Zhu Xian: They've all been reborn

Fox Ridge Mountain, Ghost King Sect.

The atmosphere inside the Netherworld Palace was grim and unusual.

There were no flickering will-o'-the-wisps, only a few pale mermaid lamps, which made the empty hall even more eerie.

Ghost King Wanren sat upright in the main seat, his face calm and expressionless.

Lady Xiaochi sat to his left, a look of worry on her beautiful face, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her clothes.

Dressed in black, You Ji stood silently in the shadows below, like a statue.

In the center of the main hall, three people were kneeling.

No, they were three people whose cultivation was sealed by a restriction, bound hand and foot, and lying on the ground like dead dogs.

A gaunt old man with cloudy yet ruthless eyes; a sinister middle-aged man with a face covered in sores; and a woman who still possessed charm but whose face had turned pale. These were none other than "Ghost Old Man," a trusted confidant of Yu Yangzi and a long-time spy planted by the Longevity Hall within the Ghost King Sect; "Poison Hand Doctor," sent by the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect to infiltrate the alchemy room; and "Jade Lady," who had used seductive arts to bewitch an elder and thus infiltrate the sect.

The three were barely breathing, their faces filled with terror and confusion.

They thought they were deeply hidden and acted in secrecy, so how could they suddenly be exposed and directly taken to the Netherworld Palace, which symbolizes the highest authority of the Ghost King Sect?

The footsteps, crisp and unhurried, came from outside the hall, striking the cold ground and resonating in the hearts of the three.

Biyao, dressed in a light green outfit, slowly walked in.

Her face was expressionless, even carrying a hint of girlish naiveté, as she toyed with the seemingly inconspicuous Soul-Devouring Staff that faintly exuded an ominous aura.

Without even glancing at the three people on the ground, she walked straight to the Ghost King and Xiao Chi and bowed.

"Father, Mother, Aunt You." The voice was clear and crisp, but emotion was unreadable.

"Yao'er," Xiao Chi couldn't help but stand up, take her daughter's hand, look her up and down, her eyes filled with even more worry, "You..."

"Mother, I'm fine." Biyao took Xiaochi's hand in her own and squeezed it to reassure her, then turned to the Ghost King.

"Father, the people have been brought. The evidence is conclusive. It was them, along with their masters, who leaked information to those factions during the sect's several failed operations over the years, and who also tried to sabotage Father's seclusion."

The Ghost King grunted, his gaze falling on his daughter's face, then sweeping over the three people on the ground, finally settling on the Soul-Devouring Staff in her hand, his eyes narrowing slightly. "What do you intend to do with them?"

Biyao released Xiaochi's hand, turned around, and faced the three people on the ground.

The hint of naivety on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold gaze. Her deep green eyes held no anger, no murderous intent, only indifference, as if she were looking at three troublesome ants.

"The Ghost King Sect is dissatisfied with you." She spoke, her voice not loud, but it clearly echoed throughout the hall.

"We gave you resources, taught you techniques, and promised you status. But you betrayed us."

"Injustice! Young Master! Your subordinate is loyal to the Ghost King Sect, heaven and earth can bear witness!" Poison Doctor was the first to cry out his innocence, his voice mournful and stern.

"Someone must have framed us! We beg the Sect Master and Young Master to investigate thoroughly!"

"Loyalty?" Biyao repeated the word softly, a faint, cold smile curving her lips.

"Your loyalty is for Yu Yangzi, for the Poison God, and for Lady Sanmiao, isn't it?"

The three of them turned deathly pale instantly.

How did she know all this so clearly?!

"I have no patience to listen to your excuses." Biyao stepped forward, the Soul-Devouring Staff trembling slightly in her hand, emitting a low hum as if it were thirsting for blood.

"The Holy Church is weak, fragmented, and plagued by incessant internal strife. The path Father wanted to take is one you neither understand nor want to understand. You only think about your own little bit of power, how to profit from the infighting, and how to be dogs for those old bastards to bite your own people."

Her voice grew colder, and her eyes deepened: "What use is such trash?"

As soon as she finished speaking, she gently tapped the Soul-Devouring Staff in her hand.

