A night passed, and with the dawn of the next day, more and more Outer Disciples entered the Outer City.
Disciples from the Demon Extermination Hall and Law Enforcement Hall began to guard each city gate, checking the identity card of every disciple who entered.
On the Heavenly Repair Platform, many disciples were already sitting in meditation waiting; Su Han and Zhen Qin stood at the edge of the platform, looking out with furrowed brows.
“Senior brother, I have a bad feeling about this, shall we leave?” whispered Zhen Qin.
She practiced the cultivation technique taught by Jiang Qiong, with a keen perception. Those Demon Extermination Hall disciples standing at the edge of the Heavenly Repair Platform made her uncomfortable, an unease that instinctively made her want to flee the area.
Su Han also felt that something was amiss, so he nodded and left with his junior sister.
The two of them went against the flow; it wasn’t just them, other disciples also sensed something off and wanted to leave the Outer City, but many more chose to trust the Supreme Sect.
Reaching the city gate, Su Han and Zhen Qin were stopped by Demon Extermination Hall disciples, who stated that today entry was allowed, but exit was not.
Su Han’s gaze moved to the flags standing on the city wall, his eyebrows furrowing again—those flags hadn’t been there when they entered the city yesterday.
“Junior sister, I’ll draw their attention, you prepare to escape,” Su Han said using the Sound Transmission Skill.
Upon hearing this, Zhen Qin instinctively looked towards him.
Just then, Su Han suddenly drew his sword and charged towards the city gate in a swift stride.
“How dare you!”
The Disciples guarding the gate shouted angrily; without needing orders, other surrounding Demon Extermination Hall disciples immediately took action.
Zhen Qin wanted to support Su Han, but seeing him encircled, she knew that if she helped him now, they would both be captured, thus wasting his efforts.
She immediately moved toward the city gate. However, nearly a hundred Disciples of the Demon Extermination Hall blocked the way, and there were also people on the walls, making it very difficult to escape.
Zhen Qin charged towards the direction with the fewest people. At the same time, other disciples wanting to leave the city also started to fight, causing chaos at the front of the city gate.
The cultivation level of the Demon Extermination Hall disciples was at least at the fifth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Su Han was quickly subdued and pinned to the ground, unable to move.
He struggled to raise his head, only to see Zhen Qin injured and on the ground, which made his eyes turn red.
The one who injured Zhen Qin was a woman dressed in the black garb of the Demon Extermination Hall. She came from outside the city, blocking the gate, and coldly announced to everyone, “Today we are checking for spies from the Demon Path. Anyone who tries to leave will confirm their identity as a demon cultivator!”
At her words, the restlessly anxious disciples instead let out a sigh of relief.
So it was a search for demon spies—no wonder the grand setup.
They were worried that the Supreme Sect was up to something else. If it was just a search for Demon Cultivators, they were not afraid, for they had nothing to hide.
Su Han, Zhen Qin, and other combative disciples had their Spiritual Power sealed with talisman paper by the Demon Extermination Hall disciples and were then escorted to the Heavenly Repair Platform.
As noon approached, all the city gates in the Outer City were closed.
A loud bell rang out, and an imposing voice reached all the disciples in the city:
“All disciples must immediately gather at the Heavenly Repair Platform!”
Disciples from various streets began heading towards the Heavenly Repair Platform, and the vast expanse of the platform was already occupied by tens of thousands of disciples.
The news about the Outer City investigating demon spies had spread, and those who were not demon spies felt at ease, some even cultivating by absorbing energy on the platform.
Ye Lan followed the Law Enforcement Hall disciples to the edge of the Heavenly Repair Platform. She was about to step onto the platform when she suddenly saw a row of disciples kneeling on the ground in the distance. Her delicate brows furrowed because she recognized Su Han and Zhen Qin, who appeared disheveled with blood on their mouths, obviously having just been through a battle.
She did not act rashly, but instead withdrew her gaze, pondering how to rescue her two fellow disciples.
After much thought, she had to admit the only person she could turn to was Lu Jiujia.
