240: Get out of the way

Outside, Elder Ren was currently leading the men in a desperate defense. Thanks to their superior numbers, they could still put up a fight, but they were gradually beginning to show signs of defeat.

Huan Xier pulled Lin Fan aside to hide, refusing to take sides, and just stood in the distance watching the show. No one paid them any mind.

Lin Fan looked anxious and tried to step forward to assist several times, but was held back by Huan Xier. "Stay here and behave yourself. You only have the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment realm; are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Lin Fan shook off Huan Xier's arm and looked at him with a serious expression. "Brother Huan, by stopping me repeatedly, are you not casting me into a position of injustice and unrighteousness?"

Huan Xier was confused, and a hint of resentment—like 'a dog biting Lü Dongbin, failing to recognize a good heart'—flared in his heart. "I'm doing this for your own good."

Lin Fan drew his longsword, his eyes firm. "Since I began my cultivation, I have suffered many hardships. Throughout my journey, only the Saint has been willing to lend a hand. He not only appointed me as the leader of the Outer Sect Disciples but also provided me with Cultivation Techniques, Spells, Spirit Stones, and Medicinal Pills, and bestowed upon me the items needed for Foundation Establishment. How can I not repay such great kindness and recognition?"

Huan Xier was momentarily speechless, pursing his lips, not knowing how to persuade him further. He hadn't expected that Xu Sanyan had helped Lin Fan so much.

"Now that the Saint is in trouble and under siege, although my strength is weak, I cannot stand idly by. If I hide in the gutter like a rat, how is that any different from being dead?"

"To act this way is far more satisfying than having a sharp blade pierce my heart!"

Lin Fan's tone was sonorous, and the dark blade seemed to flash with a glimmer of light, reflecting his determined eyes.

"Hahaha..." Huan Xier threw his head back and laughed, waving his hands repeatedly. "I was the one who thought wrong. I acted like a villain and nearly placed Brother Lin in a position of injustice. Since that is the case, I have long found Mo Qianqian disagreeable myself. Let us brothers fight side by side."

He was still worried about Lin Fan's safety, but knowing he couldn't change his mind, he could only offer assistance from the side.

"On behalf of the Saint, I thank you, Brother Huan." Lin Fan bowed.

Huan Xier helped him up and shook his head repeatedly. "I'm not doing this for him. Hurry up, they are about to reach their limit."

Lin Fan turned to look and saw many corpses left on the ground. Elder Ren was leading the men while retreating. The number of people had dropped from the initial sixty or so to only about thirty now; some had fled, while others had died in battle.

This was the downside of the Demonic Sect; when disaster strikes, everyone flies in their own direction. There was not a shred of Sect cohesion. If Elder Ren weren't afraid of Xu Sanyan coming after him later, he would have run away long ago.

"Kill!" Lin Fan roared. His longsword floated beside him, rising and falling according to his will. Man and sword seemed to share a single mind, coordinating with perfect synergy.

Huan Xier looked at the longsword, a look of envy in his eyes. When this sword was in his hands, he never felt such a connection.

Their addition didn't have much impact on the battle, but it did boost morale slightly. A feeling of excitement surged in Elder Ren's heart; he stopped his retreat and roared, "Mere ghost creatures, how dare you act so presumptuously! Kill!"

Mo Qianqian looked at the charging Huan Xier, her eyes turning cold, and she scolded sharply, "Huan Xier, why are you here causing trouble? Get lost, or I will tell your godmother."

"Hahaha, Mo Qianqian, don't try to scare me with godmother. I am not afraid anymore. Ever since I was young, you have always worn two faces. In front of others, you treat me like a biological brother, showing all kinds of care, but behind their backs, you look at me like a maggot and give me all sorts of trouble."

"The bullying I've suffered from you since I was a child is countless. Everyone says godmother took in a good Disciple—I spit on that!"

The more Huan Xier spoke, the angrier he became, his eyes turning fierce. He ripped the large gold ring from his ear, drawing a smear of blood. "This piece of junk, just because you said it looked good, you tricked me into wearing it for twenty whole years. Damn it, if it looks so good, why don't you wear it?!"

