Chapter 138: The Crucible of Life and Death

"Junior Brother, do you have any evidence?" He Yuman asked with a solemn expression, instantly summoning her magic artifact.

The other disciples of the Profound Intent Sect also drew their magic artifacts in unison.

Upon seeing this, Qi Yongfeng, Luo Yingying, and the others all wore heavy expressions.

At this moment, everyone's gaze was fixed solely on Huo Tangsheng.

A murderous aura radiated from his entire body. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed a projection stone through the golden barrier and said coldly, "For the sake of the Jade Spirit Secret Realm, the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect truly stop at nothing! How many of my innocent fellow disciples from the Profound Intent Sect have been brutally murdered by you?"

"What? Are all our fellow disciples dead?" You Ruoying asked, her voice rising in shock.

The projection stone tossed by Huo Tangsheng projected a human-shaped phantom in mid-air.

Cultivators dressed in the robes of the Heavenly Mystery Sect disciples were quietly surrounding the completely unaware disciples of the Profound Intent Sect.

A moment later, forming a tight circle, the Profound Intent Sect disciples were trapped within. A one-sided massacre suddenly erupted. As the slaughter blades fell, countless splatters of flesh and blood filled the air, and the disciples of the Profound Intent Sect were butchered like pigs and cattle.

"No!" You Ruoying and the remaining disciples of the Profound Intent Sect could not bear to watch, letting out simultaneous shrieks of agony.

He Yuman could not help but cover her mouth with one hand, her eye rims turning slightly red. Her gaze abruptly shifted to Qu Youyou and the others behind the golden barrier as she said with remorse, "No wonder so many of your Heavenly Mystery Sect disciples are still alive, while the remaining disciples of our Profound Intent Sect are less than a quarter of yours! It's all my fault, it's all my fault for not noticing the conspiracy of the Heavenly Mystery Sect!"

"Senior Sister He..." You Ruoying's eyes welled with tears as she hugged He Yuman's shoulders, trembling and unable to speak.

A deep sorrow over the brutal murder of their fellow disciples rapidly engulfed the remaining disciples of the Profound Intent Sect. With red-rimmed eyes, they raised their magic artifacts and shouted fiercely, "Shameless villains of the Heavenly Mystery Sect, you are completely unworthy of being the premier sect of the Five Elements Realm!"

"Return the lives of our fellow disciples, return the disciples of our Profound Intent Sect!"

"You Heavenly Mystery Sect members deserve to die! Senior Brother Huo, we must kill them and avenge our fallen senior and junior brothers!"

"Kill them! Kill the disciples of the Heavenly Mystery Sect!"

Seeing that every single disciple of the Profound Intent Sect was raising their magic artifact and attempting to charge through the barrier to slaughter their fellow sect members, Wu Qiu quickly stepped forward to shield everyone. He said, "Everyone, we have no idea how the scene recorded by the projection stone came to be, but as the premier sect, our Heavenly Mystery Sect has no need to commit such absurd acts. The death of the Profound Intent Sect disciples must have another explanation!"

Qu Youyou could not leave now either. Fixing her with fierce, collective glares, the Profound Intent Sect disciples left her daring not to make any rash moves.

"No one is listening at all, Senior Brother Wu, Senior Brother Qi, Senior Brother Zou, what should we do?" Protected behind Wu Qiu, Luo Yingying had a clear view of the Profound Intent Sect disciples' reactions.

Wu Qiu's words not only failed to suppress their anger, but instead seemed to pour oil on the fire, causing the flames of rage in their eyes to burn even brighter.

Qi Yongfeng stepped out from behind Wu Qiu and said fearlessly, "Huo Tangsheng, are you trying to provoke a war between the two sects? If the disciples of our Heavenly Mystery Sect truly wanted to kill your Profound Intent Sect people, where would be the need for such trouble?"

Zou Peng stepped forward, cupping his fists in a salute, and said, "Fellow Daoist Huo, the scene recorded by a single projection stone is not necessarily true. In this secret realm, countless unknown dangers exist; perhaps some hidden assassins within the realm are playing tricks!"

