Chapter 246: Demonic Clan

Zheng Fa looked at the True Person Qian before him.

In his memory, this man had been of a slightly plump build; now his face had thinned considerably, clearly having suffered these past few days.

The disciples behind him showed no visible injuries, but their expressions were utterly terrified, unmistakably bearing the marks of trauma.

He glanced around; several Jiushan Sect disciples were already watching from a distance. These disciples had known nothing of the demonic beast attack on the mountain, and it was certainly inappropriate to discuss such matters openly.

Zheng Fa helped the True Person Qian to his feet and said, "True Person Qian, please come inside to speak."

The group entered Zheng Fa's courtyard.

After washing and changing, True Person Qian's expression had calmed somewhat.

Only then did Zheng Fa ask carefully: "Was Qianhe Sect attacked by demonic beasts? How is it I never heard of this?"

True Person Qian gave a bitter laugh: "Because everyone in Qianhe Sect, save for us, is dead! Who could possibly have sent word out?"

Zheng Fa's face tightened slightly; he exchanged a glance with Zhang Shijie, and both saw worry in the other's eyes.

"When did this happen?"

"Two days ago," True Person Qian explained. "The day before, True Person Fufeng from Yuling Sect came to our sect as a guest, saying he wished to purchase some Huangya rice…"

"Yuling Sect?" Zheng Fa frowned slightly. "Didn't you hear that Yuling Sect may be colluding with the Great Freedom Demon Cult?"

"We heard… but what could we do? No one acted on it," True Person Qian chuckled bitterly. "Besides, Yuling Sect is a Nascent Soul sect. We're just a small, insignificant sect…"

Zheng Fa fell silent at this.

This was another flaw of the Hundred Immortal Alliance system—

Although Jiushan Sect had long warned all sects that the Turtle Elder of Yuling Sect was a demon cult spy,

Yuling Sect immediately performed a clean break—declaring themselves victims too.

Moreover, demon cult spies were everywhere; Yuling Sect simply managed it better than most.

Whether people believed it or not didn't matter—the real issue was no one wanted to offend Yuling Sect. After all, the Turtle Elder had only harmed Jiushan Sect, hadn't he?

In the end, it was simply because Master Tongming rarely interfered, and every sect in the Hundred Immortal Alliance had their own agendas, unwilling to be the first to act.

"Actually… I did advise our Sect Master," True Person Qian said with a bitter laugh. "But our Sect Master said we're just a small sect, good only for farming—our storerooms are empty. What would the demon cult possibly want from us?"

"…."

Somehow, that made a twisted kind of sense.

"And then?"

"Later, True Person Fufeng somehow discovered the weak points of our sect's formation and colluded with the demonic beasts to breach our defenses…" Here, True Person Qian gave another bitter laugh. "I don't mean to belittle myself, but I saw a Nascent Soul demonic king… Our highest cultivator was only a Golden Core. Why go to such lengths?"

"What did they want?"

Zheng Fa felt a pang of sympathy—this was a senseless slaughter.

"And then?"

"I'm only at Foundation Establishment. I could only flee with these disciples—and along the way, we didn't encounter any major demonic beasts…"

"How did you learn your entire sect was wiped out?"

"We had several hidden retreats. In case of disaster, everyone was to gather there. I checked them all—no one was there."

Zheng Fa nodded slightly. He still had doubts about the annihilation of Qianhe Sect, but he didn't press further. Instead, he said:

"So why have you come to me, True Person Qian?"

True Person Qian fell to his knees before Zheng Fa again, eyes red, voice choked with tears:

"My sect has suffered this great calamity. I beg your sect, as fellow members of the Hundred Immortal Alliance, to avenge the hundred lives lost and reclaim our ancestral grounds!"

As he spoke, two tears rolled down True Person Qian's cheeks.

"My sect has always been cautious, terrified of angering powerful enemies. Yet in a single day, only I and these disciples remain…"

He couldn't continue—he broke into sobs.

Zheng Fa felt pity—and deeper guilt, for he suspected this might be tied to Jiushan Sect.

But…

"True Person Qian, this matter is too great for me to decide alone," Zheng Fa said frankly. "Allow me to consult with my senior sister and senior uncle. Rest here for now—what do you say?"

True Person Qian hurriedly replied: "Of course! As long as True Person Zheng doesn't find us a bother."

