A Family of Hopeless Romantics, Except for the Evil Little Junior Brother
Chapter 260: More Than One Traitor!

Despite this, Zhang Tianxin's palms were drenched in sweat.

He silently recited the Calming Heart Technique taught to him by his fellow cultivator Li Xuanxiao—he absolutely couldn't panic now.

The sect leader who had transformed her flesh into bones spoke lightly, "I already know who among you has betrayed me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have specifically called you all here today. I'll say it again—confess voluntarily, and Tian Sha Hall will forgive your crimes."

"Our loyalty to the sect leader can be witnessed by heaven and earth!" someone immediately stepped forward to declare.

"Why are you nervous?"

Suddenly, a hand yanked one person from the group into midair.

The captured Tian Sha Hall disciple turned deathly pale. "Honored Leader, you personally recruited me into Tian Sha Hall back then! It absolutely wasn't me who betrayed you!"

"Then why are you trembling? Your heartbeat is pounding like drumbeats to my ears."

"Honored Leader, it really wasn't me, I've never—"

"AHHHH!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream erupted as the demonic cultivator was flayed alive on the spot, his entire skin peeled off before being tossed aside, where he continued wailing in agony.

The onlookers trembled with terror.

"Ahem—"

An attendant nearby loudly announced:

"Liu Chong, joined Tian Sha Hall ten years ago—actually a spy from the Profound Sword Sect."

"I know everything about you all." The woman's voice resumed. "The reason I didn't expose you earlier was because I believed you could still be redeemed. But if you don't step forward now, death will be your only path."

"Me!"

To everyone's shock, someone actually stepped forward.

"I..." A trembling disciple gulped hard. "Honored Leader, I... I was indeed a spy for the righteous path initially. But after losing contact with my superiors, I devoted myself wholeheartedly to Tian Sha Hall. I would never betray you, nor have I ever revealed your whereabouts to anyone!!"

The disciple wept bitterly.

"Honored Leader, just kill me."

The woman nodded, bending down to pat his head with surprising gentleness.

"Good. Only through repentance can one find redemption. This is for you."

She handed him a golden pill, stunning the crowd. This precious pill was incredibly valuable—not only was the spy not punished, but rewarded instead!

"Anyone else?"

Her gaze swept across them.

Silence.

Immediately, she reached out again, and another was seized.

"AHHHH!!!"

This time, the victim was skinned, tendons extracted, eyes and ears gouged out...

The attendant continued: "Jiang Bojia, from Nanyang, infiltrated Tian Sha Hall as a spy fifteen years ago."

Cold sweat broke out across the assembly.

Zhang Tianxin's heart clenched—he nearly lost control. How did she know everything?

Yes, he had leaked information. Yet she stood here unharmed—didn't that mean he was already exposed? Would he be next?

His cover was blown!

If he confessed now, not only would he avoid torture, but might even gain forgiveness.

Zhang Tianxin wrestled with himself.

Then he recalled the words from Li Xuanxiao's undercover manual. Gradually, his agitation subsided.

"AHHHH!!!"

Another was dragged out—this time dismembered alive.

"I... I'm a spy!!"

Someone else cracked under the psychological pressure and confessed, subsequently receiving the sect leader's "mercy."

Zhang Tianxin watched, reinforcing his mental defenses.

Ultimately, the sect leader exposed four "traitors"—all executed without chance to explain. Three others voluntarily confessed their spy status and were "forgiven."

Zhang Tianxin held out until the end.

"That's enough for today."

The woman gave her attendant a look before her body dissolved back into bones.

After everyone dispersed, the three "forgiven" spies were kept behind.

"Praise the heavens, the Honored Leader forgave us!"

"My choice was right."

"Divine mercy!!"

"........"

Elsewhere, in a cave dwelling on Mount Shushan:

The current Tian Sha Hall sect leader tapped her forehead thoughtfully.

Three spies?

To catch them, she'd deliberately executed four demonic cultivators.

Those four "exposed traitors" were just fabricated scapegoats—weak, untalented disciples sacrificed to make the real spies reveal themselves.

Unexpectedly, three had taken the bait. A worthwhile trade—just four worthless pawns lost.

Now to interrogate these three: Who had contacted Mount Shushan to ambush her?

".........."

"Waiter! Food!"

"Coming!"

"Those past few days were terrifying."

"Tell me about it—I nearly pissed myself."

"Who knew there were so many spies among our demonic cultivators? And the sect leader actually forgave them!"

"Not just forgave—gave them those precious pills! We slave for a year to earn one, and they..."

In a private room, four demonic cultivators discussed the recent horrors. This inn belonged to Tian Sha Hall, so they spoke freely.

The waiter entered.

Zhang Tianxin, who'd remained silent, glanced up.

"Here you go, sirs. Mind the plate."

During the handoff, information was covertly exchanged.

As the waiter closed the door, a gu insect hidden in his sleeve—its eyes smaller than sesame seeds—quickly absorbed the intelligence from the note.

"..........."

"Hiss—"

Li Xuanxiao frowned deeply.

So the Tian Sha Hall vice-leader had advance warning about the Mount Shushan ambush. No wonder she suspected a mole had leaked her whereabouts.

Where had things gone wrong?

"Li Xuanxiao! Tell me a bedtime story!" The silly phoenix nudged him.

Ignoring her, Li Xuanxiao kept analyzing.

Mount Shushan. The leak had to be from Mount Shushan.

But only Sect Leader Lingxu and the seven peak masters knew about the ambush plan. After Lingxu announced it, the seven departed immediately without delay.

And they understood the operation's sensitivity—they wouldn't carelessly disclose it.