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Chapter 340 Disloyalty After the Catastrophe
A dilapidated city, billowing smoke, and countless scattered remains of evil creatures.

The world is now a scene of devastation.

In fact, ever since the ancient race disappeared from this world, the seven great immortal sects have stood firmly on the entire continent, unmoved.

Just as mortals dare not look up at the gates of immortals, countless aristocratic families in Qingyun only dare to revere and look up in awe when facing the sacred grounds of immortal sects.

But no one could have imagined that one day this place, which was considered a sacred site, would be attacked and ravaged.

On the way back, seeing countless scenes of ruin, everyone felt a deep tremor in their hearts.

The disciples of the Mountain and Sea Pavilion were the first sect to arrive, as they were very close to the entire ruins.

A densely packed group of disciples followed Huo Xingzhong as they traversed the mountain. Along the way, they saw collapsed palaces, corpses exposed in the wilderness, and thick smoke billowing into the sky.

They remained silent, not uttering a word, until they arrived at the ruins that had been razed to the ground.

When Huo Xingzhong saw the towering figure amidst the ruins and the celestial bell that resonated in the sky, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Shang Xiyao, the holy son of the Daoist Sect, also returned to Daoist Mountain. Looking at his father, who stood proudly atop Broken Mountain, his unease vanished instantly.

As for Chen Luo and Chen Xi, the two direct descendants of the Chen Clan, they did not see their patriarch grandfather when they returned to the mountain.

However, the elders of the sect said that the old patriarch was fine, but had suffered serious injuries and was in seclusion to heal, which reassured them a little.

The only difference was the trip to the Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion.

After the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice ended, the power of sacred artifacts surged in the dojos of other immortal sects, indicating that the worst outcome had not occurred. Only their Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion did not show the light of the Xuan Yuan Pearl.

Meanwhile, Zhong Qi, the eighth son of the Xuan Yuan Sect, who was secretly chosen by the sect leader to be the next sect leader, stepped up the mountain and led a large group of Xuan Yuan disciples all the way to the ruins of the sect leader's immortal palace.

Before they could search, a group of disciples who remained in the sect appeared before Zhong Qi.

They were standing in a circle, silently staring at the center.

As soon as Zhong Qi and his group's footsteps sounded, one person in the crowd turned around.

"Laoba."

"Big brother?"

The direct descendant of the Xuan Yuan Sect Leader was named Zhong Yun. He was surrounded by countless relatives. After glancing at Zhong Qi, he glanced back slightly, and the people around him quickly made way for him.

Through the cleared gap, Zhong Qi saw the scene in the center of the crowd.

The Xuan Yuan Sect Leader was currently slumped on a cliff, his broken body leaning against the cliff wall, his faint breath seeming to be about to be cut off, clearly indicating that he was nearing the end.

Apart from the Dan Sect, this Xuan Yuan Sect Master was the first to attempt ascension in seclusion, and also the one who spent the longest time doing so.

In order to break free from the shackles of his physical body on his soul, he had been following the will of Heaven to let his body age, while constantly severing the connection between his physical body and his soul, preparing for his final ascension.

In other words, apart from the junior appraiser who temporarily took over the Spirit Appraisal, he was the weakest among the six, as he was nearing ascension.

Previously, with the sacred artifact protecting him, he had nothing to worry about. But when the sacred artifact failed and a powerful immortal attacked him, a deadly situation was sealed.

Upon witnessing this scene, Zhong Qi clenched his fists instantly: "Where is that demon?!"

"The headmaster of the Heavenly Academy came to help, and the head of the Chu family failed to succeed. He has fled from the mountains and is being chased westward."

After Zhong Yun finished speaking, he pointed to the sky, where a trace of celestial light pierced through the western sky.

The defeat of the Xuan Yuan Sect Leader was a great pity, because he was only a moment away from the revival of the Xuan Yuan Pearl.

But that's how battles can be so dramatic; a slight difference can lead to a completely different outcome.

Fortunately, the headmaster of the Heavenly Academy arrived, preventing the demon from finding the Profound Origin Pearl. He was blasted into a bloody mist and fled in a frenzy.

"This calamity is tantamount to annihilation, causing heavy casualties to my Xuan Yuan Immortal Mansion. Even my father will perish in this calamity. However, Xuan Yuan cannot be without a leader for a single day. My father has already conveyed his message that he will pass the position of sect leader to me to take over."

