A strong smell of blood wafted from Xie Shuci's nose.
His gradually clearing eyes moved to Xie An. The glaring blood had soaked through half of his body, turning his white clothes blood red, as if they had been soaked in blood.
Xie Shuci felt a prick in his eyeball. Forgetting his fear, he was filled with immense anxiety. He tried to sit up, but his limbs were too weak. Helpless, he could only clutch Xie An's clothes tightly, so nervous that he forgot to shed tears.
"You're injured?!"
Chu Wenfeng, who had just reached the two, paused, his gaze landing on Xie An's blood-soaked clothes. He gasped, "Are you really injured?"
Xie An lowered his eyes and said, "It's a minor injury."
Xie Shuci didn't believe it; how could a small injury bleed so much?
He saw Chu Wenfeng not far away. "Chu Wenfeng, is Xie An injured?"
Chu Wenfeng stepped forward and nodded.
"Where?"
"Left arm, the wound is very deep."
Xie Shuci then noticed that Xie An's left hand had been hanging limply at his side the whole time, without moving.
Xie Shuci grabbed his left hand and saw that the wound was bleeding profusely, running down the side of his forearm with flesh turned outwards. Just one glance was enough to make Xie Shuci's scalp tingle.
"Sword wound! Who did this?" Xie Shuci asked, his breathing rapid and his tone indignant.
Chu Wenfeng looked around and finally spotted the longsword stuck in the rock wall, its blade still wet with blood. His eyes darkened, and he said, "It's Deng Fengming."
Xie Shuci roared in anger: "That idiot, what kind of skill is it to bully a blind man? I'm going to settle the score with him!"
He had barely moved when Xie An pressed him back down with his right hand.
Xie An's lips looked paler than usual due to excessive blood loss. "You've overexerted yourself, get some rest."
Chu Wenfeng squatted down beside the two of them. "Deng Fengming was already taken away by the Xiaoyao Sect people long ago."
Xie Shuci gritted his teeth, silently rummaged through his pouch and pulled out a top-grade healing pill. He didn't even bother to wipe the blood off his hands. He picked up a pill and fed it to Xie An's lips, his tone harsh: "Open your mouth."
Xie An's nostrils twitched slightly, as if he smelled the blood on his hands, and he frowned hesitantly.
Xie Shuci was amused by his reaction, so she simply grabbed his chin with one hand, forced him to open his mouth, and shoved the blood-stained pill into his mouth.
Seeing that he swallowed the pill, she was still not satisfied and deliberately smeared the blood from her hands on his face. "You dare to lie to me? You've really grown bold!"
Xie An paused for a moment, then his tongue curled up a hint of sweet, metallic taste from the corner of his lips, which he then put into his mouth. For some unknown reason, he suddenly chuckled.
Xie Shuci lifted Xie An's left arm and saw that the wound was slowly healing. He breathed a sigh of relief, only to find that the man was still smiling. He poked Xie An's forehead with two fingers and said with exasperation, "You little madman!"
Over here, Chu Guiyi dismissed the other cultivators. The whereabouts of the Helian family head were unknown. To prevent any further trouble, he told everyone to return to their respective residences and inform their disciples of the matter, urging them to be extra cautious.
After everyone had left, Hehuanzong and Helian Jue followed Chu Guiyi and walked towards the three of them.
Upon seeing the bloodstains on Xie Shuci and Xie An, his gaze faltered. "This is..."
Xie Shuci gritted his teeth and said, "That lunatic Deng Fengming did it."
"It could be serious."
"It's alright now."
Upon hearing this, Chu Guiyi nodded and said to Xie Shuci, "Shuci, refining the Dragon-Subduing Magic Artifact will take time. You should put the bronze cauldron away and not use your spiritual power carelessly."
Ye Changxuan, Helian Jue, and the others bowed to him, their eyes filled with undisguised respect. "Thank you for saving our lives, fellow Daoist. If the Hehuan Sect ever needs our help in the future, we will certainly do our utmost to assist you."
