Evan Chu had been hiding beneath the Crescent Moon Sect Master’s residence the whole time, able to hear every movement upstairs with perfect clarity. On the second day, a middle-aged man walked in.
"Lucas Young greets Sect Master. Everything you instructed has been taken care of. Senior Xu requests that Sect Master meet him atop South Mountain in mid-month." the middle-aged man said respectfully.
"You’ve worked hard, Lucas. Did anything else happen while you were out? Any unusual movements in the Azure Tide Ruins?" asked the Crescent Moon Sect Master.
"Actually, quite a few major events occurred this time. You’ve probably heard about the tournament—a genius emerged from the long-declined Frostbane Sect, single-handedly slaying the Mist Rain Pavilion Master. Because of him, Frostbane Sect has risen again and joined the ranks of the Nine Great Sects." the middle-aged man replied.
"Is that so? What’s his name? I’ve never heard of Frostbane Sect having anyone that capable." said the Crescent Moon Sect Master.
"I’m not sure of his exact name, but he’s extremely young—at most twenty, they say. Supposedly he hasn’t even broken through to the Saint Martial Realm, yet he has the strength to kill a Third-Layer Saint Martial expert. It’s unbelievable." the middle-aged man said.
Evan snorted to himself—if I’d already broken through to the Saint Martial Realm, would I really be crouching in the dirt like some mole? For scum like you, who betray your master and ancestors, not chopping you up is an insult to myself!
"That youth is no ordinary person. It seems something big is brewing in the Azure Tide Ruins again. He probably inherited the legacy of some peerless powerhouse—he’s someone we absolutely cannot afford to offend." said the Crescent Moon Sect Master.
"There’s a few other strange things. Several small sects were wiped out overnight—their deaths were terrifying, with all their blood drained and only a skin left behind." the middle-aged man said.
The Crescent Moon Sect Master pondered for a moment before saying, "That’s a major event. For an entire sect to be wiped out overnight, the attackers must be incredibly strong—and there must have been an inside traitor, otherwise it couldn’t have been done so cleanly. Most small sects are connected to the larger sects, so if something happened, they’d definitely send word."
"Our Crescent Moon Sect may keep to ourselves, but we must still guard against such things. Lucas, you should tighten the sect’s defenses—report to me immediately if anything suspicious happens."
"Rest assured, Sect Master. I’ll do my best to handle it!" the middle-aged man replied.
Evan almost burst out laughing—this guy’s the mole, acting all calm and collected! Some people are born traitors, and no matter how slick they act, trash is still trash.
"Sect Master, I brought back a delicacy from outside—spicy chicken, made from rare snow chickens of the mountain. The flavor is supposed to be exquisite. Would you like to try some?" asked the middle-aged man.
"You’re always so thoughtful, Lucas. Go ahead and fetch it then!" said the Crescent Moon Sect Master. With that, Lucas Young left the room.
At that moment, the Crescent Moon Sect Master suddenly spoke: "Friend, you’ve been here for two days already—why not show yourself? I didn’t expect to meet someone as skilled in earth arts as myself. Truly rare."
Evan was startled—he hadn’t expected the Crescent Moon Sect Master to sense him. From his tone, it seemed he too could use earth-shifting techniques. As a Fourth-Layer Saint Martial expert, it was no wonder he could detect Evan’s presence.
Evan immediately emerged from the soil and walked up to the Crescent Moon Sect Master, saying, "Lin Feng greets Sect Master. I didn’t expect you to sense my presence—your strength is truly extraordinary!"
The Crescent Moon Sect Master studied Evan closely, secretly surprised. This person clearly hadn’t reached the Saint Martial Realm, yet he gave off a sense of danger—like a razor-sharp blade, ready to strike at any moment.
"Why have you come to my Crescent Moon Sect? What’s your purpose here? If you don’t explain yourself, today will be your last. Don’t think hiding in the earth makes you special—I can do the same. You’d better give up that idea." said the Crescent Moon Sect Master.
Heh, did I ever say I was running? You might be a Fourth-Layer Saint Martial, but so what? I’m not scared of you. Since you caught me, I’ll lay it out for you—I came here to save your neck. You ought to be thanking me!
"Sect Master? Which sect are you master of? Since you’re a sect leader yourself, you should know the consequences of trespassing in another sect. I expect a reasonable explanation—what’s this about saving me?" said the Crescent Moon Sect Master.
Only now did Evan take a proper look at the Crescent Moon Sect Master. The man actually gave off an immortal, dignified air—kind, righteous, just like the impression Evan had from seeing Lord Frostbane’s portrait.
I’m the Frostbane Sect Master—the one your precious traitor was talking about. I ended up at Crescent Moon Sect because I overheard your so-called ‘good disciple’ plotting to take you out, and I want to get to the bottom of those sect massacres too. Yeah, sneaking into your sect wasn’t the most polite move, but desperate times call for desperate measures. If I’ve offended, well, you’ll just have to forgive me!
Evan’s explanation made the Crescent Moon Sect Master finally take him seriously. Anyone who could kill a Third-Layer Saint Martial expert with one strike had to be extraordinary—no wonder he felt such a dangerous aura from Evan.
"Since you’re Sect Master Chu, I won’t say any more. For the Frostbane Sect Master of the Nine Great Sects to visit Crescent Moon Sect is truly an honor. We’re both straightforward men—please, explain your true purpose!" said the Crescent Moon Sect Master.
I’ve already told you why I’m here. You just don’t want to believe it—fine by me. I’ve got nothing more to say.
"Sect Master Chu, your words are hard to believe. Lucas is kind by nature, and has always been respectful to me. I find it difficult to accept your story—please explain in detail, and I’ll be grateful." said the Crescent Moon Sect Master.
"The recent extermination of small sects is closely tied to certain dark forces. Your beloved disciple has been controlled by these dark forces—he was forced to take a drug, and if he doesn’t follow their orders, his life is at risk. His return to Crescent Moon Sect is directly related to this." Evan explained.
Every time a sect gets wiped out, there’s always a traitor inside. This time, your disciple came back to poison you. Didn’t he just say he brought you spicy chicken? If I’m not wrong, that dish is laced with Heavenfrost Poison—colorless, tasteless, and it only kicks in after two days. That’s probably when the dark forces will make their move and try to wipe out Crescent Moon Sect.
"Is that really possible? If it’s as you say, I won’t hesitate to kill this traitor myself." the Crescent Moon Sect Master said angrily.
If you go kill him now, you’ll just spook the snake and tip off the enemy. Why not turn their scheme right back on them? Just don’t eat that spicy chicken, simple as that. Wait two days—if things play out like I said, you’ll see the truth for yourself. Relax, I’m not about to sit on the sidelines. With you and me working together, I guarantee we’ll smash this dark organization to pieces!