C906 Reason

Xi Quan drew a long, sharp sword from the small box, a blade refined from the essence of her beloved White Bone. With a gentle flick of her wrist, the sword's will in the valley transformed into a forest of dense white sword light.

The aura of desolation and death emanated from Chong Xiao and Tianjing, their eyes swirling with a deathly gray, as if they were acutely aware that their lives were at their end and that oblivion was imminent. Countless beams of sword light converged from all directions, swiftly engulfing them both.

Amidst the infinite sea of sword light, the two Solar Spirit cultivators desperately summoned copper bells, crystal swords, emblems, and a multitude of divine treasures in a futile attempt to fend off the onslaught. Yet, against Xi Quan's relentless white sword light, each rare treasure shattered in succession.

"Xinshang, will you simply watch them die, or will you join them in death?" Green Willow asked, his voice steady amidst the emerald expanse of the sky lake.

Xinshang's expression was overcast, and he remained silent.

"Heed my advice and return to your Ethereal Void Sect without delay," Green Willow continued.

"What do you mean?" Xinshang asked, a hint of alarm in his voice.

"It's not just the three of you; several other Sages from the Ethereal Void Sect are on the list," Green Willow replied candidly. "Someone intends to use your sect to send a clear message to the sects of the Everlands."

Green Willow left the fact unspoken as the hissing white sword light, now imbued with a lethal, destructive essence, shattered every last one of Tianjing and Chong Xiao's defensive treasures and penetrated their flesh and souls.

Xinshang glanced down, then abruptly turned and sped away, enveloped in a halo of arc light, without asking any further questions.

"Master!"

"Young Master!"

It was then that Yu Yuan heard the urgent calls of Qi Yunhong and Qin Yun from beyond the valley.

"Yu Yuan, make haste to the Moonfall Sanctuary and use the teleportation circle to travel to the Terror Claws," Green Willow urged, now that Xinshang had departed and the fates of Tianjing and Chong Xiao were sealed.

The two Solar Spirit cultivators bore the appearance of cracked porcelain, riddled with fine fractures, yet not a drop of blood was shed.

Yu Yuan, not far off, could sense their vitality and souls being tormented by the minuscule sword light within their bodies. The likelihood of their survival was exceedingly slim.

Chong Xiao and Tianjing were among the Ethereal Void Sect's elite warriors, yet they were utterly helpless against Xi Quan.

The inherent lethality of a sword cultivator was already formidable. Xi Quan practiced a sword spell from the Sword Sect that was among the most extreme, and with an advantage of one level higher, Yu Yuan wasn't surprised by their defeat.

What did surprise him was that Xi Quan clearly intended for Tianjing and Chong Xiao to meet their end in Gloomhollow!

"Why didn't you intervene sooner?" Yu Yuan grumbled.

Xi Quan had likely been in Gloomhollow for some time. When Tianjing and Chong Xiao attacked, Xi Quan could have been concealed deep underground.

Yet Xi Quan delayed her strike, resulting in Yu Yuan nearly depleting the sword's will and sword light within his sheath.

He was also nearly gravely wounded by Chong Xiao's Horcrux.

"You're not dead, are you?" Xi Quan, having ceased her swordplay, gave him a cold glance. "I only promised someone that I would ensure you didn't die."

"She had to charge her sword early and seal the valley to prevent those two from escaping with Veilwalk," Green Willow called down from above.

"Two late-period Sages from the Ethereal Void Sect, hell-bent on fleeing without prior preparations, would indeed be difficult to eliminate completely," added Qi Yunhong, who arrived first in the valley. After hearing Yu Yuan's complaints, he explained, "Master, I'm relieved you're unharmed."

Upon reuniting with Yu Yuan, the once defiant and wild man now carried himself with increased humility.

Tianjing, Chong Xiao, and Qu Jing had shattered his Solar Spirit Body, effectively killing him within the Illusion Orb.

His resentment was palpable.

And now, the two Sages from the Ethereal Void Sect had fallen to Xi Quan's Withered Sword, with Green Willow of Shadow's Keep providing strategic support.

Yu Yuan was the one responsible for the current state of affairs, serving as the cause of all the commotion.

"That enormous phantom within the soul puppet must be a venerable ancient from the Boulderdawn!" Qi Yunhong silently surmised.

