The instant Bi Shu saw Kong Xingkun, she instinctively hid behind Jian Mao Zūnshàng and said with absolute certainty, "It's him."
Jian Mao Zūnshàng narrowed his eyes and shaped a ring of spiritual power, locking Kong Xingkun in place. He ignored the stunned guards and said evenly, "Notify your Patriarch."
Then he led Jian Feng, Bi Shu, and Tianyue Squad through the gates of the Kong estate.
When the guards snapped out of it, they crushed the alarm talismans at their waists and hurried after the group toward the council hall.
Held by Jian Mao's ring of power, Kong Xingkun stumbled along and barked, "You're bullying the weak. Why tie me up? I haven't offended you."
Jian Mao didn't so much as twitch. The sight made the passing Kong cultivators stare, and a growing trail fell in behind them to see what was happening.
Kong Hong had already received the alarm and stepped out toward the doors of the council hall. He and Jian Mao met head-on.
"Greetings, Senior. What offense has Kong Xingkun committed?" Kong Hong asked in a low voice. He was already guessing his clansman had crossed the wrong person during that unauthorized outing. Why else walk off without a word?
"Sit," Jian Mao said. He took a seat first, then stated succinctly, "We're executing a sect mission. We discovered that Kong Xiaoyou has been possessed by the insect clan."
Kong Hong's scalp prickled. In just that short time, Xingkun was possessed?
"Senior, there must be a mistake. How could Kong Xingkun be possessed by an insect? He was escorted back to us by Jian Lu Zūnshàng not long ago."
The implication was clear. If he were possessed, Jian Lu Zūnshàng would have noticed.
"It's a newly emerged insect clan type, a blood insect. It's normal you didn't detect it. We are taking it with us," Jian Mao said. He didn't debate the point. He just nodded to Jian Feng, who sent a message through his ink pendant back to the Law Enforcement Hall. That message was what led to Jian Li summoning Jian Dan and the plan you already know.
Knowing he couldn't decide this alone, Kong Hong glanced at the still-struggling Kong Xingkun and said, "Senior, allow me to report to the Ancestor. This junior is his most favored descendant."
"No problem. Go," Jian Mao replied with a generous wave.
"Yes."
Kong Hong hadn't yet left when everything changed. Bi Shu and Kong Xingkun locked eyes for a heartbeat, and a red gleam rose in Bi Shu's pupils.
The light flickered as she fought it. Her eyes went bloodshot. She gave a low snarl, and the red bled away. In the same breath, Kong Xingkun, still bound, turned to ash in front of everyone.
A ten-centimeter blood insect sprang from the drifting ash and, the moment it was exposed, launched itself into the crowd of onlookers beyond the council hall.
It happened too fast. Even Kong Hong didn't react in time.
Jian Mao flicked his hand. The cultivators clustered at the doorway vanished from harm's path, but in those four or five breaths the blood insect had already drained seven clansmen of their essence and swelled to fifteen centimeters.
Jian Mao's brows drew tight. He flashed across the hall to cut it off. Sensing the attempt to capture it, the insect abandoned its host at the last instant and bored into another Kong cultivator.
Kong Hong finally snapped to. "Notify the Ancestor!"
He amplified his voice with spiritual power. "Clear the council hall."
The Kong cultivators realized something was badly wrong and scattered back. Chaos erupted.
Jian Feng and Tianyue Squad's captain stayed by Bi Shu's side, not joining the chase. The rest of Tianyue Squad moved fast, helping evacuate the crowd, then tightening their encirclement until the current host was trapped within.
Bi Shu pressed a hand to her forehead. Her features twisted. Jian Feng caught the change at once. "Bi Shu, what is it?"
"He's trying to control me. He's calling through resonance. Please get me out."
Jian Feng exchanged a glance with the squad captain, then, without hesitation, teleported away with Bi Shu, leaving the turmoil behind.
Jian Mao had heard every word and didn't try to stop them. Watching the host still writhing within the ring, he unfolded a personal barrier to pen it in.
The barrier sealed the possessed cultivator. The blood insect drank up every scrap of the man's energy, grew stronger again, and as the host crumbled to ash, it rammed the barrier.
Red tendrils lashed out, probing and tearing.
At first Jian Mao dismissed it. Moments later his expression hardened. It could damage his barrier.
The still-hidden Tian Hong Zhēnzūn sensed the same thing. He flung out a cage of thunder, locking down the blood insect's breakout.
"Tian Hong Zhēnzūn."
Jian Mao and Tianyue Squad bowed as Tian Hong Zhēnzūn appeared.
Only then did the Kong estate's chaos subside. The Kong clan's Zhēnzūn stepped into the hall as well.
Seeing Tian Hong Zhēnzūn, the Ancestor's heart skipped before he moved forward to salute."Greetings, Tian Hong Daoyou."
"Mhm. Why are you only showing up now?" Tian Hong asked bluntly. He sat at the chief seat without ceremony.
The Kong Ancestor clasped his hands again and said nothing, taking a side seat. He watched as Tian Hong beckoned, and the thunder cage, with the blood insect inside, dropped into his palm. He began to examine the new strain closely.
Jian Mao and Tianyue Squad stood to one side, all silent.
Zhēnzūn were not all equal. The Kong Ancestor was early Mahayana. Tian Hong Zhēnzūn was late Mahayana. The Kong Ancestor cultivated the Fa. Tian Hong was a sword cultivator. The difference in power was obvious.
And the Kong Ancestor knew Tian Hong's reputation cold. In his youth, Tian Hong was a notorious mad blade. He did whatever he pleased and only survived because sword cultivators had the edge to back it up. After his Master ascended, Tian Hong settled somewhat under Tian Yun's restraint. Taking disciples cooled him further. He hadn't walked the cultivation world in nearly a millennium.
But his storied record was not something the Kong clan had forgotten. With the situation unclear, the Ancestor had no grounds to lash out. Hence his earlier restraint.
Tian Hong shrank the thunder cage to palm size and held it up. He crooked a finger at Jian Mao. Jian Mao understood, produced a jade slip, and respectfully handed it to the Kong Ancestor at the head seat.
The Ancestor had just taken it when Kong Hong entered to report the clan's losses from the incident.
Tian Hong had no interest in lingering. The blood insect needed to be sent back to the sect at once. His thunder cage could restrain it, but it didn't inflict much damage. If the insect somehow broke the spatial lattice, where would his face be?
Once he confirmed the Kong clan had the situation contained, Tian Hong Zhēnzūn turned and left without hesitation.