When I woke up, the entire cultivation world was talking about my master.

At the edge of the sky, a dark red mist swirled with a fierce wind, a harbinger of the dragon's restlessness.

After saying these words, thick blood trickled from the corner of the Three Phases Venerable's lips, and he was breathing heavily, but at this moment, he felt an unparalleled sense of comfort throughout his body.

The cycle of karma is real.

Going around in circles, rising and falling.

The suffering that was uniquely mine has finally been passed on to the next person.

He gave a twisted smile, but the next moment, the Three-Phase Venerable frowned and gradually realized that something was wrong with the atmosphere.

Suddenly, Master Zhiyue spoke calmly:

"Did you all hear that?"

The old monk trembled, and with his cloudy eyes he looked up in a panic—

On the broken eaves pierced by lightning, several figures that had been hidden for a long time were revealed.

They were all sect leaders or core figures of top sects in the cultivation world, along with a group of powerful figures from the Northern Darkness Demon Clan. At this moment, everyone had different expressions, clearly having heard every word of the conversation, and their eyes were all fixed on the Zen temple.

Given Master Zhiyue's connections and prestige in the cultivation world, it would not be difficult for him to notify all cultivators to gather here in advance.

The Venerable Three Phases, already weakened by exhaustion, was thrown into a state of madness and confusion, completely oblivious to the lurking presence around him.

"?" Chu Xianlan hadn't received any advance notice and was stunned for a moment before Wei Jin and Pei Fang'an suddenly appeared and pulled her to the left and right respectively.

The two elders tacitly advised the boy to stay away from dangerous people.

The rage in Wei Jin's eyes was beyond words.

He was so angry he was completely out of his mind.

You have to understand that Wei Jin has cursed countless people in his life, and he can easily infuriate people to death. But when he gets really angry, he can't even find the right words to curse.

"Shameless old bastard!" Pei Fang'an turned his head and cursed.

Upon hearing this, Wei Jin looked at his senior brother, who had the best temper in the entire cultivation world, in shock, seemingly unable to believe that such a gentle and kind person would utter such vulgar words.

Apart from the two immortal lords of the Taiyi Sect, the rest of the people stood in the Zen temple one after another, their actions and expressions displaying a variety of expressions.

No one could have predicted that the revered number one expert in the cultivation world, the Three Phases Venerable, was actually just a timid, reclusive old monk, a figure detached from the world's expectations of protecting all living beings...

They are completely unrelated.

That was, after all, a truth that was enough to overturn all perceptions. Everyone present was shocked, but they were all people in high positions who had experienced many storms. After the initial shock, they quickly forced themselves to calm down.

But the Three-Phase Venerable could no longer calm down.

"Heh...heh..."

The moment the crowd appeared, he hugged himself tightly with trembling hands. So many gazes pierced his body like sharp blades, contempt, ridicule, scrutiny, pity, disappointment... They hurt him so much. His broken and rotten shell leaked air everywhere, revealing the withered and timid true face inside.

Before anyone else could utter a word, the three ministers roared first:

"Foolish! Utterly foolish!"

The old monk's pupils dilated, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace as he stared at Master Zhiyue with bloodshot eyes: "You think revealing all this to the world will benefit the cultivation world?! The truth will come out? Ha... hahaha... the truth is—every single one of you here has been relentlessly pursuing and exterminating half-demons, your hands are stained with their blood! No one can escape!! No one can remain unscathed!"

Silence reigned.

Leaning against a dilapidated pillar, Ming Si raised an eyebrow and asked, "Has he always been this easily agitated?"

The crowd responded with, "..."

Chu Xianlan listened in amazement, thinking it was a miracle that a demon like Ming Si, who couldn't grasp the key points, could reign as king of Bei Ming for so many years.

But we also owe him a lot.

The Northern Darkness Demon Clan may have been born to be the bane of the human race.

Over there, the Three Phases Venerable was desperately trying to shift the blame and drag both races down with him, but he was met with a light-hearted but sarcastic remark from the Demon King. His throat churned, and in a fit of rage, he spat out a mouthful of black blood!

"Plop—!" Blood hit the ground.

Then, the sky darkened, and the black and red malevolent energy swirling in the sky surged.

The Immortal Maiden Shuyu of the Xuan Yang Sect's expression changed slightly. She stepped forward and asked True Person Zhiyue, "If Weilong reappears in the world, what will happen to the cultivation world?"

