As he spoke, Sikong Yan cast a meaningful glance at Zhou Qing.

"Junior Sect Leader," he chuckled, "how many Spirit Stones are required to forge a Sect Protection Array? Could you also make one for my Cangyan Daoist Palace sometime?"

Zhou Qing slightly raised the corners of his mouth: "Sure, as long as you're not afraid of me leaving a backdoor."

"Then forget it," Sikong Yan laughed heartily, "I have to be wary of a little fox like you, or I might get sold by you one day without even knowing it."

Mo Xingjian subtly stepped forward half a step, shielding Zhou Qing behind him, then frowned and asked, "Shall we break the array directly or..."

More than thirty experts at the Divinity Transformation Realm Perfection working together, this array shouldn't hold for even half a quarter of an hour.

However, Sikong Yan waved his hand, took a carved sandalwood chair out of his storage bag, and leisurely sat down: "No rush, the main event hasn't arrived yet."

"Main event?" The people of Taiqing Sect looked at him in confusion.

Sikong Yan unhurriedly took out a tea set, with a light touch of his fingertip, a wisp of Spiritual Fire boiled the spring water.

He turned his head to Zhou Qing: "Junior Sect Leader, would you like a cup?"

Zhou Qing stood with his hands behind his back, ignoring the invitation.

Cao Zhengyang and Mo Xingjian exchanged glances, puzzled by what tricks this madman might be up to.

Why did it feel like they had been led by the nose all along?

Helplessly, everyone had to sit cross-legged, communicating secretly.

It stayed like this until dusk when a giant flying ship with embroidered dark bird patterns broke through the clouds, its flags fluttering, clearly the emblem of the County Governor's mansion!

"County Governor?" Zhou Qing's pupils contracted slightly, seemingly guessing something.

Only then did Cao Zhengyang and the others understand who Sikong Yan meant by the main event.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

A total of three hundred Blood Forbidden Army soldiers quickly descended from the flying ship, their murderous aura instantly engulfing the entire Golden Thunder Sect's mountain gate.

Each Blood Forbidden Army member was clad in crimson armor, their faces covered with Profound Iron Masks, the same elite Divinity Transformation Realm warriors Zhou Qing had seen at the White Jade Taixu Courtyard in the past.

Then, County Governor Zhong Yao and Mansion Master Xiao Ji followed immediately, coming over with eager courtesy.

"Sikong, Brother Cao, have you really found the murderer of the Fifth Prince?"

Since being suspected and expelled from the ship by Princess Consort Ying and others last time, the two had been staying in Lingyun Mansion.

Zhong Yao hadn't returned to Longyuan County either; after Chief Eunuch Gao Xianzhong returned to the capital, he exaggerated Zhong Yao's incompetence before the Emperor while absolving himself of any responsibility.

In a fit of anger, the Emperor revoked most of Zhong Yao's powers as a punishment.

Even worse, after Princess Consort Ying personally arrived at the Eastern Domain, she ordered him to put aside all official duties and fully cooperate with the investigation. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

A month ago, they suddenly received a secret report stating that Cangyan Daoist Palace and Taiqing Sect had joined forces and finally found the whereabouts of the murderer.

Originally, the two sects intended to report to Princess Consort Ying and the others, but reconsidered and refrained.

Why not let the credit go to the local County Governor and Mansion Master directly?

This way, they could wash away their offenses and also restore their reputation before the Emperor, making future actions by the two sects more convenient.

The two were distressing over this matter and hurried over at the quickest pace.

After hearing the entire sequence of events, Zhou Qing felt a chill down his spine.

He instinctively looked at Sikong Yan, who wore a faint, inscrutable smile at the corners of his mouth.

This guy had begun planning a month ago, meaning he had already sensed the potential danger of the Golden Thunder Sect from then on.

In other words, even if Taiqing Sect and the others hadn't taken action, Cangyan Daoist Palace would have brought them along to share the risk.

The thought left Cao Zhengyang and the others with an eerie feeling.

Through this battle, the seemingly tripartite balance of power in the Eastern Domain was broken, leaving only Taiqing Sect and Cangyan Daoist Palace competing as the two dominant forces.

Were they really going to face such opponents next?

Especially now that the two sides had joined forces to kill Princess Consort Ying and so many Shadow Guards.

What exactly was this guy up to?

Faced with their questions, Sikong Yan suddenly sighed deeply with a sorrowful expression, "Brother Zhong, Brother Xiao, we... failed to protect Princess Consort Ying and the others."

"What?!"

Zhong Yao and Xiao Ji's faces changed dramatically, Zhong Yao even stepping forward urgently: "What happened to them?"

Sikong Yan cast a meaningful glance at Cao Zhengyang: "Why don't we let Brother Cao explain?"

Cao Zhengyang's hands involuntarily tensed up.

Just as he was about to speak, Sikong Yan suddenly changed his mind: "Forget it, I'd better explain."

Cao Zhengyang: "..."

Damn, this guy's nuts!

Sikong Yan's expression turned solemn: "The true culprit behind the Fifth Prince's murder is indeed the Golden Thunder Sect."

"The Golden Thunder Sect?" Zhong Yao and Xiao Ji instinctively looked toward the opposite mountain gate, faces full of disbelief, "How dare they?"

They were well aware of the situation in the Eastern Domain. Since the battle of Canglan Mountain, apart from Taiqing Sect and Cangyan Daoist Palace, the other Three Sects had long waned.

In fact, the final outcome was within their expectations.

Cyan Feather Immortal Sect had become a subordinate of Taiqing Sect, and Phecda Sect was obliterated.

Now only the Golden Thunder Sect was barely hanging on.

How could such a declining sect dare to act against the Fifth Prince?

Sikong Yan seemed to glimpse their confusion, and then said quietly, "Have you ever heard a saying in the medicinal world?"

"What saying?" the two asked reflexively.

Sikong Yan replied, "Rumor has it that if someone in one's ancestry advances to the Spirit Severing Realm, their descendants' bloodline will also be activated and transform into a treasure medicine."

Their pupils contracted sharply.

They had of course heard of such taboo words, but who would dare target the descendants of those in the Spirit Severing Realm?

If discovered, it would mean the scourge of clan extermination!

"Could it be..." They exchanged a glance, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes, "The Golden Thunder Sect actually dares..."

Sikong Yan continued, "The situation in the Eastern Domain gave the Golden Thunder Sect an unprecedented sense of crisis, so they decided to take desperate measures, cultivating a Forbidden Technique in an attempt to forcibly achieve Spirit Severing."