Chapter 258: The Past of the Hehuan Sect

Not long after, the contents of the cup were gone; Huo was about to rise and head to the next place, when he suddenly sensed something and looked up toward the space before him.

Without a sound or ripple, Kui stepped forth from the void, appearing before him.

"Six million seven hundred one thousand six hundred and seventeen souls—thank you, fellow cultivator."

Before the words had fully faded, a wisp of spiritual light shot forth and vanished into the space that did not exist in reality.

Huo looked down and saw that the space, once filled with only a few figures, now held many more.

The number matched exactly what Kui had just stated.

"Rest assured, fellow cultivator," Huo said calmly. "I shall handle this matter."

Kui gave a slight nod: "I have already cleared the Beast God Elders' Council and the other six major nations of this realm. You need not go there—the remaining Beast God clans can be dealt with by the human race of this world themselves."

With that, Kui vanished once more.

Huo paused, then sighed with resignation.

Kui's fellow cultivator fears I'll leave not a single one alive.

"Though I despise beast beasts, I know my limits." He rose, opened the door, and stepped outside.

Deformed monsters of all sizes rampaged everywhere; fires blazed across the city, thick smoke churning and rolling.

The massive, deep crimson seven-headed bird at the center swelled again, each wingbeat like the sky itself collapsing.

"Very well. Then I'll leave a few more."

Nearly three billion Beast God clans lived in the Cangyue Empire; his original plan had been to erase the last digits, leaving around three hundred thousand…

But since Kui's fellow cultivator came specifically to remind me, then… double it. Leave…

Boom!

The continuously screeching crimson giant bird exploded outright, blood and flesh splattering everywhere like a storm.

The stench of blood filled the air, nauseating.

But before the blood and flesh could hit the ground, they writhed and reshaped, transforming into countless tiny, ugly crimson birds no larger than a palm, radiating ominous energy, then flapping away with shrill "Gaa-gaa!" cries.

Any Beast God clan who heard the cry of these strange birds saw their flesh swell uncontrollably, turning into monstrous, terrifying forms.

…………

Elsewhere.

In a deep forest, sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows.

Two figures walked side by side.

One wore a plain moon-white robe, her painted brows and eyes faint and distant, repelling all who drew near.

The other wore a long crimson gown, alluring and peerlessly elegant.

It was Bie Xuening and Master Mei Zu; the two traveled together—more accurately, Master Mei Zu had been following Bie Xuening.

They had not gone to any of the Beast God nations, but instead planned to first seek the human race's ancestral holy site.

Because Xu Xing had left a backdoor within it, even Hun Tian Yi could not locate its whereabouts.

But Bie Xuening, as Xu Xing's senior sister, had a way.

That was precisely why Master Mei Zu followed her.

"By the way, when did you develop that little yellow duck qi blade?" Master Mei Zu asked curiously.

Bie Xuening glanced at her: "When you stole my diagrams."

Hiss~

That was indeed very early.

You didn't specifically develop it to counter me, did you…

Master Mei Zu thought for a moment, then decided not to voice the question.

"Honestly, I think you're kind of fun online—why are you always so cold and silent in person?"

The two had had little interaction before.

Only after the Hehuan Sect became the Xian Sect and she joined the group did she learn that the icy Sword Sovereign she remembered had such a side.

"Tell me! I promise I won't tell anyone!"

No, you definitely will.

But… there's nothing wrong with saying it.

"Just habit."

"That's it?" Master Mei Zu was surprised.

"That's it."

"… "

"Now it's my turn to ask you," Bie Xuening suddenly said.

Her tone remained calm, yet it made Master Mei Zu pause; then she blinked and smiled: "Mm-hmm, ask away!"

"Why did you take over the Hehuan Sect?" This was something that puzzled several fellow cultivators.

All beings of the Taixuan Realm believed Master Mei Zu had always been the Hehuan Laozu.

But that was not true.

The Hehuan Sect originally belonged to a branch of the demonic path; though its charm cultivators followed the path of Master Mei Zu, they had gone astray.

If one speaks of the true founder, it should be Huo.

Back then, Master Mei Zu traveled alone, wandering the stars and the Central Continent; aside from occasional contact with her younger brother, no one knew her whereabouts.

"Emm… in a way, they're my disciples' disciples, so isn't it natural for me to take over the Hehuan Sect?"

"You could have founded your own sect."

Taking over the Hehuan Sect brought her nothing but disadvantages.

"That's so troublesome!" Master Mei Zu grinned. "Besides, Brother Dao already cleaned things up back then—when I took over, the people in the sect weren't that bad."

Please… collect… 6…9…Books…!

That's right—she took over the Hehuan Sect after the Tai Xuan Blood Disaster.

Bie Xuening stared at her for a moment, then finally withdrew her gaze and looked ahead.

She is a person very hard to judge as good or evil.

Only her younger brother likely knows the truth of her past.

"We're here."

"Hm?"

Master Mei Zu looked ahead, but saw only emptiness—no anomaly at all.

"Where is it?"

"Brother Dao erased its very existence."

Only the human beings of this realm can perceive it.

Bie Xuening raised her long sword.

Hummm~

The bright blade trembled slightly—it was the sword intent responding.

"Go."

She grabbed Master Mei Zu's wrist and stepped forward; after a faint spatial ripple, the two entered within.

…

…

Still, divine auroras and radiant light, the chanting of Dao and Zen.

One hundred and eight white jade steps rose straight upward, their summit crowned by a gate radiating an ancient, desolate aura.

Compared to when Xu Xing left, the entrance to the Legacy Sacred Ground had changed little.

"Brother Dao's methods are truly mysterious."

Amid Master Mei Zu's praise, the two ascended the white jade steps.

As for the artifact itself, she hadn't paid it much mind.

It was merely a device of the Return-to-Void realm—nothing special.

Soon, the two reached the top of the jade steps.

Behind the ancient-aura-emitting gate stood two cultivators at the peak of Foundation Establishment, guarding the way.

Looking down the path, at the farthest altar sat a snow-haired woman, Return-to-Void realm, her back bearing a long sword.

Her ice-blue eyes resembled gems, yet held not a glimmer of light; her right index and pinky fingers were severed at the palm, their cuts smooth and clean.

Clearly, she bore an irremovable wound.

"Is this the legacy left by Brother Dao?"

【Yin】 and 【Sword】—ordinary cultivators, even Hun Tian Yi, could perceive nothing.

After all, they had never seen the cultivation system of the Tai Xuan Realm.

But to Master Mei Zu, the two paths this woman carried bore unmistakable Tai Xuan Realm styles.

"Yes—it was indeed left by my younger brother."

The two advanced slowly.

At the same time, Xi Li on the altar seemed to sense something—a warmth seemed to flow through her eyes.

Gradually, she discovered that the darkness in her lost eyes was once again showing images.

And in those images, two people were walking toward her. (End of Chapter)