89: Chapter 89: A Shocking Turn of Events Upon Emergence from Seclusion; Undercurrents in the Holy Land

The mist of the Xuanhuang Ancient Realm slowly dissipated.

Ripples spread across the light gate on the stone wall.

Bai Yunzhou stepped out in a single stride.

The cyan robe on his body remained the same, but it faintly emitted a layer of Chaos luster.

When those eyes opened, cyan, purple, and red colors swirled deep within his pupils, eventually settling into a profound gray.

His Middle Stage Nascent Soul aura was rounded and restrained.

The Chaos Green Lotus Body had awakened to sixty percent.

Every pore exhaled and inhaled faint wisps of Chaos Qi with each breath.

He stood before the stone wall, looking toward Liuyun Peak.

Three months.

Closed-door cultivation felt like a mere instant, yet also as if a century had passed.

"Finally…"

He whispered, his voice tinged with a hint of vicissitudes.

That was the aftereffect of absorbing the memory fragments of past pulse protectors.

At that moment, a communication talisman cut through the void and flew over.

It was Ling Shuang's ice-blue sword talisman.

Bai Yunzhou raised his hand and caught it.

His Divine Sense probed inward.

Ling Shuang's cold and urgent voice came from within the sword talisman:

"Return to Liuyun Peak immediately."

"There are changes in the Holy Land."

"True Monarch Tianxing went into closed-door cultivation three days ago, and the Law Enforcement Hall is temporarily managed by 'Xuanyinzi'."

"This person is Xuanmingzi's younger brother, with a Late Stage Nascent Soul cultivation, and his attitude is unclear."

"Rumors are circulating in the outer sect claiming that you colluded with the Demonic Path and that the battle of the Black Wind Mountain Range was a ruse of self-inflicted injury."

"Be careful."

The voice stopped abruptly there.

Bai Yunzhou furrowed his brows slightly.

The Chaos Eye quietly opened.

The world in his vision instantly changed color.

The flow of Spiritual Qi, the traces of Laws, the fluctuations of human hearts… all transformed into tiny threads.

He saw a cold, grayish-black qi vortex in the direction of the Law Enforcement Hall.

That was the symbol of converging conspiracies and malice.

"Xuanyinzi…"

Bai Yunzhou muttered this name softly.

Xuanmingzi's younger brother.

That preaching Elder's younger brother was actually managing the Law Enforcement Hall at this time.

Too much of a coincidence.

He flew up on his sword.

The zhuiyun boots flashed with spiritual light, and his figure transformed into an almost invisible afterimage.

The Power of Chaos merged into his movement technique, making his speed nearly double that of three months ago.

In barely ten breaths, he had already arrived above Liuyun Peak.

The scene at the peak made his pupils constrict.

Dozens of Disciples had gathered outside the Immortal Cave.

They wore the attire of various peaks, and their cultivation levels mostly ranged between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation.

At the lead were three Late Stage Core Formation Disciples, who were loudly discussing:

"Bai Yunzhou has been missing for three months; he must have a guilty conscience!"

"I heard that he deliberately let go of the Blood God Cult remnant in the Black Wind Mountain Range in exchange for Demonic Technique secret methods."

"Although Elder Xuanming was at fault, for this person to escape unscathed is far too suspicious…"

The discussions rose one after another.

Within the crowd, Deng Mufeng's face was livid as he argued with a Disciple:

"Nonsense! Senior Brother Bai almost perished to save his fellow Disciples; how can you all…"

"Where is the proof?" That Disciple sneered, "Is there a recording from an image-capturing stone? Are there any human witnesses?"

Deng Mufeng was rendered speechless.

The battle of the Black Wind Mountain Range had been too chaotic, and indeed there was no complete record.

At that moment, a calm voice came from the air:

"I am the evidence."

Everyone looked up.

Bai Yunzhou slowly descended, his robes fluttering.

