Chapter 613: Should Act Decisively

Lan Ying Linggu’s seemingly casual words unexpectedly caused a stir among the cultivators, thrusting Si Yuanli into the center of attention.

He didn't need to ponder; the resentful expressions on the cultivators' faces were enough for him to realize that Chi Zhiyan's orders and actions had long been "accidentally" leaked by the noble families. Though their inheritances might be shallow, these cultivators were no fools. Who among them wasn't seething with anger at this moment?

"Rescue Bianyan Mountain?" If Lan Ying Linggu hadn't publicly raised the issue, Si Yuanli wouldn't have taken it seriously at all! Although the northern cultivators had retreated, the South's strength was ultimately inferior, and Li Xuanfeng was on the verge of death. Who dared to act rashly?

Si Yuanli's original intention was simply to disperse the cultivators and privately send a few individuals north for reconnaissance. He could easily tell the Chi family it was a rescue mission. With the riverbank just secured and no direct orders from the South, who could possibly dispute his actions?

Once the cultivators on the bank dispersed, these actions would only be known to a handful of direct descendants from noble families. But with Lan Ying Linggu asking so directly, Si Yuanli found himself under the intense scrutiny of thousands, feeling utterly exposed. "This is more than just an attempt to embarrass me..." he thought.

The riverbank fell silent. Si Yuanli stood sideways, his gaze locked with that of the woman in green before him. Her eyes betrayed no aggression or agitation, only a profound calm.

He noticed the long sword in his hand felt cold. Si Yuanli, far more calculating than his elder brother Si Yuanbai, felt a slight constriction in his chest just by meeting her gaze.

Within Qingchi, any noble family that had endured for centuries didn't merely represent themselves; they symbolized the immense power behind them. Sometimes, they even spoke for a particular class of individuals: Purple Mansion cultivators.

In such a high-profile situation, if a Li family member spoke, Si Yuanli would have to consider if it was Xiao Chuting's voice. If a Yuan family member made a move, he would suspect if Bu Zigu had returned.

The Linggu family, as a tribe naturalized from Shanyue, had stood firm for three hundred years, guarding the South Sea for Qingchi. While the Linggu family was deeply entrenched, the true crucial point was their marital ties to a True Person from the Grand Xiukui Monastery!

Lan Ying Linggu's action didn't just represent the Linggu family; it also conveyed the intentions of Jiaochuan Commandery and all the cultivators of the South Sea. Even the Lin clan from Xiukui seemed to be involved.

A thought flashed through his mind: Lan Ying Linggu, and indeed all the cultivators of the South Sea, had no conflict with him. The collective resentment stirred by her words wasn't aimed at Si Yuanli himself; it was a demand for confirmation, merely requiring him to state his position: whether he would subtly delay or resort to vague excuses.

Which of the cultivators present couldn't discern the signs of evasion? As long as Si Yuanli wasn't a staunch loyalist of the Chi family, this resentment wouldn't fall upon him. But when had the Chi family ever been foolish?

The sword cultivator sheathed his weapon, his expression calm. "Chi Zhiyan gathered his elites and stationed them at Bianyan, where they are protected by a grand formation, forcing the northern cultivators to bypass the area. Bianyan Mountain should be several times safer than this location and ought to be unharmed."

With a single sentence, he characterized the situation, offering an oblique confirmation to the rumors spread by the noble families and firmly pinning the collective resentment on the Chi family. Only then did he change his tone: "But demonic cultivators are unpredictable and use strange methods. Who knows if they have some hidden scheme? Failure to provide timely reinforcement would be a grave offense. I will personally lead a team to investigate the situation and to guard against any demonic cultivators attempting to return."

His few words were swift and decisive. Lan Ying Linggu nodded in agreement, and several peak masters and Daoists close to the Linggu family stood thoughtfully behind her. The cultivators began to whisper among themselves, looking up at him.

Si Yuanli said gently, "Please rest for a while. The Sect has promised that the Suiyuan Pills and spiritual items will certainly be tallied and distributed within three days. As long as I, Si Yuanli, am here, none of you will be short-changed!"

