Net Throat Demon’s sudden appearance dealt a devastating blow to the allied righteous sects. Among the wounded disciples who were receiving treatment, twenty-two of them died at his hands.

Before that, while Net Throat Demon was sneaking in, he left a trail of blood in his wake. Fifteen disciples from Nightless City were killed along his path.

In the actual chaos of the battle, only seven people died; that’s barely a fraction of the blood he spilled.

Since the Forty-Nine Great Tribulation, which marked the beginning of the past millennium, the righteous sects had never lost over forty disciples in a single day, until now.

What’s worse, most of these fallen disciples were elite members, carefully trained and groomed by their sects. The loss was beyond heavy, it was catastrophic.

When Mistress Tianzhi of Nightless City heard the news, she coughed up blood on the spot. It triggered an old injury, one that, by all accounts, won’t heal within the next ten years.

But she wasn’t just anyone. As the only female leader among the top ten righteous sects, Tianzhi wasn’t about to crumble.

Despite her condition, she personally oversaw the aftermath and arrangements for the fallen. That alone served as a silent apology to the other sects; she took the entire tragedy upon herself.

Of course, no one truly believed this was her fault, or Nightless City’s.

In that kind of chaos, who could possibly expect to stop the Net Throat Demon, the most cunning and ruthless of the Seven Great Demons? Even under normal circumstances, he’s nearly impossible to guard against.

Still, you have to admit, Jade Wanderer is impressive. He actually managed to recruit the likes of the Demon Phoenix, Qing Luan, and the Kunpeng. At least those demons have minds of their own. You can motivate them with logic, emotions, or benefits…

But Net Throat Demon’s just a mindless beast. How in the world did Jade Wanderer manage to control him? Li Xun scratched his head with the only limb he could still move, his left hand; his eyes full of confusion.

He had actually heard of Net Throat Demon’s notorious name back when he was hauling water on Mount Lianxia. But it wasn’t until his two years in the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect that he really came to understand what this demon was all about.

As it turned out, the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect had a deep history with Net Throat Demon.

In fact, the first to discover the creature in the Tongxuan Realm was none other than the sect’s founding patriarch, Old Ancestor Jiuyou. And that was forty thousand years ago.

Over the millennia, countless powerful cultivators from the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect had tried to hunt it, only to end up slaughtered themselves. Compared to that, the grudge between the Sword Sect of Clarity and the old Kunpeng demon seemed almost trivial.

Because of that long-standing feud, the Shadow-Devouring Soul Sect had compiled the most complete records on Net Throat Demon out of any sect.

Li Xun probably understood better than anyone present just how impossible it was to bring a demon like Net Throat Demon under control.

He turned it over in his mind again and again, but still couldn’t figure out what’s really going on.

Right now, though, he was officially the most seriously injured disciple in all of Nightless City. After explaining everything he knew about Net Throat Demon’s actions to the immortal masters, he was carried back to a quiet chamber for careful treatment.

Maybe the immortal masters had been rattled by Net Throat Demon, because they actually assigned the “Three Spirits”—Wu Lingquan, Lingmu, and Mingxin—to guard him. Even Qi Bi was making frequent visits. It was quite the lineup.

The group had gotten familiar over the past few days, and Li Xun’s cheerful nature made him easy to like. Seeing him injured, everyone took extra care with him. The “Three Spirits” even took turns helping him regulate his qi flow, treating him like something precious.

Honestly, it was starting to make Li Xun feel a little embarrassed.

Wherever the Three Spirits were, things were never quiet. Especially after a big battle, everyone had made some gains, but also taken some hits; so naturally, the conversation turned to trading stories.

Li Xun was open by nature and didn’t try to hide his own blunders. When it came to his encounter with that demon  named “Luo Wuchang,” he freely admitted that he hadn’t noticed anything suspicious at the time.

That story naturally led to the moment when Li Xun turned the tide and took off Luo Wuchang’s head with a single sword strike, winning the admiration of everyone present.

