Translator: CinderTL
"Gui Ni, is Xue Mei currently in your Profound Yin Sect?" Lan Chen asked.
Seeing Gui Ni repeatedly deny the rumors about the Fallen Immortal Blood, Mo Yexue, Lan Chen, and Yang Yu temporarily abandoned their plans to attack. Instead, they decided to settle for second best and try to glean some clues about the Fallen Immortal Blood from Xue Mei.
"Yes," Gui Ni replied.
"Bring her out. We have some matters to discuss with her," Lan Chen said.
Gui Ni nodded.
After sending a message through his Spirit Sense, Xue Mei appeared at the entrance of the Profound Yin Cave not long after.
Song Wen was astonished to see that in just twenty-seven years, Xue Mei had already advanced to the mid-Nascent Soul stage.
Moreover, judging from the aura Xue Mei exuded, though both were at the mid-Nascent Soul cultivation level, her cultivation was slightly superior to Song Wen's.
"How could Xue Mei's cultivation have improved so rapidly?" Song Wen wondered, inwardly alarmed.
"Could it be..."
Song Wen suddenly realized that Xue Mei had plundered the Corpse Demon Sect's treasure vault. Logically, she shouldn't have been lacking cultivation resources in the short term.
Yet, she had chosen to join the Profound Yin Sect, help Gui Ni break free from the Ant Queen's control, and even counter the Ant Queen's influence.
Xue Mei's actions must have a purpose.
After the Corpse Demon Sect was absorbed by the Profound Yin Sect, most of its disciples joined the latter.
These disciples were all Corpse Dao Cultivators, the perfect candidates to cultivate the Corpse King Blood Refinement Art.
"I suspect Xue Mei has already poisoned most of the Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators from the Corpse Demon Sect," Song Wen mused. "Back then, she colluded with Gou Jun to plot against me. She was scheming against both Gou Jun and me simultaneously. Regardless of who won, she would have benefited handsomely."
As Song Wen's thoughts raced, Mo Yexue asked coldly, "Fellow Daoist Xue Mei, are you truly a disciple of the Divine Blood Gate?"
"Yes," Xue Mei admitted frankly.
Mo Yexue continued, "Then do you possess any information about the Fallen Immortal Blood?"
Xue Mei replied, "No. Though I was at the mid-Nascent Soul stage tens of thousands of years ago, I was not considered a core disciple of the Divine Blood Gate and was not privy to its deepest secrets. Otherwise, why would I have risked my life to enter the Divine Blood Hall Secret Realm over twenty years ago, just to obtain a Divine Blood Gate cultivation technique?"
Mo Yexue didn't immediately trust Xue Mei's words and pressed further.
"You, a Nascent Soul cultivator, claim you're not a core disciple and know nothing about Fallen Immortal Blood? How can anyone believe such a story?"
Xue Mei replied, "The Divine Blood Gate's power is beyond your imagination. Even a Peak Nascent Soul cultivator like myself isn't necessarily a significant figure within the sect."
Her words left everyone stunned.
"Does the Divine Blood Gate have existences even more powerful than Peak Nascent Soul cultivators?" Mo Yexue asked.
Xue Mei shook her head. "In terms of cultivation, the Divine Blood Gate didn't have anyone stronger than Peak Nascent Soul cultivators back then. However, there were those who advanced their Spirit Sense to the Divine Transformation Realm ahead of their cultivation. Moreover, the Divine Blood Gate possesses treasures even more powerful than top-grade Mystic Treasures—Spirit Treasures."
At this point, she suddenly pointed at Song Wen.
"The short blade Ji Yin wields is a Spirit Treasure. It should have also come from the Divine Blood Hall."
"Spirit Treasure?" The crowd turned to Song Wen in astonishment. They had never heard of such a high-grade treasure.
However, Lan Chen noticed something else.
"Xue Mei, why did you call Yin Shuo 'Ji Yin'?"
"Because that's his real name." Xue Mei curled her lips into a cold smile, her gaze playful as she looked at Song Wen. "Ji Yin, am I speaking the truth?"
Song Wen's expression darkened. He knew Xue Mei was deliberately trying to shift the crowd's attention to him.
"A name is just a label. What it's called doesn't matter," Song Wen said.
"Ji Yin, you're good at dodging the important questions." Xue Mei turned to Yang Yu with a smile. "Fellow Daoist Yang Yu, you probably don't know this, but he was originally a traitor to the Corpse Demon Sect. Later, he joined your Beastmaster Sect, only to betray it as well."
Yang Yu frowned, his gaze turning cold as he stared at Song Wen.
"Yin Shuo, is what she said true?"
Song Wen remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He had long anticipated this situation.
"What Xue Mei said is true, but it's ancient history. Why bother dwelling on it, Daoist Yang Yu? Besides, I've never harmed the Beastmaster Sect's interests."
Before Yang Yu could respond, Lan Chen suddenly interjected.
"Yin Shuo's identity is irrelevant to us. Xue Mei, as a member of the Divine Blood Gate, you can't possibly know nothing about Fallen Immortal Blood. I urge you to tell us the truth. Otherwise, don't blame us for disregarding past ties."
Lan Chen had known for a long time that Song Wen was originally a disciple of the Beastmaster Sect. She just hadn't known about his title, Ji Yin.
Lan Chen's interruption diverted Yang Yu's attention from Song Wen's identity. He merely glared coldly at Gui Ni and Xue Mei.
"Gui Ni, if you hand over Xue Mei, I'll leave immediately."
Gui Ni turned to look at Xue Mei, who remained composed, seemingly unconcerned that Gui Ni might betray her.
As it turned out, Xue Mei's prediction was accurate. Gui Ni said coldly,
"Xue Mei has already joined my Profound Yin Sect and is now one of my disciples. Why would I hand over my own disciple to you?"
"If that's the case, it seems today's battle is unavoidable," Yang Yu said, his voice laced with killing intent.
As soon as his words fell, the Ice Soul Spider and Blood Wraith Beast appeared on either side of him.
A dazzling sword aura surged from Mo Yexue's natal flying sword.
Lan Chen also produced her Mystic Treasure, the Jade Ruyi.
Song Wen, Hao Kong, and Xiao Chan, whose cultivation levels were relatively lower, exchanged glances and summoned their own Mystic Treasures.
Seeing this, Gui Ni roared, "Don't think I'm afraid just because the six sects have come together!"
At that moment, four Gold-Eating Ants, each as large as a millstone, appeared at the edge of the Profound Yin Cave.
Following behind them was a plump, bloated Ant Queen.
Additionally, a man and a woman, both Early Stage Nascent Soul cultivators, materialized beside Gui Ni.
Inside the Profound Yin Cave, a sudden gale howled. Boundless Ghost Qi surged forth, instantly blotting out the sun and shrouding the surrounding thousand-mile radius in an eerie gloom.
Yang Yu's expression darkened like stagnant water.
"Gui Ni, are you truly prepared to go to war with our six sects for the sake of Xue Mei?"
Gui Ni replied, "Why not?"
Yang Yu's gaze darted between Gui Ni and Xue Mei, his thoughts unreadable.
After a moment of contemplation, he murmured to the others beside him, "Fellow Daoists, Gui Ni holds the advantage of terrain, aided by the Gold-Eating Ants and the Profound Yin Sect's grand formation. We are powerless to harm him here. Let us retreat for now and plan our next move."
Without waiting for a response, Yang Yu transformed into a streak of light and vanished into the distant sky.
Only Song Wen and the other five cultivators remained, exchanging bewildered glances.
(End of the Chapter)
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