Chapter 123: The Blood Origin Sect Retreats in Defeat

“Senior Brother Long Yun!” Liu Xiaoxiao’s eyes shone with joy. Having just absorbed such a vast amount of blood fiend power, her cultivation had successfully advanced to the Innate Combined Qi Realm—ice and fire!

Yet, noticing the thoughtful gaze Long Yun cast upon her, Liu Xiaoxiao’s mood dimmed once more. Clever as she was, she naturally understood what he was thinking, and for a moment, her eyes grew uneasy.

“I’m sorry, Senior Brother Long Yun!” she spoke rare words of apology.

Long Yun gave a self-mocking smile. “No need to say sorry to me. You haven’t wronged me in any way. Everyone has their secrets. If you don’t want to share yours, I won’t force you.”

“Do you think I’m hiding something from you?” Liu Xiaoxiao’s gaze suddenly turned cold—a chill born from the depths of her heart.

Long Yun’s mind stirred, but he sighed shortly afterward. “Isn’t that so? I’m not interested in knowing all your secrets, but next time, I don’t want to be a tool you use!”

Liu Xiaoxiao gave a bitter smile. “So, in your eyes, am I truly that despicable? Do you really think I’m using you?”

“Isn’t that the case?” Long Yun shot back sharply, unwilling to yield an inch.

Suddenly, a laugh burst forth from Liu Xiaoxiao, filled with a pale sorrow, but then she quickly regained a terrifying calmness. “Yes, I am using you, and yet you’re so foolish, willingly letting me do so!”

“Leave the Jade Sword Sect! There’s no place for you to be exploited there. Now that you’ve reached the Innate Realm, you no longer need the Sect’s protection. I’ll act as if nothing happened, and I’ll keep your secret.” Long Yun’s voice grew icy upon hearing her own admission.

No matter what, it was certain Liu Xiaoxiao possessed demonic cultivation methods. Such a person could not remain in the Jade Sword Sect, nor be allowed to harm his family.

“Don’t worry! I will leave on my own. Hmph, I once thought there were special people in this world, but it seems I was too naive. Long Yun, next time we meet, we will be enemies!” Liu Xiaoxiao said lightly, her tone full of self-mockery and indifference.

Long Yun turned his head away, refusing to look at her.

Liu Xiaoxiao glanced at him once more, a mocking smile creeping onto her lips. With a sudden surge, her graceful figure shot upward, breaking through Long Yun’s light barrier in a single bound as she soared toward the distance.

A bitter smile flickered at Long Yun’s mouth. “Xiaoxiao, Master Xu Xian has returned, and his cultivation is unfathomable. How could your secret demonic aura remain hidden from him? Though I don’t know your true origins, I hope you will understand my good intentions and not stray down the wrong path.”

As the light barrier faded, Yan Qingqing quickly approached him, glancing toward the direction Liu Xiaoxiao had fled. Blinking her bright, lively eyes, she asked, “Brother, why did she leave?”

Long Yun smiled at her. “She has other matters to attend to and left first.”

“Brother, I think I saw her crying just now. Are you… all right?” Yan Qingqing asked cautiously, her gaze tinged with worry.

Long Yun gently stroked her head and said softly, “What could happen to your brother? Alright, the enemy remains at hand; we must first help Master and the others drive away these demonic fiends!”

“Junior Brother Long Yun, how is it going?” Xiao Leng and the other two came flying over as the light barrier dissipated. They had witnessed Liu Xiaoxiao’s sudden departure but said nothing.

Long Yun deliberately avoided the topic and said to the three senior brothers, “Thanks to Xiaoxiao and me, the Yin Yang Spring has been completely purified. Now, the spring’s energy is pure and vast. Take this opportunity to cultivate quickly; you might break through your current realms!”

Upon hearing his words, the three exchanged glances. After Long Yun’s barrier disappeared, they all sensed the pure energy erupting from the Yin Yang Spring.

Without hesitation, they sat cross-legged immediately, entering cultivation state.

“How is this possible?” Blood Qianli’s face darkened as he saw the Yin Yang Spring restored, with no trace of blood fiend power remaining.

“No one can break my Blood Fiend Magic Array! How could this be?” he snarled.

