Unable to understand the connection for the moment, Xu Ziqing decided not to dwell on it. These people were clearly here to take the lives of him and his senior brother. Their reasons mattered less than surviving the immediate danger.
He would deal with that first.
At that moment, a wet sucking sound echoed through the silent courtyard.
Everyone smelled blood and stiffened, turning toward the noise.
In a corner of the courtyard, several thick vines had pierced the abdomen of a Golden Core cultivator and were draining his vital essence, blood, and flesh. Much of him had already been consumed, leaving little more than a skeleton covered with skin.
Blood dripped from the vines, whose color had become exceptionally bright. The scene was grotesque.
Everyone had heard the earlier scream, but each had been occupied with operating the formation and had not looked closely.
Besides, the person who had screamed was not one of their companions.
The victim was the steward assigned to this private courtyard, a servant provided by the restaurant to attend its wealthy guests.
No one should have been permitted to cause trouble in the establishment. Yet the steward had taken a bribe and allowed the guests to set their trap. Having joined their plot and lost his life, he could hardly be called innocent.
The Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators drew sharp breaths.
What a vicious demonic vine!
Their vigilance rose, and they looked at the two fellow disciples with growing hostility.
One shouted, “How can someone of the orthodox immortal path use such evil methods? Are you spies of the demonic path?”
Another Nascent Soul cultivator declared, “We must proclaim this to the world and have you expelled from the immortal path!”
Someone else cried, “All those who follow evil paths deserve to be slain!”
In the space of a moment, the five men and women had seized on an excellent excuse. Their despicable scheme became, by their account, righteous demon-slaying, and they branded Xu Ziqing a demonic cultivator.
Xu Ziqing was furious.
How shameless!
Wei Huan stood beside the Soul Transformation cultivator and addressed them. “Why don’t you surrender? At least then you’ll suffer less.”
Xu Ziqing ignored him.
Wei Huan smiled again. “Fellow Daoist Xu, haven’t you noticed that something is wrong? Beg for mercy quickly. Otherwise your primordial spirit will be destroyed, and you won’t even have the chance to reincarnate.”
He had great confidence in the Yin-Returning Worm. Although one had died, he assumed, just as Xu Ziqing had expected, that Yun Lie’s sword intent was responsible. He still believed the worm could consume a Golden Core cultivator without fail.
Now he could activate his method and make the worm begin its work.
Xu Ziqing watched Wei Huan’s expression and understood.
He decided to play along and allowed pain to show upon his face.
Earlier, their enemies could have attacked together instead of talking so much. Their boasting revealed arrogance and the belief that the two were already in their grasp. By pretending the worm was working, Xu Ziqing might learn something useful.
Yun Lie saw his reaction and moved forward to support him.
Xu Ziqing clutched Yun Lie’s arm, face pale and forehead damp with sweat. Yet a fleeting spark of amusement appeared in his eyes.
Yun Lie immediately understood.
The Yin-Returning Worm had long since been imprisoned within a jade talisman. How could it possibly act now? His initial concern had merely made him anxious.
Wei Huan believed the display completely.
He looked triumphant and turned to the others. “Senior Brothers, Senior Sister, I have fulfilled my mission.”
The Soul Transformation cultivator finally spoke with restrained approval. “You handled it adequately.”
These people knew Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing were dual-cultivation partners. Once Xu Ziqing was restrained, they believed the sword cultivator Yun Lie would not be so difficult to deal with.
The woman said shrilly, “Senior Brother Cai has such extraordinary talent! How dare these country bumpkins from a lower world injure him? Their primordial spirits ought to be devoured bite by bite before my hatred can be satisfied!”
The two young men beside her flashed with jealousy, but immediately joined in. “Exactly! The domain master ordered us not to do anything inside the sect. We’re outside now, and finally have a chance to capture them without leaving evidence!”
Xu Ziqing trembled in Yun Lie’s embrace but listened intently.
At those words, he suddenly understood!
These people had come because of the Heaven-Pillar Contest five years earlier. The Wuling senior brothers had warned them about it then. But years had passed, and neither Xu Ziqing nor Yun Lie had dwelt on the matter. That was why he had not connected it to the present attack.
So that was the reason.
It was not particularly surprising after all.
Wei Huan belonged to the rogue-cultivator line, but he must already have become an affiliate of Fire Origin Mountain Domain. The others were Cai Tongguang’s fellow disciples. The woman especially seemed to harbor affection for Cai Tongguang and had joined the others to avenge him.
Wei Huan was probably genuinely acquainted with Shou Liangcheng, but learned the identities of the two Dao partners before the expedition and contacted Fire Origin. Then he used the auction as an opportunity to arrange the attack.
Once the two returned to the sect, striking against them would be much more difficult.