“Junior Brother Xun, that move of yours was incredible! You didn’t see it, but when you gave that look, this guy from the Voidmist Sect who was standing near me literally froze halfway through a step. His face went pale as a ghost… Hey, Junior Brother, that sword move you used, that ‘Xingtian Judgment Sword’ what exactly was it? Can you show it to us?”

Show it to them? How?

Was he supposed to tell them that the so-called “Xingtian Judgment Sword” was actually Nether Two stepping in behind the scenes?

Li Xun’s expression soured a little, but he wasn’t worried about anyone noticing. A quick thought later, he had his excuse.

He gave a wry smile and said, “Senior Brother, you’ll have to ask Sixth Martial Uncle about that. The ‘Xingtian  Sword Judgment’ was a protective treasure he gave me. It’s incredibly sharp, but it can only be used once. After I activated it, it just vanished into smoke… If I’d still had it, would I have ended up this badly injured?”

“That makes sense.”

The Three Spirits all nodded in agreement.

Then, as soon as the name Zhong Yin came up, something suddenly hit Li Xun. Caught up in the chaos and the fight for survival, he had completely forgotten; that matter, the one he’d meant to follow up on, had slipped his mind entirely!

This was big.

The shock of it hit Li Xun so hard he completely forgot about the dozens of broken bones in his body. He tried to sit up on instinct, only for a wave of sharp pain to slam into him. With a cry, he collapsed back onto the bed, startling Wu Lingquan and the others into a panic.

But Li Xun could handle that kind of pain. Waving a hand to silence the flurry of noisy voices around him, like a bunch of squawking ducks, he steadied his breath and called out, “I need to see the Sect Master!”

“What is it, Xun’er? Why are you asking for me?”

The reply came so quickly it startled everyone in the room.

They turned to see Qingming stepping inside, having already taken off his sect leader robes. He wore only a simple, plain-colored Daoist robe, with Qi Bi following quietly behind him.

Everyone hurried to their feet and bowed, except for Li Xun, whose injuries earned him a pass this time.

Qi Bi smiled. “The Sect Master came to check on Junior Brother Xun. I forgot to announce him, that’s on me.”

Qingming looked calm as ever, showing no sign that he’d just come through a brutal battle.

His eyes swept across the faces in the room. Then he gave a rare smile. “What? I can’t stop by to check on my grand-disciple?”

The lighthearted remark caught everyone off guard. Except for Li Xun, the disciples all gave polite, slightly awkward smiles.

Li Xun hadn’t been on the sect long enough to catch the subtext. But the others understood clearly, Qingming showing up like this said a lot about how highly he regarded Li Xun.

It was obvious: this junior disciple, full of talent and plagued by misfortune, had landed squarely in the Sect Master’s good graces.

None of them had any objection to that.

Seeing that Li Xun’s condition had stabilized, Qingming’s expression grew even more composed. He sat down cross-legged beside him, smiling. “Xun’er, you asked to see me?”

The other disciples stood quietly to the side, ears perked, listening closely.

Li Xun glanced around at their faces, and suddenly hesitated. But the words were already halfway out of his mouth; there was no turning back now.

He clenched his jaw and forced himself to continue. “Just now, I heard something from Yan Shuiyue of the Water Mirror Sect. It’s... about Immortal Master Zhong Yin…”

He couldn’t quite bring himself to say it outright. When he got to that part, his voice trailed off, and he blurred the most sensitive details on purpose.

“I also feel like that old Kunpeng demon’s appearance was... a little too convenient.”

What are you even talking about? That was the exact expression written all over the faces of Wu Lingquan and the other disciples.

But Qingming understood.

A look of realization flashed across his face, quickly replaced by something much heavier.

“Go summon the other immortal masters.” His voice was calm, but firm, and carried the weight of authority. This wasn’t the gentle demeanor of a grand-master; it was the voice of the Sect Leader.

The disciples exchanged glances, then all grew serious and left the room without delay.

