Turning It Back on Them

"The position of sect leader of Zi Maple Valley in Shen County is not easy to hold. A prestigious Foundation Establishment sect, and in just a few years, two leaders have already died."

"Yes, look at how much those Shen Household around you are laughing; they can't hide it at all."

"Oh dear, how shameful it is for brothers to turn against each other! Even if they colluded with outsiders to commit such a serious crime, why did they have to do it so blatantly?!"

Shen Baiyue's headless corpse has been displayed outside the gate of the Book and Sword Gate for five days.

A cultivator with exceptional eyesight came out to examine the wound and determined that Shen Baiyue had been ambushed by several people of the same level. The fatal injury was caused by the "Ink Swordsmanship Technique," one of the signature techniques of the Book and Sword Gate and Sword Sect.

Upon receiving this news, and learning that their patriarch had offended Ye Zhen, the sect leader of the Book and Sword Gate, during a meeting, the Shen Household naturally concluded that Shen Baiyue had been murdered by Ye Zhen's men.

For the past few days, the Shen Household has been staying outside the Book and Sword Gate, dressed in mourning clothes and wailing loudly, making quite a scene.

Even though Ye Zhen had already used his Swordsmanship to prove that the injuries on Shen Baiyue's body were faked and contained no trace of the True Intention of the "Ink Swordsmanship" passed down by the Book and Sword Gate.

Not only could Shen Xing tearful deputy sect leader of Zi Maple Valley fail to persuade them to go back, but even Shan Sheng, an outsider who had been kept by Ye Zhen for several days for drinks, couldn't persuade a single one to leave.

That would have been fine, but quite a few cultivators from the surrounding area had come to watch the spectacle, making it seem as if a large market had been set up outside the Book and Sword Gate.

This scene True Qi Ye Zhen, the alliance leader, who almost lost his temper and nearly disregarded the so-called impact, sending a Foundation Establishment cultivator to kill the troublemaking Shen Household.

After all, if there's yellow soup inside your trousers, outsiders will only laugh and won't care whether it's feces or mud.

If Tie Liuyun's arrival prevents the Book and Sword Gate from raising its sword, then Ye Zhen's plan might truly succeed.

"Greetings, Commander!"

If one were to ask fellow officials in the state to name the most infamous and ruthless official among the current officials of Cloud Horn Prefecture, Tie Liuyun would undoubtedly be among the top contenders.

This man is ruthless and likes to use the Immortal Dynasty's name to escalate matters, often resorting to destroying families, wiping out entire clans, and demolishing mountains and temples.

Over the years, there have been many well-known Foundation Establishment True Cultivator offended Commander Tie, were falsely accused of various crimes, and died tragically in the water prison of the Demon Correction Office.

Despite the fact that he came alone this time, without even bringing one of the notorious Xiezhi Guard, just standing there, letting his bright red cloak flutter wildly in the mountain wind, was enough to make many of his fellow Foundation Establishment present feel uneasy.

It seems that Tie Liuyun values the establishment of the New Cloud Alliance even more than Sect Leader Kang Da had previously thought.

Therefore, even this small alliance, which was originally used to enhance its political achievements, has become increasingly insignificant in the current state military system.

However, Commander Tie was someone who valued his reputation. After all, he had reported to Kuang Liuting when the New Cloud Alliance was first established. If the Earl suddenly decided to question him and the New Cloud Alliance had already dissipated by then, Commander Tie would lose face greatly.

"Ye Zhen, tell me the truth, did you do this to Shen Baiyue?" Tie Liuyun's eyes flashed with a fierce light as he coldly shouted, showing no respect whatsoever to Ye Zhen, the Book and Sword Gate leader of the Shujian Sect.

"Commander, I implore you to see the truth and not believe the slanderous accusations of those with ulterior motives!" Suddenly questioned like this, Ye Zhen, who was at least the head of a major sect in Cloud Horn Prefecture, could hardly look well.

Just by looking at his old face, dark and stern like iron, one could tell that he harbored resentment.

