Once they were beyond the range of everyone’s Divine Sense, Song Changsheng let out a soft laugh and whispered, "Brother Yunhe, your guess was correct after all. It seems we won’t be returning empty-handed."
Xu Yunhe was also very satisfied. The risk of offending the Lieyang Sect had been well worth it.
"Since we have it, let’s head straight back to Luoxia City to avoid any unexpected trouble." Xu Yunhe already felt satisfied.
Song Changsheng didn’t answer. Instead, he set Xia Wanyun down and said solemnly, "Brother Yunhe, you’ve treated with sincerity, so I won’t hide the truth from you. The Song Clan and the Lieyang Sect have an irreconcilable blood feud.
As a mber of the Song Clan, I can’t just stand by and watch them obtain the Yin Yang Purple Tree Heart. So, you take her and go on ahead. I’ll et up with you after I’ve settled things here."
Xu Yunhe’s brow furrowed in displeasure. "Brother Song, we’ve been through life and death together. Are you looking down on with words like that?"
"Of course not. But this is my personal feud, and you shouldn’t get involved." Song Changsheng was touched but still resolved to refuse the kind offer. This was a matter between the Song Clan and the Lieyang Sect; he didn’t want to drag an outsider into it.
But Xu Yunhe just waved his hand. "We’ve already snatched the fruits of their labor, so we’ve already made enemies of them. I don’t mind if that enmity runs a little deeper. Brother Song, just do what you have to do. I’ll stand guard for you!"
Seeing his resolute stance, Song Changsheng was deeply touched. He stopped hesitating, placed Xia Wanyun on Xu Yunhe’s back, and smiled. "I’ll be right back."
With that, he activated his Breath Concealnt Technique and stealthily headed back.
The Lieyang Sect had five Foundation Establishnt Cultivators present. A gray-bearded elder had the highest Cultivation, at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishnt. He was the one controlling the Chain Array, and he currently sat with his back to Song Changsheng.
Two others were helping to maintain the Array: a Late-stage and a Mid-stage Foundation Establishnt Cultivator.
The remaining two, both Foundation Establishnt Early Stage Cultivators, were inside the Array, fiercely attacking the Evil Cultivator.
The Evil Cultivator’s Cultivation was sealed by the Array, suppressing seventy to eighty percent of his power. Already severely injured, he was reduced to passively defending against the onslaught of two Foundation Establishnt Early Stage Cultivators.
At this rate, he would sooner or later suffer a humiliating death at the hands of these Foundation Establishnt Cultivators.
Clutching a Godslaying Flying Knife in his palm, Song Changsheng felt a surge of conflict. ’I’ve never thought of myself as a good person, but I still follow the Righteous Dao and despise associating with Evil Demons and heretics.’
’And yet today, I have to take the initiative to save an Evil Cultivator whose hands are stained with who knows how much blood...’
’Is doing this right, or is it wrong?’ For the first ti, Song Changsheng felt a pang of uncertainty, but it was quickly replaced by resolve.
’In this cruel world, the clan’s interests are paramount, even if it ans going against my own principles!’
Resolve filled Song Changsheng’s eyes, and he hurled the Godslaying Flying Knife without a mont’s hesitation.
As the Godslaying Flying Knife transford into a silent, dark streak and shot forward, he didn’t wait to see the result. He imdiately activated Fleeting Shadows and fled at top speed.
The mont he used his Spiritual Power, the gray-bearded elder from the Lieyang Sect—the one with the highest Cultivation—sensed it. His expression changed drastically. As he activated a defensive Magic, he bellowed a warning, "Careful, we’re under attack!"
The words had barely left his mouth when a bloodcurdling scream rang out beside him. With a POP, the sect brother to his left was struck by the dark streak. He was only at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishnt Cultivation level, and caught completely by surprise, he had no way to defend himself. His body instantly exploded into a spray of gore.
The elder’s eyes practically split from their sockets in grief as he cried out, "Nephew Chengg!"
"Who’s the assassin hiding in the shadows? Show yourself!" the elder roared, his voice like a clap of Thunderbolt. A formidable aura exploded from him, his hair and beard bristling like the mane of an enraged lion.
"Senior Brother Zhang, the Array is about to collapse!" the other man shouted, his face pale.
With Nephew Chengg dead, the Three Talents Linked Array instantly beca precarious.
