118: Chapter 118 The Demonic Sect (4k)

The atmosphere at the mountain gate was tense, as taut as a drawn bow.

Elder Jin's expression shifted slightly as he recognized the newcomers.

This middle-aged man with a mustache was named Fang Yunzhuo, one of the outer Sect Elders of the Demon Sound Sect.

Although his strength was inferior to Elder Jin's, he had been riding high lately, backed by the identity of that True Disciple Li behind him.

Thinking of this, Jin Tianli spoke coldly:

"What, Elder Fang, are you here to stop us as well?"

"Elder Jin, you jest. I merely heard of your return and came to inquire after you."

Fang Yunzhuo stroked the beard on his chin, a hint of condescension in his eyes.

"Moreover, I heard Que Wuhua was already dead. Are you here to offer incense for him at the Sect?"

The young Disciple standing beside him, looking smug, raised his chin like a fox borrowing the tiger's might, staring coldly at Jin Tianli and his group.

Jin Tianli's Face turned ashen, veins bulging on the back of his hand gripping the reins.

"Fang Yunzhuo, enough of your nonsense!"

"Not only is the Young Lord not dead, his cultivation has fully recovered. His return to the Sect is precisely to participate in the True Disciple assessment."

"If you dare utter another insolent word, don't blame this old man for being merciless with my blade!"

Upon hearing this, Fang Yunzhuo's stroking hand suddenly paused.

He frowned, a flicker of astonishment in his eyes.

Que Wuhua wasn't dead...

Not only not dead, but his cultivation was restored?

How was that possible?

The news from the capital clearly stated he had been beheaded by the imperial hounds as a public example.

Could the intelligence be wrong?

After a brief moment of shock, Fang Yunzhuo quickly composed himself.

He sneered, his tone growing even more contemptuous.

"Elder Jin, aren't you afraid your tongue might get twisted by the strong wind?"

"So what if he escaped back alive?"

"Sent to the capital on a mission, not only did he achieve nothing, but he also lost so many of the Sect's elites."

"A stray dog like that still has the Face to come back and vie for the position of Young Lord?"

"Utterly ridiculous."

The guard Disciple beside him chimed in:

"Exactly. Senior Brother Li Feng is currently at the Peak of his influence. What does Que Wuhua have to compete with?"

"If I were him, I'd have found a crack in the ground to crawl into long ago. How could I have the Face to return to the Sect and make a fool of myself?"

"Elder Jin, a wise bird chooses its tree to roost. If you lower your head now, admit your mistake, and pledge allegiance to Senior Brother Li, you might still retain your position as an Elder."

*Thud.*

At that moment.

A pale, slender hand slowly lifted the black carriage curtain.

Inside the carriage sat a young man dressed in white robes, his demeanor eerily captivating.

He slightly lifted his eyelids, his gaze passing over Jin Tianli and landing on Fang Yunzhuo.

He spoke softly, "I heard you were saying I'm dead?"

The voice was not loud, yet it clearly reached the ears of everyone present.

Fang Yunzhuo looked towards the sound. Meeting those calm eyes, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Had Que Wuhua truly escaped from the imperial prison?

He still harbored some fear towards this temperamental True Disciple.

But even if Que Wuhua had returned alive now, it was useless.

His influence within the Demon Sound Sect was gone; he could never return to his Peak period.

Fang Yunzhuo quickly regained his composure, forcefully suppressing the unease in his heart.

However, the Sect guard Disciple beside him wore a mocking expression:

"Que Wuhua, you actually dare show your Face?"

"A failure of a mission, a waste, and you still dare put on airs as the Young Lord in front of Elder Fang..."

...

"Noisy."

Chen Ran's thin lips parted slightly, uttering two words.

The next moment.

An invisible wave of sound erupted from the carriage with a roar.

*Rumble!*

An extremely sharp, ear-piercing, peculiar sound assaulted them.

Visible ripples undulated through the air.

Fang Yunzhuo's expression changed drastically. He felt the Qi and blood in his entire body freeze solid from that cold snort.

"How is this possible?"

*Bang!*

The next instant, before the Sect guard Disciple could finish his sentence, his head exploded violently.

Red and white matter splattered all over Fang Yunzhuo's Face.

The headless corpse swayed and crashed heavily to the ground.

Immediately after.

*Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Several gate-guarding Disciples following Fang Yunzhuo didn't even have time to scream before their bodies exploded one after another, turning into clouds of blood mist.

Severed limbs and broken arms scattered across the ground.

A thick, coppery scent of blood rapidly permeated the area before the mountain gate.

Fang Yunzhuo stood frozen in place.

Blood dripped from his Face, staining his robes red.

His mouth hung open, a gurgling sound coming from his throat, unable to utter a single word.

A pressure like a tidal wave surged from within the carriage.

Even he, an Elder, was unable to move, forced to watch this scene unfold.

Jin Tianli and the Demon Sound Sect Disciples behind him also felt their scalps go numb at the sight.

At the slightest disagreement, he killed directly, not even sparing an Elder's Face.

The Young Lord's temperamental nature was even more ruthless than before.

