Chapter 1167

Everyone stumbled onto the ship in disarray, looking back at the urban area turned into ruins and a pit, all feeling lingering fear.

Although we destroyed the Netherworld Dao's plot and killed some demonic cultivators, leaving that late-stage Void Refinement Netherworld Elder and the star corpse fragment nurturing a terrifying evil entity below ultimately became a grave threat.

Han Wuxian spread his palm, gazing at the tattered soul-summoning banner and the soul-hooker's storage bag, his eyes deep.

This time, though extremely perilous, it also confirmed his conjecture. Between the Heaven Slaughter Sect, Netherworld Dao, the polluted star fragments, the Star Source Pool ancient beast, and that mysterious 'Star Corpse Residual Spirit,' there must Existence a profound connection.

The Flowing Cloud Star Ship turned into a silver stream of light, tearing through the clouds and racing toward the Star Hub Pavilion at top speed. On board lay a hushed silence, broken only by the faint hum of the formation and the stifled groans of a few injured disciples. The joy of surviving the ordeal was drowned out by heavy loss and unknown fear.

Elder Chu sat cross-legged at the bow, his complexion still somewhat pale; the Netherworld wound on his shoulder, though no longer worsening, remained entwined with wisps of black qi, hard to eradicate. He closed his eyes to regulate his breath, brows furrowed, obviously exerting his cultivation to dispel the stubborn Netherworld deathly qi.

Yun Chen was busy treating the injured disciples' wounds, distributing pills, his face showing worry and fatigue.

Han Wuxian stood alone at the stern, gazing into the distance at the shrinking area of Falling Star City that had become ruins and pits, his eyes deep. He rubbed the tattered soul-summoning banner and the storage bag taken from the soul-hooker in his hand.

The soul-summoning banner was severely damaged, its fabric torn; most of the wailing ghost faces on it had dissipated, yet the lingering Netherworld deathly qi remained icy and piercing. The storage bag bore a powerful divine-sense seal, difficult to break for the time being.

He attempted to extend a thread of divine sense into the fragment of the soul-summoning banner.

Hum!

A stream of Chaos, violence, filled with countless painful memory fragments surged into his sea of consciousness!

The fragmented images flickered: endless blood sacrifices, wailing vengeful spirits, the process of star fragments being corrupted by pollution, hushed conspiracies between Netherworld Dao cultivators and remnants of the Heaven Slaughter Sect, and…… frantic ramblings about the "Holy Spirit Plan," "Guiding the Netherworld," and "Reshaping Reincarnation."

The information was fragmented, yet enough for Han Wuxian to piece together a terrifying outline of the conspiracy!

The Netherworld Dao colluded with the Heaven Slaughter Sect, capturing living beings everywhere for blood sacrifices—not merely to forge evil artifacts or nourish the star corpse fragments, but with a deeper aim: through blood sacrifice and polluting the stellar core, to summon the so-called Netherworld's power, attempting to forcibly alter the reincarnation law of a realm and turn it into a pure "Netherworld Dead Realm." Moreover, the star corpse fragment that nurtured the terrifying claws, which they called the "Holy Spirit," was a key node of the plan!

Falling Star City was merely one of their many test sites!

What startled him further was that, amidst these Chaos information fragments, a few blurry figures in Star Hub Pavilion attire would occasionally flash by; though their faces were unclear, their aura of cultivation shared the same origin as the Star Hub Pavilion disciples!

Inside the Star Hub Pavilion…… there's an insider?! And their position is likely not low!

At the moment his mind and spirit were shaken, deep within the tattered soul-summoning banner, an extremely obscure yet pure Netherworld imprint, as if stirred by his divine sense, suddenly blazed forth, turning into an invisible spike that fiercely pierced into the depths of his soul!

Ambush! This was a vicious backup left by that Void Refinement Netherworld Elder!

Han Wuxian's face changed; he was about to mobilize the Star-Patrolling Torch to defend.

"Hmph! Petty tricks!" Elder Chu, who had been regulating his breath ahead, suddenly opened his eyes, gave a cold snort, and pointed his finger like a sword, striking from afar!

A strand of Geng Metal sword qi, condensed to the extreme and unmatched in sharpness, arrived ahead despite being launched later, precisely slashing that Netherworld imprint!

Hiss!

The Netherworld imprint emitted a faint shriek, instantly shredded and annihilated by the Geng Metal sword qi!

Han Wuxian only felt his soul lighten; that icy stabbing pain vanished instantly. He looked toward Elder Chu, nodding in thanks: "Many thanks, Elder Chu, for your intervention."

