Chapter 110: Elder Xin Quan

A massive crater had formed in the woods beside the Great Mirror Lake. Trees lay scattered in every direction, and the air was thick with a pungent mixture of blood and rot. The thunder in the void gradually dissipated, and by the light of the moon, the scene became clear.

Several disciples of the righteous path lay fallen, while others, such as the Jiang sisters, were wounded. Fan the Fatty, though drenched in sweat from exhaustion, remained unhurt. The grand formation had collapsed, and the surviving disciples of the Evil Sect were in a wretched state; about ten were dead, and several others lay unconscious with severe injuries. As the formation disintegrated, many people rushed to the scene, especially the high-ranking officials of the school, who immediately cordoned off the area.

At some point, Qian Hui appeared, accompanied by the middle-aged man from the Academic Affairs Office. This man grinned, silent, yet every disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect in the vicinity bowed to him in unison, shouting, "Elder Xin Quan!"

"Xin Quan, I thought I saw the power of thunder just now. I fear it was the Li family's Grand Purity Thunder Talisman. Could there be someone from the Li family here?" Qian Hui leaned in to whisper, her expression grave as she scanned the surrounding Taoist disciples, her eyes flashing with a hint of murderous intent.

"Who broke the formation? To think there is someone of such capability among the Taoists. Is there a disciple of the Li family? Do not hide from me—only the Li family can wield the Grand Purity Thunder Talisman," Xin Quan snorted, his gaze piercing as he stared at the group. Though he exuded no aura, his presence was irresistibly imposing.

"Elder Xin Quan, it was that girl who used the Grand Purity Thunder Talisman. She destroyed the final eye, causing the formation to collapse. The previous two eyes were broken by a young man and a young woman," said a student-looking disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect, bowing respectfully as he pointed toward the deathly pale Jiang Mingyue.

Jiang Mingyue felt a chill, as if watched by a venomous snake. An inexplicable pressure bore down on her, tempting her to kneel, but the fragment of the Investiture of the Gods on her chest pulsed, sending a warm current through her body. She regained her composure and felt a flicker of joy.

"Oh?" Xin Quan looked surprised. He reached out, and the fragment in Jiang Mingyue's possession flew toward him. Upon seeing it, his expression shifted to one of confusion, followed by a sudden realization. "This is a fragment of the Investiture of the Gods! You are a disciple of the Jiang family!"

"You know she is of the Jiang family, yet you still try to snatch her belongings. Have you no shame?"

A calm voice echoed, followed by the sound of rushing wind. Jiu'er arrived with Zhang Shouzheng on her back. Moving too fast for anyone to react, Zhang Shouzheng snatched the fragment from mid-air. He landed beside Jiang Mingyue, handed the fragment to the stunned girl, and said, "If something is yours, hold onto it tightly. Do not let it be taken again."

Zhang Shouzheng held a deep gratitude for this girl who had sacrificed her own lifespan to heal him.

"Who... who are you?" Xin Quan’s face darkened, his voice growing raspier. This brat had dared to seize something from his hands—he was a dead man!

"Zhang Shouzheng, Head of the Azure Dragon lineage of the Daoist Sect!"

Zhang Shouzheng sensed that this man, Xin Quan, was incredibly powerful, posing a lethal threat. He knew the enemy was hunting for the user of the Grand Purity Thunder Talisman. His own three jade talismans were already spent, but he could not stand by while they targeted Jiang Mingyue. He had chosen to reveal himself to retrieve the fragment. He hoped that invoking his status as a lineage head would serve as a deterrent.

"A lineage head?!" Xin Quan’s expression grew even more ominous. A Daoist lineage head possessed strength comparable to an elder of the Heavenly Demon Sect. Qian Hui whispered something to him with a flash of malice, and a moment later, Xin Quan sneered. "And what if you are a lineage head? Hand over the fragment, Jiang girl, and you may live."

"Elder Xin Quan, I saw this fellow hand a jade slip to this girl. He was the one who broke the first eye, and your beloved disciple, Senior Sister Shuangxi, died at his hands. The disciple guarding the first eye, Senior Brother Tumi, was likely his doing as well," the student-disciple added.

Zhang Shouzheng rolled his eyes, while Jiang Puti cracked his knuckles and spat toward the disciple with utter disdain. Fan the Fatty scoffed, "I’ve never seen such a shameless person. Are you a common gossip? Why are you acting like those little wenches, running off to tattle?"

"Shuangxi is dead?!" Xin Quan gnashed his teeth. The glasses on his nose shattered, and his eyes glowed with a ghostly, flickering green fire. He pressed his hand into the void toward Zhang Shouzheng. Dark clouds gathered above them, coalescing into a massive hand, a zhang in size, which slammed down with the force to crush them into pulp.

"Manifesting law into form—this is a master of the Manifestation of Yin realm!" Fan the Fatty shrieked in terror. He tried to flee but was pinned to the ground by the immense pressure, unable to move. His own cultivation was merely mid-stage Night Wandering; the gap was an unbridgeable chasm.

The others fared little better. Though they remained upright, Jiang Puti’s body began to pop and crack like roasting beans. He grew a full inch taller, his skin splitting as blood seeped out. He threw his fists upward, launching two golden shadows that struck the black hand, only to vanish like stones into the sea. Unable to withstand the force, he vomited blood and dropped to one knee.

Jiang Mingyue, pale and unsteady, raised the fragment of the Investiture of the Gods once more.

"Sister, don't! You haven't mastered its power. If you use it now, it will cost you your lifespan—you will die!" Jiang Puti tugged at her sleeve, his eyes bleeding as he spoke.

"Mingyue, do not use the fragment," Zhang Shouzheng gritted his teeth. He turned to Jiu'er, who, despite her own deathly pallor, seemed more composed under the pressure.

"Jiu'er, can you take them away?"

"No. We cannot escape. We must fight with everything we have. And don't even think about sending me away. We live and die together."

Jiu'er was resolute. Her eyes turned crimson, her fingernails grew, and her hair whipped about as a black radiance enveloped her, making her look like a formidable demoness. The onlookers stared in shock as she revealed her zombie strength—it was clear they could no longer remain at this school.

"No wonder you are so arrogant; you are a sentient Iron Corpse! But what of it? Even a Copper Corpse could not withstand me," Xin Quan sneered, unafraid.

Zhang Shouzheng bit his tongue and sprayed blood onto his broken sword. A silver light ignited along the blade. With a violent swing, he unleashed a wave of sword energy that crashed into the black hand, slicing it in two. A flicker of hope ignited in his heart, but it was extinguished in the next heartbeat as the hand reformed and continued its descent. His soul felt as though it were shattering under the blow.