The intelligence group of the Yunshan Sect has only been established for two years but has already started to play a role.

Currently, Lin Le serves as the leader of the intelligence group. He has recruited ten disciples who are meticulous and adept at social interactions but have poor Spiritual Root talents. Since its establishment, the intelligence group has enlisted a network of outer lines, primarily composed of mortal servants and disillusioned Loose Cultivators, in five marketplaces: Meihua Square, Baojing Square, Shahe Square, Fanglan Square, and Jiuzhi Square.

The disciples of the Yunshan Sect merely act as intelligence officers, transmitting information and integrating and assessing it, as well as serving as one-way contacts for the outer lines. They do not personally engage in intelligence gathering. Perhaps when the Yunshan Sect truly grows into a formidable entity in the future, they will train disciples as specialized espionage agents.

But for now, this network of outer lines is already sufficient. Especially the mortal servants, always regarded by cultivators as simple tools as they diligently serve them in the marketplace. Often, cultivators fail to realize the need for defense in front of mortals. Except for some situations where conversations are held behind closed doors, their words and deeds are usually observed by inconspicuous servants.

Hotel waiters, shop assistants, servants in entertainment venues... this network is slowly being woven together, and a large amount of information starts to converge on Bichao Mountain. In fact, the information is so abundant and personnel so limited that the intelligence group currently only collects and analyzes two major categories of information.

First is commercial trade information: which raw materials are starting to increase in price, which goods are selling out, where production has had a good harvest this year, etc. This information aids the Yunshan Sect in perfecting its business projects, developing new product categories, or simply buying locally and selling elsewhere for quick profits.

Second is the movements of Yunshan Sect’s neighbors: Kong Family Castle recruiting more craftsmen, expanding ore production; Shahe Gang’s Han Wen booked Baihua Building at Baojing Square, hosting the Sect Leader of Shouzhuo Sect; a team of cultivators from Spirit Talisman Sect suddenly left Shazhou Square after resting, and only one returned covered in blood...

Currently, the most significant constraint on the intelligence group’s development is not anything else but the speed of information transmission. In this world without phones or networks, relying solely on Communication Talismans and Thousand-Mile Mirrors, intelligence from as far as Meihua Square takes two to three days to be securely transmitted back, so various discrepancies due to this time lag still need to be considered when integrating intelligence.

Regardless, since the establishment of the intelligence group, Yunshan Sect is no longer deaf and blind, able to more accurately assess the surrounding situation.

The intelligence about the six Foundation Establishment Sects in Liangxiang County recruiting Loose Cultivators and planning to initiate sabotage during the Shuangye Square carnival was also relayed back by the outer lines in Fanglan Square and Jiuzhi Square. Several Loose Cultivators, loose-tongued and drunk on flower wine, even revealed the assembly point within Chongming County.

After Lu Qian learned of this, he directly sought out Guh Niqiang. Unfortunately, due to the intelligence lag, by the time Guh Niqiang arrived, the place was already deserted.

Lu Qian could ascertain that the Loose Cultivators tasked with executing the sabotage were already mixed into the crowd within Shuangye Square.

Upon hearing this, imagining now that amidst the seemingly bustling marketplace, a group of dangerous foes was lurking, everyone present looked grim. What was most terrifying was that before these individuals acted, they were unidentifiable, rendering prevention impossible.

"Sect Leader, now we can only mobilize the elite forces of each sect to station defensively." Having just advanced to Late-Stage Qi Cultivation and performed exceptionally over the past two years, Zheng Duan, who had been promoted to Inner Sect Yi Class and served as the Foreign Affairs Steward, was striving to voice his opinions within the sect, and now he expressed his viewpoint, "Contact allies and vassals, deploy a hundred elites to station defensively at various points within the marketplace. As the Sect Leader once mentioned to us, the concept of ’grid management’ seems well-suited here."

"Divide the entire marketplace into grid blocks, with elites equally responsible for each grid, while the Sect Leader and Elder Guh coordinate centrally. Thus, no matter where they strike, we can suppress them immediately."

All around the meeting nodded in agreement, and Lu Qian smiled and asked Lin Le, "What do you think?"

"If it’s about directly suppressing the culprits, Junior Brother Zheng’s plan is naturally prudent. However, a thousand days can be spent thieving, but not a thousand days guarding against thieves. These criminals, seeing our formidable strength, can continuously hide, but can our elites forever station here? We need a strategy to lure these criminals out." Lin Le elaborated, "To entice these culprits out, we’ll need a bait they cannot resist."

After listening to Lin Le’s suggestion, Zheng Duan felt regretfully embarrassed, admitting that although Senior Brother Lin had poor talent, he excelled in management, handling affairs, strategizing, and astutely covering all bases. Privately, disciples thought Lin Le had the demeanor of Lu Qian, albeit unfortunately...

Lu Qian nodded in approval. "So how do you think we should entice the criminals out effectively?"

"Enemies are primarily Loose Cultivators, greedy and fearful, exceptionally afraid of dying. They haven’t acted yet because they perceive no apparent defensive weaknesses within the marketplace. If they act, they fear lacking escape routes, so they dare not proceed. Therefore, on the surface, we shouldn’t reinforce defenses but rather withdraw them, creating apparent defenses vulnerabilities. Only then, feeling secure, will they act. If that’s not enough, we’re going to have to offer an irresistible bait." Lin Le expounded eloquently.

That night, several messengers departed swiftly, delivering Lu Qian’s latest orders to allies within the Shuangye Alliance and Qingli Mountain, Liuhua Valley.

The next day, June 9th, the inaugural "Divine Strategy Pavilion" Cup arena competition officially commenced. Coupled with the ongoing recruitment conference, Shuangye Square’s central hub was a bustling crowd, shoulder to shoulder, thronging the area.

The "Arena" hosted individual arena competitions for Loose Cultivators, while the "Multi-Purpose Hall" held individual arena competitions for Sect Cultivators. Both categories recognized and rewarded the top eight participants, with the final Loose Cultivator top three and Sect Cultivator top three engaging in a friendly competition.

Thanks to a massive distribution of flyers beforehand and simultaneous events featuring half-price lodging and free travel, the arena competition attracted over three hundred Loose Cultivators to participate. Just the drawing lots, grouping, and numbering took the entire morning, and when the massive duel chart was hung outside the arena, it was already noon, with actual competitions beginning in the afternoon.

This side of the sect was not idle either, with the dark currents surging within Chongming County, all sects brimming with vigor. Therefore, when Lu Qian invited, Spirit Talisman, Shahe, Kong Family, Shouzhuo all dispatched teams to participate, seeking to train troops and gauge competitors’ skills in the arena, if they could secure an initial victory to boost morale, it would be even better.

Alongside the group matchup list, several large placards were hung with analyses, predictions, and commentary, notably for the sect, with a brief introduction added on each sect cultivator’s characteristics.

Below these large placards, Shuangye Square’s betting stalls opened energetically. A cultivator yelled out, "It’s the first round, everyone unfamiliar with the contestants, we’re not setting odds recklessly. After the first round, we’ll set odds for each advancing contestant, everyone can bet freely then!"

"I favor the Yunshan Sect." An excited short cultivator said, "They are the hosts, they won’t embarrass themselves, so then I’ll bet on the Yunshan Sect."