~gulp~
Elder Liqiang drank some water from the cup that was kept on the side of his bed and let out a breath.
~huu~
"It was all going well according to our plan, and I was heading back to the sect, but when I entered the Broken Sand Desert, I sensed a few people flying across the sky at great speed.
If it were not for the special detection spirit tools I had for the installing of the teleportation gate, I would have never even found those people. Since the tool was sensitive to spatial fluctuations, it sensed the people that were hiding under an invisibility formation array.
Finding it very suspicious, I followed the signals and soon reached an empty area. But there I found myself trapped in a bewildering formation array. I couldn't even tell how or when it surrounded me and I was lost.
After trying to escape it for a few minutes, I was forcefully pulled to the inside of the Kushao ruins. I was confused at first, but seeing the strange beasts in the ruins, I realized where I was.
I was fighting the beasts when I was discovered by the people of the Northern Tribes. They managed to overwhelm me with a sneak attack and trapped me. Seeing that I was an elder of the Noon Grass sect, they tried to extract information about our sect.
To me, it seemed like their goal was to infiltrate the sect. And hearing what Gu Yao could do reminded me of the level of threat we would face if she found out about the location of the sect.
They might ambush some disciple or elder when they leave the sect and then use them to infiltrate the sect. It would be a simple yet effective strategy considering the ability of Gu Yao." Elder Liqiang answered.
Hearing all this, Lin Mu and the Supreme elder couldn't help but frown.
"For them to be able to hide their presence that well, it's surely a spirit tool at the Peak grade or a special talisman." Supreme Elder Hua Langya suddenly spoke.
Lin Mu found it to be strange as well as he knew the spirit too made by Jing Luo were used to find a good place with stable spatial fabric. If the teleportation gate was built in an area with unstable space, it would either not work or break upon use.
That was the entire reason why Jing Luo had made that spirit tool.
"What happened after you got trapped?" Lin Mu asked.
"Hmm, well they beat me up and tortured me, trying to gain information, but I did not give in. After a few attempts, they realized that they could take another approach. Thus, that old witch tried to steal my spatial storage ring!" Elder Liqiang spat out with fury.
"I knew that if I was fully restrained and unable to move, the ring would be as good as lost.
But at the same time, it contained the components for the teleportation gate, as well as our sensitive information. I could not let it fall into the hands of the enemy and thus I destroyed my spatial storage ring." Elder Liqiang answered.
Hearing this Lin Mu's face became serious. He knew that destroying a spatial storage treasure of any kind in this world was a difficult thing and would definitely cause pain to someone who wasn't used to dealing with formations and high grade spirit tools.
Not only that, but if a mistake was made during the process, the spatial storage ring might self implode and tear the fabric of space around it. That was a situation that had occurred many times in the past, with most times being very disastrous.
The destruction of the spatial fabric was the same as a great calamity and could cause damage to almost any cultivator if they were not prepared or knowledgeable about them. For most people, it would just be dead as they would be reduced to pieces.
Lin Mu couldn't help but be reminded of the massive spatial tears caused due to the destruction of a spatial storage tool he had read about in the Lost Immortal's memoirs.
Not only that, but even Elder Xukong had specifically told Lin Mu to be safe from things like that. As even if Lin Mu could control them with relative ease, there were still many faces of danger he could not fight with against at this time.
"I see… so the components for the Teleportation are gone?" Jing Luo asked.
Since he was the one who had made them all, he was a bit disappointed.
"Yes. Since the ring was self-destructed by me, the items should forever be lost in some fragment of space." Elder Liqiang replied.
It was at this time that Lin Mu spoke up.
"Not necessarily!" he said out loud.
"Oh? What do you mean, brother Lin Mu?" Elder Liqiang questioned.
The supreme elder also wanted to know what Lin Mu was up to and looked on with interest.
"Do you have any fragments or leftovers from the spatial storage ring that you destroyed?" Lin Mu asked instead.
"Hmm…" Elder Liqiang furrowed his brows.
~Creak~
He then extended his hand to a side table and opened its drawer. In there, a bunch of things could be seen. This included a set of tattered robes and ornaments along with a few small metal fragments.
"I have this. The broken ring itself, I managed to keep some of its fragments even after it shattered." Elder Liqiang answered.
"Perfect!" Lin Mu exclaimed, confusing the people in the room.
"What… do you mean?" Supreme elder couldn't help but question.
"Well, we might not have to worry about the Teleportation Gate and its components. And neither will Elder Liqiang have to worry about the other things of his spatial storage ring.
"I can bring back the items." Lin Mu said, absolutely shocking them.
"WHAT!?" Elder Liqiang and Hua Langya were shocked.
"Yes. I just need the broken parts and some time. Once I have that, I will be able to retrieve the lost object." Lin Mu stated with confidence.
