C17 The Mysterious Person Who Was Secretly Watching

After his breakthrough, Ye Chen remained humble, continuing his daily routine of diligently cleaning the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the mausoleum. Once finished, he would leisurely wander and check in at various places.

With the eldest senior brother in seclusion for cultivation these past few days, Ye Chen enjoyed a peaceful, easygoing life, even skipping his usual sword practice sessions with Lee Zhenfeng. Yet, this simple routine didn't bring him much joy for long.

Lee Zhenfeng had achieved a breakthrough himself. After three days of intense focus and insight, he demonstrated a sword technique in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple that sent waves of sword energy rippling through the air, signaling his advancement to the perfected state of Soul Nurturing. Post-breakthrough, Zhenfeng's aura became even more subtle and contained.

There was a sense about Zhenfeng, akin to Ye Chen's own essence of returning to simplicity, but with an underlying sharpness that could not be fully concealed.

Once out of seclusion, an exuberant Zhenfeng insisted on a celebratory drinking session with Ye Chen, who was more than willing to partake. However, the festivities were short-lived as the eldest senior brother, in his jovial mood, insisted on teaching Ye Chen two martial arts techniques for him to master, leaving Ye Chen feeling somewhat resigned.

If not for the risk of revealing his own aspirations of unmatched strength, Ye Chen would have liked nothing more than to give his overzealous senior brother a taste of his own medicine, just to show him the true colors of life.

Thus, Ye Chen resumed his martial training under the guidance of his eldest senior brother.

Meanwhile, a mysterious figure emerged near the Tower of Binding, shrouded in a cloak of black mist that obscured both form and presence. The figure scrutinized the towering structure, his brow furrowed in contemplation.

"The Tower of Binding is fortified with an array of runes, making any direct assault futile," he murmured to himself. "Moreover, an elder resides within, reputed to be a venerable entity at the pinnacle of God-Man. A rash move against the Tower would surely draw his attention, jeopardizing not only the mission but risking the exposure of my identity."

After surveying the Tower of Binding from a distance, the figure retreated, making his way toward the nearby Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Lee Zhenfeng was instructing Ye Chen in the art of martial combat.

A mysterious figure lurked in the distance, his brow furrowed as he observed the scene unfolding before the temple.

"The last plan was flawless. With Zi Yuan at a critical juncture in his breakthrough, and only a lowly servant guarding the temple, I never anticipated an Enigma emerging from the shadows to thwart our scheme. Now, I find myself in quite the predicament."

"Such a failure. I can't fathom why they would send such an incompetent person. I meticulously mapped out the route and even crafted an opportunity for him to infiltrate the Holy Land, yet it all ended in failure."

A flicker of rage passed through the eyes of the mysterious observer.

The original plan had been orchestrated to perfection, but its failure forced the conspirators to take matters into their own hands, risking exposure after years of careful concealment.

If Ye Chen or any of the Polaris Holy Land elders were privy to the mysterious man's monologue, they would undoubtedly recognize him as the traitor they sought.

The mysterious man's gaze was fixed on Lee Zhenfeng, who was teaching Ye Chen martial arts in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. His eyes grew colder as he spoke with a grave tone, "Due to the recent events, the Sect Master has stationed Lee Zhenfeng to protect the temple, complicating any further attempts to strike. Should I fail to eliminate him swiftly, he might alert the others."

The presence of Lee Zhenfeng weighed heavily on the hidden figure.

In the eyes of the mysterious man, Lee Zhenfeng was the sole target of concern. Ye Chen, a mere Body Tempering servant, was insignificant and easily dispatched with a mere gesture.

"I must not act impulsively. A strategy is required to draw Lee Zhenfeng away, allowing someone to tamper with the temple undetected."

The mysterious man continued to gaze intently in the direction of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, murmuring in a subdued voice.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen, engrossed in his martial arts training with Lee Zhenfeng, suddenly furrowed his brow and instinctively glanced towards the mysterious man's location.