There was no earth-shattering display, only three strands of black energy, as thin as hair yet extremely condensed, which, like venomous snakes emerging from their holes, instantly disappeared into the brows of the three people on the ground.

The three men froze abruptly, their eyes bulging, their faces draining of color, their mouths agape, yet no sound came out.

They could clearly feel that the purest primordial energy in their blood, bone marrow, and even the depths of their souls was rushing wildly toward the point between their eyebrows like a floodgate had been opened, being greedily absorbed by that strange stick!

"Ho...ho..." The old man made a sound like a broken bellows in his throat. His thin body shrank at a visible speed, his skin quickly lost its luster, became covered with wrinkles, and finally wrapped tightly around his bones, like a mummy that had been dried for thousands of years.

The poisonous sores on the quack doctor's face quickly withered, turned black, and fell off, revealing the grayish flesh underneath. He curled up into a ball, his life extinguished.

Yu Niangzi suffered the most. Her once beautiful face withered instantly, her black hair turned gray and then broke off inch by inch, and her plump body shrank and shrank, turning into a horribly mutilated corpse in the blink of an eye.

The entire process was completely silent, save for the chilling, faint hissing sound of flesh and blood being extracted.

In the blink of an eye, the three people who were just alive became three skin and bones, dried corpses in a miserable state.

All the essence and spiritual power they had painstakingly cultivated had become nourishment for the Soul-Devouring Staff, and a faint, satisfied dark red luster shone on that inconspicuous short staff.

Biyao put away the Soul-Devouring Staff as if she were just casually dusting it off.

Her face remained expressionless, but a faint hint of bloodlust flashed deep in her eyes, which she forcefully suppressed.

The side effects of using the power of Asura were milder than expected, but the desire for blood and destruction still stirred within him.

Xiao Chi covered her mouth, turned her head away, and couldn't bear to look anymore.

Although she knew her daughter's methods would be ruthless, what she saw with her own eyes still horrified her.

Yu Ji's eyes flickered slightly beneath the mask before returning to silence.

The Ghost King looked at the three dried corpses, then at his daughter who held the Soul Eater, whose aura was slightly different but instantly returned to normal. A complex light flashed in his eyes, a mixture of regret and shock, which finally turned into an almost inaudible sigh.

Yao'er...in the end, she still chose this path.

Well, in this dog-eat-dog world, you can't stand firm without being ruthless.

"Drag them away and grind them to dust." Biyao gave the order calmly. Immediately, elite disciples of the Ghost King Sect who were on duty outside the hall came in and silently and efficiently dragged away the three dried corpses, cleaning the ground as if nothing had happened.

"Father," Biyao turned to the Ghost King, her tone returning to normal, even carrying a touch of girlish coquettishness.

"With these few thorns removed, the sect should be able to have some peace and quiet for a while. But the Longevity Hall, the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect, and the Joyful Union Sect won't let this go easily. Liubo Mountain and his group have lost manpower and their inside man, so they'll definitely resort to desperate measures."

The Ghost King nodded: "What do you intend to do?"

A cold glint flashed in Biyao's eyes: "If they want to jump, let them jump. The higher they jump, the harder they'll fall. Perfect, saves me the trouble of searching for them one by one."

She paused, softening her voice, but it still carried a resolute tone.

"Father, the Holy Church must be unified. Not through annexation, but through genuine unity from top to bottom. Those who obstruct, those who are outdated, those who are corrupt... should all be eliminated. For the future of the Holy Church, and for... our future."

She spoke the words "our future" softly, yet they carried immense weight.

The Ghost King understood what she meant. After a moment of silence, he slowly nodded: "Go ahead and do it. Tell your father what you need."

"Thank you, Father." Biyao showed a genuine smile, then looked at Youji.

"Aunt You, keep a close eye on the recent movements of those factions, especially those old fogies like Yu Yangzi, the Poison God, and Sanmiao. Also, regarding the list of sect members I asked you to investigate before..."

"Preliminary findings have been made." Youji stepped forward, handing over a jade slip, her voice still cold and clear.