"?"

Zhong Qi snapped out of his daze upon hearing the sound, his gaze shifting from the sky. After a moment of disbelief, his eyes widened in disbelief: "Brother, are you kidding me?"

Zhong Yun looked at him intently: "How could I dare to joke about such an important matter? All the uncles and elders present can testify to the matter of passing on the throne. If you don't believe me, you can go and ask them."

Zhong Qi looked at his uncles and elders, and saw that they all nodded.

This seems like a deathbed decree issued by a secular monarch, and appears to be without any problem.

The problem is that while others might not be aware of it, these relatives are perfectly clear that they are the ones who have always been the heirs.

After only a moment's thought, Zhong Qi understood that they must have made some kind of deal during the gap after his father's defeat.

He was indeed the successor, but he always hid behind Chu Xian and the third brother, and the others in the sect were unaware of their father's decision.

Especially the eldest brother in front of him, who was the direct descendant...

Zhong Qi was filled with rage, and murderous intent surged in his eyes.

Even though he was filled with resentment, he managed to suppress his arrogance after careful consideration.

Because he knew that the situation was unfavorable to him, and he had no way to prove that he was the chosen one, he could only endure it.

What he didn't expect was that just as he suppressed his arrogance, the Dao sword in his hand suddenly flew out of its sheath, as if controlled by someone, causing him to open his eyes wide instantly.

A cold glint flashed in Zhong Yun's eyes: "Zhong Qi, a disciple of Xuan Yuan, disobeyed the sect leader's orders and attempted to kill. He should be executed."

"Om-"

A clear, metallic clang reverberated, and the crimson light returned in an instant.

At this moment, Sect Leader Xuan Yuan leaned against the shattered rocks, watching this scene, blood continuously spilling from his mouth.

His internal organs had been shattered, and his soul had been severely damaged. He was unable to speak and had no strength to speak.

Swords have no eyes, and such close combat would naturally affect him. In an instant, he was struck hard by a stray blade, his face covered in blood.

The rage surged within him, causing the immobile Xuan Yuan Sect Master to tremble violently, and more and more blood spilled from his mouth.

Even so, no one takes him seriously anymore.

He was a ruthless character to begin with, using people to make elixirs and dissecting corpses to examine them; naturally, the offspring he raised were a pack of wolf cubs.

Soon, his favorite son also fell in a pool of blood, just like him.

But the conflict did not end there, because as Zhong Qi died, Zhong Yun, who had not yet had time to raise the corners of his mouth, immediately saw a long sword pierce through his body.

Turning his head, he saw a ruthless glint in his eyes from his third uncle, who had been betting on him.

His third uncle had never considered vying for power during the previous change of leadership, but his ambition, suppressed for a century, finally erupted.

But he wasn't the only one who had been suppressing his ambitions since the Immortal Sect's decline two years ago.

When it was confirmed that the old sect leader lying on the cliff was unable to move due to the fratricide, a fifth-level peak cultivator who had previously followed Zhong Qi to the ruins suddenly released his aura.

In the blink of an eye, slaughter ensued...

The same whispers and secret glances also occurred on the way back from Lingjian Mountain.

They had already arrived in Lingzhou, and before even reaching the foot of the mountain, they had already seen the situation of their own dojo.

None of the lower peaks surrounding the three main peaks of Lingjian Mountain are intact; the land is covered with deep pits and ravines created by battles.

Most importantly, the entire Tianjian Peak collapsed.

The sudden loss of one of the three main peaks that once stood in a triangular formation caused everyone's hearts to clench.

Just as Ji You had worried, the people of Lingjian Mountain were also aware that once the sacred artifacts failed, Lingjian Mountain, without the presence of a Linxian realm expert, would be the least able to resist.

With a buzzing sound, the hundred-plus elders and thousands of disciples on the flying boat landed on the mountain path.

At this moment, a person of high rank and power couldn't help but gently grip his sword.

No one knew whether they wielded their swords because they felt they had to stand up to protect the sect after their master's death and the demon was still in the mountains, or because some of them couldn't suppress their ambitions and began to stir.

But neither of these is a good thing at this moment.

"The situation within the sect is still unclear. All disciples, please rest at the foot of the mountain. I will go up the mountain to investigate the situation to ensure everything goes smoothly."

