Wandering Swordsman |

Upon realizing this, Yao Guangyuan's face turned deathly pale, and a chill ran down his spine. He realized that this expedition to the Martial God's Tomb might be a carefully planned conspiracy by evil cultivators from overseas.

"We can't delay any longer!" Yao Guangyuan thought to himself, and immediately turned to his disciples and ordered, "You few, immediately take this news back to the Diancang Sect and report it to the Martial Alliance! I'll hold off the Thousand-Faced Demon here to buy you some time."

However, to his surprise, none of the disciples left after hearing this. Instead, they all came to his side and said in unison, "Elder Yao, we'll cover your retreat! You can't stay here. If the sect leader and the other elders also perish here, the Diancang Sect needs you to take charge!"

Yao Guangyuan looked at these young faces, their eyes filled with determination and resolve, as if they were already prepared to die.

At this moment, he felt an unprecedented surge of passion—these disciples, though young, possessed the courage and loyalty of men, and were willing to sacrifice their lives for the Diancang Sect!

"Are you all insane?" Yao Guangyuan shouted, his voice trembling with barely suppressed agitation. "You're all young, with bright futures ahead of you. How can you throw your lives away like this? Move! That's an order!"

"Elder Yao!" A disciple stepped forward, tears welling in his eyes, but his voice was unwavering. "We can die! But the Diancang Sect cannot perish! You are a highly respected elder of the sect; only if you return alive can you lead the Diancang Sect out of this predicament!"

Another disciple chimed in, "Elder Yao, we have followed you for many years and have long regarded the Diancang Sect as our own home. Although we may die today, we have done our last bit of service for the Diancang Sect, and that is a worthy death!"

Yao Guangyuan felt a mix of emotions, including gratitude and helplessness.

He knew that these disciples' decision was not impulsive, but stemmed from their deep love and loyalty to the Diancang Sect. Faced with such profound affection, he could no longer bring himself to refuse.

"Heaven has forsaken Diancang!" Yao Guangyuan sighed deeply. After a moment of contemplation, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. "But the Diancang Sect will remember you forever!"

Having said that, he suddenly leaped into the calm pool of water within the secret chamber. Ripples spread across the surface, as if it were his final farewell to his disciples.

The disciples watched the figure gradually disappear, their eyes filled with determination, preparing for the upcoming battle.

The secret chamber was filled with a strong sense of battle spirit and tragic atmosphere, as if time itself had stood still.

In this dangerous and unknown space, the disciples of the Diancang School used their lives to demonstrate what loyalty and courage truly mean. Their names will be forever engraved in the history of the Diancang School, becoming heroes praised by future generations.

The Thousand-Faced Demon stood there, watching the Diancang disciples resolutely cover Yao Guangyuan's retreat, a cold smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

He crossed his arms, a chilling mockery in his eyes. "You Central Plains people are truly laughable, rushing to your deaths?" His voice was as cold as a viper's hiss. "But don't worry, I won't let you die so easily! Every one of you will taste despair, and then slowly die under my torture."

His words were filled with contempt and disdain for life, as if life were nothing more than a toy to be manipulated at will. This value system stands in stark contrast to the chivalrous spirit upheld by the righteous path of the Central Plains martial arts world—in the hearts of righteous people, life and death are important, but what is more important is how to face all challenges in an upright and honorable manner; while in the world of the Thousand-Faced Demon, only the strong have the right to decide the fate of the weak, and death is merely part of the game.

Just as the battle was about to break out, one of the two disciples who had stayed in the secret room with Elder Yao among the seven Diancang disciples suddenly spoke up: "As expected of the Nine Sects, although Duan Qianya has gone down the path of no return, you Diancang disciples are all good men of the Central Plains martial arts world."

These words not only confused the other six disciples, but even the Thousand-Faced Demon was slightly taken aback, his gaze sweeping sharply towards the speaker like that of a hawk.

The disciple slowly raised his hand and gently removed his disguise, revealing a young yet resolute face.

He was none other than the Bookworm, one of the Three Eccentrics of Guigu. At this moment, he did not directly reveal his true identity as the "Bookworm of Guigu," but calmly said, "I am the envoy of the Martial Arts Alliance—Shu Wangxing."

In an instant, the air seemed to freeze, and everyone's eyes were focused on the mysterious figure who had suddenly appeared.

Upon hearing that the messenger was from the Martial Alliance, the other six Diancang disciples breathed a sigh of relief, their tense emotions easing slightly.

However, one of the disciples became worried about the disciple who was disguised as the bookworm and couldn't help but ask, "Young Master Shu, since you're here, where is the junior brother you're impersonating?"

The bookworm calmly replied, "He should be unconscious in the grass on the shore right now. I used some techniques to make him temporarily unconscious, and he should wake up tomorrow morning."

Upon hearing this, everyone suddenly realized that the envoy from the martial arts alliance had been disguising himself as a disciple of Diancang from the shore. They were both surprised and impressed, and at the same time, they felt an invisible force supporting them as they faced the thousand-faced demon before them.

"Now," the bookworm turned to the six Diancang disciples, his tone firm and unquestionable, "you leave here immediately. I will stay and deal with the Thousand-Faced Demon."

However, the six disciples refused to leave, saying in unison, "We can't go! We want to fight the Thousand-Faced Demon with you and avenge Elder Luo!"

The bookworm shook his head, a hint of helplessness and determination in his eyes: "You are no match for him. Staying here will only hinder my actions. Moreover, I cannot bear to see the future of the martial world ruined here."

Despite this, the six disciples refused to back down, their faces filled with determination and resolve. One of them said emotionally, "Elder Luo has already sacrificed himself. Let us fight together; it is our duty!"

The bookworm took a deep breath. He knew the loyalty and affection of these disciples, but he also knew that if he didn't let them leave, he wouldn't be able to protect them when things got serious later.

He raised his voice, his tone carrying an undeniable authority: "Listen to me! Your strength is insufficient to fight the Thousand-Faced Demon. Staying here will only lead to your deaths. Returning to the Diancang Sect alive is the best way to repay Elder Luo!"

Seeing the bookworm's resolute attitude, the six disciples, though unwilling, understood his good intentions.

Finally, under the stern gaze of the bookworm, they had no choice but to grit their teeth, nod, and turn to walk towards the pool at the entrance to the secret chamber. Every step felt incredibly heavy, as if it were treading on their own hearts, but they knew that only by living could they continue to protect the glory of the Diancang Sect.

Only after all six disciples had jumped into the pool did the bookworm slowly turn around to face the Thousand-Faced Demon.

Inside the secret room, only the two of them remained, and the tense atmosphere was almost suffocating.