"You'd better think this through. If you don't speak now, I'll have to invite you to the Water Department of the Demon Correction Office." Tie Liuyun clearly hadn't listened to Ye Zhen's words and tried to intimidate Ye Zhen into confessing, but Shan Sheng forced a persuasion.

"Commander, please allow me to report," Shan Sheng stepped forward and bowed deeply. Seeing that Tie Liuyun's complexion had not improved, his anxiety grew even stronger.

Given his personality, let alone stepping forward at a time like this, even if Tie Liuyun and the Book and Sword Gate were to fight on the spot, he should have remained hidden in the crowd, silent.

In fact, he had always acted this way, pretending to be tongue-tied and speechless, without uttering a word.

But Shen Baiyue's death was truly suspicious. Anyone with eyes could see that even if Ye Zhen really wanted to take action, why would he arrange for someone to behead someone right after an argument?

Such a simple principle should be clear to someone like Tie Liuyun, with years of criminal experience, yet he still failed. This makes things even more puzzling!

"Speak!"

Shan Sheng was almost startled by the shout, and for some reason, a wave of sorrow instantly washed over him.

Back then, he was a heroic young master who, despite being at the Qi Refinement Ninth Layer, led dozens of Qi Refinement clansmen to surround the Second Tier Demon Beast market to sell their wares and alleviate his family's financial difficulties.

Even back then, Commander Tie's stern shout would have been far from enough to make Shan Sheng, who was at the Qi Refinement Ninth Layer, back down even half a step; yet now, it has frightened the Shan Household patriarch, who has been at the Foundation Establishment for many years, into this state.

"This place is full of people. I dare to suggest that you summon the leaders of all the factions in our alliance to gather at the Book and Sword Gate for a talk." Shan Sheng took a deep breath, realizing he shouldn't keep Tie Liuyun waiting, and revealed his thoughts.

Commander Tie's expression changed slightly. He pulled his cloak back and nodded in agreement. "Send the message immediately. Official business is busy and cannot be delayed."

"Alliance Leader Ye, why don't you quickly welcome Commander Tie inside!" Shan Sheng sigh. Ye Zhen, having tasted the meaning behind these words, changed his expression and personally welcomed Tie Liuyun into the house.

"Disperse, disperse! Commander Tie has already said he will uphold justice for your family. Don't cause any more trouble here. If you anger him, not only will Fellow Daoist Shen not be able to avenge this grudge, but all of your Shen Household's dozens of cultivators might have to flee to Liangxi to fight Demon Beast for their lives!"

At this moment, Shan Sheng's words resonated with the Shen Household. One of the older members, who was in charge, stammered, "We can leave, but after such a drastic change, we fear being sold off by the Shen Household."

"Understood. Then you should take Fellow Daoist Shen's remains inside as well. With Commander Tie by your side, he will surely ensure your safety." Shan Sheng turned to Shen Xing and Ye Zhen, and asked softly, "What do you two think?"

Shen Xing looked at the pleading Shen Household with a hint of mockery, but smiled at Shan Sheng, "Then we will do as you say, brother."

Ye Zhen simply nodded and said, "Thank you for your trouble, fellow Daoist."

The old man immediately swept his gaze across the crowd. As expected of a major sect leader, those Rogue Cultivators who had been hiding in the clouds above the Book and Sword Gate Sect's archway dared not utter a single word. They all covered their faces and shrank back, afraid that Ye Zhen would remember them and come to settle old scores.

Shan Sheng ignored Ye Zhen's actions. Over the years, his favorite thing to do was to earn favors from others. Hearing the two of them say this, even though he was still a little uneasy, he felt that his efforts had not been in vain.

Sect Leader Kang Da, had only traveled halfway to Tanggu County to investigate the accounts when he received a letter from Shan Sheng.

Originally Kang Dabao was peacefully heading off to count his money, but this incident prevented him from doing so, so his mood was far from pleasant. However, this matter was indeed significant, as Chongming Sect and Zi Maple Valley were true allies, and Sect Leader Kang Da naturally had to hurry over there.

When in a hurry, the old golden-haired donkey's speed becomes insignificant.

Kang Dabao summoned his spirit boat and spared no expense in using Spirit Stone, hurrying to the main hall of the Book and Sword Gate Sect, but he was still the last among all the sect leaders to arrive.