"ah……"
Although Xie Shuci liked to boast, it was just a joke and he didn't want to gain anything from it. Seeing their solemn thanks, Xie Shuci was a little embarrassed and scratched the back of his head, saying, "I didn't do anything."
Chu Wenfeng rolled his eyes at him. "You almost died bleeding from all seven orifices, you idiot." Xie Shuci said shyly, "It's for the people."
Chu Guiyi shook her head helplessly; Shu Ci's ideas were always so bizarre and outlandish.
"Let's get down to business." Chu Guiyi straightened his expression. "Brother Helian, what are your plans?"
Helian Jue's injuries had healed considerably. Upon hearing this, he lowered his head with a gloomy expression, gripping the Cloud-Piercing Spear tightly in his palm. Suppressing his anger, he said in a deep voice, "I must stop the patriarch. Although Xiao Zhu's cultivation is high, it will not be easy for him to lead the entire Helian family into the top ten in the Immortal Sect Selection. For this reason, the patriarch will probably continue to manipulate him to seize other people's fates. If nothing unexpected happens, the deaths of several disciples of the Joyful Union Sect will also be related to him."
The faces of the elders of the Hehuan Sect immediately darkened.
Helian Zhu, who was initially unable to accept it, has now completely calmed down.
“I share the same thoughts as my senior brother. I don’t want to be controlled by him anymore, and I don’t want another me to appear in the Helian family.”
Ye Changxuan said solemnly, "The Hehuan Sect is willing to lend you two a helping hand to avenge our disciples."
Chu Guiyi nodded, then looked at Xie Shuci and the other person, "Shuci, what are your plans?"
Xie Shuci said helplessly, "I had no choice. That old man would definitely not let this matter leak out. Either way, I'm going to die."
Chu Guiyi said, "You're right. Patriarch Helian's cultivation is unfathomable, and no one in Luofang City can match him. If we don't completely bring him down, everyone here will die."
Xie Shuci perfectly continued the excellent classroom culture of the modern world. Before speaking, he raised his hand. When Chu Guiyi looked at him like a teacher, he said, "Let's make this clear first. I'm afraid of dying. I have plenty of pills. I think it's okay to give me the pill recipe now so I can refine them. But Xie An and I can only be medics... well, we can only provide cover for you from behind."
Chu Guiyi chuckled, "I'm relieved to hear you say that."
With a sorrowful expression, Helian Jue clasped his hands in thanks to everyone: "Thank you all for your help. If you ever need my assistance in the future, I will go through fire and water for you."
"It's just a matter of survival," Chu Guiyi said calmly. Then he glanced at Helian Zhu and said, "In Luofang City now, the only ones who can barely fight against the Helian family head are probably you and a few elders from the Hehuan Sect. However, the Helian family head still needs you to participate in the Immortal Sect Selection, so he won't kill you again."
Helian Zhu smiled bitterly and said, "But once the spiritual veins are opened, I will be controlled by him."
Chu Guiyi replied, "He controls you mostly when you are asleep, unconscious, or in a state of flux, which is why you have no memory of it. You just need to stay calm and not waver easily, and he will not be able to control you."
Helian Zhu looked stunned, but dared not make a guarantee.
Helian Jue then said, "If you are controlled by him, I will definitely not show any mercy."
Helian Zhu trembled and lowered his head, saying, "Yes."
As the group was discussing the whereabouts of the Helian family head, the sound of fighting suddenly came from the front hall.
Everyone immediately held their breath and listened intently.
Swords clashed, producing a harsh metallic sound, interspersed with the woman's curses.
"I really underestimated you, Helian Yong. How could you say such a thing?"
"Hand over Helian Jue now, or I will never let you go."
Upon hearing the voice, Helian Jue's expression changed.
Xie Shuci also realized that the owner of the voice was none other than Lu Jin, Miss Lu.
"Oh no!" Helian Jue's expression had lost its previous composure. Without having time to explain to the others, he rushed to the front hall alone.
