85: Shocking Change

The next day, at the Crescent Moon Sect.

"Dong dong dong..."

A wave of bell tolls echoed across the peaks of the Crescent Moon Sect, the sound vibrating and spreading in all directions.

The Disciples of the Crescent Moon Sect woke up one after another, their eyes showing surprise, and they involuntarily spoke:

"A Sect summons order?"

Although they were confused, none dared to hesitate, ending their seclusion in their respective Immortal Caves and heading toward the Sect Hall.

Some Disciples, recalling the commotion from the previous night, already had a guess in their hearts.

The Crescent Moon Sect Hall.

By the time Jiang Weirou arrived, the Disciples from all peaks were already present in the hall. At the head stood two Elders, shoulder to shoulder with the Crescent Moon Sect Leader, each positioned on one side.

Jiang Weirou glanced around but did not find Yue Ren's trace, which she found somewhat strange. However, the Disciples who had entered the Sect in the same batch as her had all arrived.

Seeing that all Disciples were in position, except for those currently on missions, the Xianyue Sect Master scanned the crowd, his expression solemn. The hearts of the people before His Highness chilled, and they fell silent in fear.

"Today, Yue Ren, a Disciple of Muyan Peak, has betrayed the Sect."

"Any Disciple of this Sect who encounters him in the future must execute him without mercy."

The Xianyue Sect Master spoke indifferently.

Although the Crescent Moon Sect did not have a Golden Core True Person presiding over it, its Legacy was ancient, and its strength was considerable.

In all these years, this was the first time the Crescent Moon Sect had been so blatantly tricked, with the culprit even managing to escape safely in the end. If they failed to take action, wouldn't that weaken the reputation of the Crescent Moon Sect and tarnish the name of the Ancestral Master?

"What?"

The Cultivators in the hall were greatly shocked. Although most of them had never met Yue Ren,

they had all heard slightly of his reputation as the Crescent Moon Sect's number one Genius in a hundred years, and his entry day had caused three Foundation Establishment Stage Great Cultivators to vie for him.

Such a figure was certainly destined to be the future helmsman of the Crescent Moon Sect, yet no one knew why he would betray the Sect.

The crowd felt complicated emotions.

Jiang Weirou's face was shocked, and she felt disbelief in her heart. The confident and indifferent expression Zhou Leren wore on the day they entered the Sect reappeared before her eyes.

"I will find you and ask for a clear explanation."

Jiang Weirou thought silently.

However, she did not make any rash moves at this moment. Since the Sect Head had announced it publicly and the two Elders had not objected, the matter was certainly already settled.

As a newly entered Disciple, even if she had doubts, now was not the time to voice them.

The Brocade-Clad Youth was slightly stunned internally. It hadn't even been thirty years, only about a year, yet such a change had occurred.

"Yue Ren, my strongest opponent in this life, I hope you don't fall too far behind me."

The Brocade-Clad Youth, Xu Ruobai, gazed into the distance, seemingly meeting Zhou Leren's eyes across the void.

After about a year of secluded Cultivation, Xu Ruobai was no longer as arrogant as he had been upon entering the Sect, and his Heart-Nature had matured significantly.

"I will find you and compete again."

Xu Ruobai retracted his gaze and spoke softly, ignoring the schadenfreude of those who had entered the Sect with him.

"Furthermore, Elder Qingshuang, the Peak Master of Muyan Peak, showed poor judgment in recognizing people. Muyan Peak is hereby fined ten years of stipends."

While the people before His Highness were discussing amongst themselves, the Xianyue Sect Master continued speaking, startling everyone once more.

This was already considered a severe punishment. Without the provision of Sect Cultivation resources, it meant that for ten years, the Disciples of Muyan Peak could only rely on themselves to earn Cultivation resources.

Consequently, they would inevitably fall far behind the Disciples of the other peaks.

The faces of the Muyan Peak Disciples changed drastically. They cursed Zhou Leren internally, and Elder Qingshuang was dragged into their curses as well.

"Enough. You may disperse!"

After stating these two matters, the Xianyue Sect Master stopped paying attention to the complicated thoughts of the crowd and dismissed them.

