On hearing Lin Xiao's explanation, Yi Tianzhong said in a rejoicing tone, "It was just as well the Taoist Shan happened to be on the spot, otherwise..."
"I'm a bit under the weather, so a bit of a rest is in order. Excuse me," Li Taixuan cut in in a faint voice.
Albeit in the dark about the reason why Lin Xiao gave a weird answer to Yi Tianzhong's question, Li Taixuan was subject to Lin Xiao's mandates. He came into play with an immediate effect.
"Esteemed Patriarch, please allow me to help you," Yi Tianzhong said and hastened to offer a hand.
Li Taixuan turned him away in a haste, "No, thanks. I'd better leave you to your business. You know our sect relies on you and other mountain owners to defend it against the Suomo Sect."
There were nine mountains in the Taixuan Sect, with Li Taixuan taking the Major Mountain and the other domestic seniors taking the rest respectively. They became mountain owners because of their relative independence.
On hearing Li Taixuan's instruction, Yi Tianzhong went on approaching Li and responded, "Esteemed Patriarch, please don't worry. We share a bitter hatred against the enemy. As long as we join hands, the Suomo sect is no longer a menace. Truth be told, I was just done with my cultivation. While adjusting my state, I heard the disciples shout for help. I thought I misheard it, otherwise, I could have arrived earlier to help if I had known it was true."
While in mid-sentence, Yi Tianzhong already held onto Li Taixuan.
Right at the moment, a sparkle of bizarreness flashed across his eyes.
Lin Xiao sneaked up and stood between them, flipping off Yi Tiazhong's clinging hand.
In the meantime, Lin Xiao placed the Martial Law Gestation Elixirs into Li Taixuan's arms and said, "Master, the Taoist Shan bade me give you the pellets and said they were helpful for your injury."
Taking the ceramic bottle with pellets inside, Li Taixuan asked Lin Xiao in an excited tone, "They are..."
"Yes, here they are," Lin Xiao chopped him off in mid-sentence.
Having the pellets in hand, Li Taixuan beamed radiantly.
The Martial Law Gestation Elixirs, which Shan Chengfeng used to be the only one who was capable to produce, materialized by Lin Xiao. Li Taixuan couldn't help but get overwhelmed by the surprise.
It didn't take long for the three chief seniors to figure out what the bottled contained. They got excited as well.
It was Yi Tianzhong who was the only one in the dark. He itched to make out what it was.
However, he contained his curiosity.
"Now that the Taoist Shan offered his pellets, the Esteemed Patriarch would be soon as right as rain. I'm quite relieved on knowing that. Esteemed Patriarch and Seniors, please excuse me for now. I have got to proceed with my cultivation for the sake of our sect now," Yi Tianzhong said and left. Soon he disappeared.
After confirming there was no outsider present, Li Taixuan asked, "Martial Uncle, you find Yi Tianzhong suspicious?"
Lin Xiao nodded straightforward.
"He might not go to the extent of betraying our sect," Li Taixuan said in a faint tone, his face darkened. Apparently, he had unconditional confidence in Lin Xiao, but he still retained illusions about Yi Tianzhong.
It stood to reason that Lin Xiao was not supposed to have a suspicion about Yi Tianzhong, given it was their very first meeting. However, Lin Xiao had long acquired a mechanism to tell the underlying hazards from his experience in the harsh environments in the Mount Yunmeng. Even a faint trace of danger could get on his nerves like a conditional reflex.
The mechanism acted up the moment Yi Tianzhong showed up, which explained why Lin Xiao answered Yi's question for Li Taixuan.
However, seeing Li Taixuan still retained hopes for Yi, instead of saying it was all because of his perceptions, Lin Xiao made an analysis, "As a matter of fact, I only doubted his loyalty in the beginning. However, his abnormal self-restraint from inquiring about the pellets reinforced my suspicion."
"If he hadn't had any ulterior motives, he would have asked about the pellets with no hesitation. It exactly verified my speculation," A chief senior cut in, with murderous intentions welling up in his eyes.
At this critical juncture, it was evident that Yi Tianzhong's infidelity was associated with the Suomo Sect, be it bribery or collusion.
The chief senior had every reason to get angry.
"Hold your horses. In order to swallow up our sect, the Suomo will definitely deploy a hidden traitor among us. It's likely YI Tianzhong is not the only one," Lin Xiao spoke in a calm tone, rather composed.