"How could Lu Nanfeng have been killed by Ye Chuxue?"
The Sect Master of Wentian Sect finally voiced what everyone else was thinking. Beneath the shock, there was real grief for Lu Nanfeng's death.
While Lu Nanfeng's talent couldn't match Bai Yang or Ye Chuxue, he was still one of the sect's core disciples. He had been a key focus of their cultivation efforts. Now that he'd suddenly died, it was an undeniable loss for Wentian Sect.
"Alas, Wentian Sect has truly fallen into decline. I don't even know when it started, but things have never gone smoothly for our sect since." Someone muttered the words with a sigh, drawing murmurs of agreement throughout the room.
Seeing the bitter expressions on everyone's faces, the Second Elder couldn't help but twitch the corner of her mouth.
Since when?
Of course it all began when everyone sided with Gu Qingyuan and started targeting Song Wanníng.
Whoever went against that woman never ended well.
Still, for all her arrogance, that woman had always been a person of principle. If they hadn't gone too far in the first place, things never would've escalated like this.
Now, one after another, these people were paying the price. Gu Qingyuan's turn wasn't far off.
That bastard betrayed Song Wanníng. He was bound to suffer the worst.
As she was secretly delighting in others' misfortune, the Wentian Sect Master received another message.
"Lu Nanfeng was indeed killed by Ye Chuxue. The reason is unclear, but there was an eyewitness, and the entire scene was recorded with a Shadow Stone. The Shadow Stone is in my possession now. I've already transmitted the footage. You may view it for yourselves."
The communication talisman buzzed, and a projection appeared in midair.
They couldn't hear the conversation, only see the footage. Both figures were clearly injured, but what stood out most was the hatred in Ye Chuxue's eyes.
She didn't hesitate.
She cut Lu Nanfeng down with ruthless efficiency. Then, she dismembered his body into bloody pieces and fed it to a demonic beast.
Even the gathered elders were chilled watching Ye Chuxue's madness and fury.
How deep must her hatred have run?
What could Lu Nanfeng possibly have done to deserve this?
Questions piled up in everyone's minds, but no one spoke for a long while.
The Shadow Stone couldn't be faked. Ye Chuxue had really done it.
This was bad.
Just a few days ago, Gu Qingyuan had informed the Sect Master that Ye Chuxue had just advanced to the Golden Core stage. He'd barely had time to celebrate, and now this disaster had landed squarely in his lap.
Lu Nanfeng was already lost. If they had to give up Ye Chuxue too, the sect's losses would double.
The Sect Master rubbed his temples. He felt like he was going to go gray from stress. Why did everything have to go wrong at once?
Forcing down his frustration, he replied, "There may be some misunderstanding. I'll contact Gu Qingyuan and Ye Chuxue immediately to investigate."
Perhaps fearing Song Wanníng's fury, he quickly added, "Rest assured, if Ye Chuxue truly killed Lu Nanfeng without justification, I will see that she is severely punished."
It sounded like a promise, but it was actually a carefully crafted hedge.
Without justification? So if there was a reason, then the killing could be excused?
Song Wanníng lowered the message talisman, her eyes glinting coldly.
The sect rules were clear. Harming a fellow disciple meant immediate punishment: cultivation stripped, expulsion from the sect.
If the offense was severe, it demanded a life for a life.
When had that suddenly changed?
The Sect Master was still protecting Gu Qingyuan and Ye Chuxue, even now.
But this time, his scheming would fail.
Would Ye Chuxue reveal the real reason?
No. Absolutely not.
Whether it was to protect Gu Qingyuan or herself, she would never tell the truth.
She would carry the guilt of killing a fellow disciple to the grave.
Meanwhile, the Sect Master still received no response.
"Any word? Can't reach Junior Brother Gu or Ye Chuxue?"
"No, neither of them is responding. Who knows what they're doing right now."
The Sect Master sighed helplessly. This position was exhausting.
If not for the personal benefits it brought, he would've stepped down long ago.
"Don't spread this news just yet. Let me get to the bottom of it first."
He waved everyone out of the hall, then immediately began sending urgent messages to the two of them, demanding an explanation.
...
Inside the Demon Palace, Song Wanníng wasn't idle either. She passed the news along to Bai Yang.
Bai Yang had just barely escaped death in a perilous training ground. He was still wounded when he received the shocking update. Blood surged to his throat, and he collapsed on the spot.
Lu Nanfeng had been with him ever since he'd joined the sect.
From meals, training, even washing up—he'd always been there. Bai Yang had poured more effort into him than even his own master.
He'd raised him like a younger brother.
Now someone was telling him Lu Nanfeng was dead?
And worse, that he had died at Ye Chuxue's hands?
Something in Bai Yang cracked.
Ye Chuxue might have changed, but she was never just another outsider to him.
There was no way she could've killed Lu Nanfeng.
"Master must be... joking, right? Or maybe Ye Chuxue made Master angry again..."
Bai Yang clung to the delusion, refusing to believe Lu Nanfeng was really gone.
Everything had been fine before he left the sect.
But Song Wanníng was merciless. She sent the footage directly to him.
His eyes went bloodshot as he stared at the projected image. He watched, with his own eyes, as the little brother he adored was hacked apart, piece by piece, by the woman he once loved. He watched as that broken, pitiful body was thrown to a demonic beast.
Bai Yang's gaze turned monstrous as it settled on Ye Chuxue's face.
So this was her true face, vile and twisted beneath the surface.
She had fooled him completely.
He remembered how Master had always criticized Ye Chuxue. Said she was a hypocrite. Said she pretended to be innocent while shamelessly seducing her master.
Back then, he thought Master was just jealous, slinging mud out of spite.
But then it was proven: Gu Qingyuan had loved his disciple, and Ye Chuxue's mask had finally slipped.
Master wasn't jealous. She was just smarter than all of them. She'd seen through Ye Chuxue long ago.
Bai Yang's eyes burned with tears. His nails dug into his palms.
He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, all that remained was hatred.
"Ye Chuxue... if I don't avenge this, I'm no man at all..."
And with that, he finally lost consciousness.
...
"Big Sister, that move was brilliant!"
The little golden sword darted through the air, buzzing with glee.
"Let them tear each other apart. Best if they both die. Let all of them die!"
"Oh, right! Big Sister, who do you think is stronger? The male lead or the female lead? Who will Heavenly Dao choose to live?"
It cackled with delight, practically vibrating at the thought of mutual destruction.
Song Wanníng smirked, lifting her cup. "Hard to say. Depends on whether Heavenly Dao prefers its son... or its daughter more."
She was in a fine mood, sipping her wine slowly. Every step she'd taken to get here had been a struggle, but now that the opportunity was in her grasp, she wouldn't hesitate.
She was going to drag them both straight into ruin.
And the best part?
She didn't have to lift a single finger.
Just as she was enjoying her drink, Mo Yuan knocked once before entering.
He was clad in a flowing black robe, the hem embroidered with dragons that swayed as he moved. His handsome face was fully exposed now, the ugly scars from before gone without a trace.