Chapter 414 : Cleaning House
"Help! Enemy attack! Someone is attempting to harm the Sect Leader!" The Elder's cry alarmed everyone, and Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue, the two unfamiliar faces, were instantly surrounded by a group of Crimson Blood Sect Elders.
Jiang Mo was stunned, not expecting this turn of events, and attempted to explain: "Wait, we're not enemies..."
However, before she could finish speaking, an attack interrupted her words. Someone in the crowd shouted: "This person is unfamiliar. Capture them first, other matters can be discussed later."
Undoubtedly, this statement was endorsed by the vast majority, and various attacks came even more fiercely. Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue had no time to explain further, forced to deal with the assault. Only now did they realize something—Zhu Baiyi wasn't someone who liked to make private matters public, so she likely hadn't told anyone about Yun Qingyue's ancestral reversion to a Swan Goose!
Their time in Linglong City had given the two a false impression. Because Harmony Sect's intelligence was exceedingly efficient, Yun Qingyue was recognized almost immediately upon appearing. Fei Yuan's matter-of-fact reaction led the two to mistakenly believe that the Swan Goose's identity wasn't a secret.
Then they encountered the Crimson Blood Sect Elder, and given the special background of Crimson Blood Sect, it seemed natural that he recognized Yun Qingyue... Neither had suspected that perhaps the source of this information wasn't Crimson Blood Sect but somewhere else. Because of this, apart from that person, the others didn't know Yun Qingyue's identity.
But their realization came too late. Although Jiang Mo's cultivation and combat ability were outstanding within the Fusion realm, being surrounded and attacked by a group, especially a group of battle-crazed fanatics, was certainly no easy matter.
Not to mention that Yun Qingyue's cultivation was currently slightly inferior, occasionally needing Jiang Mo's protection.
As soon as combat began, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue were overwhelmed by the barrage of attacks. After gathering her thoughts, Yun Qingyue immediately spoke to clarify her identity: "I am Yun Qingyue, and I came to see my mother."
However, as soon as she finished speaking, the Elder who had retreated to the side clutching his severed arm harshly refuted: "Nonsense! Everyone in our Crimson Blood Sect knows that although the Sect Leader has mixed beast blood, it's the bloodline of a Nine-Tailed Fox. You, a bird, dare to claim kinship with our Crimson Blood Sect Leader just because your cultivation is high enough to speak human language. Ridiculous!"
This argument was quite convincing because when Yun Qingyue's identity was exposed eighty-some years ago, she was clearly a half-demon hybrid. They had privately speculated that Yun Qingyue's father must be human, and regardless, she had no reason to transform into a bird.
Hearing this, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue didn't know how to refute it, as explaining how ancestral reversion had targeted the wrong ancestor was too complicated. Reality didn't allow the two much time for explanation, and the oncoming attacks showed no signs of weakening. Rather than expending effort on explanation, they decided to stabilize the situation first—the medicine-stealing Elder's sudden betrayal was something they were quite concerned about.
Of course, this was also because the two had their Innate Space as an escape route. They ceased talking and focused on dealing with the situation.
For a time, the eighth floor of the vessel erupted into chaos. If the demonic vessel itself wasn't a magical artifact with extraordinary internal fortitude, the top floor might have been directly blasted away. Despite this, the commotion caused by Fusion realm cultivators' wild combat was certainly not small. Everyone on the lower floors was alarmed—some rushed up the stairs, while others flew outside the vessel to observe the situation.
In between defending themselves, Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue glanced outside and saw countless disciples densely surrounding the vessel. Were it not for the vessel's outer restrictions, countless attacks would likely have flown in through the windows!
With such a commotion, the entire vessel was alarmed, yet strangely, there was still no movement from the ninth floor.
Crimson Blood Sect's techniques primarily focused on slaughter, generally bold and powerful. Though Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue blocked some attacks, many still missed their mark. Some hit the walls, while others landed on the restriction behind them—this barrier was truly sturdy, as even Fusion realm attacks couldn't shake it in the slightest.
The medicine-stealing Elder, who had withdrawn from battle to take medicine to suppress his injury, noticed this, his eyes flickering before he raised his voice again to urge everyone to continue the siege. Strangely, under his urging, the pressure on Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue actually diminished significantly.
Still the same number of people attacking, still overwhelming spiritual light crashing down, creating pressure that was almost suffocating.
But this time, more attacks missed, striking the restriction behind them...
༻༺❀༻✧⋆｡°✩☽༓☾✩°｡⋆✧༺❀༻༺
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue finally realized they had long since stepped into a trap—not merely being ambushed, not merely being surrounded, but someone wanted to use the attack against them to force Sect Leader Zhu out from the ninth floor!
Neither was slow-witted, and once they realized this, they naturally decided not to continue.
Jiang Mo gave Yun Qingyue a meaningful look, and she immediately understood. The Swan Goose, returning to her original form, suddenly flapped her wings, sending forth not a cool breeze but bone-chilling ice-blue flames... With the medicine-stealing Elder as a precedent, the Crimson Blood Sect members were aware of this flame's power. They immediately deployed various means to either evade or counter, temporarily unable to spare attention for attacks.
