Ye Cangtian nodded upon hearing this and said, "I remember. At that time, the adult brought a bag of purple crystals, a sharp sword, an ancient book, and a golden mask."
"That's right."
"You should be very clear now what they represent, yet you chose the purple crystals without hesitation."
"To speak frankly, besides the members of the Hidden Group, how many people can refuse the temptation of power and strength? Therefore, at that time, this seat had already guessed your general identity!"
Xing Yuan nodded and continued to narrate.
Having guessed Xuan Qi's general identity at the time, he understood the other party's objective: to rescue Shangguan Yanran.
Subsequently, Xing Yuan made a bold decision. He feigned going into seclusion and left the Ghost City, not only giving Xuan Qi an opportunity to rescue her but also further testing the other party.
As expected, not long after, he secretly monitored and discovered that Xuan Qi was Ye Cangtian, and they successfully rescued Shangguan Yanran and killed Cheng Hai...
All of this was witnessed by him personally.
It was precisely because of this that after Cheng Hai's death, he did not punish Xuan Qi. Instead, he rewarded him and bestowed upon him a Nine-Turn Golden Elixir.
Of course, the later Spirit Awakening Pill was also something he intentionally gave to Ye Cangtian, with the purpose of healing Shangguan Yanran...
He even later directly passed on the cultivation techniques he practiced.
"This..."
Listening to Xing Yuan's narration, cold sweat broke out on Ye Cangtian's forehead.
He had always thought that everything he did was seamless, but he never expected that it was just his assumption. He had been exposed long ago.
Fortunately, the other party had no intention of killing him, otherwise, he wouldn't have even known how he died!
Huang Shan, Luoluo, and others, who had heard this, also widened their eyes, completely unable to believe it.
After a moment, Ye Cangtian accepted everything, his gaze flickered towards Xing Yuan again, and he asked, "Lord Xing Yuan, there is one more question!
Since you discovered my identity, why didn't you keep me in the Dark Association, but instead let me be responsible for external affairs?"
"Heh, having Huang Shan and Luoluo in the ruins is enough. If you, kid, came to cause more trouble, would I be able to sleep soundly?"
"Besides, you have a conflict with Red Demon, and this seat cannot watch you at all times, so sending you to the outside world was the best choice!"
"As for what I told you earlier about not being able to touch Red Demon, it was because of Kong Ling's existence."
"Kong Ling's power is immense. Once he returns, he will inevitably contend with me for control of the Dark Association, so at that time, this seat had to stop you from killing Red Demon..."
Listening to Xing Yuan's answer, Ye Cangtian nodded, and by now, he understood everything.
With the Dark Association in Xing Yuan's hands, it was equivalent to everything being under his control. However, if it fell into Kong Ling's hands, it would not necessarily develop according to Xing Yuan's wishes.
This point could be seen from Kong Ling's actions after he ascended to power.
How detestable the Dark Association was in Kong Ling's hands.
On the other side, seeing Po Xiao fall silent, Huang Shan took a step forward. He looked at Xing Yuan and asked, "My lord, does this mean you discovered our identities long ago?"
"Of course, not only did I discover your identities, but your lives were also saved by me!"
"If it weren't for me, how could you have escaped like a cicada shedding its shell and narrowly escaped death?"
"And your anti-dark alliance, if it weren't for me turning a blind eye and coordinating things in various aspects, your alliance would have been wiped out long ago..."
Xing Yuan glanced at Huang Shan and said slowly.
Everything he said was true, but due to his special status at the time, he did not admit it.
At the same time, he wanted to investigate the identity of the Hidden Group traitor in secret.
"Uh..."
With those words, Huang Shan and Luoluo were instantly stunned.
Who would have thought that the person who saved them was the leader of the enemy camp!
However, since the cards were now on the table, the two quickly bowed respectfully to Xing Yuan and said, "Thank you for saving our lives, my lord!"
"It's my duty."
Xing Yuan waved his hand dismissively, and a stream of spiritual energy flowed out of his body, directly lifting them up.
Then, his gaze fell upon Ye Cangtian, and after a moment of silence, he slowly said, "This seat has also cleared up your doubts. This seat also has a question: what exactly are the two seals you used to suppress Kong Ling?"
