"But I saw it with my own eyes—Mengli entered that huge whirlpool," Cloud said firmly, despite Murong Ziying's repeated insistence that Liu Mengli couldn't possibly be a demon. After all, Cloud had witnessed it firsthand.
"Perhaps we can only get answers from the two elders," Murong Ziying finally said. He trusted Cloud wasn't lying, so the only option was to consult Qingyang and Chongguang, the two senior elders of the sect, to figure out what was really happening.
"Now that the demon realm has surfaced, I'm worried about my brother. I don't know if he's managed to break free from the ice," Cloud added, his tone carrying a maturity that hadn't been there before. Liu Mengli's sudden change seemed to have forced him to grow up overnight.
"Speaking of which, we could ask Xuanxiao about the demon realm. He should know something," Han Lingsha suggested suddenly.
"Lingsha is right. Master Xuanxiao has fought the demon realm before, so he must have some knowledge about it," Murong Ziying agreed.
The group left the room and headed toward the sect's forbidden grounds. Along the way, they noticed Qionghua Sect disciples patrolling the area in teams, the tension in the air palpable.
"This is strange. Didn't they say the demon realm has descended? Why haven't we seen a single demon?" Han Lingsha asked, puzzled, as she turned to Murong Ziying.
"I don't know either. Perhaps the sect leader knows," Murong Ziying replied with a slight shake of his head.
Murong Ziying was just as perplexed. As one of the elite disciples of the Qionghua Sect, he hadn't been part of the previous battle with the Illusionary Nether Realm, but he had heard stories about it from his master and grandmaster. For no demons to appear could be explained as part of some plot by the demon realm. However, what was truly shocking was that Suyao, the sect leader, hadn't taken charge of the situation personally. This was especially surprising considering that all the sect's preparations had been geared toward countering the demon realm.
"What's going on? Why are there so many people here?" When they arrived at the gates of the forbidden grounds, Cloud noticed five disciples guarding the entrance and immediately rushed forward.
"Who are you? Where's my brother? Is he still inside the forbidden grounds?" Cloud demanded as he tried to approach the gate, only to have four swords block his path. He instinctively drew his Tianhe Sword in response.
"Calm down, Cloud," Murong Ziying stepped in to block Cloud before things could escalate.
"Yuan Yi, what are you doing here?" Murong Ziying asked the leading disciple.
"Greetings, Senior Ziying. The sect leader ordered us to guard the forbidden grounds starting today. She is currently in seclusion inside and has forbidden anyone from entering without her permission," Yuan Yi explained after bowing to Murong Ziying.
"The sect leader is in seclusion at a time like this?" Murong Ziying was incredulous. While seclusion for cultivation wasn't unusual, doing so during the descent of the demon realm was a serious issue.
"The sect leader believes the demon realm has taken a defensive stance by placing a barrier at the entrance. As long as we don't attack, they won't necessarily strike first. She intends to complete her cultivation of a secret technique to shatter the barrier and destroy the demon realm in one fell swoop," Yuan Yi elaborated.
"And my brother? Where is he?" Cloud asked impatiently, cutting off any further conversation.
"Your brother? Who's that?" Yuan Yi replied, clearly confused. He knew who Cloud was, but if it had been anyone else asking, he would've reprimanded them. Only Murong Ziying's presence restrained him.
"I'll check for myself!" Cloud declared, attempting to force his way into the forbidden grounds again. But at that moment, the gates swung open, and Suyao emerged, her expression cold and haughty.
"Greetings, Sect Leader," Murong Ziying said as he quickly bowed.
"Murong Ziying, have you no respect for your superiors anymore?" Suyao's sharp gaze swept over Cloud and the others before settling on Murong Ziying with a chilling glare.
"I wouldn't dare," Murong Ziying replied cautiously.
"Wouldn't dare? Then why have you brought a group of people who've already been expelled from the sect to the forbidden grounds? Are you unaware that this area is off-limits?"
Suyao's reprimand left Murong Ziying momentarily speechless. By the rules of the Qionghua Sect, he had indeed made a mistake.
"Sect Leader, I'm asking you: where is my brother, Xuanxiao? What have you done to him?" Cloud, however, didn't care about Suyao's status or the sect's rules. He shouted his question directly at her, his voice filled with anger.
