Hearing Priest Hunyou's response, Li Ban immediately observed the shifts in Tan Qiyue's expression.
But she remained completely calm, as though she had long anticipated things playing out exactly like this.
She looked at Li Ban with a bitter smile, not even attempting to explain herself.
Priest Qian Que watched the confrontation without immediately speaking.
Cat Girl crossed her arms, her brows slightly furrowed.
Li Ban took in everyone's reactions. After a moment of thought, he suddenly asked Tan Qiyue:
"Valley Master Tan, after this expert gave you his advice, did he warn you not to tell anyone, and add that if you did bring it up later, he would not admit to it?"
Valley Master Tan gaped at him in sheer astonishment. "This—"
She shot another glance at Priest Hunyou.
"Yes, that is what happened."
"It seems the expert you met back then might not have been Priest Hunyou."
Priest Hunyou lowered his hand. "Priest Ban, are you suggesting someone impersonated me?"
Li Ban recounted Tan Qiyue's original words, then analyzed, "I can tell that Valley Master Tan isn't lying to me, and Priest You has no reason to lie to us. That leaves only one possibility: Valley Master Tan is the one who was deceived."
Priest Hunyou frowned and said to Tan Qiyue, "Valley Master Tan, I can confirm that I have never offered you advice on cultivating plant-based elements. While I have grown some plant crops, cultivating elements is a different matter. The gap between professions is like a mountain; I wouldn't carelessly give advice on something I wasn't entirely certain about."
At this point, Tan Qiyue had no choice but to believe it.
She clasped her hands tightly, looking slightly panicked, though she still tried hard to maintain her composure.
"Was the Priest You I met outside Youlin an imposter?" She began to recount the details of that encounter. "I thought it was strange at the time, since Priest You had never interfered with our cultivation before. But the imposter radiated the powerful aura of a Priest. He even mentioned that, precisely because he had never interfered before, he was merely offering a suggestion and was worried it wouldn't succeed, telling me not to mention it to anyone. Yet when I followed the imposter's advice, the experiment really did succeed."
"When the experiment succeeded, didn't it occur to you to come and thank Priest Hunyou?" Li Ban asked.
"The imposter anticipated that as well," she said. "He told me not to seek him out to express my thanks, and that even if I did, he would pretend not to know."
Cat Girl marveled, "No wonder Valley Master Tan looked so matter-of-fact earlier. That imposter really took so many scenarios into account."
Priest Qian Que looked at Li Ban. "A habitual offender."
Li Ban nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Used to impersonating others, knowing how to deflect suspicion, and able to project the aura of a Priest—if you told me this wasn't Xiao Suo, I wouldn't believe it!"
"Black-robed priest Xiao Suo!" Tan Qiyue had heard Xiao Suo's name before. "If he was the one who guided me in cultivating the Xuanji Vine, is there some sort of conspiracy?"
Discovering that it was Xiao Suo again, Priest Hunyou was incensed.
He flicked his sleeve. "Of course there is! This guy sows schemes and sets traps everywhere he goes, yet he remains incredibly difficult to catch."
As per their earlier agreement, Priest Qian Que hadn't told Priest Hunyou about Xiao Suo's miraculous splitting ability.
This matter is currently known only to a handful of top-level 7th Tier Priests and 8th Tier Priests.
Li Ban raised a hand to placate the agitated Priest Hunyou. "Don't fret, Priest You. Since we discovered the signs ahead of time, that is a good thing. Xiao Suo spent three years designing a blood-sucking Xuanji Vine; he will definitely return to collect the results."
Priest Hunyou was originally of a relaxed and easygoing nature; it was only because this involved the uncatchable, unkillable Xiao Suo that he grew a bit anxious.
Hearing Li Ban's words, he calmed down. "You're right. If we could ambush him in the Imperial Palace once, we can ambush him in the Mist Valley a second time. I refuse to believe that just because he escaped once, he can escape a second time!"
"Valley Master Tan informed me that the Xuanji Vine will require another half a month to fully elementalize." A faint smile hung on Li Ban's lips, though the amusement never reached his eyes. "This matter must be kept strictly confidential, of course. However, you can mention to a few trusted subordinates that in a few days, you will present me with a self-cultivated element."
Tan Qiyue immediately grasped his meaning. "I understand. Xiao Suo will undoubtedly be monitoring the vine's maturation. He might even strike to snatch it the very moment it matures. Since he can impersonate a Lord Priest, he can naturally impersonate one of my confidants."
If he wanted to monitor the vine's maturation at all times, disguising himself as an ordinary subordinate wouldn't get him the information.
Even using spells to eavesdrop would be extremely troublesome; a single mistake could easily alert the white-robed priests who occasionally visited.
As for whether the Tan Qiyue standing before them might be Xiao Suo in disguise?
Priest Qian Que wasn't worried about that at all.
Li Ban was now a humanoid Xiao Suo detector; otherwise, he wouldn't have brought Tan Qiyue straight here for a confrontation.
If they hadn't come over immediately, Tan Qiyue might have inadvertently revealed something was wrong while interacting with others.
"Good, that's wonderful!" Priest Hunyou clapped his hands. "This time, we need to deploy more manpower. I'll make another trip to the Mist Realm and ask them to send a few powerful Priests to help."
Priest Qian Que pressed a hand to Priest Hunyou's arm. "Don't cause too much of a stir."
Priest Hunyou nodded. "Don't worry, we've ambushed him enough times to gain experience at it. Even if no outsiders know of the plan, we will fabricate reasons for every movement. Even if Xiao Suo observes the other Priests in secret, he won't discover anything amiss."
"Are you going to seek out the Priests of the Mist Realm Faction right now?" Li Ban suddenly asked.
"I already made arrangements to visit them the day after tomorrow. I plan to go as scheduled; that will cause the least commotion."
Li Ban asked, "Can you bring Cat Girl and me with you?"
"Bringing you won't be an issue. But as for Cat Girl—"
Seeing that Priest Hunyou seemed troubled, Cat Girl immediately said, "It's fine if I don't go."
She knew Li Ban kept her by his side because he was worried that the Chaotic Green Silk Algae inside her would act up, and hurriedly tried to persuade him, "I've been perfectly safe and sound for the past six months. Nothing will happen."
Unexpectedly, Priest Hunyou changed his mind. "Cat Girl can go as well. However, it might be slightly unpleasant for you. The Mist Realm Priests might want to examine the Chaotic Green Silk Algae you've fused with."
Actually, undergoing a physical examination by a Priest was hardly an indignity.
But the Mist Realm Priests would likely treat Cat Girl as an experimental subject.
"I will stay by her side," Li Ban said expressionlessly.
Examining the state of the element was fine, but he wouldn't let anyone truly observe Cat Girl as an experimental specimen.
Priest Hunyou was taken aback for a moment before letting out a hearty laugh. "Very well."
He looked at Cat Girl and repeated himself. "Very well."
Priest Hunyou explained to Li Ban, "When Cat Girl first heard the news of your disappearance, she immediately sought me out, requesting to fuse with the Chaotic Green Silk Algae to advance to the 6th Tier. Looking at it now, it seems the conviction behind her decision won't be in vain."