She stiffened, instinctively ducking out of sight. The murderous aura radiating from Meng Yang left no doubt about his purpose. Liu Yiyi's face went pale with anxiety. A storm of emotions twisted through her chest, shifting her expression over and over again.
"Big Brother... was doomed."
These past days, hiding and running alongside Liu Yao, she'd had enough. She was sick of this kind of life. And now, the one coming after them was none other than Old Ancestor Meng Yang... No matter how clever the lie, it wouldn't fool him.
On top of that, he was notorious for his ruthless nature.
"No, I can't follow Big Brother into hell for the mistake he made!"
It had taken Liu Yiyi years of struggle to climb to her current position. If she let Liu Yao drag her down, there would be no place left for her in Wangshan Sect.
A flash of guilt flickered in her eyes. She clenched her fists tight.
"I'm sorry, Big Brother. Don't blame me."
With her resolve set, she turned and ran straight toward Meng Yang.
"Old Ancestor!!"
Meng Yang was just about to leave the city when her voice rang out. He stopped in his tracks and looked back. His face immediately hardened. "What, are you trying to stop me?"
Liu Yiyi had fled as soon as Liu Yao's scandal broke. Turns out she'd already found him but hadn't reported it. His eyes narrowed, killing intent rolling off him in waves. He didn't bother to hide it as he stepped toward her.
Liu Yiyi trembled inside. She quickly stepped forward, lifting her head. Her eyes were red and brimming with tears, her expression pitiable.
"Old Ancestor, I'll take you to him... I was wrong. I didn't mean to avoid responsibility. I just wanted to bring Big Brother back to the sect so he could explain everything, but he...
He's still my brother. I couldn't bring myself to act against him... Old Ancestor..."
Tears fell from her cheeks.
Now, more than anything, she had to remove herself from this mess and minimize the damage to her own standing.
Meng Yang stared at her impassively. Her tears didn't move him in the slightest.
"Take me to him. If you dare lie to me, you already know what your fate will be."
He couldn't be sure whether Liu Yiyi genuinely intended to help, or if she was just stalling for Liu Yao. But either way, she wouldn't be able to stop him.
"Alright. Old Ancestor, this way!!!!"
Feeling guilty under his gaze, Liu Yiyi quickly looked away and ran ahead, leading Meng Yang toward the mountains.
Meanwhile, Liu Yao was deep in the mountains, slaughtering beasts to vent his rage. The ground was littered with mangled bodies, limbs scattered everywhere, blood soaking the earth. Not a single beast was left intact.
The pill Liu Yiyi had given him had done its work. His wounds were healing well, and he had regained half of his strength.
These days, he had been trying to throw the blame back on Song Wanníng, to smear her reputation in return. But the outcome had left him bitterly disappointed—almost no one believed him.
People would rather trust that wench Song Wanníng than believe him.
He was the one who had been framed. Why couldn't they see that?
Liu Yao howled with frustration, his fury echoing through the mountains. Once a proud Nascent Soul cultivator, now a fugitive everyone wanted dead. The crushing disparity twisted his heart and deepened the inner demon gnawing at his sanity.
Sometimes, he couldn't even control his own actions or emotions. Even now, he was still waiting for Liu Yiyi to return, clinging to the hope that his little sister would clear his name. She was the only one he had left.
At last, he spotted her silhouette approaching. Excited, he rushed over and asked, "Yiyi, how did it go? Do they believe me now?"
His eyes were full of hope, desperate for a way to set things right. Maybe, just maybe, he could go back to how things were. But Liu Yiyi only looked at him with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Big Brother..."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Meng Yang appeared behind her.
"O... Old Ancestor!"
Liu Yao's heart seized. The chaos in his mind cleared instantly, leaving only one emotion—fear. He turned to flee on instinct, but a formation rose silently around him, cutting off any path of escape.
He stopped in place, stunned, and looked at Liu Yiyi with disbelief. The one person he trusted most had betrayed him. Who was it that had convinced him to go after Song Wanníng in the first place?
It was her. Liu Yiyi.
And now, she...
A red haze of madness filled Liu Yao's eyes. He wanted nothing more than to tear her apart.
Liu Yiyi didn't dare meet his gaze. She turned her head away and muttered in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry, Big Brother... I told you before to return to the sect..."
Her guilt swallowed her words. She covered her mouth and pretended to sob, retreating to one side.
Liu Yao looked at her back, a wave of emptiness washing over him. He felt like the punchline of a cruel joke. Now that Martial Uncle Meng Yang was here to deal with it, he knew there was no more running.
But the unwillingness burned in his chest. He hadn't asked for much—just wanted to put a woman in her place—and it had driven him to ruin.
"Liu Yao, what do you have to say for yourself?"
Meng Yang's eyes were cold as he surveyed the carnage around them. The rage in his expression deepened. He had practically watched Liu Yao grow up. When the siblings had first joined Wangshan Sect, they had been orphans, pitiable and helpless.
The sect had shown them great kindness, offering them gifts and care when they had nothing. They had tried to lift them up, and this... this was the result.
There were countless cultivators in the realm, yet so few ever ascended. In the end, it all came down to one thing—losing sight of the path. There were too many temptations on the road to cultivation.
"Martial Uncle... you'd rather believe an outsider than me?"
Liu Yao stared at Meng Yang, a trace of madness in his eyes.
"I'm the one from Wangshan Sect. Shouldn't you be protecting me?"
But Meng Yang met his gaze coldly and delivered a single sentence.
"Xu Zhiyuan is dead."
The Sect Master of Wangshan Sect had already been dealt with. What hope did Liu Yao think he had? If Liu Yao had truly committed the crimes, the only outcome was death. That decision had already been made by three Divine Transformation elders. Liu Yao's transgressions had left no room for negotiation.
"What... what did you say?"
Liu Yao and Liu Yiyi both froze.
The Sect Leader had already been dealt with?
They had been hiding in the mountains all this time—completely unaware.
Their faces went bone-white.
Liu Yao stumbled back a few steps, panic rising in his chest.
He was terrified now.
If the Sect Master could be eliminated, then what about him?
"Martial Uncle... I was wrong... I really was wrong!"
Liu Yao dropped to his knees with a thud, clutching Meng Yang's leg in desperation, his voice cracking with fear.
"I... I just wanted to teach Song Wanníng a lesson, so I hired a demon cultivator to kill her. But somehow, she and that demon cultivator turned on me and drugged me...
That child wasn't even a child—he was a demon cultivator, hundreds of years old...
I didn't hurt those people!!!!
Martial Uncle, please believe me. You watched me grow up—you know I've always been honest...
I didn't abuse children. I'm not a demon cultivator!"
Liu Yao spilled everything, no longer daring to hide a single detail.