Inside Black Cloud Temple, the mingled scents of blood and dust created an eerie, oppressive atmosphere.

"Little brother, this is..."

Li Pingfu stared at the unconscious Saint Envoy lying like a dead dog, feeling strangely conflicted. He knew his youngest brother had always been mysterious with endless tricks up his sleeve, but capturing a Saint Envoy who wielded immortal talismans so quickly... this ability was practically on par with an immortal's.

"Just some mountain friends coming to help." Li Pingcan briefly explained before adding, "Eldest brother, second brother, we shouldn't linger here. Let's relocate to interrogate this Endless Life Sect member."

Li Pingfu nodded, gripping the unconscious Saint Envoy's arm before sharply twisting it.

"Ah!" The Saint Envoy awoke screaming from the intense pain, but before he could react, three more bone-cracking sounds followed as all his limbs were broken in an instant.

"Now he can't escape." Li Pingfu looked satisfied as he watched the Saint Envoy pass out again from agony.

Carrying the Saint Envoy like a chicken ready for slaughter, he quickly led them away from the blood-soaked Black Cloud Temple.

In a remote village.

A basin of ice-cold water splashed over the Saint Envoy's head, jolting him awake. When his blurry vision cleared to reveal several familiar yet terrifying faces, his pupils contracted instantly and he instinctively struggled.

"You!" His limbs were shattered, his spiritual energy circulation disrupted - escape was impossible.

"Don't waste your energy."

Li Ping'an pulled over a chair and sat down leisurely. "Tell us about yourself and your purpose. Be clear, and we might grant you a quick death."

"Bah! Wishful thinking!"

Though terrified, the Saint Envoy's long-held arrogance from his high position and fanatical devotion to his sect made him force out a defiant sneer. "I am the White Lotus Saint Envoy of the Endless Life Sect, here on inspection! The sect will sense my death - then none of you will escape! The entire Yunshui County will be buried with me!"

"Stubborn fool."

Li Ping'an shook his head, his smile growing more amiable. "Little brother, your turn."

Hearing this, the Saint Envoy shuddered, his expression shifting from venomous arrogance to wary fear - completely different from moments before.

Exchanging glances, Li Pingfu and Li Ping'an both marveled inwardly. Clearly their youngest brother had left deeper psychological scars on this "Saint Envoy" than even an innate martial expert's intimidation could achieve.

Li Pingcan retrieved a mushroom from his robes. Its unnaturally vibrant colors shimmered strangely under candlelight.

"What is that?!" The Saint Envoy's pupils shrank violently.

"A humble local specialty, nothing special."

Smiling, Li Pingcan broke off a small piece and forced it into the Saint Envoy's mouth despite his resistance.

An indescribable flavor exploded as a strange energy slid down his throat before violently striking his cerebellum. The surroundings twisted and spun, candle flames elongating into dancing serpents of fire while the Li brothers' faces blurred into grotesque shapes.

"No! What demonic art is this?!"

The Saint Envoy roared in terror, desperately resisting the invasive force attacking his soul. As a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, his soul was far tougher than ordinary people's, especially with the Endless Life Sect's soul-tempering secret techniques.

Li Pingcan remained patient. If one mushroom wasn't enough, he'd increase the dosage. Though stacking effects had diminishing returns, as long as his spiritual power surpassed the Saint Envoy's, his "Illusion Realm" would take hold.

Gradually, the Saint Envoy's expression shifted from fearful resistance to blank confusion, finally settling into childlike innocence.

"The Sacred Master comes for me..."

He murmured as if seeing the True Void Homeland, the Eternal Mother smiling and beckoning.

Li Ping'an marveled at the sight. This mushroom truly was the ultimate interrogation tool, far superior to the government's elaborate torture devices.

"Begin." Li Pingcan nodded to his second brother.

Clearing his throat, Li Ping'an started the questioning with surgical precision.

"Your name and position in the Endless Life Sect?"

"I am Zhao Wu, White Lotus Saint Envoy of the Endless Life Sect... responsible for inspecting the sect's operations in Yunshui County..." The Saint Envoy answered dazedly, truthfully.

Indeed!

Exchanging glances, Li Ping'an and Li Pingfu saw mutual gravity in each other's eyes. An inspection envoy held far higher status than ordinary branch leaders - no wonder he possessed treasures like the Thousand Mile Talisman.

"Who is your Sacred Master? What's his strength?"

