"Ah."
Daniel Davis's sudden roar caused Yun Tianhe, who was lost in confusion and pain, to look up with a dazed expression. Meanwhile, Han Lingsha and Murong Ziying immediately turned their attention to Suyao. What Daniel had just said was something they had never considered before, and upon hearing it, they instinctively looked at Suyao for confirmation.
"Outrageous!" Suyao immediately shouted at Daniel with a stern voice.
However, Daniel paid no attention to Suyao's reaction. His gaze remained fixed on Yun Tianhe as he continued, "Yun Tianhe, why are you willing to trust Xuanxiao and Suyao, but not your own parents? Do you truly believe your parents were evil? Why couldn't it be that Qionghua Sect, Xuanxiao, or Suyao were the ones in the wrong?"
"Are you saying that my parents had a reason for what they did back then?" Daniel's words brought a glimmer of clarity to Yun Tianhe's muddled thoughts.
"Exactly. Although I never met them, from what I've seen of you and the Stone Sink Cave, I can tell they were not the type to betray their sect willingly. At first, I didn't understand the meaning of the poems in the Stone Sink Cave, but now I do. They left Qionghua Sect because of the sect's ascension plan."
"But isn't ascending to immortality a good thing? Why would Tianhe's parents leave Qionghua Sect because of that?" Han Lingsha looked at Daniel with curiosity. As she spoke, Suyao and the other Qionghua disciples, including Murong Ziying, also fixed their eyes on Daniel.
"Indeed, ascending to immortality is a good thing, but Qionghua Sect's ascension plan was not. You heard what they said earlier, right? They planned to use the power of the Yihe Sword and the Wangshu Sword to trap the demon realm. This means that back then, it wasn't the demon realm invading Qionghua Sect—it was Qionghua Sect invading the demon realm. In that case, the casualties suffered by Qionghua Sect were self-inflicted."
Upon hearing this, Yun Tianhe and Han Lingsha fell silent, while Suyao and her group glared at Daniel with anger.
"Demons harm humans. It's an honor for the demon realm to contribute to Qionghua Sect's ascension. Yun Tianqing and Suyu, out of sympathy for demons, disregarded the greater good of Qionghua Sect and ruined the sect's centuries-long ascension plan. They deserve to die a thousand deaths."
Suyao's words immediately caused Yun Tianhe, Han Lingsha, and even Murong Ziying to frown. In the past, Murong Ziying wouldn't have found anything wrong with Suyao's statement, but after traveling with Daniel and witnessing the events at Juchao Country, his beliefs had begun to shift.
Back then, Suyu and Yun Tianqing didn't initially plan to leave Qionghua Sect. It was only after failing to communicate with the sect's elders and Xuanxiao that they were forced to take the Wangshu Sword and leave.
"Tianhe, do you still think your parents were wrong to leave Qionghua Sect?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know? That's understandable. It's a lot to process. In fact, when your parents left Qionghua Sect, they actually saved it. Otherwise, Qionghua Sect would have been completely destroyed by now."
Daniel wasn't surprised by Yun Tianhe's response. After all, Yun Tianhe was a simple-minded person, and being suddenly confronted with such complex matters involving his parents and his sworn brother was bound to leave him confused.
"How ridiculous! If they hadn't betrayed Qionghua Sect back then, the sect would have already ascended. How could it have been destroyed?" Suyao sneered at Daniel. As the sect leader, she refused to believe that Qionghua Sect could ever be destroyed.
"Ascension? Hmph." Daniel gave Suyao a cold look and let out a disdainful snort. He didn't say anything more, but his mocking expression deeply offended Suyao. She raised her right hand as if she was about to strike, but in the end, she held back.
For Suyao, leading Qionghua Sect to ascension was not only about her personal desire to become immortal but also about surpassing the achievements of all previous sect leaders. And what greater achievement was there than leading the entire sect to ascension?
"She didn't attack." Daniel was somewhat frustrated that Suyao had restrained herself. With Murong Ziying and Yun Tianhe present, he couldn't make the first move. But if Suyao had attacked, he would have had a reason to retaliate. Given how he had provoked her, it was reasonable to expect her to lose control, but she had managed to hold back.
"Now that you all know the truth, leave Qionghua Sect at once." Suyao let out a cold snort and turned to enter the forbidden area.
