"What kind of cultivation method is this? How can it emit a divine aura from a Mutated Being without any Realm achievements?"

Xiao Mu was greatly surprised by the cultivation method Ge Changkong practiced, which endowed him with a divine aura despite his lack of Realm achievements.

Upon closer inspection, Xiao Mu found that all seven of Ge Changkong's orifices were pinned with thin steel needles—seven needles fixed in his mouth, nose, eyes, and ears, sealing the orifices, with the divine aura seeping out through the pinholes of these needles.

"What a peculiar cultivation method, but what exactly is it?"

Xiao Mu unobtrusively memorized the characteristics of Ge Changkong's cultivation method, intending to send back to the Great Tang Ruins for investigation. Then, taking advantage of Ge Changkong's focus on his practice, he searched the room.

The room was quite empty, except for a vermilion wooden box on the cabinet at the far west, which was strikingly conspicuous.

The shadow that Xiao Mu had transformed into nudged the vermilion wooden box, which seemed to be attached to the cabinet and did not budge an inch.

Could it be a mechanism?

Xiao Mu, harboring doubts, channeled his Divine Sense into the wooden box, probing the space beneath it, only to realize that he had been overthinking; the wooden box was merely a common decoration.

Ge Changkong, who was in the midst of cultivation, seemed to sense something and suddenly turned his head towards where Xiao Mu stood.

The shadow that Xiao Mu had become wavered with the wind before slowly blending into the wooden floor.

Ge Changkong saw nothing out of the ordinary and turned back to continue his cultivation.

"Could there be something wrong with Ge Changkong?"

Xiao Mu opened his spiritual eyes and scrutinized Ge Changkong as he had Ge Lian, eventually discovering that Ge Changkong, like Ge Lian, was a human Mutated Being and bore not the slightest trace of an otherworldly Mutated Being.

It seems I was overthinking it. Neither father nor son of the Ge family has any issues.

Hmm, Ge Lian's wife's statement that Ge Lian had changed referred to a change in his feelings towards her.

Leaving Ge Changkong's cultivation room, the shadow Xiao Mu had become leaped from one shadow to another, quickly exiting the Ge Family and merging back with his true form.

The investigation of the Ge Family had failed; there was nothing wrong with the entire family, who behaved a bit oddly but had no connection to otherworldly Mutated Beings.

Xiao Mu concluded based on his investigation results.

His Divine Sense stirred, suddenly sensing something, and Xiao Mu looked around before quickly slipping into the distant woods.

Once in the forest and sure that no one was following, Xiao Mu closed his eyes and made contact with his Divine Aspect.

"Brother Xiao, the information you requested has been found."

In front of Xiao Mu's Divine Aspect stood Feng Rensong. "The Mr. Qu you asked me to investigate is named Qu Jingyi, a Mutated Being with the Alliance, acting independently, respecting the Human world Alliance without joining any Ruins."

"Qu Jingyi has executed tasks for the Alliance numerous times, contributing significantly no fewer than twenty times, but since last September, he stopped contact with the Alliance."

Feng Rensong placed a stack of information on the altar table in front of Xiao Mu's Divine Aspect and gave a brief yet detailed introduction to Qu Jingyi.

"Thank you, Brother Feng, for your hard work."

"Brother Xiao, no need to be polite, we are all working for the Great Tang Ruins. I wish your investigation goes smoothly."

"I hope everything goes smoothly for everyone. Brother Feng, please help me gather information on two people and a set of cultivation methods."

"Please tell me, Brother Xiao!"

Xiao Mu recounted the situation of the Ge father and son and described in detail the strange cultivation method that Ge Changkong practiced, asking Feng Rensong to focus especially on that peculiar cultivation method.

Feng Rensong agreed to help with the inquiry and bid Xiao Mu farewell.

Withdrawing his Divine Sense from his Divine Aspect, Xiao Mu began to examine the information on Qu Jingyi.

The material included Qu Jingyi's place of birth and background.

Qu Jingyi had ascended in the Song Dynasty, revived in the human world after the World Mutation, and at the time of his last mission for the Alliance a year ago, he had been at the peak of the Yin God Realm, mastering three of the Five Elements Power—Metal, Wood, and Earth, and had not yet obtained a divine Realm achievement.

"After severing contact with the Alliance, Qu Jingyi's advancement in Realm has been rapid. In just one year, he's cultivated from the peak of the Yin God Realm to the mid-stage of the Divine Realm, and it seems he has now established his own Realm."

What Realm Qu Jingyi held was unclear to Xiao Mu since Qu Jingyi had never revealed it, but Xiao Mu could conclusively deduce that Qu Jingyi possessed a Realm based on the aura he exuded.

"The speed of Realm advancement is so rapid; could it have something to do with the Absorption of Incense Fire?"

Xiao Mu recalled what he'd witnessed on the sixth floor of the Spire, including Qu Jingyi using Incense Fire for cultivation, and couldn't help connecting Qu Jingyi's rapid strength growth to the Absorption of Incense Fire.

"Since Qu Jingyi is from the Alliance, why stay in Twilight Forest Village? What's the reason for over a year of no contact with the Alliance?"

"This person, using the fame of Thunder God Qing Jie, gathers Incense Fire for cultivation. Besides cultivating, does he have other motives? After all, cultivation need not necessarily mean severing ties with the Alliance."

Qu Jingyi's actions puzzled Xiao Mu, who felt he could not see through this person.

"Should I continue investigating this individual?"

Xiao Mu hesitated. Since Qu Jingyi belonged to the Alliance, he likely posed no threat to the human world, unless he had betrayed humanity to side with the otherworldly.

"If Qu Jingyi has betrayed the human world, he would maintain contact with the otherworldly. Going forward, continue to monitor everyone linked to him. If any of these people turn out to be otherworldly Mutated Beings, then it would indicate that Qu Jingyi has betrayed the human world."

"If it is confirmed that Qu Jingyi has betrayed the human world, then it is imperative to eliminate him; otherwise, there is no need to bother with him."

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