To Cloud, rules didn't matter. All that mattered was right and wrong, good and evil. No matter who he was dealing with—whether it was Suyao, Zhulong, or even the Nine Heavens Goddess—he would always stand his ground.
"Brother? Xuanxiao? You seem so devoted to him," Suyao said with a mocking smile as she turned her gaze to Cloud. "He's quite the manipulator, isn't he? In such a short time, he's managed to earn your unwavering loyalty, even making you work tirelessly to collect the Three Frigid Artifacts for him."
"Sect Leader, what do you mean by that?" Han Lingsha quickly asked, alarmed by Suyao's words and demeanor. Both she and the others felt a deep sense of foreboding.
"How pitiful. Even now, you don't see it. All of this was orchestrated by me and Xuanxiao from the very beginning. From the moment you set foot in the Qionghua Sect, we began setting the stage. You were nothing more than pawns on our chessboard. And now that the plan is complete, pawns like you are no longer needed," Suyao said, her voice calm but her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
"That's impossible! You're lying!" Cloud roared.
"Lying? Xuanxiao, as the master of the Xihe Sword, immediately sensed when the Wangshu Sword entered the mountain gate. He informed me at once, which is why I decided to bring you into the sect," Suyao explained.
"So, you didn't use some divination technique to determine the arrival of the children of old friends," Han Lingsha said, her voice trembling with realization.
"Correct. You figured it out," Suyao replied with a faint smirk.
"Sect Leader, may I ask why you did this? If it was just to retrieve the Wangshu Sword, you could have simply asked Cloud for it. Knowing him, he would've returned it without hesitation," Murong Ziying interjected, his voice tinged with confusion and frustration.
"Ziying, don't misunderstand. The Qionghua Sect doesn't just want the Wangshu Sword—it wants the fully awakened Wangshu Sword."
"What does that mean?"
"If you don't understand, then leave it at that. These matters are not for you to know right now. Focus on preparing for the battle with the demon realm," Suyao said dismissively. She glanced at Cloud and the others once more before turning to leave.
"Wait! I don't understand what you mean. You say my brother deceived us—why? Isn't he my parents' senior brother?" Cloud shouted, stopping Suyao in her tracks.
"Senior brother? Hah! Did you know that Xuanxiao hates your parents to the core? The only reason he didn't kill you on sight was because he showed restraint. Not just Xuanxiao—the entire Qionghua Sect despises your parents," Suyao sneered.
At the mention of Yun Tianqing and Su Yu, Suyao's expression darkened with hatred. Her resentment toward them stemmed not only from their talents but also because their betrayal nineteen years ago had derailed the sect's long-standing plans. If not for them, the Qionghua Sect's goal would have been achieved, and Suyao would already be an immortal.
"My brother... hates my parents? That's impossible," Cloud murmured, his confusion and pain evident.
"Impossible? It's simple. If not for Yun Tianqing and Su Yu's betrayal, Xuanxiao wouldn't have ended up sealed in ice for nineteen years. Yuan Yi, bring the sect's confidential records," Suyao ordered.
"Yes, Sect Leader," Yuan Yi replied, flying off on his sword. Moments later, he returned with a scroll.
"Read it."
"Yes, Sect Leader," Yuan Yi said, unrolling the scroll and reading aloud:
'The 20th Sect Leader, Master Daoyin, with unparalleled talent, dedicated his life to cultivating a technique that combined the powers of the Yin-Yang Twin Swords, aiming to lead the sect to ascend as immortals. After three generations of effort and resources, the Xihe and Wangshu Swords were forged.
At the critical moment, the Wangshu Sword's host, Su Yu, wavered and, driven by personal feelings, fled with her senior brother, Yun Tianqing. The Xihe Sword's host, Xuanxiao, was left to face the demon realm alone, resulting in...'
"That's enough," Suyao interrupted.
"Yes, Sect Leader," Yuan Yi complied, stopping mid-sentence.
"Cloud, do you understand now? If not for Yun Tianqing and Su Yu's desertion, Xuanxiao wouldn't have overexerted himself trying to compensate for the lack of the Wangshu Sword's support. This led to his internal energy spiraling out of control, causing him to succumb to the Yang Flame and be sealed in ice for nineteen years."