"Tianhe, what should we do now? Should we go in and see Xuanxiao?" After Suyao entered the forbidden area, the group fell into silence for a moment before Han Lingsha finally spoke up.
"I don't know." Yun Tianhe shook his head in frustration. Thanks to Daniel's words, he no longer felt as guilty, but he was still at a loss for what to do next. In the original story, Yun Tianhe had been in deep pain at this point, and it wasn't until he met his father in the ghost realm that he learned the truth.
"In that case, let's go find Mengli first."
"Right, Mengli. But we can't get into that place."
"Why don't we go see Elder Qingyang and Elder Chongguang? They might know more about what happened back then," Murong Ziying suggested.
"Ziying, is it really okay for you to stay with us now? That sect leader..." Han Lingsha didn't finish her sentence, but Murong Ziying understood her meaning.
"It's not just for you. I also want to know the truth about what happened back then." Having grown up in Qionghua Sect, Murong Ziying had deep feelings for the sect and had always been proud to be a disciple. But Daniel's words had stripped away the sect's glory, which had been a heavy blow to Murong Ziying. He was now eager to learn more from the elders.
"Suyao, how dare you defy my orders!"
Inside the forbidden area, Xuanxiao sat on the ground with the Yihe Sword and the Wangshu Sword on either side of him. When he saw Suyao enter, his expression turned cold.
"Xuanxiao, don't forget that I am the sect leader of Qionghua Sect. And he is the child of Yun Tianqing and Suyu. Are you still planning to take him with you to ascend?" Suyao's face darkened at Xuanxiao's questioning.
Suyao had wanted to attack earlier but had been stopped by Xuanxiao. Originally, Xuanxiao's plan was to keep everything hidden from Yun Tianhe and Han Lingsha until after the sect's ascension. However, due to Suyao's selfishness, Yun Tianhe had learned the truth prematurely. Fortunately, Suyao still had some sense of discretion and hadn't revealed that Han Lingsha was the host of the Wangshu Sword.
"Sect leader? You dare call yourself the sect leader? Look at what Qionghua Sect has become under your rule—a place of jealousy and favoritism. Back then, you and the elders sealed me in ice because you were afraid I would take your position as sect leader."
"You—"
"Enough! If you dare make any more decisions without my consent, don't blame me for what happens next. Oh, and bring me the Water Spirit Pearl."
"The Water Spirit Pearl is a treasured artifact of the sect." Suyao was about to protest, but when she saw the cold look in Xuanxiao's eyes, she quickly changed her tone. "I understand. I'll bring it to you shortly."
"Ziying, have you encountered any problems in your search for the Three Cold Artifacts?"
In front of a small wooden house in Qingfengjian, after meeting Elders Qingyang and Chongguang, Elder Qingyang immediately asked. It seemed that these two elders were truly detached from worldly affairs, as they appeared to be unaware of the demon realm's arrival and its entrapment by the twin swords.
"Elders, there's no need to play dumb. The demon realm has arrived, and the twin swords have trapped it. Such a significant event couldn't have escaped your notice, even if you've been living in seclusion here." Before Murong Ziying could respond, Daniel spoke up coldly.
"Don't be rude!" Murong Ziying immediately scolded Daniel, then turned to the elders and said, "We've found all three Cold Artifacts, and Senior Xuanxiao has broken free from the ice. I've come here to ask about what happened nineteen years ago. Earlier, the sect leader mentioned—"
Murong Ziying then briefly recounted what Suyao and Daniel had said.
"How outrageous! Suyao has truly overstepped her bounds." After reprimanding Suyao, the two elders nodded in agreement. Elder Qingyang then spoke, "What you've heard is true. Back then, Yun Tianqing and Suyu, out of compassion for the heavy casualties on both sides, chose to leave together. Their actions caused Qionghua Sect's ascension plan to fail, rendering the sacrifices of those disciples meaningless."
For Elders Qingyang and Chongguang, there was no question that Qionghua Sect's attack on the demon realm was justified. Their words caused Yun Tianhe and Han Lingsha to frown, but neither of them spoke up.
"Invading the demon realm to steal its spiritual energy for your own ascension, and then expecting the demon realm not to fight back? How laughable." While they remained silent, Daniel had no such reservations. At this point, there was no need for him to hold back, and he ended his statement with a mocking smile.