"?"

Everyone was slightly taken aback and looked at Yan Wei, the deputy peak master of Tianjian Peak, who had spoken.

Yan Wei is Yan Zhong's cousin. Although he holds the position of deputy peak master, he doesn't actually have much real power and is only equivalent to a core elder.

However, when the Master of Appraisal, the Sect Leader, and the Three Peak Masters were absent, he was indeed the one with the highest status.

However, his arrangements here are indeed somewhat strange, making it hard not to have some doubts.

It is true that Lingjian Mountain is shattered, but there is no sound coming from inside the mountain. What is the reason for not allowing others to enter when they reach the mountain gate?

Ding Yao couldn't help but frown: "The safety of the Master is currently unknown. I am afraid I cannot obey the Deputy Peak Master's order."

"Remember your place of seniority and hierarchy! When did it become your turn to speak here?!"

"All disciples of Lingjian Mountain know that I only obey the orders of the Master."

"Your master's safety is currently unknown. Is there no one to care for you? I made these arrangements for the safety of the disciples in the sect, in case there is an ambush in the mountains!"

Zhuo Wanqiu then spoke softly: "Is the Deputy Peak Master truly so kind, or is he going into the mountains to look for something?"

Upon hearing this, Yan Wei's brows furrowed instantly, and a ferocious look appeared on his aged face.

With Tianjian Peak reduced to rubble, he believed the sect leader was likely in grave danger, and the demon sought the sacred artifact, so the appraiser was probably already dead.

This Spirit Sword Mountain should be under his command.

The situation here is unclear, but he feels that he is already in a high position, and he will naturally be furious when he sees someone daring to contradict him to his face.

"You two lowly maids, you've gone too far."

With a furious shout, Yan Wei suddenly raised his hand to slap someone.

However, before the slap could land, he noticed that the Xuanjian Peak disciple in front of him suddenly knelt down.

After a slight pause, Yan Wei couldn't help but look up at the west side.

A beam of celestial light shot into the sky from the cliff of Xuanjian Peak, rippling across the cloudless sky and spreading out in golden waves.

Beneath this celestial light, a graceful figure was watching them.

She wore a red and white fairy robe, looking down at them like a goddess descending to earth. The mysterious aura around her roared and swirled in the mountain wind, and her face was filled with arrogance and indifference.

On its right, the Spirit Mirror, imbued with boundless power, trembled continuously, conveying a sense of closeness as it stood beside it.

Upon witnessing this scene, the complex emotions of all the members of Lingjian Mountain instantly vanished, replaced by awe and reverence. Even the elders of Tianjian Peak clasped their hands together, bent their backs, and gently touched their foreheads to the ground.

When the Immortal Realm attacked and slaughtered everyone in the world, their young master defended Spirit Sword Mountain.

Yan Wei's eyes twitched slightly, and upon seeing this scene, a bead of cold sweat instantly appeared on his forehead.

With the sacred artifact malfunctioning, the Immortal Realm attacked. He didn't know how the opponent had managed to escape death, and he couldn't even see any signs of serious injury.

But his reaction was incredibly quick; he immediately bent down on the ground.

After waiting for a long time, there was no sound from the mountain, and Yan Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief.

His malicious intentions weren't so obvious, and besides, he wasn't under the jurisdiction of Xuanjian Peak, but rather a member of the main branch of Tianjian Peak.

After a brief bowing and salutation, the group rose at the master's signal and headed up the mountain.

However, as they walked, they suddenly felt an immense pressure rushing towards them, followed by a scream.

Turning his head, he saw Yan Wei being violently blasted away by a beam of immortal light. He spat out a mouthful of blood in the air and crashed onto the cliff with a thud. He was groaning as if his liver and gallbladder were about to burst and his whole body was trembling.

Yan Shuyi looked at him indifferently, as if looking down at an ant from the top of the high cliff.

Although the demon who attempted to seize the sacred artifact was executed, the shattered prestige of the immortal sect could not be repaired in a short time.

Especially after this catastrophe, many people felt that she should be the first to die.

Therefore, she had to bring the sacred artifact to show herself, not only to the disciples in the mountains, but also to the people of the world.

The master of Lingjian Mountain did not die, and Lingjian Mountain is still her Lingjian Mountain.

