Bloodbath at the Mountain Gate: Yuanxiang Sect Slain, Du Quan and Lan Xu Sense They Are Being Watched

Yuanxiang Sect.

Outside the mountain gate.

Wei Zhentian stood with his hands behind his back, his blood-red martial attire fluttering in the wind. His towering figure was imposing, and he commanded awe without even needing to show anger.

He suddenly turned his head, his gaze shooting toward the distance.

On an old tree far from here, a figure sat cross-legged.

"Hmph, a coward afraid even of rats." Wei Zhentian sneered.

Though he said that, he had already grown wary of Yan Changyou, the Sect Master of Taihui Sect.

Even Linghu Yan had been unable to withstand that strange poison. He, too, had to be on his guard.

There were no eternal friends, only eternal interests.

Now that Great Liang's situation was turbulent, the successful independent establishment of Tianxing Sect in Jizhou had set a precedent, and most of the major sects had begun forming their own plans.

After Yuanxiang Sect was destroyed, it was only a matter of time before the two sects clashed.

"Sect Master, everything has been arranged."

An elder came up behind Wei Zhentian and reported.

"Mm."

Wei Zhentian did not even turn his head. His voice was cold and merciless.

"Seal everything tight. Don't let a single one slip through!"

Apart from the sect, the prefectural city gates were also being controlled by members of Chiliu Sect and the authorities, ensuring that no remnants of Yuanxiang Sect could escape.

Unlike Taihui Sect, which was acting out of consideration for its interests, Chiliu Sect was here mainly for revenge.

After waiting for a long while.

Rumble~

The mountain gate was pushed open from within.

"Master Wei!" A steward from Yuanxiang Sect's outer sect fawningly came forward.

"Fortunately, I did not fail you."

According to the promise made beforehand, he would enter Chiliu Sect's inner sect next and obtain a position of real authority.

Wei Zhentian's gaze fell on him, and he gave a slight nod.

"Mm, you did well."

"It was only what this subordinate should—"

Wei Zhentian jabbed his index finger into the steward's brow.

The steward's head exploded.

Wei Zhentian's Protective True Qi blocked every drop of blood and gore.

"Disciples of Chiliu Sect, heed my order!"

Wei Zhentian did not even glance at the corpse.

"Leave no one alive! Kill!"

"Kill!"

Emotions that had been pent up for far too long erupted completely.

The Taihui Sect disciples and government personnel who had come along were all startled by the sudden ferocity of the Chiliu Sect disciples.

However, since someone was willing to act as a shield, they were naturally happy to let them do so.

Several people quietly began moving toward Yuanxiang Sect's treasury, Scripture Pavilion, and other such places.

Wei Zhentian sneered inwardly but did not stop them.

He had already made arrangements beforehand. Taking advantage of the current chaos, he could just happen to "accidentally injure" some of Taihui Sect's elites.

He glanced back at the distant tree.

With Yan Changyou hiding so far away, it was actually more convenient for him to act.

Not a single disciple could be seen along the way.

Only after entering the various Meditation Rooms, martial halls, and other places did they find anyone.

But waiting for them were ambushes prepared long ago.

In some places, several disciples had crowded into a cramped room, erupting into sudden attacks the instant the door was breached.

In others, the rooms were packed with all kinds of mechanisms and hidden weapons, their main tactic being to catch the enemy off guard.

"For Yuanxiang!"

Tragic, furious roars rang out throughout the sect.

Even so, they were still hopelessly outnumbered, and large numbers of Yuanxiang disciples fell.

"Ugh!"

Another Yuanxiang Sect disciple was defeated.

A chorus of mockery and discussion immediately broke out.

"Sigh! What kind of trash was that?"

"How did they become this pathetic?"

"Looks like it's long past time for the title of foremost among the three sects to change hands."

The defeated Yuanxiang disciple struggled to his feet and left in shame and fury.

Lan Xu saw this scene, lightly waved his folding fan, and said with a laugh:

"Hehe, this time, Yuanxiang Sect's 'momentum' has been utterly beaten out of them. Wouldn't you say so, Brother Du?"

"Brother Du?"

"Hmm?" Du Quan suddenly came back to himself.

