Lin Xiao returned to the Azure Light Sect.
He acted as if nothing had happened, training, eating, and sleeping daily, living outside the sight of all the Azure Light Sect disciples.
Three days later.
A shocking piece of news suddenly spread throughout Kingdom Chu, causing an uproar across the land.
The Ninth Prince of Great Chu had been assassinated by someone from the Azure Light Sect, and the suspect was rumored to be the Sect Master, Zhang Yunyi.
This news completely shocked the entire Kingdom Chu.
Countless people lamented the untimely death of the young and promising Ninth Prince.
Many were also astonished by the audacity of the Azure Light Sect's Sect Master, Zhang Yunyi.
The Azure Light Sect, of course, heard about this news and was immediately thrown into panic.
As a result, all the elders gathered to question Zhang Yunyi, asking if he had really killed the Ninth Prince.
Zhang Yunyi, having done no such thing, naturally could not admit to it.
In the end, the elders chose to believe Zhang Yunyi, as they had known him for so long and understood his character.
Subsequently, the Azure Light Sect immediately announced to the world that they had not assassinated the Ninth Prince and knew nothing about him, claiming that someone was framing them.
However, the Royal House of Kingdom Chu ignored this defense.
The next day, the Royal House of Kingdom Chu issued a proclamation, declaring the Azure Light Sect as rebels of the kingdom, and set a date to send troops to annihilate them.
At the same time, the elite forces of Kingdom Chu, the hundred-thousand-strong Blazing Flame Army, led by Prince Zhennan, surged like a torrent towards the Azure Light Sect.
Kingdom Chu was shaken, the Four Great Sects were horrified, and countless small and medium forces were in panic.
...
Azure Light Sect.
"Quickly, leave! The Blazing Flame Army will be here in at most three days; if you don't leave now, it will be too late!"
"Qingguang Sect, I'm sorry, it's not that I, Sun Hu, am afraid of death, but I have an eighty-year-old mother and a three-year-old child at home. I cannot die!"
"Master, I'm sorry, but I must go!"
On the mountain path leading down from the Azure Light Sect, groups of disciples hurriedly left the sect with their belongings.
Some even knelt on the steps, kowtowing heavily in the direction of the Sect Hall.
The army of Kingdom Chu was about to arrive, and countless disciples, terrified and horrified, fled the Azure Light Sect as if escaping for their lives.
The fearsome reputation of the Blazing Flame Army was known throughout Kingdom Chu. Three years ago, they attacked Kingdom Qian, slaughtering thirteen cities, leaving rivers of blood.
Four years ago, they annihilated a large gang, killing sixty thousand enemies and building a three-hundred-meter high mound of skulls.
Seven years ago, they crushed a rebellion by a lord, leaving the lord's city barren of life.
Therefore, facing the imminent arrival of the Blazing Flame Army, the average disciples of the Azure Light Sect had no will to resist.
The high-ranking members of the Azure Light Sect did not stop the fleeing disciples.
They understood that for those who had lost the will to fight, forcing them to stay would be useless and would only lead to needless deaths.
In the Sect Hall.
Zhang Yunyi sat on the Sect Master's throne, his face as hard as iron. On either side of him were all the elders of the Azure Light Sect, totaling sixty-three.
In fact, the Azure Light Sect had over a hundred elders, but some had fled as well.
Currently, aside from the retired elders like the Library Pavilion Elder, only these sixty-three elders remained in the sect.
"How many disciples have left?"
After a moment, Zhang Yunyi asked.
"Almost half have gone!" an elder replied.
Zhang Yunyi waved his hand as he spoke.
"Sect Master, I joined the Azure Light Sect at fourteen, and now it's been over sixty years. Where else can I go?"
"I have dedicated my life to the Azure Light Sect. If the sect is here, I am here. If the sect is gone, then I have no reason to exist!"
The Grand Elder of the Azure Light Sect, Gong Feng, spoke calmly.
"Sect Master, either we all leave together and find a place to rise again, or we live and die with the Azure Light Sect!"
An elder spoke, his gaze firm.
Hoo!
Zhang Yunyi took a deep breath. He had grown up in the Azure Light Sect, and his feelings for the sect, for every tree and blade of grass, were deeper than anyone else's.
Originally, he wanted others to leave so he could guard the Azure Light Sect alone.
He hadn't expected these elders to be so resolute.
"Everyone, I swear to stand my ground and live and die with the Azure Light Sect. If anyone wishes to leave, I will not stop them!"
Zhang Yunyi looked around at everyone, speaking in a deep voice.
"Stand our ground, live and die with the Azure Light Sect!"
