Chương 126: Chapter 15: The Fall of the Qingyan Sect

The silence that followed the killing blow lasted only a heartbeat. Then, the world exploded into pandemonium.

"The Sect Leader... he's dead! Tiandaozi is dead!"

"The Qingyan Sect is finished! If we stay, we die with it! Run!"

"Move! If you value your life, get out of here now!" Panic, raw and infectious, rippled through the ranks of the Qingyan Sect. The sight of their fallen leader had shattered their collective spirit. Led by several Foundation Establishment cultivators who were the first to break, the disciples scattered like a colony of ants under a boot. They fled in every direction, their former arrogance replaced by the frantic, wide-eyed terror of stray dogs fleeing a slaughterhouse.

"Disciples of the Xuanxiao Sect, heed my command!" Dan Chenzi's voice, bolstered by a surge of True Essence, thundered across the battlefield, drowning out the screams.

"Execute those who remain obstinate, but grant a path of life to those who flee. Do not pursue!" This decree acted as the final nail in the coffin for any lingering resistance. The few Qingyan cultivators who had been weighing their chances of a desperate last stand let out sighs of bitter defeat. They turned tail and bolted, joining the chaotic exodus. Within dozens of breaths, the once-mighty Qingyan Sect had been hollowed out, its members vanished into the horizon.

On the periphery, the crowds of rogue cultivators who had gathered to watch the spectacle felt a different kind of electricity in the air. After the initial shock of the Sect Leader's death wore off, their eyes gleamed with predatory greed. They exchanged knowing glances and quickly formed small hunting parties, slipping into the shadows to trail the fleeing Qingyan disciples. In the cultivation world, when a wall falls, everyone gives it a push.

The Qingyan Sect had been overbearing for decades, earning them countless enemies. Now that they were broken and vulnerable, these vultures saw no reason not to pick the carcass clean.

"Clear the battlefield immediately. Tend to the wounded," Qingxiaozi ordered his subordinates, though his gaze remained fixed on the distance, a shadow of concern clouding his features. Dan Chenzi noticed his brother's expression and offered a small, knowing smile.

"Senior Brother, are you still worrying about that old ghost, Ming Diao?"

"Indeed. I cannot rest easy until he is accounted for," Qingxiaozi admitted, his brow furrowed deeply.

"Throughout this entire slaughter, Ming Diao never showed his face. We have dismantled his sect, but if a Golden Core cultivator of his caliber survives and turns to a path of shadow and vengeance, our disciples will never be safe again."

"Heh, Senior Brother, you're overthinking this." Dan Chenzi shifted his gaze toward Reyn, his eyes twinkling with a mix of amusement and scrutiny.

"Our disciple Reyn likely knows exactly where Ming Diao is. After all, even Tiandaozi fell to his schemes today. If Ming Diao truly went to intercept Reyn as we suspected, I imagine he reached the underworld long before his Sect Leader." Under the piercing, inquisitive stares of two Golden Core masters, Reyn couldn't help but let out a dry, internal chuckle. He maintained a humble posture but didn't shrink back.

"On that day... it was a matter of fortune and timing. I had to exhaust every resource at my disposal and suffered grievous injuries, but... yes. I did indeed slay the old ghost, Ming Diao." Even though they had already suspected as much, hearing the confirmation from Reyn's own lips sent a fresh jolt of shock through the two elders. A Qi Condensation disciple—even one as talented as Reyn—slaying a Golden Core expert was a feat that defied the natural order of the heavens.

It took a long moment for the stunned silence to lift from their faces. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

"Reyn, my disciple," Dan Chenzi said, his gaze lingering on the young man with profound depth.

"It seems you carry far more secrets than we two old men could have ever imagined."

"This... Sect Leader, Master, please allow me to explain—""There is no need," Dan Chenzi interrupted, a genuine, relaxed smile finally breaking across his face.

"Every cultivator has secrets they must carry to the grave. It is the nature of our path. As long as I know you are my disciple and your heart remains with the Xuanxiao Sect, that is more than enough for me." Qingxiaozi nodded in agreement, stepping forward to clap a heavy, appreciative hand on Reyn's shoulder.

