264: Xiao Changfeng is too ruthless!

When Su Wan and Xiao Ran arrived with their people, four corpses lay on the ground. Xiao Changfeng was examining Xiao Mingcheng's Storage Pouch, while Liu Xuan was comforting his two daughters nearby.

"Grandfather!"

"Sect Master!"

"This... what happened?"

Xiao Ran looked shocked, especially when she saw Xiao Mingcheng's corpse; her pupils contracted.

Su Wan, on the other hand, secretly glanced at Liu Xuan. Xiao Ran didn't know the situation, but Su Wan knew that Xiao Changfeng was merely a Puppet controlled by Liu Xuan.

"Xiao Mingcheng and Jiang Yang colluded with foreign Sects and the Yao Race, intending to destroy Feiyu City. I have already killed them."

"You must quickly root out the remnants and find all the traitors!"

After giving his orders, Xiao Changfeng turned into a streak of light and flew toward the Sect.

Xiao Ran was dumbfounded! But then she suddenly realized she was now the only Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Xiao Family, which secretly pleased her.

"Husband! Why are you here?" She quickly walked to Liu Xuan's side.

"Xiao Mingcheng sent people to capture Ling Meng and Ling Lu, luring me out of the city..." Liu Xuan roughly explained the situation to the two women.

"This matter isn't that simple. Investigate who else in the Sect was involved and how they contacted those two Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Ice Pool Sect."

"Anyone even remotely connected to this can be arrested directly. If anything happens, I'll take responsibility!"

Xiao Ran glared viciously at Xiao Mingcheng's corpse, never expecting him to be so shameless as to target two little children.

She also had children, who were also Liu Xuan's children. If the opportunity arose, wouldn't they too be captured and used as leverage?

"Rest assured, husband!"

"I will thoroughly investigate this matter and never let any participant off the hook!"

"I'll leave this to you," Liu Xuan gave Su Wan a look, then took his two daughters back to the Sect.

...

Inside the Red Pine Sect.

Half an hour ago, the Pill Refining Hall Master Jiang Yang's soul lamp went out, shocking the entire inner Sect.

Just a quarter of an hour later, an even more explosive news spread: Xiao Mingcheng's soul lamp had also gone out; he had died and his Dao vanished.

The deaths of two Foundation Establishment Ancestors were a major event that shook the Sect, causing panic among the high-ranking inner Sect members.

The other Foundation Establishment Cultivators received the news and gathered at the Inner Sect General Affairs Hall, awaiting True Person Xiao's orders.

But what puzzled everyone was that the Xiao Family elder who went to the mountaintop to report the news had not been summoned for a long time.

Xiao Ran and Su Wan, the two Foundation Establishment Cultivators in charge, had also left, and no one knew where they went.

Not long after, Xiao Ran and Su Wan returned with their people. Without saying anything, they first ordered the arrest of all close confidants of Xiao Mingcheng and Jiang Yang.

At the same time, the Sect Grand Formation was activated, and no one was allowed to leave without permission.

Just as everyone was baffled, the Sect General Affairs Hall issued a notice:

"Xiao Mingcheng and Jiang Yang colluded with foreign Sects and the Yao Race, intending to harm the Sect's interests. They have been executed by True Person Xiao, along with two Foundation Establishment Cultivators from the Ice Pool Sect."

The notice did not mention the kidnapping of Ling Meng and Ling Lu, nor did it mention Liu Xuan. The two were only accused of colluding with foreign Sects and the Yao Race.

Once the notice was released, the entire Sect was shocked! Jiang Yang might be one thing, but Xiao Mingcheng was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Xiao Family. How could he have colluded with foreign Sects and the Yao Race?

Even if he did, he was the only male Foundation Establishment Cultivator of the Xiao Family. How could True Person Xiao have killed him directly?

Xiao Changfeng's time was limited, and his only weakness was the Xiao Family clan members. Now, before anyone else made a move, he killed one himself...

Who would dare provoke such a ruthless person?