"Ziying, who is this?" Upon hearing Daniel's words, even Elders Qingyang and Chongguang, with their calm dispositions, couldn't help but show a slight change in expression.
"Don't look at me like that. Sect Leader Suyao has already expelled us from Qionghua Sect, so we're no longer affiliated with you."
"Elders, please forgive us." Murong Ziying immediately apologized.
"It seems Suyao still hasn't overcome her inner struggles. What's done is done, and there's no point in dwelling on the past. Many things cannot be changed, so there's no need for you to pursue this matter further. If there's nothing else, you may leave."
Upon hearing that Suyao had expelled Yun Tianhe and Han Lingsha from the sect, the two elders sighed inwardly. To them, Yun Tianhe was the son of Yun Tianqing, and Han Lingsha was the host of the Wangshu Sword, so they held them in high regard. As for Daniel, he was merely an afterthought.
"Elders, I've come here to ask about something. My friend—no, my junior, Liu Mengli, passed through the barrier to the demon realm and disappeared. Do you know anything about this?" Murong Ziying quickly changed the subject.
"Liu Mengli? That girl from before? She entered the demon realm? Tell us exactly what happened."
"Yes." Murong Ziying then recounted the events surrounding Liu Mengli's disappearance.
"That's strange. From what you've said, could she be a demon?" Elder Qingyang asked with a hint of doubt.
"Impossible. Although her spiritual energy is stronger than most, if she were truly a demon, how could she have escaped our detection?" Elder Chongguang immediately refuted.
"That makes it even more puzzling."
"Elders, is there any way for someone to pass through that barrier? Qionghua Sect might soon be at war with the demon realm, and if she stays there, she'll be in great danger." Yun Tianhe had temporarily set aside his concerns about Xuanxiao and was now focused on rescuing Liu Mengli.
"Nonsense! A human entering the demon realm would be like a lamb walking into a lion's den." Elder Qingyang immediately scolded Yun Tianhe.
"No matter what, I'm going into the demon realm to save Mengli." Yun Tianhe's expression was resolute.
"Elders, I also request your assistance. If you know of any way, please tell us." Murong Ziying bowed respectfully.
"No matter how dangerous it is, we have to try." This time, it was Han Lingsha who spoke.
"If you want to pass through the barrier, it's not impossible. There's something in this world called the Shadow Branch. With it, you can pass through most barriers, including the one to the demon realm."
"Where can we find the Shadow Branch?"
"The Shadow Branch is an item from the ghost realm. Since ghost soldiers must travel to various places to collect souls, they need to pass through certain barriers, and the Shadow Branch is carried by powerful ghost soldiers."
"So we have to find a ghost soldier and take it from them?" Han Lingsha asked after hearing this.
"Impossible. Not only is it unlikely that you'll encounter a ghost soldier, but even if you do, some of them are far more powerful than you. It's not something you can easily obtain."
"Then what should we do?" Yun Tianhe exclaimed anxiously.
"If you truly want the Shadow Branch, you'll have to venture into the ghost realm. However, the boundary between the living and the dead is not easily crossed. There are several ways to enter the ghost realm from the human world, but the simplest is through the ghost city of Fengdu. However, that only leads to the outer regions of the ghost realm. If you want to reach the Hall of Impermanence to obtain the Shadow Branch, you'll have to go to Mount Buzhou."
"These two old men know quite a lot—the Three Cold Artifacts, the Shadow Branch." Daniel couldn't help but mutter to himself as he listened to Elders Qingyang and Chongguang.
"However, although it's said that Mount Buzhou can lead to the Netherworld, or the ghost realm, we don't know how to activate it. You'll have to figure that out on your own."
"Thank you, Elders. No matter how difficult it is, I'm going to try." Yun Tianhe was already eager to set off.
"Tianhe, I'll go with you. But Lingsha, you don't look well. You should stay behind. The three of us can handle this." Murong Ziying looked at Han Lingsha's pale face and made the suggestion.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired." Han Lingsha quickly insisted that she was okay.
"This young lady does seem to be in poor health, often feeling weak and cold." Elder Qingyang observed Han Lingsha, then turned to Elder Chongguang. "Chongguang, why don't you give her the 'Red Soul'? We don't have much time left anyway, and it's of no use to us."
"Very well." After giving Elder Qingyang a deep look, Elder Chongguang took out a radiant, red-glowing gem and handed it to Han Lingsha.
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