Having understood, Xu Ziqing stopped pretending. He straightened, his expression serious. “So you are fellow Daoists of Fire Origin Mountain Domain. I ought to have recognized you.”
The earlier quarrel had begun when Cai Tongguang deliberately provoked them. Now these people had escalated it, even inventing accusations of demonic cultivation to justify their actions. They were enemies who would not rest until one side was dead. There was no need to stand on courtesy.
Wei Huan saw his normal complexion and was startled. “You…”
A playful thought crossed Xu Ziqing’s mind. He opened his palm and revealed the jade talisman containing the imprisoned worm. “Fellow Daoist Wei, is this what you’re looking for?”
With that, he tossed the talisman lightly toward his senior brother.
Black-gold light flashed in Yun Lie’s eyes. A sword stroke crossed the air, turning the talisman and the worm within into ash.
The Fire Origin cultivators’ pleased expressions changed instantly to fury. They realized the two juniors had fooled them!
The next moment, killing intent surged. Without further words, they attacked from several directions.
Several magical lights appeared, radiating immense pressure like monstrous waves. Many divine abilities blazed to life, and every attacker used ruthless power intended to kill.
The oppressive force made the very space seem to congeal. Even circulating true essence in the dantian became difficult.
Under that pressure, Xu Ziqing’s heart ached and his throat grew hot. For a moment he could scarcely breathe, much less speak.
He knew that the combined force of cultivators at higher realms was responsible. He could not endure it passively. While he could still move, he scattered several seeds and formed hand seals.
In an instant, more demonic vines wound around him, weaving into a protective net. Their overlapping lashes shredded the incoming pressure.
Soon Xu Ziqing regained a little breathing room.
The ancient demonic vine did not fear differences between ordinary cultivation realms. If there had been Out-of-Body or Mahayana experts present, Xu Ziqing might have lacked even the strength to summon it. But because he had been prepared, he released much of its true body before the pressure became unbearable, allowing it to root directly in the earth outside him. This saved his own true essence and greatly increased his defense.
Hundreds of vines surrounded him. At their center, his fair skin stood out against the crimson growth, making him look strangely like a demonic cultivator after all.
Yun Lie stood nearby with his life-bound sword still in hand.
This sword surpassed ordinary magical treasures. It had been forged with painstaking care from Geng Metal Essence and nurtured for years with Yun Lie’s own blood and essence. It now responded to him like an extension of his arm, able to contain his true essence, divine abilities, and sword intent. A spirit had even been formed for it, though not yet awakened, granting it greater spiritual potential.
Yun Lie moved forward, intercepting three Nascent Soul cultivators and the Soul Transformation expert. Only the Nascent Soul woman was allowed through toward Xu Ziqing.
Even surrounded by four opponents, Yun Lie showed no fear. Instead, fighting spirit slowly rose within him. Since beginning to temper his sword soul, he had faced few true life-and-death crises. Without such pressure, the first refinement remained incomplete.
Perhaps this was precisely the opportunity he needed.
His breathing was steady. With a turn of his wrist, a cold streak flashed from his sword!
The air split with a hiss. The streak reached one Nascent Soul young man in an instant!
Horrified, the man retreated several zhang, but could not escape its speed. Realizing it would pierce his abdomen, he desperately twisted his body. His left shoulder and arm were severed together, bone and flesh alike!
One exchange had produced such a result!
Seeing this, Wei Huan felt regret for the first time.
He had planned to curry favor with these prestigious disciples. If he could be admitted into Fire Origin Mountain Domain, it would greatly benefit him. But he had deceived Yun Lie first, and the murderous sword cultivator would surely hate him all the more. Perhaps he would be the next to die.
Yet it was too late to think of his safety now. At least a Soul Transformation cultivator was on their side.
Surely even a sword cultivator at Nascent Soul could not easily defeat a Soul Transformation opponent. Wei Huan told himself he need not be so afraid.
But before he could finish that thought, another fierce streak of light rushed toward him!
Disaster!
Wei Huan employed every method at his disposal, yet the streak continued to close in!
The chill seemed to rise from his bones. Sharp sword intent cut toward his skin, threatening to tear his face apart.
Such dreadful sharpness, such terrifying sword intent!
And the sensation of mortal danger…
He had never felt death so near. It seemed he would die in the next instant!
He was on the verge of utter despair.
Just then, an enormous palm struck the sword light, breaking apart under its sharpness. Another huge palm seized Wei Huan and drew him swiftly away.
He recovered enough to realize the Soul Transformation cultivator had saved him.
But the expert who stood before Yun Lie now wore an unusually grave expression.
There was no longer the slightest contempt in his eyes.
At the same time, the woman attacking Xu Ziqing darted forward and pointed with two fingers. Her paired flying swords surged like two rolling waves.