Yan Wei got up from the ground, trembling as he looked at the master at the top. He realized that as soon as he took one more step, the terrifying pressure came down from the sky again, and he froze in his tracks.

At this moment, Yan Shuyi lowered his eyes, then turned his head down to look at Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, who were coming down the mountain with tears welling up in their eyes.

"Appraiser!"

"What about him?"

Yan Shuyi turned to look at them, her face pale as she spoke.

That composed and authoritative demeanor, as if everything was under control, suddenly crumbled, and a hint of vulnerability and unease appeared in her eyes.

Upon seeing this, Cui'er, the maidservant serving nearby, suddenly pursed her lips.

She had suspected that the appraiser had a lover since the time of the Heavenly Dao Society, and she had vaguely confirmed the identity of that person, but she never felt that the relationship was that close.

After all, in her opinion, even if a woman had a lover, she would probably treat him as a gigolo, given her status as an appraiser.

But only now did she realize that the appraiser, who had been expressionless the whole time, seemed a little scared.

When Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu saw that their appraiser was really alright, their hearts, which had been hanging in suspense all the way, finally settled down, and their voices were extremely hoarse when they spoke.

"Reporting to the Master, the young master was afraid that something might happen to you, so he ignored all advice and went alone into the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice to kill Chu Xian. He is now seriously injured and has been brought back to the Heavenly Academy."

After hearing that he was still alive, the young appraiser remained silent for a long time, his eyelashes suddenly becoming slightly damp: "A disciple of the Little Heavenly Academy, quite impressive indeed."

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu both subconsciously pursed their lips: "Young Master is incredibly brave..."

Tell me about it in detail.

The two then began to speak, recounting everything in detail, from the attack on the road to the theft of the three replica sacred artifacts, all the way to Ji You and Tian Duohun breaking into the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice, and the doubts in everyone's minds about how he, who clearly disliked the Immortal Sect the most, had anything to do with its destruction.

The relationship between Yan Shuyi and Ji You had little to do with their cultivation levels or their social status. They played around without ever thinking about the big picture or what the other could do for them.

So even though everyone could see that she liked Ji You, she still habitually adopted a superior and aloof attitude as a connoisseur.

But she never imagined that one day she would be like a weak woman who needed to be protected by others.

And the disciples of Xiaotian Academy did indeed draw their swords and protect her.

Yan Shuyi listened in silence, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu looked at their appraiser's puffed-out pink cheeks and thought to themselves that their appraiser seemed to be wanting to moan.

It's no wonder, isn't it? The image of Ji You leaping alone flashed through their minds, and they thought that anyone who had heard of it would find it hard to resist that feeling.

"Although the calamity has passed, the sect may not be at peace. I imagine the world will think I am dead, and it is not surprising that they are restless. I cannot leave the sect for the time being. You take a group of disciples, call Elder Yan Chuan and Elder Yan De, and go to the Heavenly Academy to look after him and stay by his side at all times."

"Yes, Master."

"There are a few more things that I've already packed. Please come with me."

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu followed and entered the main hall at the summit.

The two patriarchs of Xuanjian Peak and Elder Qi Zhengyang were healing their injuries in the hall, with Xing'er serving them.

The two bowed to the three of them, and then followed Yan Shuyi to the back hall.

Upon entering, they saw a huge bundle placed bulky on the ground, as tall as a person and wider than the documents on the table next to it.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu walked over, opened it, and couldn't help but twitch their lips.

The bundle was full of sealed pill boxes, all containing top-grade pills stored in the Spirit Sword Mountain's medicine storehouse as a treasure trove.

While searching, they also saw the Life-Creating Pill, which the Pill Sect always gave only to its sect leader.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu looked up, thinking to themselves that the Master had emptied the entire pill storehouse of Spirit Sword Mountain.

Because she couldn't leave the mountain due to the sect's stability, she must have been restless before the news arrived, which is why she packed so many things on her own.

Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu packed their belongings and then left to inform Yan Chuan and Yan De at the foot of the mountain.

Yan Shuyi then took out a letter and wrote down the three characters "Yuan Caiwei".

The Dan Sect is currently closed off, and she doesn't know if the letter can be delivered, but if she wants to heal the sick and save lives, this is undoubtedly the best option.

The setting sun cast long shadows, and the dark clouds dispersed.

