Chapter 664

Chapter 664: Setting a Trap

"Haha!" Fang Lie burst into laughter. "I’ve got his weakness right here!" As he spoke, he triumphantly waved the jade token in his hand.

Old Bird rolled his eyes and snorted, "Are you deaf? I told you this thing only points to him as a suspect—it’s not actual proof! If you storm into Abbot Mountain accusing their Thunder Tribulation Immortal based on this token alone, they’ll curse you into the ground!"

"Do I look that stupid?" Fang Lie grinned. "Of course this isn’t solid evidence. But we can use it to lay a trap!"

"Oh?" Old Bird’s eyes sharpened. "You mean feed him false information, let him ambush you, then catch him in the act? Not bad."

"Fake clues won’t work," Fang Lie countered. "He pinpoints targets through divination. If we plant decoys, his calculations would reveal nothing."

"True," Old Bird conceded. "Fine, handle it yourself. But if you catch him alive, Abbot Mountain won’t dare deny his crimes."

"Understood." Fang Lie ended their divine sense exchange—a conversation that took mere moments in the real world.

Turning to Mo Lanfan, Fang Lie asked, "Is that scoundrel still raiding travelers?"

"Yes!" Mo Lanfan nodded urgently. "Though less frequent, he still strikes several times monthly—always successfully."

"Impossible!" Mi Qing interjected. "We’ve heard no recent reports of attacks."

"He’s grown cautious," Mo Lanfan explained. "Now he ambushes distant targets, leaving no survivors. Victims’ sects never trace the prime culprit here."

"You knew he murdered yet still aided him?" Mi Qing’s voice trembled with rage. "You’ve tarnished Qingyu Island’s honor!"

Little Peach Red glared silently, sharing her fury. Their years of effort building the island’s reputation nearly crumbled because of this betrayal.

Fang Lie raised a placating hand. "What’s done is done. Tell me—what treasure does he covet most?"

"Rare spirit pills," Mo Lanfan answered after thought. "He ignores fine treasures but always seizes healing medicines."

"For his grandson’s treatment!" Fang Lie concluded.

"What?" Mo Lanyun and Mao Mao gasped in unison.

"Senior Brother Fang," Mo Lanyun pressed, "you’ve identified the culprit?"

"Bird Bro’s deduction points to Li Fanghe of Abbot Mountain—Li Qingshi’s five-generations elder!"

"That stubborn old fossil seeks revenge!" Mo Lanyun shot up, eyes blazing. "Let’s confront him!"

"Wait!" Fang Lie halted her. "A jade token won’t make Abbot Mountain admit guilt. We need irrefutable proof."

"Then we suffer in silence?" Mo Lanyun clenched her fists. "The Mo family’s heirs won’t endure this humiliation!"

Mo Lanfan’s eyes moistened at her unwavering defense of family honor.

"Patience." Fang Lie’s smile turned icy. "We’ll trap him red-handed. He wants healing herbs? Let’s dangle a Ten-Thousand-Year Phoenix Blood Herb."

"A Ninth-Rank divine herb?!" Mo Lanyun gaped. "Fewer than three exist worldwide! How do you possess one?"

The Ten-Thousand-Year Phoenix Blood Herb was said to have formed when phoenix blood essence dripped onto a thousand-year-old Lingzhi mushroom, triggering a miraculous transformation. It possessed incredible healing properties, effective even for Semi-Immortals.

A Semi-Immortal’s body was extraordinary. True Cultivators had golden muscles and jade bones – flawless forms. Though inferior, Semi-Immortals already had partially transformed bodies with golden-like muscles and jade-like bones. Not only were they nearly indestructible, but they also bore divine patterns of the Heavenly Dao, making them treasures themselves.

Such bodies rarely sustained injuries, but once damaged, ordinary spirit pills couldn’t heal them. Only the rarest healing treasures worked, with the Ten-Thousand-Year Phoenix Blood Herb being one.

This Ninth-Rank treasure was exceedingly rare, with no lower-tier equivalents. Even Fang Lie couldn’t produce enough Spirit Liquid to substitute it – a truly peerless treasure.

During ancient times, it occasionally grew wild, but now neared extinction. Only one or two major sects still cultivated it, unseen elsewhere.

"Well…" Fang Lie scratched his head awkwardly, "There was one in the Ximen family clan’s Ten-Thousand-Year Field. I just… borrowed it."

"Aha!" Mo Lanyun snorted. "No wonder that field looked like a dog-chewed rag! You’d already pocketed the best parts!"

"Ridiculous!" Fang Lie grinned. "Letting such treasures slip through my fingers? That’d invite Heaven’s wrath!"

"Senior Brother’s right!" Mao Mao chimed in. "They’re your rightful Spoils of War!"

"Enough!" Mo Lanyun waved dismissively before turning serious. "When refined into a Ninth-Rank Phoenix Blood Nirvana Pill, this herb not only heals Semi-Immortals but also reverses revival technique damage – restoring victims to pre-death conditions, even mending lost talents. Li Fanghe will definitely want this for Li Qingshi."

"Simple then." Mao Mao clapped. "Lure him here and ambush him!"

"Ambush?" Mo Lanyun’s eyes flashed coldly. "Just kill the scoundrel!"

"No!" Fang Lie interjected. "Bird Bro wants him alive. A corpse can’t testify, complicating negotiations with Abbot Mountain. After crushing the Ximen clan and seizing Spirit Jade mines, Mo Sect can’t afford more enemies."

"Mo Sect?" Mo Lanyun rolled her eyes. "You mean you, troublemaker!"

"Well…" Fang Lie rubbed his neck sheepishly. "They started it!"

"Serves those Ximen fools right!" Mo Lanyun turned to Mo Lanfan. "Cousin! Redeem yourself now!"

"Understood!" Mo Lanfan bowed hastily. "I’ll inform him about the herb immediately!"

"Good." Fang Lie handed over the jade token. "Begin."

Mo Lanfan hesitated. "May I see the herb first? Without details, he might miss it. An image in the jade token would ensure accuracy."

"Easy!" Fang Lie produced a three-foot Jade Basin containing Eighth-Rank black jade Spiritual Soil and decayed spirit wood. Upon it grew a seven-inch crimson Lingzhi, its surface rippling with living phoenix patterns.

"A Ninth-Rank wonder indeed!" Mo Lanyun gasped.

"One sniff strengthens my cultivation!" Mao Mao marveled.

"Phoenix blood-nurtured, equal to a Divine Beast’s power!" Fang Lie declared. "Extinct in our realm, only three specimens remain – including this one."

Mo Lanfan greedily recorded the image. The jade token vibrated instantly with a reply.

"He’s ecstatic!" Mo Lanfan blinked. "Demands immediate notice when it leaves Qingyu Island. Threatens my life if we fail!"