However, this also proved the Young Lord's cultivation had indeed recovered, perhaps even become more terrifying than before.

Chen Ran let the carriage curtain fall, cutting off the outside view.

"Elder Fang, now, may I enter?"

A calm voice came from within the carriage.

Fang Yunzhuo swallowed, his legs giving way as he knelt directly on the ground.

"Y-yes... you may enter..."

His voice trembled, not a trace of his earlier arrogance remaining.

In the Demon Sect, strength was everything.

The strength Que Wuhua had displayed was enough to crush him easily.

"Let's go."

Jin Tianli snapped back to reality, forcefully suppressing the shock in his heart, and cracked the whip.

The carriage procession ignored the scene, rolling over the flesh and blood on the ground as it slowly entered the Demon Sound Sect.

...

Passing through the mountain gate, the view suddenly opened up.

The Demon Sound Sect was built against the mountain, its architectural style rugged and sinister.

Enormous black stone pillars carved with various ferocious mythical beast patterns could be seen everywhere.

A faint Evil Qi permeated the air. With sunlight rarely seen year-round, it gave off an extremely oppressive feeling.

Staying here long-term posed a great challenge to both physical and mental health.

No wonder there were so many madmen within the Demon Sect.

Jin Tianli, riding on his horse, lowered his voice to report to the carriage.

"Young Lord, the situation is very unfavorable for us in this True Disciple competition."

"Before the Sect Master entered seclusion, he set the rule that victory would be determined by final achievements."

"Li Feng, during this period, led people to wipe out three affiliated Sects of the Righteous Path. His influence is at its Peak."

"The other two True Disciples have also each made gains."

"Only we..."

Chen Ran leaned against the soft cushion, listening quietly.

Elder Jin's words quickly aligned with the memories he had obtained.

Within the entire Demon Sound Sect, there were three other True Disciples of equal status to Que Wuhua.

Each was a worthy Saint of the Demon Sect, possessing high talent, with most of their strength at the Peak of the sixth grade.

The strongest one had even Broken Through to the fifth grade.

This was the Li Feng, True Disciple Li, mentioned by the gate-blocking Disciple earlier.

At only twenty-six years old, he had already stepped into the fifth-grade Meridian Opening Realm.

He even had hopes of stepping into the fourth-grade Aperture-Forming realm before the age of fifty.

The carriage moved slowly forward, the night wind howling along the way.

Chen Ran tapped his fingers against the carriage window, lost in thought.

"True Disciple Li, is it?"

The rules of the Demon Sound Sect were simple: the strong prey on the weak.

Whoever could bring the greatest benefit to the Sect would rise to the top.

Que Wuhua's original plan was to assassinate a key official in the capital, creating chaos. That would have been a great achievement.

The position of Young Sect Master was basically a sure thing.

Unfortunately, he died.

...

The carriage procession ascended along the bluestone road.

Just after passing the square halfway up the mountain, a group of people approached from ahead.

That group showed no surprise upon seeing the carriage procession.

As if they had long anticipated the identity of the person before them.

The leading young man was tall and straight, his hair tied up, his expression eerily captivating. He was none other than the chief True Disciple of the Demon Sound Sect, Li Feng.

Following him were two other True Disciples.

One man and one woman.

The man was short in stature, with a gloomy gaze, an Aura of Yin Qi surrounding his entire body.

If he didn't speak, he resembled a cold corpse.

The woman had a fiery figure, wearing revealing clothes, her fair, tender skin exposed to the outside.

Bai Peilin narrowed her eyes, covering her mouth with one hand, her cherry lips slightly parted:

"I didn't expect the intelligence to actually be true. Que Wuhua really managed to escape from the imperial prison."

"So what if he escaped? He's no longer competitive."

Luo Chuan tightened his sleeves, finally emerging from his corpse-like state, and continued:

"Even if he returns this time, if he can't produce achievements to report, he'll still Face punishment."

"Ah, he's almost here. Let's give him some Face." Li Feng laughed heartily, looking at the person ahead with great interest.

...

Soon, the carriage procession halted.

Elder Jin looked at the three True Disciples ahead, his expression grim.

These True Disciples most likely weren't here to offer congratulations.

If another conflict erupted, then probably...

Jin Tianli took one last glance at the carriage, somewhat hesitant.

Seeing the carriage procession before him, Li Feng stopped, a warm smile spreading across his Face.

"Junior Brother Que, you've finally returned."

"I heard you encountered major trouble in the capital, nearly losing your life. This Senior Brother was quite worried about you."

While his words expressed concern, his eyes were full of mockery.

Bai Peilin beside him also smiled in agreement.

"Yes, it's truly a great fortune amidst misfortune that Junior Brother Que returned alive."

"However, Junior Brother's trip to the capital has thoroughly shamed our Demon Sound Sect."

"Fleeing back like a stray dog, Junior Brother's composure seems much steadier than before."

The few of them exchanged glances and laughed, their laughter filled with contempt.

In their view, Que Wuhua had completely lost his qualifications to compete for the position of Young Lord.

The carriage jolted, then slowly opened.

Chen Ran stepped down from the carriage.

