Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

Wen Yutang looked at Shen Wei, who reeked of alcohol, her eyes filled with surprise, and subconsciously tried to dissuade him:

"Ah...you just drank so much, are you going now?"

"It's alright."

Before he finished speaking, Shen Wei began to circulate his spiritual energy.

In an instant, the lingering smell of alcohol was completely expelled by his spiritual power, turning into wisps of white vapor that evaporated into the air in a flash.

For some reason, an unbearable fighting spirit suddenly arose in his heart. His hands were itching, and the evil dragon within him was restless, as if it were craving something.

Shen Wei did some quick calculations and was shocked to realize that the Evil Dragon had not eaten for nearly five days, and its restlessness was due to extreme hunger.

Wen Yutang couldn't help but feel a surge of joy. She had never imagined that Shen Wei would actually be willing to help those innocent people.

"Lead the way."

"Um, wait a minute, I'll go change my clothes first!"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wei didn't say anything, assuming that she felt the ruqun she was wearing today was inconvenient for fighting, so she readily nodded in agreement:

"I'll be waiting for you at the gate of the mansion."

"Alright! I'll be quick, I won't keep Master Shen waiting!"

Wen Yutang smiled and agreed. Before she finished speaking, she lifted her skirt and ran briskly toward her palace.

Shen Wei didn't linger. He silently turned around and walked out of the flower hall. He came to the entrance of the Wen residence, crossed his arms, and stood quietly by the stone steps, standing guard with the Wen family's guards.

In just a short while, Wen Yutang changed her clothes and quickly walked out of the mansion.

She was wearing the same moon-white robes of the Fuyou Sect that they had worn when they first met, her garments fluttering lightly, and a silver-white sword at her waist.

"Let's go, Master Shen."

After leaving the city gate, the two flew on their swords towards Ningyuan Town, the closest town to Qingyun City.

As they flew along on their swords, Shen Wei glanced at Wen Yutang, who was dressed in a moon-white Daoist robe beside him, and couldn't help but feel curious. He asked casually, "Why did you specifically change into the Daoist robe of the Fuyou Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Wen Yutang explained earnestly:

"For the people in the surrounding towns, the Fuyou Sect is their greatest hope. I put on this outfit because I don't want to let them down and let them know that the Fuyou Sect has not abandoned them."

Shen Wei listened without saying anything, but simply nodded.

Flying on their swords was incredibly fast; in less than a quarter of an hour, the two arrived above Ningyuan Town.

He leaned down and looked down, his divine sense instantly spreading out and covering most of Ningyuan Town.

Upon further investigation, his heart grew increasingly gloomy. What Wen Yutang said was not only true, but the situation was even more serious than she had described.

In stark contrast to the tranquility of Qingyun City, this town, located only ten kilometers away, has become a living hell, with the sounds of fighting, screams, and desperate cries echoing over the town for a long time.

However, in the heart of the town, several figures dressed in brocade robes in the style of the Fuyou Sect were struggling to organize the remaining civilians to flee the town.

"That's... someone from the Qingze Sect."

Wen Yutang looked at those figures and said softly.

"Qingze Sect?" Shen Wei raised an eyebrow slightly; he had never heard of this sect before.

"One of the subordinate sects of the Fuyou Sect," Wen Yutang explained slowly, "most of the disciples they recruit are from the towns and cities nearby, and their roots are all here."

Although Wen Yutang didn't say much, Shen Wei already understood completely.

As one of the five great immortal sects, the standards for recruiting disciples of the Fuyou Sect must be extremely strict. In an ordinary town like Ningyuan Town, it would probably take ten years for one disciple to be able to enter the Fuyou Sect's mountain gate.

The Qingze Sect was established near this town, specifically recruiting disciples from Ningyuan Town and the surrounding areas, providing a way out for those young people with ordinary talent but dreams of becoming immortals.

Shen Wei still couldn't understand. He knew that the Fuyou Sect had chosen to cooperate with the demonic path in order to directly confront the imperial power, but did cooperating mean turning a blind eye to these demonic people destroying the villages under their jurisdiction?

Could it be that this is also included in the transaction?

The Fuyou Sect could ignore this because the destruction of these villages meant them no loss whatsoever. But the disciples of the Qingze Sect were different; this was their homeland, their roots.

These disciples who are working hard to organize the people of Ningyuan Town to escape must all be native Ningyuan Town residents. They are using their meager strength to protect their hometown and loved ones.

Looking down at this hell on earth, Shen Wei's last shred of goodwill towards the Fuyou Sect vanished completely.

"Go help them first. As the cultivators with the highest cultivation levels here, they should know a lot about this place."