A chorus of joyful sounds immediately rose from below. Si Yuanli stood on the riverbank with his hands clasped behind his back, facing Lan Ying Linggu's smiling countenance. His eyes narrowed slightly as he said softly to the woman before him, "Senior, rest assured, there are no unusual phenomena in the sky, and no one has returned defeated or fled for such a long time. It must be safe."

These words served as a reminder to Si Yuanli. He didn't believe for a moment that everything was safe. The lords had seized a golden opportunity; the fall of Bianyan Mountain was inevitable. The current lack of any news could only mean that the situation had been deliberately concealed.

"Chi Zhiyan is finished."

Si Yuanli was likely the most informed person on the riverbank regarding the current number of people at Bianyan Mountain. Precisely because he knew, he still harbored a sense of disbelief.

"Chi Zhiyan, from the main branch of the Chi family, second only to the Sect Master Chi Zhiyun; seven direct descendants from the main branch, from Chi Liangzhe to Chi Dongqing; various peak masters and Daoists who were direct descendants or relatives by marriage of the Chi family; and even Ning Heyuan of the Ning family."

And yet, the two most talented younger generations of the Chi family, who had been specially kept within the sect, were unexpectedly led out by Si Boxiu and perished together inside the Grotto-heaven!

The situation at Bianyan Mountain was different from that at the riverbank, and Chi Zhiyan was no Li Xuanfeng. He suddenly realized that Lan Ying Linggu's questioning was an inevitable occurrence, and his mind cleared with understanding. "Sect conflicts and factional disputes leave no room for subtlety," he mused. "From the moment I defended the riverbank, I had already taken this step. Whether it's the Li family or the Linggu family, the people's allegiance is clearly defined."

A decisive look finally appeared on Si Yuanli's face. He murmured to himself, "When seizing power, only swiftness and ruthlessness prevail! Attempting reconciliation will lead to eternal damnation; one must be decisive!"

**Bianyan Mountain.**

Rolling demonic smoke swept over the blood-soaked mountain peak. Black boots trod through puddles of blood. The black-robed youth, with sharp brows, looked up at the sky, which was filled with a rain of blood.

The green-clad cultivator before him, a handsome figure originally dressed in ethereal attire, now had a sinister expression in his brows that lent him an unsettling air. He stood holding his sword, his face entirely covered in blood.

His spiritual robe had several lacerations, and his face was extremely pale and grim. He was breathing heavily, laboriously expelling the cold, sinister energy that had invaded his lungs.

"Chi Zhiyan..." The black-robed youth chuckled as he uttered the name. The pool of blood beneath his feet trembled slightly with his voice. Yu Jiang stood with his arms crossed, three ivory tokens circling around his body. He laughed and said, "I hear you're the Qingchi Sect Master's younger brother. So... do you like this grand gift?"

"Brother Yujiang, why bother speaking more with him!" The Illusionary Master laughed loudly, but a hint of anxiety flickered in his eyes. The spells he wielded grew increasingly fierce, striking Chi Zhiyan until his tendons snapped and bones broke. If not for the superior quality of his spiritual robe, how could he still be standing?

Several severed heads, all bearing expressions of terror, rolled around his feet. Chi Zhiyan gasped deeply as blood dripped down from his collar, drop by drop.

Within a quarter of an hour, he had exhausted all his trump cards. Chi Zhiyan's talent was decent, but his strength wasn't particularly formidable, and he usually didn't need to engage in combat. Facing the individuals before him, there was a clear disparity in power; had he not possessed several trump cards, he would probably have been killed long ago.

As a crucial direct descendant of the Chi family, he naturally possessed Purple Mansion talismans, perhaps more than one. Yet, after a quarter-hour of battle, he had only managed to use one, and even that was neutralized by the combined efforts of the individuals before him.

