As Yan Tiangong was about to say more, Ye Cangtian directly stated, "Of course, not all of your people died at the hands of demons; a portion of them were also harmed by the Bright Hall..."
Ye Cangtian did not hide these matters. Those individuals had indeed suffered fatal attacks due to the Bright Hall's greed.
"This..."
Hearing Ye Cangtian's words, Yan Tiangong and the others' expressions changed once more.
They were all well aware that while the treasure-hunting teams appeared harmonious on the surface, in reality, the teams were rife with hidden dangers.
Many had perished not at the hands of demons, but at the hands of their own teammates.
There was no alternative; with wolves outnumbering the meat, incidents of murder and theft were commonplace within treasure-hunting teams!
Therefore, while they could understand what Ye Cangtian said, their understanding did not quell their lingering doubts.
The next moment, Yan Tiangong looked at Ye Cangtian and asked, "Mr. Ye, you mentioned the Bright Hall was committing murder for profit; do you know if the Hidden Bureau was involved?"
"No."
Ye Cangtian glanced at the other party and stated frankly.
"Haha, ridiculous!"
"Would these hypocritical individuals of the Hidden Bureau let such a golden opportunity pass them by?"
"Furthermore, if you didn't make a move, why would the Bright Hall have joined forces with you?"
"Taking a step back, even if the Bright Hall and the Hidden Bureau didn't join forces, why didn't you fight over the treasures in the end?"
As soon as Ye Cangtian finished speaking, a man cloaked in black behind Yan Tiangong immediately scoffed contemptuously.
Ye Cangtian's gaze locked onto the man and he let out a soft snort, saying, "We didn't make a move because the Hidden Bureau does not betray its allies with treachery.
As for why the Bright Hall dared not engage us in the end, the reason is simple: they lacked the strength!"
"Heh heh, Ye Cangtian, what you say might sound reasonable at first glance, but upon closer reflection, it's riddled with loopholes!"
The man glanced at Ye Cangtian and continued, "Isn't the Hidden Bureau supposed to uphold justice? Then why didn't you intervene to stop the Bright Hall when they were committing murder for profit?"
"The situation was complex at the time!"
Ye Cangtian looked grimly at the man and then, in front of everyone, began to explain concisely.
Firstly, they still had a Heavenly-level expert to deal with at that time, so the Bright Hall and the Hidden Bureau couldn't tear each other apart, otherwise, no one would have made it out.
Secondly, the Bright Hall committed murder for profit within the formation; the Hidden Bureau was not present at the time and only learned of it afterward!
Listening to Ye Cangtian's brief explanation, Yan Tiangong and the others shifted their gazes. Ultimately, most chose to remain silent.
It was evident that they were still accepting Ye Cangtian's explanation.
After all, if Ye Cangtian had intended to deceive them, he could have fabricated a more convincing story.
As for those who couldn't accept Ye Cangtian's words, they were unable to find any arguments to counter, and thus chose to remain silent.
Seeing that no one was speaking, Ye Cangtian sneered, "If you still don't believe it, you can find the surviving members of the Bright Hall to question!"
Hmph!
As his voice fell, the man seemed to seize an opportunity and quickly said, "If you ask me, you must have reached an agreement with the Bright Hall. Otherwise, why would you have let the Bright Hall leave?"
With that single sentence, everyone else silently nodded again.
They all knew in their hearts that the cooperation between the Bright Hall and the Hidden Bureau was merely temporary.
To put it plainly, it was a collaboration driven by mutual benefit.
And after this treasure hunt, both sides must have reaped significant rewards.
Under such circumstances, they didn't believe the Hidden Bureau would allow the other party to take the benefits back to the Bright Hall without consequence!
Heh!
Ye Cangtian let out a cold laugh and said indifferently, "As I said, the Hidden Bureau does not strike its own teammates!"
As he spoke, Ye Cangtian's figure flashed, and he appeared beside the man.
His sudden appearance startled the man, who immediately tried to retreat.
But at that moment, Ye Cangtian's large hand directly seized his neck, lifting him entirely.
"Little vermin, it seems you not only harbor doubts about me and the Hidden Bureau, but you also intend to sow discord, don't you?"
