Started out getting scumbags, but then invested in the invincible Empress.

Chapter 227 Clues to the Traitor

Li Wudao was taken aback upon hearing this.

He then slapped his forehead, a look of bewilderment on his face.

He was so preoccupied with matters of the palace that he completely forgot about the turtle.

"That's right, it's one of my pets... a rather special one, a bit mischievous. Please stop the car, sir."

Li Wudao explained to the coachman with a smile.

Unexpectedly, the carriage had just come to a stop.

The carriage curtain was suddenly flung open by a dark figure, accompanied by the green-haired turtle's furious curses:

"Damn it! You brat, you're spouting nonsense! Who are you calling a spirit pet?!"

"Who said you raised someone?! You're clearly my pet! You're my vehicle for traveling among mortals! Don't you know the rules of hierarchy?!"

It darted into the carriage in a flash, glaring angrily at Li Wudao, its shell trembling slightly with rage.

The old man driving the cart was astonished to see that the black-shelled tortoise could speak human language, and that its words were so... cunning and shrewish. He opened his mouth wide in surprise.

After a long while, he couldn't help but marvel: "Young master, your spirit pet is truly fascinating. Its spirituality is so high. Could it be that it has a trace of the bloodline of an ancient demon flowing through its veins?"

"A talking turtle... with such sharp tongue! In all my years, this is the first time I've ever seen anything like it. It's truly an eye-opener!"

These words are like adding fuel to the fire!

The green-haired turtle was completely agitated, jumping and leaping around the carriage, waving its little claws furiously, and spewing two visible puffs of white vapor from its nostrils.

"You old geezer! Are you hard of hearing?! You're the spirit pet! Your whole family are spirit pets!"

"Furthermore, do not confuse my noble bloodline with those coarse and lowly monsters who only know how to eat raw meat and drink blood!"

"This is blasphemy! This is an utter insult!"

It grew angrier and angrier, and actually opened its mouth, revealing sharp, gleaming teeth, as if it were about to rush up and bite the unbridled old coachman.

Li Wudao reacted swiftly, grabbing its bald tail and lifting it back into the air, then helplessly soothed it:

"Alright, alright, Hei Zi, calm down. Why are you arguing with an old man who doesn't know anything about cultivation? Say less and don't lose your dignity."

After Li Wudao coaxed and scared the green-haired turtle into calming down, it finally managed to quiet down.

But he still sullenly huddled in the corner of the carriage, head drooping, his turtle-like face filled with an expression that said, "This saint is very unhappy, and the consequences will be severe."

Suddenly, Li Wudao remembered something, reached out and extended his hand towards the green-haired turtle, a hint of expectant smile on his face:

"Alright, stop being angry. Let's get down to business. Has the restriction on that ring been completely lifted?"

Upon hearing this, the green-haired turtle snorted coldly, "Hmph! Only now do you remember wanting the ring? Where were you before?"

It reluctantly opened its mouth, spat out the simple, unadorned black ring, and muttered irritably:

"If I had not kept my promise and possessed a noble character as bright as the moon in the sky, I would have long since taken the treasure and fled far away, leaving you, boy, far behind and with no one to turn to for help!"

Ignoring its complaints, Li Wudao eagerly picked up the ring that felt cold to the touch.

As a protector of the demon race and the former head of the first peak of the Xuan Tian Sect, Cheng Yuanliang's storage ring must contain many secrets and resources.

He took a deep breath and carefully probed the inner space of the ring with his divine sense.

However, divine sense swept over it.

The scene inside the ring's space made him frown slightly, his expression becoming somewhat subtle, even carrying a hint of disappointment.

The space wasn't very large, and it contained a bunch of low-grade spirit stones. Although there were quite a few, they weren't enough to surprise him.

There were some bottles and jars scattered around, containing low-grade pills that were of little use to him.

In addition, there were a few weapons exuding demonic energy and several secret manuals recording demonic techniques, but none of them caught his eye.

"Is this all the wealth a Demon Guardian at the peak of the Martial King realm possesses?"

Li Wudao was puzzled; this was far from what he had expected.

Undeterred, he used his divine sense to search carefully and finally found an inconspicuous sandalwood box in a corner.

Upon opening the box, a leather scroll of a special material, soft and supple to the touch, lay quietly inside.

He took out the scroll and slowly unfurled it on his lap.

His expression changed abruptly as his gaze swept over the patterns and text depicted on the scroll, his eyes instantly becoming sharp as knives!

This is a map, an incredibly detailed map—the Xuantian Sect's defense deployment map!

It not only clearly marks the distribution of each main peak and resource point, but also some hidden sentry positions, patrol routes, and...

The key nodes of the sect-protecting formation were all marked out!

Li Wudao felt a chill run down his spine.

The implications of this map are self-evident!

The demons are plotting against the Xuan Tian Sect!

He frowned, sensing that something was wrong.

Although the Xuantian Sect is no longer as glorious as it once was, it is still one of the seven first-class sects that dominate the Eastern Wilderness, with a profound foundation and an extremely powerful protective array.

With Cheng Yuanliang and the remnants of the demon race he killed, trying to break through the Xuantian Sect was like throwing an egg against a rock—a fool's dream!

Unless... the demons he killed were merely the vanguard!

The Demon Clan also has a large number of powerful individuals lurking in the shadows, whose strength far surpasses that of Cheng Yuanliang!

Thinking of this, Li Wudao's eyes suddenly narrowed, and he subconsciously gripped the map in his hand, feeling that the situation was somewhat troublesome.

He didn't understand why the Demon Clan was going to such lengths to target the Xuan Tian Sect.

However, it is almost certain that the other party came prepared this time with great ambitions, and it is very likely to cause unimaginable devastation to the sect!

"We must send the message back to the sect as soon as possible to warn them..." he thought to himself.

Just then, his gaze was drawn to an inconspicuous jade stone in the corner that was emitting a light like breathing.

"A sound-transmitting jade?"

A thought struck Li Wudao, and he instantly realized that this might be a crucial clue.

Without hesitation, he immediately crushed it.

A cold and concise message instantly entered his mind: "Young Master's Innate Demonic Body has reached its peak. Quickly proceed to the back mountain of Xuan Tian Sect to meet and discuss the next step in the grand plan to destroy the sect..."

Moments later, the jade turned into dust and vanished into the air.

Li Wudao's face darkened, and an uncontrollable rage welled up within him.

Since the so-called young master of the demon race has already mastered the demonic arts, it means that the tens of thousands of boys and girls who were captured have all suffered a terrible fate!

"The back mountain of Xuantian Sect..."

He repeated the location in a low voice, his brow furrowed as he pondered.

The Xuantian Sect's territory is extremely vast, with continuous mountain ranges and thousands of peaks. There are hundreds of nameless, desolate peaks in the back mountains alone, rarely visited by humans.

If the demons intend to hide, finding their exact hiding place in a short time is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Suddenly, Li Wudao paused, as if a flash of inspiration had crossed his mind, and he felt that he had overlooked a crucial detail.

The next moment, he turned his gaze back to the map on his lap, carefully scanning every mark and every detail.

Gradually, his gaze became sharper and sharper, like that of a hawk that had spotted its prey.

No! This map is way too detailed!

It's so detailed it's like a strategic deployment map leaked from inside!

Given Cheng Yuanliang's former status as the leader of Lieyang Peak, it is absolutely impossible for him to have discovered such a core secret as the array's key point on his own!

There must be an inside man helping him!

Moreover, this person's status within the Xuantian Sect is definitely not low!