But Yu Jiang's witchcraft was slowly taking effect. When he reached for the brocade pouch at his waist for the second time, it had already transformed into a silky, damp, long-tailed brocade mouse, which was tied to his waist, letting out several shrill squeaks.

"How bizarre!" Chi Zhiyan not only carried Purple Mansion talismans but also a profound talisman tied to his wrist that allowed him to briefly escape into the void. He had not yet used it, and despite attempting to activate it several times, the profound talisman failed to light up.

Chi Zhiyan's gaze went past the people before him, fixing on the sky. His heart gradually calmed as he realized that the void here had been enchanted. While a Purple Mansion cultivator might still move freely, he could not escape with mere talismans.

"By my command!" The black-robed youth before him cast another spell. Chi Zhiyan's long sword immediately transformed into a colorful lizard, struggling to bite his wrist. Chi Zhiyan no longer had the energy to dispel the spell; he merely reached for his waist with one hand, intending to simply switch to another weapon.

"Squeak, squeak!" The fat brocade mouse squeaked again. Only then did Chi Zhiyan remember that the brocade pouch could no longer be used, and despair rose in his heart. "To think I would die here!"

He didn't know what was happening in the South, but demonic cultivators, pouring in from all directions, had surrounded Bianyan Mountain, making it impenetrable. Demonic light was everywhere.

Frankly, Bianyan Mountain's defenses were not bad. There were over ten peak masters, none of them ordinary. Among the demonic cultivators, only four were truly formidable. The grand formation had only a few openings and still possessed the power to fight.

However, from the north, it wasn't just Yu Jiang and his four; many more demonic cultivators poured in from the south. Though these new arrivals weren't strong, they were merciless in slaughtering the numerous Qi Refinement cultivators on Bianyan Mountain. The four formidable cultivators only needed to hold the main force back, and the grand formation's key points were quickly dismantled, completely losing their radiance.

Thus, the various peak masters were executed one by one. Chi Liangzhe, Chi Dongqing, and others died one by one before his eyes. Chi Zhiyan slowly came to a realization, reflecting that he had miscalculated: "I should have opened the riverbank and allowed these demonic cultivators to all descend, rather than trapping them here at Bianyan Mountain! That way, there might still have been a chance to escape!"

Chi Zhiyan's heart grew cold. He still had elixirs and talismans in his storage bag, but Yu Jiang's continuously maintained spell made them impossible to use, and the Illusionary Master before him was aggressively pressing his attack. Finally, he saw a green rain falling from the sky.

This green rain, mixed with drops of blood, splattered noisily across the ground. The Hooked Serpent Seal, which had been suspended in the air, transformed back into its true form, hanging silently.

"The Xinyou Luzhe Seal is broken!" In the hazy rain, he couldn't discern Ning Heyuan's figure. He only saw the effeminate man in the python robe appear, holding a long whip that he swung, unleashing a flash of cold light.

"Thud!" Chi Zhiyan could only block with both hands, but the last trace of spiritual power in his body was exhausted. The radiance of his spiritual robe dimmed, and a searing colorful light pierced through his chest, leaving his heart utterly cold.

The Illusionary Master's palm pierced through his chest, shot directly upwards, and shattered his face in the process. His remaining consciousness flashed through his mind for a moment: "I've ruined my elder brother's important affair!"

"Boom!" With his demise, several beams of golden light, mixed with colorful radiance, shot into the sky. The Illusionary Master suddenly ascended high, as countless corpses and blood beneath his feet flew up, shimmering with golden light.

Wisps of soul-like pure qi shot into the sky, entering his body. The Illusionary Master sat down cross-legged in mid-air, a golden lotus appearing beneath him. His face was filled with joy. "The predestined karma has arrived!"

**In the Void.**

Vast colorful light condensed, and layers of colorful clouds drifted like smoke. The purplish-black Shi Pot stood still in the air, trembling slightly but unable to move.

A speck of purple light rested on the bowl; slightly crystalline yet unmoving as a mountain, it suppressed this treasure, refined by a Maha for a long time, within the Void. The Kasyapa Demon-Subduing Bowl could neither advance nor retreat, stopping motionless.