He was dressed in spotless white robes, starkly out of place in the gloomy surroundings.

He looked at Li Feng, showing no anger, his tone calm:

"I have matters to attend to. I'll take my leave first."

With that, Chen Ran walked straight past them, not even sparing an extra glance.

The smile on Li Feng's Face froze.

Watching Chen Ran's retreating back, a flash of killing intent appeared in his eyes.

"Stubborn to the end."

"Let's see what you'll use to report tomorrow!"

...

Que Wuhua's residence was an exquisite pavilion.

The interior was luxuriously decorated, using Materials that were all precious resources from the mortal world.

On the soft bed crafted from golden nanmu wood, Chen Ran sat quietly.

Outside the window was pitch black, impossible to make out any scenery.

"Perfect timing to see if the Demon Sound Sect has any backup plans."

Chen Ran took a deep breath and activated his talent.

[Heavenly Net]!

*Hum.*

A wave of spiritual energy rippled out like water, beginning to spread into the distance.

Everything it passed over appeared in his mind.

Flowers, grass, trees, rocks, caves...

Countless Auras swirled in his mind like tangled threads. Chen Ran focused his attention.

*Swish, swish, swish.*

The tangled threads continuously diminished until only the thickest line remained.

That line flickered, seemingly resisting some kind of existence.

Chen Ran sensed the strength of that Aura. Confirming it was undoubtedly a severely injured third-grade Martial Artist, the corner of his mouth lifted.

"So you're hiding here..."

...

The next day, the morning sun rose high.

Heavenly Sound Hall, main Peak of the Demon Sound Sect.

The main hall was vast and spacious, with twelve thick coiling Dragon pillars standing on either side.

Directly above was an empty black throne, representing the authority of the Sect Master.

Below the throne, on the left and right sides, sat four Elders with deep, profound Auras.

These eight were the inner Sect Elders of the Demon Sound Sect, also the witnesses and judges for this True Disciple competition.

Each possessed the terrifying cultivation of the upper three grades.

In the center of the hall stood four True Disciples.

Li Feng, and Que Wuhua, played by Chen Ran.

Disciples from various branches filled the surroundings. The atmosphere was solemn and oppressive.

The Grand Elder coughed lightly, his voice echoing through the hall.

"The Sect Master is in seclusion, but the Sect cannot be without a leader for a single day."

"Today, we commence the True Disciple competition to determine the position of Young Lord based on achievements."

"Who will go first?"

Li Feng stepped forward first.

He was burly, his Aura aggressive.

"Disciple Li Feng. Half a month ago, I led a team to crush three small Schools affiliated with the Righteous Path's Qingyun Sect."

"Slayed over three hundred opposing Martial Artists, seized one hundred thousand taels of silver, and over fifty Cultivation Technique Secret Manuals."

"Additionally, captured the direct grandson of a Qingyun Sect Elder as a hostage."

As soon as these words were spoken, a wave of low exclamations arose in the hall.

Several inner Sect Elders also nodded one after another, showing approving expressions.

Such battle achievements were indeed dazzling.

Not only did they strike at the arrogance of the Righteous Path, but they also plundered vast resources for the Sect.

Next was Luo Chuan. He stepped forward unhurriedly.

"Disciple Luo Chuan. Although I did not attack cities or seize territories, I successfully turned a regional commander in Jiangnan Dao."

"Now, thirty percent of the waterway transportation in Jiangnan Dao has fallen under the control of our Demon Sound Sect."

"It can provide the Sect with a continuous stream of supplies and intelligence every year."

The Elders nodded again.

Such long-term planning held value no less than Li Feng's slaughter.

For the Demon Sect to develop and grow, it couldn't do without the support of mortal forces.

Soon, Bai Peilin also stepped forward to report her achievements. Her strength wasn't high among the four True Disciples, but she had honed a body of seduction skills.

Combined with the Demon Sound True Art, she could be considered a talented Disciple.

Bai Peilin's task was to infiltrate the Western Regions and assassinate a renowned Elder of the Righteous Path. Though slightly inferior, it was still commendable.

Finally.

Everyone's gaze focused on the young man in the main hall.

Among the gazes were mockery, schadenfreude, and some who were simply observing for now.

Li Feng sneered, launching an attack without courtesy.

"Junior Brother Que, I heard that on your trip to the capital, not only did your mission fail, but you also caused heavy losses to the elites under Elder Jin's command."

"I wonder what achievements you plan to report to the esteemed Elders today?"

Luo Chuan chimed in as well.

"Yes, Junior Brother Que."

"You can't possibly say that managing to escape back alive is your greatest achievement, can you?"

A wave of suppressed laughter echoed through the hall.

Several inner Sect Elders also frowned, their gazes towards Chen Ran carrying some dissatisfaction.

The Demon Sect did not nurture waste.

Although Que Wuhua had high talent and his previous achievements were extremely outstanding.

This night raid on the capital not only failed but also became a joke.

If Que Wuhua truly had no accomplishments to show, then his identity as a True Disciple probably couldn't be maintained either.

The leading Grand Elder paused, then spoke:

"Que Wuhua, what do you have to say?"