The aura of Chaos naturally leaked out, causing everyone present to gasp and choke.

The expressions of those three Late Stage Core Formation Disciples changed slightly, but they forced themselves to speak:

"B-Bai Yunzhou, you finally dare to show your face?"

"The Law Enforcement Hall has ordered that you must go for questioning immediately after your closed-door cultivation!"

Bai Yunzhou didn't even look at them, walking straight toward the Immortal Cave.

"Step aside."

Two words, calm as water.

Yet carrying an invisible coercion.

Those three Disciples involuntarily retreated, making way for him.

Bai Yunzhou walked up to Deng Mufeng and asked:

"Where is Senior Brother Song?"

Deng Mufeng lowered his voice:

"Three days ago, when Senior Brother Song broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, he suffered a backlash from his Heart Demon and is currently recovering in the spirit-gathering Immortal Cave."

"An accident?"

"It doesn't seem like it," Deng Mufeng said with a solemn gaze, "Senior Brother Song has a firm Foundation, and with the aid of a Nascent Soul Condensation Pill, logically it shouldn't be like this."

A cold flash crossed Bai Yunzhou's eyes.

He turned to look at the three Disciples:

"Lead the way."

"To the Law Enforcement Hall."

The Law Enforcement Hall was located on the east side of the Holy Land's main peak.

The building was towering, built entirely of obsidian, and exuded a stern, killing aura.

Today's Law Enforcement Hall had an exceptionally oppressive atmosphere.

The guards outside the hall had doubled, each with a stern expression.

Bai Yunzhou stepped into the hall's doors.

The interior of the grand hall was dim.

On the high platform right ahead, an old man in a black robe sat upright.

The old man's face was withered, seventy percent similar to Xuanmingzi, but his gaze was even more sinister.

It was precisely Xuanyinzi.

Standing on his left and right were two Law enforcement Elders each, all with Early Stage Nascent Soul cultivation.

On both sides of the grand hall, there were also more than a dozen Law enforcement Disciples, all with cultivations above Late Stage Core Formation.

"Bai Yunzhou."

Xuanyinzi spoke, his voice as hoarse as grinding iron and stone:

"Do you know your crime?"

Bai Yunzhou stood still and asked calmly:

"What crime?"

"Colluding with the Demonic Path, slaughtering fellow Disciples, and privately releasing Blood God Cult remnants."

Every time Xuanyinzi spoke a sentence, the coercion inside the hall grew heavier by a fraction:

"In the battle of the Black Wind Mountain Range, although you performed meritorious service, your actions were full of suspicious points."

"Why did the Blood God Cult remnants spare you alone?"

"Before Daoist Xuegu died, why did he speak with you in private?"

"Where did that bizarre blood fiend power on your body come from?"

Question after question was thrown out, every single one piercing the heart.

Bai Yunzhou's expression remained unchanged:

"Evidence?"

Xuanyinzi sneered and waved his hand.

An image-capturing stone floated into the air, projecting a blurry image.

Within the image was precisely the end of the battle of the Black Wind Mountain Range.

Before Daoist Xuegu self-destructed, he indeed had a brief confrontation with Bai Yunzhou.

Their lips moved slightly, as if they were discussing something.

But the image was incomplete, with no sound.

"Before Daoist Xuegu died, did he confess something to you?" Xuanyinzi pressed, "Or… promised you something?"

Bai Yunzhou looked at the image and suddenly laughed.

"Elder Xuanyin."

He raised his head, staring straight at the old man on the high platform:

"Where did this image-capturing stone come from?"

"Naturally left over from the battlefield."

"When was it obtained?"

"A month ago, discovered during a patrol by Law enforcement Disciples."

"Why bring it out only now?"

Xuanyinzi's gaze turned cold:

"Are you questioning this seat?"

"I wouldn't dare," Bai Yunzhou's tone remained calm, "I am simply curious that this image-capturing stone has an incomplete picture, yet happened to retain the segment of Daoist Xuegu talking with me. What a coincidence."