…

Zheng Fa led them to the guest quarters, then gave a glance to Zhang Shijie and Huang Shu, and the three walked silently into Zhang Shijie's courtyard.

Zhang Shijie cast several silence talismans, cutting off all sound from inside and outside.

Huang Shu spoke immediately: "Don't go. This is aimed at us."

She wasn't lacking in cunning—she simply didn't understand Zheng Fa and Zhang Shijie's new theories.

Still, she could see the strangeness clearly.

Zheng Fa nodded and said:

"As True Person Qian said, Qianhe Sect isn't worth such elaborate scheming. This demonic beast attack feels like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

"On the other hand, they were so careful—yet somehow didn't notice these people escaped?"

Since his spiritual sense had advanced, Zheng Fa knew just how strong the perception of post-Golden Core cultivators was.

Without arrogance, even True Person Qian and his disciples couldn't have slipped past him unnoticed.

Especially with a Nascent Soul demonic king involved?

What nonsense.

"They must know Jiushan Sect and Qianhe Sect are close, and that True Person Qian is the liaison. He'd naturally come to us for help."

Zheng Fa said.

The other two nodded—they'd already reached the same conclusion.

"One more thing," Zhang Shijie said slowly. "Two days ago, True Person Fufeng visited Qianhe Sect. That was also the day Master Pang saw Master Tongming."

Hearing this, Zheng Fa was speechless. After a long pause, he spat out: "This Hundred Immortal Alliance is nothing but a sieve!"

Huang Shu was confused: "You mean this is aimed at Master Tongming?"

"Very likely…" Zheng Fa sighed. "Master Tongming hasn't even left his mountain, yet Qianhe Sect is already destroyed—with Yuling Sect's involvement… We went to great lengths to secretly capture that demonic beast and kept it hidden for so long—yet the news leaked from Tongming Mountain…"

Zhang Shijie's expression was grim.

Previously, they had a small advantage: they'd captured the demonic beast and learned of Qingyun the Great Saint's planned assault.

The demonic beasts and demon cult likely didn't know.

Yet the moment Master Pang went to Tongming Mountain, the enemy moved.

It could only mean someone on Tongming Mountain was untrustworthy—and someone who could reach Master Tongming himself…

"And Master Tongming belongs to the entire Hundred Immortal Alliance, not just Jiushan Sect…"

Huang Shu understood.

"You're afraid other sects will panic and also seek help from Master Tongming?"

"Not to mention how to handle Yuling Sect—that alone would give Master Tongming a headache," Zheng Fa shook his head.

He had a feeling… Jiushan Sect had pushed the Great Freedom Demon Cult too far.

Not only did they summon Qingyun the Great Saint,

but they also directly turned Yuling Sect against them…

Whether or not Yuling Sect was a traitor, it was still a Nascent Soul sect—one of the Nine Great Upper Sects of the Hundred Immortal Alliance—with deep, tangled connections.

Their spirit beast trade thrived; over the years, they'd sold countless spirit beasts and built countless unbreakable alliances.

Others had tolerated them out of caution… Now that they'd dropped the mask, even Master Tongming would find this extremely difficult to handle.

"Open strategy…" Zhang Shijie shook her head. "Whether we go to Qianhe Sect or not, this news can't be kept from Master Tongming or the other sects…"

Zheng Fa was helpless: "In the end, this is because Jiushan Sect lacks strength—we have no Soul Transformation cultivator."

"Therefore, we must not let others lead us by the nose!"

Zhang Shijie stared sternly at Zheng Fa.

"Senior sister, I understand…" Zheng Fa smiled. "You're overestimating me…"

"She's afraid you'll do something foolish!"

Huang Shu muttered from the side.

…

"True Person Qian, Jiushan Sect owes you an apology!" Zheng Fa bowed deeply the moment he saw True Person Qian. "Your sect's great calamity likely stems from Jiushan Sect!"

"Huh?"

True Person Qian was stunned.

Behind him, True Person Huang rolled his eyes—clearly, his disciple had been right; Zheng Fa was indeed a fool.

"How on earth could that be?"

True Person Qian looked bewildered.

Since Zheng Fa had spoken, he didn't hide the matter of Qingyun the Great Saint.

Upon hearing it, True Person Qian turned pale: "We were deliberately let go?"

"Very likely," Zheng Fa said. "The demonic beasts were originally targeting Jiushan Sect."

