Zhang Quan died, leaving no proof behind.
The Iron Corpse was stolen, and the clues stopped there.
Now, the only option was to start with the traitor from the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect.
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then ran off to ask Instructor Yan:
"Instructor, do you think that traitor is still in South Yue City?"
Instructor Yan's gaze flickered, and he sighed:
"I've been searching for quite some time with no leads. Perhaps he's no longer here..."
Mo Hua shook his head, "Instructor, you're lying."
Instructor Yan was stunned for a moment.
But Mo Hua appeared certain.
Unable to resist, Instructor Yan asked, "How do you know I'm lying?"
"I guessed!"
Mo Hua's voice rang out clearly.
He looked at Instructor Yan with eyes clear and unclouded, the pupils deep and pure, unsullied by even a speck of dust.
Being seen with such a gaze by Mo Hua, Instructor Yan felt he couldn't hide anything.
Even guilt arose in his heart.
Instructor Yan was silent for a long while, his inner struggle evident. Finally, he sighed and spoke up:
"That person is indeed in South Yue City..."
"I didn't tell you before because, first, I didn't want to get you involved, and second, because this is just my speculation. I have no proof and can't be sure."
Mo Hua's eyes brightened as he quickly asked:
"Where in South Yue City?"
Instructor Yan frowned, "I suspect he's with the Lu Family."
The Lu Family!
Mo Hua's gaze shifted as he silently pondered.
The traitor, Shen Cai, had changed both his name and his appearance, likely to hide within South Yue City, and would probably seek the protection of a powerful force.
Being a Loose Cultivator was out of the question.
Firstly, the life of a Loose Cultivator was tough, and he betrayed his Sect not to live a hard life.
Secondly, being a Formation Master with no kin, it would be even more conspicuous to mix among Loose Cultivators, making his identity more suspicious.
If not a Loose Cultivator, then he must find a powerful force to depend on.
If he were to rely on one, it had to be a significant force.
It's easy to enjoy the shade under a big tree, and within the crowd and chaos, it's easier to blend in.
The three major powers in South Yue City: the first is the Taoist Court, the second is the South Yue Sect, and the third is the Lu Family.
The Taoist Court values lineage, and without a clean—at least apparently clean—identity, you can't get in;
the South Yue Sect is a Sect, the Lu Family is a Clan.
Compared to each other, as long as you're capable, you could infiltrate either.
To become an Instructor, an Elder of the Outer Gate or an offshoot, a Guest Elder, or to enter through marriage—there were many options, and the positions were quite high, with good treatment too.
Previously, Mo Hua also guessed if the traitor were to hide, he would be within the South Yue Sect or the Lu Family.
But he was a bit uncertain.
Now, Instructor Yan had also guessed it was the Lu Family...
Mo Hua asked, "Why do you think he's with the Lu Family?"
Instructor Yan replied, "You were right, I did lie to you before..."
"When I was in South Yue City, I saw the handwriting of the traitor's formations. At that time, I told you I couldn't find the origin of this formation; I was lying..."
"I found out..."
Instructor Yan looked grave, "This formation originated from the Lu Family."
"And that mine, the aura of its formations, was familiar yet obscure, with a touch of something sinister..."
"I suspect the formations used in that mine are the Spiritual Pivot Formation."
"That mine also belongs to the Lu Family."
"I rented a house near the mines because I suspected the Lu Family. I wanted to gather some information and find clues to that traitor..."
Instructor Yan appeared somewhat helpless, "But I didn't expect to run into Zhang Quan, to be held hostage by him, trapped in the Corpse Walking Stronghold..."
"You know the rest..."