Xu Xian, however, was in high spirits. Seeing Blood Qianli’s embarrassment, he laughed heartily, “Jade Sword Sect disciples love creating miracles. Your broken array is only fit to fool children!”

“Bastard!” Blood Qianli glared fiercely at Long Yun, convinced the young man at the Innate Combined Qi Realm was the culprit behind the array’s destruction.

His hatred for Long Yun swelled.

Xu Xian sneered. With no worries left, he relaxed completely, his moves broad and unrestrained. The Star Absolute Killing Sword Technique transformed into a ruthless killing strike, forcing Blood Qianli to retreat repeatedly.

Endless despair flickered in Blood Qianli’s eyes. After nearly a thousand years of planning, so many unexpected variables arose today. Truly, the fate of the demon path was ill-starred.

The situation was hopeless; the Yin Yang Spring’s Blood Fiend Magic Array was broken, and the enemy’s numbers rivaled their own. Continuing the fight would only lead to mutual destruction.

Moreover, righteous sects beyond the Green Mountain faction would surely send reinforcements upon sensing the battle, leading to the complete downfall of the Blood Origin Sect.

With this in mind, Blood Qianli roared, forcing Xu Xian back with a palm strike, and shouted at Blood Shadow and the other Blood Origin Sect experts, “The plan has failed! Retreat!”

With that, he transformed into a beam of light and vanished.

Blood Shadow and Blood Form saw the situation and knew nothing could be changed. With a long sigh, they left Feng Wuji’s battle circle, fleeing into the distance.

In an instant, the Blood Origin Sect’s experts withdrew like a receding tide, leaving behind a ground strewn with corpses, forever buried there.

This battle was a river of blood—the first direct clash between demonic and evil sects since the righteous-evil war three thousand years ago, and the one with the most casualties.

Yet ultimately, the righteous side did not disappoint the common folk, repelling the Blood Origin Sect’s assault and preserving the Yin Yang Spring, the spiritual vein source of the Green Mountain faction.

After the Blood Origin Sect’s retreat, Feng Wuji slowly landed. All the Qing Sect’s experts gathered around him. Feng Wuji focused on restoring his true energy while remaining vigilantly alert.

He knew Xu Xian would not let matters rest. Another bloody battle was likely to follow, and he must be well-prepared. Xu Xian’s cultivation was no less than his own; he could not afford to be careless.

Meanwhile, the Jade Sword Sect experts led by Shangguan Yu gathered around Xu Xian, except for Xiao Leng and the other two, who remained seated near the Yin Yang Spring.

“Uncle Master, what do you think of them?” Shangguan Yu looked at the three and the guards Long Yun and Yan Qingqing, then asked.

Xu Xian nodded. “That boy has keen eyes. The Yin Yang Spring has undergone a life-and-death transformation, and now is the time for spiritual energy to radiate outward. This is a rare chance. If seized, their cultivation will advance further.”

Shangguan Yu was immensely pleased. The three were disciples at the Rebirth Realm. Though far inferior to the prodigy Long Yun, they were outstanding among their peers.

If they broke through again, they would reach the final stage of the Postnatal Eight Realms—the Return to Origin Realm. If all achieved this, the five great Seal Elders of the Jade Sword Sect would surpass the older generation.

With Uncle Master Xu Xian firmly in command, the Jade Sword Sect would become the only sect in the Green Mountain faction capable of rivaling the Qing Sect.

“Feng Wuji, it’s time to settle our accounts!” Xu Xian’s gaze suddenly fixed on Feng Wuji, cutting like lightning, chilling to the bone.

Shangguan Yu did not know what Xu Xian had endured over the years, but seeing him directly challenge Feng Wuji, she understood something.

Feng Wuji sneered twice. “It’s time indeed, but do you think your Jade Sword Sect is worthy to challenge the Qing Sect? Or that you, Xu Xian, can stand alone against so many of our experts?”

Xu Xian’s brow furrowed, his expression darkening. His cultivation was matched with Feng Wuji’s, and their fight would not be decided quickly.

Yet apart from Shangguan Yu and Long Yun, the Jade Sword Sect’s others could not withstand the Qing Sect’s assault. Once chaos erupted, the Jade Sword Sect would surely be destroyed.