Yu Ziqing knew that starting today, Xinyu City would no longer be a vassal of Emperor Zhen, but would embrace the arms of Dali.

He watched as the West Desolate Army entered the city, disciplined and orderly, taking over the defenses and beginning to purge the city's unstable elements. In the past, no one cared for fugitives or the Evil Dao, but now, they were all dragged out, their charges read aloud, and beheaded in the streets.

The executioners were from Dali, using the Divine Dynasty's Magic Artifacts.

With one slash, body and soul vanished completely, leaving no chance for them to become ghosts.

Furthermore, Yu Ziqing noticed that all those selected were heinous criminals, the type most likely to incite public anger, as evidenced by the cheers from the execution ground.

The next day, lower-level officials from Dali entered the city, efficiently arranging the reception of refugees.

Large volumes of food, clothing, and firewood for warmth were supplied on the same day.

Yu Ziqing observed the entire process, a major city on the border, though not a state capital, was of a rank just below one.

From the time the West Desolate Army entered the city, followed by various officials settling in and resources being transported, everything was completed in an orderly manner, fully controlling a major city and gathering tens of thousands of refugees.

They accomplished all this in just three or four days.

From the lowest soldier to the rankless junior officers, everyone seemed at ease, knowing exactly what to do.

That was a bit terrifying.

Yu Ziqing carefully recalled the first time he heard about the civil war in Dazhen, when it was said to have reached a stalemate in the central region, he had wondered if Dali would take advantage of the situation.

Unexpectedly, they actually did, but it was completely different from his simple and crude idea of sending troops to occupy territory.

Listen to them outside, they're still talking about crusading against the White Sun Evil Dao, not even mentioning the words "Dazhen."

Yu Ziqing estimated that Uncle Fu, who was supposedly out on business, should have finished his tasks and returned by now.

Since they acted under the guise of crusading against the White Sun Evil Cult, they must have found the real culprit, though it was unclear if they had already killed the White Sun Holy Mother.

Thinking about it, he felt somewhat regrettable, as he was particularly keen to capture a living White Sun Holy Mother for study.

To see whether that person was different in each generation or if each generation was the same person.

If it was the same person from beginning to end, then how did she manage Possession?

He feared that he would have to wait until the next time the White Sun Evil Cult surfaced to research them further.

...

Hengduan Mountains.

High Priest Liu Xin prepared to flee again.

He had received confirmed information that the cities they controlled, and the hundreds of thousands of human form chanting machines they had gathered, were dismantled by Dali in less than half a month.

No matter how pious those brainwashed human form chanting machines were, when they were so hungry they were clawing at their own skin, on the verge of madness, what Holy Mother could compare to a bowl of barely-filled porridge?

The incense fire offerings received by the White Sun Holy Mother plummeted daily.

There were indeed some extremely devout followers, but they were a minority; the vast majority were only stable because of the two daily meals.

Now, the people from Dali had come and offered them a condition.

If you want to eat, no problem.

Stop chanting, come out and work, follow the arrangements, and you'll get two meals a day, better than before.

What other result could there be?

"Holy Mother, I've received word that the Western Desolation General from Dali is personally heading to the Hengduan Mountains.

They must already know where our base is located.

Holy Mother is injured, perhaps we should strategically retreat until Holy Mother recovers, and then rise again? Dazhen is embroiled in civil war, we have plenty of opportunities."

Liu Xin, having learned from past mistakes, decided to greet the White Sun Holy Mother before escaping. If they could flee together, that would naturally be the best.

Without the incense fire crystals bestowed by the White Sun Holy Mother, his cultivation speed nearly ground to a halt.

As it was difficult to transition from luxury to frugality, it was almost impossible for him to return to his previous life of arduous cultivation.

The White Sun Holy Mother extended her hand, slowly unwrapping the bandages covering her body, revealing her face riddled with poisonous scars. Large swaths of her torso were covered in scabs exuding a foul odor.

At this moment, all of her former charisma was gone, she appeared just like an ordinary person gravely ill.

"Go, preserve whatever living strength you can.

If the time comes when I need you, I will respond to you."

The White Sun Holy Mother looked at Liu Xin steadily, her expression calm.

She hadn't given up. This descent was executed perfectly, its harmony exceeded previous times, there was hope to reach the Tenth Tier in this life.

Once at that Realm, she wouldn't fear the encirclement of the Three Divine Dynasties, having enough time to slowly wear them down.

Because she would live far longer than those strong warriors.

Liu Xin wanted to exchange a few pleasantries, but seeing the White Sun Holy Mother's demeanor, he knew she genuinely intended for him to leave first.

Soon, Liu Xin vanished.

He quietly took a few close confidants with him, leaving the rest to continue guarding the base.

The White Sun Holy Mother stepped out of her residence, slight movements causing the scabbed areas on her body to crack again, the pus inside hadn't been completely expelled.

She wore a roughspun robe, her hood covering her face, and quietly made her way to one of the followers' residences.

Only an old woman and her daughter remained there; the White Sun Holy Mother calmly approached the old woman, placing a hand on each of their heads.

