Countless deaths and injuries!
Not even during the last great turmoil in the Marketplace had the divination given such a severe description.
Clearly,
if this event were allowed to happen,
the entire Marketplace would likely be washed in a river of blood.
Many people Li Changāan knew, such as Luo Kun, Wang Hu, and Chen Yuanshan, could very well die in this battle.
āA battle between Foundation Establishment Ancestors is far too terrifying. Even the aftershocks of their fight would be more than an ordinary Qi Refining Cultivator could withstand.ā
Li Changāan mused.
That Moonlight Clear Lotus couldnāt be picked ahead of schedule.
If Chen Yuanshan died, the Moonlight Clear Lotus would most likely be destroyed.
But Li Changāan couldnāt possibly return to the Marketplace to protect Chen Yuanshan.
In a battle between Foundation Establishment cultivators,
he wasnāt confident he could protect anyone!
āThe best way is to stop this from happening in the first place!ā
Without hesitation, Li Changāan activated the Puppet Body he had left in the Marketplace and headed straight for Zheng Qingqingās residence.
Soon,
he arrived before Zheng Qingqingās residence and knocked on the gate.
When the gate opened,
Zheng Qingqing looked at him with a surprised expression.
"Daoist Li?"
"Itās me."
Li Changāan nodded.
Zheng Qingqing asked, "Itās so late. Is there something you need, Daoist Li?"
"Something major!"
Li Changāanās tone was extremely serious.
Zheng Qingqing immediately invited him into the courtyard, closed the gate, and activated an array, sealing the entire courtyard off from the outside world.
After doing all this,
she frowned delicately, sat across from Li Changāan, and asked, "Daoist Li, what on earth has happened?"
"Young Lady, within your Zheng Family, is there an Array Master named Zheng Yang?"
"Oh? How do you know of him, Daoist Li?"
Zheng Qingqing grew even more astonished.
Zheng Yangās identity was quite special; it was almost impossible for an outsider to know of him.
"Young Lady, I killed a few Tribulation Cultivators from Black Wind Mountain today and happened to learn from them that they are working with the Cao Family, planning to throw the Qinghe Marketplace into chaos once more."
Li Changāan had already prepared his excuse.
For a matter of this magnitude,
Black Wind Mountain was the perfect scapegoat.
After all, Black Wind Mountain had been involved in the last great turmoil in the Marketplace.
As expected,
Zheng Qingqing didnāt doubt him, her pretty face turning grave.
"Daoist Li, please elaborate."
"Alright."
Li Changāan immediately continued weaving his story.
"Those Tribulation Cultivators said theyāve already bribed the Zheng Familyās Array Master, Zheng Yang. Theyāre just waiting for him to sabotage the array, and then the Foundation Establishment Ancestors from the Cao and Wu Families will storm the Marketplace, causing a river of blood to flow!"
"What?"
Zheng Qingqingās expression changed drastically.
If this were to happen,
the Zheng Family would surely suffer a devastating blow!
Ancestor Zheng Yuandao would very likely die under the combined assault of two Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the Qinghe Marketplace would be lost.
In the end,
the Zheng Family would have no choice but to retreat completely, relying on the arrays at their ancestral lands to continue resisting the Cao and Wu Families.
That was a situation Zheng Qingqing was absolutely unwilling to see.
At this moment, Li Changāan voiced the question on his mind.
"Young Lady, why isnāt the Marketplaceās Tier Two Grand Array controlled by the Foundation Establishment Ancestor?"
"You may not be aware, Daoist Li..."
Zheng Qingqing quickly explained.
If it were just an ordinary House Protection Array, a single person could naturally control it.
But the array covering the Qinghe Marketplace was simply too vast, much larger than a House Protection Array. It would be difficult for one person to fully control such a massive array with their energy alone.
Only by dividing the entire array into different sections, controlled by different Array Masters, could it be fully sustained.