The Evil Cultivator seized this rare opportunity, gathering what little Mana he had left to launch a ferocious assault on the Array. In the very first exchange, the two Foundation Establishnt Early Stage Cultivators were sent flying.
Senior Brother Zhang’s expression fell. He quickly sat down to stabilize the Array and said urgently to the others, "It’s hopeless! Junior Liu, take our two nephews and leave, now! This old man will buy you so ti."
"Take care, Senior Brother!"
Junior Liu was the Late-stage Foundation Establishnt cultivator. He was a decisive man; upon hearing the order, he swept his wide sleeve without hesitation, enveloping the two injured juniors and departing at once.
Without Junior Liu’s support, the Array teetered on the brink of collapse under the Evil Cultivator’s onslaught. A look of grim resolve crossed the elder’s face as he took out a Pill and swallowed it. His strength instantly surged, allowing him to hold on for the ti being.
The Evil Cultivator sneered at the sight. "To ruin your future for the sake of those few? Old man, have you lived all these years for nothing?"
Senior Brother Zhang’s face was a ghastly crimson. He replied with conviction, "If I retreated without a fight, I might save my own life, but the three of them would certainly fall to your rciless hands.
Trading my old bones for their three lives is a worthy exchange!"
"Tsk, tsk. I truly don’t understand the way you fools think."
"Of course an Evil Demon like you wouldn’t understand," Senior Brother Zhang retorted mockingly.
The Evil Cultivator burst into laughter as if he had heard the world’s funniest joke. When he finished, he said coldly, "It’s the sanctimonious faces of you ’Righteous Dao’ people that I can’t stand.
You call an Evil Demon, so how do you explain setting up an Array to besiege ?"
"Hmph. Against a treacherous villain like you, there’s no need to speak of honor."
Senior Brother Zhang remained completely unmoved, instead burning even more of his Life Force to maintain the Array.
But a person’s Life Force is finite. In less than ten minutes, his face had beco ashen.
Seeing that the ti was ripe, the Evil Cultivator unleashed the killing blow he had long been preparing:
"Little Divine Technique: Star-Picking Hand!"
A colossal, phantom hand descended from the sky, shattering the crumbling Array before landing on Senior Brother Zhang’s wizened body.
He was crushed into a bloody mist before he even had ti to scream.
"Hahaha! It seems my fate is not to die today! I wonder which fellow cultivator assisted from the shadows. Please, show yourself! I, Dongtian Xie, will be sure to reward you handsoly!"
Dongtian Xie’s eyes scanned the surroundings like a vulture’s. Though his mouth spoke of gratitude, he was actually planning to lure out and kill his benefactor, knowing they were only a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator.
Song Changsheng, who hadn’t gotten far, froze when he heard the wild laughter. He turned back toward the battlefield, his expression complicated.
’He really did escape.’
He had known this would be the result from the mont he threw the Godslaying Flying Knife at the Mid-stage Foundation Establishnt Cultivator. After all, with the elent of surprise, the Godslaying Flying Knife could kill a Mid-stage Foundation Establishnt Cultivator in a single strike.
It would inevitably trigger a chain reaction. Without the help of the Array, the Lieyang Sect was bound to suffer grievous losses. He had estimated that only the Foundation Establishnt Great Perfection Cultivator would be able to escape with his life.
Achieving such a result so easily should have made him ecstatic, but his feelings were incredibly mixed. He had personally saved a demon!
"Brother Song, this is how the world works. Better them than us. If you hadn’t done this today, you’d be the one regretting it tomorrow.
As for Dongtian Xie, he’s a spent force. All we have to do is spread the word about him, and plenty of people will be lining up to claim the bounty on his head." At this critical juncture, it was Xu Yunhe who saw things more clearly, a rare ruthlessness showing on his face.
Song Changsheng was shaken by his words. ’He’s right. If I hadn’t done this today, wouldn’t I regret it forever when the butcher’s knife is one day pointed at my own clan?’
He took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to Xu Yunhe with cupped fists. "I was being shortsighted."
Seeing that Song Changsheng understood his point, Xu Yunhe felt a sense of relief. His exceptionally talented friend had finally grasped the rules of survival for a Loose Cultivator.
"Let’s hurry back to Luoxia City."
Carrying Xia Wanyun, the two of them rushed toward Luoxia City, spreading news of Dongtian Xie all along the way...
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