Chapter 13 Tianli Divine Sect
Six years ago, the Demon King of the Demonic Cult gathered many members at Mingling Peak, intending to resurrect the Beast God. However, he was instead manipulated by the Beast God, who then seized his body. Gui Li, the former vice-leader of the Demonic Cult, repented after being persuaded by Tian Buyi, the head of Dazhu Peak of the Qingyun Sect, and became Zhang Xiaofan again. He joined forces with the Qingyun Sect to kill the Demon King. The Demonic Cult suffered a severe blow; many of its disciples perished at the hands of the righteous path, and the two Holy Envoys of the Demonic Cult, You Ji and Qinglong, disappeared without a trace.
Just when both the Qingyun Sect and the Fenxiang Valley thought they could take this opportunity to annihilate the Demonic Sect at Mingling Peak, Qin Wuyan, a disciple of the Wandu Sect who was thought to be dead, suddenly appeared and led the remaining Demonic Sect disciples to set up a formation that the righteous people had never seen before, trapping many righteous disciples in the formation. Since the Qingyun Sect Leader Daoxuan did not carry the Zhuxian Sword, he was unable to resist.
Fortunately, Zhang Xiaofan, who possessed the power of three scrolls of Heavenly Calligraphy, fought desperately to resist, thus avoiding being killed. Even so, countless righteous people were killed or wounded, and the area beneath Mingling Peak was littered with corpses and filled with blood.
In this battle, both the righteous and demonic factions suffered heavy losses, with nearly three thousand people dying on each side. Among those killed were Dao Xuan, the leader of Qingyun Sect; Zeng Shuchang, the head of Chaoyang Peak; Yun Yilan, the master of Fenxiang Valley; and his disciple Shangguan Ce. Young disciples such as Zhang Xiaofan, Lu Xueqi, and Lin Jingyu were also seriously injured, forcing both sides to temporarily cease hostilities.
The righteous cultivators were utterly bewildered, unable to comprehend why Qin Wuyan had suddenly acquired such immense power, capable of inflicting such severe injuries upon them. However, they were unable to investigate further, as they subsequently lost all trace of Qin Wuyan.
Therefore, the Qingyun Sect and the Fenxiang Valley had no choice but to lead their surviving disciples back to their respective sects to recuperate.
Six months later, news that shocked all sects spread throughout the Central Plains: Qin Wuyan had recruited the remaining members of the Demonic Sect to his own sect on Fox Ridge Mountain, calling it the Tianli Divine Sect.
Upon hearing this news, the righteous disciples who had a blood feud with Qin Wuyan all cursed him as a shameless scoundrel who dared to call himself the "Divine Sect." However, the terrifying formation that had killed three thousand disciples not long ago was still vivid in their minds, so they could only vent their anger verbally, on the one hand denouncing the Tianli Divine Sect as the Tianli Demonic Sect, and on the other hand hiding in fear that the demonic sect would launch another surprise attack.
For six years, the righteous and the demonic have maintained a delicate balance, refraining from interfering with each other. However, the righteous path still reigns supreme in the human world, with legends of Qingyun Sect, Fenxiang Valley, and Tianyin Temple disciples vanquishing demons and protecting the righteous circulate everywhere. Meanwhile, the Tianli Divine Sect, led by Qin Wuyan, is still regarded as a demonic cult, yet people are filled with curiosity and curiosity about the Tianli Divine Sect, wondering if its elusive sect leader is still alive.
"Could this sect leader have died long ago in that great war between the righteous and the demonic forces?!"
"Yes, yes, otherwise how could he not have shown up for six years?"
"No way! If he's dead, who's in charge of the Demonic Sect now? Wouldn't it be in complete chaos by now!"
At the foot of Fox Hill lies a small town called Qianxia Town. Villagers come and go in a constant stream, as this place is a transportation hub. Whether going up Fox Hill or heading to other places after leaving the mountain, one must pass through this town. Therefore, this town is very prosperous, with teahouses and wine shops lining the road. Many people who stop here like to discuss the Tianli Divine Sect on nearby Fox Hill.
"I bet ten coins he's still alive!"
"Pshaw! Ten coins is nothing. I bet a tael of silver that he's definitely dead, and he'll die a double suicide for love!"
