The valley was silent for a breath, but that silence was heavier than thunder.
Every eye, once filled with awe and admiration for Yang Kai, now flickered with suspicion. The crimson glow of his sword cast shadows across the broken stones, painting him in colors too close to the whispers of demonic arts.
Bai Xuan stood tall, his robe torn, his aura faintly flickering, yet his bearing was righteous and unyielding. He placed his hands behind his back, as though he were a judge rather than an accused. His eyes swept across the gathered cultivators like a steady flame.
He spoke slowly, each word clear, measured, and laced with poison:
"Evil cultivators are not of our land. They are outsiders. They come like locusts, devouring all in their path. Have you all forgotten? Only months ago, these so-called 'demonic ones' slaughtered countless innocents. Families shattered, clans erased. Some of you lost brothers, sisters, parents to their blades."
Faces in the crowd tightened, grief and anger resurfacing.
"They declared war on us. Our fields burned, our rivers ran red. And now…" Bai Xuan turned his gaze upon Yang Kai, his voice sharp as a blade, "this one stands before you with blood sword in hand and flower of slaughter blooming at his side. Shall we permit him to stand here unchallenged?"
The crowd stirred. Murmurs rose like a wave.
"He's right…"
"That sword… it reeks of blood."
"Could it be true… Yang Kai…"
Bai Xuan lifted his hand, pointing toward Yang Kai.
"Capture him! Investigate him! If he is truly innocent, he will be cleared. But if he is not—then his hidden allies, his demonic ties, will be revealed. We cannot allow such danger to live among us!"
The murmurs turned into murmured assent. The crowd's eyes glowed with killing intent. Suspicion turned into hostility, fear into anger.
And yet, though their hearts moved, their feet did not. For this was Yang Kai. His presence was like a mountain; even the bravest hesitated to climb it.
The Blood Warriors shifted uneasily, their loyalty tested like never before. Finally, one of them stepped forward, kneeling respectfully, his voice solemn:
"Young Master… please, forgive us. We beg you to come with us for investigation. The other clans already eye the Yang Family with envy and hostility. If you refuse… the Seven Great Families and the righteous sects will unite against us. We cannot face them alone."
His tone trembled with sincerity.
"We… we give our lives for you, Young Master. But if suspicion festers, we will all be dragged into ruin. For the sake of our family, for your own name… please allow us to clear your innocence."
The plea spread among the Blood Warriors.
"Young Master, please…"
"We cannot bear to see the Yang Family stand alone."
Yang Kai's fists clenched, his knuckles white. His heart thundered like a war drum. Anger and grief twisted within him. The image of the Medicine King's lifeless body burned in his mind, yet now even his own comrades looked at him with doubt.
Before he could speak, Bai Xuan's voice slithered into his mind like a whisper from a serpent.
"Yang Kai…"
Yang Kai stiffened. His pupils contracted. This voice was not spoken aloud. It was inside his soul.
"Do you remember your master… Old Demon? His soul is under my control. If you want him back, then come alone to the ruins of Crimson Cloud Sect—the very sect you destroyed years ago. Do not make me wait."
Yang Kai's body trembled as if struck by lightning.
"What…!" His mind reeled. "He knows! How could he know! That matter… I buried it deep, never spoken to anyone. I, and I alone, razed Crimson Cloud Sect to the ground. For revenge… for justice… And yet this stranger speaks as though he watched me with his own eyes."
Shock and fury surged within him. "Who is he? A survivor? No… that sect was erased! Then… how?!"
Bai Xuan, watching Yang Kai's shaken expression, allowed the faintest curl of a smile to touch his lips. To the crowd, it was the smile of a righteous man who had triumphed over an evil cultivator's disguise.
Aloud, he turned once more to the Blood Warriors and the crowd.
"I trust you will handle this matter fairly. The dignity of our lands lies with you. As for me, I will take my leave."
He bowed faintly, as though he were the true defender of justice, and then rose into the sky. His body cut through the clouds, leaving nothing but a trail of fading light.
No one moved to stop him. None dared.
The crowd erupted with restless voices.
"That man… who is he?"
"I've never seen him before."
"Not of our dynasty, surely."
"Perhaps Tian Dynasty. They are closest."
"No… I've heard the Endless Sea hides many great sects. Perhaps he comes from there."
Speculations swirled like a storm, each rumor painting Bai Xuan in greater mystery.
---
Hours later.
Bai Xuan landed on a rugged mountain ridge, where mist coiled around jagged rocks like silver snakes. He stepped into a shallow cave and with practiced hands laid down arrays—threads of light weaving into barriers, hiding his presence from the world.
At last, safe within the shadows, he let out a slow breath.
His body trembled faintly as he sank against the wall. His sword clattered to the ground, its glow dimmed. His veins still burned from overexertion; the battle had drained nearly all of his energy.
He closed his eyes, feeling the hollowness in his dantian. "So… this is the truth. I was a breath away from collapse. If they had pressed harder, if they had not fallen into my trap… I would have had no choice but to use my life-saving art to escape, paying a heavy price."
His fist tightened, veins rising on his skin. Anger twisted across his features.
"Damn heaven! Forever shielding that boy. The very moment I opened the array to claim the inheritance of the Great Demon King's Alchemy Path, Yang Kai descended from the sky. By fate's interference, the inheritance will slip from my hands into the clutches of the Yang Family!"
For a long time, rage burned in him, threatening to consume reason.
But Bai Xuan was not a man to dwell in anger. Slowly, he exhaled, forcing calm upon himself. His heart steadied, his eyes sharpened.
"At least…" his lips curved into a thin smile, "I obtained the soul of the Medicine King. The soul search was successful. His memories are now mine. His lifetime of alchemy etched into me. My understanding has already stepped into the level of Master. That alone is enough to fuel my rise."
Silence filled the cave, broken only by the faint drip of water on stone.
Then—
[Ding! Host, a 7★ girl detected in the mountain range.]
The cold mechanical voice of the system resounded in his mind.
Bai Xuan blinked, then chuckled softly. "Ah… I almost forgot. This mission."
His thoughts turned inward, calculating.
"I have already stepped into half-step Grandmaster in Poison Path, and I hold Master-level in Alchemy. Last time, I used a Love Poison against Gu Siyin, tempting her heart. That poison was made from a pill recipe… crude but effective. Yet it only works on those below the fifth stage."
His eyes gleamed as ideas wove together.
"But if I refine the Love Soul Pill… it could bend even a sixth-stage initial layer cultivator's will. That would be true power. To do this, I will require a proper alchemy furnace and rare herbs. Perhaps… the Hao Family could provide what I need."
His body still ached, but determination surged stronger than pain. He sat cross-legged, circulating the faint embers of Qi remaining, guiding them through his meridians. Slowly, his injuries began to ease. His pallor lightened, his breath steadied.
Hours passed. When at last he opened his eyes, his gaze was sharp and resolute.
He rose, gathering his sword.
"The Hao Family…" His voice was a whisper, echoing faintly against the cave walls. "They already my subordinate. They will do anything that I say. Last time, I said I would return in three months. But I will come sooner…one fourteen days passed."
The mountain wind howled outside the cave, carrying away the last of his words.