Gao Qiumin stood thunderstruck, staring in disbelief at the mingled blood. She mumbled, "It's impossible. How could I have a half-demon sister? The formation must be faulty. It's fake!"
Mu Xuanling released Duan Nian and retreated to Xie Xuechen's side.
"I'd prefer not to be related to you either," Mu Xuanling said coolly. "Miss Gao, I sought out Su Ningzhen for an explanation, but her 'explanation' seems more like a cover-up."
Gao Qiumin stumbled two steps and collapsed to the ground. She crawled pathetically to Su Ningzhen's side, clutching her sleeve with trembling hands. "Master, what's going on? Isn't my mother supposed to have only had one daughter?"
Su Ningzhen's complexion alternated between pale and flushed. She gritted her teeth and said, "Yes..."
"What's her scheme? That formation must be demonic arts or evil techniques. She's deliberately deceiving the Grand Elder because she doesn't want me to become the leader of Mirror Flower Valley!" Gao Qiumin, believing she'd found a reasonable explanation, suddenly felt relieved. "It must be so..."
The Grand Elder naturally knew this wasn't the truth. The formation was flawless, and Mu Xuanling and Gao Qiumin indeed shared a blood relation. She was one of those who had watched Su Ningxi and Su Ningzhen grow up. She'd witnessed Su Ningxi marry Gao Fengxu. Su Ningxi had been pure before marriage and died in childbirth ten months after the wedding. She couldn't have given birth twice. Therefore, Mu Xuanling and Gao Qiumin must be twins.
But how could twins result in one human and one half-demon?
"Su Ningzhen, what's going on? Tell the truth now!" The Grand Elder's voice suddenly turned severe. The other elders also realized the gravity of the situation. This was no longer Su Ningzhen's private matter; it concerned Mirror Flower Valley's reputation and legacy. They wouldn't allow Su Ningzhen to interfere.
Su Ningzhen found herself in a desperate situation, isolated and without support. She glared at Mu Xuanling with hatred in her eyes, but upon closer inspection, it wasn't merely hatred—there was also morbid greed and obsession.
"She's not Ningxi's child, she's..."
Before Su Ningzhen could finish, a sharp whistle suddenly echoed through the area. Everyone's spirits jolted as three golden arrows came flying from different directions, breaking through the air with such force that they created sonic booms. Xie Xuechen's expression turned solemn as he raised his hand to intercept the three flying arrows. Each arrow was engraved with a line of text.
— Yongxue City, under attack by demon forces!
— Xuantian Temple, under attack by monster forces!
— Bixiao Palace, under attack by monster forces!
Fu Lansheng and the others standing beside Xie Xuechen glimpsed the engravings on the arrows immediately and exclaimed in shock, "The three major sects are under attack!"
"What?!" The cultivators of Mirror Flower Valley were also startled and uneasy. "Has Sang Qi emerged from seclusion?"
Mu Xuanling said gravely, "Among the five major sects, Xuantian Temple is the most vulnerable due to internal strife and lack of leadership. It's not surprising that Sang Qi would target them. The Prajna Sutra of Xuantian Temple is the bane of the demon race, so it's within expectations that Sang Qi would dispatch monster forces to attack. Master Yuanxin should have received a warning and should be able to handle it. Yongxue City is greatly weakened without you there, so it would also be a target for Sang Qi. However, we were prepared for this, and defensive formations against demons have been established in the city. But Bixiao Palace..." She frowned, appearing puzzled. "Bixiao Palace is the strongest among the five major sects, with the most profound foundation and the largest number of disciples. How could Sang Qi have spare monster forces to attack Bixiao Palace?"
Xie Xuechen gripped the arrows tightly and said in unison with Nan Xuyue, "It's Lingju Island."
Fu Lansheng was startled. "Isn't Lingju Island under attack?"
Xie Xuechen said, "Lingju Island is the attacker."
Nan Xuyue lowered her eyes and said calmly, "The traitor in the Immortal Alliance who colluded with Sang Qi is Lingju Island."