"So... it's my parents' fault my brother ended up like this?" Cloud muttered, his voice filled with anguish. To him, Xuanxiao was genuinely like a brother.
"Cloud, don't believe her lies! That scroll could've said anything, and I've never seen it in the library," Han Lingsha said, trying to comfort Cloud. But it was clear he was too consumed by the revelation to listen.
"Confidential sect matters are not for everyone to see. And as for you two thieves, it's no surprise you never came across it," Suyao sneered, glancing at Han Lingsha with a mocking smile.
"You knew about yesterday's incident—you orchestrated it!" Han Lingsha exclaimed, her realization dawning.
"Correct. If not for my and Xuanxiao's plans, you would've been caught the moment you entered the library," Suyao admitted.
"Wait, you said 'you two.' Does that mean..." Han Lingsha turned her gaze to Daniel. Among the group, only he and she were likely culprits for sneaking into the library.
"That's right. The other person was me," Daniel said, meeting her gaze without hesitation. "Lingsha, you were too careless. This isn't the mundane world—it's a sect of immortals. Trying to sneak around here without being noticed is extremely difficult."
With his secret exposed, Daniel no longer saw any reason to hide it. He turned to Suyao, clapping slowly, and said with a smile, "I've always been curious about the Qionghua Sect's plans. So, it's a sect-wide ascension? Quite the grand ambition."
His tone and demeanor had shifted completely, leaving Han Lingsha, Murong Ziying, and even Suyao momentarily stunned.
"Daniel, did you already know about this?" Han Lingsha asked after a moment of silence.
"I didn't know the details, but I suspected the Qionghua Sect was hiding something. From the moment I met this sect leader, I started piecing things together. Everything I did afterward was just to confirm my suspicions."
"Our first meeting?" Suyao asked, her eyes narrowing.
"Yes. Lingsha and the others might not have noticed, but I did. When you mentioned Cloud as the son of an old acquaintance, you only referred to his father, Yun Tianqing. You didn't say a word about his mother, Su Yu, who was your fellow disciple. Logically, as her peer, she should've been the first person you brought up. The fact that you didn't meant you harbored resentment toward her.
"If you hated Su Yu, then there was no reason for you to treat her child so favorably. And yet, during a time when the demon realm was about to attack, you welcomed him into the sect. That was the first red flag.
"Then there was Lingsha's behavior. With the Qionghua Sect's resources, it's impossible that no one noticed her actions. And yet, no one stopped her. Even if you considered Cloud as the son of an old acquaintance, there's no way the sect leader would turn a blind eye. This suggested a deeper conspiracy.
"The final confirmation came when you led us into the forbidden grounds. A sect's forbidden area isn't the kind of place new disciples are allowed to wander into freely. That day, the Wangshu Sword guided us, and when I saw that Cloud possessed the Luminous Algae Jade, which could open the forbidden gate, everything clicked.
"Cloud's parents, Yun Tianqing and Su Yu, were said to possess items like this Luminous Algae Jade, and their swords—Xihe and Wangshu—were peerless in the sect. For their child to have such treasures and yet be treated like an ordinary disciple was suspicious. Even more so when you allowed them to leave with the jade and didn't attempt to retrieve it. No ordinary disciple would receive such leniency.
"All these clues pointed to a grand scheme. The only reason Lingsha and Cloud didn't notice was because of their inherently kind and trusting natures. Sect Leader Suyao, am I wrong?" Daniel concluded, turning to Suyao with a knowing smile.
"You..." Suyao's face darkened, her calm demeanor cracking for the first time. Anyone would feel humiliated to have their meticulously crafted plan exposed as full of holes.
"You figured it out. So why didn't you tell them?" Suyao asked after regaining her composure.
"Because they're too kindhearted. Even if I told them, they wouldn't believe me. Especially Cloud—unless he saw it with his own eyes, he wouldn't accept it," Daniel said.
"Cloud!" Daniel suddenly shouted, turning to him. "Why do you think your parents were wrong? Why can't the ones in the wrong be the entire Qionghua Sect?"
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