Elder Chu waved his hand, his face solemn as he gazed at the soul-summoning banner in Han Wuxian's hand: "Netherworld Dao's methods are vicious; they like to set traps in magical artifacts and souls. Little friend, you must still be extremely cautious when investigating." He paused, a flash of sharp light in his eyes: "Little friend…… have you discovered anything?"

Han Wuxian pondered for a moment, not fully concealing anything, briefly outlining the conspiracy regarding the Holy Spirit Plan and the Guiding of the Netherworld, but hiding his suspicion about an insider in the Star Hub Pavilion.

Elder Chu's face turned grim upon hearing this, his fists clenched till his knuckles whitened: "Ambition of a wolf! Ambition of a wolf! To dare alter reincarnation, turning the realm of life into a dead nation! Such conduct is intolerable under heaven!"

Elder Chu drew a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said in a low voice: "This matter is of great importance; we must immediately report it to the Sect Leader Senior Brother, thoroughly investigate the pavilion, and strengthen defenses! The Netherworld Dao's move likely aims at something major!"

The Flowing Cloud Star Ship's speed increased a bit.

Several days later, the mountain gate of the Star Hub Pavilion came into view.

However, just as the star ship was about to pierce the light curtain of the mountain-protecting formation,

An abrupt change occurred!

Hum!

The light curtain of the mountain-protecting formation not only failed to open a passage, but suddenly blazed with a blinding warning light! Countless profound star runes, as if stimulated, surged wildly, condensing into a massive wall of light with strong repelling force that slammed hard into the Flowing Cloud Star Ship!

"What's going on?!" the disciple controlling the star ship cried out in shock as the vessel shuddered violently, nearly losing control!

Elder Chu sprang to his feet, face flushed with shock and anger: "Why was the mountain-protecting formation triggered? And why is it aimed at us?"

Just as everyone was doubtful and uncertain, several powerful auras rose from within the mountain gate, instantly appearing beyond the light curtain. Leading them was not the Sect Leader Tian Shuzi, but another black-robed Elder with a stern countenance and eyes sharp as a hawk or falcon, followed by more than ten Discipline Hall disciples, all with stern expressions.

"Elder Chu, please halt!" the black-robed Elder said in an icy voice, devoid of emotion.

"Elder Li Xingtian? What do you mean?" Elder Chu recognized the speaker—none other than Elder Li Xingtian, who enforces the sect's laws, his cultivation likewise late-stage Void Refinement, usually impartial and stern, yet now he blocks our return.

Li Xingtian's gaze was like a blade, sweeping over everyone on the star ship, lingering a moment on Han Wuxian, and he said coldly: "By order of the Sect Leader: all members of the Falling Star City task force must immediately go to the Discipline Hall for interrogation! No mistakes allowed!"

"Interrogation?" Elder Chu frowned, "Elder Li Xingtian, we have just returned from a bloody battle, casualties heavy, and we have vital intelligence that must be reported immediately to the Sect Leader! What necessitates such urgent interrogation?"

Li Xingtian's expression remained blank: "Precisely because of the Falling Star City incident. According to reliable intelligence, during your mission there were unidentified outsiders," his gaze swept again toward Han Wuxian, "who interfered in sect affairs, causing major changes in the mission and even suspected collusion with the Netherworld Dao! By sect law, we must conduct a strict investigation!"

Upon these words, the people on the star ship erupted in an uproar!

Han Wuxian's heart sank further! Here it comes! Indeed, trouble has arrived! And they directly slapped the huge hat of "colluding with the Netherworld Dao" upon him! This Li Xingtian, even if he isn't the insider, must surely be being used by someone!

Elder Chu's face turned livid with anger: "Absurd! Little Friend Han helped us defeat the enemy, saved many fellow disciples, even dealt a heavy blow to the Netherworld demonic cultivators and shattered their plot—how could there be any talk of colluding with the Netherworld Dao? Elder Li Xingtian, where does this 'reliable intelligence' come from? Could it be more trustworthy than what I have seen with my own eyes?"

Li Xingtian showed no reaction, still icy: "Whether absurd or not, the investigation will yield a clear verdict. Elder Chu, are you intending to defy orders?" The disciples of the Discipline Hall behind him already had spiritual light flaring on their bodies, the atmosphere instantly tense and ready to clash.

Yun Chen rushed forward, bowing: "Elder Li Xingtian, please see clearly! Fellow Daoist Han is indeed our benefactor; many fellow disciples can attest to this! There must be a misunderstanding! Might we be allowed to first meet the Sect Leader Venerable..."

"The Sect Leader is in seclusion and not receiving guests." Li Xingtian cut him off directly, "The order has been issued; execute immediately! Seize them!" The final words were already a command for the Discipline Hall disciples to act.

Several Discipline Hall disciples instantly unleashed soul-binding chains, about to rush onto the star ship!