C247 Unreasonable!
Chen Qingyan was inwardly cursing up a storm.
Her gaze shifted back to Yu Yuan, now unmistakably tinged with fury and accusation. "Why? Why must you reveal this?"
She couldn't fathom Yu Yuan's logic – it was maddening!
Initially, they could have coexisted peacefully. Wu Xiting, bound by the camaraderie of their shared sect and wary of Mo Baichuan's influence, would have ensured their safety as long as they kept their identities under wraps.
But now...
Wu Xiting's demeanor had evolved from bewilderment and rage to a sudden, eerie calmness after Yu Yuan's incisive and coherent indictment.
He inhaled deeply, foregoing further conversation, and turned his attention to the Elemental Fire Mirror, observing as souls were consumed by flames within it.
"Puchi! Puchi!"
The Elemental Fire Mirror, suspended in the heavens, shone even more intensely with the incineration of those mighty souls.
The blossoming flames, emanating from the mirror, exuded a terrifying aura that sent shivers down the spines of Loong Tianxiao and Kuan Xianyun.
They had caught every word behind Yu Yuan.
Both Loong Tianxiao and Kuan Xianyun were instantly convinced by Yu Yuan's assessment, recognizing the high probability of its truth.
If Wu Xiting had no ulterior motives, it would be out of character for the Upper Sects of the Heavenly Source Continent to act so drastically in Chilly Wind Valley.
He wouldn't dare massacre all the practitioners from the Profound Sky Continent within the valley – not with the myriad connections between the continent's empires, sects, and clans, and the three Upper Sects!
Even the Primordial Yang Sect would be mindful of its reputation and refrain from such extremes.
However, if Wu Xiting was indeed a disciple of the Blood God Cult or had been secretly practicing their Spiritual Spells, everything fell into place.
The Blood God Cult's followers were notorious for such actions!
Their notoriety across both the Heavenly Source and Quietus Continents stemmed from these very practices.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, a mass of blood clouds stealthily emerged from the Elemental Fire Mirror.
The clouds, thick with the stench of blood, surged towards Guan Xianyun and Loong Tianxiao. Within them, fine strands of crimson lightning crackled to life, punctuated by the soft rumble of thunder.
Such a display was a brazen fusion of the Blood God Cult's secret arts with the Spiritual Spells of the Primordial Yang Sect.
With a thunderous crash, Loong Tianxiao's dragon form, which alternated between shrinking and stretching out in a long, winding shape, was slammed to the earth's depths by the blood clouds.
Yu Yuan and Chen Qingyan watched as dozens of golden scales on Loong Tianxiao's resplendent dragon body burst into oblivion in an instant.
A moment later, streams of golden light seeped from the gashes in the dragon's flesh.
Loong Tianxiao let out a roar of agony.
His serpentine body contracted sharply, transforming into a slender golden snake, and in the throes of death, it slithered into a cave leading underground.
Wu Xiting's face was a mask of icy indifference as he silently gestured toward the cave's entrance.
The golden radiance, emanating from Loong Tianxiao's dragon form and shrouded by the blood clouds, seemed to unravel his dragon essence and soul thoughts before shooting into the cave.
Within the Elemental Fire Mirror, a delicate and agile figure, gleaming like gold and as thin as a snake, silently emerged.
The trajectory of Loong Tianxiao's dragon soul and golden body through the subterranean cavern was illuminated clearly, leaving nowhere to hide.
As the blood cloud vanished into the cave, Wu Xiting's tension eased, confident in the inevitable demise of Loong Tianxiao. His gaze then shifted back to Guan Xianyun of the Ghoul Glyph Sect.
With a bitter chuckle, Kuan Xianyun pleaded, "As a fellow member of the Blood God Cult, might you spare my life? The Ghoul Glyph Sect's domain on the Quietus Continent lies not far from your sacred grounds. Perhaps our paths may cross again."
Wu Xiting regarded him with an impassive shake of his head.
The Elemental Fire Mirror remained still.
Suddenly, the bodies of the Profound Sky Continent cultivators, who had perished by the Elemental Fire Mirror, burst apart.
Bursts of essence blood, drawn by some arcane force, swirled dazzlingly before coalescing into a massive blood orb beneath the mirror.
The orb pulsed with a heart-stopping, crimson glow, both resembling a sun of blood and a throbbing giant heart.
"Enough, enough," Kuan Xianyun sighed, releasing a flurry of ghoul glyphs from his body, fluttering away like spectral butterflies.
The myriad glyphs surged toward the colossal blood orb.
Wu Xiting's smile was devoid of warmth as he shook his head once more.
The ghoul glyphs, before even nearing the blood orb, were perforated by the emanating scarlet beams, their inscribed talismanic arrays shattered in an instant.
Deprived of the talisman formation's enhancement, the ghoul glyphs ignited, transforming into mere ashes.
A colossal blood orb hovered in the void, materializing above Kuan Xianyun's head.
Kuan Xianyun stood dumbfounded for several seconds, then suddenly, a Yin God burst forth from the crown of his head, seemingly shielded by a strange talisman. With inconceivable velocity, it vanished into the distance in the blink of an eye.
In that moment, the thick miasma clouds dissipated on their own, and the Ghosts Poisoning Array cleverly opened a gap.
With the acceleration granted by the strange talisman, Kuan Xianyun's Yin God effortlessly escaped from Chilly Wind Valley. In the span of a single breath, it had reached beyond the valley's confines.
Inside the deep valley, Chen Qingyan's face was etched with shock and confusion.
At last, someone had managed to break free from the Chilly Wind Valley.
——Kuan Xianyun of the Ghoul Glyph Sect!
"Whew!"