Xie Shuci regained some strength and followed closely behind the others.
“Miss Lu, this is a family matter of the Helian family. It would be best if you didn’t get involved.” Helian Yong did not take Lu Jin’s attack seriously, easily blocking the blade with two fingers, his smile gentle.
Judging from his appearance alone, he must have been a handsome man in his youth. Who could have imagined that such a dignified patriarch of the Helian family would actually commit such a crazy act!
Lu Jin tried to pull the sword from between his fingers, but due to Helian Yong's immense strength, she was unable to budge him.
"Helian Yong, you are not fit to be a teacher!" Lu Jin said through gritted teeth, her eyes red. "If anything happens to Helian Jue, I will expose what you did to Helian Zhu! I will let the world see the true face behind your hypocritical mask!"
Helian Yong sneered, "You'll have to be alive to leave here!"
After saying that, he kicked Lu Jin in the stomach.
Lu Jin couldn't dodge in time and her body was suddenly thrown backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood in mid-air.
"Jin'er!" Helian Jue shouted, leaping up to catch Lu Jin's body.
Because his wound was not fully healed, the huge impact ruptured it, and he let out a muffled groan, clenching his teeth in suppressed pain.
"Senior Brother!" Helian Zhu quickly flew behind the two, braced himself against their shoulders, and helped them steady themselves.
Helian Yong stood not far away, coldly watching the group, seemingly unsurprised by their appearance.
"What happened?" Helian Jue asked after regaining his balance.
Lu Jin looked back and saw that he was alright, and finally breathed a sigh of relief. She said, "Helian Yong had someone set up a seal outside the city. He also claimed that you went into a state of demonic possession and killed the elders of the Hehuan Sect and several other disciples of the immortal sects. He even wanted to kill Helian Zhu."
Upon hearing this, Helian Jue clenched his teeth and looked at Helian Yong with a deep gaze.
Even when outnumbered, Helian Yong remained calm and composed. He had a way to improve Helian Zhu's cultivation, and he must also have a way to improve his own. Clearly, he did not take anyone seriously.
Ignoring Helian Jue's gaze, he turned to Helian Zhu, a kind smile spreading across his face, and said, "Zhu'er, you are my most beloved disciple, and I do not wish to harm you. As long as you kill these people and come to my side, you will be the chief disciple of the Helian family. Isn't this the position you have always wanted?"
Helian Zhu's eyes turned red. It was this hypocritical face that had deceived him for twelve years, making him ecstatic about his talent and cultivation, leading him to the heights of success, and then ruthlessly plunging him into the mire.
"And then what? Help you enter the Floating Pagoda Realm, find an excuse to expose me before things are exposed, pin all the blame on me, and then kill me, and you can rest easy?" Helian Zhu looked at him coldly.
Helian Yong smiled throughout, “As long as you listen to me, how could I kill you? Zhu’er, you are a kind child. As long as you kill them, I will have a way to extricate you from this matter; if you do not kill them, and things get out of control, I will be completely unable to handle the situation, and I am afraid that all the people and cultivators in the city will have to be buried with me.”
Helian Yong's words sent a chill down Xie Shuci's spine.
He simply couldn't imagine how there could be such a cruel and terrifying person as Helian Yong in this world, perhaps even more so than Xiao Xun.
Helian Zhu's face was deathly pale, his body swayed precariously, and he was incredibly thin.
Helian Yong stood with his hands behind his back, looking confident, and said in a gentle voice, "How about it? Use the lives of a few of them to exchange for the lives of yourself and the people and cultivators of the city. Is there any need to hesitate?"
Xie Shuci was so disgusted by his well-dressed appearance that she almost vomited.
"Helian Zhu, if you agree to him, you must have a ping-pong ball in your head," Xie Shuci said through gritted teeth.
Helian Zhu glanced at him sideways.
Chu Wenfeng asked in a low voice, "What is ping-pong?"
"That means he's got a screw loose."