In the brief moment the female cultivator fell silent, everyone understood her meaning—it would surely be a catastrophe capable of overturning the entire cultivation world.

"Hahaha—" The Three-Phase Venerable's condition worsened, coughing up blood while laughing, "Do you understand now? My mistakes are no longer important!"

"Since I'm going to die anyway, instead of wasting my breath on meaningless matters, you should all think about how to save yourselves and how to stop Weilong from breaking the seal!"

The old monk shakily raised his withered fingers.

"The only way to quell this calamity lies before us! Only he... can save all living beings in both realms!"

In an instant.

With attention shifted, Chu Xianlan became the new focus.

Everyone shifted their gaze, their eyes involuntarily drawn to the tall, slender young man.

The Venerable Three Phases witnessed this scene, appreciating the expressions on everyone's faces. He secretly sneered in his heart, a barely perceptible glint of triumph flashing in his eyes.

He had long been intimately familiar with the ugliness of human nature.

If it doesn't concern you, don't get involved.

In this vast world, the so-called righteousness and justice of the righteous path are worthless in the face of life, death and interests. As long as one's own safety is involved, isn't there only one outcome?

Sure enough, a voice rang out:

"Can a Heavenly Spiritual Root truly purify Weilong?"

Though the ripples were small, they undeniably opened a tiny crack in the hearts of some people present.

Yes, if what he said is true, there is a glimmer of hope...

—Is he the only one who can do it? Perhaps we should give it a try?

—After all… the safety of the entire cultivation world…

Just as Wei Jin was about to explode with a powerful breath, a rough, hoarse male voice suddenly broke the silence:

"You don't really think you can save the world with a child, do you? You're all cultivators who have lived for hundreds of years, and you... tsk tsk, you don't even consider the specific circumstances, and you so rashly pin your hopes on a child who hasn't even grown his first beard?"

The speaker was Sect Master He of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Master He's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. He scratched his stubble-covered chin, thinking that his son He Jingxuan was about the same age as Chu Xianlan. If it were his own child standing here, being pushed into the eye of the storm, he felt a pang of sorrow in his heart.

I can't even imagine it.

A few cultivators who had entertained the idea looked embarrassed, as if they had been slapped hard in the face. Feeling guilty, they couldn't help but secretly observe the expression on Master Zhiyue's face.

"—Now, may I interrupt for a moment?"

Everyone looked at the Demon King again.

"This guy—"

Ming Si pointed at the old monk half-prostrate on the ground from afar, seemingly quite surprised, "But he's deceived the entire cultivation world for over a thousand years, is his one-sided story really believable?"

"I don't believe it. How can we be sure that what he's saying right now is the truth? Does he just take whatever he says at face value? Who does he implicate and who dies? What if it's just another new scheme?"

It was rare for Wei Jin to stand on the same side as this Northern Underworld Demon King. He stepped forward and bluntly pointed out the truth with cold words.

All those present were startled and began to think rapidly.

They weren't stupid; they hadn't forgotten that the Three Ministers were the culprits who had personally caused the disaster and were the root of all evil. So how credible were his words?

From the old monk's fragmented words, it is not difficult to see that he harbored a deep hatred for the world.

On second thought.

Will such a complete fraud suddenly have a change of heart and tell the truth when he's about to die?

The old monk's explanation of the heavenly spiritual root saving the world seemed reasonable, but it couldn't withstand close scrutiny—after all, who knows if what he said was true or false?

Fairy Shuyu said calmly, "Indeed, it's unbelievable."

"Moreover, the responsibility for the common people has never been the responsibility of one person alone. In the beginning, the fight against Weilong was a joint effort and shared responsibility by the human, demon, and half-demon races. Although the late prince sacrificed his spiritual root to save the world, it was a last resort and expedient measure." Her clear and logical words flowed like a cold spring.

Soon, voices of agreement emerged, and the scattered positions gradually coalesced:

"That makes sense."

"The three ministers have committed evil for a thousand years, and their words should not be easily believed."

"The matter of the half-demon has already caused a catastrophe that will last for ages... Alas, everyone, be careful with your words and actions, lest you make another mistake."

Chu Xianlan stood still, her mind surprisingly calm.

— Long ago, the boy had a discussion with his teacher.

The prevailing trend is a force, and everyone involved can potentially become a part of pushing it forward.

