534: Chapter 534 We didn't kill anyone, so why are our legends everywhere in the cultivation world?

"My god! What is the Hehuan Sect trying to do? Are they trying to make an enemy of the entire Righteous Path?"

"Who knows? Anyway, the Righteous Path Sects are all panicking now. They've formed some Demon Slaying Alliance to unite against the Hehuan Sect."

"Demon Slaying Alliance? Is it useful? Xiao Nianyin is in the True Immortal Realm; can they actually fight her?"

"They have to fight even if they can't win! They can't just wait around to die, can they?"

Xu Ruyu's chopsticks froze in mid-air, his expression becoming increasingly strange.

He glanced at Xiao Nianyin, and she looked back at him, her eyes filled with confusion.

"The Tianshu Sword Sect and Tianyan Sect were wiped out?" Xu Ruyu lowered his voice. "We did that?"

Xiao Nianyin shook her head. "We've been traveling this whole time. Where would we find the time to wipe out the Tianshu Sword Sect and Tianyan Sect?"

"Then why are they saying the Hehuan Sect did it?" Xu Ruyu's brow furrowed. "And someone piled up corpses into a small hill and even wrote words?"

Xiao Nianyin's brow also furrowed. She remained silent for a moment before whispering, "Someone is helping us. Or rather, someone is framing us."

Xu Ruyu was stunned for a moment. "Framing? You call wiping out a whole Sect 'framing'?"

Xiao Nianyin shook her head. "I don't know. But I know that the Tianshu Sword Sect and Tianyan Sect weren't wiped out by us. We don't have that kind of power."

Xu Ruyu fell silent. He naturally knew they didn't have that kind of power.

Although Xiao Nianyin was strong, it was impossible for one person to destroy two major Sects.

The Tianshu Sword Sect had several Half-step True Immortal Old Ancestors. Though they were advanced in age, they were no pushovers.

Even if Xiao Nianyin could defeat them, it would be impossible not to leave a single survivor.

"Then who could it be?" Xu Ruyu murmured. "Who is helping us? Or rather, who is trying to harm us?"

Xiao Nianyin shook her head. She didn't know either.

Leng Ningshuang, sitting nearby, had also overheard those discussions.

Her face was somewhat pale, but a flash of light flickered in her eyes.

"Sect Master," she whispered, "no matter who did it, it's not a bad thing for us."

The Tianshu Sword Sect and Tianyan Sect were our enemies. Now that they're dead, we've lost a major threat."

Xu Ruyu nodded, but the doubt in his heart only grew stronger.

Hua Xunhuan leaned in and lowered her voice, her eyes full of excitement. "Sect Master, did you hear? The Tianshu Sword Sect and Tianyan Sect were wiped out!

That Shen Biyun, that old woman who threatened Leng Ningshuang, is dead too! Serves her right!"

The Grand Elder stroked his beard and said thoughtfully, "Sect Master, there must be something fishy about this. We must find out who is helping us from the shadows.

If they are a friend, we must thank them; if they are an enemy, we must be on our guard."

Granny Liu leaned on her cane and spoke slowly, her voice raspy and deliberate. "This old woman has lived many years, but I've never seen anything like this.

Someone wiped out our enemies and then pinned it on us. This is 'Killing with praise'—building us up to destroy us."

Xu Ruyu glanced at Granny Liu, his heart stirring.

Killing with praise?

That was a good way to put it.

Someone pushed the crime of exterminating the Tianshu Sword Sect and Tianyan Sect onto the Hehuan Sect, making the entire Cultivation World believe the Hehuan Sect had killed so many people.

In this way, the Hehuan Sect became the target of public criticism, and all the Righteous Path Sects would point their spears at them.

"What a clever move of 'Killing with a borrowed knife'," Xu Ruyu murmured. "No, this isn't Killing with a borrowed knife; this is 'Driving the tiger to swallow the wolf'.

Someone wants our Hehuan Sect and the entire Righteous Path to perish together."

Xiao Nianyin's expression changed slightly.

She had also thought of this.

"Then what do we do?" she asked.

Xu Ruyu was silent for a moment, and then he smiled. In that smile, there was mockery, disdain, and an indescribable... boldness.

"What do we do? Since they say we did it, then we did it." His voice was very soft, but every word was like a knife. "The Tianshu Sword Sect and Tianyan Sect were our enemies to begin with. We couldn't be happier that they're dead.

As for those Righteous Path Sects, if they want to come, let them come. We aren't afraid."

Xiao Nianyin looked at him, a flicker of complexity in her eyes.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

Xu Ruyu nodded. "I'm sure. From today on, our Hehuan Sect will no longer hide. If someone wants to fight, we fight. If someone wants to kill, we kill.

Until no one dares to bully us again."

Hearing these words, the members of the Hehuan Sect felt their blood boil with excitement.

Zhao Yan clenched his fists, his eyes full of Battle Intent. Ning Caihe's sword vibrated slightly, as if responding to Xu Ruyu's words. Qingyan stood in the crowd, her small face full of determination.

"The Sect Master is right!" Zhao Yan shouted loudly. "We aren't afraid! Let them come!"

"Right! Let them come!" The other Disciples also chimed in one after another.

The other Cultivators in the tavern heard their shouts and looked over.

When they saw Xu Ruyu and Xiao Nianyin, Leng Ningshuang and Zhao Yan, and those Hehuan Sect Disciples, their faces instantly turned deathly pale.

"He... Hehuan Sect!" someone cried out in alarm, turning and running immediately.

Others also fled in a panic, scrambling and crawling, fearing they would be killed if they ran too slowly.

Xu Ruyu watched the fleeing Cultivators, shook his head, and gave a bitter laugh.

"It seems we really have become legends," he said.

Xiao Nianyin looked at him, the corners of her mouth turning up slightly in a faint smile.

"Then let it be a legend. Anyway, we don't care."

Xu Ruyu nodded, stood up, and waved his hand. "Let's go, continue our journey."

The members of the Hehuan Sect stood up and followed him out of the tavern.

The sunlight fell upon them, stretching their shadows very long.

Behind them, the tavern was empty, with only a few unfinished side dishes and a pot of tea that hadn't been finished.

On the distant mountain path, Xu Ruyu walked at the very front, with Xiao Nianyin following behind him. Leng Ningshuang, Zhao Yan, Ning Caihe, Qingyan, and the other Hehuan Sect Disciples followed behind one by one.

Their steps were firm; no one looked back, and no one hesitated.