As his voice fell, the hall fell into silence.

The expressions of several Law enforcement Elders moved slightly.

Xuanyinzi's face was gloomy:

"Whether it's a coincidence or not is not for you to decide."

"Summoning you here today is to have you explain clearly."

"If you have no guilty conscience, then open your Sea of Consciousness and let this seat search your soul for verification."

Soul searching!

Everyone in the grand hall was shocked.

The soul-searching technique was extremely dangerous; light cases would result in damage to the Divine Soul, while severe cases would cause memory confusion and total destruction of one's cultivation.

Unless one was a heinous villain, this technique would not be used.

A sudden cold flash erupted in Bai Yunzhou's eyes:

"Elder Xuanyin, what mighty prestige."

"I am a true inheritor of the Holy Land and a candidate for the pulse protector. With just a broken image-capturing stone, you want me to open my Sea of Consciousness?"

"When did the Laws of the Holy Land become such child's play?"

Xuanyinzi slammed the table and stood up:

"Audacious!"

The Late Stage Nascent Soul coercion erupted instantly, enveloping Bai Yunzhou like Mount Taishan pressing down.

But the moment the coercion landed upon him, a layer of chaotic gray light surfaced around Bai Yunzhou's body.

When the coercion touched the gray light, it was like a mud ox entering the sea, disappearing without a trace.

Xuanyinzi's pupils constricted.

The four Law enforcement Elders behind him stood up simultaneously, their auras locking onto Bai Yunzhou.

The atmosphere in the grand hall was taut like a drawn bow.

At that moment, a cold, clear voice came from outside the hall:

"Elder Xuanyin, what a grand formation."

Ling Shuang, dressed in white, walked in slowly.

Behind her followed two Ice Soul Sword Valley Elders, both with Middle Stage Nascent Soul cultivation.

As the three stepped into the grand hall, cold air permeated, and even the light seemed frozen.

Xuanyinzi's expression changed:

"Miss Ling Shuang, this is an internal affair of the Holy Land. Is the Sword Valley also going to meddle?"

"Not at all."

Ling Shuang walked to Bai Yunzhou's side and looked up at the high platform:

"It's just that Junior Martial Uncle Hanbing said that Bai Yunzhou is an honored guest of the Sword Valley, and even more so the inheritor of the Chaos Green Lotus Body."

"If the Holy Land cannot tolerate him, the Sword Valley is willing to welcome him into the valley for cultivation."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked.

Xuanyinzi's face was livid.

The Sword Valley was blatantly putting on pressure!

The Chaos Green Lotus Body was of great importance; if he were truly taken away by the Sword Valley, the Holy Land would lose all face.

What was even more crucial was the attitude of that Soul Transformation almighty, Sword Sovereign Hanbing…

Xuanyinzi took a deep breath, suppressing his anger:

"Miss Ling Shuang exaggerates."

"This seat is merely questioning according to the Law, with no other intentions."

He sat back down, his tone softening a bit:

"Since the Sword Valley vouches for him, this matter is temporarily shelved."

"Bai Yunzhou, you may return."

"But within three months, you must not leave the Holy Land and must await summons at any time."

Bai Yunzhou gave Xuanyinzi a deep look.

Without saying much more, he turned and left.

Ling Shuang and the other two followed closely behind.

Walking out of the Law Enforcement Hall, Ling Shuang whispered:

"During your closed-door cultivation, undercurrents have been surging within the Holy Land."

"Xuanyinzi suddenly came out of closed-door cultivation and took over the Law Enforcement Hall; there is likely a mastermind behind the scenes."

"Before True Monarch Tianxing went into closed-door cultivation, he left behind an imperial decree ordering True Monarch Xuanji to temporarily take charge of enforcement."

"However, True Monarch Xuanji went out three days ago and has not yet returned."

