I saved the entire sect by playing idly by letting things fall apart.

……

Zhu You was easily pulled onto the flying sword by Mu Chongxi, and the two turned and ran. Xia Qing and Zuo Yi were a step too slow and could only stare helplessly, exclaiming in unison, "He kidnapped my junior sister!"

Mingxuan: "Shut up, all of you, and run!"

He tore off a teleportation talisman. Fortunately, most of the demons were uncultured, and even fewer were talisman masters. No one thought to set up an obstruction array in advance. The teleportation talisman could effectively and quickly get away from this troublesome place, but the downside was that it was easy to get lost.

A group of young disciples all fled in different directions. Fortunately, they had enough experience to escape and were able to get away quickly.

The twins of the Sword Inquiry Sect were taken away by the talisman cultivators. Running away together would make them too conspicuous, and how to avoid being captured by the demons was a big problem.

Ye Qiao was waiting for news from the Azure Water Sect within the domain, but the first jade slip she received was not from the Azure Water Sect, but from Ming Xuan seeking help.

The young man quickly explained the current state of the cultivation world to her, then earnestly asked, "Where should we run to?"

Ye Qiao's thoughts were somewhat confused: "Wait, you mean they're going to dig out Ye Qinghan's spiritual root?"

"That's right."

Ye Qiao's lips twitched: "Who are you with now?"

Mingxuan glanced at his companions and whispered, "Zuo Yi and Xia Qing from the Wenjian Sect have gone to the Ye family to support Ye Qinghan. I'm with five talisman cultivators from the Yueqing Sect."

Mingxuan was extremely conflicted. "If we seek refuge in other cities, it could very well endanger the cultivators there."

"Returning to the sect is not safe either. Without the sect leaders to guard us, if we encounter danger, it is easy for someone to lie in wait and catch us like a turtle in a jar."

To them, the cultivation world is now fraught with danger.

Ye Qiao was taken aback for a few seconds by their simple and honest spirit. Even at a time like this, they were still thinking about the safety of others. "At a time like this, everyone should go home and find their own mothers. Is there any need to hesitate?"

"Let's go to the Eight Great Families," Ye Qiao told them. "Aren't the Eight Great Families all very strong overall? Even if they can't withstand the demons' attack, they should be able to hold out for three or four days."

"We'll just have to wait for reinforcements."

"The Eight Great Families?" Mingxuan and Mingyi both curled their lip in unison: "Don't joke around. They can't wait for the Five Sects to disappear so they can completely control the cultivation world. Going there, you'd be lucky if you weren't kicked while you're down."

They don't have that much influence to get their elders and patriarchs to open their doors.

Not to mention that he brought other people with him.

Song Hansheng agreed with Ye Qiao's suggestion, "Putting everything else aside, the territories of the Eight Great Families are absolutely safe."

The Five Sects don't consider lineage when recruiting disciples, making it easy for traitors to infiltrate. However, the Eight Great Families clearly distinguish between direct and collateral branches, with only direct descendants worthy of entering their gates, ensuring their internal structure is sufficiently clean. Demonic cultivators wouldn't even have a chance to infiltrate—don't be ridiculous.

All the disciples in the entire family are direct descendants.

This preference for lineage over talent has kept their strength below the top five sects.

"But apart from the direct descendants of the eight great families, anyone else who enters without permission will be kicked out," Su Zhuo interjected. Among the talisman cultivators, only Ming Xuan, Ming Yi, and Song Hansheng came from talisman cultivation families.

Ye Qiao found it amusing: "Regardless of whether you're direct descendants or not, once you walk into their yard, who do you think will kick you out?"

They may be shameless, but they still want the Eight Great Families.

Their purpose in coming here is Ye Qinghan, not these troublesome disciples. Once they hide in the place of the Eight Great Families, even if the Demon Clan is unwilling, they will not be able to force their way in.

Song Hansheng said sincerely, "As expected of you." He praised her without any sarcasm.

"Thank you for the compliment," Ye Qiao replied sincerely. "I hope you'll all be alive when I get there."

Judging from the fact that the Eight Great Families were so eager to snatch up even a Nascent Soul cultivator, she speculated that the Eight Great Families might not have any Quasi-Deity Transformation cultivators. Otherwise, given the Eight Great Families' aloof attitude, the Song family head wouldn't have been so attentive to her.

Song Hansheng: "...They probably won't attack the Fu Xiu family." The Fu Xiu family's defenses are the best; it won't be easy to break through them.

