Right as he unsealed the runes and opened the door he saw a nervous Ji Yong waiting on the other side. Noticing the elder the housekeeper quickly bowed and proceeded to say

"Master Chen, the breakfast for everyone is ready, I was waiting for the door to unseal to send someone to bring it to you. Head Enforcer Zhen also intends to eat with you, and asked me to call for him right when I saw you"

Initially, Elder Chen wanted to say that he wanted Old Rui and Wu Guang to eat in the canteen, so the latter could meet some of the disciples staying in the tower. But hearing the last part and seeing the pale Ji Yong, he simply nodded and turning to the pair signaled them to stay.

Half an hour later, the door was sealed again, breakfast eaten and the three of them alongside Zhen Mang were sitting at the table while drinking tea.

Until now, Zhen Mang didn't say a word about his reasons to make them stay or why he was here. Only after the servants carried out the plates and the door was sealed he started speaking

"I am here for two reasons. The first one would be that the two enforcers that I sent to scout around the place Palace Master mentioned yesterday found traces of black mist burns in a small earth cave" After hearing this, Elder Chen's expression turned grave but he remained quiet. So Zhen Mang continued

"The second reason would be that one of the tower's contracted servants, who left home for the night disappeared. His wife, who sometimes comes to the tower to help with laundry came an hour ago asking for him. From her words, he never reached his house so she thought he slept on the servant's floor as he had done before. After questioning Ji Yong, we can be sure that the servant indeed left the tower"

"The black mist should have been used by Gou Yong to cut any trails. The burns would appear natural, as from a campfire to any normal observer. Considering that all of them except him were of Spirit Stage and most of them were wounded, it was an expected maneuver. The second matter is far more interesting, don't you think so Old Rui?" Elder Chen face was grave, and he spoke slowly as if calculating something

"Palace Master, the current City Lord can be considered scum, and most probably he is involved in some shady business, but I am sure that he is too cowardly to act against the Sect"

"Yes, I am not thinking about him, he was honestly shocked by the fact that the city can be bypassed. But it seems that the people who know of this are inside the city, and they don't want us to discover their secret. Most probably the servant was a spy or what is more probable, was kidnapped to question him about who currently stays in the tower" Elder Chen spoke in the same manner

"I agree with you Palace Master. Your arrival wasn't secret, and considering the Lord's Manor people, your visit there may have already leaked as well. Most probably the one that they are in dark about yet is me, after all, I entered the city secretly and all the tasks outside were performed by the four enforcers that arrived with you originally. They may also have wanted to know how many other cultivators you have available, after all, if they don't fear Palace Master, they should have at least one expert of your caliber" Zhen Mang face was grave and his eyes were shining with a cruel light

"So, do I reveal myself and make a show? Or I remain hidden for the time being?"

"The latter. They should be thinking that we will not care about the fate of a servant, and we will not. Our plan stays the same, we sit with the documents and find that secret pass. When we do, we shall bring them out to the light" After a brief silence Elder Chen decided.

Then he commanded

"Zhen Mang, send the four enforcers to snoop around the city. Give them any task, just make them remain in the open.

Then stay here and join me in analyzing everything related to the area around where I sensed the disturbance and the black mist burns. We may find the secret pass entrance nearby" Turning to Old Rui and Wu Guang "You two take the area between the ambush and city, search for the other entrance"

"Understood"

For the next hours, one could see that the two pairs shifting through dozens of scrolls, maps, documents. When time neared dinner, Wu Guang pointed at several locations on the maps spread on the table before him. He shared some words with Old Rui, who quickly took out one of the scrolls that were scattered near them and after reading through exclaimed

"You are right!"

After this exclamation, Zhen Mang came closer

"Did you find it, Old Rui?!"

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"I did not, it was young Guang. Quickly tell them about it"

After noticing that Elder Chen also came closer, Wu Guang started explaining

"The historic documents state that the first city walls were built around an empty space designated for the city to protect the construction from the constant beast tides.

After the first low walls, the founders built the main roads, then they added some of the buildings.

The stone used for the roads has to be cut and connected to each other shortly or the veins would disappear, as these veins work as the pathways used for the wall runes, they would have not risked the wait, and would have cut the stone inside the city.

From this, I thought that they had brought in the veined stone before sealing the wall, and almost dropped the matter. But what of the stone for the buildings? How could they have transported such an enormous amount of materials through the small gates and under constant danger from the beasts?

Later in one of the documents from another City Lord, I found mentions of an upgrade to the walls, making them reach the current height. After the project was finished some of the stone remained in the warehouse, so the Lord decided to build this tower. Again I asked myself, how did the enormous stones used in the wall could be brought into the city?"

"So? How?" Zhen Mang was glaring at Wu Guang, who without any change continued his explanation

"There were no mentions on how"

After hearing this, Zhen Mang wanted to strangle him, but he restrained himself and asked "But you did find something, right?"

"Indeed, in this pre-war scroll, the head administrator of that time informed the general of the guard that regretfully the mines around the city were empty and not even one special stone could be extracted to build the watchtowers he wanted, so he recommended to build them from the hill stones. And here is where I understood the missing part" He looked at the three people around him

"I proceeded to find the only places that should be able to be mined around the city and surprisingly found nothing. There isn't even a path that leads to them"

He then proceeded to mark five locations on the maps. With two of those locations near the ambush spot, and one of them near the spot that Elder Chen and Zhen Mang were investigating.

He didn't proceed to finish his explanation, after all, he had already said enough for the rest of them to understand his conclusion.

"Underground mines, right?" Old Rui was shining as if he was the one who discovered everything

"Underground? No path? Small gates?" Muttering under his breath Zhen Mang thought of something and then exclaimed

"Tunnels!"

"Yes, thanks to Wu Guang's explanation, the mystery is solved. I have no doubts that there are tunnels from the city leading to these mines. Any kind of mine needs some kind of ventilation, so there should be some kind of access near every one of the mines" Concluded Elder Chen while observing the teen that solved in some hours a matter that was investigated dozens of times over the years.

"Zhen Mang, we will covertly leave the tower tonight and travel to the locations. Even if we manage to uncover one, by following the tunnels we should be able to find the ones that the ambushers used from inside" After Elder Chen said this, he took out a map of the city and its outskirts from his Holding Pouch and copied all the locations that Wu Guang found.

The Sect experts discussed the various locations and decided to start with the two that had no relation with the ambush or the earth cave. The four enforcers from before will attempt to create a distraction by continuing to wander outside, while the other two that never left the tower will follow them in secret to see if they are tailed.

After considering that someone had access to these mines and they were so bold as to meddle with the Sect's tower, Wu Guang was told to stay in the tower and start cultivating. Old Rui proposed and was allowed to stay in the tower and try to search for a clue to the entrance of the tunnel inside the city.

After dinner, Ji Yong and the pair of inner disciples that guarded the tower's door were called by Head Enforcer Zhen, who told them that they suspected the servant of being kidnapped. He then followed that by on his order everyone will be staying behind the tower doors for two full days while he and the enforcers investigated.

Although a bit surprised, the three saluted and went to their respective areas to inform the others.

When this matter was finished, Elder Chen and Zhen Mang left the tower using a hidden door. Before leaving, Elder Chen instructed the inner disciple he and Wu Guang saw in the tower canteen to follow and help the latter with anything he may need.