Chapter 704: The Traitor Emerges, the Alliance Splits

Jian Wentian's expression turned gloomy: "If this is truly the case, then we have all become someone else's pawns."

"This war has been a conspiracy from the very beginning."

He looked around the blood-stained battlefield, his heart filled with guilt and anger.

Thousands of lives have perished in this meaningless war, while the instigator is still snickering in the shadows.

"We must stop the fighting immediately!" Jian Wentian made up his mind.

But Yunyou Zhenren shook his head: "I fear it is not that easy."

"The influence of this evil art is progressive; the longer it lasts, the harder it is for those affected to regain their senses."

"Look at those cultivators currently fighting; their eyes are filled only with hatred, and they cannot hear any advice at all."

"Forcibly ordering a ceasefire might instead trigger a mutiny."

Only then did Jian Wentian realize the severity of the problem.

Once a war begins, it takes on a life of its own.

Every fallen comrade makes the living even angrier, and the hatred rolls on like a snowball, growing larger and larger.

Even knowing the truth, stopping this war is by no means an easy task.

"Then what should we do?" Jian Wushuang asked urgently.

Yunyou Zhenren pondered for a moment: "The only way now is to find the source of the evil art and resolve the problem at its root."

"As long as the evil influence can be severed, people will naturally regain their reason."

Jian Wentian thought of Lin Xuan: "Where is Lin Xuan now?"

"If his Creation Bloodline can purify this evil art, perhaps he can help us."

Jian Wushuang's expression changed: "Lin Xuan and Bai Suxin entered the ancient temple on Ten Thousand Demon Island."

"It is said that some secret might be hidden there, but contact has been lost ever since."

"A temple?" A flash of realization crossed Yunyou Zhenren's eyes.

"If this old man is not mistaken, the source of the evil art is very likely in that temple."

"Lin Xuan and the others might be facing the true mastermind."

Jian Wentian clenched his fists: "We must go to support them!"

"If anything happens to Lin Xuan, not only will this war be impossible to stop, but the entire cultivation world could fall into catastrophe."

But just at this moment, Wucaizi and the others gathered around.

Their eyes were filled with a frenzied light; clearly, they had been deeply affected by the evil art.

"Alliance Leader Jian, now is not the time to be distracted!" Wucaizi said sternly.

"The demon race is resisting so stubbornly, which shows they have a guilty conscience! We should increase our offensive and crush them in one fell swoop!"

Other radical Elders also chimed in one after another, their words filled with hatred for the demon race.

Jian Wentian looked at these Elders, who were usually rational but now seemed to have lost their minds, and became even more convinced of the existence of the evil art.

Just as Jian Wentian was thinking about how to stop this meaningless war, Wucaizi suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"Alliance Leader Jian, it seems you have already begun to suspect." Wucaizi's voice turned cold and chilling, completely different from his previous fervor.

"But isn't it a bit too late to discover it now?"

Jian Wentian looked at Wucaizi vigilantly and found his expression had become extremely eerie.

His originally kind face twisted, blood-red light flickered in his eyes, and his whole person radiated a cold, sinister aura.

"Wucaizi, what do you mean by this?" Jian Wentian gripped his sword hilt.

Yunyou Zhenren also sensed that something was wrong, quietly stepping back a few paces and preparing for battle.

Wucaizi laughed loudly and completely tore off his disguise: "What do I mean? Naturally, it is time to end this play."

"Jian Wentian, you think you have discovered the truth? In reality, you know nothing."

"This war, the removal of Lin Xuan, and even your current actions are all under my control."

Jian Wushuang's eyes widened in shock: "You... who are you?"

"Who am I?" Wucaizi's laughter became even more ferocious.

"I am a loyal Xintu under the great Demon God, having infiltrated your Righteous Alliance as early as ten years ago."

"Over these years, I have been secretly sowing the seeds of hatred, inciting conflict between the various sects."

"Do you still remember the conflict between the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Qingyun School five years ago? Or the dispute between Wanhua Valley and the Xuanwu Gate three years ago?"

"Those were all my masterpieces, intended to weaken the unity of the Righteous Alliance."

Jian Wentian recalled that in recent years, there had indeed been constant internal conflicts within the Alliance, and frequent disputes had broken out between sects that were once harmonious.

At the time, he thought it was a normal phenomenon of the intense competition in the cultivation world; only now did he understand that someone had been manipulating it from behind the scenes.

"Was the removal of Lin Xuan also planned by you?" Jian Wentian asked through gritted teeth.

"Of course," Wucaizi said triumphantly.

"That brat Lin Xuan's Creation Bloodline is too dangerous; it poses a threat to the resurrection of the Demon God."

"So I had to find a way to get rid of him, or at least make him lose the support of the Righteous Alliance."

"I deliberately magnified the jealousy and dissatisfaction in your hearts, making you harbor hostility toward Lin Xuan."

"I didn't expect it to succeed so easily; you righteous people are actually full of dark sides in your hearts."

Yunyou Zhenren said angrily: "You demonic scum! To think you would dare to toy with human hearts!"

"Toy with human hearts?" Wucaizi sneered.

"I merely magnified the true thoughts deep within your hearts."

"If your states of mind were truly pure and flawless, how could you have been affected by me?"

"In the end, it is still your own problem."

Jian Wentian became angrier the more he listened, but he felt even more self-reproach.

Indeed, if he had been able to remain calm at the time and carefully consider Lin Xuan's character and abilities, he would not have been easily incited.

Ultimately, it was his own deep-seated jealousy and unwillingness to accept the situation that had been exploited by Wucaizi.

"Do you know regret now?" Wucaizi saw through Jian Wentian's thoughts.

"It is a pity that it is too late. The war outside has already provided enough negative energy, and the Demon God is about to be resurrected."

"Once the Demon God descends completely, the entire cultivation world will crawl at his feet."

As he spoke, Wucaizi began to cast an evil spell.

His hands formed strange hand seals, and he chanted obscure incantations.

A powerful mental fluctuation spread in all directions, directly attacking the minds of everyone present.

"Heart Demon Control Art—Will Enslavement!"

This was an extremely sinister spell of the demonic path, capable of directly invading another's mental world and Zhuanghua them into a loyal servant.

Ordinary cultivators simply could not resist this attack and would instantly lose their self-consciousness.

Jian Wentian felt an evil force rush into his mind, attempting to control his thoughts.

That feeling was like countless venomous snakes crawling in his brain, causing nausea and fear.

But just at this moment, he remembered the words of his son, Jian Wushuang, and remembered Lin Xuan's sacrifices for the Righteous Alliance.

The guilt and self-reproach deep within his heart instead ignited his fighting spirit.

"I will never submit to evil!" Jian Wentian roared.

Intense anger and self-reproach allowed his mental power to sublimate, successfully resisting the erosion of the evil spell.