Chapter 1051: The Divine Daughter’s Reques (1/2)

Ruan Qingliu left in a hurry.

One of Hou Chulan’s subordinates returned from the Earth Spirit Sect’s ancient starship, and reported, “Divine Daughter, we’ve finished examining the seas of awareness of the other Earth Spirit Sect disciples. None of them have had any contact with the Phantasms, or know about Qiu Hanshan’s collusion with them.”

Hou Chulan nodded and said, “Send someone to take them back to the Earth Spirit Sect, and summon and investigate all of their sect elders.”

“Got it.” The man returned to deliver the order.

Qiu Hanshan, who had been at the early Saint domain, had been the Earth Spirit Sect’s most powerful expert. Any subordinate of Hou Chulan would be able to handle the whole Earth Spirit Sect effortlessly.

Wei Botao sighed. “I really didn’t expect Qiu Hanshan to have secret connections with the Phantasms. However, now that I think about it, there are actually some signs. Qiu Hanshan’s cultivation base has progressed by leaps and bounds during the past century. And both he and his son could always get their hands on rare spiritual materials that are hard to find in human domains.

“It’s a great taboo to have contact with outsiders. Qiu Hanshan must have been aware that the elders of his sect wouldn’t support him if they learned what he had been doing. So he must have kept his collusion with the Phantasms a secret.”

With a worried look in her eyes, Hou Chulan said, “I wonder how many traitors like him are still walking among us.”

Upon hearing these words, everyone’s expressions grew grim.

Crooked sects like the Nether Spirit Society and the Death Curse Sect drew attention wherever they went.

Therefore, such outsider-colluders were fairly easy to guard against.

However, people like Qiu Hanshan, who held high positions in legitimate sects, could operate right under the four great sects’ noses without being discovered.

If there were still many like him spread across the human domains...

The mere thought of it sent a chill down Nie Tian’s spine.

Hou Chulan smiled and said, “Thank you. Martial Brother Huang and Martial Sister Lou were right about you. If your sect had sent another Son of the Stars instead of you, I might have fallen into that traitor’s trap already. Since he had colluded with the Phantasms to set up this trap for me, if we had spread out to search for those teleportation portals without noticing their scheme, my life would have been in danger.”

“Well, lucky for me, I have that unique Phantasm treasure on me, and Qiu Hanshan didn’t know about it,” Nie Tian said.

Hou Chulan nodded and suggested, “Let’s not make any moves before reinforcements from our sect get here.”

Nie Tian smiled. “Whatever you say.”

After this incident with Qiu Hanshan, when Hou Chulan’s Saint domain subordinates looked at him, their eyes were filled with heartfelt respect.

Before, they had thought that Hou Chulan must have overestimated Nie Tian.

After all, his name had only spread across the human domains during the past decade or so.

These experts had met far too many people with undeserved reputations.

Not only was Nie Tian’s cultivation base low, but he had just recently joined the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace. Every time Huang Jinnan and Luo Hongyan had appraised him so highly, it made them wonder whether there was something going on between Nie Tian and those two.

But now, after this incident, they finally accepted him.

With a warm smile on her face, Hou Chulan said, “For some reason, I felt a sense of closeness towards you the moment you arrived in the Martial Spirit Sect. You seem to give off an indescribable aura that attracts me.”

Nie Tian was dumbfounded. Rubbing his nose embarrassedly, he said, “Umm... What kind of attractions are you talking about, Martial Sister Hou?”

Hou Chulan seemed to suddenly realize something as a chuckle escaped her mouth. “No, no, no. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

Many of her subordinates, including Wei Botao and his people, were also embarrassed by the sensitive topic, and thus excused themselves sensibly. They either retreated to the cabins or distanced themselves from the two.

Upon seeing this, Yue Yanxi and the others went blank briefly before flying away as well.

All of a sudden, Hou Chulan and Nie Tian became the only ones left on the starship’s deck.

Hou Chulan looked around and shook her head with a soft laugh. “People...”