Mu Xuanling's pupils constricted as she suddenly recalled what had occurred on Qiongju Island. That alluring snake demon had said, "Originally, this grand meeting wasn't supposed to start for another half year. I don't know why it was suddenly moved up. The island wasn't fully prepared, which is why things are a bit chaotic..."
"The Monster Race Martial Arts Tournament," Mu Xuanling's heart sank. "The hastily advanced Monster Race Martial Arts Tournament was likely Lingju Island colluding with the Eastern Sea Monster King to gather monster forces, form an alliance, and attack Bixiao Palace."
"Why would Lingju Island do this?" Fu Lansheng couldn't believe it. The attack on Bixiao Palace had thrown him into panic. He'd always been confident in Bixiao Palace's strength, believing that demons and monsters wouldn't dare confront them directly. But if what Mu Xuanling said was true, if Lingju Island had indeed colluded with the Eastern Sea Monster King to attack Bixiao Palace, then even Bixiao Palace might struggle to defend itself. "No, I must return to Bixiao Palace!"
Nan Xuyue held Fu Lansheng back and said solemnly, "Brother Fu, your strength is limited. Even if you go, you won't be able to help much. I'm certain Palace Master Fu and Elder Duan wouldn't want you to put yourself in danger."
Fu Lansheng smiled bitterly. "Nan Xuyue, my mother has said the same thing, but as a son, how can I stand idly by knowing my parents are in danger? Although I'm not very capable, I'm still a person."
Nan Xuyue was taken aback and couldn't help but release her grip.
"Let him go," Xie Xuechen said slowly. "It's not safe here anymore either."
Mu Xuanling held her breath, unconsciously clenching her fists as she gazed into the distance.
"All other sects are under attack, yet Mirror Flower Valley remains calm..." She looked at the sun hidden behind the clouds, her voice gradually lowering. "Sang Qi... is likely to come in person."
Every word of their conversation reached the ears of the Mirror Flower Valley cultivators. The Grand Elder's expression faltered, but she attempted to maintain her composure and sternly ordered, "Inform all disciples to be on high alert!"
At that moment, a vast and magnificent aura spread through the air. A black robe appeared in the sky, its billowing folds seeming to blot out the sun and moon, dimming the light of heaven and earth. The terrifying pressure stirred up a hurricane, breaking flowers and grass in the valley, causing spirit beasts to flee in panic. Cries and howls of spirit beasts could be heard everywhere.
Sang Qi curled his crimson thin lips, his silver hair dancing wildly. He looked with satisfaction at the panic he'd created in Mirror Flower Valley. After twenty years, he'd finally returned to this place to wash away his previous shame. He wanted Mirror Flower Valley to be razed to the ground, leaving no blade of grass or living creature!
No one had expected Sang Qi's aura to be so terrifying. Everyone's expressions changed, unable to muster even a shred of resistance due to the overwhelming difference in power...
Su Ningzhen looked at Sang Qi indifferently. After twenty years of hatred, her feelings at this moment were strangely calm. Perhaps it was because she'd accepted the fact that she was responsible for Su Ningxi's death, or maybe... she suddenly realized that Sang Qi was just like her. They both deeply loved Su Ningxi and wished for her to be alive.
"Sect Leader Xie, are you satisfied with the gift I sent you?" Sang Qi smiled as he looked down at everyone, his form slowly descending from the sky. With his silver hair and silver eyes, he was extraordinarily handsome. If not for the wicked and demonic aura surrounding him, his appearance would have been like that of a descending deity.
Xie Xuechen held his sword and said calmly, "It's been a while. You've indeed made considerable progress."
Today, Sang Qi's aura was more than twice as strong as when they'd last met. Xie Xuechen knew that in today's battle, he would have to pay a price...
"It's all thanks to the miraculous power of the Jade Threshold Scripture," Sang Qi smiled slightly, his silver eyes turning to Mu Xuanling. "Ling'er, it seems the poison of the Heart-Perceiving Water has been neutralized."