Tie Liuyun said in an annoyed tone, "Sect Leader Kang, why are you so late? Did I ask you to stay?"

"This humble official dares not!" Sect Leader Kang Da bowed Foundation Establishment, still maintaining the same posture as when he was recruited by Tie Liuyun.

Upon seeing this, Tie Liuyun's expression softened considerably. He raised his hand in a gesture of respect and said softly, "Please take a seat."

"Alliance Leader Ye, please dismiss everyone else." This was the first time in days that Tie Liuyun had spoken to Ye Zhen. The latter was taken aback at first, and then felt somewhat flattered.

This feeling was far from pleasant. Ye Zhen cursed herself for being a jerk, but still did as Tie Liuyun instructed, dismissing her trusted confidants from the room. Then, following Tie Liuyun's instructions, she activated the soundproofing barrier in the hall.

Tie Liuyun ignored the Foundation Establishment present and spoke only to the Qi Refinement from the Shen Household, whose eyes were red from crying, "Listen carefully, Shen Baiyue's death was not caused by Ye Zhen, nor by Shen Xing and Shen Tu."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed.

The Shen Household Qi Refinement was about to cry out his innocence, but was stopped by Tie Liuyun's icy gaze:

"Remember this well, swallow it down, and don't tell anyone. After we leave the Book and Sword Gate, gather your men together and have them earnestly mourn, curse the Shen Household, and curse the Book and Sword Gate. They must not stop until they receive my order."

"Junior... Junior has remembered!" The Qi Refining Qi Refinement surnamed Shen raised his head slightly, but seeing that all the Foundation Establishment in the hall were focused on him, he quickly bowed his head again and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Go down and wait for the Shen Xing to be over. I will take you back to Zi Maple Valley." Tie Liuyun disregarded the wishes of the Qi Refinement surnamed Shen and made the arrangements on the spot.

After finishing with the Qi Refinement surnamed Shen, Tie Liuyun turned his attention to the Foundation Establishment guest elder from Hemu Dao who was skilled in water magic:

"Your name is Li Mingyuan, right? Your Yao Mountain Li Household was caught in the power struggle between the legitimate and illegitimate sons of the Ye Prefecture Yang Household next door, and I thought your whole family was doomed. I never expected that you would slip through the net."

The Sect Leader Han Hemu Dao, who was sitting next to Li Mingyuan, was immediately shocked and his eyes widened. He had only met this Foundation Establishment senior by chance before, and had done a few business deals with him at fair prices.

They also felt that this senior's behavior and conduct were quite chivalrous. He would even step in to stop some mortals from bullying the weak. That's why they risked inviting him to stay in the sect to protect the disciples.

He never imagined that this senior not only lived in anonymity, but also had such a huge karmic connection behind him.

Kang Dabao sighed as he watched. This man surnamed Han was truly audacious, daring to hire someone as a guest elder without knowing anything about their background. It seemed unlikely that he could remain the sect leader for long.

Li Mingyuan was startled when Commander Tie suddenly revealed his identity. He had never imagined that the Demon Correction Office of Cloud Horn Prefecture not only kept a close watch on all matters, big and small, within the prefecture, but also knew about someone like him who was unknown in the neighboring Ye Prefecture.

The saying "seeing a leopard through its spots" clearly demonstrates that the infamous reputation of the Demon Correction Office and commanded respect throughout the world in the early years of the Immortal Dynasty, was indeed true.

It was unclear how much of the functions the Demon Correction Office Cloud Horn Prefecture had recovered under Tie Liuyun's leadership, yet it already possessed such power, which made everyone present even more vigilant.

He first gave Sect Leader Han an apologetic look before saying, "A man in distress pays his respects to Commander Tie. The destruction of my clan is irreversible. From now on, I only wish to cultivate in peace and not seek anything more."

"As long as you do your job diligently, Yang Household family doesn't send cultivators or Pill Master to arrest you, I can guarantee your safety." Tie Liuyun raised his eyebrows slightly, clearly not valuing Li Mingyuan highly, and then said:

"Alliance Leader Ye, Vice Sect Leader Shen, although you didn't harm Shen Baiyue, you should understand that it's not that you didn't want to, you just didn't have the time yet."