"The Sacred Master is the reincarnation of the Eternal Mother! Though young, he's already at late-stage Qi Refinement!"

Late-stage Qi Refinement!

Everyone's expressions darkened. Magistrate Liang was only mid-stage Qi Refinement - this sect leader had surpassed even the county's celestial official!

"Your mission in Yunshui County?" Li Ping'an pressed.

"By the Sacred Master's order... to place the foundation for the 'Endless Testing Site' at the county office's leyline."

"Endless Testing Site?" Li Ping'an frowned - this term was completely unfamiliar.

But Li Pingcan's heart stirred. Elder Tiger had mentioned that only by establishing a testing site could one oppose government destiny. Even if they killed a celestial official, destiny couldn't track them.

Originally, the Li family could only develop through official channels. Even if Magistrate Liang moved against them, they could only submit.

But with their own testing site, they could grow independently, completely free from government constraints. Who knew this cult shared the same ambition.

"Exactly!"

The Saint Envoy's voice grew fervent. "Once completed, the testing site will resonate with our sacred altar, transforming Yunshui County into our pasture! The county's destiny will be stolen, its people's souls returning to the Rebirth Lotus Throne after death, becoming the purest nourishment!"

Hiss!

All three Li brothers gasped. What a vicious scheme!

This wasn't simple murder or theft - they planned to turn hundreds of thousands into livestock, squeezing faith from their lives and devouring their souls after death, denying them reincarnation.

Li Pingfu looked solemn - this conspiracy could shake the heavens.

Li Ping'an paled instantly. As a scholar-official well-versed in classics, he understood these secrets far better than his brother.

"Stealing imperial dragon energy, corrupting the people's will..."

His voice trembled with horror and fury. "What a vicious plot - they want to sacrifice the entire county as destiny fodder!"

And government officials like them, connected to the land's destiny, would be the first to suffer backlash - either losing their positions or dying horribly.

"So Zhou Tong targeted me?" Li Pingfu realized. "Because only officials can access the county office's leyline undetected. As County Captain, my strict screening blocked your plans, so you needed me dead?"

"Yes. The county office's leyline gathers the county's destiny, protected by official seals and dragon energy that repel evil. Only officials can carry the 'White Lotus Inheritance' past these defenses."

The puzzle finally came together.

All clues connected as chilling realization crept up their spines.

Had they not accidentally obstructed the sect's path, had they not meticulously uncovered this trail, soon all of Yunshui County would have become a haunted wasteland right under their noses.

"What exactly is the 'White Lotus Inheritance'? And the method to construct the testing site?"

Li Ping'an took a deep breath, asking the most crucial question.

But the moment the question left his lips, disaster struck!

The previously dazed, compliant Saint Envoy Zhao Wu suddenly convulsed violently. His smile froze into an expression of extreme agony as black blood trickled from all seven facial orifices.

Gurgling noises came from his throat as if an invisible hand choked him.

"Look out!"

Li Pingcan's expression changed sharply. He clearly sensed an overwhelmingly powerful, sinister force erupting from Zhao Wu's soul - a soul-level restriction!

The moment core secrets were touched, it would detonate, obliterating both body and soul completely.

"Back!"

Li Pingcan shouted, grabbing both brothers and darting away.

Almost simultaneously...

"BOOM!!!"

A muffled but earth-shaking explosion came from the interrogation room.

The limb-broken Saint Envoy Zhao Wu's body ballooned to its limits before exploding violently!

Blackened flesh, shattered bones, and nauseating stench splattered across all walls with such force that even the reinforced metal walls dented slightly, shaking the entire building.

When the dust settled, no intact corpse remained.

Only the faint, eerie scent of burned white lotus lingered alongside the grotesque "flesh mural" on the walls.

Li Ping'an's stomach churned at the horrific sight. Even with his experience, he'd never witnessed such a gruesome death.

"He's just... gone?" He couldn't believe it.

Li Pingfu's face darkened as he studied the gory walls, deep apprehension flashing in his eyes. "Such ruthless methods transcend martial arts - this is true immortal magic. Planting such vicious restrictions in every core member's soul... the Endless Life Sect is more terrifying than we imagined."

Li Pingcan also looked troubled. This was his hallucinogenic mushroom's first failure.

