Chapter 1567

Investigation Courtyard, carrying Meng tribe’s two Gu Immortals, halts above a lush valley where the clues end, and the second supreme elder names it Sleeping Lady’s Divine Needle Valley. Sleeping Lady is a rank seven lone immortal of sound path without outstanding battle strength, but she controls a divine hedgehog. This sword path immemorial desolate beast shoots every spine on its body extremely fast and with terrifying power. She created the valley and holds the ground between Meng tribe and Murong tribe. Neither of those super forces truly dares to go against her. ^{ch. 1567}

The clues have given the Meng immortals nothing specific about Fang Yuan. Sleeping Lady is no match for Meng Tu herself, but if she sent the hedgehog, she might have killed him. If she is the culprit, she has very likely sided with Murong tribe already, since she could not have such guts alone. Murong tribe cannot attack a righteous super force without cause, so it is entirely possible they use her as a front. If she is innocent, slight carelessness might push her toward Murong tribe and make Meng tribe’s losses even bigger. They agree to visit her and speak openly of Meng Tu’s death, since the clues stop at her valley. ^{ch. 1567}

The courtyard’s open approach startles her, but she waits at her residence with composure. Told everything, she declares her innocence, and the Meng immortals verify it at once. Since the clues vanish in her valley, she fears the killer of Meng Tu is very likely still hiding there. She asks them to inspect the whole valley with her. After a long search finds nothing, the Meng immortals hint at an unsearched area, and she, seeing through the show, leads them to the deepest part. ^{ch. 1567}

There an enormous pure-white hedgehog sleeps on the dark floor, covered with extremely sharp spines full of sword path dao marks. Each spine is a rank eight immortal material called a front-back divine obstruction needle. Spines the beast shoots cannot be put back, but new ones grow while it sleeps. She keeps the beast in deep sleep after feeding it full, selling most needles to Meng tribe and Murong tribe and a small portion in treasure yellow heaven. She will pluck the four hundred and thirty-six longest this time, leaving the short ones to grow. ^{ch. 1567}

Meng Zi Zai announces a new clue. The trail runs deep underground, then climbs to the surface in Murong tribe territory, hundreds of li from the valley. The clues completely disappear there, and Sleeping Lady stays silent at so delicate a juncture. Finding nothing more, the three return to the valley when she proposes it. ^{ch. 1567}

The extraordinary hedgehog still sleeps deeply, but its body is bare and every needle is gone. Sleeping Lady cries out, pale with shock, that she guarded the valley a hundred years and spent heavily to feed the beast and put it to sleep. The two Meng immortals break into a cold sweat, realizing someone has used them. ^{ch. 1567}