Everyone subconsciously drew their weapons upon hearing Chen Nan declare Number Two was the mole. They would have minced Number Two into paste if Chen Nan had given the order.
"Fifth Brother, why do you say I'm the mole?" Number Two asked Chen Nan, looking incredulous. "You can't falsely accuse an innocent person."
Chen Nan replied, "I naturally won't frame an innocent person."
"Of course."
"Nor will I let a guilty person go."
As he spoke, a white, slender dog flew in from the west. It trod on auspicious clouds, exuding divine might and extraordinary presence.
"Undeniably, the King of Different Surname is clever!" Chen Nan stated calmly. "But if I'm not mistaken, he must have just killed the real Number Two and seized his communication token."
"As a result, he is unaware of events that transpired months ago."
"For instance, the fact that Di Ting recognized me as its master!"
"Is that Di Ting?"
Everyone was filled with excitement, their eyes burning with fervor. They had long known about Di Ting pledging allegiance to Chen Nan.
"I once asked Di Ting to investigate the whereabouts of the mole, but it told me that the culprit had a formidable background and it couldn't investigate further!"
"I pondered, what kind of information could even Di Ting not ascertain in this world?"
"Besides the Emperor of Fengdu, who else could it be?"
Zai Cang interjected, "If someone possessed a token bestowed by the Emperor of Fengdu, it could indeed mask heavenly secrets."
"And among the Emperor's Mentor, the Prime Minister, and the King of Different Surname,"
"Only the King of Different Surname, Gao Xi, possesses the Imperial Sword gifted by the Emperor of Fengdu."
By continuing the process of elimination, the King of Different Surname remained highly suspect.
Chen Nan smiled at Number Two. "The King of Different Surname's plan is quite cunning."
"However, he overlooked one crucial thing."
"He was unaware that Di Ting had recognized me as its master."
"Had he known, he would absolutely not have arranged for an ambush here today."
Chen Nan was certain that the death of Number Two occurred after Di Ting became his master. If Number Two had been killed before that, the King of Different Surname would definitely have known about the appearance of the Fire God Sect ruins. If that were the case, would he have remained indifferent? No! He would certainly have dispatched experts to contend for it, just as when the Water God Sect's opportunities manifested, and even the Ten Palace Yama Kings sent their subordinates to compete.
Number Two said earnestly, "Fifth Brother, that's not Di Ting at all; it's clearly just a slender dog. Its words cannot be trusted!"
"Roar!"
Following a deafening tiger's roar, Di Ting directly reverted to its true form. It had a tiger's head, a dog's body, qilin's feet, and a lion's tail. A single horn adorned its forehead. Its five-meter-tall, ten-meter-long body was awe-inspiring.
"Now, should its words carry some weight?" Chen Nan took a gulp of wine. He then looked at Di Ting and asked, "Brother Dog, who is the mole?"
Di Ting's gaze swept across the other six individuals, finally settling on Number Two. "His name is Gao Yuan. He is the eldest son of the King of Different Surname, Gao Xi. Three months ago, he discovered and slew the real Number Two, seizing a portion of his memories."
"Do you have anything further to say?" Ji Ba pointed his finger at Gao Yuan, his eyes filled with killing intent.
Gao Yuan's appearance shifted to that of a middle-aged man, with thick eyebrows, large eyes, and a sinister smile. He exuded the aura of a peak Heaven Ghost Realm expert, an aura that made everyone's complexion change dramatically. They never expected his cultivation to be so terrifying, considering the strongest among them was merely a mid-stage Earth Ghost Realm cultivator. In a fierce battle, it would be impossible for them to defeat Gao Yuan.
"I truly didn't expect Hall Master Yue to have guessed my identity," Gao Yuan said, looking at Chen Nan with curiosity. "There's one thing I'm very intrigued by: why were you so certain I was the mole?"
Chen Nan replied, "Intuition!"
"Your intuition is indeed quite accurate!" Gao Yuan grinned. "However, even if you know I'm the mole, what can you do?"
"I intended to annihilate you all anyway to achieve a great merit and solidify my father's position in the court." He did not deny Chen Nan's previous conjectures, because Chen Nan's deductions were entirely correct.
"Do you think you can defeat us?" Chen Nan's face showed a hint of disdain.
Gao Yuan shrugged. "I don't deny your strength, but with my peak Heaven Ghost Realm cultivation, how can mere ants like you kill me?"
"Even if you killed the experts I had ambushing here earlier,"
"I alone am enough to deal with you." He spoke with arrogance, not placing them in his eyes at all. If there was any major variable in this expedition, it was that Di Ting had recognized Yue Shan as its master. This was beyond his expectations. However, he was not afraid of Di Ting. Even if it was the foremost divine beast of the Underworld, its body had not yet manifested dragon scales. In other words, it had not yet recovered to its peak. With its peak Heaven Ghost Realm cultivation, how could it regard a mere beast with any concern?
Chen Nan suddenly asked, "Do you know what this body of mine is called?"
Gao Yuan frowned. "What do you mean?"
"The name of this body is Chen Nan," Chen Nan grinned. "Yes, the Chen Nan you know, who emerged from Tong City. Your Gao family should be familiar with this name, shouldn't it?"
"You are Chen Nan?" Gao Yuan gasped. He was far too familiar with the name Chen Nan. This was undoubtedly a thorn in his father's side. Who would have thought he would encounter him here today? With this thought, his eyes lit up with a dazzling glow. "I never imagined that our Gao family hadn't sought trouble with you yet, and you've come to our doorstep!"
"Since that's the case, let's settle old and new scores together!" As he spoke, he formed seals with both hands, and a golden net appeared out of thin air, engulfing everyone. He intended to capture them alive and present them to the Imperial Palace to claim a reward from the Emperor of Fengdu.
"Trembling with fear, yet you dare to show off your skills?" Chen Nan looked disdainful. With a raise of his hand, fire element laws surged into the sky, and before Gao Yuan's horrified gaze, the golden net was ignited.
Gao Yuan was greatly shocked. He had not expected Chen Nan to be so powerful, instantly incinerating his artifact. However, he remained unperturbed. With a raise of his hand, a golden longsword appeared behind him. "Since I can't capture you alive, taking your corpses back isn't an option either."
As this sword appeared, everyone, including Chen Nan, felt an intense pressure. A terrifying aura made everyone feel an urge to prostrate themselves in worship. The swords in the hands of the other individuals trembled slightly, wanting to break free from their control. When the Imperial Sword emerged, all swords submitted.
"I never imagined you would bring out the Imperial Sword!" You Xuan exclaimed, full of apprehension. Ten thousand years ago, the leader of the Anti-Heaven Sect met his end under this very sword. This was also the weapon most abhorred by the Anti-Heaven Sect.
"Fifth Brother, I'll cover for you, you all escape quickly!" A look of determination flashed in Zai Cang's eyes as he raised his hand, and a golden great bell appeared deep in the nine heavens. It emanated sacred and powerful energy, accompanied by a sonorous chime, as if from beyond the heavens, directly descending upon Gao Yuan.
Gao Yuan showed disdain. With a casual wave, the longsword shot into the sky, cleaving the great bell in two. He looked at everyone with a playful expression, a sinister smile on his face. "Want to run? Did you have my permission?"