The entrance to the Wanmang Mountain Secret Realm, once well concealed, is now gone. Whether it’s the defensive array or the concealment array, after the wild bombardment, only a startling wreckage remains.

The entire Wanmang Mountain is completely exposed, appearing like a stony thorn under the backdrop of the once massive mountains, increasingly desolate.

Even the most central area is riddled with holes, faintly revealing a wisp of the power of the Celestial Dao’s remnant, attracting numerous Demon Beasts to desperately charge forward, not caring at all that the ones ahead are blasted to pieces.

"Alliance Leader! Vice Alliance Hierarch!" The leader of the Hidden Guard responsible for guarding the Wanmang Mountain Secret Realm approached, panting, to report, "There’s still some small chaos for now, but the brothers of the Hidden Guard have already controlled it.

About a quarter of an hour ago, Second Director Ye Fan arrived at the Secret Realm with two subordinates, revealing his badge and claiming to be on a mission to inspect the defenses. He said the underwater Secret Realm of the Golden Chicken Seal was breached without anyone noticing, infuriating the Vice Alliance Hierarch, so he was tasked with personally inspecting all Secret Realms.

Since the Inspection Department Director has the responsibility to investigate everything in the alliance, the guards didn’t suspect and opened the first restriction to allow the group of three inside. After entering, Ye Fan then requested the guards to open the second restriction, and they truthfully reported that only the two Alliance Leaders could open the restriction.

Ye Fan nodded after hearing this, and without warning, launched an attack!

At the same time, at least twenty figures with strong auras, concealing their true appearance, suddenly appeared beside him, each meticulously attacking the guards, restrictions, and defensive arrays.

The subordinates saw the situation suddenly change, immediately sent out a distress signal, and rushed to support, but in an instant, the brothers responsible for guarding had already met a tragic end. After a fierce battle, the Hidden Guard also suffered heavy casualties, but managed to hold, though Ye Fan and his group escaped. Subordinates failed to stop the treacherous assailant, please punish me, Alliance Leaders!"

As he spoke, more reinforcements arrived to begin cleaning up the battlefield.

Guards in uniform were carried out, most of them unrecognizable, enough to show how intense the battle was in such a short time.

"Ye Fan is a Mahayana Realm Demon Cultivator who prepared meticulously for a long time, so leading your subordinates to fend him off is already very good, why talk of punishment?" Lan Shanying said, with a grave expression, watching the frenziedly charging Demon Beasts, then coldly snorted, waving his right hand, sending forth a terrifying pressure.

The first Demon Beast to touch that aura let out only a brief scream as its body turned to ash and was completely obliterated.

Like igniting paper, with flames licking by leaving ash behind, countless frenzied Demon Beasts howled, turning to flying ash from outside to inside, until reaching the Wanmang Mountain Secret Realm, leaving behind a thick circle of charred stench and ash.

Having never seen the Alliance Leader in action, the Hidden Guard leader trembled inside, thinking truly worthy of a Tribulation Crossing Realm Great Cultivator, such terrifying power with a mere finger move!

The Demon Beasts attracted weren’t ordinary, and their tough hides were hard to deal with, otherwise, the Hidden Guard wouldn’t still be defending the Secret Realm fiercely. Yet the Alliance Leader could turn countless Demon Beasts to ash in an instant; such formidable combat power could turn many Magical Treasures to ash!

Finally, it’s quiet.

But Lan Shanying knew this was only temporary—layers of restrictions and advanced arrays were destroyed, the power of the Celestial Dao’s remnant leaked, uncertain how much trouble it would cause.

The collective ascension plan must be expedited and implemented as soon as possible!

Du Li took out two sets of arrays originally intended for Mr. Jiang from the Storage Bag, temporarily arranging them on Wanmang Mountain for emergency. Then he descended to this long-hidden, protected Wanmang Mountain, the battle residues not fully dissipated.

As he examined the traces thoroughly, his expression grew increasingly somber, "This guy was clearly plotting for a long time, even specifically finding a Divine Artifact. Look here..."

"From these traces, Ye Fan most likely planned with two or three accomplices to deal with the guards, using the Divine Artifact as a path opener and others assisting to penetrate the core area directly." Lan Shanying squinted slightly, simulating the outbreak of battle in his mind from the scene’s state.

"But he didn’t count on the Hidden Guard being stationed here, nor did he anticipate the robust defense of Wanmang Mountain and the swift reaction of reinforcements. If he had used the Divine Artifact to smash a few more times, the mountain might really have been split open."