Ye Chen turned to the portly figure beside him, who was instructing him in swordsmanship, and voiced his concern, "Eldest senior brother, don't you find it odd? It feels like we're being watched from the shadows."

His keen senses, honed by the Yin-Yang Holy Body, gave Ye Chen the impression of a distinct presence. He was certain that they were being observed from the darkness.

"Someone is watching us from the shadows?" Lee Zhenfeng looked around with a puzzled expression and said, "I don't see anyone."

"You're probably mistaken. There's no one around; how could anyone be watching us? Moreover, I've achieved perfection in the Soul Nurturing stage. My awareness extends to every movement within a hundred-meter radius, and nothing escapes my perception. I haven't noticed anything, and you're just at the Body Tempering stage. How could you have detected it? Don't overthink it; just focus on your training."

Lee Zhenfeng surveyed the surroundings once more, urging Ye Chen to seriously engage in their martial practice.

However, Lee Zhenfeng's vigilant gaze caught the attention of the mysterious onlooker, who quickly averted his own. Concealed behind a tree, the figure whispered to himself, "Have I been discovered? Such remarkable perceptiveness."

The enigmatic individual retreated from his hiding spot behind the tree, deciding not to linger near the Imperial Ancestral Temple any longer. He planned to return and prepare for his next move.

"Could it really be nothing?" Ye Chen furrowed his brow, tucking away his suspicions.

He couldn't shake the feeling that his senses hadn't deceived him. Deep down, he was convinced that someone from the edge of the forest had been fixated on them.

Connecting this incident to the recent events at the Imperial Ancestral Temple, Ye Chen's thoughts immediately went to a traitor within Polaris, someone in league with the devil, potentially the mysterious spy in their midst.

With this in mind, Ye Chen remained vigilant.

Upon hearing Ye Chen's uncertainty, Lee Zhenfeng recalled something and adopted a secretive tone. "Ye Chen, perhaps your intuition is accurate. It's quite possible that someone is indeed observing us from the shadows."

"You sensed it too?" Ye Chen asked, eyeing the enigmatic figure before him with curiosity.

Lee Zhenfeng continued with an air of mystery, "Let me tell you, there's an enigmatic elder who resides near the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Just a few days ago, I experienced a deviation in my cultivation, but I was fortunate to receive guidance from the Enigma himself. Not only did I avoid disaster, but I also made a breakthrough. It's quite possible that this elder has been watching over us."

Listening to Lee Zhenfeng's spiel, Ye Chen was utterly astonished.

He stared at the portly man before him, dumbfounded. If he hadn't known that he himself was the so-called Enigma, he might have fallen for the story.

"What's the matter, Ye Chen, you don't believe me? I'm telling you, this is the absolute truth. I've witnessed it with my own eyes," Lee Zhenfeng said, apparently taking Ye Chen's incredulous look as a sign of doubt.

"Let me share something else with you. You're aware of the demon's corpse that was recently thrown into the Tower of Binding, right? That was the work of our Enigma from Polaris. We're cultivating near the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and it's quite possible we're under the watchful eye of the old ancestor. With a bit of luck, he might choose us as his disciples."

"Of course, since I've already taken the Sect Master as my teacher, my chances are slim. But you, if fortune smiles upon you, you could soar to great heights."

"Therefore, you must diligently practice martial arts with your eldest senior brother. Hard work pays off, and the heavens reward the efforts of the diligent," Lee Zhenfeng said earnestly, seemingly seizing the moment to impart some wisdom to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen listened to Lee Zhenfeng's words, once again at a loss for words.

Do I really need to work hard at cultivating, only to end up taking myself on as a master?

"Alright, I'll focus on my cultivation and aim to catch the Enigma's eye." Ye Chen stopped dwelling on the absurdity and began his training in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple alongside Lee Zhenfeng.

"Meet the enemy head-on and adapt to any challenge. I hope this traitor won't be too formidable," Ye Chen thought, keeping his wits about him. He had a premonition that the devil's followers, having failed to destroy the altar, wouldn't simply let matters rest and were bound to strike again.