C8 Void Returning Taoist

Behind him loomed the menacing figure of the Tiger Gang Master, and Ye Chen dared not hesitate, relying on his slight frame to weave through the underbrush.

His mind raced with concern for Liu Ao and the others, fueling his anxiety. He stumbled and fell to the ground. When he rose, he found the point of a blade pressed against his back.

But Ye Chen quickly recognized the person holding the blade—it was Zhao Qinger, the woman who had spared his life near the pine forest. He realized she wasn't allied with the Tiger Gang and immediately cried out, "The Tiger Gang Master has sent his men to steal your divine crossbows and plans a fierce assault on the mountain. They aim to make it look like the six sects and the Void Returning Sect are destroying each other!"

"You fool, you're asking for death!" A sword gleamed as the Tiger Gang Master emerged, thrusting at Ye Chen's vital spot. In the nick of time, Zhao Qinger intervened.

Her sword clashed against the Tiger Gang Master's, halting his attack. "Hu Li, what do you think you're doing?!"

"Hmph, this kid is a disciple of the Void Returning Sect. I need to eliminate him now to prevent future problems," Hu Li retorted.

Ye Chen was no fool; recognizing his lifeline, he shouted without reservation, "It's not true! I overheard his orders. He said that after today, with no leader for the Northern Chu, the Soaring Flying Sect will surely dominate. We might as well take this chance to finish them off..."

"Spout one more word of nonsense, and I'll rip your mouth apart—believe it or not?" Hu Li's face twisted with a sinister sneer, then he turned to Zhao Qinger with a mocking tone, "This little wretch is babbling lies, clearly trying to stir up trouble."

Zhao Qinger pondered for a moment. She had never been fond of Hu Li and now quietly instructed her arriving subordinates to hurry back down the mountain to reinforce their allies.

In such situations, it was better to err on the side of caution. Given the Tiger Gang's reputation, they were quite capable of orchestrating such a plot.

"Sect Master Gao speaks wisely. Please proceed with the eradication of the Void Returning Sect's remnants," Zhao Qinger said as she pulled Ye Chen aside. "However, leave this young one to me. I have plans for him."

"Haha, truly the daughter of the old Sect Master—like father, like daughter. We should stand together. Any other matters can wait until the Void Returning Sect is utterly defeated."

Hu Li chuckled and turned to leave, but as he swept his sleeve, a dagger flew out, aiming straight for Ye Chen.

He was well aware of Zhao Qinger's intentions. She undoubtedly intended to keep Ye Chen alive to serve as a witness against the Flying Tiger Gang. Hu Li had no intention of showing leniency.

"You!"

At such close quarters and with the attack so sudden, few could have intervened.

Zhao Qinger summoned a fierce wind, her sleeves whipping the air into a frenzy, slightly altering the dagger's trajectory.

The blade narrowly missed Ye Chen, grazing his hair as it passed—an incredibly close call.

As Zhao Qinger was about to speak, Hu Li's expression grew vacant, his face draining of color. Upon closer inspection, a gaping wound the size of a pigeon's egg marred his forehead.

The wound was fatal, and he collapsed on the spot.

The crowd was dumbfounded, unsure of what had just occurred, but Ye Chen sensed the presence of a powerful magical artifact selecting its next victim. His months of cultivation allowed him to detect the distinct vibrations of Spiritual Force.

"Be careful!"

A sharp pain pierced Ye Chen's brow as he leapt into action, throwing all his strength into shoving Zhao Qinger into the nearby bushes. They seemed to be propelled by an unseen force.

Tumbling down the slope for over a hundred meters, they finally came to a halt.

Zhao Qinger, still reeling from the ordeal, winced in pain. A bloody wound had opened at her waist, and she couldn't tell how many ribs were broken, but the injury was severe.

"Sister, you must hang on. We're almost at a safe location."

Ye Chen was frantic with worry. In just a moment, Zhao Qinger had slipped into unconsciousness. With no other choice, he hastily bandaged her with his clothes and dragged her toward the valley.

