Chapter 349: 349. Is the master Ling Xiaoyue
After bidding farewell to Fang Zhou, Li Yan and Luo Xuan left the Chu Kingdom overnight.
The headquarters of the True Mother God Sect is far away in the highland, and their Black Yaksha operates covertly in the Central Plains, with no direct affiliation among each other.
When their leader dies, they can only report upwards and cannot seek refuge with other leaders.
Li Yan and Luo Xuan found a contact point secretly set up by the True Mother God Sect to relay the events that happened in the capital of the Chu Kingdom and patiently waited for the sect’s decision on how to deal with them.
The two were not nervous, as the sect’s handling of them would probably just be physical punishment, not direct execution.
Though according to the sect’s rules, if the leader dies, subordinates cannot survive; otherwise, it is considered betrayal.
But rules are dead and people are alive; there are always countermeasures to policies from above. Li Yan and Luo Xuan shoulder the important task of conveying intelligence, so they can’t be casually discarded; that would be irresponsible to the sect.
Moreover, the current cultivation world is lacking talent in both righteous and demonic sects, and a Foundation Establishment Realm Perfection cultivator is at least as valuable as an advanced mixed soldier and shouldn’t be wasted, but should continue to shine and serve in their position.
After waiting at the contact point for a long time, they finally received the notification to meet the new leader.
The new leader was in Yangzhou, Qi Country, so Li Yan and Luo Xuan rushed there without rest and eventually met the new leader on a pleasure boat by Yangzhou Lake.
The new leader was a new General Yaksha; Li Yan and Luo Xuan only knew this new leader’s name as Yun Zheyue, the real name unknown, a rising star in the True Mother God Sect, deeply trusted by Bisha Heavenly King.
On the boat, Yun Zheyue sat behind the beaded curtain, making it impossible to see her appearance, while Li Yan and Luo Xuan knelt outside, recounting again the events in the Chu Kingdom capital.
Li Yan did not lie or randomly add unnecessary details, but from her perspective, the story vaguely turned into a scenario where, besides those three disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, there was a third force lurking in the Chu Kingdom capital.
This third force used the Heavenly Sword Sect to distract the Poison Fire Ghost Crow, then ambushed them in the end, causing the sect’s plan to fail.
Luo Xuan’s account was hardly different from Li Yan’s. The two had already conspired with each other before they came, so their stories were seamless, and they omitted the part about being captured by Fang Zhou.
After listening, Yun Zheyue slowly said, “The Poison Fire General is dead, yet you, as subordinates, are still alive. According to the sect’s rules, you should be executed and buried with the Poison Fire General.”
Her voice was ethereal and cold, like clouds and moonlight, pleasing to the ear, and very melodious.
Li Yan and Luo Xuan had no time to appreciate this and quickly bowed their heads, waiting for the judgment.
Yun Zheyue slowly continued, “Considering the important information you brought back as atonement, the death penalty can be avoided, but the living penalty cannot. Go and receive twenty lashes.”
Li Yan and Luo Xuan showed gratitude on their faces, kowtowing repeatedly in thanks.
Yun Zheyue was sent by the sect to succeed the Poison Fire Ghost Crow, and the former subordinates of the Poison Fire were all incorporated under Yun Zheyue’s command.
Therefore, Yun Zheyue also held the power of life and death over Li Yan and Luo Xuan, and how to deal with them depended on her mood.
Receiving twenty lashes was already the lightest punishment; if it were anyone else, the two wouldn’t die but would lose a layer of skin, not to let off steam for the Poison Fire but to give the newcomers a warning.
After Li Yan and Luo Xuan left with many thanks, Yun Zheyue sat silently behind the beaded curtain.
Upon learning of the Poison Fire Ghost Crow’s death, the True Mother God Sect was furious and sent her overnight to handle the aftermath and capture the culprit.
Each Innate Realm cultivator is a valuable combat force, no exception for the True Mother God Sect, which originally thought that the Poison Fire Ghost Crow alone could bring the Blood God Mask back to the sect, only to find that even she had fallen.
The Poison Fire Ghost Crow was a veteran Innate cultivator; Yun Zheyue would have to go through some trouble to take her down. Yet, she died silently within the Chu Kingdom, indicating how troublesome the enemy was.
Before dying, the Poison Fire Ghost Crow sent a scene of her death back to the sect, revealing the suspected culprit—the Demon Sect.
The True Mother God Sect was skeptical, as they had been misled once before at Wild Tomb Ridge, wasting their efforts attacking the Xuanji Sect, ultimately gaining nothing and drawing the vigilance of the Righteous Alliance.
However, the suspicion against the Demon Sect was indeed significant, not just this time. After attacking the Xuanji Sect, the True Mother God Sect sent people to investigate how Wangyue Daily anticipated their actions.
Those sent to investigate were also ambushed by the Demon Sect, nearly wiped out, with only Jin Xihai escaping.
Caught twice in the act, who would believe the Demon Sect’s innocence?
So now the logical chain is very clear—the Demon Sect disrupted the True Mother God Sect’s arrangements at Wild Tomb Ridge, misled them into attacking the Xuanji Sect, and Wangyue Daily was probably fabricated by the Demon Sect. The True Mother God Sect was blocked by the Demon Sect when they went to investigate.
And now they even ambushed the Poison Fire Ghost Crow in the Chu Kingdom capital, foiling her plan; the Blood God Mask likely has already been taken by the Demon Sect.
All these signs show that the Demon Sect has been secretly monitoring every move of the True Mother God Sect, sabotaging their plans or seizing advantages at critical moments, exceedingly vile.
The high-ups of the True Mother God Sect are very annoyed by this; both sides are shadowy forces that should stay out of each other’s business, and their main enemy should be the Righteous Alliance. What’s with you, Demon Sect, constantly stabbing us in the back?
Could it be that your furtive Demon Sect also wants to betray the dark side?
The matter is significant, and the True Mother God Sect did not hastily strike back but sent Yun Zheyue to investigate thoroughly.
Once confirmed that the Demon Sect is behind this trickery, the True Mother God Sect’s retaliation will be relentless; they have always been the ones causing trouble for others, and no one dares provoke them.
Yun Zheyue, carrying the heavy responsibility, rushed to the Central Plains overnight to uncover the truth.
Li Yan’s statement, Yun Zheyue tended to believe; after all, she had been taught by the Poison Fire Ghost Crow for many years, loyal and devoted, with her elder sister killed by the enemy, it’s unlikely she would betray.
Only Yun Zheyue did not expect that in this world, nothing is impossible; Li Yan had even changed the shape of her Divine Soul for someone else. Betrayal is just a small matter.
After pondering for a while, Yun Zheyue suddenly said, “Jin Xihai, come in.”
Jin Xihai, who once escaped from Fang Zhou, walked in humbly from outside the boat, now a close subordinate of Yun Zheyue.
Yun Zheyue softly said, “Tell me again about your being ambushed by the Demon Sect.”
Jin Xihai responded quickly, recounting how she had been sent by the sect to infiltrate the Cloud Sea Mountains, investigating the creator of Wangyue Daily, and was then ambushed and nearly taken away by a male Demon Cultist.
Yun Zheyue listened quietly, and when Jin Xihai spoke a particular phrase, Yun Zheyue was suddenly shocked and exclaimed involuntarily, “What did you say? Say it again!”
Jin Xihai didn’t understand why Yun Zheyue had such a reaction and repeated obediently, “That person asked me if my master was Ling Xiaoyue.”