C10 The One Who Made a Move Was the Enigma

Ye Chen watched the Sect Master with a nervous gaze, his heart a tumult of complex emotions. Had he truly been discovered?

Throughout this time, he had been exceedingly cautious, maintaining as low a profile as possible, never once revealing his abilities in front of others.

Could the Pontifex really identify him based solely on some traces found on the black-robed devil?

"Please enlighten me, Sect Master."

Zi Yuan looked on with curiosity at the Pontifex, intrigued by the mysterious figure who had intervened.

A devil had infiltrated his domain undetected, only to be eliminated by a mysterious expert. This piqued his curiosity.

"I can share this with you, but remember, you must not disclose this information to anyone," the Head of Polaris, Zi Ya, said, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "The one who eliminated the evil practitioners this time is a venerable elder from our Holy Land, the enigmatic ancestor."

"Ancestor?" Zi Yuan responded, visibly astonished.

Ye Chen was equally taken aback, not expecting this response.

What ancestor? Observing the Sect Master's fervor, his eyes alight with passion, Ye Chen would have been convinced if he didn't vividly recall that he himself was the one who had taken action.

"Indeed, the individuals who struck down the devil's followers this time are likely some of the revered seniors of Polaris, who dwell in the shadows, silently safeguarding us," Zi Ya stated earnestly, his voice laced with respect.

Yet, examining the wounds on the black-robed man, there were elements that raised suspicion.

For instance, the aura of the Tome of the Celestial Way on the wound was very subtle, as if it had only recently been practiced.

Furthermore, the energy emanating from the wound barely reached the God-Man level, hardly formidable.

But Zi Ya had already rationalized all these inconsistencies in his mind.

Perhaps the hidden ancestor had simply struck a casual blow, deliberately limiting his strength to that of a God-Man to avoid obliterating the corpse.

As for the novice-like practice of the Tome of the Celestial Way, it could be the ancestor's way of leaving a few breadcrumbs, sparing them from overly speculating about the assailant's origins.

Having pieced together this narrative, Zi Ya was convinced his analysis was sound, and the situation was as he surmised.

"Senior expert?" Zi Yuan was taken aback by the news and struggled to come to terms with it.

With a tone tinged with surprise, he inquired, "Head of Polaris, how did you come to the conclusion that it was a senior expert from our Polaris who intervened?"

Ye Chen also gazed at the Head of Polaris with a look of curiosity, eager to understand the rationale behind such a judgment.

Zi Ya, feeling relieved that suspicion had not fallen upon him, watched the exchange with the anticipation of someone engrossed in a story.

"I say this for good reason," Zi Ya stated gravely, glancing at the nearby corpse of the demon. "This demon was slain with a single blow, and the technique used was the Tome of the Celestial Way."

"In our Polaris, the number of people capable of mastering the Tome of the Celestial Way is exceedingly small. Apart from the current Head, only past Heads have had this ability."

"Tell me, if not a high-ranking expert from our Polaris, then who else could it be?" Zi Ya asked with fervor.

Upon hearing Zi Ya's explanation, Ye Chen felt a weight lift from his chest.

He hadn't been exposed, and the Head's suspicions clearly did not point to him.

"The Tome of the Celestial Way... it seems it must have been an ancestor from our Polaris. I had no idea that an elder from our sect was watching over us. We owe a great debt to this elder for intervening this time; otherwise, if any misfortune had befallen the Imperial Ancestral Temple, I would have been at a loss to explain myself."

Zi Yuan harbored no doubts about the elder mentioned by the Head of Polaris. Indeed, the use of the Tome of the Celestial Way indicated that the person who acted was a formidable member of Polaris, perhaps even a past Head of the sect.

"Alright, you've neglected your duty in guarding the Imperial Ancestral Temple this time, and we've decided on your punishment: you'll forfeit half a year's salary."

The Head of Polaris addressed Zi Yuan directly.

"Zi Yuan accepts the punishment."

Acknowledging his serious lapse in duty and considering that the punishment was only half a year's salary, Zi Yuan recognized that the Head of Polaris had been lenient.

"Zi Yuan, you've indeed failed in your responsibilities, so punishment is unavoidable. However, considering you're about to go into seclusion to attempt a breakthrough, we'll assign you an assistant. I'll send Zhenfeng to you; he'll aid in overseeing the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Use this time to focus on your cultivation and aim to achieve your breakthrough as soon as possible."

As they conversed, Head of Polaris Zi Ya gave Zi Yuan a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

He fully understood Zi Yuan's recent distractions, given that he was at a pivotal point in his cultivation, eagerly anticipating a breakthrough that would prolong his life. Failing to advance his cultivation level before his time ran out would mean his demise.

Under such pressing circumstances, it was hard to fault Zi Yuan.

"Thank you, Sect Master," Zi Yuan expressed, deeply moved.

He had been on the cusp of the late God-Man Stage and could break through at any moment, which made secluded cultivation all the more crucial.

Had it not been for the interference of a devil, Zi Yuan would have confidently entrusted the Imperial Ancestral Temple to Ye Chen's care, as disturbances were unlikely to occur.

However, the unexpected infiltration by a devil intent on desecrating the temple's altar forced Zi Yuan to bolster its defenses to prevent a recurrence.

This situation meant he could not devote himself entirely to his secluded cultivation and had to rely on Ye Chen to manage the temple. Given Ye Chen's Body Tempering Realm abilities, he wouldn't be effective in a protective role should trouble arise.

It would be ideal if the Sect Master could assign others to help safeguard the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Zi Yuan felt greatly reassured by the Sect Master's decision to send Zhenfeng for assistance. As a direct disciple and the eldest senior brother of the Polaris Holy Land, Zhenfeng possessed peak late-stage Soul Nurturing skills and was on the verge of achieving Soul Nurturing perfection.

With such a formidable ally, the Imperial Ancestral Temple was unlikely to face any threats in the near future.

Should any demon infiltrate again, Zhenfeng's prowess would at least buy time, holding off the intruder long enough for others to respond.

Zi Ya regarded Zi Yuan thoughtfully. "Zhenfeng has stirred up quite a bit of trouble recently. The unwarranted misfortune that befell the Imperial Ancestral Temple might be his doing. Assigning him to assist you in guarding the temple serves as his penance, and it's also an opportunity to refine his temperament."

"I've heard about Zhenfeng's slaying of the Sky Fiends Sect's young master. Had I been there, I would have done the same—struck him down without hesitation. The atrocities committed by those demons are utterly vile. It's our duty to vanquish such evil and send those malefactors to hell, restoring justice to the world," Zi Yuan declared resolutely.

"Enough, there's no need to defend the lad any further. He certainly needs to refine his character. I'll send for him to return. Once he arrives, you can take your leave for secluded cultivation," instructed the Head of Polaris, Zi Ya. With a few concise words, he and the other elders departed from the Imperial Ancestral Temple with the corpse of the black-robed man.

Watching them leave, Ye Chen sensed that the moment to meet his eldest senior brother, who had recently stirred the Holy Land, was drawing near.

"What kind of man could this eldest senior brother be?" Ye Chen pondered quietly to himself, filled with anticipation.