Upon hearing this, a hint of panic appeared on Ye Zhen's face for the first time in recent days. He had shown no fear when facing Commander Tie's questioning a few days ago, which meant he had his reasons.

It was because he knew that before he could even implement the various measures he and Shen Xing had devised, Shen Baiyue's head would be taken by someone else! Therefore, he was naturally not afraid of Tie Liuyun's threats.

Ye Zhen exchanged another glance with Shen Xing. Although the latter was known for his composure in Zi Maple Valley, he inevitably lost his composure at this moment.

Kang Dabao and Shan Sheng's gazes also fell on Shen Xing, and they both thought to themselves, "This bastard is no good!"

Ye Zhen was one thing, but Zi Maple Valley had just suffered a major upheaval, and they finally managed to find a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator to take charge of the situation. Yet Shen Xing was willing to collude with outsiders to harm him. He truly is not a human being!

"A key member of the alliance was assassinated, and you, as the alliance leader, didn't even know how to come up with a countermeasure. You were secretly delighted, what a despicable scoundrel."

Tie Liuyun then berated Ye Zhen severely, until the sect leader broke out in a cold sweat. In the end, Ye Zhen offered no further explanation and obediently bowed his head to admit his guilt.

"We judge things by their actions, not their intentions. I will pretend I know nothing about this matter! Do not repeat this mistake! I have said before that all families in the New Cloud Alliance should set a good example for the cultivators in the state, and work together to serve Lord and the Immortal Dynasty!"

If you encounter any unresolved issues, you must not resort to private attacks, lest you damage your very foundation. If you truly cannot reach a decision through discussion, and require a judgment from someone, you may come to me for assistance.

After scolding Ye Zhen, Tie Liuyun didn't say anything more to Shen Xing, who was Shen Xing of being a traitor.

This gesture of raising the object high and then lowering it gently actually eased the tense atmosphere in the room considerably.

However, the added sentence revealed his true intentions, indicating that he still did not want to relinquish the position of the New Cloud Alliance.

"May I ask, Commander, who exactly harmed Brother Shen?" After a long silence, Shan Sheng, then stepped forward and asked with clasped hands.

"Not bad, at least there's one obedient one." Tie Liuyun looked at Shan Sheng and inwardly praised him. His eyes narrowed, and seeing that Shan Sheng's lifespan was nearing its end, his joy faded considerably. Then he glanced at a certain fat sect leader and cursed inwardly:

"This fellow is truly bewitched by Fei Nanying; there's no turning back now! It's such a pity that the Three Dew Azure Cloud Pill I had Xishan give me has fallen into a dog's mouth."

However, thinking about it, Fei Nanying first married the legitimate daughter of the She Mountain Hall and then gave her the fortuitous opportunity to Foundation Establishment; compared to that, the Three Dew Azure Cloud Pill that I had Tie Xishan fabricate and give away was really much less valuable. No wonder this profit-driven kid didn't come over.

The Han City Yue Household were the same; they had clearly stated that as long as they won over Kang Dabao, the Daoist Black Shoes and Jiang Qing would be easily caught in their trap without much effort.

Those who can achieve the Golden Leaf Dao Foundation, like the Daoist Black Shoes, are few and far between throughout the entire Shannan Circuit; Jiang Qing's ability to build Dao Foundation with an incomplete Dao body also makes him a rare talent.

Not to mention that the latter, having only just established his Dao Foundation, single-handedly slaughtered Worry-Free Market of the Wei Household who occupied Wuyoufang. Although this was partly due to the fact that the Wei Household's Foundation Establishment was already weak and they had almost been ambushed and killed by several Qi Refinement juniors back then.

This also demonstrates that even after reaching the Foundation Establishment, Jiang Qing's methods remained ruthless.

By bringing Kang Dabao over, they could gain both of these generals. Such a lucrative deal, yet the Yue Household doesn't know to invest more and do it properly!