Moreover, the Song family doesn't have anything the demons want to scheme for, and they probably won't do anything that's thankless and exhausting.

Song Hansheng hesitated before answering, "Their target has always been Ye Qinghan, so if you can get out, go to the Ye family."

Compared to them, the Ye family is truly miserable.

The Song family is wealthy and powerful, able to hire experts to help them. The sword masters from the Ye family are either ascending to immortality or in seclusion, and they simply do not have the ability to withstand the attack of the demons.

The eight great families' emphasis on direct lineage and their ruthless suppression of collateral branches have led to their decline from their former prosperity. The Ye family's status as the number one family has long been precarious. If it weren't for Ye Qinghan's appearance, it would be hard to say whether they could have maintained their title as the number one family.

"Understood," Ye Qiao readily agreed.

After hanging up the jade slip, Mingxuan pointed to the sword cultivator from the Moon Purity Sect and said, "Dai Zhiye, if you need to seek refuge, why don't you come to my house with me and Mingyi?"

As for the Yueqing Sect, there are still two people left...

He glanced back at Song Hansheng: "Does your family allow outsiders to seek refuge inside?"

Song Hansheng shook his head, and under Ming Xuan's slightly disappointed gaze, added, "But I can sneak them in."

Being open and aboveboard would definitely get you kicked out; self-preservation was the motto of the Eight Great Families.

Song Hansheng had never done anything like this before. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Zhai Chen and Su Zhuo, come with me."

It must be said that Ye Qiao's words did inspire others. They spread the word and quickly repeated Ye Qiao's words to others, with Changming Sect leading the way and beginning to imitate them in a very proper manner.

A group of people launched a night raid on the Eight Great Families.

Mingxuan led them stealthily through a hidden door, and the three of them made quite a commotion, only to be caught red-handed as soon as they entered.

When the Ming family head arrived with his men, he nearly fainted upon seeing the three trespassers.

"Mingyi, Mingxuan," he gritted his teeth, "didn't you two evacuate long ago?"

The five sects had already secretly ordered their withdrawal. Apart from Ye Qinghan and his group, the other four sects should have already hidden themselves away.

Ming Xuan chuckled twice, then said matter-of-factly, "That's right, we've broken the sect rules again."

Seeing his grinning face, the Ming family head became somewhat impatient. "What trouble have you caused now?"

They would never think of going home unless they cause trouble; he was sure these people were up to no good.

Mingyi was such an obedient child at home, but after only half a year in the Five Sects, he dared to disobey their orders along with Mingxuan.

"The two children are at least direct descendants of the Ming family," the Ming family head said, pointing to Dai Zhiye beside him. "And what about him?"

Mingyi answered quickly: "This is my senior brother from the Yueqing Sect. He's a really nice guy." Apart from being a little slow-witted, he's perfect.

The head of the Ming family almost laughed in anger. So they had brought their whole family to the Ming family for refuge. He looked at them coldly and said, "You really know how to pick a place."

"Thank you for the compliment," Mingxuan replied perfunctorily.

"Did Ye Qiao come up with this idea?" he asked again, for no normal person would think of such a despicable method.

Mingxuan nodded repeatedly.

The Ming family head sneered, "If you really cause trouble outside, we can't help you. Don't overestimate the strength of the Eight Great Families."

The eight great families are comparable to the five major clans in terms of their foundation, but they have always refused to accept people other than their direct descendants, resulting in a very small number of capable talents.

In terms of strength, we still have to look at the five major sects.

Mingxuan rubbed his hands together: "Father, at this point, can you give us a heads-up? Just how strong are our master and the other sect leaders?"

The Ming family head sat down, gesturing for them to join him. He took a small sip of tea and said casually, "As far as I know, the Sword Inquiry Sect Master is at the Tribulation Transcending stage."

Mingxuan: "Huh?"

Mingyi: "Huh??"

Dai Zhi was a beat slow to react, and gasped, "Huh???"

The sounds, rising and falling, were quite rhythmic.

It's no wonder they were so surprised; undergoing tribulation—a feat that, apart from the Demon Lord, is absolutely unparalleled in the entire cultivation world.

Ye Qiao dared to provoke the Sect Master of the Sword Inquiry Sect, and promptly received three palm strikes. No wonder the other four sect masters looked like they had seen a ghost. To be able to withstand three palm strikes from a Tribulation Transcending cultivator, one must definitely be above the Nascent Soul stage.

