Bi Yun's body transformed into a sky filled with blood mist, dispersing into the air, the thick, pungent scent of blood assaulting the nostrils, causing immense discomfort.
Gu Tao's eyes were bloodshot, a face of despair.
Ye Heng's eyes twitched slightly.
Everyone has a love for beauty.
Ye Heng had a certain appreciation for Bi Yun, but his feelings hadn't reached the point of adoration. Yet, watching Bi Yun die before his eyes, his thoughts couldn't help but fluctuate.
This pity and sympathy were fleeting.
Ye Heng glanced toward the direction of the forest where a figure hurriedly approached, then abruptly stopped with a click, staring at Xiao Yi and the blood mist that was once Bi Yun with a face full of shock and confusion.
"It's actually her?" Ye Heng's expression changed slightly.
The others also saw the newcomer's face, each showing a look of astonishment: "Isn't that Bai Rushuang, the former Vice Hall Master of the Feixue Temple? What is she doing here?"
"Bi Yun, Bai Rushuang... I seem to smell the scent of conspiracy!"
The moment Gu Tao saw Bai Rushuang, his expression also changed: "Why is she here?"
Xiao Yi looked calmly at Bai Rushuang, his lips curling up in a thick smirk of ridicule, "Vice Hall Master Bai, I thought you planned to hide indefinitely!"
Bai Rushuang's face slightly changed.
Xiao Yi's gaze was sharp as a blade, making her feel as if stripped bare before him, with no secrets to hide.
Bai Rushuang swallowed hard and said with a forced smile, "Head Xiao is joking. I just happened to pass by this place and didn't mean to stay hidden."
"Just happened to pass by?"
The mockery on Xiao Yi's face deepened as he leaned forward slightly, scoffing coldly, "Vice Hall Master Bai, do you think I'm a fool, or do you think you're exceptionally clever? Do you think I'd believe such an excuse?"
Bai Rushuang's complexion turned pale, inwardly lamenting that all of this was a conspiracy orchestrated by the Feixue Temple themselves.
Its purpose was to incite conflict between Ye Heng and Gu Tao.
As long as Ye Heng and Gu Tao fought, she would strike from the shadows to kill one of them, sparking conflict between Xiao Yi and Three Seas Mountain. At that time, the Feixue Temple would be able to profit from the chaos.
Just as the plan was about to succeed, it was disrupted by Xiao Yi, who emerged unexpectedly.
Bai Rushuang's eyes shifted quickly, and she spoke up: "Head Xiao, there is a misunderstanding..."
Xiao Yi let out a cold laugh, stepping closer to Bai Rushuang with each word booming like thunder, "From the moment I arrived, you have been hiding in the shadows, and you speak of a misunderstanding to me?"
Before Bai Rushuang could finish speaking, her body trembled violently, as if she had been hit hard by Xiao Yi's invisible fist.
Five or six ribs were broken.
"Earlier, when Gu Tao challenged Ye Heng, you were hiding and building up force, ready to launch a sneak attack. You say this is a misunderstanding?"
The invisible fist was unavoidable and inescapable; with a heavy thud, it hit her squarely in the stomach. She spewed a mouthful of fresh blood, Bai Rushuang's face ghastly pale, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, but she no longer feigned respect, "Xiao Yi, if you knew I was hiding, you should understand this matter wasn't decided by me alone. Do you really want to burn all bridges with us?"
The Feixue Temple had always built its power by arranging marriages between their female disciples and powerful men, forging alliances to strengthen themselves.
Without exaggeration...
In the past, even the Tianjian Sect dared not underestimate the Feixue Temple.
Within the Tianjian Sect, there were also many powerful men whose partners came from the Feixue Temple.
Nowadays, the Xiaoshanhe Institute dominated the Daqian Dynasty, having brought under its wing the forces of the ten major sects. Although not all elites from these sects were loyal, within the Three Seas Mountain, because of Yun Ruowang's influence, they were unwilling to conspire with them.
Exactly because of that.
They had chosen Gu Tao as their breakthrough point, with the aim of sparking a conflict between Xiaoshanhe Institute and Three Seas Mountain.
So as to find an opportunity to take control of the Xiaoshanhe Institute.
All their plans were foiled by Xiao Yi.
Facing Bai Rushuang's threats, Xiao Yi scoffed, and with a single hand reaching into the air, Bai Rushuang felt his throat clutched tightly, an invisible force lifting him gradually off the ground.
Bai Rushuang was suspended in midair.
His hands desperately grasped at the unseen force, his legs flailing in an attempt to break free.
Xiao Yi's face was expressionless, his cold laughter continuous, "Do you think I would be afraid of the rabble you mentioned, who only dare to scheme in the shadows?"
Bai Rushuang, gasping for air, pupils dilating rapidly, howled hysterically, "You have no idea how much power we hold. With the power in our hands, we can replace you anytime, you..."
"Replace me? Hahaha, truly laughable. Today, I want to see who among you can replace me!"
Xiao Yi's face was expressionless as he laughed coldly.
As soon as his words ended.
Bai Rushuang's neck was abruptly snapped.
Xiao Yi, still expressionless, turned to Ye Heng, "Take Bai Rushuang's corpse to the martial arts arena, and command Yu Huaxian to ring the Zhentian Bell!"
Ye Heng nodded emphatically, carrying Bai Rushuang's corpse, and flew towards the martial arts arena.
The surrounding disciples were as silent as cicadas in winter, not daring to utter a word.
Gu Tao was even paler.
He understood that he had fallen into a trap set by the Feixue Temple; had Xiao Yi not seen through the conspiracy and appeared in time, he would either have died at the hands of Bai Rushuang or with Ye Heng killed, he would have been blamed, and his fate would have been miserable.
Xiao Yi glanced at Gu Tao with an indifferent look, and said, "You are all grown-ups now, bound to stand on your own in the future. I hope that in the face of future events, you will think carefully about what you should and shouldn't do, and not be unwitting tools in someone else's hands. Now, everyone head to the martial arts arena and wait for me..."
"Instructor, rest assured, I understand!"
The disciples replied loudly.
Gratitude filled Gu Tao's expression, and with his fists clenched tightly, he gazed at Xiao Yi, who had deeply imprinted himself in his soul.
Xiao Yi leaped up and was already flying towards the direction of the martial arts arena.
This department was set up specifically for the disciples of the former top ten sects and managed their integration into Xiaoshanhe Institute.
The former Hall Master of Feixue Temple, now the Vice Hall Master of Baizong Hall, Cai Hexin, was at this moment squinting his eyes, gazing at the several people before him, "You can rest assured, I've had Bai Rushuang follow in secret, ready to strike at any moment. With her following, failure is impossible. Once Ye Heng is dead, the Shadow Demon and their group will definitely not let Three Seas Mountain go. By then..."
The few people in front of him nodded in agreement.
But there were those who displayed hesitation; the leader of the Kuangdao Sect, Duan Kuangdao, furrowed his eyebrows and voiced his concern, "Actually, Xiao Yi has not been bad to us. If we do this and afterwards Xiao Yi retaliates, we..."
"I have information that Xiao Yi has appeared in the Nantian Dynasty, and the people of Nantian Dynasty won't let him off..."
"Whether he can even return alive is the question..."
Smirks of triumph appeared on their faces.
But just then, a sudden series of dull, thudding bell tolls came, shattering the smugness on their faces. They stood up in unison, faces filled with shock, "The Zhentian Bell? Has Xiao Yi returned?"