The alliance's simultaneous purge was swift and devastating, but the counterattacks from Hell and the Human World were like the tearing bites of a wounded beast, frantic and reckless.
Their vast shadow network, while suffering heavy losses, also swiftly issued orders for revenge.
In an instant, throughout the Big Dipper region, disciples and elders of any forces that participated in the alliance and were relatively "active" in the previous night's operation began to encounter various insidious and precise assassinations.
An elder of the Jiang Family, who was in charge of the cleanup and was about to enter the Dragon Transformation Secret Realm, was on his way back to a villa in the family when he was approached by an old man disguised as a beggar in the middle of the city. The old man pierced the back of his neck with a poisoned needle coated with " Soul-Slaying Powder " and died instantly.
The poison took effect extremely quickly, even preventing his protective magic artifact from being fully activated.
By the time the Jiang Family experts arrived, the "beggar" had already disappeared into the crowd, leaving behind only a rapidly decaying and blackening corpse, and a faint, characteristic sweet and pungent smell belonging to a certain poison master from " Hell ".
Dao Yi Holy Land Elder of the First Heaven of the Immortal Platform, who was on a mission, was riding a rainbow light through a desolate mountain, the earth energy of the entire mountain range was suddenly stirred, turning into nine ferocious earth dragons that trapped him. Immediately afterwards, seven cracks appeared in the Void, and seven invisible blades made entirely of killing intent attacked from different angles.
That elder was also a powerful figure. With a roar, he protected his body with a Dao diagram, defeated the earth dragon, and shattered four blades of killing intent. However, the remaining three blades still broke through his defenses, severely damaging his Dao foundation. Although he was lucky enough to survive, his origin was damaged, and his path to Dao was almost severed.
The remaining traces of the array at the scene, along with the pure killing intent, pointed directly to the " Seven Kills Annihilation Array " in the Human World.
A spirit stone mine located on the edge of the Eastern Wasteland in the Purple Mansion Holy Land was attacked.
Overnight, three management deacons from the Dao Palace Secret Realm and seventeen disciples Other Shore the Other Shore and Life Spring Realm who were on duty at the mine all died mysteriously in their respective meditation rooms or sentry posts.
The manner of their deaths varied: some died peacefully with eerie smiles on their faces, some had Black Blood flowing from their seven orifices, and some seemed to have been drained of all their moisture and turned into mummies.
The only thing they had in common was that each of them had a distorted "prison" mark drawn in blood.
This action not only caused losses to the staff, but also triggered huge panic among the lower-level apprentices and miners in the mine, and production was paralyzed for a time.
An elder of the Ji Family, who was in charge of intelligence analysis, had his entrance to the Void Secret Realm where he was in seclusion silently altered, leading him to the edge of a star storm filled with destructive energy on the Cosmic Frontier.
If this elder hadn't possessed a secret treasure of the Ji Family and been exceptionally sensitive to fluctuations in the Void, managing to forcefully break through a crack at the last moment to escape, he would have almost been lost and perished in the storm.
Subsequent investigation revealed that the Void Dao patterns at the entrance to the secret realm had been modified in an extremely subtle way, something that only someone deeply versed in the mysteries of the Void and proficient in ancient killing formations could have done. It is suspected that a reclusive Void assassination master from the " Human World " was involved.
Even in the Central Continent Jiuli Divine Dynasty, there was a royal general guarding a border fortress who was "strangled" by his own shadow in his military tent.
When the guards rushed in after hearing the strange noise, they saw only their commander's eyes wide with rage, a dark, shadowy ligature mark around his neck, and he was already dead. His shadow, which had been cast under the lamplight, had mysteriously disappeared for a while, only reappearing late at night.
This incident caused a great shock in the army. The " Shadow Kill " technique was one of the most feared skills in the core inheritance of " Hell ".
In just a few days, similar incidents continued to unfold among various forces, large and small, participating in the alliance.
Although not every attempt was successful, and the extent of the damage varied, the omnipresent, pervasive, targeted, and ruthless assassination threat truly put all factions on edge. Disciples were always on edge when venturing out, and senior elders also increased their own vigilance.
The Assassin Divine Dynasty used this cruel method to declare that even if they suffered heavy losses, they still had the ability to deliver death precisely to every member of the alliance.
This is not only retaliation, but also psychological warfare, intended to undermine the morale of the alliance, create internal distrust, and even force some weaker forces to withdraw or outwardly comply while inwardly resisting.
Suddenly, dark clouds gathered over the Big Dipper, adding a chilling sense of impending winter to the already desolate sky.
Meanwhile, on the outskirts of the Jade Pool Holy Land, there is a celestial mountain pavilion area shrouded in auspicious clouds, specially designed to receive distinguished guests.
Yan Ruyu and her demon clan are temporarily residing here.
Originally, the Azure Flood Dragon King and Li Qingshan agreed that Yan Ruyu would arrive at Jade Pool three months later.
