Chapter Seventy: The Outcome Decided

Inside the grand hall of Danxia Sect on Qingyang Peak, several disciples of the Xuan Zhen Monastery suddenly went mad as if they had succumbed to a demonic cultivation mishap. One of them managed to utter the name “Blood Transformation and Mind Condensation” before dying miserably at the hands of Daoist Cangsong.

Witnessing this, the masters of the righteous sects grew wary, no longer daring to recklessly intervene on behalf of Xuan Zhen Monastery.

“Sima Yan, I never expected you would go so far as to invite demonic cultivators to deal with my Xuan Zhen Monastery. Are you not afraid of bringing disaster down upon the Seven Absolutes Sect?” Daoist Cangsong, seeing Sima Yan pressing forward, immediately suspected that the massacre was a deadly trap orchestrated by the master of the Seven Absolutes Sect before him.

None in the Seven Absolutes Sect, apart from Sima Yan, knew Zhuo Jin’er’s true identity. Seeing Daoist Cangsong slander their sect without cause, Elder Xu Zhenyang of Seven Absolutes could not contain his fury. “Old Daoist Cangsong, hold your tongue. In this hall today, those who went mad from cultivating demonic arts were all your own disciples. We of Seven Absolutes are a martial sect—how could we ever practice such sinister, venomous arts?”

Daoist Muyun, well aware that something was amiss, raised his voice: “Everyone, please allow me a few words. If Xuan Zhen Monastery is truly secretly forcing its disciples to practice demonic arts, they are indeed our enemy. Yet there is something strange about this. I fear a demonic practitioner has infiltrated the hall to frame Xuan Zhen Monastery.”

Sima Yan’s heart tightened, inwardly vexed by Muyun’s meddling. After a moment’s thought, he pressed, “If you say a demonic practitioner is framing Xuan Zhen Monastery, Daoist Muyun, have you discerned any trace of this villain?”

“That demonic infiltrator was able to silently drive these disciples mad, so their own cultivation must be formidable. In my opinion, we should set aside our grievances for the moment and focus on rooting out this fiend who is harming Xuan Zhen Monastery. Why not let me use the secret methods of the Cloudsky Sect to examine everyone present? The villain will have nowhere to hide.” Daoist Muyun met Sima Yan’s glare with calm composure, showing no sign of yielding.

Daoist Muyun’s proposal seemed reasonable. “But if your search reveals no outsider, then Xuan Zhen Monastery must truly be cultivating demonic arts in secret,” Chu Qingyun remarked coldly, already suspicious that Daoist Cangsong had turned traitor and unwilling to let the matter go.

“We have no ill will towards you, Marquess, nor have we ever offended you. Why do you seek to trouble us again and again?” Daoist Cangsong fixed Chu Qingyun with a puzzled glare.

Chu Qingyun sneered, “No demonic practitioners will be allowed to run rampant within Yongzhou. If your disciples have not practiced demonic arts, what do you have to fear from my scrutiny?”

“Very well. Let Daoist Muyun use the secret method of Cloudsky Sect to search everyone in this hall. Let us see which ‘distinguished guest’ dares to frame my Xuan Zhen Monastery.” Daoist Cangsong withdrew his externalized soul and returned it to his body, an icy killing intent flashing in his eyes.

Qi Fei, relying on the wondrous powers of the Lingxi Mantra and the innate energy from his Spirit Jade, felt no fear of Cloudsky Sect’s secret methods. Still, as his gaze fell upon the mangled corpse at Daoist Cangsong’s feet, he couldn’t help worrying for Zhuo Jin’er’s safety.

Daoist Cangsong and Sima Yan ordered their disciples to set aside their grudges and gather in the ruined hall, awaiting Daoist Muyun’s investigation. Elder Mo Zhanpeng and Elder Sun helped their wounded disciples to their feet, while Yang Zheng and the other disciples of Qingyang Peak glared at the Seven Absolutes Sect, each side taking up positions behind their own.

“Marquess, forgive us if we offend,” Daoist Muyun said, gazing at Chu Qingyun.

Chu Qingyun snorted. At once, the warriors of the Marquis’s household moved to the center of the hall. The disciples of Cloudsky and the other righteous sects formed up along the sides. Daoist Muyun raised his hand, circulating his true essence, and in an instant a dazzling silver radiance swept across the hall.