The elders of the Sacred Hands, including Shi Yuxuan, emerged from below after sensing the disturbance.

"Tianjing!"

"Chong Xiao!"

Upon their arrival, they beheld two Sages from the Ethereal Void Sect enveloped in a deathly aura, overwhelmed by swathes of white sword light.

The green dragon that had wreaked havoc in the Serpent Spine Mountains had vanished without a trace.

Below ground, the Sacred Hands elders who had heard noises were still struggling to accept what had happened.

Only Shi Yuxuan, who was familiar with the rumors about Green Willow from Shadow's Keep, respectfully expressed his gratitude to the transformed Grand Commander of the Demon Hall after Xinshang's departure, "I am Shi Yuxuan, the current Sect Master of the Sacred Hands. I extend my deepest thanks to you, Lord Green Willow! Loong Qi from Dragon Lake has slain many of our disciples, and we are indebted to you for seeking justice on our behalf."

"I did not act on behalf of your Sacred Hands Sect," Green Willow stated flatly.

"I understand, yet my gratitude remains," Shi Yuxuan replied.

"Yu Yuan, you should not linger in the Serpent Spine Mountains," Green Willow said, growing impatient. "You ought to attend the upcoming grand event at the Terror Claws."

"Oh," Yu Yuan responded.

"Um..." Shi Yuxuan hesitated, then with a determined bite of his lip, he ventured, "May I inquire as to whether I am eligible to attend this grand event?"

Yu Yuan was taken aback. "What?"

"Sect Master!" The Sacred Hands elders were so alarmed by his question that they nearly leapt into the air.

Even Green Willow appeared taken aback, eyeing Shi Yuxuan with a look of astonishment that sent shivers down his spine.

"Are you certain you wish to attend this grand gathering?" Green Willow asked.

Shi Yuxuan inhaled deeply and nodded emphatically, "Absolutely."

"Sect Master!" The elders of the Sacred Hands converged on him, their faces etched with panic, desperately trying to persuade him to reconsider.

Yu Yuan was perplexed by the situation. The Sacred Hands, being a vassal of the Order of Healing and always heeding its commands, faced a troubling prospect. Regardless of the capacity in which Shi Yuxuan, as their Sect Master, might attend the event at the Terror Claws, it signaled ominous implications for the Sacred Hands.

The Sacred Hands could potentially face hostility from the Devil Palace, Shadow's Keep, and all the other sects currently in the Everlands, including the Upper Sects.

Yu Yuan couldn't fathom why Shi Yuxuan would act this way.

"It's highly likely that Loong Qi's arrival was instigated by the Order of Healing!" Shi Yuxuan, frustrated by the incessant questioning from the elders, dropped a bombshell. "Chu Yao demanded that we deliver the medicinal herbs early. I refused on the grounds that it wasn't time yet. Shortly thereafter, the green dragon from Dragon Lake made its way to us."

"Shen Shen is dead, and many of our disciples have been slaughtered by Loong Qi!"

At this point, Shi Yuxuan was seething, his eyes splitting with rage.

"This is a warning from the Order of Healing, a message to those of us who won't fall in line! When Rou Rou came to, I pressed her for the truth, but she was evasive, unwilling to divulge the full story, leaving me with an ominous feeling."

"Rou Rou's soul was confined, and your father was held captive at Dragon Lake. It's very likely that members of the Order of Healing had a hand in this."

"Rou Rou is aware that the Sacred Hands depend on the Order of Healing for survival and understands the delicate relationship between the two. Not wanting to put me in a difficult position, fearful that I might act rashly and jeopardize the Sacred Hands, she chose to remain silent."

"Regrettably, soon after Mr. Yan took her away, the green dragon returned, brazenly embarking on a killing spree!"

"Would Loong Qi dare such an act without the Order of Healing's tacit approval? For the past century, when have the giant dragons of Dragon Lake ever troubled us? Why now, of all times?"

The more he spoke, the more impassioned he became, his eyes radiating a mix of hatred and insanity.

"Ever since the current Sect Master took the helm, the Order of Healing has never given us a second glance. Ultimately, it's because the two previous Sect Masters of the Sacred Hands were unwavering supporters of the God of Medicine, Hong Qi!"

With this final statement, Shi Yuxuan highlighted the crux of the issue.

Yu Yuan, the protagonist, listened intently, remaining silent throughout.

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