139: Chapter 139 Zhao State actually has so many demonic cultivators?

[Objective: Disrupt the order in southeastern Zhao State to prepare for a subsequent large-scale invasion]

[Scale of Action: A total of nine Core Formation Cultivators, approximately three hundred Foundation Establishment Cultivators, and countless Qi Refining Cultivators were dispatched]

When Ye Changge saw this, his brow twitched slightly.

As expected, it was the Yu Kingdom.

The faint unease in his heart had been confirmed.

He continued reading down—

[Key Battle Situations:]

[The Sect Master of the Five Gu Sect and the Sect Master of the Yama Sect joined forces,

challenging the current Sword Wielder of the Qingshui Sword Sect—True Monarch Xuanjian—to a duel three thousand li north of Qingxuan Immortal City]

[Battle Situation: True Monarch Xuanjian fought one against two; not only did he not fall into a disadvantage, but he even showed signs of suppression. After a fierce battle lasting three days and nights, he wounded the Sect Master of the Five Gu Sect and the Sect Master of the Yama Sect, forcing them to retreat.]

[After the battle, True Monarch Xuanjian performed a divination Secret Art to calculate the approximate locations and numbers of the demonic Cultivators who had infiltrated Zhao State. The Qingshui Sword Sect immediately dispatched Disciples to join forces with various Immortal City powers to begin a purge.]

Ye Changge breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

True Monarch Xuanjian had won.

If those two Nascent Soul demonic Cultivators had won, the Yu Kingdom's army would likely be at the border by now.

At that time, even though Longmai Mountain was in the heart of Zhao State, it would inevitably be affected by the flames of war.

Although he was confident, having the Fourth-Tier True Spirit Willow Tree obtained from the System in hand, he wouldn't fear even ordinary Core Formation Cultivators.

But once that thing was revealed...

Ye Changge shook his head.

A Rank Four True Spirit, that was an existence equivalent to a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

If those Nascent Soul old monsters knew that a minor Foundation Establishment Cultivator like him had such a supreme treasure...

He feared that before the demonic Cultivators could attack, his own home would be flattened by his "Righteous Path fellows" first.

He steadied his mind and continued reading—

[Purge Results:]

[Of the nine Core Formation demonic Cultivators who infiltrated the Immortal City, three were suppressed and killed on the spot, while the remaining six fled with injuries and are currently being pursued by Qingshui Sword Sect Disciples.]

[Over seventy percent of the Foundation Establishment and lower-level demonic Cultivators have been purged, and the rest are still being hunted down.]

[Attached: List and images (partial) of the main demonic Cultivators in this operation]

Ye Changge's gaze moved down.

Below the list was a row of lifelike images, with names, identities, and cultivation levels marked next to each figure.

He scanned them casually—

"Yin Corpse Sect, Immortal Master Tiegu, Core Formation Middle Stage... Suppressed and killed."

"Yama Sect, Granny Ghostface, Core Formation Late Stage... Suppressed and killed."

"Five Gu Sect, Golden Silkworm Gu User, Core Formation Early Stage... Fleeing."

...

Ye Changge's gaze drifted aimlessly downward.

Suddenly, his pupils constricted slightly.

His vision froze on an image.

It was a young girl.

She looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a petite and exquisite figure, a fair and delicate oval face, curved eyebrows, and red lips against white teeth.

Most striking were her eyes—clear and bright, with distinct black and white, like a mountain spring without a speck of dust.

Anyone who saw her would find her eyes captivating.

Ye Changge's breathing hitched slightly.

"Su Xiaotang?"

He subconsciously murmured in a low voice.

Xiao Caiyue noticed his abnormality and turned her head to look at him, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes:

"Does Husband know this person?"

Ye Changge didn't answer immediately, just staring at the image as scenes from years ago surfaced in his mind—

That was when he went into a Secret Realm.

He had accidentally saved a young girl who was also going to the Secret Realm, so Ye Changge had given her a lift.

To repay the favor, the girl had given his clansmen a foundation establishment spiritual item in the Secret Realm.