Mu Xuanling pressed her lips together, not avoiding Sang Qi's gaze, but not responding either.
Sang Qi sighed to himself. "This isn't a good thing. With the poison neutralized, you'll be very upset when you witness Xie Xuechen die before your eyes. Ling'er, you still don't understand your master's good intentions."
"Sang Qi..." Mu Xuanling said softly, "Seeing you die would also sadden me."
Sang Qi was stunned for a moment, then held his forehead and laughed loudly. "These words... I don't know whether to be happy or angry! Ling'er, are you suggesting that I will lose, or that you harbor some master-disciple affection for me?"
Sang Qi's sleeves fluttered with his laughter, and his uncontrolled, vast aura swept across the entire area like ocean waves. Lower-level cultivators couldn't withstand it, turning pale and spitting blood. The Grand Elder shouted sternly, "All cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage, retreat!"
In battles at the Dharma Body level, numbers no longer determined the outcome. Even Golden Core cultivators were mere cannon fodder in such fights. With Su Ningzhen exhausted and her authority in question, the Grand Elder had to assume the responsibility of leading the defense. She prepared for the worst in her heart—if they couldn't eliminate Sang Qi and Mirror Flower Valley faced annihilation, they would at least preserve some seeds for the future.
Mu Xuanling said to Nan Xuyue and Fu Lansheng, "You two return to the Cloud Floating Sky Boat. Nan Xuyue, accompany Fu Lansheng to Bixiao Palace."
Nan Xuyue said, "You should leave too."
Mu Xuanling smiled faintly. "I'll stay with him."
Their hands clasped tightly beneath their wide sleeves. He knew she wouldn't leave, so he said nothing.
Fu Lansheng, his heart anxious about Bixiao Palace, tugged at Nan Xuyue's sleeve. "Nan Xuyue, let's go first!"
Nan Xuyue shook off Fu Lansheng's hand and said, "You go. I'm staying."
"You..." Fu Lansheng frowned deeply, but seeing Nan Xuyue's calm and determined gaze, he knew further words were useless. With a sigh, he flew toward the Cloud Floating Sky Boat alone.
Sang Qi didn't care about insignificant figures like Fu Lansheng. All the people he cared about were already here.
Xie Xuechen said, "I miscalculated. I never imagined you could turn He Xianwo against us."
Both Xuantian Temple and Yongxue City were fully prepared. He'd learned about Sang Qi's power from Mu Xuanling and knew that Sang Qi's available monster and demon forces were limited. He couldn't attack all five major sects simultaneously. Therefore, he'd focused on ensuring the two weakest sects had complete defenses. He wasn't worried about the safety of Xuantian Temple and Yongxue City. Instead, he was concerned about Bixiao Palace—if it was attacked jointly by Lingju Island and the Eastern Sea monster race, it might not hold out for long.
"Sect Leader Xie, you're mistaken. I didn't turn He Xianwo against you," Sang Qi said seriously. "He came to me of his own accord."
A flicker of surprise passed through Xie Xuechen's eyes.
Sang Qi smiled. "I never expected... that he would be my half-brother from the same mother."
The woman who'd abandoned him years ago hadn't died after all but had become the wife of the former Island Master of Lingju Island.
That day, He Xianwo appeared in the demon realm and told him that the woman had been thinking of the son she'd left under the Fusang tree all these years. Even on her deathbed, she'd held his hand, imploring him to find his brother no matter what.
"He's a half-demon without parents to care for him. He must have had such a difficult life in this world..."
"I've wronged him. Xian'er, you must find him and take care of him..."
He Xianwo said that the woman had searched throughout the Eastern Sea monster race but couldn't find any trace of him. She only knew that his elder brother was a half-demon with silver hair and silver eyes, but never thought that this half-demon wasn't in the Eastern Sea, but in the demon realm, and even more unexpectedly, that he would be the priest Sang Qi.
If Sang Qi had heard these words twenty years ago, he might have been moved and might have easily forgiven the woman who abandoned him. But now he understood many truths. Humans were all liars, especially human women.
