Rescued

After a round of laughter and banter, everyone began exploring Beast Taming Mountain.

As for Zhang Feng's words, everyone had their own measure of how much to believe.

After all, many things really were just as Zhang Feng had said.

Still, in the end, people had to rely on themselves.

With all the crises facing Jingyun Sect, only by growing stronger could they weather the storm.

Continually seeking shelter was no long-term solution.

Besides, as Zhang Feng had mentioned, the strong all had their own temperaments. Some of the stranger ones were even unpredictable, happy one moment and furious the next.

Entrusting their lives and safety to someone else's good mood was plainly foolish.

"The storm is coming."

Someone in the crowd murmured under their breath.

Seeing the many traces left behind at Beast Taming Mountain,

everyone could easily reach one conclusion: Beast Taming Mountain, one of the Southern Region's ten great sects, had truly been destroyed.

This time it was Beast Taming Mountain.

What about next time?

Would it be Jingyun Sect?

No one knew.

"Hahaha! We cultivators must fight heaven and earth, seeking that sliver of a chance at immortality. What are a few storms to fear?" Fat Elder roared with laughter. He didn't even turn around, but his plump figure seemed especially towering at that moment.

At his words, Liu Yanran and the others were heartened.

The grief that had clouded their eyes gradually receded, replaced by a renewed gleam of resolve and confidence.

"Exactly. Aren't we cultivators defying heaven's will? If everything went smoothly, why seek immortality or cultivate the Dao?"

Little by little, the gloom lifted.

Before long, they found the underground chamber Lin Cheng had destroyed.

"Damn these foreigners!"

At the sight of the scene, like a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, everyone gritted their teeth.

Unlike Lin Cheng, who had come from another world, they were all natives of this one.

Having lived in this world, they hated the foreigners to the bone. The enmity between the two sides could no longer be explained in just a few words.

They were sworn enemies!

Next, everyone's attention was drawn to the mysterious altar.

Just one glance at its eerie blood-red markings was enough to make them tremble from the depths of their hearts. Even Old Lady Xu, who had reached the Innate Realm, was no exception.

"Someone destroyed this place."

Old Lady Xu's gaze sharpened as she looked at the enormous palm-shaped crater nearby. Her pupils contracted. "What tremendous power. Could that terrifying aura still lingering here really mean a Foundation Establishment Venerable made the attack?"

She tested it with a strike.

The underground chamber was exceptionally sturdy. With her strength, she could barely leave any deep marks on its walls or floor.

But as she looked at the ground, sunk several meters down, Old Lady Xu was stunned.

This kind of power was beyond what anyone in the Innate Realm could possess.

"It must have been the senior!" Zhang Feng's eyes lit up.

Those foreigners were cruel and vicious. They must have been carrying out some sort of evil ritual here, only to draw the senior's punishment.

"Master..."

Liu Yanran's gaze fell on a corpse with all four limbs severed, and she burst into tears.

"Senior Brother!"

"Senior Sister, Junior Sister, foreigners! Foreigners!! I swear I'll make them pay for this. I won't rest until I avenge you!"

"Sanzi, I came too late..."

The other Beast Taming Mountain disciples also found their fellow disciples and family members among the corpses, tears streaming down their faces.

An indescribable sorrow swept over everyone from Jingyun Sect.

"How many families have the foreigners torn apart?" Zhang Feng gritted his teeth, fists clenched tight.

"That's why we have to grow stronger, so we can protect those we want to protect, kill more foreigners, and save more people." Thin Elder's expression was cold, his face dark enough to drip water.

Before he joined Jingyun Sect,

his family had numbered five. His parents and two younger sisters had all died in a foreigner uprising. He alone had survived.

He swore he would wipe out every last foreigner!

And offer their spirits in heaven his vengeance!

"Girl Liu, everyone, please accept my condolences."

Looking at the distraught Beast Taming Mountain disciples, Zhang Feng couldn't bear the sight. After a long sigh, he said, "Almost everyone here has lost family or friends to the foreigners. We all carry the same hatred. But that's exactly why we must keep our hatred in our hearts, work hard to grow stronger, and avenge them!"

Zhang Feng spoke with ringing conviction!

His presence was commanding!

There was none of his earlier timidity.

His eyes burned with murderous intent.

Clearly, he hated the foreigners just as much!

"There are too many bodies to leave them here. Let's deal with them quickly," Old Lady Xu said. Having seen more than most, she soon composed herself. She glanced over the bodies covering the ground and spoke up.

"Yes, Elder!"

At the senior's command, everyone got to work.

They spent half an hour gathering the bodies and burying them on the spot.

Then they sealed off the underground chamber and erected a tombstone.

It bore only four simple words:

Tomb of Fellow Daoists.

They were all members of the ten great sects, had fought together against foreign invasion, and sought the Great Dao of immortality side by side. Calling them fellow daoists was only fitting.

After that, they searched several more places, including the Alchemy Room, the Scripture Depository, and the Artifact Refining Room, and took along any valuable treasures they found.

If they left them behind, someone else might benefit.

They might as well use them to strengthen themselves.

No one felt the need to play the saint and turn down a good opportunity to profit!

Finally,

they found the dungeon where Meng Tangtang and the others were being held, hidden in a secluded spot.

"Grand Elder, is that you?"

In the dungeon, Fire Elder suddenly sprang to his feet, looking outside with delighted surprise as he called out.

Although he couldn't see what was outside, he'd just heard a familiar voice.

The Grand Elder had come to save them!

"Damn, we can finally get out of this wretched place!" Elder Mu was just as overjoyed.

Elder Mo and Meng Tangtang were there with him.

Meng Tangtang especially was overcome the moment she heard the familiar voice. Tears welled in her eyes.

After all, she was only a child of ten or so.

She'd always acted on impulse.

When she first arrived at Beast Taming Mountain, she had been thrilled, thinking she could finally help. She'd imagined that her junior brother would be so happy when she brought the medicinal herbs back.

But by the time she realized something was wrong, it was already too late for regrets.

"Has Master come?"

Meng Tangtang wondered. She had secretly given her little hand mirror to a senior sister from Beast Taming Mountain, asking her to take it to Jingyun Sect and send for help. She didn't know if she'd succeeded.

"Old Fire, hahaha, we finally found you!"

"Don't be afraid, I'm here to save you!"

Fat Elder laughed heartily, then a tremendous boom rang out as the dungeon's seal shattered. Light flooded the cramped space.

"Hmph, who said I was afraid?" Fire Elder shielded his eyes and retorted stubbornly.

"You finally made it. Another moment later and we might not have been here to greet you," Elder Mu said, deeply relieved.

"Junior Sister Meng!"

Hearing the familiar voice calling to her, Meng Tangtang looked over, eyes lighting up. She cried out, "Sister Liu! Wuwu, you're finally here. I've been waiting so long for you. I didn't think you'd come so quickly! By the way, Sister Liu, have you seen my master?"

"Your master?"

Liu Yanran was taken aback. She hadn't had time to go to Jingyun Sect; she'd come straight here.