Carefully analyzing the residual energy, he discerned the restriction's nature. "This is more like a curse. When forcibly triggered, it uses the host as fuel for self-destruction." His voice grew heavy. "Whoever placed this has stronger soul cultivation than me."

The trail seemed cut off.

Though they'd uncovered the sect's scheme targeting the county office, they knew nothing about the crucial "White Lotus Inheritance" or how to counter it.

Like knowing a bomb was planted in your home but not what it looked like or when it would explode - this looming threat was more unnerving than open combat.

"What now?" Li Pingfu looked to his brothers - he'd grown accustomed to consulting them.

"Without knowing the 'White Lotus Inheritance,' we can only strengthen defenses." Li Ping'an quickly regained composure. "From today, the county office must be tightly guarded by only our most trusted men in rotating shifts."

"Understood." Li Pingfu nodded.

"The trail isn't completely cold." Li Pingcan suddenly said, retrieving a nearly imperceptible dark brown fragment from the gore. To his druidic senses, its vibrant life force shone like a beacon!

"This fragment..."

Warm to the touch and fingernail-sized, its material resembled neither metal nor wood but possessed strange flexibility. Wiping it clean, he closed his eyes to concentrate.

As his consciousness probed it, torrential life energy surged forth - pure and potent like the essence of land itself.

But intertwined was another opposing force - cold, twisted, and corrupt, clinging like stubborn grease that eroded the life energy, emitting a stench that repulsed Li Pingcan.

"Little brother, what is that?" Li Pingfu approached. Given the explosion's power that leveled the room yet left this fragment intact, it must be extraordinary.

"Unsure." Li Pingcan kept staring at it. "But this might hold the key to the 'White Lotus Inheritance.'"

The sect's plan was clearly to use this corrupted "inheritance" to pollute the county's destiny node and hijack its dragon energy. No wonder Zhao Wu carried the precious Thousand Mile Talisman - not to protect himself but this fragment.

When Li Pingcan experimentally touched the corruption with spiritual energy, it clung like maggots, counterattacking with soul-eroding venom.

Grunting, he withdrew quickly, paling slightly.

"You alright?" Li Pingfu asked concernedly.

"Fine." Li Pingcan shook his head, eyes flashing with excitement. An idea struck him.

Reconnecting with the fragment, he didn't use spiritual energy but invoked his druidic essence.

[Divine Blessing of Nature]!

Gentle, purifying radiance enveloped the fragment from his palm.

"Sizzle..."

Like oil meeting ice, the black corruption hissed and visibly dissolved under the holy light, the pure life energy growing clearer as it was cleansed.

It worked!

Elated, Li Pingcan realized his nature-based druidic powers were this filthy magic's natural counter!

Though purification was painstakingly slow, persistence would eventually reveal the fragment's true nature.

"Eldest brother, second brother, let's return." Li Pingcan pocketed the fragment. "This might help us counter the sect."

Though unclear about the specifics, seeing their brother's mix of gravity and optimism told them he'd made a breakthrough.

Their moods remained heavy.

"After this, we're fully exposed to the sect's upper echelons." Li Ping'an worried. "Sending an inspection envoy shows how vital Yunshui County is to them - they won't back down."

"Meet soldiers with arms, water with earth." Li Pingfu said firmly.

"Eldest brother's right, but we can't stay passive." Li Pingcan pondered. "Second brother, you and eldest brother must secure the county office, especially the leyline. No suspicious approaches."

"Naturally."

Li Ping'an nodded. "I'll temporarily seal the archives under inventory pretexts, guarded only by our most trusted."

"I'll have Xie Xiaodao's team patrol round-the-clock. Nothing will slip by." Li Pingfu added.

"Don't report to Magistrate Liang yet." Li Ping'an cautioned. Already wary of them, he might stab them in the back - facing enemies on both fronts would be disastrous.

Li Pingfu agreed - if Liang learned of this, he might play both sides for his gain.

Caught between tiger and wolf, they had to stay vigilant.

"Don't over-worry. The sect's reach isn't that long, hence their secrecy. As for Magistrate Liang..."

Li Pingcan's eyes glinted. He had no perfect solution yet.

But if they obtained the sect's testing site secrets, why fear Liang?

Ultimately, what the Li family feared wasn't Liang but the imperial destiny system backing him.

"I'll return home to explain everything to father." Li Pingcan decided. "And prepare more safeguards."

As the three left the devastated compound, Xie Xiaodao's team set it ablaze behind them, erasing all traces.