"You..."
As Ye Cangtian's voice reached him, the man broke out in a cold sweat.
After all, his life was now in Ye Cangtian's hands. If he offended him further or displeased him, his life would be forfeit.
"No... No, I was just being quick to react and raising some questions others wanted to ask..."
Listening to the man's reply, Ye Cangtian showed a faint sneer and said, "Do you think I'm that easily fooled? Since you're not telling the truth, I'll find a way to make you talk."
As he spoke, a beam of mental energy silently shot out from the center of Ye Cangtian's brow, directly entering the man's mind.
In an instant, the man let out a heart-wrenching scream.
Bang!
Ye Cangtian tossed the man to the ground like a dead dog. It took the man a full half-minute to regain his senses.
At this moment, the man's gaze towards Ye Cangtian was filled with terror.
Seeing the man's fear, Ye Cangtian let out a cold smile and said indifferently, "Little vermin, tell me, who are you?"
"I am from the Centipede Hall of the Five Poisons Sect, my name is Wu Ming."
Five Poisons Sect?
A cold smile immediately appeared on Ye Cangtian's face. If the other party was sent by the Five Poisons Sect, they certainly wouldn't have good intentions.
Thinking of this, Ye Cangtian felt a trace of doubt.
Although the Five Poisons Sect was not particularly strong, their power was by no means weak. Why would they send someone with a Profound-grade cultivation now?
In the next moment, Ye Cangtian's gaze swept towards the man, and he asked, "Tell me, what is the purpose of the Five Poisons Sect sending you here?"
Upon hearing Ye Cangtian's words, Wu Ming's body stiffened. He had initially intended to refuse, but recalling the soul-wrenching pain he had just experienced, he decisively gave up.
After a moment, he quickly replied, "The Five Poisons Sect sent me here primarily to ascertain the whereabouts of Qian Zu and others who participated in the treasure hunt, and incidentally, to provoke the relationship between other factions and the Hidden Bureau..."
"What!"
At his words, Yan Tiangong and the others' faces immediately turned grim, their eyes filled with anger.
They had initially thought that these people had come with the same purpose: to inquire about the whereabouts of their own disciples.
But they never expected that among these individuals, there were such despicable elements, intending to incite hatred between the Hidden Bureau and them.
If a war were to break out, their forces would suffer heavy losses. Thinking of this, Yan Tiangong and the others wished they could kill Wu Ming on the spot.
On the other hand, upon hearing this news, Ye Cangtian's face showed a smile, and he continued, "Wu Ming, besides you, who else from the Five Poisons Sect has come?"
Wu Ming did not dare to hesitate and quickly replied, "Reporting to Lord Ye, it is the Deputy Hall Master of the Centipede Hall of the Five Poisons Sect, Master Qian Shou."
Qian Shou?
Ye Cangtian's mind recalled some details; he seemed to have heard of this person on the Hidden Bureau's wanted list.
Rumor had it that Qian Shou was proficient in poison arts, possessed an incredibly brutal nature, and had killed countless people. He had even personally massacred a village.
It was for this reason that the Hidden Bureau had placed him on their wanted list. However, this individual was extremely cunning, and the Hidden Bureau had yet to locate him.
Thinking of this, Ye Cangtian displayed a faint smile. Fate truly brings enemies together; he actually encountered him.
"Wu Ming, tell me, what is Qian Zu's current whereabouts!"
Qian Shou?
Upon mentioning Qian Shou, a hint of hesitation flashed across Wu Ming's face.
Although Qian Shou was his Hall Master, he was a cruel and vicious individual. If he knew that Wu Ming had betrayed him, he would surely make his life worse than death.
However, facing Ye Cangtian, Wu Ming felt even greater fear.
The pain inflicted from the depths of his soul had truly made him wish for death, and he absolutely did not want to endure it a second time.
After a moment of hesitation, Wu Ming slowly said, "Qian Shou is within Dragon City, but I don't know his exact location. He is the one who initiates contact each time..."
Wu Ming stated that Qian Shou was on the Hidden Bureau's wanted list.
Therefore, he acted with extreme caution within Dragon City. Even Wu Ming did not know Qian Shou's precise whereabouts.