"Mother, sister, it's me, Xiao. Don't you remember me?

I've returned, and I've brought congee for you, with a bit of preserved snow vegetables mixed with oil and salt."

The expressions of the old woman and the young girl shifted from reverence, gradually becoming confused and then somewhat excited.

Tears streamed down the old woman's face as she grabbed hold of his hand.

"Xiao, where did you go? I searched for you with such hardship. How did you end up like this? How are you so gravely ill? You must chant with me; then the Holy Mother will bless you, help you recover."

"I'm fine, I brought you food. Mother, eat, sister, you eat too." The White Sun Holy Mother held out a bowl of congee, scattering bits of oil-flecked vegetables on top.

They ate the congee on one side while on the other.

Liu Xin and his men attempted to sneak away but were halted by Uncle Fu, who had been keeping watch.

Uncle Fu hovered in mid-air, a long black blade appearing in his hand, wrapped in black energy. The usually kind-faced Uncle Fu now had his brows furrowed, eyes filled with fierce light, black Qi surging around him, domineering and ruthless.

His tone, however, retained a hint of that past politeness.

"You all are the credit of the Western Desolation General. I'm not in a position to kill you, the credit is not useful to me. He will arrive shortly, please wait a while longer..."

"Where did this Devil come from..."

A priest began to speak, but a flash of black light crossed his vision.

A mountain behind him was cut in half by a Blade Gang.

The priest, along with his strange Magical Treasure, was sliced into two, his body splitting like charcoal, and before it fell, it crumbled into dust.

In the blink of an eye, body and soul vanished completely.

After the killing, the Demonic Qi around Uncle Fu grew stronger, and his gaze became even more fierce. The black energy entwining the long knife turned into a black snake, hissing and flicking its tongue.

He inhaled slowly, suppressing his impulse, and calmly said.

"I had no chance of advancing further, and now I've been given an opportunity to move forward again, owing to the benevolence of someone.

My benefactor has a slight enmity with you, don't give me the opportunity. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to justifiably cut you down."

Uncle Fu had long cultivated the Devil Dao's Qi Refinement Dharma Method. In a moment of carelessness, he had fallen into Devilic Thought. After being rescued, because the Devil Thought lingered in his Heart Field, he could no longer cultivate normally.

If he continued with his fierce progress, he would inevitably fall into Devilic Thought again, beyond even Immortals and Gods' rescue.

Over the years, he had relied on the treasures given by the Eastern Palace to suppress the Devil Thought, barely clinging to life.

The sweet rain sent by Yu Ziqing gave him a chance to start anew.

He found Yu Ziqing very pleasing to the eye. The first time they met, seeing Yu Ziqing in ill health, he impulsively offered him a Spirit Pill. There were many reasons why the Eastern Palace wanted him to come, and this was a significant part of it.

They only instructed him to investigate and strictly forbid him from acting because he hadn't fully recovered, fearing he might face further issues if he did.

Uncle Fu obeyed the order to only investigate, but when faced with trouble, he couldn't just sit back and take a beating.

Uncle Fu had never mentioned these things to Yu Ziqing, but he was willing to, when given the opportunity, eliminate these evildoers for Yu Ziqing, as a way to vent a little of his frustration.

Furthermore, these matters, he did not intend to report after returning.

Having received a great kindness, he offered some minor returns. Doing so was enough, no need to speak of them. Discussing such minor returns would feel embarrassing.

Now he was finding it hard to resist the urge. He genuinely wanted to eliminate these evidently high-ranking evildoers.

Liu Xin, hiding among the crowd, observed Uncle Fu's state, his heart pounding wildly.

Fight what fight?

Was he to go against a Cave Void Cultivator who had become Devilic yet retained sanity, and also practiced the Blade Dao?

This lunatic, facing a battle with a fiercely powerful pure Sword Cultivator, who would win was rightfully difficult to predict. If the Devilic depth deepened, even same-tier Sword Cultivators might not stand a chance against him.

This guy had gone off the deep end, but he hadn't, yet.

Such a guy, as soon as he made a move, his Devilic state deepened, while his power increased proportionately.

Once he made a move, within at most ten breaths, this Devil would chop them all to pieces.

Once he lost rationale, in the time of one incense stick, not even a living rat would be found in the base.

Liu Xin discreetly glanced at his two confidants nearby, issuing a loud command.

"Attack together."

As the words were spoken, a series of pallid lamps suddenly illuminated, and a large number of White Sun Daoist Soldiers appeared out of nowhere.

At the same time, the light of blades shone opposite.

In the instant the blade light struck down the priests, a scroll appeared in Liu Xin's hand, and upon tearing it open, a tunneling light enveloped him, vanishing him from where he stood instantly.

Two breaths later.

Uncle Fu put away the long knife, slowly subduing the Demonic Qi around him, and cast a glance at the shattered corpses scattered in the snow, letting out a heavy sigh.

"Ah, in the end, I still couldn't hold back..."

"Unfortunately, that fellow got away."

"Daqian's Void Escape Talisman, for them to even obtain that, I can't say I failed."