Chapter 569: Blood-Colored Dawn, The Will of the People

"Welcome, fellow Daoists, to the Reform Alliance!" Xiao Yuan said sincerely, "From today on, we are one family!"

The Fenglei Sect Master bowed deeply: "Our seven sects are willing to fight for the ideals of the Reform Alliance to the end!"

As the morning sun just began to spill over the earth, a hurried Sound Transmission Talisman tore through the sky and flew toward Qinglong Peak, carrying a heavy stench of blood.

"It's bad! The Heavenly Sword Sect has launched a surprise attack on Liuyun Valley!" a panicked voice came from the Sound Transmission Talisman, "The entire sect has been almost completely slaughtered; they didn't even spare the old, the weak, the women, or the children!"

Lin Xuan, who was in the middle of cultivation, opened his eyes abruptly, and the Golden Core Stage spiritual power that had just stabilized within his body instantly surged into chaos. Liuyun Valley was merely a third-rate small sect, and the strongest among them was only at the Foundation Establishment Stage. They had no direct connection to the Reform Alliance; why would the Heavenly Sword Sect deal such a vicious blow to them?

"Senior Brother!" Xiao Yuan rushed over, her face as pale as paper, "I just received news that the Heavenly Sword Sect not only attacked Liuyun Valley but also raided five other small sects, including Qingsong Temple and Mingyue Nunnery!"

Lin Xuan's heart sank; this was no longer an action targeting the Reform Alliance, but indiscriminate slaughter. He stood up immediately: "We must head out to rescue them at once!"

"It's already too late," Xiao Yuan's voice trembled, "According to the news received, these sects have already... they have already run out of survivors. Only Liuyun Valley still has a few severely wounded survivors."

The two immediately gathered Core members such as Xingchenzi and Muerxiu, forming a rescue team to rush to Liuyun Valley. Along the way, they encountered many fleeing cultivators; most of these people were in rags, their eyes filled with terror.

"The people of the Heavenly Sword Sect have gone mad!" an old cultivator cried out, "They kill everyone they see, not even sparing the young disciples who have just entered the sect!"

"I saw with my own eyes how they used evil Dharma Artifacts to absorb the essence and blood of cultivators," another person said in horror, "Those children... those children died too miserably!"

Hearing these descriptions, Lin Xuan's fury erupted like a volcano. The actions of the Heavenly Sword Sect had completely violated the basic morality of cultivators; this was the slaughter of the innocent!

When the rescue team arrived at Liuyun Valley, the scene before them made everyone gasp.

The once beautiful Liuyun Valley had turned into a living hell. There were broken walls and ruins everywhere, and the air was filled with a heavy stench of blood. Almost all the buildings in the valley had been destroyed, and shattered Dharma Artifacts and torn clothing were scattered across the ground.

What was most heartbreaking was that dozens of corpses lay on the sect's Martial Arts Arena. Among them were white-haired Elders, disciples in the prime of their youth, and even some boys and girls who looked only in their teens. Their states of death were extremely miserable, clearly having endured inhuman torture.

"Beasts!" Muerxiu gritted his teeth, his fists clenching until they creaked, "How could these beasts bring themselves to do this!"

Looking at the devastated scene, Xiao Yuan's eyes filled with tears, but she suppressed her grief and immediately began searching for survivors. Soon, she discovered a few dying cultivators under a collapsed building.

"There are still people alive!" Xiao Yuan hurriedly rescued them and began to use the "Harmony Dao" to heal their wounds.

A gentle white light radiated from her hands, nourishing the dried-up springs of life of the wounded like sweet dew. Those cultivators whose vitality had originally been cut off miraculously recovered some of their breath.

"Fairy... save my Junior Sister..." a young male cultivator grabbed Xiao Yuan's sleeve with difficulty, "She was taken by those demons... they used an Evil Artifact to suck away most of her essence and blood... I beg you to save her..."

Xiao Yuan followed his gaze and saw a girl of fifteen or sixteen lying not far away. Her face was as pale as paper, and the wounds on her body showed an eerie black color, clearly caused by some kind of evil Dharma Artifact.

"Rest assured, I will definitely save her," Xiao Yuan comforted her softly, then channeled the "Harmony Dao" with all her might.

This time, her power seemed to have undergone a new transformation. In the process of saving lives, her understanding of the "Harmony Dao" became even more profound. The preciousness of life and the value of peace all made her Dao heart even more firm.

Miraculously, the girl slowly opened her eyes. Although still very weak, her life was out of danger.

"Senior Sister... was it Senior Sister who saved me?" the girl asked weakly.

"You are safe now," Xiao Yuan said gently, "Tell me, what kind of Dharma Artifact did the people who attacked you use?"

The young male cultivator recalled painfully: "It was a blood-colored disc with evil Runes carved on it. As long as one was illuminated by it, the cultivator's essence and blood would be forcibly sucked out to enhance the user's strength."

Lin Xuan carefully inspected the scene and indeed found some black Rune fragments in a ruin. These Runes radiated an evil aura; they were clearly not things that righteous cultivators should use.

"This is an Evil Artifact of the Blood Fiend Sect!" Xingchenzi's expression changed drastically after examining the Rune fragments, "The Blood Fiend Sect was wiped out by the Righteous Alliance a thousand years ago; how could their legacy appear in the hands of the Heavenly Sword Sect?"

"It seems Yunxiaozi has completely lost his mind," Lin Xuan said in a deep voice, "In order to enhance his strength, he would actually go so far as to use evil Dharma Artifacts."

Just then, the sound of hoofbeats came from afar. A team of monks from Leiyin Temple arrived quickly, led by none other than Huiming Fangzhang.

"Amitabha," Huiming Fangzhang said, seeing the devastated scene, his eyes revealing grief and anger, "The actions of the Heavenly Sword Sect have completely violated the moral bottom line of cultivators!"

"Abbot, why have you come here?" Xiao Yuan asked in surprise.

"This humble monk has come to formally state my position to the Reform Alliance," Huiming Fangzhang said solemnly, "Leiyin Temple has decided to sever all ties with the Heavenly Sword Sect and is willing to cooperate with the Reform Alliance to jointly maintain peace in the Cultivation World!"

This statement shocked everyone present. As one of the eight traditional major powers, the shift in Leiyin Temple's stance held extremely significant meaning.

"Abbot, this decision..." Xingchenzi was somewhat incredulous.

"This is a decision we have made after careful consideration," Huiming Fangzhang said firmly, "Buddhism takes compassion as its foundation to save all living beings. The atrocities of the Heavenly Sword Sect have crossed our bottom line; Leiyin Temple must never associate with such a force."

He turned to Xiao Yuan and Lin Xuan: "Two young friends, I represent all the disciples of Leiyin Temple in formally applying to join the Reform Alliance. We are willing to contribute our strength to building a more harmonious Cultivation World."

This news soon spread throughout the entire Cultivation World, causing a huge tremor. Even a traditional power like Leiyin Temple had publicly condemned the Heavenly Sword Sect, and other sects also expressed their stances one after another.

The Taixuan Sect issued a statement, strongly condemning the atrocities of the Heavenly Sword Sect and announcing the suspension of all cooperation with the Heavenly Sword Sect.