Qingming closed his eyes halfway, deep in thought. Li Xun didn’t dare interrupt him, and the room quickly fell into a heavy silence that pressed in on all sides.

In the end, it was Qingming who finally broke the tension.

He lowered his gaze and said gently, “Rest for now. When everyone arrives, you can speak.”

It wasn’t long before they came. Led by Qingxu, three elders and nine second-generation disciples entered one after another, packing the small quiet chamber wall to wall.

There wasn’t even room for the third-generation disciples; they had to wait outside.

Li Xun took a deep breath and used the moment to study the roomful of people.

Not long ago, these very immortal masters had all charged into battle, weapons drawn and energy blazing. They’d fought with fierce determination and come away with only minor injuries. Their presence alone was proof of the sect’s incredible strength. With power like this, on top of the legendary Zhong Yin, it was no exaggeration to call this the greatest sect in the East. Maybe even the greatest in the world. Who would dare dispute it?

And yet... before long, that proud banner might find itself shaking in the wind.

Thinking that far made Li Xun’s chest tighten. He couldn’t even put the feeling into words.

When Qingming gave him the signal, he finally let out a slow breath. Then, under the gaze of all thirteen immortal masters, he did his best to stay calm as he recounted every word of his conversation with Yan Shuiyue without leaving a single detail out.

“…And then Daoist friend Yan asked me, ‘Well, tell me, when exactly is Immortal Master Zhong Yin’s ascension scheduled? Is it the seventh day of the twelfth month, or the eighth?’”

As he spoke that line, the room fell into total silence.

Fourteen people stood there, not even breathing. It was as if they’d all been turned to stone. Not a twitch. Not a flick of a sleeve. Not even a single hair stirred.

Li Xun’s gaze swept over their faces. After a pause, he continued, speaking each word with deliberate clarity:

“Daoist friend Yan also said this was a wager between her and her master, Daoist Yu Lan. If you want to know whether it’s true, just ask Immortal Master Yu Lan directly.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Xun suddenly felt his whole body go limp. But the heavy atmosphere in the room was so suffocating, he could hardly breathe.

The silence dragged on, as if it might never end.

At last, Qingming spoke, his voice low and distant: “There’s no need to ask. This matter is most likely true.”

Those final four words were spoken so softly they were barely audible. But each one landed like a stone in the hearts of everyone present.

Before the echo of that last word had even faded, Li Xun felt as if he’d heard thirteen hearts shatter at once.

Qingxu’s face remained calm, almost blank, but his eyes couldn’t help drifting upward to the ceiling as he slowly said, “Ever since the old Kunpeng demon reappeared, I’ve been thinking about this. Four hundred years ago, Sixth Junior Brother chased that demon across heaven and earth. It only survived by diving into the depths of the ocean and hiding there.

“By all logic, as long as Sixth Junior Brother was alive, that thing would never have dared show its face again. So what gave it the courage this time? Who or what gave it that kind of confidence?

“And then there’s the Rogue Cultivator Alliance. Jade Wanderer spent over a thousand years guarding Yemo Heaven. Why would he suddenly decide to make a move now? Just because he has the Demon Phoenix and Qing Luan? That always felt far-fetched to me. Now it makes sense, there was something else behind it all.”

Qingxu paused briefly, then added in a low voice, “But there’s still something strange about all this. Never mind the Water Mirror Sect’s divination skills for a moment, how did all those demons and devils find out that Sixth Junior Brother was ascending soon?”

Li Xun’s heart jumped when he heard that. He suddenly remembered the mysterious figure he’d seen coming and going on Zuwang Peak.

That had to be Gu Yin!

Could it be...

The thought grew clearer and more convincing by the second. But then Li Xun remembered Zhong Yin’s strange behavior at the time. And he made up his mind.

He kept his mouth shut and swallowed that secret back down.

....

TLer: it's interesting to think that Gu Yin was first introduced all the way back in Chapter 1