After saying this, he fiercely threw the gold ring at Mo Qianqian, who casually swatted it away and destroyed it. She looked at Huan Xier with astonishment, surprised, "You are not a fool anymore?"

"Hmph, what, disappointed? With me, the biological son, here, do you think mother will treat you the same as before?" Huan Xier curled his lips, looking at her with a mocking expression.

Mo Qianqian's expression changed instantly as she realized the implications. Previously, because Huan Xier was a fool, her master had raised her as a daughter. Now that the son was no longer a fool...

Mo Qianqian hardened her heart and pointed at Huan Xier. "Capture him first!" Immediately, someone rushed toward Huan Xier.

She dared not kill Huan Xier because there were many people here. If the news leaked out, Shangyin Mountain would no longer be able to tolerate her, and her master would not let her off. No matter what, Huan Xier was the biological flesh and blood that her master had carried in her womb for ten months.

She had to figure out what had happened to Huan Xier before making a decision. If possible, it would be best to make him a fool again.

"Hahahaha, Mo Qianqian, the old saying is truly correct: the more beautiful a woman is, the better she is at lying. With your looks, you must be especially good at lying."

Even though Huan Xier despised Mo Qianqian, he had to admit her appearance was not inferior to his godmother's, and perhaps even superior.

Mo Qianqian ignored him and joined the battlefield. The time had dragged on too long; she didn't know what Xu Sanyan was doing inside, but she would only be at ease once she got the Jade Slip in her hands.

The loss of one person from the front lines didn't cause much of an impact; Elder Ren and the others were still losing as expected.

Lin Fan and Huan Xier joined forces to tangle with a Ghost General. Despite Lin Fan's mere Foundation Establishment cultivation, that longsword was truly a rare treasure; it moved silently, was extremely fast, and caused quite a bit of trouble.

Huan Xier confronted the Ghost General head-on, while Lin Fan supported from the side. The two barely managed to hold the Ghost General back, but they were in constant danger.

"Finish this quickly!" Mo Qianqian snorted coldly. She pressed her fingers together against her forehead, then suddenly pointed at someone and softly uttered, "Chaos!"

The man's face was filled with shock. In an instant, his five senses were scrambled, and his limbs refused to obey him. He watched helplessly as the incoming Ghost Qi engulfed him. Unable to put up any resistance, he could only let out a shrill scream, "Ah! Save me!"

The scream was extremely harrowing and made one's hair stand on end. A sense of unease surged in everyone's hearts; some people's eyes darted around, and they turned to flee outward.

Mo Qianqian didn't care; if they wanted to flee, she let them flee. That was the effect she wanted.

In an instant, the morale of the troops collapsed, and people began to flee one after another. Elder Ren tried to stop them but to no avail. In the end, only a dozen people remained by his side, all of whom were Elders of the Mystic Path Realm, except for Xiang Tan.

Elder Ren gave a bitter smile and turned to look into the depths of the passage, sighing inwardly, "Saint, oh Saint, I have done my duty by you. We are not related, so you can't expect me to throw my life away for you."

While thinking, he locked eyes with the other Elders, and they all saw the same thoughts in each other's eyes. The Elders said nothing and tacitly stepped back to both sides, revealing the passage in the middle.

Standing before the passage was a solitary, thin figure.

Xiang Tan's body couldn't stop trembling, and two lines of tears streamed from her eyes due to fear. Even though she was terrified, she still guarded the front of the passage firmly, refusing to let anyone approach, because the Saint had said that no one was allowed to enter.

"Move aside." Mo Qianqian said coldly.

"No!" Xiang Tan shook her head vigorously, her heart filled with despair.

"Heh, I didn't expect you to be so loyal. Then I will grant your wish!" Mo Qianqian just raised her hand, then slowly lowered it, her gaze passing over Xiang Tan's shoulder to look behind her.

"Move aside. You have done enough."

A gentle voice rang out. Xiang Tan felt a soft, large hand suddenly land on her shoulder. The familiar voice made her feel incredibly at ease.

"Senior Brother..."