But he wouldn't refuse an alliance that came knocking on his door.
"We can form an alliance and establish a new order, a new order where monsters and half-demons can stand on equal footing with humans," He Xianwo had said.
Fu Yuanting looked at the tragic scene before him with shock and fury. The dozens of monster kings led by He Xianwo were each stronger than ordinary Dharma Body realm elders. Monsters didn't have Dharma Bodies, but as their cultivation deepened, their true forms grew increasingly enormous. Now, revealing their true forms, they were like mountains, emanating a despair-inducing murderous aura.
A golden python, tens of zhang long, coiled atop the barrier, spewing poison that constantly eroded the barrier's defensive power. A black bear as tall as half a mountain punched the barrier repeatedly, quickly causing cracks to appear. A silver-white tiger demon bared its fangs, biting into an elder's Dharma Body. When the Dharma Body was injured, the physical body would suffer the same intense pain. The man screamed in agony as his Dharma Body, corroded by monster power, instantly shattered.
Lower-ranked outer sect disciples had no resistance against such power. They fled in despair, only to be trampled underfoot by giant beasts, reduced to bloody pulp.
"He Xianwo!" Fu Yuanting's eyes bulged with rage, turning crimson as he released an anguished roar. "You're human! How could you collude with demons and monsters to harm your own kind!"
"There's no revolution without bloodshed. Sacrifices are always necessary," He Xianwo looked coldly at the human tragedy unfolding. "I'm merely correcting the errors of this world."
As soon as He Xianwo finished speaking, a tremendous force approached from afar. Fu Yuanting didn't know if it was friend or foe, staring blankly in that direction. As it drew near, he finally understood, his face turning even paler.
"Master, the three thousand monster slaves of Bixiao Palace have been rescued!" A tall man bowed his head behind He Xianwo, his voice deep and hoarse.
Most of those three thousand monster slaves were emaciated, skin and bones. The spirit-binding rings on their feet had been removed but still left wounds deep enough to expose bone. Those three thousand pairs of eyes stared hatefully and coldly toward Bixiao Palace, making Fu Yuanting's hair stand on end, a chill running down his spine.
He Xianwo said, "Palace Master Fu, have you ever witnessed the power of hatred?"
Fu Yuanting suppressed the trembling in his heart and looked toward He Xianwo. The man standing behind him with bowed head slowly raised his face, his gaze cold as he looked toward Fu Yuanting.
The first thing Fu Yuanting saw was the hideous scar on the man's face, followed by his cold and fierce eyes, somehow familiar yet so strange. Fu Yuanting's pupils constricted as he cried out involuntarily, "Cangli!"
The man spoke coldly, "Palace Master Fu has called the wrong name. My name is Jiang Li."
"Where is your mother?" Fu Yuanting ignored his words and asked urgently.
Jiang Li said, "She's dead."
"Dead?" Fu Yuanting staggered as if struck heavily. "How is that possible?"
"Killed by Duan Xiaorong," Jiang Li said. "Right in front of me."
Duan Xiaorong's figure appeared behind Fu Yuanting. The corners of her lips curled up in a mocking smile as she looked hatefully toward Jiang Li.
"So you're Fu Cangli. When Lansheng mentioned this name before, I thought it sounded familiar. Now I remember—that woman seemed to cry out 'Cangli' when she was dying," Duan Xiaorong coldly swept her gaze over Fu Yuanting. "You knew who Fu Cangli was all along, yet you pretended to know nothing. Fu Yuanting, you've played your part well these years, daring to keep a woman and child hidden from me."
The world claimed that the Bixiao Palace Master loved his wife deeply, but in truth, it was nothing but a farce.
Duan Xiaorong had long known that Fu Yuanting was merely coveting Bixiao Palace's wealth and fearing her power, which was why he became her Dao partner. She didn't care; what she valued was Fu Yuanting's handsome charm and outstanding talent. For a Dharma Body cultivator with a lifespan of a thousand years, loving only one person was too difficult. But she was many years older than Fu Yuanting; as long as he maintained appearances while she was alive and didn't embarrass her, she could tolerate his indifference.