In this momentary lull, Jiang Mo grabbed a few feathers from the Swan Goose's wing, and both human and bird vanished from the spot. The Ice Flame's power dissipated, and the Crimson Blood Sect members lost their targets.
As they retreated into the Innate Space, Jiang Mo happened to glance back and saw ripples emerging from the previously immovable restriction.
Upon entering the Innate Space, Jiang Mo hurriedly opened the "water mirror" to observe the outside world, simultaneously saying to Yun Qingyue: "Ah Yue, this is bad. I just saw changes in the restriction leading to the ninth floor. Could the Sect Leader have been alarmed and emerged? Given Crimson Blood Sect's current situation, if the Sect Leader were to be ambushed, that would be disastrous..."
She rambled on, her tone filled with concern—demonic sects differed from righteous path sects, as they placed greater emphasis on strength. While this certainly gave sect leaders profound authority within their sects, it also made subordinates far less loyal than in righteous path sects.
After all, with rules based on 'might makes right,' once a sect leader lost the ability to suppress subordinates, rebellion was imminent!
Both understood this principle and thus were pessimistic about the current situation. However, as the scene materialized in the water mirror, it presented a picture beyond their expectations—outside the space, having lost their common targets, the previously united Crimson Blood Sect Elders suddenly turned their weapons around, attacking the companions who had just been fighting alongside them.
In just a moment, some were severely injured, others perished, with only a few managing to dodge.
"What in the..." Jiang Mo stared at the chaotic scene outside, momentarily dumbfounded, seemingly losing her ability to speak. Could these Crimson Blood Sect people truly be so battle-crazed that they wouldn't spare even their own sect members once they went berserk?!
Yun Qingyue, however, was far more perceptive and immediately spotted the pattern: "These are the ones whose attacks missed and hit the restriction."
Just as she finished speaking, Jiang Mo adjusted the water mirror's angle slightly, indeed revealing ripples spreading across the restriction. Then a figure emerged from within the restriction, taking a step forward—who else could that familiar figure be but Zhu Baiyi?
However, contrary to Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue's concerns, Zhu Baiyi's expression was normal, her aura seemingly undiminished, showing no signs of recovering from serious injuries. While the two inside the space were surprised, certain people outside were visibly shaken, including the medicine-stealing Elder with his severed arm. He knelt on the ground, looking up at Sect Leader Zhu, murmuring: "Impossible, this is impossible..."
With Sect Leader Zhu's cultivation, she naturally heard this but obviously disdained to acknowledge it, not even sparing him a glance. She merely cast a cool gaze over the traitorous Elders before her red lips parted to utter three words: "Kill them all."
With this command, the traitorous Elders had no time to explain or beg for mercy. The next moment, they died at the hands of their former sect companions.
This scene was witnessed not only by the remaining Elders present and Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue inside the space, but also by all the Crimson Blood Sect disciples observing from outside the windows.
It was intimidation, a warning, filled with bloodshed!
༻༺❀༻✧⋆｡°✩☽༓☾✩°｡⋆✧༺❀༻༺
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue had witnessed everything that transpired, seemingly personally involved, yet ultimately felt like outsiders.
They exchanged glances, both looking somewhat dazed. Jiang Mo looked again at Sect Leader Zhu's excellent condition outside the space, and after a moment, managed only to ask: "Ah Yue, should we go out now?"
Outside, they appeared to be handling internal sect matters, and the two of them, as outsiders, suddenly appearing wouldn't be a good choice. But if they didn't appear, were they to keep hiding in the space? That would be too stifling, and would inexplicably weaken their position. Most importantly, though Sect Leader Zhu seemed unharmed, they needed to see her in person and ask her directly to be reassured.
Yun Qingyue hesitated only briefly before shrinking her form several times smaller: "Let's go, let's head out."
Jiang Mo's hand still held Yun Qingyue's wing, and hearing this, she didn't hesitate, immediately taking her out.
The two who had vanished into thin air suddenly reappeared, right during the sensitive moment when Crimson Blood Sect was dealing with traitors. Almost the instant they appeared, several divine senses locked onto them, the atmosphere becoming tense.
Fortunately, this time, with Sect Leader Zhu's personal confirmation, the two no longer needed to worry about their identities—she called for a halt to the imminent attacks while also personally validating Yun Qingyue before the Crimson Blood Sect members. As for what the Elders thought upon seeing a fox give birth to a bird, that wasn't something Sect Leader Zhu needed to consider.
After explaining Yun Qingyue's identity, Zhu Baiyi didn't wish to say more, simply instructing everyone to handle the aftermath. She then paid no further attention to the others, looked at Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue, and said: "Follow me."
She turned and walked back toward the ninth floor restriction. Jiang Mo naturally picked up Yun Qingyue and followed closely behind.
Passing through a water-like ripple, the scene before them instantly changed. But before Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue could properly observe the Sect Leader's residence, they saw the previously formidable Zhu Baiyi's aura suddenly weaken, her entire being visibly wilting...