However, after the Jade Pool Grand Gathering, the Azure Flood Dragon King changed his mind and used the Domain Gate to teleport Yan Ruyu and her party to Jade Pool overnight, crossing multiple Domain Gate in succession.
The Azure Flood Dragon Demon King had already left to return to his post and carry out a cleanup mission, leaving behind a group of elite demons to protect Yan Ruyu.
Yan Ruyu also carefully carried the Demon Clan's Emperor Weapon and the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart, which were her greatest source of confidence.
Yan Ruyu also carefully carried the Demon Clan's Emperor Weapon and the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart, which were her greatest source of confidence.
However, the Assassin Divine Dynasty's revenge, or rather its death throes, was far more frenzied and pervasive than anticipated.
On this day, Yan Ruyu was discussing matters with several demon elders when suddenly a demon commander responsible for the outer perimeter, covered in blood, burst into the hall, hissing:
"Your Highness! Enemy attack! They are extremely well-hidden and ruthless; our brothers on the outer perimeter have suffered heavy casualties!"
Before the words were finished, fierce fighting and screams could be heard outside the hall, and a strong stench of blood wafted in on the wind.
A layer of frost instantly covered Yan Ruyu's exquisite face. She stood up, a hazy blue aura flowing around her.
"How dare you! You actually attack the Jade Pool Inn!"
She stepped out of the hall and saw that the once elegant fairy mountain courtyard had been transformed into a battlefield of Shura.
Dozens of assassins dressed in various colors, yet all exuding a chilling and ruthless aura, were engaged in a fierce battle with the demon guards who remained behind.
These assassins varied in skill level, worked together seamlessly, were fearless, and employed cunning and vicious assassination techniques, often trading injury for life, or even self-destructing to drag their victims down with them.
Although the demon guards were brave and fierce, they were caught off guard and the enemy was well-prepared. They were quickly put on the defensive, and more than ten demon corpses lay on the ground, their blood staining the jade steps and spiritual herbs.
"Protect His Highness!"
An elder of the demon race roared, revealing part of his true form—a giant bird with brightly colored wings—and swooped down on the assassin, creating a whirlwind.
"Kill! Target: Descendant of the Demon Emperor's Bloodline!"
Within the group of assassins, a dark figure, seemingly the leader, coldly gave the order. Instantly, more than half of the assassins split into several groups, bypassing the interception like venomous snakes, and rushed straight towards Yan Ruyu!
Their target was extremely clear: Yan Ruyu herself!
"Presumptuous!"
Yan Ruyu's eyes flashed with a blue light. Although her cultivation level was only at the late stage of the Four Extremes Secret Realm, as a descendant of the Demon Emperor, she had a noble bloodline and naturally possessed extraordinary abilities.
With a gentle wave of her hand, a phantom of a Green Lotus bloomed in her palm, emitting a soft, ethereal glow, protecting herself and several core elders around her.
Wherever the moonlight passed, the Void seemed to stabilize, and the assassins' swift, ghostly movements became slightly sluggish.
At the same time, she did not hesitate to communicate with the Demon Emperor's Sacred Heart that was being nurtured within her body.
Thump!
A faint yet seemingly direct pulsation resonated from Yan Ruyu's center, spreading outwards.
There was no earth-shattering display of power, but the approaching assassins, regardless of their cultivation level, froze in unison, their faces instantly showing extreme pain and fear, as if their hearts were being gripped by an invisible hand, their blood flowing backward, and their magical power in disarray.
Several assassins who were at the forefront groaned, blood gushing from their mouths and noses, and collapsed to the ground. Their heart meridians had been shattered by that barely perceptible pulse of the Emperor's Heart!
This is the might of the Great Emperor. Even though the killing intent has been neutralized by the Azure Emperor, the mere wisp of energy is something that ordinary cultivators cannot withstand.
" Great Emperor's aura! Retreat!"
The leading figure in black let out a low growl of shock, clearly not expecting Yan Ruyu to be so decisive, and that her nurturing and application of the Emperor's Heart had reached such a level.
The assassins were well-trained and retreated immediately upon receiving orders, without lingering in battle. Their figures blended into the shadows and vanished into the Void like ghosts, disappearing completely in the blink of an eye, leaving only a mess on the ground and the corpses and wounded of the demon guards.
The battle lasted only a few dozen breaths from start to finish, yet it was incredibly fierce.
Yan Ruyu's face was slightly pale; maintaining the Emperor's Heart Pulse had taken a toll on her.
She looked at her fallen clansmen, her beautiful eyes filled with a deep chill:
"Investigate! Find out who dares to commit violence near the Jade Pool Holy Land!"
Soon, a demon elder skilled in tracking auras identified the unique markings and cultivation techniques belonging to " Hell " from the few traces left by the assassins and the corpse of one of them.
" Hell, they're desperate!"
An elder of the demon race gritted his teeth.