"What's wrong with you, Brother Du? Why do you look so absent-minded?" Lan Xu asked, his face filled with puzzlement.

Du Quan hesitated, but still lowered his voice and said:

"I don't know why, but I keep feeling as if something is watching me from the shadows. It gives me an ominous premonition."

He paused, seemingly searching for the right words.

"That feeling... it's like some disgusting monster has its eyes on me. It makes my spine turn cold."

Lan Xu was stunned at first, then laughed.

"Hahaha, Brother Du, you're overthinking it. With your cultivation, how many people present could possibly be your opponent? Even if some small fry were spying on you, what significance could that have?"

"Mm... That's true."

Du Quan forced a sliver of a smile, but his eyes swept over Lan Xu's face.

Could this fellow be behind it?

Once Yuanxiang Sect was dealt with, the temporary allies Chiliu Sect and Taihui Sect would turn into each other's greatest opponents in the blink of an eye.

Lan Xu was a smiling tiger, deep and calculating. There was a good chance he was making some underhanded move...

Just then, a Chiliu Sect disciple hurried over and leaned close to Du Quan's ear, whispering a few words.

"Hmm?"

Du Quan's expression shifted slightly, but he immediately returned to normal and cupped his hands toward Lan Xu.

"Brother Lan, I have some urgent business to attend to. I'll take my leave first."

"Oh? Do you need my help?"

"No need to trouble you. It's only a minor matter; I can still handle it."

Du Quan politely refused, then did not linger. He turned and hurried away.

Watching Du Quan's retreating back, Lan Xu's smile gradually faded, and he closed the folding fan in his hand.

"Looks like things over at Yuanxiang Sect have succeeded."

A trace of understanding flashed through his eyes.

This so-called alliance had never been a simple joint effort by two sects to suppress Yuanxiang. From the very beginning, it had been a contest between three sects.

Chiliu Sect was too naive, its eyes blinded by hatred. Yuanxiang Sect had seen through the situation, but it had already been powerless to turn the tide.

And the one laughing last would be Taihui Sect...

A gust of Yin Wind suddenly brushed past.

Lan Xu turned his head and shot a look toward a certain area of the training ground, his brows furrowing.

Something was wrong.

At first, he had thought Du Quan's words were meant to test him, but now it seemed that was probably not the case.

Because at this moment, he, too, could feel a gaze.

It was as if something disgusting had stuck itself to him.

In broad daylight, had he really encountered a ghost?

He looked around, but still failed to discover anything unusual.

At the same time.

In a corner of the training-ground stands.

"Are you blind? Do you know who I am..."

The richly dressed young wastrel raised his head and stared at the burly figure before him, as well as the somewhat eerie wooden ghost mask on its face. He swallowed hard.

"What is it?" a deep voice came from beneath the ghost mask.

"No... Nothing! Please, go ahead!" The young wastrel stepped aside.

Only after the burly man had gone far away did he dare breathe heavily. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, he cursed under his breath:

"Damn it, wearing something that frightening in broad daylight. Is he afraid of the light or something?"

At the training-ground exit.

Beside a carriage.

After hurriedly handing the matters concerning the alliance over to a junior fellow disciple, Du Quan promptly climbed into the carriage.

"Return to the sect at once!"

The coachman did not dare delay. He cracked the whip, and the wheels began to roll.

However, the carriage had barely traveled ten feet.

A tremendous force directly smashed the carriage apart.

Du Quan rolled several times across the ground. As he circulated his internal energy, Protective True Qi rapidly condensed around him.

"What vermin dares—"

A fist-shadow pierced through the smoke and slammed into the Protective True Qi.

The true qi trembled and let out a mournful whine. Its radiance dimmed by more than half, and it nearly collapsed on the spot.

Du Quan was horrified.

But the second punch followed close behind.

This time, the Protective True Qi was pierced through.

Yet by taking advantage of that brief opening, Du Quan caught sight of his opponent.

A fierce glint flashed in his eyes. He forcibly raised his internal energy, brought two fingers together, condensed a point of crimson light at his fingertips, and thrust it toward his opponent.

It was none other than Chiliu Sect's ultimate art—the Crimson Profound Divine Finger!