A Sect from a Spirit Vein

Chapter 93 - 90: The Mastermind Behind the Calamity

Amidst several stiff corpses, a Foundation Establishment Feather Scholar stood, with a Cold Ice Flying Sword hovering in front of him.

The Grand Elder called out incredulously, "Who are you? Third Elder, what on earth is going on?"

Zhou Chao saw the face of the Feather Scholar clearly, and he instantly understood, unable to help but shout, "You are from the Chaosheng Sect! Third Elder, you, you’ve actually colluded with the Chaosheng Sect!"

The moment he said this, both the Grand Elder and Second Elder were stunned. The Third Elder flicked the blood off the blade and said coldly, "That’s right, Elder Qian from Chaosheng Sect is someone I invited."

It turned out that Qian Ruyi had a unique magic technique called "Ice Mirror Illusion," which allowed him to solidify ice into a shell and transform into the likeness of others, as long as he didn’t engage in combat, he could remain in illusion form. It was by this magic technique that he transformed into a confidant of the Third Elder and was brought in by him.

The Grand Elder trembled and said, "Third, you falsely claimed the Patriarch was dead and colluded with the Chaosheng Sect to lure us all here for a clean sweep? I never expected you to be the one hiding the deepest. But even if you kill us all, how will you account for the more than a hundred cultivators of the Zhou Family? How do you expect to sit stably as the Patriarch?"

The Second Elder quickly added, "Yes, Third, if you kill us, the cultivators of the entire clan will certainly not let it rest. How about sparing our lives, and we will henceforth follow you, help you stabilize the family, with no ulterior motives."

The Third Elder snorted coldly, "Elder brother, I’ve thought it through long ago; with the strength of my branch, how could I become the Patriarch? If you all became the Patriarch, I fear I wouldn’t even get to drink a sip of soup in the future. Besides, how could the Zhou Family be a match for the Chaosheng Sect? Continuing like this is just prolonging the agony. It’s better to pledge allegiance early. Chaosheng Sect has already signed a contract with me; as long as I cooperate with their actions, they will grant me Lotus Peak, and I will peacefully become a vassal in the future."

Zhou Chao’s mind flashed like a bolt of lightning, his eyes widened, "So you had long colluded with the Chaosheng Sect! It was you who leaked my whereabouts when I went alone to the marketplace, almost getting me killed!"

The Third Elder looked at him somewhat surprised, "Oh, who would have thought you’d have a day of enlightenment, too bad you realized it too late."

It turned out that when the Zhou Family was declining, the Third Elder had already started thinking of leaving himself a way out and sold Zhou Chao’s information to the Chaosheng Sect. Originally, he intended to surrender when Chaosheng Sect’s army arrived, but Zhou Chao escaped a calamity and even brought two Foundation Establishment Honored Guest Elders back to the mountain, disrupting his plans.

During this time, he had actually been having a hard time and even thought about giving up rebellion. But who knew that single act of betrayal was used by the Chaosheng Sect as leverage to threaten him.

Moreover, several Elders united to oppose Zhou Chao’s succession and wanted to re-elect the Patriarch and take back Lotus Peak, dividing the benefits anew. His branch’s strength was the weakest, making it impossible to become the Patriarch or get much benefit. So he decided to go all in and fully sided with the Chaosheng Sect.

Zhou Chao’s eyes almost burst with rage as he clenched his fists, but with Qian Ruyi standing quietly in the field, who dared to act rashly?

He then whispered, "Big Uncle, Second Uncle, let’s put aside our differences for now and join forces against the enemy; just hold on a little longer, and those two Foundation Establishment Honored Guests will arrive."

The Third Elder shook his head, "It’s useless, the Chaosheng Sect has already set things up. Do you know why you can’t contact them? The Chaosheng Sect had me give each of them a Thousand-Leaf Snow Lotus, which cannot be stored for long. Upon receiving this rare treasure, they couldn’t wait to meditate and absorb it, and worried about the surroundings, they used an array to protect themselves. I also set up Silence Talismans at the cave entrance and placed guards, so unless someone breaks in to invite them, communication talismans can’t get through."

The people present all showed signs of despair at his words. The Second Elder, looking at Qian Ruyi who stood silently in the field, suddenly had a thought and shouted, "He’s meditating! Act now!"

However, after shouting to act, he turned his body; a beam of light flew from his hand, fiercely striking towards the ice-covered wall, intending to break through and escape.

At this moment, Qian Ruyi suddenly raised his head and coldly smiled, with a frost wave rolling, the Cold Ice Flying Sword in his hand flashed! With a crisp sound, the Second Elder’s Defensive Light Shield suddenly split in two, and his body followed, severed in halves.

"You found out, but unfortunate, it’s too late." Qian Ruyi recalled his Flying Sword and nodded at the Third Elder, "You did well."

It turned out that Qian Ruyi’s "Ice Mirror Illusion" and enclosing the entire room with ice to isolate it from the outside world, the "Cold Ice Barrier," were very consuming of spiritual power, plus the previous sudden attack and killing of three people, his spiritual power was greatly depleted in that instant. He had to temporarily stop to meditate and catch his breath, and the Third Elder’s chatter inadvertently delayed him enough time.

The Grand Elder trembled and said, "Feather Scholar, you should know, outside this room is surrounded by my Zhou Family cultivators. Even if your divine skill is invincible, you can’t withstand a siege. How about sparing my life, and I can swear to send you off safely."

"Are you threatening me?" Qian Ruyi sneered, "Since I dared to come here alone, how could I not have some reliance? Let me tell you, my Sect Leader has brought the Chaosheng Sect’s army, and they have probably already arrived."

"What!" The Grand Elder collapsed to his knees upon hearing this, "Third Elder, spare me! As long as you spare my life, I can—"

"Annoying!" Qian Ruyi frowned, spiritual power surged around him, and with a strike of his hand, a sapphire Ice Pearl shot out from his sleeve and slammed onto the Grand Elder’s Defensive Light Shield.

The Ice Pearl shattered, and piercing frost burst out, instantly freezing the entire Defensive Light Shield into an ice ball. In the next moment, Qian Ruyi’s figure flickered, the Flying Sword traced a white arc, and with a crisp sound, the ice ball was split in half.

The Third Elder looked complexly at the halved Grand Elder and sighed wistfully, "Old brother, it’s not that I didn’t want to spare you, but I am no longer in control..."

"Young Master, run!" A confidant beside Zhou Chao, seeing Qian Ruyi’s gaze turn towards them, shouted decisively, with his Flying Sword shining brilliantly and the Defensive Light Shield glowing green as he lunged towards Qian Ruyi!

"A mere speck of light." Qian Ruyi disdainfully shook his head; the Dao pattern within his Dantian flashed, causing a whole block of solid ice to shoot up from the ground, tossing aside the leaping cultivator. He then cast another magic technique, shooting an Ice Pearl to freeze the cultivator, and with a light wave of his Flying Sword, he deftly took off the man’s head.

Zhou Chao stood there in despair. Run? Where to? This room was already heavily encased in cold ice, even wings would find it hard to escape.

His gaze swept over the corpses sprawled across the ground, then turned to the Third Elder and Qian Ruyi, his entire heart consumed by endless pain and regret.

Sect Leader Lu, I didn’t heed your wise counsel, leading to the family’s ruin, and now regret comes too late!