All the elders spoke in unison, without any hesitation.
Those who were cowardly and wanted to protect themselves had already left.
The remaining elders were all prepared to die.
"Good, since you all are willing to die with me, then we shall live and die with the Azure Light Sect. However, we can die, but those young disciples, they still have their whole lives ahead of them. They cannot die with us!"
Zhang Yunyi's gaze was cold as it fell on two elders. "Elder Liu, Elder Wei, go and disperse all the disciples. Let the inner and true disciples leave Kingdom Chu."
"Yes, Sect Master!"
The two elders bowed and accepted the order.
"Everyone, quickly arrange for your descendants and disciples!" Zhang Yunyi waved his hand.
Then, he stood up and left the Sect Hall.
...
"Finally reached the Spirit Transformation Realm!"
Lin Xiao walked out of the Creation Space, his entire being invigorated and full of energy.
The so-called Spirit Transformation Realm was the third realm of martial arts.
True Qi combined with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, transforming the True Qi within the body into innate True Essence, greatly increasing its power.
After several days of training, Lin Xiao finally took this step and became a strong practitioner of the Spirit Transformation Realm.
In Kingdom Chu, the Spirit Transformation Realm was an absolute pinnacle, a presence that countless people looked up to.
At the same time, Lin Xiao's Savage Bull Body had reached the sixth level, doubling his physical strength again to a massive thirty-two thousand pounds of force.
A punch from him, even without using True Essence, might be too much for an ordinary Meridian Opening Realm 9th Level expert to withstand!
"Huh? Why is the sect so quiet today?"
Lin Xiao was puzzled. The Azure Light Sect wasn't large, but it wasn't small either, just a single mountain peak. Usually, even while staying in the Back Mountain, he could faintly hear some noise from the sect.
But today, the sect was unusually quiet.
Lin Xiao didn't think much of it and began preparing a meal.
Before long, Zhang Ruoling hurried over, her face filled with worry.
"Ruoling, what's wrong?" Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Lin Xiao asked, surprised.
"Junior Granduncle Master, quickly pack up and leave the Azure Light Sect!"
Zhang Ruoling urged.
"Hmm? Leave the Azure Light Sect? Why?"
Lin Xiao was taken aback.
"The Blazing Flame Army of Kingdom Chu, led by Prince Zhennan, is about to attack our Azure Light Sect. Many disciples have already left; if you don't go now, it will be too late!"
Zhang Ruoling explained.
Lin Xiao was shocked to hear this. The army of Kingdom Chu was coming to attack the Azure Light Sect?
Was it because he had killed the Ninth Prince?
That couldn't be right!
No one should have recognized him that day, and even if the Royal House of Kingdom Chu wanted to investigate, it wouldn't be this fast, would it?
"What about you? And Senior Brother?"
Lin Xiao asked urgently.
"Father wants me to take you and leave, but he's not leaving, so I'm not leaving either!"
Zhang Ruoling shook her head, her eyes filled with determination.
"This...!"
Lin Xiao was surprised. He hadn't expected Ruoling and Senior Brother to prefer to fight to the death rather than flee.
"Junior Granduncle Master, your cultivation isn't high, and staying won't help much. Quickly pack your things and leave before the army arrives!"
Zhang Ruoling urged anxiously.
"Ruoling, if you all aren't leaving, how can I leave with any dignity?" Lin Xiao shook his head.
This matter started because of him, and even if everyone else could escape, he should not.
"Junior Granduncle Master, don't be impulsive. Besides my father, you're my only family. I really don't want anything to happen to you." Zhang Ruoling said worriedly.
"Ruoling, you said we're family. As family, how can I leave you all to die while I escape alone? I can't do that." Lin Xiao shook his head.
"Junior Granduncle Master, you...!"
Zhang Ruoling was exasperated. Then, she gritted her teeth, drew her sword, and placed it against her neck.
"Junior Granduncle Master, if you don't leave, I'll die right here in front of you!" Zhang Ruoling said firmly.
Seeing this, Lin Xiao was speechless. This girl had such a fierce temperament!
"Alright! Alright! Alright! I'll leave right away!"
He quickly spoke to calm her down.
"Then hurry up and go!"
Zhang Ruoling urged.
"I'll go, I'll go!"
Lin Xiao pretended to pack some clothes and food, slung a bag over his shoulder, and headed down the mountain.
Of course, he wasn't really leaving. The mountain where the Azure Light Sect was located had vast forests, plenty of places for him to hide.
Seeing Lin Xiao leave, Zhang Ruoling put down her sword, a smile appearing on her face.
"Junior Granduncle Master, live well!"