Upon hearing this, many people gathered around, exclaiming in shock, "Huh??? How is that possible? How could the dignified leader of the Demonic Sect commit suicide for love?"
"Exactly, he didn't even have a wife, what kind of love could he have committed suicide for?"
"Hey, let me tell you slowly," the man said, dressed in a blue and white Taoist robe, waving a white feather fan in his hand. He chuckled, and the group of young people sitting around him couldn't help but look at him. He continued:
"You may not know this, but it is said that Sect Master Qin was deeply in love with Biyao, the daughter of the deceased Ghost King. Unfortunately, Biyao fell in love with a disciple of the Qingyun Sect and died in the first war between the righteous and the demonic. Originally, her soul was preserved by the Hehuan Bell, giving her a chance to be resurrected. However, during the second war between the righteous and the demonic at Mingling Peak, Biyao's physical body was destroyed, leaving her with no hope of resurrection. So, in a fit of rage, Sect Master Qin fought the righteous path to the death. Sect Master Qin's cultivation had always been mediocre, but after Biyao's death, his power suddenly increased, and he slaughtered everyone in his path. It is said that he sold his soul to the King of Hell to avenge Biyao, thus gaining that earth-shattering power. After taking his revenge, he naturally died."
Those sitting around drinking tea exclaimed in surprise, "So that's how it is! It really makes sense!"
"How rare! There's actually such a devoted man in the Demonic Sect!"
"That's utter nonsense! Qin Wuyan is clearly alive and well, how could he be dead! Died for love??? Ha, how could a treacherous, cunning, heartless, and ruthless villain like him sell his soul for a woman? It's utterly ridiculous!"
The speaker was a woman dressed in crimson maple leaves, standing before the table with a long sword in her hand, her face full of anger. Behind her, at a tea table, sat four or five men and women dressed similarly, appearing slightly younger than her; clearly, they were disciples from the Incense Valley. The woman who had spoken out in rebuttal was none other than Yan Hong.
Just as Yan Hong was about to continue her rebuttal, the man beside her suddenly pulled her back, shook his head, and whispered, "Junior sister, please bear with it for now, lest you ruin our plan."
The crowd wanted to hear her continue, but she stomped her foot angrily, sat back down silently, and the group of people who had been craning their necks to hear the gossip looked disappointed.
Just then, another rough, hoarse voice rang out:
"You are mistaken, young lady!"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw an old man with a white beard leaning on a cane, supported by a girl of about eight or nine years old, slowly walking towards them. The old man said slowly:
"Sect Master Qin is indeed still alive, but he is not a vicious and ruthless villain. Over the years, the Tianli Divine Sect under his management has done many good deeds for the people within a hundred miles of Fox Ridge Mountain. Last year, when Qianxia Town was flooded, he used his magic to protect the people's farmland and save their crops. Two years ago, my granddaughter contracted an epidemic, and he cured her. He also gave this old man some of his own concoctions to prolong his life, and every three months he sends his disciples to the countryside to treat the people. You can all ask the people around here; we never call the Tianli Divine Sect a demonic sect. Everyone respectfully calls him Sect Master!"
“Father is right,” the tea server said, bringing over the teapot and pouring water as he spoke.
"Everyone here has received the Sect Master's kindness. Take my legs, for example. I thought they were broken and I'd never be able to stand up again. But one day, I happened to run into Sect Master Qin on his way out, and he kindly gave me a bottle of medicine. After using it, hey, I was slowly able to stand up again. Now, although my legs are a little lame, at least I can support myself. This Sect Master is incredibly powerful; he not only knows how to exorcise demons and monsters but also how to heal the sick and save lives. In my opinion, the Tianli Divine Sect is a true divine sect, no less powerful than the Qingyun Sect, the Fenxiang Valley, or the Tianyin Temple."
Yan Hong couldn't help but sneer, "Hmph, full of nonsense. You people are probably not ordinary citizens, but Qin Wuyan's lackeys. Only a few of you would speak up for him."
A disciple standing nearby chimed in, "That's right. Qin Wuyan is a ruthless killer; many of our fellow disciples have died at his hands. What right does he have to be compared to the Incense Valley and the Azure Cloud Sect?"