"Oh, you're quite good at swearing."
Helian Zhu: "..."
Helian Zhu's indignation was interrupted, leaving him somewhat amused and exasperated.
"Xiao Zhu, don't waver," Helian Jue reminded him.
Helian Zhu nodded, his face pale but his eyes resolute.
“I will not kill anyone else except you,” Helian Zhu said solemnly.
Helian Yong's smile deepened, and he said meaningfully, "Zhu'er, that's not how I taught you. You have to make choices in everything. Wouldn't it be better to enter the Floating Pagoda Realm with me? Perhaps we can find an opportunity for you to be reincarnated there."
"Reincarnation? How could I face my fellow disciples in the underworld?" Helian Zhu stared intently at him.
The smile finally faded from Helian Yong's face, and his expression gradually turned cold. He sneered, "Zhu'er, you've really grown up. You're hard to control now."
control?
Do you still want to maintain control now?
With red-rimmed eyes and a low, hoarse voice, Helian Zhu asked, "Patriarch, in these twelve years, have you ever felt even for a moment that you felt guilty towards me?"
Helian Yong chuckled softly, "What do you want to hear from me? I'm ashamed."
Helian Zhu's eyes trembled, and tears streamed down his face.
"Why should I feel guilty? I gave you talent, I gave you status, I made you second only to the Helian family, and I made you trample your beloved senior brother under your feet. Why should I feel guilty? Isn't it because you are ungrateful and repay kindness with enmity?" Helian Yong said loudly, easily shattering Helian Zhu's last hope.
"you……"
Xie Shuci looked at Helian Zhu's pale face, pointed at Helian Yong's nose, and called him "scum!"
Instead of being angry, Helian Yong laughed, "Young master, you must be the one who subdued the Dragon-Subduing Artifact? How about this, today's matter has nothing to do with you. As long as you are willing to become my personal alchemist, I will never harm you or your friends."
Upon hearing this, several elders of the Hehuan Sect unconsciously glanced towards Xie Shuci.
This matter had nothing to do with Xie Shuci. If his own life hadn't been threatened, he probably wouldn't have joined them in attacking Helian Yong. Now that Helian Yong was willing to spare their lives, he should temporarily agree and then sit back and watch the two tigers fight. No matter who won or lost, it wouldn't threaten his life.
From this perspective, he seems to have no reason to refuse.
Compared to their worries, Chu Guiyi and the other woman were much calmer.
Chu Guiyi remained expressionless, while Chu Wenfeng curled his lip in disdain.
"Pah! You want me to be your personal alchemist, to refine pills just for you? You think you're worthy? Why don't you take a piss and look in the mirror, see how big your face is? I'd rather refine pills for dogs than give them to scum!" Xie Shuci was so angry that his face turned red, and he felt insulted.
Helian Jue and his companion, along with several elders of the Hehuan Sect, were all taken aback, completely unexpected that Xie Shuci would say such a thing.
Xie An and his two companions, on the other hand, were either used to it, couldn't help but chuckle, or were full of agreement.
Helian Yong had never been insulted like this before. His face turned ashen, and his lips twitched uncontrollably, but he couldn't utter a single word. He was clearly stunned by Xie Shuci's words.
Chu Wenfeng, always eager for a good show, added fuel to the fire, saying, "In my opinion, Xie Shuci's pills are only good enough for dogs. If the Helian family really wants them, it's not impossible, as long as you admit you're worse than a pig or a dog. As long as you admit it, the pills this kid makes are barely edible."
"Pfft..." Ye Changxuan couldn't hold back and covered her cherry-like mouth to laugh out loud.
The others were also starting to lose their composure, and even Helian Zhu, who was trying hard to remain calm, couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
"Hahahaha... Well said!" Lu Jin didn't hold back, supporting Helian Jue's shoulder, laughing so hard that tears almost flew out.