"..."
Upon hearing this question, Ye Cangtian hesitated somewhat.
Although Xing Yuan seemed to be on his side now, he was not clear about his identity and always felt a bit uneasy.
After all, the two seals were of great importance, and he had to be extremely careful.
Thinking about it, he looked at the other party and said in a deep voice, "Lord Xing Yuan, before I answer your question, could you tell us your true identity!"
"Heh, you brat, you've said so much, and you still don't trust this seat?"
Upon hearing this, Xing Yuan immediately gave him a white look and said grumpily.
Hearing this, Ye Cangtian shrugged and said, "There's no other way, it's too important. Please forgive me, my lord..."
"Fine, it has come to this, there is no harm in letting you know this seat's identity!"
Seeing that Po Xiao was still vigilant, Xing Yuan sighed and slowly removed the purple-gold mask, revealing the face of a man in his fifties or sixties.
His eyebrows were like swords, his eyes were like stars, and although his face carried a faint smile, it exuded a sense of authority.
Thump! Thump!
The sound of footsteps echoed, attracting Ye Cangtian's attention. Huang Shan and Luoluo on the side immediately knelt on one knee.
This scene completely bewildered Ye Cangtian.
"Your subordinates Tang Qingshan and Nangong Mulan pay respects to Lord Hongwu!"
Hongwu?
Hearing the words spoken in unison by Huang Shan and Luoluo, Ye Cangtian was stunned. He looked at Xing Yuan with confusion, and his mouth twitched.
"Could it be that you are Lord Dongfang Hongwu of the Hidden Group?"
Among the Heavenly-tier powerhouses that Ye Cangtian already knew, only Dongfang Mingyue's father could match this name.
Moreover, since the other party could make Huang Shan and Luoluo so respectful, it was undoubtedly Dongfang Hongwu, as Huang Shan and Luoluo also came from the Hidden Group.
"That's right, this seat is Dongfang Hongwu!"
Xing Yuan glanced at Ye Cangtian and nodded in acknowledgment.
With these words, Ye Cangtian found it somewhat unbelievable. He really did not expect that Dongfang Hongwu, who was once the leader of the Hidden Group, would end up in the Dark Ruins.
Even more unexpectedly, he was able to control the entire Dark Association.
Now, he finally understood why Dongfang Hongwu had disappeared for so many years and remained unheard of.
Thinking about it, he quickly asked, "Lord Hongwu, isn't the selection process for the Dark Association very strict? How did you infiltrate it?"
Xing Yuan smiled faintly and said, "I once practiced the art of disguise. Coupled with changing my aura, the investigation by the Dark Association became meaningless to me."
Upon hearing this, everyone present relaxed.
Seeing this, Xing Yuan looked at Ye Cangtian and said, "Brat, are you relieved about my identity now? Can you explain those two seals?"
"Of course, of course."
Ye Cangtian nodded repeatedly. Since the other party was the controller of the Hidden Group, he was naturally very relieved.
Furthermore, with Huang Shan and Luoluo also present, Ye Cangtian immediately produced the two seals and injected a stream of spiritual energy.
"Lord Xing Yuan, these two seals are the Dragon Control Seal and the Dark Seal, respectively."
"And the reason why the Temple of Light rose to power is because they obtained the Seal of Light, as well as a large number of Nine-Turn Golden Elixirs and Enlightenment Pills."
"I also received similar pills when I obtained the Dark Seal, but I handed these pills over to the Hidden Group..."
Hearing everything Ye Cangtian said, Huang Shan and Luoluo both showed looks of approval.
Being able to hand over these pills to the Hidden Group was not something an ordinary person could do!
On the other side, Xing Yuan frowned, glanced at Ye Cangtian, and asked, "Is there a connection between the Dragon Control Seal, the Dark Seal, and the Seal of Light? And are all the actions of the Temple of Light also related to them?"
"That's right!"
Ye Cangtian nodded, giving an affirmative answer.
Then, he pointed to the beams of light emitted from the seal's projection and continued, "The light beams above are their connections. Moreover, there are not only the three great seals, but also a fourth seal!"