The Law Enforcement Hall had been completely suppressed by the Demon Extermination Hall, making it impossible to get people out of the Demon Extermination Hall, even for the leader of the hall.
Ye Lan began to worry about Gu An, hoping he had not entered the city.
She always felt that today’s events were more than just a hunt for demon cultivators.
As a disciple of the Law Enforcement Hall, she could not flee just because of suspicions. Deep down, she still held some trust in the Supreme Sect, believing that the shady dealings of the Demon Extermination Hall could only operate in the shadows.
In the distance.
Jiang Qiong and a hunchbacked elder stood at the window of a pavilion. They were not the only ones; some Inner Sect Disciples who were passing by the Outer City did not go to the Heavenly Repair Platform either, but they were curious about what the Outer Sector was up to.
“Last night, there was a powerful Divine Sense checking the entire city; its cultivation level may have already surpassed the Divinity Transformation Realm,” the hunchbacked elder said with a heavy tone and furrowed brow.
Surpassed the Divinity Transformation Realm?
Jiang Qiong narrowed her eyes.
The hunchbacked elder then asked, “Miss, is it now time for you to tell me why you have come here?”
Gazing towards the distant Heavenly Repair Platform, Jiang Qiong replied, “To kill a traitor.”
A traitor?
The hunchbacked elder looked puzzled.
Time continued to pass.
When the number of people on the Heavenly Repair Platform surpassed one hundred thousand, the platform still appeared spacious.
Lu Jiujia stood at the edge of the platform, scanning the disciples on it. The murderous aura on his face became even more apparent, giving off a very dangerous vibe.
Ye Lan approached, and seeing her, Lu Jiujia’s brow furrowed.
“Su Han and Zhen Qin have been captured by your people, can you let them go?” Ye Lan asked in a low voice.
Though she had severed ties with Lu Jiujia, for the sake of the two juniors, she had no choice but to humble herself.
If she were the victim, she could choose death, but those two were Gu An’s disciples, and she could not completely ignore them.
Upon hearing this, Lu Jiujia’s brows furrowed even tighter, but he still nodded slightly.
“Thank you!”
Having said that, Ye Lan turned and left.
Lu Jiujia watched her retreating figure, wanting to say something but stopping himself. In the end, he could only sigh and then went to look for Su Han and the others.
After half an incense stick of time, he returned to his original position with Su Han and Zhen Qin.
Zhen Qin cautiously asked, “Martial Uncle Lu, is it really just about catching the spies from the Demon Path?”
Lu Jiujia nodded lightly, without saying a word.
Zhen Qin breathed a sigh of relief and said no more, while Su Han observed Lu Jiujia, his instincts telling him that something was off about Lu Jiujia.
Suddenly.
To the east of the Heavenly Repair Platform, a red umbrella rose from behind a large building, swiftly flying to the airspace directly above the center of the platform, drawing many gazes.
The red umbrella opened, and beads made of white jade began to fall, tied together by tassels in the air; they swayed and collided with each other, producing a clear, chiming sound.
With a loud bang!
The red umbrella burst forth with strong spiritual power, and a pale golden light circle expanded swiftly, covering the entire outer city and connecting with the tall flags on the city walls.
Everyone in the city looked up, some in astonishment, others in fear.
A figure appeared out of nowhere below the red umbrella, strikingly the man in the black robe.
“I am Chu Xian, an elder from the Main City of Sect of the Supreme Sect. I have come here to cleanse the Demon Path spies from the Outer Sect.”
The man known as Chu Xian spoke, his words falling, and the vast aura of the Void Crossing Realm enveloped the entire Outer Sect, making everyone feel his immense power.
Ye Lan looked up at the high and mighty Chu Xian from the sea of people, her eyes filled with shock.
What kind of cultivation level did one need to possess such a demeanor?
Not just her, but Lu Jiujia, Su Han, and Zhen Qin were also shocked. The majority of the outer disciples revered Chu Xian like an Immortal.
“The Outer Sect has had the Demon Extermination Hall for many years, and many spies from the Demon Path have been captured, yet their atrocities continue. Let us check the Demon Exhibition Hall first!”