"They must know that the Demon King led his forces to wipe out their stronghold, so they wanted to assassinate His Highness as revenge and to intimidate him!"
"It's also possible they want to kidnap His Highness as a bargaining chip."
Another elder calmly analyzed the situation.
Yan Ruyu remained silent for a moment, then looked towards the core of the Jade Pool Holy Land and slowly said:
"It seems this purge has truly struck at their core, driving them to utter desperation. Summon the Demon King Elder to inform him of this. At the same time, spread the news of Hell's attack on the Jade Pool Inn and their attempt to assassinate me."
She wanted to use this incident to further solidify the madness and harm of Hell, and to bind the demon race even more tightly to the alliance's war machine.
Within a few short days, news of attacks and killings on various factions, intertwined with reports of the alliance's efforts to eliminate multiple assassin strongholds, spread rapidly through the upper echelons of Big Dipper, causing even more intense turmoil.
The forces supporting the alliance were even more united in their hatred of the enemy, because this proved that the Assassin Divine Dynasty had no bottom line and was extremely vengeful. If it was not completely eradicated, its own core members, holy sons and holy daughters might be next.
Some centrists who had initially harbored illusions or wavered, upon seeing this situation, completely abandoned any other thoughts and began to cooperate more diligently in the crackdown, fearing being targeted by the Assassin Divine Dynasty or being perceived as not being of one mind with the alliance.
Both Hell and the Human World, having suffered heavy losses and launched a frenzied counterattack, were now fully exposed to the sunlight, making their actions increasingly difficult.
Based on the initial battle results, scattered clues provided by prisoners, and secret intelligence provided by certain opportunistic forces to demonstrate their loyalty, the alliance gradually approached the deeper core of the organization, like peeling back layers of an onion.
As time went by, one month, two months later, people began to notice something: after the initial thunderous sweep, reports of the elimination of important strongholds by the many holy lands and Desolate Ancient Family that participated in the purge seemed to gradually become scarce.
Does this mean that the alliance's offensive has encountered a bottleneck, or even that it has fallen into a passive position due to the mysterious counterattacks from the Human World?
The alliance of many holy land families achieved effective results, wiping out most of the hidden strongholds of the Assassin Divine Dynasty!
In terms of raw power and foundation, any single supreme holy land or aristocratic family would be enough to look down on the Assassin Divine Dynasty, not to mention the Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon, the Suspended Illumination, which possesses the ultimate deterrent power to suppress everything.
However, the most troublesome aspect of the Assassin Divine Dynasty has never been its ability to be directly confronted.
Concealment and assassination are instincts flowing in their blood. These shadowy figures never fixate on battlefield duels, but instead transform into countless venomous snakes hidden beneath the grass, patiently waiting to strike and kill with a single blow.
Although the Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon can suppress the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths and sweep across the eight wastelands and six directions, if it cannot find the true core of the Assassin Divine Dynasty or lock onto the key figure who is as elusive as a ghost, it is like punching a fog, possessing the power to destroy the world but unable to deliver any real results.
Many holy lands and noble families are now playing hide-and-seek with ghosts, possessing immense power but being dragged into an unequal, frustrating, and helpless covert war.
In this tense and chilling atmosphere, three months after the operation at midnight, an even more astonishing message swept across the Big Dipper like a hurricane:
The Yaoguang Holy Land announced that during the raid on an important Human World stronghold, it seized a batch of hidden documents and account books that had not yet been destroyed.
It not only records in detail numerous cases of assassinations commissioned and carried out by Human World thousands of years, but what is even more shocking is that it contains some vague records and resource allocation records of an attack and assassination incident at sea seven days ago!
Although the record used a lot of code words and symbols, and key parts seemed to have been deliberately erased or torn, the combination of known information and some clues provided by Jade Pool is enough for those who are interested to deduce that among the thirty-two unidentified Mighty Figure at that time, at least six or seven of them belonged to forces or had connections that vaguely pointed to some of the alliance members present today!
The news caused an uproar over Big Dipper!
The factions that were vaguely named were instantly thrown into turmoil! Fear, anger, suspicion, and a desire to distance themselves from the situation were all present.
Everyone understood that once the news from the Yaoguang Holy Land was released, it would not only expose the crimes of the Assassin Divine Dynasty, but also usher in a purge within the alliance!
With this "evidence," Li Qingshan and Jade Pool occupy the absolute moral and legal high ground.
Going forward, it would be perfectly legitimate to either ask relevant parties to conduct a "self-inspection" or for the alliance to carry out a "joint investigation."
Those forces or individuals who secretly intervened are probably now feeling extremely uneasy and living in constant fear.
The overwhelming momentum not only crushes the venomous snakes in the shadows, but also begins to cleanse the dust from the sunlight.
The mastermind behind all of this, Eastern Exalt Li Qingshan, is not at the center of any of the bustling vortexes at this moment.