Standing before it was a female cultivator in purple robes. Her black hair was held by a simple white hairpin. She raised her brows and looked north, her gaze settling on the vast, spherical Anhuai Heaven in the Void. She remained silent.

"Zipai..." The Maha's voice, distant and near, mixed with anger, resonated powerfully in the Void as if many voices spoke at once: "It's enough that you ruined my good deed! And you're still not giving up? What more do you intend to do!"

Li Xuanfeng embodied the grand fate of the North-South conflict. This Maha was originally waiting in the Void for the changes in Anhuai Heaven, but upon seeing such a delectable opportunity, he immediately couldn't resist. "Such rich destiny!" he thought. "Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could seize it!"

Although the Maha could not directly intervene, a host of spell masters remained in the North! He summoned these spell masters and bestowed upon them the Kasyapa Demon-Subduing Bowl, intending to forge a compassionate subordinate for himself.

Once a spell master killed Li Xuanfeng and became his compassionate subordinate, it would be no ordinary gain. Not only would he acquire a capable assistant, but the subordinate's destiny would also be in his hands, allowing him to nurture himself and save significant cultivation effort.

The Kasyapa Demon-Subduing Bowl in his hand had three transformations, and he had only used two of them. Although it was summoned by a spell master, not personally wielded by him, it was already more than enough to deal with Li Xuanfeng!

He had originally intended to take more time, allowing a few more spell masters to perish and thus gathering their destinies. That was why he hadn't used all three transformations at once. Who could have known that Zipai would intervene, letting the prize slip from his grasp!

"This wretch actually didn't enter Anhuai Heaven! How is that possible!"

To be blunt, with Shangyuan and others having departed, Zipai was already the True Person with the most extensive divine powers in Jiangnan. If she had entered to contend, she would have secured her share of all the benefits. Who could have known she would be completely unmoved?

Now his own treasure was suppressed by Zipai's divine power, temporarily unable to escape. The Maha found himself unable to retreat or advance. He looked on in silent anger, feeling a hidden guilt.

He had taken advantage of the absence of a Purple Mansion cultivator in the South to activate two transformations of the Kasyapa Demon-Subduing Bowl. Although it wasn't his personal intervention, those spell masters alone couldn't have achieved anything significant. It was, after all, somewhat overstepping his bounds. At this moment, he truly felt a bit guilty and found it hard to say anything.

True Person Zipai finally spoke: "Bald ass, what a fine magical artifact you've deployed, with all its transformations, just to target a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"

She turned slightly and saw a speck of purple light revolving on the bowl. The Kasyapa Demon-Subduing Bowl violently shook, letting out cries of lament. The Maha's voice greatly trembled as he angrily said, "Friend, are you trying to break the rules?!"

Zipai observed with cold eyes. Her divine power drew out a wisp of gray qi, which scattered and transformed into three types of flames, each falling into her hand. She raised her head and said coldly, "You, Daxi, are merely a Maha of two generations. How dare you speak of rules before me? Zhelu wouldn't even dare to say much. Be off with you now!"

Daxi Maha's colorful light flickered in the Void, carrying a hint of suppressed anger. He truly dared not say more. He put away the Kasyapa Demon-Subduing Bowl, which continued to wail, and his eyes, condensed from colorful light, transformed into a colorful cloud and retreated, vanishing back to the North.

An ordinary compassionate subordinate was merely at the early Purple Mansion stage of strength, still without divine power for protection, making them a bit weaker. Even some long-standing compassionate subordinates were only on par with early Purple Mansion cultivators.

Only upon becoming a Maha did one achieve mid-stage Purple Mansion strength after three generations, and late-stage Purple Mansion after five or seven generations. To put it bluntly, Daxi was truly no match for the person before him. He could only swallow his anger and flee like a refugee.

Zipai, with lowered eyes, quietly gazed at the Anhuai Heaven before her. This Grotto-heaven was gradually fading, and the aura of gold power came and went, erupting in a roar.