Shi Yuxuan, who had been wandering within the valley, unable to find his way, along with numerous cultivators from the Medicine Sect and others escorting the younger members of their sects, watched as a strange talisman carried a Yin God out of the Chilly Wind Valley.
Shi Yuxuan cried out in alarm, "Halt!"
"A moment, esteemed elder of the Ghoul Glyph Sect, please pause and inform us of the valley's conditions!" another voice called out.
"What has transpired within the valley?"
"Elder!"
Regardless of the persistent inquiries from the cultivators outside the valley, Kuan Xianyun's Yin God, ensconced within the talisman, continued its desperate flight.
One observer watched Kuan Xianyun's Yin God and furrowed his brow in thought.
This individual had arrived alongside Lau Zaihe, who now stood silently behind him.
After a brief hesitation, he scrutinized the Yin God once more, glanced at the valley, and then his figure simply vanished from sight.
Gone in an instant.
Shi Yuxuan sensed something was amiss and gazed at the spot where the man had disappeared, musing, "That man, he's a stranger to me. Who is he? And why didn't Lau Zaihe, who was right behind him, say anything?"
"Hey, where did he go? He was just here!" an elder from the Medicine Sect exclaimed.
"He employed some bizarre escape art and was gone in a flash," Shi Yuxuan said with a furrowed brow. "Does anyone recognize him? Does anyone know who he is?"
Everyone was shaking their heads, claiming they didn't recognize the man or know his origins.
"Liu Zaihe had the Dragon Whisker Poison Heart Pill on him and had been following that man. But when Lass Chen made her move, taking Lau Zaihe under her control and heading for Chilly Wind Valley, he didn't step in to interfere," Shi Yuxuan mused with suspicion. "I had assumed Lau Zaihe was merely standing behind him by chance, with no real connection to him, but now..."
Shi Yuxuan concentrated, trying to sense the man's presence, but found no trace of his life force or spirit.
It was as though the man had vanished without a trace, leaving no sign that he had ever been there.
...
"Cough, Elder Wu, the Ghoul Glyph Sect has fled. In my view, should we call it quits?" Qingyan suggested, her voice urgent as she watched Guan Xianyun leave and the Miasma Mist and Ghost Poisoning Array let them pass. "If someone survives, the news will spread. You're aware that my master is unlike the others in the Sword Sect; she still holds influence in the Quietus Continent."
Her implication was clear: since Guan Xianyun was alive and the Yin God had escaped, there was no need for Wu Xiting to eliminate everyone.
The truth would come out eventually.
Wu Xiting, being from the Blood God Cult, could simply handle the situation here and then retreat to the Quietus Continent to take refuge with the Blood God Cult.
As long as he remained hidden, the Primordial Yang Sect was unlikely to hold the entire Blood God Cult accountable for his actions.
Her master had been active on the Quietus Continent for many years for various reasons and had murky relationships with figures from the Red Devil Sect, Blood God Cult, Devil Palace, and Demon Palace.
She was trying to convey to Wu Xiting that, given the circumstances, it might be wise to show leniency.
But Wu Xiting paid her no heed.
Not even Guan Xianyun's escape from Chilly Wind Valley, aided by a strange talisman and Qingyan's assistance, could sway Wu Xiting's resolve.
What truly altered Wu Xiting's demeanor was Yu Yuan!
Yu Yuan, clutching the crimson short spear, had stealthily approached the smokeless cave while Wu Xiting was preoccupied with Loong Tianxiao and Guan Xianyun.
That cave was where Yu Yuan once swayed on his legs, conversing with Mei Qiurong.
It was also the origin of the sinister Yin wind!
Upon entering the cave, Yu Yuan clutched his short spear and turned, flashing a grin.
His smile was chillingly eerie, filling Wu Xiting with an overwhelming sense of unease.
He couldn't fathom why this odd boy always made him so uncomfortable, just looking at him brought discomfort, and he sensed a lurking, significant danger.
Especially now!
Yu Yuan's grin sent shivers down his spine. Before Wu Xiting could even react, Yu Yuan, gripping the short spear, vanished into the cave!
In that instant, the subtle link between him and the crimson short spear snapped!
Wu Xiting's face contorted with shock, his eyes blazing blood-red as he stared at the cave entrance.
Unknown to others, that short spear was his lifeline, an artifact more vital than the Elemental Fire Mirror, the cornerstone of his survival and power.
He had cultivated the spear with his own life force through a unique secret art for years. As long as the connection remained, he could slay Yu Yuan in a heartbeat when the moment was right.
His composure stemmed from the persistent bond with the spear, which, despite its current weakened state after inflicting severe wounds on the gaunt girl and unleashing barrages of crimson lightning at Yu Yuan, was still intact.
He was patient because he was covertly channeling fresh blood and flame power into the spear.
The formation of the massive blood orb was to energize the spear, preparing for the moment when Yu Yuan, unsuspecting and spear in hand, would be struck down.
But as Yu Yuan dashed into the cave and faded from sight, the delicate connection with the short spear was brutally severed.
This shock was far from trivial!
"Yu Yuan!"
Casting aside everyone else, even the Elemental Fire Mirror, Wu Xiting transformed into a streak of blood and hurled himself toward the cave.
"No way! With the Yin Gang Wind gushing out, isn't that a death sentence? Yu Yuan's entry was clearly a taunt, a trap to draw him in!" Chen Qingyan watched, utterly astonished.
The Blood God Cult, with their secret arts, was a constant thorn in the side of the Quietus Continent's peace. Their use of crimson lightning and ghoul glyphs was both feared and reviled. The Ghoul Glyph Sect, experts in the manipulation of blood and talismans, served the Yin God with unwavering devotion.