Bai Yunzhou's steps paused:

"Where did Senior Xuanji go?"

"Unknown," Ling Shuang shook her head, "But Junior Martial Uncle Hanbing speculates that it might be related to the 'outer-realm infiltrators'."

Outer-realm infiltrators.

This word again.

Bai Yunzhou recalled the warning of Chaos Sword Monarch.

"Beware of those around you."

He suddenly asked:

"Where is Zhiting?"

Ling Shuang's gaze darkened:

"After taking the ice soul marrow-washing pill, she entered a deep sleep."

"The Medicinal Pill's power is currently impacting the Sacred Body's final Seal."

"But... the process doesn't quite seem right."

"What's wrong?"

"Her aura fluctuations are abnormal, sometimes as violent as a blazing fire, and sometimes as cold as frost."

"It's like... two forces are clashing within her body."

Bai Yunzhou's heart tightened:

"Take me to see her."

Deep within the Liuyun Peak Immortal Cave.

Zhou Zhiting lay on the cold jade bed, her entire body shrouded in a halo intertwined with red and white.

Her eyes were tightly closed, her brows furrowed tightly, and fine beads of sweat seeped from her forehead.

On the surface of her skin, blood-colored patterns occasionally rippled, and frost occasionally condensed.

Her aura fluctuated wildly, making it extremely unstable.

Bai Yunzhou walked over to the bedside, his Chaos Eye opening.

His line of sight penetrated the halo, seeing the scene inside Zhou Zhiting's body.

At her Dantian, a ball of scorching blood-colored energy was impacting an ice-blue Seal.

That was the Origin of the Battle Blood Sacred Body.

As for the ice-blue Seal, it was the residual medicinal power of the ice soul marrow-washing pill.

The two forces should have complemented each other, but at this moment they were clashing fiercely.

What was even more bizarre was...

Deep within the blood-colored energy, Bai Yunzhou saw a faint wisp of black Qi.

That black Qi slithered around like a living creature, constantly provoking the two forces to collide.

"Demon God erosion..."

Bai Yunzhou's expression sank.

During the battle at the Black Wind Mountain Range, Zhou Zhiting had once forcefully activated her Sacred Body, and she must have been eroded by the blood fiend power.

The medicinal power of the ice soul marrow-washing pill entering her body had stimulated this lurking Devilish Qi.

"Can she be saved?" Ling Shuang asked.

Bai Yunzhou did not answer.

He extended his right hand, placing his palm against Zhou Zhiting's forehead.

The Power of Chaos slowly poured in.

A gray halo enshrouded Zhou Zhiting, beginning to purify that wisp of black Qi.

But the black Qi was unusually stubborn, and instead turned to erode the Power of Chaos.

Bai Yunzhou's gaze condensed.

In his Dantian, the chaos lotus seed trembled slightly.

A wisp of pure Chaos Origin flowed out along the Meridians and injected into Zhou Zhiting's body.

When the black Qi met the Origin, like snow meeting the sun, it rapidly melted away.

Zhou Zhiting's aura gradually stabilized.

The red and white halo began to merge, turning into a faint pink.

Her eyelids twitched slightly, as if she were about to awaken.

But right at this moment—

A sudden change occurred!

Zhou Zhiting abruptly opened her eyes.

Those eyes were completely blood-red!

She let out an inhuman roar, her right hand forming a claw as she viciously grabbed towards Bai Yunzhou's chest!

The speed was so fast that it far exceeded the Core Formation level!

Bai Yunzhou reacted extremely quickly, his figure retreating violently.

However, his chest clothing was still slashed open with three cuts, leaving shallow bloodstains on his skin.

"Zhiting!" Ling Shuang exclaimed.

Zhou Zhiting bounced up from the bed, blood Qi surging around her body, her eyes filled only with crazed killing intent.

She looked at Bai Yunzhou, a hoarse voice coming from her throat:

"Chaos... body..."

"Swallow... Demon Lord... need..."