True Person Qian's expression shifted as he processed this.

Honestly, Zheng Fa was honest because he couldn't hide it—would the demonic beasts keep Jiushan Sect's secrets?

As tensions escalated, these facts would inevitably become known.

Better to lay them out now.

"Then… what will your sect do?"

Master Qian's tone was somewhat somber.

"I'm sorry... This isn't just a great calamity for the Qianhe Sect—it's also a life-or-death crisis for our Jiushan Sect... I cannot act hastily," Zheng Fa said. "But I will send word to Master Pang, and have him inform Tongming Shangren."

"Tongming Shangren…" A flicker of hope crossed Master Qian's face, then faded into despair as he shook his head. "Tongming Shangren probably wouldn't even notice people like us…"

This sounded like giving up, but it was true.

Master Qian pondered for a moment, then suddenly knelt again, holding up a jade tube and offering it to Zheng Fa: "This contains all our Qianhe Sect's secret methods for cultivating spiritual plants. I offer them to your sect!"

"Hm?"

Zheng Fa froze, unsure what he was doing.

"I only ask—give me and my disciples a place to settle and survive."

"You mean…?"

"I beg your sect to take us in!"

Zheng Fa fell silent, surprised by this unexpected request.

To be honest—he was quite interested in Qianhe Sect's secret methods—but Master Qian's demand was abrupt.

"That's all you want?"

"There's one more thing…" Master Qian suddenly lifted his head, staring at Zheng Fa. "I know you, Master Zheng, are exceptionally gifted. When you one day attain the Dao, will you avenge my entire Qianhe Sect?"

That sounded far more reasonable.

…

Master Qian and his disciples were lodged beside Jiushan Sect's own quarters. Since they had just escaped death, they remained jumpy and fearful, so Zheng Fa simply assigned them a single courtyard.

Night fell.

Master Qian was cultivating to heal his wounds when one of his disciples finally couldn't hold back:

"Master… did we really just give away our secret methods?"

"Hm?"

Master Qian looked up at the disciple, then around at the others—all of them wore expressions of confusion.

"You think I gave them away too easily?"

"And now we're just… part of Jiushan Sect…"

"Silence!" Master Qian snapped, his face cold. "If you still harbor such thoughts, I'd rather kill you myself than let you doom us all!"

"But…"

"What has Jiushan Sect ever done to us? The demons are our enemies!" Master Qian barked. "You dare not fight the demons, yet you blame Jiushan Sect?"

"But…"

"Who are we? Our sect is destroyed, we carry secret methods—others might think we're hiding our sect's treasures…"

"So you've been avoiding everyone all along?"

"Of course. I'm just a lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator—what big names do I know? Zheng Fa is already the highest branch I can reach… If you think this place is bad, you're free to leave!"

"Disciples dare not!"

Seeing them subdued, Master Qian softened his tone: "I didn't choose blindly. Ever since that Jiushan Sect drama first came out, I thought…"

"…."

"Back then, I had attachments—my Sect Master and senior and junior brothers were still alive…"

"…."

The disciples exchanged glances—was he implying they should thank the demons?

"Now think: though we lost our secret methods, we've become Jiushan Sect disciples! Only I have this connection—and luckily, the demons are Jiushan Sect's enemies too. Otherwise, how could it be this easy?"

After being scolded, the disciples began to understand. They nodded to him: "Master, we get it. From now on, we'll see ourselves as Jiushan Sect disciples!"

"No…" Master Qian's face darkened with frustration. "You must act like a loyal Jiushan Sect disciple—but never forget, in your heart, to avenge Qianhe Sect. The angrier, the more tragic, the better…"

"Master?"

"Remember: a widow who can't forget her dead husband is most alluring… cough, everyone loves loyalty and righteousness," Master Qian instructed.

"…Disciples will remember!"

…

"Do you like widows?"

"Huh?"

Zheng Fa snapped his head up—he'd been discussing the newly acquired Qianhe secrets with Zhang Shijie, and she'd suddenly asked that, leaving him baffled.

Zhang Shijie shook her head. "That man Qian has some hidden motives, but they're harmless."

Zheng Fa finally understood—Zhang Shijie was wary of them.

But what did that have to do with widows?

Were there still survivors from Qianhe Sect?

Did this widow have money? Other secret methods?

(End of Chapter)