At this moment, in Ningyuan Town, the setting sun casts a crimson glow on the empty streets, where a circular well stands in the center.

The remaining disciples of the Qingze Sect are confronting the group of demonic cultivators here.

There were only six disciples of the Qingze Sect in total, but there were a total of sixteen of them when they came down the mountain the day before yesterday.

Their cultivation levels were generally at the Foundation Establishment stage, with the highest being only at the late Core Formation stage.

While those disciples of the demonic sects were of similar cultivation levels to them, their methods were extremely bizarre.

Furthermore, Cangyingzhou is located deep within the heart of the dynasty, so these Qingze Sect disciples have never had the opportunity to fight against the demonic path.

Before this, they even thought that terms like "demonic sect" and "demonic path" only appeared in history books.

But when they actually faced these demonic disciples, they realized how troublesome they were.

Although they still look like humans, they have long lost all moral compass, acting ruthlessly and unscrupulously, treating human life as worthless.

For example, just now, the two sides were locked in a fierce battle, and both sides were panting heavily and their spiritual energy was severely depleted.

However, those disciples of the demonic sect did not hesitate at all. In an instant, they teleported behind those ordinary people who were only at the Qi Refining stage, and pressed their palms hard against their backs. In a short while, those ordinary people were drained of their spiritual power, and their bodies quickly withered, turning into cold, dried corpses.

Although everyone in this world can cultivate immortality, most ordinary people can only stay at the Qi Refining stage for their entire lives.

However, even this meager amount of Qi Refining stage spiritual energy is enough to nourish the cultivation of these demonic sect disciples.

This is Fang Qi's deepest realization in the past few days.

He is an inner disciple of the Qingze Sect, and currently the disciple with the highest cultivation level in Ningyuan Town.

When he heard that his hometown had been massacred by the demonic sect, he was filled with passion and led a dozen or so fellow disciples from Ningyuan Town.

He resolutely returned from Qingze Sect, determined to protect the peace of his hometown, eliminate all evil spirits, and restore peace to his fellow villagers.

But at that moment, he suddenly realized he was wrong.

Their strength was too weak. The junior brothers and sisters he brought back fell one by one under the slaughter of the demonic sect disciples, losing their lives easily.

Perhaps he shouldn't have brought them back in the first place. It would have been better to let his junior brothers and sisters stay in Qingze Sect. At least that way, they could have saved their lives and prevented the flame of Ningyuan Town from being completely extinguished.

Why hasn't the Fuyou Sect arrived yet?

That was the sect he had longed for since childhood, his lifelong pursuit. However, due to his mediocre talent, he ultimately failed to pass the recruitment examination of the Fuyou Sect and could only submit to the Qingze Sect.

Since descending the mountain, he has been constantly hoping for the arrival of that moon-white robe of the Fuyou Sect, a symbol of hope, and for the righteous sects to lend a helping hand and rescue them from their predicament.

But day after day, there was still no sign of it.

Even so, he still held the strongest expectations for the Fuyou Sect, firmly believing that one of the five great immortal sects would send people to support them and rescue them from their predicament.

But now is not the time to think about these things... He can't let his mistakes continue.

Thinking of this, Fang Qi came back to his senses, and then he used all the spiritual power he had left, and pure true energy poured out of his body.

"Run! Run towards Qingyun City!" Fang Qi's voice was unusually hoarse and exhausted.

His gaze swept over the five junior brothers and sisters before him, their bodies covered in wounds and looking utterly disheveled—they had been full of vigor when they descended the mountain just days before, but now their faces were streaked with tears, their eyes filled with fear and helplessness.

"As for the villagers, save them if you can, and let it go if you can't. As long as you can survive, that's all that matters."

"Senior brother..."

The junior students' eyes reddened, their voices choked with sobs, and their gazes toward Fang Qi were filled with reluctance and worry. None of them wanted to abandon him and escape alone.

"Don't worry about me."

Fang Qi forced a smile, his tone firm, "My cultivation level is higher than all of yours!"

Having said that, he stopped looking at his fellow disciples, abruptly turned around, and faced the dozens of menacing disciples of the Demonic Sect before him. His tone was sharp and resolute, almost a roar:

"Hurry up!"

The five Qingze Sect disciples, watching Fang Qi's resolute departure, finally gritted their teeth, tears welling in their eyes, and turned to run frantically towards Qingyun City.

They knew that their senior brother was risking his life to buy them time to escape, and they could not let his sacrifice go to waste.

The instant they turned to leave, a dark figure flashed in front of Fang Qi, and the demonic sect disciple uttered a low shout:

"Shadow Claw!"