Before her voice finished falling, she pounced again!

This time, her aura actually soared to the Early Stage Nascent Soul!

Bai Yunzhou's gaze turned cold.

He no longer retreated, his left hand gripping into empty air as the Power of Chaos condensed into a gray shield.

Zhou Zhiting's blood claws smashed against the shield, bursting out with a harsh screech of friction.

The shield did not budge an inch.

Bai Yunzhou brought his right hand fingers together, poking them at the center of Zhou Zhiting's brows.

"Wake up!"

The Power of Chaos surged in like a tide, impacting the demonic intent in her Sea of Consciousness.

Zhou Zhiting's whole body shook violently, the blood color in her eyes flickering on and off.

She clutched her head and screamed miserably, her voice piercing and shrill.

Ling Shuang wanted to step forward, but was stopped by Bai Yunzhou's shout:

"Don't come over! She is fighting against the demonic intent!"

As soon as those words fell, the blood color in Zhou Zhiting's eyes finally faded away.

She collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily, her eyes regaining clarity.

"Senior... Brother..."

Her voice was extremely weak.

Bai Yunzhou helped her up, channeling a gentle stream of the Power of Chaos:

"How do you feel?"

Zhou Zhiting's face was pale as she smiled bitterly:

"Just now... I seemed to have become another person."

"I saw countless seas of blood, and also... a pair of scarlet eyes."

"It told me... that by devouring you, I could attain eternal life..."

Bai Yunzhou's heart sank.

The Demon God erosion was much more severe than anticipated.

This wisp of demonic intent could not only manipulate the mind and spirit, but also stimulate Heart Demons.

Zhou Zhiting's Sacred Body Awakening was probably already interfered with.

"You rest first."

Bai Yunzhou helped her lie down, setting up a Chaos Seal to temporarily suppress the demonic intent.

"Lady Ling, please trouble yourself to watch over her."

Ling Shuang nodded:

"Where are you going?"

Bai Yunzhou turned around to look towards the Law Enforcement Hall, cold light flashing in his eyes:

"Some things need to be investigated clearly."

Night fell.

Bai Yunzhou silently left Liuyun Peak.

With his Chaos Eye open, he could see the circulation of Qi throughout the Holy Land.

In the direction of the Law Enforcement Hall, that grayish-black Qi vortex was still spinning.

But besides that, he also discovered another abnormality—

The Gathering Qi Immortal Cave.

The place where Song Xinghe was in seclusion to heal his injuries was currently enveloped by a layer of bizarre gray barrier.

Within the barrier, a chilly aura faintly leaked out.

Bai Yunzhou flew on his sword to approach, stopping a hundred zhang away.

His Chaos Perception spread outward.

Inside the barrier, he "saw" Song Xinghe's figure.

Song Xinghe was sitting cross-legged in the center of the Immortal Cave, his face pale and his spiritual power in complete disarray.

Three chi above his head floated a thumb-sized gray bead.

The bead slowly rotated, continuously extracting Song Xinghe's vitality and spiritual power.

"Soul-Devouring Bead..."

Bai Yunzhou recognized this item.

This was a vicious Magic Treasure that could slowly devour a Cultivator's Divine Soul, creating the illusion of a Heart Demon.

No wonder Song Xinghe suffered a backlash from a Heart Demon during his Breakthrough.

This was not an accident at all, but murder!

Bai Yunzhou was about to break open the barrier to save him—

Suddenly, feeling something in his heart, his figure flashed and he hid into the shadows.

Three black shadows flew over from afar, landing outside the barrier.

The leader was impressively a Law Enforcement Elder seen at the Law Enforcement Hall during the day!

That Elder looked around, and after confirming no one was there, he took out a token and pressed it against the barrier.

The barrier opened a crack.

The three of them filed in one after another.

Bai Yunzhou's gaze was ice-cold.