The little girl standing next to the white-bearded old man retorted in a soft, sweet voice, "That's not true!"
Although she still looked somewhat young, her eyes were bright and resolute, and her words were righteous and stern.
"It's extremely difficult to join the Tianli Divine Sect. The sect leader isn't someone anyone can just accept. My grandfather, father, and mother are all commoners here. They received favors from the sect leader, so I'm just speaking the truth. But you, who are slandering Sect Leader Qin like this, are probably from the Qingyun Sect or the Fenxiang Valley."
The young man in the white Taoist robe sitting behind the girl couldn't help but smile slightly upon hearing this. He remained silent, continuing to watch the disciples of the Burning Incense Valley opposite him. Suddenly, one of the disciples quietly walked to the side of a young man in red and whispered a few words in his ear. The young man in the white Taoist robe couldn't help but frown slightly.
After the disciple finished reporting the news, the man in red suddenly stood up and said disdainfully to the girl in front of him, "We are disciples of Burning Incense Valley, so what?"
This person was none other than Yan Hong's senior brother, Li Xun. After Yun Yilan and Shangguan Ce died in the war between the righteous and the demonic, he became the new Valley Master of Fenxiang Valley. Over the years, he had never forgotten the hatred for killing his master. This time, he came to Fox Hill to find out about the situation of Tianli Divine Sect and to prepare for revenge.
Upon hearing this, everyone couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. It was common knowledge that the Tianli Divine Sect had been at odds with the Qingyun Sect and the Fenxiang Valley for many years. The sudden appearance of Fenxiang Valley disciples on Fox Hill suggested that their intentions were not good.
Li Xun continued, "Qin Wuyan is protecting your people only to win their hearts and minds."
He suddenly drew his sword from his waist, pointed it at the girl and the old man, and sneered, "Since you're so protective of him, let's see if he'll come to your rescue!"
As they spoke, the sword light flashed towards the girl. Startled, she quickly raised her hand to cover her face. She heard a loud "bang," as if something had exploded. When she opened her eyes, she saw white feathers fluttering like snowflakes in front of her.
The young man in the white Taoist robe stood in front of the girl. The feather fan in his hand had its large feathers chopped off when he blocked the sword blade, but the handle was still firmly held in his hand, which showed that his cultivation level was not low.
The young man said coldly, "Li Xun, is indiscriminate killing of innocent people the way of righteous disciples?"
Li Xun's tone was full of resentment: "Everyone who sides with Qin Wuyan is a disciple of the Demonic Sect, and cannot be considered innocent. And who are you? Why don't you state your name?"
The young man in white robes smiled and said, "What, Li Xun, only six years have passed, and you don't recognize me anymore?" As soon as he finished speaking, a flash of white light appeared, and the man suddenly transformed into a woman in white robes, her eyes and brows full of charm, beautiful and captivating.
Li Xun was knocked back a few steps by her magic. After regaining his footing, he saw the person in front of him clearly and frowned angrily, saying, "So you're a nine-tailed white fox! You're also in cahoots with Qin Wuyan. Perfect, today we'll settle all our old and new scores together." He raised his long sword, and the disciples of Fenxiang Valley behind him rushed forward to help him.
Another disciple tossed something into the air, which suddenly exploded, bursting into fiery red flames that bloomed like flowers in the sky. It was the Incense Valley's special signal for transmitting messages. A short while later, a dozen men and women dressed in blue-green robes flew in from the foot of Fox Ridge Mountain in the distance; they were disciples of the Azure Cloud Sect.
Just then, Li Xun and his disciples surrounded Xiao Bai and shouted, "Fox demon, surrender now!"
Xiao Bai laughed, "You few can't handle me." She waved her sleeve and cast a spell to block the attacking disciples of Fenxiang Valley, when suddenly a girl's shrill scream came from behind her:
"Let me go, let my grandfather go!!" The girl who had just spoken up to Li Xun and the others, along with the white-bearded old man, were both captured by the disciples of Fenxiang Valley.
This girl was Mu Yao. After Qin Wuyan left, Xiao Bai was entrusted by him to protect Mu Yao. So he disguised himself as a man and chatted with people in the tea shop, also to keep an eye on the movements of righteous people.
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