoshou was dumbstruck. Why was he waxing lyrical about justice? He realized why the conversation sounded so familiar.

The same conversation had taken place the first time he'd drawn Sword Technique Expertise. These two men had tried tirelessly to make him spill the whereabouts of a person who didn't exist.

He was on the verge of tears. In another place and another time, he might have pointed them in a random direction to get them off his back. But Ye Xiaotian was right there. He dared not act rashly. "I swear, there wasn't anyone…"

Elder Sang abruptly cut him off.

"Judging from the force of the explosion, the impact must have hit all three levels of the Spiritual Law Division. But the damages appear to be minimal. I've looked through our inventory of spiritual techniques. None were lost or damaged. We're only missing a few miscellaneous items.

"Here's my preliminary assessment: we have an intruder who is at the Master Stage and wields the fire element. But we can't eliminate the possibility of the intruder suppressing his cultivation level in an attempt to mislead us, so let's assume that he is at the Sovereign Stage!"

Ye Xiaotian frowned. Nothing about this matter seemed certain, yet here Elder Sang was drawing a conclusion. Something wasn't quite right.

He didn't raise his suspicions though. The man had just reattached his arm for him, after all.

Meanwhile, listening to what Elder Sang said, Xu Xiaoshou grew increasingly baffled.

An intruder?

At the Sovereign Stage?

Then, something clicked suddenly, and, in an instant, he realized that this was Elder Sang trying to let him off the hook.

He knew he'd guessed it correctly when the old man asked sternly the next moment, "Where did the intruder go?"

Xu Xiaoshou lifted a trembling finger and pointed in a random direction…

Why?

Why was he constantly being forced to lie?

Elder Sang issued his orders with a second's hesitation. "Zhao Xidong, gather your men and search the grounds. Qiao Qianzhi, Xiao Qixiu, follow the intruder's trail and track him down. Ye Xiaotian…"

He gave the snowy-haired child a look. Ye Xiaotian stared back at him, a doubtful look on his face.

"You're going as well! Team up with Xiao Qixiu!" Elder Sang said firmly. One couldn't tell at all from the look on his face that he was lying. "This could be the work of the Holy Vassal. We can't let our guards down!"

All traces of doubt fled from Ye Xiaotian's mind when he heard the mention of the Holy Vassal. His expression turned solemn.

"We don't know if they're trying to draw us away from the Spirit Palace. I'll hold the fort while you track the intruder down. Let's move!" Elder Sang said decisively in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Yes, sir!" the men around him answered in unison before dashing away.

Xu Xiaoshou stared dumbly at the old man before him, his heart swelling with awe.

That was amazing!

With a few words, the old man had handled and dealt with everything. His argument had been sound, leaving no room for any refutation.

He was incredible!

The look that he gave Elder Sang was filled with open flattery and adoration.

The old man took a deep breath. His expression darkened as he stared unblinkingly at Xu Xiaoshou. "I was only away for a short while. Didn't I tell you to focus on cultivating the Infernal Fire Seed? Look at what you did instead!"

Xu Xiaoshou knew it. The old man knew everything…

Xu Xiaoshou scratched his head sheepishly. He didn't know what to say.

He was as frustrated as Elder Sang was!

All he'd wanted to do was cultivate the Infernal Fire Seed too. He hadn't expected the series of mishaps to befall him!

Elder Sang glared at him. Fortunately, little damage had been done and no spiritual techniques had been lost in the fire. Otherwise, this could have been a devastating blunder.

"I've distracted everyone and sent them away, but you still owe me an explanation. Explain yourself right now, or else…"

Xu Xiaoshou could feel his hair stand on end. He felt like he was being hunted by a ferocious beast, and terror rippled through his body.

He plastered a weak smile on his face. Flattery wasn't going to help him now.

"I do have an explanation, but I'm not sure if I should say it…"

Elder Sang grabbed him and dragged him up to the third floor.

The array was activated. A barrier slammed down between the space they were residing in and the rest of the world. The old man lifted his straw hat then and finally saw the state that his room was in. He was so shocked he nearly puked blood.

The huge bathtub had been flung aside and now lay overturned on the floor. There was a huge dent in the wall that marked the bathtub's collision with the latter.

The rows of bottles and jars that had lined the room neatly were now scattered all over the place, as if a storm had broken into the room and sent them flying.

Some of the bottles had been shattered, their pills sprawled across the floor like the pale, naked forms of young girls, hapless and exposed.

The panes to his windows were gone. A cool wind breezed into the room. How refreshing indeed!

Elder Sang wondered if he had taken a disciple at all.

He suspected he had brought home a beast that had then gone on to tear his home down!

He was livid. He scrunched his sparse eyebrows and glared murderously at Xu Xiaoshou. Anybody else would have been dead by now.

Xu Xiaoshou trembled, then said in a faint, subdued voice. "I was trying to put out the fire just now. I didn't have time to clean up the mess in the room…"

"To h*ll with that! I want an explanation right now!" thundered Elder Sang.