The Power of Chaos wrapped around his whole body, his Qi completely restrained as he followed in like a ghost.

Inside the barrier, the chilly Qi was even denser.

Song Xinghe had no reaction to the arrival of the three, clearly having fallen into a deep coma.

That Law Enforcement Elder walked in front of Song Xinghe and sneered:

"Song Xinghe, if you want to blame someone, blame yourself for standing on the wrong side."

"Associating with Bai Yunzhou means becoming an enemy of the Master."

He raised his hand, just about to urge the Soul-Devouring Bead to accelerate the devouring—

A streak of gray sword light flashed silently.

The Law Enforcement Elder's arm was severed at the shoulder!

Fresh blood gushed out!

"Who?!"

The three men in black were greatly alarmed, instantly forming a battle array.

Bai Yunzhou walked out from the shadows, the liefeng sword in his hand pointing diagonally at the ground:

"Tell me, who is your Master?"

"And..."

He looked at that armless Elder:

"Xuanyinzi, what on earth do you want to do?"

The armless Elder's face was pale, a fierce look flashing in his eyes:

"Kill him!"

The three men in black attacked at the same time!

Two were at the Early Stage Nascent Soul, and one was at the Middle Stage Nascent Soul.

Three streaks of black sword light intertwined into a net, covering towards Bai Yunzhou.

Bai Yunzhou did not dodge or evade.

His Chaos Eye opened, and the trajectory of the three people's sword momentum was clearly visible.

He took a step forward, his figure passing through the sword net like a phantom.

The liefeng sword slashed three times in succession.

Puff, puff, puff!

Three heads flew up.

The three Nascent Soul Cultivators didn't even have time to escape their Nascent Souls before their Divine Souls were shredded by the Chaos Sword Intent.

The armless Elder retreated in terror, wanting to crush a communication talisman.

But Bai Yunzhou was faster.

Sword light flashed, and the communication talisman shattered into powder.

"Now, can you speak?"

Bai Yunzhou walked up in front of him, the gray light of Chaos circulating in his eyes.

Despair flashed in the armless Elder's eyes, and he suddenly gritted his teeth:

"The Master... is eternally undying!"

His Dantian suddenly bulged, actually attempting to self-detonate his Nascent Soul!

Bai Yunzhou let out a cold snort, his left hand pressing downward into the empty air.

The Power of Chaos imprisoned him like a cage, forcibly interrupting his self-detonation.

"Soul Searching!"

Bai Yunzhou pressed his right hand onto the top of the Elder's head, his Divine Sense forcefully invading.

The armless Elder let out a miserable shriek, blood flowing from his seven orifices.

A large number of memory fragments flooded into Bai Yunzhou's Sea of Consciousness—

The secret talks before Xuanyinzi took charge of the Law Enforcement Hall.

The meeting with the "Master's envoy".

The process of setting up the Soul-Devouring Bead in the Gathering Qi Immortal Cave.

Also... three days later, on the proper day of the Xuanhuang Tide, the plan to coordinate from the inside and outside!

Bai Yunzhou's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

When he saw the blurry figure of that "Master's envoy" in the memory fragments, his heart shook.

That figure...

Actually overlapped with a certain obsession phantom he had seen in the Chaos Ancient Realm!

That was from the ancient era, having betrayed the pulse-guarding envoy faction...

"Betrayer of the Dao"!

The memory fragments exploded with a bang.

The armless Elder's Divine Soul shattered, and he died of breath exhaustion.

Bai Yunzhou retracted his hand, his gaze as cold as frost.

Betrayer of the Dao.

Infiltrators from beyond the heavens.

Xuanyinzi.

Demonic sect coalition forces.

All of this was finally connected together.

He looked at Song Xinghe on the ground, swinging his sword to sever the connection of the Soul-Devouring Bead.

The Power of Chaos was channeled in to stabilize his injuries.

"Senior Brother Song, heal your injuries with peace of mind."

"As for what comes next..."