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Chapter 42: Thwarting
In the end, no one knows what Fang Meng was thinking. He unexpectedly led this small group to seek refuge with their old enemies and neighbors, the Zhao Family, under Taiyi Sect. The Zhao Family took them in and dispatched specialized personnel to thoroughly interrogate each individual, extracting all the information they knew about Taiyi Sect.
Unlike Taiyi Sect, which lacked manpower, the Zhao Family had plenty of their own family members. Compared to their trustworthy family members, these outsiders had little value. This group stayed with the Zhao Family for several months, enduring days of humiliation and regret. A few days ago, Zhao Family ordered Fang Meng to take this group and explore an abandoned mine. This mine was located more than a hundred miles east of Taiyi Sect, originally used to extract "white hidden earth," and belonged to Twin Success Valley. Over a decade ago, the mine was almost depleted, and during a calamity caused by sand monsters, the Cultivator guarding the mine and many miners perished, and the mine was destroyed.
After Twin Success Valley gathered nearby cultivation forces to eliminate the sand monsters, they were unwilling to invest the effort to repair this mine, which had lost its value. Besides, white hidden earth was not a scarce mineral, as there were other active mines within Twin Success Valley's influence.
After being abandoned for more than a decade, somehow the Zhao Family became interested in this mine. They sent Fang Meng with his disciples to explore it, thinking it would be a simple task. However, upon entering the mine, they realized something was amiss. What was once a mine in the mortal world had turned almost into the Netherworld, with countless ghosts wandering and spirits dancing.
Soon after entering the mine, the group was surrounded by numerous ghosts. In a moment of danger, Fang Meng abandoned several disciples and fled for his life. Among the five disciples, apart from Fang Yong, the other four lost their lives. It's worth mentioning that Fang Meng was not only Fang Yong's senior brother but also his cousin. Despite this close relationship, he showed no mercy and abandoned his brothers.
Fang Yong, who managed to survive the ordeal, dared not stay in the same place or return to the Zhao Family. He returned to his hometown, Sweetwater Oasis, wanting to rejoin Taiyi Sect. As Fang Yong narrated this, Meng Zhang listened quietly without interrupting him. From the moment he saw Fang Yong, Meng Zhang had already activated his Mind Reading Divine Ability. Fang Yong's Refining Qi triple cultivation base was far inferior to Meng Zhang's, and all the secrets he concealed in his heart were revealed to Meng Zhang.
If Fang Yong had truly followed Meng Zhang's instructions and honestly confessed, perhaps Meng Zhang would have spared him. However, there were too many falsehoods in Fang Yong's account. The most significant omission was that Fang Yong was not the one who escaped the mine; he was saved by Zhao Family disciples who were observing from behind. After escaping the mine, Fang Meng immediately fled, showing a surprising level of cunning when it came to preserving his life.
The disciples who died among the group were saved by Zhao Family disciples, and Fang Yong, in particular, was subjected to a restriction talisman and coerced by Zhao Family before being sent back to Taiyi Sect. The Zhao Family's purpose was to make Fang Yong a spy in Taiyi Sect, passing on information about the sect.
If Meng Zhang didn't possess the Mind Reading ability, he might have been swayed by emotions and allowed Fang Yong to stay in Taiyi Sect. However, keeping Fang Yong alive in Taiyi Sect would create a significant hidden danger.
Thinking about this, Meng Zhang couldn't help but loathe Fang Yong for his unrepentant betrayal of the sect. No matter how dire the circumstances, betraying one's sect deserved severe punishment. Nevertheless, Meng Zhang restrained himself from acting impulsively.
Zhao Family must have some motives in returning Fang Yong to Taiyi Sect, and they probably deliberately revealed the information about the abandoned mine. They wanted to pique Meng Zhang's curiosity, luring him into exploring the mine.
Meng Zhang knew he should resist the temptation and avoid being manipulated by Zhao Family. However, his ego had grown significantly since he gained many benefits in the Trial Ground. Sitting idly by and doing nothing didn't suit his character.
Zhao Family had lost their Foundation Building stage cultivators and were now being supported only by a group of Refining Qi stage elders. Meng Zhang couldn't believe that Refining Qi stage cultivators had any significant means to harm him. He decided to turn the tables and explore the mine, not falling for Zhao Family's scheme.
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