"There are a total of twenty-seven people who have ties to those three sects, or are wavering in their stance. Among them are five elders, eight deacons, and the rest are ordinary disciples. How to handle them is up to you, young master."

Biyao took the jade slip and scanned it with her divine sense. The names, positions, and evidence of crimes inside were clearly visible.

Her eyes grew even colder as she put the jade slip away.

"Don't move for now, lest you alert them. I have my own plans for these people." She intends to wipe them out, along with their masters, all at once.

"Yao'er," Xiao Chi finally couldn't help but speak, her eyes filled with worry, "You...you must be careful. That Asura power, after all..." She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

"Mother, don't worry." Biyao walked to Xiaochi's side, took her hand, and softened her tone.

"My daughter knows what she's doing. She's just using their power; she won't lose sight of her own principles. For... for the people and things I want to protect, I won't let anything happen to me."

Looking into her determined eyes, Xiao Chi knew that further persuasion was useless, so she could only grasp her daughter's hand and nod firmly.

At that moment, light footsteps could be heard outside the hall.

A young woman dressed in a pale yellow dress, with a charming face and captivating eyes, entered, led by a female disciple of the Ghost King Sect.

It was Jin Ping'er, who was "snatched" by Bi Yao in advance and had been following You Ji and being trained by her side.

Compared to the girl who once exuded a rustic charm, with a resolute yet somewhat bewildered gaze, Jin Ping'er's demeanor has undergone a complete transformation.

She remained charming, but her allure now carried a touch of composure and restraint. Her eyes were more alert and sharp, and she moved silently, clearly indicating that her cultivation had improved considerably.

She was holding a tray with several jade scrolls and a pot of hot tea on it.

"Ping'er greets the Sect Master, Madam, Lady Youji, and Senior Sister." Jin Ping'er bowed gracefully, her manners impeccable, her voice clear and melodious.

Biyao looked at her, a hint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.

As expected of the extraordinary young master who could stir up storms in his past life, his talent and temperament are both superb. In a short period of time, under Aunt You's tutelage and his own guidance, he has been completely transformed.

"Get up." Biyao gestured for her to stand up, took the hot tea she was offered, and took a sip. It was the familiar Cloud Mist Spirit Tea that she liked.

"Is everything taken care of?"

"Yes, Senior Sister." Jin Ping'er stood up, her hands at her sides, her posture respectful yet natural.

"We've increased manpower at the strongholds you instructed us to monitor. The newly selected recruits have also begun training according to your methods. Also, here's some detailed intelligence we've recently gathered about several spies on the periphery of the Hehuan Sect." She presented the jade slip on the tray.

Biyao took it, quickly glanced at it, and nodded: "Well done. It seems Aunt You taught you very well."

You Ji nodded slightly, which was taken as acquiescence.

Jin Ping'er's face showed a hint of joy at being praised, but she quickly concealed it, her gaze falling on the Soul-Devouring Staff in Bi Yao's hand before quickly looking away, a hint of awe flashing in her eyes.

She keenly sensed the faint trace of blood and destruction that remained in the hall just now.

This seemingly charming and lively senior sister was far more ruthless than she had imagined.

But she felt no fear, only relief and an even stronger determination to follow.

In this dog-eat-dog world, only by following a powerful and charismatic master can one survive better, gain power, protect what one wants to protect, and obtain what one desires.

What Jin Ping'er wanted to protect was this hard-won peace and opportunity; what she wanted to obtain... Her gaze drifted slightly towards the distance outside the palace, then quickly returned.

Some thoughts are not yet worthy of being expressed.

"Ping'er," Biyao suddenly spoke, casually tucking the Soul-Devouring Staff back into her waistband as if it were just an ordinary short stick, "In a few days, there may be something I need you to do. Go to the Central Plains, near Qingyun Mountain."

Jin Ping'er's heart skipped a beat, but she didn't show it on her face and respectfully said, "Please give your instructions, Senior Sister."

"No rush, we'll talk about it later." Biyao waved her hand, a glint of light flashing in her eyes.

Qingyun Mountain... Jiang Xiaochuan.

Soon, I'll come find you after I've taken care of things here.

She picked up her teacup and took another sip.