Suddenly, an aged voice echoed throughout Dian Cang Mountain, robust and resonant, causing a buzzing in the listeners' heads, as if they were on the verge of bursting, "I am the Void Returning Taoist. How dare you commoners stir trouble within the Void Returning Sect? Prepare to die as atonement for your transgressions."

Out of the darkness, these words emerged, sending a jolt through the old sect master of the Soaring Flying Sect. The memory of the seven sect leaders kneeling before the Void Returning Taoist flashed through his mind.

"Retreat quickly!" he commanded. But those were the last words he would ever utter, as a bloody hole appeared in the crown of his head.

In less than fifteen minutes, the vast assembly of over four thousand elite sect members was decimated by nearly half. Overcome with terror, they couldn't discern what was happening; they only saw their comrades falling in droves.

"Kneel down. I have no desire for further bloodshed. Remain prostrate for three days and three nights, and your lives will be spared."

The command reverberated across Dian Cang Mountain, and the response was immediate. The voice held more sway than any royal decree.

Inside the grandest hall of the Void Returning Sect, dozens of disciples knelt in unison, led by two senior elders. "We welcome the Sect Master," they intoned.

Contrary to popular belief, the Void Returning Taoist did not appear decrepit. His hair was white, but his complexion was healthy and vibrant. His presence radiated energy, and a blood-red sword hovered at his waist before vanishing into thin air.

"Elders, have any of our disciples been harmed?" he inquired.

"Reporting to the Sect Master, as soon as we spotted the intruders, we escorted the disciples to the safety of the rear mountain. There have been no casualties," they replied.

"That's wonderful," said the Void Returning Taoist with a chuckle, his eyes filled with satisfaction as he observed the young people before him.

At that moment, the Great Elder led Hsu Qi forward and exclaimed, "Sect Master, in your absence, we've taken in a disciple with dual Spirit Roots! Tell the Sect Master, what level have you achieved now?"

Hsu Qi was brimming with excitement, having never before encountered such a revered figure. He repeatedly bowed his head to the ground, "Disciple Liu Ao greets the Sect Master!"

"I have been with the Void Returning Sect for just over three months, and I have already reached the peak of the first level of Qi Refining!"

"Ha ha ha, my dear junior brothers, you have truly given me an enormous surprise."

The Void Returning Taoist was particularly taken aback by the robust fluctuations of Spiritual Force within Hsu Qi's body. He gave Hsu Qi a reassuring pat on the shoulder, "Continue to work diligently and strive to reach the Fifth Celestial Layer as soon as possible. Then, I will personally guide you into the Royal Absolute Sect. You are destined to have a place in the Cultivation Realm."

"Thank you, Sect Master!" In the same instant, Hsu Qi found a small jade bottle in his palm.

"These are thirty Transforming Spirit Pills. With these Pills to aid you, your progress will surely accelerate."

"Wow!"

The Sect Master's lavish gesture left the disciples in awe. Each of them typically received only one Spiritual Pill per month, and here the Sect Master had just bestowed upon them what amounted to three years of their monthly allotment.

"Sect Master, how should we deal with those commoners?" the Great Elder inquired.

"For now, let them stay. They will continue to provide for the sect's needs in the future. The Void Returning Sect hasn't achieved self-sufficiency yet. To execute them would be counterproductive."

Both elders nodded in agreement, yet they lingered, looking somewhat uncertain as if they had more to discuss.

"Look, you two junior brothers have been instrumental in maintaining the Void Returning Sect, so you deserve your share as well."

With that, a golden pill floated into the hands of both the Great Elder and the Second Elder, who then expressed their gratitude and departed.

Despite consuming numerous medicinal herbs, Ye Chen was still quite young and found himself practically dragging Zhao Qinger into the valley.

He didn't approach the Third Elder's Pill Refining Pavilion too closely; instead, he simply chose a valley at random.