In Shengjing City, the students of Tianshu Academy returned, looking exhausted.

As the vast crowd returned, countless cultivators in Shangliu City couldn't help but come to the dilapidated long street.

No one was surprised by their disheveled appearance and numerous injuries.

In the end, this matter even escalated to the point where immortals from the Immortal Realm were fighting over sacred artifacts. In their view, it wouldn't be surprising if these people were completely wiped out.

However, what surprised everyone was the spirit sword flying at the very front.

Lying atop the flying sword was Ji You, escorted on either side by the two hall masters of the Heavenly Academy. The procession was quite grand, drawing whispers from onlookers.

Most importantly, in addition to Zuo Qiuyang and Chai Hu, there was another person who had been waiting at the mountain gate. As soon as the flying sword arrived, he took over and, together with Zuo Qiuyang, brought Ji You into the courtyard.

"how is the situation?"

"The heart meridian has been protected, but the deficit is too great."

In the Auspicious Hall of the inner courtyard, a glint appeared in You Yingqiu's eyes. After reflecting on his body for a moment, she frowned slightly: "How could his meridians have shrunk to this extent?"

After a long silence, Zuo Qiuyang spoke: "It was an array. He used the Dao Sword as his foundation and himself as his pivot. The array took away all his energy and drained him dry."

"If an ordinary person suffered such a severe injury, they would probably be dead."

"That's right, the good thing is that his physical body is too strong."

The powerful suction of the Immortal Sword Formation plundered all the spiritual energy in Ji You's body, and also drained his meridians to the point of shrinking, leaving his entire body blocked. To the divine sense, he was practically no different from a dead person.

However, his physical body possessed a vigorous energy that continuously supported him, so much so that he not only did not die on the spot, but even had the ability to forcefully cut off Chu Xian's head, which was simply like a fantasy.

The problem is that once the meridians atrophy, it is very difficult for a person to recover, and the injury will only get worse.

After several days of exhaustion, his life came to an end.

Because no matter whether medication or treatment is administered, the medicinal properties and effects cannot reach the injured area along the already atrophied meridians.

After discussing it, the two decided to first nourish Ji You's meridians with spiritual energy and see if they could reopen them.

This process was actually quite difficult, because Ji You's body could no longer withstand the strain. The only hope was that the life force within him could withstand the treatment.

As dusk fell, the sky grew dark and gloomy.

The faint but profound spiritual energy transformed into wisps of water, constantly rippling.

This first round of nourishment took about three hours, and even for powerful experts like them who had reached the peak of the fifth realm, it was extremely tiring.

Fortunately, as his meridians were opened for the first time, some color gradually returned to Ji You's pale face.

But when they stopped exerting their strength, his meridians began to shrink back little by little.

"It seems it won't be that easy."

"Take it slow. He's too weak right now to withstand any more intense treatment."

After Zuo Qiuyang finished speaking, he stood up and said, "This kid can stay here with you for now. I'll come back tomorrow."

After the catastrophe, the entire Qingyun was in chaos. He was in charge of the Academic Affairs Office and had the responsibility of handling teaching affairs, so he was also very busy.

You Yingqiu escorted him to the outside of the hall, where she saw Cao Jingsong and the others waiting at the bottom of the steps. Upon seeing her, they immediately bowed and asked, "Palace Master You, may I ask how Ji You is doing now?"

"He is seriously injured, you need to be more patient."

"Can we go and take a look?"

You Yingqiu pondered for a moment and said, "His atrophied meridians were just opened up by me and Senior Brother Zuoqiu, and they are currently recovering on their own. We can't disturb them. You can come over tomorrow morning."

Before Cao Jingsong could agree, You Yingqiu turned and went back into her main hall.

However, as soon as she entered the inner hall, her eyes widened slightly in surprise.

There stood Ji You, his master, with celestial light surging between his hands, subtly entering Ji You's body.

She had just done the same thing and knew it was extremely mentally taxing, so she didn't say anything and just watched quietly from the side.

The master did not speak, but coughed occasionally, and the withered and decaying aura around him was beginning to become uncontrollable.

"How is Spirit Sword Mountain doing now?"

"Reporting to Master, we have not received any news yet, but after the Heavenly Dao Sacrifice ended, the power of the sacred artifact appeared, so we should be fine."

"That's really strange..."

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(End of this chapter)