It was precisely because of that spiritual item that he was able to refine a foundation establishment pill.

He had wanted to thank her properly at the time, but he had never been able to find her since.

He didn't expect that when they met again, it would be on the wanted list for demonic Cultivators.

Ye Changge steadied his mind and looked at the notes below the image—

[Name: Ling Xiaotang]

[Identity: Personal Disciple of the Five Gu Sect's Spider Gu Envoy, Nangong Zili]

[Cultivation: Unknown]

[Note: Nangong Zili was one of the nine Core Formation demonic Cultivators in this operation. She is currently fleeing with her Disciple, Ling Xiaotang, and their whereabouts are unknown.]

Ye Changge's brow furrowed slightly.

That innocent and kind girl who had gifted a foundation establishment spiritual item back then was actually a Demonic Path Cultivator?

And she was even the Personal Disciple of a Core Formation Stage demonic Cultivator?

A complex emotion welled up in his heart.

It wasn't that he had any prejudice against the Demonic Path.

In the Cultivation World, the distinction between righteous and demonic was inherently blurred. He had seen plenty of "Righteous Path" people who murdered and committed arson,

and it wasn't as if there weren't "demonic Cultivators" who practiced quietly.

It was just...

He remembered those clear eyes from back then and the way she smiled while thanking him, and he couldn't help but feel a bit of regret.

"I hope you can escape this calamity."

Ye Changge sighed secretly in his heart.

His fate with her had already ended; all he could do now was offer this single wish.

He withdrew his gaze and continued reading.

The following intelligence was about subsequent developments within Zhao State—

[Lingxiao Sect Territory · Huazhu Ridge Zhao Family Annihilation Incident]

[The Zhao Family of Huazhu Ridge, a False Core Family, has been under the protection of the Lingxiao Sect for generations, responsible for governing the surrounding three counties and seventeen markets. Upon investigation, the Zhao Family was actually a Demonic Path mole, having been undercover for a century.]

[After the incident, the Lingxiao Sect acted with thunderous force, wiping out the entire Zhao Family in a single night.

However, the Zhao Clan Chief's son, Zhao Yangwei (False Core Stage), and some of the elite Disciples under him had already fled, escaping the disaster. Their current whereabouts are unknown, and they are being pursued with full force by Lingxiao Sect Disciples.]

When Ye Changge saw this, his brow furrowed again.

A False Core Family that had been under the Lingxiao Sect's protection for generations was actually a Demonic Path mole?

And they had been undercover for a hundred years?

He suddenly felt a chill down his spine.

When even a Family with such deep Foundations could be infiltrated, who knew how many more moles were hidden in the shadows?

He continued scanning down—

[Within Zhao State, another seventeen Loose Cultivators were found to be demonic Cultivators. Twelve were killed on the spot, while the remaining five fled and are being pursued.]

[Attached: List and images of fleeing demonic Cultivators (omitted)]

Ye Changge didn't look at those images anymore. Instead, he slowly set down the jade slip and exhaled a deep breath of turbid air.

Xiao Caiyue had also finished reading the intelligence. She gently held his hand and said softly:

"Husband?"

Ye Changge turned his head, looked into her gentle and concerned eyes, and shook his head slightly:

"It's nothing, I'm just feeling a bit sentimental."

He paused, casting his gaze out the window.

The sun was just right outside, and people were coming and going on the street, making it exceptionally lively.

The Loose Cultivators at their stalls, the Cultivators shopping, and the shop assistants shouting all had peaceful smiles on their faces.

It was as if the soul-stirring slaughter from three days ago had never happened.

"It seems this Zhao State isn't that stable either,"

Ye Changge said in a low voice.

Xiao Caiyue didn't speak, she just gripped his hand a little tighter.

Ye Changge looked out the window and remained silent for a long time.

Although he had risen quickly, all in all, it had only been a few years.

At the level of this conflict between two countries, Foundation Establishment Cultivators were no longer enough.

"I must reach Core Formation as soon as possible."

He told himself silently in his heart.