In short,
Foundation Establishment Ancestor Zheng Yuandao was the primary controller of this Grand Array, while the numerous Array Masters were his assistants.
"I see."
Li Changāan roughly understood.
The Zheng Yang mentioned in the divination was only an assistant controller for the array.
Even so, his status within the Zheng Family was quite high.
Furthermore, his identity was highly confidential.
Therefore,
that was why Zheng Qingqing had been so surprised when Li Changāan said his name.
She was certain Li Changāan wasnāt lying.
"Daoist Li, this matter is extremely dangerous. I know you are a cautious person, so your true self is likely no longer in the Marketplace."
"You do know me well, Young Lady."
Li Changāan nodded, not denying it.
Zheng Qingqing waved a slender hand.
She deactivated the House Protection Array, allowing Li Changāanās Puppet Body to leave freely.
"Thereās no time to lose. I must report this to the Ancestor immediately."
She stood up, her tone solemn.
Before she left,
she gave Li Changāan a deep look.
"Daoist Li, if this doesnāt go smoothly, tonight might be the last time we ever see each other. Is there anything else you want to say to me?"
Li Changāan was taken aback and thought for a moment.
"I wish you success, Young Lady, and may your path on the Immortal Dao be everlasting."
"Alright. Iāll take those auspicious words, Daoist Li."
Zheng Qingqing lingered no longer. She turned into a streak of light and vanished into the boundless night.
Li Changāan also left at once, returning to his own residence.
He looked up at the night sky.
He waited in silence.
āI hope Zheng Qingqing can pull it off.ā
...
Not long after,
a confrontation erupted within the Zheng Family.
It was because
Zheng Qingqing had suddenly accused Zheng Yang of betraying the family and, with lightning speed, had suppressed him on the spot without allowing any explanation.
However,
upon subsequent inspection,
the section of the array that Zheng Yang was responsible for had no problems whatsoever!
"Ancestor, please see clearly! There is no way Zheng Yang would betray the family!"
Zheng Lingfeng stepped forward to speak on Zheng Yangās behalf.
Zheng Yang belonged to his branch of the family; like him, they were both descendants of the other Foundation Establishment Ancestor.
"Ancestor, Zheng Yang has always been loyal to the family, maintaining the array day and night. But Zheng Qingqing suppressed him based on a baseless accusation, without a shred of evidence."
Zheng Lingfeng confronted Zheng Qingqing, his face a mask of righteous indignation.
"If word of this gets out, I canāt imagine how many family disciples will be disheartened!"
As soon as he finished speaking,
many Elders from his branch of the family spoke up.
"Thatās right! I watched that boy, Zheng Yang, grow up with my own eyes. I refuse to believe he would betray the family!"
"The section of the array heās responsible for has no flaws at all!"
In fact,
even Zheng Yuandao had already checked it several times and confirmed there were no issues.
It was precisely for this reason
that this confrontation was happening.
"Qingqing, are you certain your information is correct?"
Zheng Yuandao sent the message telepathically.
Zheng Qingqingās expression remained unchanged. She believed in Li Changāan.
"Ancestor, there is no mistake about this."
As for why there was no problem with the array,
perhaps it was because she had acted so quickly that Zheng Yang hadnāt had time to sabotage it yet.
Not far away,
Zheng Yang lay prone in the center of the main hall, his hands and feet bound.
He had originally felt uneasy.
But now, seeing everyone speaking up in his support, his confidence surged.
He immediately put on an aggrieved expression.
"Ancestor, I grew up in the Zheng Family. All the resources Iāve needed since I was a child were provided by the family. Iām not some ungrateful beast, how could I betray the family?"
"Exactly! What kind of beast would betray its own family?"
The Elders from Zheng Lingfengās branch spoke up again, all supporting him.
Meanwhile, the Elders from Zheng Qingqingās branch were hesitant.
Looking at the situation now,
āCould it be that Zheng Qingqing was really mistaken?ā