"Shortsighted! No wonder your eldest daughter has served the Earl for so many years and hasn't even earned a proper title!" Commander Tie cursed Sect Leader Kang Da in his heart, then cursed the Han City Yue Household for a while before answering Shan Sheng's question:

"According to the intelligence I've gathered, it was Chen Ye who did it."

"Chen Ye?!"

"Chen Ye again?!"

"What deep-seated hatred does Chen Ye have for my family?" Shen Xing muttered to himself. Upon hearing this news, he felt a sense of fear towards the coveted position of sect leader.

"This is just the beginning. The Two Instruments Sect has gathered a bunch of defeated dogs, with nearly ten Foundation Establishment and over a thousand Qi Refinement, and has already established the Changning Sect in White Sand County Jingnan Prefecture. The composition of its members will be sorted out by the officials in a while and then distributed to your respective families."

Commander Tie paused here, looked at Kang Dabao and Shen Xing, and said sternly, "You two families will be the first to bear the brunt."

Finally, perhaps having picked up the tone from Sima Fei, he muttered softly, "Let's prepare early; there's still a good fight ahead."

The Two Instruments Sect's actions were significant; they hadn't intended to hide them, and certainly couldn't hide them from the spies planted by the Demon Correction Office Cloud Horn Prefecture, which was right next door.

Kang Dabao's heart sank upon hearing this news. Commander Tie must have known about this long ago, but why didn't he let everyone prepare earlier? Why did he wait until Shen Baiyue lost her head before...

"I suppose that after all these days, the news of my visit to the Book and Sword Gate Sect to demand an explanation should have already spread among those nosy Rogue Cultivator from a few days ago." Tie Liuyun muttered again, then turned to Ye Zhen and said:

"Alliance Leader Ye, I would like to trouble you to submit another petition to the Judicial Office of the State, accusing me of ignoring advice and using torture to coerce people."

"I dare not!" Ye Zhen knew that Tie Liuyun must have a deeper meaning in doing this, but he still had to put on a humble and fearful appearance.

Tie Liuyun could see through his thoughts, so he didn't say much, but offered a comforting word, telling Ye Zhen to do as he was told.

He thought to himself, "Those mediocre officials from the capital will surely be overjoyed to hear this news. It will give them plenty of embellishment to file a complaint against me."

"I have located the positions of two Foundation Establishment and ten Qi Refinement who harmed Shen Baiyue. They were bolder than I thought, but dumber than I thought. Such a simple trick to lull them into remaining still was enough."

Tie Liuyun chuckled softly and scanned the crowd in the hall:

"I cannot act rashly, so I will trouble you all to set off tonight to wipe out the remaining enemy forces and to give Changning Sect a proper greeting for me."

--A secluded mountain valley near the Book and Sword Gate

Here, some ordinary people cultivate the mountain fields. The land is barren, and even after a year of hard work, they can barely make ends meet. But the advantage is that no one oppresses them, so although life is tough, they can still get by.

If they hadn't repeatedly confirmed that the address given by Commander Tie was correct, Sect Leader Kang Da and the others would never have imagined that this Wuling Mountain Valley, less than a hundred miles from the Book and Sword Gate, could conceal a capable force sent by the Changning Sect.

They didn't even disturb the mortals' rest; they simply hid there, waiting to see if there was any opportunity to take advantage of them.

These people never expected that instead of a chance to take advantage of the situation, they would be met with a group of deadly devils.

With a soft "click," the battle began.

A disciple of the Changning Sect at the Peak Qi Refinement was directly Shen Xing to death by Shen Xing using a long whip-like Spirit Artifact to tightly bind his body, breaking all the bones in his body.

Shen Xing won first place, but Ye Zhen was not to be outdone. Since none of the other sect leaders had brought their disciples, he, as the sect leader, had to take the lead himself.

Ye Zhen's method was far more powerful than Shen Xing's. With a flick of his bright yellow jade tablet, more than a dozen jade slips scattered and flew out. None of the seven or eight Qi Refinement cultivators in Ye Zhen's sight were spared; their brains were all crushed by the jade slips.

This commotion was quite significant, alerting two Foundation Establishment were cultivating separately.

