Chapter 260: Thousand Cloud Sect Calamity

This totem resembled a giant millstone, as if capable of devouring life force, frantically drawing everyone around it towards its center.

The closer one got to the center, the more pronounced the oppressive force became.

Cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage had already begun to show signs of their bones cracking. They screamed in agony and struggled, but it was all in vain.

"You bastard, I'll kill you!!" The black-robed Grandmaster waved his hand, and a black scythe artifact appeared in his grasp. Under his swings, it unleashed unimaginable power, repeatedly striking the golden light barrier projected by the totem, attempting to shatter the oppressive force completely.

Unfortunately, the harder he tried, the more the formation seemed to grow stronger on its own, continuously reinforcing the light barrier with greater resilience, rendering all the black-robed Grandmaster's efforts futile.

"It's time. Perish!" Behind Xu Yang, the light of the Eternal Divine Artifact, like a deity descending, shone down upon everyone's heads.

"What! That's... the Eternal, one of the Demon Race's supreme artifacts? How is it in your hands!"

How could the black-robed Grandmaster possibly imagine Xu Yang's past experiences? Not to mention just an Eternal Divine Artifact, even a portion of the Demon Empress Elusha's true essence was slumbering within Xu Yang's body. What was a mere artifact in comparison?

"Heh, don't make that face," Xu Yang scoffed. "You no longer even have the chance to worship. Prepare to die."

The Eternal Divine Sword blazed with blinding light. The moment it descended from the sky, all protective qi attempting to resist shattered upon its path. The black-robed Grandmaster before him seemed to have seen the most incredible thing in the world and completely gave up resistance.

*Rumble!* The Grandmaster was struck by the Eternal Divine Sword's light in his crown chakra. His entire Divine Infant realm cultivation was utterly crushed. Fortunately, his profound foundation saved his life; otherwise, with the power of the Eternal Divine Sword, a single strike would have been enough to shatter the black-robed Grandmaster into dust.

With the fall of the black-robed Grandmaster, the other petty members of the Black Eagle Hall who arrived later also swiftly met their demise in a very short time.

Wherever his edge passed, no one could obstruct Xu Yang's path. This was the true power Xu Yang possessed after his journey to the East Sea.

After leaving the East Sea region, Xu Yang led his team directly to Qianyun Sect.

Why did he choose to come here? It was an agreement between Xu Yang and Qianyun Liefeng. Xu Yang had promised that if he could truly comprehend the secret within the whisk, he would return to Qianyun Sect to personally thank the Qianyun Sect Master.

However, what Xu Yang and his companions didn't expect was that upon their return, they witnessed a horrifying scene.

Qianyun Sect, originally rich in foundation, had, in a single night, become a grave filled with corpses!

"Heavens! How could this happen??"

Long Kun and the others were utterly dumbfounded. The Five Little Flowers of Cold Moon were completely stunned, unable to believe that this was the place where they had previously competed.

Hundreds and thousands of disciples from the Qianyun Sect lineage lay scattered across the mountain. As far as the eye could see, there wasn't a single survivor.

"Heavens! Who on earth possessed such immense power to slaughter the entire venerable Qianyun Sect?" Long Kun exclaimed. "There are even many elders' corpses here!"

Xu Yang's expression had turned icy cold.

"From their methods, it's unclear they even used specific cultivation techniques," Xu Yang stated. "But leaving everything here intact already proves their attitude. It's a blatant provocation, even a declaration of war against all who defy them within the Three Thousand Dao States! I think, having said this, you should understand."

The Empress frowned and said, "Are they really from Northern Jin? They truly won't rest until they achieve their goals!"

With a flash of light, Xu Yang immediately flew into the back mountain of Qianyun Sect, the place where he had once slept for three days.

Just as he expected, the moment he stepped through the door, Qianyun Liefeng's two arms lay on the ground. His body, covered in wounds, was propped up against the headboard.

Xu Yang quickly rushed over and sent a stream of True Dragon essence into Qianyun Liefeng, allowing his soul source, which had not yet completely dissipated, to revive.

"Xu Yang... you've finally returned!"

"What exactly happened!" Xu Yang demanded. "Sect Master Qianyun, tell me who did this, and I will avenge you!"

"Feng, Fengxiu..." Qianyun Liefeng rasped. "During the martial arts tournament, they already got wind of a Dragon Vein's secret. It's hidden in Qilin Mountain, on the border of the Three Thousand Dao States, but they weren't clear on its exact location. This secret was recorded in an ancient book in our Qianyun Sect's treasure pavilion. My sixth junior brother was the elder in charge of the treasure pavilion, but to my utter shock, he betrayed the sect and defected to the Fengxiu Northern Jin lineage!"

Xu Yang's expression suddenly turned cold. "If I'm not mistaken, that Sixth Elder was only at the Nascent Soul realm. How could he alone wipe out the entire Qianyun Sect?"

Qianyun Liefeng coughed up another mouthful of blood, seemingly using this method of overdrawing his life force to clearly explain everything he wished to convey.

"Fire! Our Qianyun Sect's cultivation lineage is most vulnerable to suppression by fire-attribute techniques. He used Northern Jin's name to set the library ablaze. I and the elders of various lineages went to salvage it simultaneously. Our minds were entirely focused on the ancient texts and cultivation methods in the library; after all, that was the immortal foundation of Qianyun Sect's heritage! But who would have thought it was a trap? When we all entered the library, we found that what awaited us were not the burnt ancient texts, but three mature, 500,000-year-old Fiery Sun Pythons! Controlling them was Tuobayun's First Divine General, Fiery Cloud War Demon, who possessed the strength of the Divine Infant Peak realm. If I were within Qianyun Sect, I could have contended with him using my full strength. But in that environment, I was almost entirely on the defensive, and because I had to protect the other elders, I was severely wounded by that fellow. Most of the other elders perished in the library, sealed by the great fire. The few who managed to escape were all slaughtered by the Northern Jin experts summoned by the Sixth Elder. For a full day and night, I almost heard the screams of every disciple within Qianyun Sect," Qianyun Liefeng continued, tears in his eyes. "These beasts, claiming that the Northern Jin lineage doesn't believe in neutrality, slaughtered us all... It's my fault. I'm sorry for Qianyun Sect's hundreds of thousands of years of legacy!"

What fault did Qianyun Liefeng have?

This elder was the most powerful among all the leaders of this lineage throughout history. It was precisely under his leadership that Qianyun Sect, which had originally been in decline, was able to rise again to the peak of the Three Thousand Dao States.

But now, all of it was gone...

"Don't worry," Xu Yang said, his voice firm. "I will bring back the Sixth Elder's head for you. Rest for a while!"