Chapter 65: The Five Decays of Heaven and Man

Let us turn the clock back two hours.

The Mount Tai Sect.

The sect leaders of the three factions and their disciples, along with the Mount Tai Sect disciples who had fled down the mountain, were forced back to the Mount Tai Sect by the troops led by Cheng Yuanzhen.

At this moment, in the main hall of the Mount Tai Sect, Cheng Yuanzhen was leisurely brewing a cup of tea, sipping it slowly.

He was smug and self-satisfied, sneering inwardly as he thought to himself.

"The Embroidered Uniform Guard, the Embroidered Uniform Guard... everyone says they are ruthless and vicious, but I think they are soft-hearted."

"To let so many people go for nothing—every head is a rebel colluding with the Ming Cult. How much merit has been thrown away!"

"Fortunately... the big fish are still here."

Cheng Yuanzhen looked up at the faces of Zhou Yingxue, Deng Baixuan, and Zhang Jingfeng.

"The Mount Heng Sect, the Mount Heng Sect, and the Mount Song Sect, plus the Mount Tai Sect—they are spread across the north and south of the Great River, yet they just had to get tangled up together."

"Once this matter is settled, I will go to the territories of these sects and rake them over; that will be thousands more heads in the account."

A sinister smile appeared on his face.

"It is fortunate I came early, otherwise this merit would have flown away."

He knew the Emperor's intent; sending him here on this trip was meant to suppress the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

However, he wanted to do a little more.

Within the palace walls, a eunuch's life is worthless. To climb to his current position, Cheng Yuanzhen relied not only on his own Wu Gong but also on a ruthless and decisive character.

This Five Mountains Sword Sect affair was a task he had snatched by force; it was stained with blood.

To only take the Mount Tai Sect as the target and turn a few sects into dogs—the appetite was too small.

A rebel organization located across the north and south of the Great River, secretly communicating with local officials, colluding with the Ming Cult, and intending to revolt—wouldn't that be... more appropriate?

Afterward, he would first pin the label of "negligence of imperial orders" on Li Miao's head. Then, he would weave a label of "dereliction of duty and inability to control subordinates" to present to Zhu Zai.

As for himself, he would unearth this rebel organization and hand it over to His Majesty... then everything would be worth it.

Having made up his mind, Cheng Yuanzhen wanted to speak up and directly convict the three sect leaders.

Just as he opened his mouth, he suddenly heard the sound of vomiting from outside.

"Waa—"

He frowned, thinking about which soldier who had never seen blood was so useless, and didn't pay much attention.

But immediately after, several screams came from outside, mixed with cries for help, coughing, and the sounds of fighting, erupting all at once.

Cheng Yuanzhen stood up and gave the three sect leaders a cold look.

He felt that the disciples who had been restrained outside were refusing to be captured and were resisting, clashing with the soldiers.

He thought to himself: "Perfect, resisting an imperial envoy, opposing the law with force... now, I don't even need to put in the effort to fabricate charges."

"These Jianghu people truly do not respect the law; killing them is not unjust."

He was not panicked, because he was also a Supreme expert; suppressing three First-rate experts was no problem.

The two hundred eunuchs outside were all carefully selected by him, and their Wu Gong was at a level of proficiency; combined with the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the soldiers, these sect disciples could not escape his grasp.

Cheng Yuanzhen walked quickly out of the main hall, intending to speak up and stabilize the scene.

But he was so shocked by the sight before him that he swallowed his words.

Outside the main hall was a plaza, usually the place where Mount Tai Sect disciples practiced their martial arts. Events like the Five Mountains Alliance were generally held here.

After Cheng Yuanzhen went up the mountain, he had sent people to round up all the Mount Tai Sect disciples and hold them here.

At this moment, however, it was in complete chaos.

He saw that the ropes on the Mount Tai Sect disciples had not been untied, and with their hands still bound behind their backs, they suddenly leaped up, pouncing on the surrounding soldiers to bite them. Some Mount Tai Sect disciples vomited incessantly, vomiting blood all over the ground.

Others were biting each other, tearing off chunks of flesh and swallowing them, just like evil ghosts.