Seeing them mocking and insulting him so brazenly, Helian Yong's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot, veins bulged on his forehead, murderous intent boiled in his eyes, his body was filled with surging energy, and his fingers were clenched so tightly that his joints cracked.
The people opposite immediately became extremely alert, watching Helian Yong warily in case he made any move.
Chu Wenfeng drew his Flying Bird Nine-Section Whip from his waist. The red whip struck the ground, raising countless grains of sand and dust, making him look incredibly imposing.
He raised his chin at Xie Shuci and said, "Take your younger brother and my senior brother to the back."
Chu Wenfeng, who said those words, was so handsome in Xie Shuci's eyes that he looked like a god descended from heaven. Xie Shuci was deeply moved and quickly gave him a thumbs up. The latter raised an eyebrow and asked, "Are you insulting me?"
Xie Shuci rolled her eyes and pulled Xie An and Chu Guiyi to the back of the crowd.
Helian Yong looked at their arrayed formation and sneered, "Ajue, Zhu'er, do you really want to oppose me?"
Helian Jue said, "Patriarch, it is your repeated stubbornness that has led you to sacrifice your own disciple in order to enter the Floating Pagoda Realm. Is it worth it?"
"Worth it? You ask me if it's worth it?" Helian Yong seemed to have heard something out of the blue. "Ajue, I ask you, using the lives of dozens of mediocre outer disciples to exchange for the Helian family's entry into the Floating Pagoda Realm, benefiting countless descendants of the Helian family, tell me, what's not worth it?"
"Aren't mediocre outer disciples members of the Helian family? Don't they have the blood of the Helian family flowing in their veins? You speak so grandly, but you're just selfish! A person like you is not worthy of being the head of a family!" Helian Zhu cursed angrily.
Helian Yong laughed upon hearing this, lowering his voice, "Zhu'er, what right do you have to scold me? They all died at your hands!"
Helian Zhu choked, lowered his head, his face pale and powerless. Yes, what right did he have to curse Helian Yong? It was he, it was his own hands that had personally killed his fellow disciples, imprisoned their souls, stolen their destinies, and trampled on his flesh and blood to get to where he was today.
He was arrogant and conceited, believing himself to be exceptionally talented. He looked down on everyone, belittled his senior brother at every turn, and swaggered around in public. All of this was achieved by stepping over the corpses of his fellow disciples.
"You're talking nonsense! You really know how to twist the truth. Wasn't it you, you scum, who controlled Helian Zhusha? Now you're blaming it all on him. Have you no shame?" Xie Shuci couldn't stand it anymore and stood behind the group, cursing.
His voice seemed to pull Helian Zhu back to reality.
Helian Zhu shook his head, reminding himself that this was all Helian Yong's scheme, and he must not fall for it or waver easily.
Helian Yong stared at Xie Shuci across the crowd, his eyes filled with a look that seemed to want to skin him alive. Xie Shuci felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively hid behind Xie An.
Xie An raised his eyes to meet Helian Yong's gaze, a cold smile playing on his lips.
"Scumbag!" Xie Shuci cursed again.
Helian Yong didn't engage in verbal sparring with him, nor did he intend to fight them for the time being. He asked Helian Zhu with a smile, "Zhu'er, have I never told you how your fellow disciples died?"
Helian Zhu was stunned. It felt as if a hand had grabbed his heart, and the pain made it hard for him to breathe.
"Xiao Zhu!" Helian Jue called out to him.
Helian Zhu shook his head. "Senior Brother, I'm fine."
"Enough with the nonsense, Helian Yong. I'll only ask you one question: Did my Hehuan Sect disciples die at your hands?" Ye Changxuan asked, frowning.
Now that things have come to this, there seems to be no need to hide it anymore.
Helian Yong sighed, "Yes and no. I did intend to offer your children to Zhu'er, but unfortunately, the people I sent to follow them were lured away halfway. By the time they were found, the children were already badly injured. I had no choice but to spare them the pain and send them on their way. But don't worry, they didn't die in vain. I have already put their souls into the Soul-Locking Bottle. Once this matter is settled, they will become nourishment for the Helian family."