You Ruoying said with a face full of sarcasm, "Assassins? Are there really assassins lurking in a previously uninhabited secret realm? Zou Peng, isn't this an assassin ambushed in advance by your Heavenly Mystery Sect?"

Zou Peng flushed red and retorted, "Fellow Daoist You, I discovered this secret realm together with you. Since you couldn't enter at that time, how could the disciples of my Heavenly Mystery Sect have gotten in? This is sheer nonsense!"

"Chances are your Heavenly Mystery Sect people discovered this secret realm long ago and deliberately lured us of the Profound Intent Sect here precisely to slaughter all of us in this place!" As You Ruoying spoke, she produced a leather drum and struck it with booming beats, causing the Heavenly Mystery Sect disciples with weaker cultivation to feel dizzy.

Standing off to one side in a corner, Xia Changhan swept his divine sense over the projection stone repeatedly, scanning it dozens of times.

He never expected things to develop to this point.

The claim that Heavenly Mystery Sect disciples had brutally massacred the Profound Intent Sect was undoubtedly false.

Yet, the projection stone produced by Huo Tangsheng bore not the slightest trace of tampering.

What on earth had happened while he was away from the main group, when Chi Yushu took the remaining disciples to the Dead Spirit Locking Array?

And Huo Tangsheng—why had he held onto this projection stone while remaining hidden in the forest for so long?

Xia Changhan gripped the projection stone tightly in his hand, his sharp gaze fixed intently upon Huo Tangsheng.

...

Chi Yushu's gaze swept swiftly past the silver-skinned puppets making a ruckus behind the Taotie. Formulating hand seals, he hurled a cluster of cyan spiritual energy that smashed onto the charred, withered tree beneath the Taotie. Just as the true dragon's tail was about to strike him, the charred, withered tree suddenly regained its vitality and grew vigorously. In the blink of an eye, it shot up in front of him, spreading out a soft, lush canopy that shielded him within and blocked the true dragon's attack.

Gliding down the thick trunk, Chi Yushu landed safely on the ground and sprinted past several charred ancient trees, casting cluster after cluster of vibrant green energy. This instantly rejuvenated the lifeless ancient trees, causing tender green branches to sprout and grow into towering giant trees that concealed his figure.

"What a fine Green Vitality Returning Technique. Wood spirit roots are truly useful," Qu Yiqiu remarked just as she stepped out from inside a tree trunk, having witnessed this entire scene.

She had actually thought Chi Yushu might fail to dodge in time, given that he was caught between a divine beast and a fierce beast.

"Indeed, this person is quite formidable indeed. Immortal, shall we go over now?" Yan Xi offered a few words of praise without hesitation.

Qu Yiqiu nodded. "Let's go. In a moment, you will lure him away; he must not see me."

"Understood!" Yan Xi nodded respectfully, then exhaled a breath of turbid air, clearing a small path for Qu Yiqiu.

This was her secret realm space, and this path shielded all surrounding divine senses.

Qu Yiqiu revealed a faint, satisfied smile.

Having the secret realm's spirit at one's disposal made all the difference.

Even if she were to jump around right in front of the Taotie and Mu Yunjin a moment later, those two fellows would find it extremely difficult to detect her presence.

With Yan Xi's assistance, she no longer needed to be on guard against surrounding dangers and headed straight for the true physical body of Mu Yunjin.

Yan Xi tore off one of her own arms and hurled it in the direction of Chi Yushu.

"Who is it?" The arm transformed into an ethereal human figure, instantly catching Chi Yushu's attention. He paused hesitatingly among the treetops.

Casting a slight spell, Yan Xi caused the clone to spit out a cloud of mist, and Chi Yushu immediately gave chase.

Watching Chi Yushu turn around to pursue the clone, Yan Xi turned back to Qu Yiqiu and said, "Immortal, he has left."

Qu Yiqiu nodded. "Good!"

Swiftly and gracefully, she leaped past the branches cultivated by Chi Yushu, stepping closer and closer to the true form of Mu Yunjin.