Cheng Yuanzhen flashed forward, pointing at the acupoints of a Mount Tai disciple, but to his surprise, it was like a clay ox entering the sea; it was as if the acupoints on this person's body no longer existed.

Cheng Yuanzhen grew fierce, directly grabbing the man's limbs and twisting them with a "crack," then observed closely.

The man's face was black, his eye sockets were full of bloodshot veins, and they had become red, swollen spheres. Saliva flowed from his mouth, and black veins showed on his face.

Even with his limbs broken, he was still squirming on the ground, trying to pounce on Cheng Yuanzhen.

"What... is this thing..." Cheng Yuanzhen suddenly turned his head to look at the three sect leaders: "What are you doing here!?"

The three sect leaders did not answer.

Instead, a soft voice came from behind the hall: "It has nothing to do with the three sect leaders; this is the handiwork of my Manichaean Cult."

Cheng Yuanzhen looked closely and saw a person walking slowly out from behind the hall.

In his hand, he was carrying a headless corpse.

"Manichaean Cult Right Envoy Yun Zelin, greets the Eunuch and the sect leaders," he said.

The pupils of Cheng Yuanzhen and the three sect leaders shrank slightly; they retreated a few steps, looking at Yun Zelin with caution.

"Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, everyone. I do not like fighting, and I have no intention of making things difficult for you," Yun Zelin said gently.

Cheng Yuanzhen, however, snorted coldly: "You don't intend to make things difficult for me!?"

Having said that, he stepped forward, his claw reaching for Yun Zelin's face.

Killing the Right Envoy of the Ming Cult was better than killing a thousand rebels colluding with the Ming Cult!

But he did not notice that behind him, the three sect leaders had each secretly retreated a few steps.

The claw approached Yun Zelin's face.

Bang!!!

With a muffled sound, Cheng Yuanzhen flew backward out of the door, knocking down five or six of his men. He stood up in a sorry state, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

He did not hesitate in the slightest; after getting up, he turned and fled.

"'Diamond,' that is 'Diamond'!"

"The Ming Cult thief, to think there is another one above the Supreme level!"

Just now, his claw had clearly landed solidly on Yun Zelin's face, yet it hadn't left a single mark!

The three sect leaders did not hesitate either; they quickly retreated out the door, took a few disciples, and fled down the mountain.

Yun Zelin watched them flee quietly, without the slightest attempt to stop them.

After a long while, the screams outside grew more intense.

Yun Zelin threw the headless corpse in his hand to the ground and sighed softly.

"Sigh... Left Envoy Lan."

That was indeed the corpse of Lan Lechuan left behind in the Mount Tai Sect!

"You risked your life to protect the Left Sect Leader as he fled, thinking of him only as the indispensable 'blood food' for our Cult Leader."

"Yet you did not know that our Cult Leader has planted Gu insects in all of us."

"We people... are just his food."

"It's just a pity that these things, in the end, will not be enjoyed by the Cult Leader you swore to serve to the death."

Having said that, he extended his fingers into a claw and dug into the abdomen of Lan Lechuan's corpse.

He grabbed a piece of squirming flesh from inside.

And then stuffed it into his mouth!

As soon as the flesh entered his stomach, fine beads of blood emerged from the pores on Yun Zelin's face.

His hair gradually turned gray, bloody sweat flowed from his armpits, soaking his clothes, and a fishy, foul odor emanated from his body.

His originally calm expression suddenly changed: anger, sorrow, jealousy, hatred, and wild joy flashed across his face one after another.

"Heh... hehe..."

Yun Zelin laughed with difficulty.

"Clothes... defiled, head... withered, sweat flowing from armpits, body foul and filthy..."

"Not happy in this seat..."

"Ha—the Five Decays of Heaven and Man..."

Yun Zelin let out a long breath and smiled reluctantly.

"No wonder the Cult Leader would rather keep us, delaying the harvest... and even wastefully raising another Zuo Lishan..."

"Sure enough... in the end, it is incomplete..."

"Fortunately, I do not seek longevity..."

Having said that, Yun Zelin walked slowly back to the table and sat down, supporting his knees.

He looked out the door, listening quietly to the wailing outside, his whole body trembling uncontrollably, and said no more.