Du Li looked over again, pondering over and over without understanding.

Clearly about to succeed, even with reinforcements coming, since they managed to mostly retreat successfully, indicating they still had strength—why not hold on a moment longer?

"Couldn’t have succeeded." Lan Shanying, having simulated the battle, displayed a slight relieved smile, "Ye Fan knew full well and fled hurriedly because the Divine Artifact he painstakingly obtained was broken.

The elaborate trap we laid, how could it have been destroyed without a Divine Artifact? The traces here clearly show the Divine Artifact couldn’t battle further, his attacks posed no threat to the last barrier at all.

With this plot failed, Ye Fan surely has already fled with a backup plan. This artifact shard might be the only clue to trace his whereabouts."

Picking up a seemingly ordinary shard from the ground, Lan Shanying carefully stowed it, then turned to ask, "What’s Ye Fan’s background? I remember you mentioned it, but I’ve forgotten."

Reflecting on Ye Fan’s background, Du Li felt a myriad of emotions.

A long, long time ago, when Du Li was still in the Demon Pill Realm, he traveled widely, accidentally obtaining a map to a Secret Realm, journeying to a remote, spiritually barren small world.

Because the spiritual energy there was so sparse, hardly any Realm advanced cultivators went there, so even his meager Demon Pill Realm cultivation was viewed as an Upper Immortal by the world’s cultivators.

The Secret Realm map was so ancient that finding landmarks was extremely difficult; not wanting to give up the rare opportunity, Du Li could only try his luck.

One day, passing through a deep mountainous forest, he saved a Little Leopard Demon being chased—who was Ye Fan.

Little Leopard Demon Ye Fan idolized Du Li greatly, single-mindedly wanting to repay the life-saving grace, thus tirelessly working along the way, even risking his life. Seeing his obedience, gratitude, and endearment, after finding the Secret Realm entrance, Du Li thought to give the Little Demon an opportunity too and brought him along.

The big and little Demon Cultivators endured hardships in the Secret Realm but got ample rewards, also forging deep friendship. When leaving the small world, Ye Fan was reluctant to part, so Du Li asked if he would like to venture to a bigger, wider world, and he gladly consented.

From then on, for a long time, Du Li had a loyal little companion by his side.

Even after sitting in the Vice Alliance Hierarch position of the Demon Realm Alliance, Ye Fan loyally served as a Shadow Guard, steadfastly maintaining his gratitude for life-saving and recognition from Du Li. He needed someone to assist in overseeing the vast alliance, so Ye Fan became the Inspection Department Director, reporting once a month without failure and never showing signs of deceit.

"From rescuing and bringing him out of that spiritually poor barren world, I can’t even recall how many years have passed. I always thought he would be the most loyal presence by my side, didn’t know... that once naive heart changed sometime unknown." Du Li briefly recounted their past, his anger dissipating, leaving only sorrow and heartache.

Lan Shanying paused in silence before asking, "Is his lifespan nearing the end?"

"He hasn’t been in the Mahayana Realm for long, unlikely his lifespan is ending. You know, I am never harsh with my subordinates, especially with Ye Fan and such trusted individuals; I am generous, so he couldn’t be lacking anything. Thus, I can’t understand, why was it him who betrayed?

Even wanting to ascend madly, he should know I planned to take him along, he had a share, why seize by such means?"

"Perhaps only finding Ye Fan will reveal the answer." Lan Shanying turned to inquire the Hidden Guard leader, "Have the identities of those dead traitors been confirmed?"

He saluted, "At the time, aside from Ye Fan, the others were wrapped so tightly that their aura couldn’t be discerned. Later in battle, the four who died had their appearances destroyed almost instantly, their weapons and Magical Treasures were uniform, suggesting careful planning to avoid exposure. Therefore, distinguishing them clearly will take some time."

Du Li firmly said, "Wrapping up tightly without leaking aura, even changing weapons, precisely indicates insiders, worried about being recognized. Order the investigation of all Demon Cultivators above the Transformation Realm in the Demon Realm Alliance, regardless of position; if anyone’s whereabouts are unclear, immediately control and await detailed examination!"

The Hidden Guard leader received the order and left. Feeling restless, he said, "Please liaise with Brother Lan and Yuan Man soon to borrow the Heart Mirror, to thoroughly investigate up and down the Demon Realm Alliance."