"You're right," Xing Yuan nodded as he spoke. "I also suspect this item might be an ancient artifact from the Dark Ruins!"
"Since they couldn't find it at headquarters, they've shifted their focus to the more perilous eastern, western, and southern regions of the ruins!"
He truly is a leader within the Dark Association! His observational skills are incredibly sharp, deducing so much from mere scraps of evidence. He's undeniably a shrewd individual. While he appears to turn a blind eye to many things in his daily dealings, giving off a certain facade, he actually understands things better than anyone. Ye Cangtian mused inwardly, though he outwardly nodded in agreement, saying, "If we could just figure out what the Guangming Hall is searching for, it would be much easier to act against them."
Xing Yuan glanced at Ye Cangtian and nodded. "You're right. The problem is, we don't know what they're looking for! That's why I wanted to see if you had any ideas."
"I truly have no way of knowing!"
"According to Hong Mo, he even spared the lives of a few cardinals, hoping to extract information. But they all committed suicide in the end. It's not easy to escape their objectives in such a situation!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Cangtian immediately forced a bitter smile.
Alas!
Xing Yuan also sighed. In reality, if there had been any survivors, he could have used the same methods he employed on Shangguan Yanran to deal with them. Perhaps he might have gleaned some clues or information. But with no survivors, he was powerless!
Mulling this over, Xing Yuan glanced at Ye Cangtian again. "Let's put this matter aside for now. If the opportunity arises, try to clarify their objective. Now, let's talk about Hong Mo!"
"Hmm? Hong Mo?" Ye Cangtian looked at Xing Yuan in confusion. Why was he suddenly mentioning Hong Mo?
Sensing Ye Cangtian's gaze, Xing Yuan pondered for a moment before speaking, "Based on your current strength, you should be no weaker than Hong Mo. Therefore, what I need to say is, Hong Mo cannot be harmed right now!"
Hmm? Hearing this, Ye Cangtian immediately became vigilant. He wasn't surprised that Xing Yuan could gauge his approximate strength, but the latter half of the statement was quite intriguing. He understood the implication perfectly. In fact, he himself had been considering whether to eliminate Hong Mo during the Guangming Hall's operation. He could have easily blamed everything on the Guangming Hall once it was done; he was merely waiting for the right moment. But now, Xing Yuan was clearly indicating that Hong Mo's life was tied to something significant, which truly captured his attention.
With this in mind, Ye Cangtian quickly spoke up, "Lord Xing Yuan, we both serve the Dark Association. Even if there are some minor disagreements between us, there's no need for us to be mortal enemies. However, I would like to know what Hong Mo is involved in..."
"There's no harm in telling you." Xing Yuan glanced at Po Xiao. Since he had started, he had no intention of hiding anything. He then briefly explained Hong Mo's background.
Everyone knows that the Dark Association has three Heaven-tier powerhouses, but this is actually inaccurate. In the beginning, the Dark Association had four Heaven-tier powerhouses. One of them, however, formed a formidable team to explore the southern regions of the Dark Ruins. They went and never returned. This Heaven-tier powerhouse, codenamed Ba Tian, is Hong Mo's father. Although Ba Tian's whereabouts are unknown, his subordinates are still in the Dark Ruins, and they have never stopped searching for him. Furthermore, they wouldn't neglect Hong Mo. If Hong Mo were to meet with misfortune, these individuals would surely return seeking revenge, and it might even pose a significant challenge to his position.
Beyond that, Ba Tian had an excellent relationship with the Dark Association's main leader. If Hong Mo were to die, the main leader would not stand idly by. At that point, if it were discovered that Hong Mo's death was related to Po Xiao, even Xing Yuan would be powerless to protect him!
"This..." Hearing this, Ye Cangtian's eyes widened. He had heard that Hong Mo had some background, but he never imagined it was so formidable. A Heaven-tier father who had disappeared without a trace was one thing, but to have so many people looking out for him was truly a blessing, explaining why he dared to question Xing Yuan at times.
At the same time, Ye Cangtian felt a sense of relief. Fortunately, his plan to deal with Hong Mo had only been a thought and had not yet been put into action. If Hong Mo were truly dead, the Dark Association would likely descend into chaos, and Hong Mo's patrons would turn the Dark Ruins upside down...
"Heh, it seems you understand now. That's good," Xing Yuan said with a slight smile as he looked at the stunned Ye Cangtian. "Remember, no matter what, you must stand with me. Only I can protect you!"
Uh... Xing Yuan's words made Ye Cangtian pause again. From his statement, he could tell that Xing Yuan now considered him one of his own. This was somewhat unexpected, as he hadn't shown any overt goodwill or completed any special tasks for Xing Yuan. How did Xing Yuan come to value him? How could he trust him?
After a moment, another thought occurred to Ye Cangtian, one that seemed more plausible. Perhaps Xing Yuan admired his talent and potential and wanted to win him over early. Moreover, from their previous conversation, it was evident that Xing Yuan was very wary of Hong Mo's powerful backing and likely needed people to counterbalance it.
With this realization, Ye Cangtian quickly clasped his hands and said, "Your subordinate will naturally weather storms with Lord Xing Yuan, and I am immensely grateful for your past care..."
"Enough. There's no need for such empty words," Xing Yuan waved his hand, interrupting Ye Cangtian. "I understand what you're thinking. As I said before, you and I are on the same side. Only I can protect you!"
Hearing this, Ye Cangtian felt a sense of bewilderment. Especially when Xing Yuan claimed they were on the same side, it felt as if there was an underlying implication, making him feel suspicious. However, given Xing Yuan's position as the authority figure in the Dark Association, he dared not overthink it, as it seemed unrealistic.
With this in mind, Ye Cangtian quickly replied, "Lord Xing Yuan, rest assured, I will not disappoint you."
"Hmm." Xing Yuan nodded. "Alright, now for the third matter. Upon your return, I observed a significant leap in your soul power. Today, I shall personally guide you and equip you with another trump card!"
What! Hearing this, Ye Cangtian's eyes widened, and his heart was utterly shocked. He knew that the soul power Xing Yuan mentioned was his spiritual power. But how did Xing Yuan notice that his spiritual power had greatly advanced? Did Xing Yuan's words imply that he had already detected his abnormality in spiritual power before and had remained silent?