In the North Courtyard where Xiao Mingcheng lived, wails filled the air. "We are Old Ancestor Mingcheng's people. How dare you touch us? Do you want to die?"

"Old Ancestor Mingcheng colluded with the Yao Race and is dead. I am ordered to imprison and interrogate you. If you resist, you will be killed on the spot!"

"No... impossible!"

"Old Ancestor Mingcheng is a Foundation Establishment Cultivator of our Xiao Family. You must have made a mistake! I want to report to the True Person!"

"Let me go..."

"Ah..."

...

At the same time, at Jiang Yang's residence halfway up the mountain and at the Inner Sect Pill Refining Hall.

"Everyone, rest assured. The Sect will not wrong any innocent person. Once we confirm you are indeed not involved, you will be released!"

Although Jiang Yang's Jiang Family was not as prominent as Lin Qingyun's Lin Family, many clan members still lived within the Sect.

Including his Disciples, subordinates, and confidants... a large number of people were arrested and imprisoned.

Some who participated in the plot to murder Liu Xuan knew they were doomed and forcibly charged at the Sect's Formation, many being killed on the spot.

Some knelt and begged for mercy, shouting that everything was instigated by Xiao Mingcheng, that they never intended to target the Liu Family or dare to capture the Young Misses Ling Meng and Ling Lu, begging Senior Brother Liu Xuan to give them a chance.

An unofficial rumor spread, saying that Xiao Mingcheng and Jiang Yang did not actually collude with the Yao Race, but had intended to kill Liu Xuan and his daughters, which led to True Person Xiao executing them.

However, no one dared to discuss it, let alone seek confirmation from Xiao Changfeng. They only whispered among themselves, and few knew the truth.

Rumors were unreliable, even less credible than the claim that Xiao Mingcheng and Jiang Yang colluded with the Yao Race.

But the remaining Foundation Establishment Ancestors of the Sect sensed something strange. Piecing together various information and the consequences, they realized the rumor was likely true.

Ever since Liu Xuan returned to the Sect, the Sect had changed, and True Person Xiao had also changed. During this time, some had tested the waters, but Xiao Changfeng unconditionally supported Liu Xuan, rendering any schemes ineffective.

Jiang Yang and Xiao Mingcheng resented Liu Xuan the most, openly stating many times that he was a scourge.

Regardless of the truth, from the results, these two died, and the one who benefited was Liu Xuan.

"This Liu Xuan! One must only befriend him, never provoke him!"

"At least not until True Person Xiao dies!"

The deaths of Xiao Mingcheng and Jiang Yang frightened the remaining Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Sect.

...

The next day.

The Zou Family of Zou Ming, the Qin Family of Qin Xuanmo, the Xia Family of Xia Yu, and the Zhong Family of Zhong Yunke—five Foundation Establishment Families acted with remarkable coordination, each selecting the most talented and beautiful young women from their clans to send to the West Courtyard.

Their reasons were more or less the same: these women admired Senior Brother Liu Xuan's exceptional talent and hoped to become his Concubines.

They had finally understood that to befriend Liu Xuan and align with the Liu Family, there were only two paths.

One was to be a female cultivator with good looks and marry him directly; the other was to marry their daughters to him and become his father-in-law or mother-in-law.

The Liu Family faction within the Sect was steadily growing, mostly consisting of Liu Xuan's fathers-in-law and mothers-in-law's families.

This Liu Xuan was greedy for wealth, lustful, fond of pleasure, and loved clever contraptions... but he was indeed good to his Dao Companions, children, and in-laws.

Not to mention Foundation Establishment Families like Lin Qingyun's Lin Family, even many small families from Yongning had gained countless benefits by following Liu Xuan.

There were nine women in total. Some appeared indifferent, some enthusiastic, and some slightly reluctant, as if unwilling.

Liu Xuan appraised each one, then arranged for all of them to be maidservants for evaluation. Whether they could become Concubines depended on their performance.