Li Mingyuan stepped forward first. He had just been exposed by Tie Liuyun and wanted to gain some credit to secure his position.

His water-based techniques were truly remarkable; even though he was only at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage, he was able to fight to a standstill against the mid-stage cultivator in yellow robes opposite him.

Shen Xing, equally eager to make a contribution, also came to help him. With their assistance, the two early-stage cultivators managed to hold the mid-stage cultivator, the man in yellow robes, back tightly.

Despite the relentless hammering of his hand, the two refused to let him go to help the other blue-clad female cultivator who had been intercepted by Ye Zhen.

The blue-clad female cultivator was also a Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivator. However, after fighting Ye Zhen, an old Foundation Establishment who had been immersed in the late stage for many years, she already showed signs of defeat.

Sect Leader Kang Da and Shan Sheng are similar in nature; both know how to seek advantage and avoid harm, so naturally they would want to take advantage of this opportunity.

The blue-clad female cultivator first took Shan Sheng strike from Shan Sheng, then dodged Kang Dabao's thrust with his flag raised, before being struck by Ye Zhen's jade tablet. Her eyes dimmed, and her hand gestures faltered.

Seizing the opportunity, Ink Abyss Flag Sect Leader Kang Da didn't hesitate for a moment. He unfurled the Ink Abyss Banner and waved it, revealing the blue-clad female cultivator's Spirit Artifact shield and her graceful, voluptuous figure.

However, while the female cultivator possessed a graceful figure, her appearance was rather unattractive, and none of the three Qian Dao cultivators felt any pity for her.

Ye Zhen's jade tablet consumed a lot of energy, and he was a step too slow. Sect Leader Kang Da's Spirit-Striking Chain was a step faster than him. With a pull and a tug, the Six Yang Heads on the female cultivator's neck were easily removed, becoming Kang Dabao's capital for reporting his merits.

"Eleventh Sister!" The yellow-robed Foundation Establishment, who was locked in combat with Li Mingyuan and Shen Xing, saw what was happening and was in excruciating pain, his eyes wide with rage. He was about to unleash some forbidden technique.

But with five Foundation Establishment present, how could they allow such an action to take place?

After Shan Sheng's flying sword, Li Mingyuan's water magic, and Shen Xing's long whip had all been used, Ye Zhen's jade tablet was dispersed once again.

This time, the dozen or so jade slips that flew out were much brighter than those used against the Qi Refinement Refining junior. They were dazzlingly golden and pierced several vital points on the body of the yellow-robed Foundation Establishment.

Seeing that the yellow-robed Foundation Establishment had weakened in just a moment, Sect Leader Kang Da decided not to take advantage of the situation this time. Three out of the five people were eager to make contributions, and it would be too unreasonable for him to steal from them again.

Even the head in his hand, Kang Dabao was thinking of selling it to get some supplies.

Shan Sheng clearly shared the same thought, so he put away his flying sword and let the yellow-robed Foundation Establishment cultivator have his head pierced by Li Mingyuan's water spear. Ye Zhen took the body back to his side. Only Shen Xing had not accomplished anything and looked unwell.

After this great victory, Ye Zhen proposed dividing the contents of the two Foundation Establishment Storage Bag equally. This was a fairly fair suggestion. In reality, Ye Zhen himself would definitely be at a disadvantage, so no one had any objections.

Sect Leader Kang Da made a small fortune and also killed someone of the same level for the first time since reaching the Foundation Establishment, so he was naturally in a good mood.

Although he didn't know why Shen Xing hadn't come to him to buy the blue-clad female cultivator's head, bringing that head to Tie Liuyun would at least be considered a merit, and it would also save him from having such a cold attitude towards him all the time.

Swift Movement back to the Book and Sword Gate Hall, where they saw Commander Tie, who should have been sitting in the main seat with a golden sword, standing attentively to the side, while a slender Daoist priest held a scripture scroll and recited it earnestly.

Seeing everyone return, the Daoist scanned them one by one with his sharp eyes before finally fixing them on Sect Leader Kang Da.

With a slight smile, he uttered a single word. "Okay!"

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