"Master, Junior Brother, he..."

In the main hall of Muyan Peak, Jing Ya found Elder Qingshuang, who was resting with his eyes closed to recover from his injuries, and asked with a complicated expression.

Elder Qingshuang had suffered some minor injuries from Mo Xuan's strike, but they were not severe; he only needed time to recuperate.

"This was his own choice. There is no need to say more."

Elder Qingshuang sighed softly. He himself did not know why, after Zhou Leren had shaken his head so firmly to make his choice, he had still deliberately exposed a flaw.

From the Xianyue Sect Master's perspective, this was indeed a provocation to the entire Crescent Moon Sect and its Ancestral Masters throughout the generations, which was why he ultimately brought out the third-tier magic treasure, clearly indicating that he had given up on Yue Ren.

After all, a Genius who has not yet matured is forever just a Genius.

Hearing this, Jing Ya stopped asking questions, silently withdrew, and went to Zhou Leren's residence. She looked at the neatly folded Disciple robes, placed them into her Storage Pouch, and then left the place.

Several months later.

In a mountain forest.

"Old Ancestor, do you think they won't recognize me?"

Zhou Leren asked Mo Xuan nervously.

During these few months, Mo Xuan had been sleeping in the karst cave, recovering from his injuries, and only recently had he fully recovered.

Because he had stayed in the karst cave, hidden from the light, Zhou Leren's skin had become much fairer, comparable to that of many female Cultivators, making him look extremely handsome.

Mo Xuan looked over upon hearing this. During his time at Muyan Peak, Zhou Leren's treatment had been quite good. Now he had grown quite a bit taller, and combined with the months spent in the karst cave, his skin was delicate.

"Hiss~"

Recalling Zhou Leren's previous experience dressing as a woman, Mo Xuan inhaled a sharp breath.

"No way..."

The more he thought, the stranger his gaze became.

Seeing that Mo Xuan's gaze when examining him seemed to be growing strange, Zhou Leren quickly spoke:

"Old Ancestor, Old Ancestor?"

"Cough~"

Knowing he had been mistaken, Mo Xuan coughed dryly to hide his embarrassment.

Afterward, Mo Xuan looked him over twice more.

"No, you're just taller, fairer, pret... Cough~"

Mo Xuan quickly stopped himself, having almost let something slip.

"Hoo~"

"That's good."

Hearing this, Zhou Leren let out a long breath. If the Old Ancestor said so, then there definitely wouldn't be much change.

Zhou Leren still possessed the Heart-Nature of a youth, and although he was exceptionally intelligent, he could not escape the nervousness felt when approaching home.

Mo Xuan stopped talking, and his magic power surged out, wrapping up Zhou Leren and flying toward the direction of Qingyuan Town.

Just as Mo Xuan was taking Zhou Leren back.

Qingyuan Town, Canshu Peak, Liu Family.

After Zhou Kaiding achieved Foundation Establishment, the Liu Family's influence repeatedly shrank. For the past year, Liu Family descendants rarely showed their faces, and they no longer managed the Lake Heart Island Market.

Zhou Kaiding had no choice but to invite the other five Families in Qingyuan Town that possessed the Late Qi Refining Stage to manage it jointly.

After all, although the Zhou Family had two Foundation Establishment experts presiding over it, the Members of the Zhou Family were truly few, and Mo Xuan was not at Jade Moon Peak. Therefore, Zhou Kaiding could only act in this manner to stabilize the Lake Heart Island Market.

The Wang, Li, and other four Families did not know how to feel. After all, they had lost most of their strength fighting for the profits of this market, and the Wu Family had been completely annihilated.

Now, having long since given up hope, they effortlessly obtained what they had desperately sought but failed to acquire in the past. It must be said that fate is the greatest trickster in this world.

It was widely rumored among the Families that the Liu Family feared the Zhou Family's might and had no choice but to concede profits to protect themselves, losing their former position as the sole dominant power in Qingyuan Town.

On this day, the Grand Array of Canshu Peak, which had been tightly sealed for a long time, suddenly opened with a roar, and a bloody figure floated out from Canshu Peak.