"You...you're courting death!" Ye Changxuan glared angrily at Helian Yong, a wisp of pink spiritual energy swirling around her fingertips, seemingly ready to unleash its power.
“Miss Ye, why are you in such a hurry? Your spiritual power has not fully recovered yet, and even if you combine your strength, you are probably no match for me. Why don’t you listen to what I have to say so that you can take this opportunity to recover?” Helian Yong said calmly.
"You would be so kind?" Ye Changxuan sneered.
"No, it's not that. I just hope that before you die, you can at least know the whole truth of the matter." Helian Yong curled his lips. "For example, Zhu'er, I should let you know how your fellow disciples died tragically at your hands."
Helian Yong was right. The spiritual energy in everyone's bodies had not fully recovered. If they fought Helian Yong now, they would be at a disadvantage no matter what.
However, if he were allowed to continue speaking, Helian Zhu probably wouldn't be able to hold on.
“Xiao Zhu…” Helian Jue looked at him with concern.
Helian Zhu gritted his teeth, "I'm fine. My spiritual veins haven't opened yet, so he can't control me."
"The night I reassessed your aptitudes, I sent people to deliver plenty of wine and food so you could celebrate. Who knows, maybe one of you will become an inner disciple the next day, parting ways with everyone," Helian Yong said. Helian Zhu listened quietly, recalling the events. That night, when the patriarch brought them wine and food, they were overjoyed. A group of teenagers, drinking sweet fruit wine, got completely drunk. Therefore, Helian Zhu had no memory of that night, only knowing that after waking up the next day, he was already sent to the inner sect, before the patriarch.
"That night, you played a fun game with everyone. Everyone closed their eyes and couldn't peek or move. The children were so well-behaved and obedient. They rested their chins on their hands, closed their eyes without any guard, and discussed with smiles who would be the final winner."
Helian Zhu closed his eyes, as if an invisible hand was choking his breath.
As if that wasn't enough, Helian Yong cruelly laid bare the facts before everyone.
“They were too obedient. No one peeked, so they didn’t notice. You stood up unsteadily, sword in hand. You beheaded the little girl closest to you with one stroke. She didn’t even have time to cry out before her blood splattered everywhere…tsk tsk…” Helian Yong looked at him with a sigh and pity. “In your little hall, there was blood everywhere in the end. There wasn’t a single intact corpse. It was like a living hell.”
Helian Zhu swayed, his whole body became dazed, his vision gradually blurred, and large tears rolled down his cheeks one after another like rain. It was as if a sword had pierced his heart, making it hard for him to breathe.
“Xiao Zhu!” Helian Jue walked to his side. “Don’t listen to his nonsense. You don’t know any of this.”
Lu Jin pointed at Helian Yong and cursed, "Shut up! Someone like you will be struck by lightning sooner or later!"
Helian Yong remained unmoved, even chuckled softly, and said, "Zhu'er, you may not know this, but those who died at your hands and whose fates you stole will be regarded as aliens by the Heavenly Dao, and will be rejected by the Heavenly Dao, and will perish along with you in both body and soul."
Helian Zhu felt a buzzing sound in his head, as if something inside him had completely collapsed.
"No—!" A heart-wrenching scream rang in my ears.
Helian Zhu remembered that it was the voice of that annoying Danxiu.
Helian Zhu stared blankly, wondering why he was always so easily startled.
For a fleeting moment, he felt as if he had moved slightly, and a strange sensation came from his arms. Warm water soaked his clothes, and a drop of water fell to the ground, turning into red plum blossoms.
what happened?
Blood? How could there be blood?
Helian Zhu raised his head in confusion, and then the scene in his vision froze.
His arms pierced through two bodies, and the Cloud-Piercing Spear rolled to his feet with a thud.
He opened his mouth in a daze, and a strange, fragmented sound came from his throat, impossible to piece together.
"Ah...ah..."
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