It lunged straight at Fang Qi's heart.

"Qingyuan Sword Technique!"

Fang Qi roared, his true energy surged, and the long sword in his hand gleamed with a sharp white light as he swung it fiercely.

The demonic sect disciple clearly hadn't expected that this Qingze Sect disciple, who seemed to be on the verge of collapse, could still unleash such powerful strength.

Caught off guard, his head was severed, and thick, warm blood gushed out, splattering all over Fang Qi and staining his robes red.

Fang Qi was ultimately at the late stage of Core Formation, and the power of his sword strike shocked all the demonic sect disciples present.

The dozens of demonic sect disciples looked at each other, remaining locked in a stalemate for a long time, none of them daring to step forward rashly.

They were all selfish and cowardly. Seeing that Fang Qi had such strength, they were afraid that if they went forward first, they would become someone else's stepping stone and lose their lives in vain.

Upon seeing this, Fang Qi smiled.

"Ha...ha...you bunch of rabble, what will happen when the immortals of the Fuyou Sect arrive..."

"Whoosh!"

Before he could finish speaking, a black dagger pierced his chest.

"Ugh... Ah."

Fang Qi froze, looking down in disbelief at the dagger embedded in his chest.

Blood dripped slowly down the blade. He staggered back a few steps, clutching his bleeding chest, and collapsed heavily against the round well, his breath instantly fading.

"It's pathetic and laughable that someone is still fantasizing about unrealistic things when they're about to die."

A sinister voice rang out, and a person with an extraordinary bearing stepped out from among the group of demonic disciples.

He walked slowly toward Fang Qi, his gaze beneath his black robe icy and piercing, his tone full of mockery.

"Since you're on your deathbed, I'll tell you the truth... The Fuyou Sect you yearn for is the real culprit behind your suffering today!"

"What...are you saying?"

His voice was extremely weak at that moment, and he used the last bit of strength in his body to say these words.

But he received no answer. The man emerged from beneath his black robe, revealing a pair of disgusting, pus-covered hands. He then slowly placed his hands on Fang Qi's face and uttered his final words:

"Let the truth rot into mud!"

"Pfft—"

Warm blood sprayed onto Fang Qi's face. He was stunned and looked up.

A black longsword fell swiftly from the sky, piercing straight through the person dressed in black robes.

His expression froze completely on that hideous and ugly look, and the hand that was about to touch Fang Qi fell limply.

Along with the sword, Shen Wei and Wen Yutang also fell, landing steadily in front of Fang Qi.

"Yutang, go and take him to a safe place."

Shen Wei glanced in the direction the five disciples had run off to, and added in a calm tone.

"And those disciples who ran towards Qingyun City earlier, they're being caught up with. You go first, I'll follow right away."

"Okay!" Wen Yutang responded and immediately walked quickly towards Fang Qi, wanting to help him up.

Fang Qi raised his eyes with difficulty, and when he saw the familiar moon-white robe of the Fuyou Sect in front of him, and the sect token hanging at his waist.

The despair that had filled my heart was completely dispelled.

"No need... I can stand up."

Fang Qi clutched his bleeding chest, gritted his teeth, and shakily propped himself up, his eyes filled with stubbornness. Even though he was seriously injured, he was unwilling to show weakness easily.

Seeing this, Wen Yutang stopped trying to help him up. Instead, she slowly reached out and channeled some of her pure spiritual energy into Fang Qi's body to heal his chest injury and relieve his pain.

After seeing that Fang Qi had recovered somewhat, Wen Yutang instructed him to go to a safe location. After doing all this, she followed Shen Wei's instructions and chased after him towards the outskirts of the town.

The disciples of the Demonic Sect seemed to be intimidated by Shen Wei's aura; during this time, not one of them dared to step forward, nor did any of them dare to run away.

Shen Wei slowly turned around. With a slight movement of his fingertips, the black longsword that had pierced through the black-robed man's body transformed into a stream of light and landed steadily in his hand.

This is the sword Qin Yunshang gave him, named "Chenying".

However, since the massacre of its entire family ten years ago, it has lost its name and become a seemingly ordinary black longsword.

Today, it's time to bring that name back.

Shen Wei coldly swept his gaze over those people, looking at the demonic disciples whose faces were filled with fear. He could clearly feel the evil dragon within his body unable to stop its sinister laughter.

He lowered his eyes slightly, pressed his fingertips lightly against his heart, and strode forward with his sword in his right hand, the tip of the sword leaving scratches on the cobblestone path.

"Don't worry, I'll give you a good meal soon."