Under this secret art, all present were enveloped in a faint stream of light. Qi Fei, who had yet to cultivate the true Daoist soul and whose Lingxi Mantra could mask demonic intent, was unconcerned by the probe. As the light swept across the hall, he noticed a faint crimson mist flicker over the corpse resembling Zhuo Jin’er. At that moment, the spiritual jade energy within him surged, just as it had when he first met Zhuo Jin’er.

The mist vanished quickly, seeping along the bloody stains on the floor to disappear under the feet of several Xuan Zhen Monastery disciples nearby. Without the guidance of his spiritual jade, Qi Fei would never have noticed this secret.

Could this Daoist truly be Zhuo Jin’er in disguise? Qi Fei was inwardly shocked by the boldness of the sorceress from the Yin-Yang Sect, daring to employ such a dangerous spell under the very noses of so many righteous masters.

Daoist Muyun was determined to expose the demonic infiltrator and clear Xuan Zhen Monastery’s name. Yet just as the Cloudsky Sect’s secret method was unleashed, several of Cangsong’s disciples suddenly turned ashen.

As the radiance swept over them, their faces flushed with an eerie crimson and they collapsed, writhing and wailing in agony.

“Master, save me! I have never practiced any demonic arts!” they cried.

This bizarre scene shocked everyone present. No one but these few disciples showed any such symptoms.

“Daoist Cangsong, are these your disciples?” Daoist Muyun withdrew his technique, suspicion in his eyes.

Sima Yan’s confidence grew. He sneered at the terror-stricken Daoist Cangsong. “What have you to say now?”

Daoist Cangsong hastily replied, “These are indeed my disciples, but they have never practiced demonic arts. Someone must be framing us!”

“But Daoist Muyun has just searched the hall and found no trace of any outsider. Is this not a feeble excuse?” Chu Qingyun smirked, his tone mocking.

Daoist Cangsong grunted coldly, “Perhaps the demonic villain is lurking outside the hall, using some sinister art to harm my disciples from afar.”

The elder of the Righteous Spirit Sect eyed him coldly. “Daoist Cangsong, your words are unconvincing. No matter how powerful demonic arts may be, could they really harm your disciples from outside the hall without us noticing? If the villain were that powerful, why go to so much trouble?”

“Elder Jiang is right. If a demonic infiltrator could attack from outside unseen, they could have slaughtered us all. With our cultivation levels, we would stand no chance,” a master from Tianyin Mountain added, his gaze toward Daoist Cangsong growing icy.

Daoist Cangsong, thrown into confusion, was about to defend himself when the crimson-faced disciples suddenly went mad, attacking their fellow students.

Sima Yan would not let the opportunity slip. As everyone reeled in shock, he shouted, “Demonic villains must be destroyed! Today, my Seven Absolutes Sect will rid Cangyun Mountain of this scourge!”

At his command, the Seven Absolutes disciples drew their swords and charged the Xuan Zhen Monastery. The latter, unwilling to wait for death, unleashed their arts in response. Chaos erupted in the hall.

“Wait! Listen to me!” Daoist Muyun, a longtime acquaintance of Daoist Cangsong, did not believe Xuan Zhen Monastery would secretly cultivate demonic arts. He hurried to stop the fighting.

At that moment, another strange change occurred. A dazzling stream of eerie light burst from Cheng Feng’s corpse, and a blood-red pearl suddenly rose into the air.

This was the Xuan Zhen Monastery’s treasured Red Sun Pearl. Without warning, it exploded in the hall, releasing a mist of blood.

Wherever the blood mist spread, disciples of both Xuan Zhen Monastery and Seven Absolutes Sect turned as crimson as those who had gone mad before. In an instant, all those shrouded by the Red Sun Pearl’s blood mist—regardless of allegiance—were driven insane and began attacking anyone nearby.

“Cangsong, you old fiend! To think your so-called sect treasure is a demonic artifact! Give me back my disciples’ lives!” Sima Yan was heartbroken at the tragedy that had befallen his disciples, furious at Zhuo Jin’er’s ruthlessness, yet knowing this was also the best way to clear his sect of suspicion.

Daoist Cangsong and the masters of Xuan Zhen Monastery were thrown into utter panic. The situation, which had seemed under control, had in a flash turned into a calamity threatening the very survival of their sect.