But nothing in the world is static.

As days and months pass and stars shift, today I may be "deviant" and tomorrow he may be "ruthless." In the future, the ebb and flow of hatred may not necessarily change.

I have no regrets if I ask for nothing.

"I didn't lie to you!!"

Seeing that this group of people did not immediately push Chu Xianlan out to die, but instead began to doubt him, the smug look on the Three Phases Venerable's face vanished in an instant, and his withered, bony fingers clenched into fists under his robes.

"I'm telling the truth! Only the Heavenly Spiritual Root can purify the Weilong. You won't believe me, but you'll regret it sooner or later! You'll all die then!"

If a person doesn't look out for themselves, they'll be punished by heaven and earth!

The old monk made gurgling sounds in his throat, looking as if he wished he could go mad on the spot, and pounded the ground again, shouting angrily:

"Foolish! Hypocritical!"

The roar no longer possessed the seductive power it had before; it now carried a hint of bravado and empty bluster.

"Cough, cough, cough!" The Three-Phase Venerable coughed up blood incessantly, lying amidst the mess on the ground, barely able to sit up. "Once I die... you... you all..."

Just then, the usually silent Master Zhiyue raised his eyes and said, "Then you might as well die."

The sword light was bright and clear, like autumn water.

It illuminated a pair of terrified eyes.

The Three-Phase Venerable was dumbfounded, blurting out a threatening statement: "No, no, no! If I die, no one can suppress the remnant soul of Weilong! If you make a move, you will be personally unleashing the calamity, and all the sins will be attributed to you!"

"Very well," Master Zhiyue smiled, her eyes narrowing. She raised her hand and made a Heavenly Oath. "Unfortunately, after your death, I will be the strongest being in the world. If Weilong reappears, I will bear all the responsibility."

"You!" The Three-Phase Venerable's face twisted in a ferocious rage as he glared at the rest of the crowd. "Did you all hear that?! Stop her! Stop her now! Are you just going to stand by and watch this madwoman disregard the fate of all humanity for her personal grudge?!"

Before the roar could even finish, a mocking voice rang out first: "Huh? What's the panic? Weren't you fearless?"

After saying that, Wei Jin also raised his hand to form a hand seal, made a vow to Heaven, and drew out the fire whip.

Chu Xianlan and Pei Fang'an followed suit. Soon after, the leaders of Tianjian Sect and Xuanyang Sect also stepped forward, and more righteous people joined in, making a pact to share both fortune and misfortune.

In the dimly lit Zen temple, the spiritual light of vows shone brightly.

The Venerable Three Phases lay paralyzed in a pool of blood, staring blankly at the scene before him that was beyond anything he had ever expected.

"This is suicide!" The old monk's voice was distorted with extreme agitation, his eyes gleaming with a terrifying ferocity. "You have no idea what's going to happen!"

"What will happen?" Master Zhiyue asked casually. "In that case, let's see."

"Idiot! Idiot! Stupid..."

A sword aura crackling with lightning pierced the old monk's body, abruptly silencing his scream.

A sudden burst of inspiration struck, causing everyone to instinctively close their eyes and their hearts to race.

Then, a cheerful chuckle rang out, "Heh..."

Chu Xianlan opened her eyes.

The monastery remained dilapidated; the expected earth-shaking tremors were not seen, nor was the body of the Venerable Sanxiang.

When the wind blows, fine, dust-like gray-black powder flutters up.

The Three-Phase Venerable One has already perished, his soul and body reduced to ashes.

However, the world was desolate and silent—the dragon had not yet appeared in the world.

With the old monk's death, the last lie was finally exposed to the light of day.

There is absolutely no such thing as "when the original master dies, the dragon will surely emerge".

The soul of Weilong, which was parasitizing the Three Phases Sea of ​​Consciousness, had long been inextricably linked with him. They were bound together by fate, and if he died, Weilong's soul would dissipate as well.

The old monk, selfish to the extreme, was afraid of death until his dying day. He spent his entire life prolonging his life by lying, betting that the Daoists would not dare to kill him, using this as a bargaining chip to save his life, and hoping to seize the power of the Heavenly Spiritual Root to remove the curse from him.

The wind swept away the ashes, and the lies vanished.

As if he had anticipated this, Master Zhiyue sheathed his sword, lowered his eyes, and hummed softly:

"How could that be? That's amazing!"