"What?!" The Ming family head glared coldly at the two. "Otherwise, what makes you think the Sword Inquiry Sect can maintain its position as the number one sect for a thousand years?"

Mingxuan continued to probe, "What is the strength of the sect's elders?"

After a moment's thought, the Ming family head gave a specific level of cultivation: "The Nascent Soul or the Void Refinement stage."

"Where's Qin Fanfan?" Mingxuan asked impatiently. Just what level was the most unreliable Qin Fanfan at?

Back then, Ye Qiao took five blows in one go, so he must have been above the Nascent Soul stage, at the Fusion stage?

A moment later, the Ming family head gave the precise level of cultivation: "Mid-stage Integration Realm."

Dai Zhiye: "Then our master..."

The Ming family head interrupted him, "Sect Master Yunhen is in the Void Refinement stage. It's said he broke through half a year ago."

Yunhen's strength is among the lower tier of the Five Sects, but talisman cultivators, who draw talismans and set up formations, are not as fast at breaking through as sword cultivators.

After learning about the strength of those sect leaders, Mingxuan couldn't help but feel a deep respect for Qin Fanfan. "Did that Demon Lord invite the sect leaders of our five sects away just to target Ye Qinghan?"

Poor Ye Qinghan.

These two people surnamed Ye, Ye Qiao and Ye Qinghan, are really unlucky, one more unlucky than the other.

"I don't know what exactly happened between you two," the Ming family head interrupted impatiently. "But it seems that Ye Qinghan has been targeted by the demons."

"The Demon Lord and the Demon Emperor are two powerful beings at the Tribulation Transcending stage." He said meaningfully, "And among the five sects, only the Sect Master of the Sword Inquiry Sect is a Tribulation Transcending cultivator. Therefore, faced with the forced negotiations between the two races, they have no choice but to go as instructed."

"You should prepare yourselves mentally," the Ming family head said calmly. "Going to the Demon Clan now is just for negotiations. If the negotiations break down, a major war is inevitable."

After hesitating for a moment, Mingxuan revealed the truth: "The Demon Clan wants Ye Qinghan's spiritual root, as well as the treasures of the five major sects."

"Ye Qinghan's spiritual root, and the spiritual artifacts of the Five Sects?" The Ming family head's expression gradually turned serious: "If that's the case, then their negotiations are destined to collapse." The Five Sects would never give up Ye Qinghan, nor would they hand over their sect's most treasured artifacts. In that case, the sect leaders of the Five Sects and the Demon Emperor and Demon Lord would definitely have to fight.

"And all you disciples can do is protect yourselves and hide your tracks. Your elders were right to tell you to retreat." The Ming family head couldn't help but give them a cold glare. Almost everyone in the cultivation world thought they were about to leave.

Who knew that these trusted disciples would rush to rescue Ye Qinghan?

I never realized they had such a good relationship before.

The demons' target is Ye Qinghan, so the other direct disciples and aristocratic families are safe. Only the Ye family is in danger. Mingyi licked his lips, his voice a little dry, "Does the Ye family have any chance of winning against half of the demons' demonic cultivators?"

If there is a chance of victory, then all the sect leaders need to do is hold back the Demon Lord and the Demon Emperor, and the Ye family can perfectly protect Ye Qinghan. Then they don't need to do anything else.

"There's no chance of winning," the Ming family head answered readily. "The demon race has two guardians at the quasi-Nascent Soul stage. Besides those two guardians, there are at least twenty other Nascent Soul cultivators. Do you think the Ye family can handle that?"

Although those twenty-odd Nascent Soul cultivators were incredibly weak, they were still Nascent Soul cultivators, and the Ye family could not easily withstand them.

The Ming family head said with a hint of disdain, "If our intelligence is correct, I dare say the Ye family doesn't have a single quasi-Nascent Soul cultivator."

There isn't even a single Quasi-God?

Mingyi and Mingxuan exchanged bewildered glances. "Then how did they manage to maintain their position as the number one family?"

"They have a deep foundation, and with Ye Qinghan around," the Ming family head said, giving him and Ming Yi a disappointed look. "If you were Ye Qiao, the title of the number one family would surely belong to our Ming family."

Mingxuan touched the tip of his nose, gaining a general understanding of the strength of the various aristocratic families.

"Then we can only hope that Ye Qinghan can hold out until Junior Sister arrives," he muttered. Ye Qiao had taken down one of the two protectors by herself; if Ye Qiao could arrive, it would be a matter of life and death for the Ye family.

For Ye Qiao, it was no big deal at all.