The voice of Chu Xian was so cold. As he spoke, the red umbrella above him whirled, emitting sinister sounds that echoed throughout the city.
Lu Jiujia’s face drastically changed, his hands covering his chest, and with a thump, he knelt on the ground.
Not just him, the other disciples of the Demon Extermination Hall did the same, some even cried out in agony.
“Martial Uncle Lu, what’s wrong with you?” Zhen Qin quickly asked, extremely anxious.
Lu Jiujia felt as if he was being devoured by ten thousand insects, the pain was extreme, he had no strength to reply. He could only raise his hand to signal Zhen Qin and Su Han to stay away.
The disciples of the Outer Sect who were on the platform were all looking towards the edge area where the disciples of the Demon Extermination Hall were, talking in hushed, shocked tones.
“The magic artifact on my head is the Demon Suppressing Umbrella. Under its light, all Demonic Qi vanishes. Any practitioner of Demon Skills will turn to blood water!” Chu Xian’s voice rose once again.
The Heavenly Repair Platform exploded into chaos!
The Demon Extermination Hall was actually full of Demon Cultivators?
In all these years, how many had the Demon Extermination Hall captured, already making it abhorrent. Now knowing that they were all Demon Cultivators, how could they not be enraged?
Various curses and condemnations arose.
Lu Jiujia was in excruciating pain, his forehead on the ground, his body trembling.
“Damn… it’s true…”
Lu Jiujia gritted his teeth, his face twisted to the utmost, he couldn’t mobilize his spiritual power, and his heart plunged into unprecedented fear.
Suddenly, Demonic Qi emerged from his body, rising up, not just from him, but also from other Demon Extermination Hall disciples. It climbed swiftly into the air towards the Demon Suppressing Umbrella.
Ye Lan stepped out from the crowd and saw Lu Jiujia in agony. She immediately came forward and took out an elixir from her storage bag to feed him.
This act caused other disciples to start cursing her, but she remained indifferent.
However, her elixir had no effect.
“Junior Sister… run…” Lu Jiujia’s voice was straining, each word seeming to exhaust all his strength.
As the word “run” fell, he suddenly spat out a large mouthful of black blood.
“What in the world is going on?”
Ye Lan asked in a deep voice. She paused, then quickly added, “I can’t possibly escape right now, not unless the truth is revealed and the entire sect unites to resist. That’s the only chance for survival.”
Lu Jiujia no longer had the strength to reply. He shakily raised his right hand, his index finger pointing to the heavens.
p>Ye Lan turned her head to look, and the person he was pointing at was indeed Chu Xian above them.
“Next, we must inspect the platform for spies from the Demon Path.”
Chu Xian’s voice rang out, quieting the clamorous Heavenly Repair Platform in an instant. Even the disciples with clear consciences suddenly felt a bit panicked at this moment.
The Demon Suppressing Umbrella swayed again, that sinister sound causing everyone’s hearts to palpitate.
Ye Lan seemed to sense something, sharply looking down just as the ground of the Heavenly Repair Platform revealed dense, strange blood runes. Her feet were precisely on these runes, and a malevolent power burrowed into her body, forcibly sealing her spiritual power and immobilizing her.
She trembled all over, and her White Spirit Sword also emitted a sound because of it.
All the disciples on the platform knelt in unison, resembling the rise and fall of a tide, the ground beneath their feet also covered with dense blood runes.
“To think the invasion of the Demon Path was this deep. Since this is the case, there is no need for this Outer Sect to exist anymore.”
Chu Xian’s voice descended from the heavens, so ice-cold, plunging everyone into a deep abyss.
…
In Mystic Valley, within a loft.
Gu An was busy writing a book when suddenly the table trembled, causing him to stop writing.
His gaze shifted to the Qinghong Sword placed on the table beside him. At this moment, the Qinghong Sword was vibrating intensely, as if the blade was about to rush out of its sheath, with a faint sound of a bird’s cry.
Watching the Qinghong Sword, Gu An’s expression changed.