But she'd underestimated Fu Yuanting's ambition. He'd kept a lover hidden from her and even had a son about the same age as Lansheng. That child called Fu Cangli was even more outstanding than her Lansheng, which made her fearful—Fu Yuanting wanted to pass Bixiao Palace to that woman's son!
Duan Xiaorong hadn't shown any mercy. That woman died quickly, but in her final moments, she activated a teleportation formation to send Fu Cangli away. Duan Xiaorong's spiritual power only managed to leave a deep scar on his face, ruining his handsome features.
"So it was you who killed Lanchi..." Fu Yuanting clenched his fists, his expression a mixture of laughter and tears. "I should have guessed..."
"So what if I killed her? So what if you know?" Duan Xiaorong laughed coldly. "I didn't expose you, which was already giving you face. You sought wealth and power by becoming my Dao partner, and now you're playing the role of a devoted lover? Do you want to turn against me for that woman? With great enemies at our doorstep, as the Palace Master of Bixiao Palace, can you distinguish between what's important and what's not?"
Fu Yuanting suppressed the grief in his heart, but his hands trembled uncontrollably beneath his sleeves.
"Cangli, don't be misled and side with demons and monsters!" Fu Yuanting advised gently. "It's not too late to turn back to the right path."
Jiang Li looked coldly at this hypocritical couple. "Fu Yuanting, you disgust me. Do you think my mother stayed with you all these years because she loved you? She'd long known that you were the one who killed her true love, that you murdered your sworn brother and stole his wife. You're even more hateful and despicable than Duan Xiaorong. Mother endured it all to protect me. My surname is Jiang, not Fu!"
For all these years, he and his mother had lived in Lanchi Villa, waiting for Fu Yuanting's occasional visits. His mother only smiled when Fu Yuanting came; at other times, she would just stare blankly at the flowers blooming and falling in the courtyard, silently shedding tears. He'd thought she was missing Fu Yuanting, that only Fu Yuanting could make her happy. So he'd worked hard at cultivation, wanting to become more outstanding, to make Fu Yuanting favor him more as a son. It wasn't until after his mother's death that he learned the truth from her belongings. All the smiles she'd shown in front of Fu Yuanting were pretenses. She'd never been truly happy for a moment, because her true love had died tragically long ago, and she'd had to submit to the murderer just to protect that man's only bloodline.
— Ah Li, if you're reading this, then Mother must no longer be here. Over the years, I've thought countless times about telling you the truth, but I feared you wouldn't be able to contain your hatred and would expose yourself. Yet I didn't want to see you recognize a thief as your father and be deceived for life. After Mother's death, leave this place far behind. Don't seek revenge, don't throw away your life. Remember that your father is Jiang Shaoling, and your name is Jiang Li. As long as you live well, Mother's years of endurance won't have been in vain...
There were still traces of dried tears on that paper. He'd once so desperately wanted to see a smile on his mother's face, only to realize now how glaring and cruel those smiles were. How could he not hate? How could he not seek revenge?
Jiang Li's words drained all color from Fu Yuanting's face. He stared with wide eyes, his lips trembling, unable to speak. His usually handsome and refined face now looked dull and panicked.
"She... knew..."
Duan Xiaorong suddenly burst into wild laughter, mocking and gleeful. "So that's how it is. Fu Yuanting, you truly are an unscrupulous scoundrel—harming your sworn brother and stealing his wife... You're more vicious than me, and more foolish. You thought you'd deceived everyone, but in the end, you were the one being deceived by all."
He Xianwo watched this farce quietly, smiling faintly. "You see, this is the true nature of the Five Sects of the Immortal Alliance. How are humans more noble than monsters? The splendor and prosperity of Bixiao Palace are built on blood and filth."
As He Xianwo's words fell, the protective barrier shattered. Countless monsters roared as they poured into Bixiao Palace, and a brutal massacre began.
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