"Well said. As long as you never forget your roots here, the rest matters little." Moved by their trust, Reyn bowed his head deeply, his voice thick with sincerity.

"I understand. This disciple shall never forget!" Qingxiaozi and Dan Chenzi exchanged a glance, a flash of shared triumph and cunning in their eyes, before erupting into boisterous laughter. Their voices rolled across the valley like thunder, drawing the awe-struck gazes of the remaining Xuanxiao disciples. Looking at the three men standing side-by-side, the disciples realized with a start that Reyn's status had shifted.

He was no longer just a talented peer; he stood among the Golden Core masters, a figure of terrifying power and unreachable mystery. Suddenly, Reyn's gaze shifted, landing on a figure in the distance. His expression instantly turned frigid, his eyes narrowing into slits of icy killing intent. Damn it! He knows! Mo Yu thought, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. He knows I was the one who tipped off Ming Diao. If this comes to light, the Sect Leader and Dan Chenzi will tear me apart.

My only hope is to run! Mo Yu had been pretending to oversee the battlefield cleanup, but his peripheral vision had never left Reyn. The moment he saw that murderous glint, he knew his betrayal had been exposed. BOOM! Mo Yu's aura erupted as he activated several defensive artifacts at once. A streak of light enveloped him as he ignited his essence, bolting toward the horizon with desperate speed.

He moved like a lightning bolt, covering hundreds of feet in a single breath, all while screaming at the top of his lungs: "Remnants of the Qingyan Sect! You won't escape me!" The surrounding Xuanxiao disciples blinked in confusion, assuming the Elder was simply being overzealous in his pursuit of the enemy. Reyn, however, merely let out a cold, mocking snort.

"Trying to play the hero, Elder Mo?" In a flash of azure light, Reyn executed the Demon Flash. He vanished from his spot and reappeared directly in Mo Yu's path, blocking his escape with casual ease.

"And where exactly does Elder Mo think he is going in such a hurry?"

"Hmph! I am pursuing the fleeing dregs of the Qingyan Sect, obviously!" Mo Yu barked, his face pale but his voice forced into a tone of indignation.

"Step aside, Elder Reyn! Do not hinder sect business!" He attempted to swerve around Reyn, his flight-light flickering with agitation.

"Hmph!" Reyn's cold snort was like a physical blow. He shifted his weight, his movement a blur as he blocked Mo Yu once more. A sneer of pure derision curled his lip.

"If you knew this day would come, why did you ever commit the deed? From the moment you sent word to Ming Diao to ambush me, you should have prepared yourself for this reckoning."

"What?! Elder Mo Yu tipped off the Qingyan Sect?"

"He tried to use the enemy to murder Elder Reyn?"

"It's possible... everyone knows Mo Yu is petty. His nephew died by Reyn's hand, and he was humiliated at the Ascension Terrace. To sell out the sect for a personal grudge... how despicable!" The atmosphere among the Xuanxiao disciples shifted instantly. The looks of confusion turned into glares of cold, sharp disgust. Qingxiaozi and Dan Chenzi's faces darkened to the color of a storm cloud. The Sect Leader stepped forward, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low rumble.

"Elder Mo Yu, what is the meaning of this? Explain yourself."

"Sect Leader, do not listen to his lies! This has nothing to do with me!" Mo Yu shrieked, his face contorted with a mix of grief and rage as he pointed a trembling finger at Reyn.

"Reyn! I admit we have a history, but to frame me for treason? What kind of twisted heart do you possess to plot my ruin like this?!" The disciples wavered, their eyes darting between the two. Without proof, it was one man's word against another's.

"Do you think I am the type of man to speak without absolute certainty, Mo Yu?" Reyn looked up, his eyes devoid of any warmth, radiating only the chill of the grave.

"Three thousand miles from Thunder Abyss City, Ming Diao intercepted me. I didn't just kill him—I performed a Soul-Searching Art on his dying spirit. I saw your face in his memories. I heard your voice." Reyn took a step forward, his voice booming like a divine judgment that shook the very heavens.

"I, Reyn, hereby swear upon my very soul and my path of cultivation: if a single word I have spoken is false, may the Heart-Demons consume me, and may I die a wretched death with no hope of reincarnation!"