Chapter 30: Not Here to Demand Answers, but to Destroy the Sect!

Over a hundred cultivators clad in black robes, their bodies emanating a chilling, dark aura, appeared on the horizon. Accompanying them were two monstrous, flesh-rotting beasts at the ninth level of the Bitter Sea Realm, pulling a coffin.

Such an ostentatious display immediately drew immense attention. There was no doubt about it; they were pulling out all the stops. One had to understand that a single cultivator at the ninth level of the Bitter Sea Realm could run rampant across the lands of Qingzhou. Yet, the Corpse Yin Sect had deployed two at once—merely to pull a coffin. No one knew what kind of existence lay within that casket.

News that the Corpse Yin Sect was about to launch a punitive expedition against the Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect spread like wildfire. They did not travel quickly; instead, they moved with deliberate arrogance. It seemed their sole purpose was to declare one thing to all the factions of Qingzhou: those who offend the Divine Xuan Dynasty shall surely die!

At this moment, the Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect was on high alert, as if facing a mortal enemy. However, Lin Yuan and the other high-ranking officials and elders remained indifferent. They had long anticipated this day.

In the great hall, Lin Yuan stood with his back to the group of elders, only turning around slowly after a long silence. The sunlight from outside the hall cast shadows across his profile, revealing neither joy nor sorrow.

"Have the arrangements for the disciples' retreat been finalized?"

"Replying to the Sect Master, more than half have already been transferred. It is estimated that after today, the remainder will be fully evacuated," one elder replied.

Hearing this, the worry on Lin Yuan’s face dissipated slightly. Then, another silence followed.

"Word has come that the Corpse Yin Sect has arrived to wage war. You have toiled for the sect your entire lives; it is time for you to leave and enjoy your remaining years in peace." Lin Yuan sighed, feeling a sense of helplessness. His own cultivation was at the eighth level of the Bitter Sea Realm, yet he was inferior even to the beasts pulling the coffin. How could they possibly fight?

The group of elders in the hall smiled. "We are but old bones; we have lived long enough. Besides, the time for the disciples to evacuate is limited. They cannot yet completely hide their tracks, so we must buy them time."

Their voices were calm, devoid of any ripples, as if they were discussing trivial daily chores. Life-and-death partings do not always involve tears or agonizing reluctance; sometimes, they manifest like this—a quiet farewell, followed by an eternal separation in the next instant.

Lin Yuan felt a tremor in his heart. "Haha, in that case, let us raise a bowl of wine to the disciples of the Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect and wish them a bright future!" Lin Yuan lifted his bowl and drank it in one gulp.

He no longer had any misgivings. His eldest disciple, Qin Ming, had already fled, taking the majority of the sect’s resources with him. Yet, Lin Yuan did not blame him. In a chaotic world, only those who cherish their lives are likely to survive. Moreover, even if Qin Ming had stayed, it would have been a futile sacrifice; it would not have changed the outcome or saved the Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect.

***

Night fell, yet the entire Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect remained awake. A large number of disciples gathered in the vast plaza. Their eyes were filled with profound reluctance. Looking at the teleportation array prepared by the elders, not a single one was willing to depart first.

"Elder, I am willing to stay!" Lin Rou cried, her eyes reddened.

"Indeed, Elder, let us stay. Every extra person adds a measure of strength."

"We are willing to live and die with the sect!" Many disciples shouted, their expressions agitated, the blood in their veins boiling.

"Foolish!" an elder said sternly. "If you all die in battle, then the Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect will truly have no future. But if you live, the sect still has hope! Perhaps one day, the most outstanding among you can rebuild a peerless sect upon these ruins."

Hearing this, Lin Rou and the other disciples held back their tears, their eye sockets burning red. But they had to accept their fate. If they were to blame anyone, it was their own lack of strength. Yet, at their age, even if they had begun cultivating in the womb, the best they could achieve was the Bone-Refining or Soul-Building Realm. The Bitter Sea Realm was, to them, the heavens themselves. The disparity in strength was simply too vast.

Several elders joined forces to activate the formation. As the light flared, the teleportation circle hummed to life.

Just then, beneath the pitch-black night sky, a massive wave of magical light slashed across the horizon. The sect’s protective formation was triggered instantly, a transparent barrier quickly weaving itself across the sky above the sect.

*Boom!*

*Boom!*

The two forces collided violently. The protective formation shook, causing the entire mountain range to tremble. Cracks and ravines appeared on the ground; many disciples lost their footing, nearly falling into the fissures. They stared blankly outside the sect as the protective formation began to show signs of shattering.

Lin Yuan and the other high-ranking officials rushed out of the hall, their hearts sinking to the depths of despair as they saw the swarming mass of cultivators approaching from outside the formation. They had arrived far faster than anticipated.

In the distance, the sound of *suona* horns blared like soul-reaping demonic music. The disciples and elders felt their hearts drop. Outside the mountain, hundreds of black-robed cultivators were flying through the air, exuding billowing, sinister ghostly energy.

***

Several experts of the Bitter Sea Realm were overseeing the formation. Behind these cultivators stood two beasts made of rotting flesh—bizarrely, they still lived despite their decayed state.

"You tiny Heaven-Reaching Sect, you dare to kill a prince from the Central Plains? Your nine generations are not enough to pay for this crime!"

"I have not come to judge you today. I have come only to slaughter the entire sect!" A hoarse voice, dripping with dense, sinister ghost energy, emanated from the coffin.

As the words fell, a corner of the coffin opened. A black spear, fast as lightning, shot out and struck the sect’s protective barrier. In an instant, the formation shattered with a crisp *crack*. Then, countless rays of light rained down upon every corner of the sect. It was not just the protective barrier that shattered, but their very hope.

The elders and disciples felt their hearts plummet. Without the protection of the formation, sinister ghostly energy surged and spread across the entire sky above the sect.

Lin Yuan offered a bitter smile and cupped his hands. "The Prince of the Divine Xuan Dynasty and our sect's Daoist disciple engaged in a duel of life and death of their own volition. It was agreed that life or death would be left to fate..."

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by a young man sitting on the shoulder of one of the rotting beasts. This man was Tuoba Yu, the Daoist disciple of the Corpse Yin Sect.

"Nonsense! I say your Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect is guilty, and therefore it is guilty. Of course, it isn't strictly necessary to slaughter everyone. We can keep a few women with decent looks to use as cauldrons for dual cultivation!"

As he spoke, Tuoba Yu’s gaze swept from outside the mountain, landing on Lin Rou and several other beautiful disciples. A lecherous expression appeared on his face. No woman who had ever performed dual cultivation with him had survived; they were ravaged throughout the process and died in humiliation.

His reckless lusting after the women of their sect caused many disciples to glare at him with fury.

"Not convinced? If you're not convinced, tell that pathetic Senior Brother of yours to get out here. I want to see if he is truly as strong as they say. But let me warn him—I am even stronger than Ye Chen."

As he spoke, Tuoba Yu revealed his cultivation: the fifth level of the Soul-Building Realm! This level of cultivation was even higher than that of Prince Ye Chen. Tuoba Yu stood with his hands behind his back, looking as if he were challenging the entire younger generation of the Heaven-Reaching Immortal Sect. There was a swirling mark on his forehead, making him look incomparably sinister.

"Playing for a while is enough, otherwise, delays may lead to unforeseen changes," the hoarse voice from the coffin commanded.