Implicated

Even the Sect Master Hall of the Five Insects Sect had been swept up in the battle, reduced to ruins and stripped of its former glory. The square before the hall was riddled with deep craters and fissures, marred by scorched earth and flooded depressions—clear aftermath of a clash between cultivators. A deathly silence hung inside the hall. Cui Xuanzi’s gaze was dark and sullen. Turned half away, he silently looked out toward the ruined mountain gate and the strewn corpses of his fellow sect members, his face filled with grief and sorrow. Opposite him were two middle-aged men, both unexpectedly False Core stage experts. At their waists hung waist tablets bearing the character "Li." One stood with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an imposing aura that clearly overshadowed Cui Xuanzi's. The other was a burly man whose aura was weak and threadbare; clutching his chest and abdomen, he sat in a chair with an ashen, bloodless face, clearly suffering from severe injuries. Both were disciples of the Li Witch Palace. The standing man was named Du Xian, and the injured one was Jiu Shan. Aside from them, an even more miserable figure lay unconscious on the ground, though his breathing was steady enough and his life was in no danger. Seeing Cui Xuanzi's display, Du Xian scoffed dismissively and said coolly, "Why put on such an act, Sect Master Cui Xuan? They were merely a few worthless disciples; death is no great loss. Once our junior brother brings our revered master here to capture that Old Ghost Qin and recover the Thousand Hands Spider Fruit, we brothers will petition Master to credit you with merit. At that time, so long as you are still here and backed by our Li Witch Palace, how hard could it be to revive the Five Insects Sect?" At that moment, Jiu Shan began coughing violently. After struggling to steady his breath, he glared at Cui Xuanzi and roared, "How dare you defy our Li Witch Palace's command and unleash a talisman treasure against me and Junior Brother! Killing just a few of your disciples let you off cheap! If Senior Brother hadn't pleaded on your behalf, I would annihilate you right now!" Cui Xuanzi clenched his fists, suppressing his fury as he retorted, "Under the pretext of the Li Witch Palace searching for someone, you tricked me into opening the mountain gate and welcoming you inside, only to suddenly strike and harm us! Was I supposed to sit idly by and wait for death? The Thousand Hands Spider Fruit was taken by Old Ghost Qin long ago! Had you simply stated you were after the fruit, how could this battle ever have happened, and why would so many of my Five Insects Sect disciples have died in vain?!" Du Xian and Jiu Shan exchanged a glance, both feeling slightly awkward. The martial brothers had come for the Thousand Hands Spider Fruit, bringing two False Core experts while the rest were at least in the middle Foundation Establishment stage. Proficient in coordinated combat tactics, they had not taken the Five Insects Sect seriously at all. Never had they expected Cui Xuanzi to possess a talisman treasure. Caught off guard, Jiu Shan and another junior brother were severely injured. Fortunately, while Cui Xuanzi had been priming the talisman treasure, the Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Five Insects Sect had already been killed or captured, leaving Cui Xuanzi isolated and helpless. Had they not used the Li Witch Palace's name to deceive their way through the mountain gate, the outcome of the battle truly would have been uncertain. Yet, to their surprise, Cui Xuanzi claimed that the Thousand Hands Spider Fruit was no longer in the Five Insects Sect's hands, having already been seized by a Core Formation cultivator. They had targeted the wrong person. Du Xian cleared his throat lightly and turned toward the outside of the mountain gate. "Where on earth is that Core Formation cultivator's mistress hiding? Why haven't my junior brother and your man returned after being gone for so long?" Cui Xuanzi snorted. "What is the rush? Old Ghost Qin has several cave dwellings in the Bear Mountain region. That woman could be hiding in any of them, so Junior Brother Tong can only lead your man to search them one by one." Jiu Shan narrowed his eyes, glaring at Cui Xuanzi, and barked abruptly, "Old fossil, if you dare pull any more schemes, I'll wipe the Five Insects Sect off the Western Frontier this very day!" Cui Xuanzi flew into a rage, grinding his teeth. "Junior Brother Tong is under your restriction, I am trapped here, our sect is occupied, and our treasures have been looted clean! What schemes could I possibly play? The Five Insects Sect has only a single False Core cultivator—me! You've seen my natal insect gu, stuck at its second molt, completely unable to use the Thousand Hands Spider Fruit. And I just took you to Black Wind Valley to see for yourselves: once the Thousand Hands Spider Fruit ripens, its wondrous fragrance cannot be concealed at all. The moment it matured, Old Ghost Qin discovered and took it! Were he not away right now, not one of you would escape!" "If that Core Formation cultivator were still here, we wouldn't have barged in so rashly," Du Xian said with disdain. "That man has only just reached Core Formation. My master formed his core decades ago, reached his bottleneck long since, and his breakthrough to the middle Core Formation stage is just around the corner. Once Master arrives, slaying him will be as easy as turning a palm. Don't even dream of him coming to save you. Serve us obediently, and you won't be mistreated later." Cui Xuanzi suddenly fell silent. Refusing to argue further, he lowered his head, a thick murderous intent flashing across his eyes. He did not believe a single word Du Xian said! Cui Xuanzi knew full well that once Yagu was found, he would lose all usefulness, and these men would surely slaughter him to vent their spite. Thus, when Junior Brother Tong departed to find Yagu, Cui Xuanzi had subtly signaled him to take detours and stall for as much time as possible. Little did he know, it was this very move that bought Yagu precious time. Du Xian, seemingly oblivious to Cui Xuanzi's thoughts, turned to Jiu Shan and said, "Junior Brother, where that man actually went can only be learned once we seize his woman. If he went hunting for insects, he might not return for three to five years. Remember when Senior Martial Uncle Qiu hunted that ice toad? He staked out its lair for a full eight years and nearly failed in the end. Even so, we'd better be cautious. Junior Brother went to summon Master, and the round trip will take at least half a month. For this half month, we should find a place to hide so nothing unexpected happens." Mentioning that person, Jiu Shan also reined in his hostility, his expression turning solemn. No matter how bold their words, they knew in their hearts the vast chasm between the False Core stage and true Core Formation; even someone who had just formed his core could slaughter them all with ease. Just as Du Xian and Jiu Shan were conferring, they suddenly felt a tremor beneath their feet. The three men's expressions changed drastically. Whipping around toward the mountain gate, they saw a dazzlingly brilliant sword qi slashing down from the heavens, crashing violently into the Lotus Grand Array. The sword qi was as radiant as lightning. The mountain-protecting grand array of the Five Insects Sect shook violently. Under this single slash, fissures split open directly across it, and the Lotus Grand Array became as fragile as colored glass, crumbling into ruin. A single strike shattered the array! Only then did the thunderous hum of a sword come howling through the air. The surrounding mountains trembled; the sheer power of this slash chilled the three to the bone. "What is—" Du Xian paled in shock. Cui Xuanzi was shaken to the core. Recognizing the sword qi, a bizarre look spread across his face, and he muttered under his breath, "Why now... Why come back now... Just give me a few more hours! Just a few hours!" Reluctance and regret mingled upon his face in an eerie tangle. "The Five Insects Sect is finished!" Cui Xuanzi let out a miserable wail and fell backward. With a dull thud, he crashed to the floor, having severed his own heart meridian and died. Du Xian and Jiu Shan were stunned by Cui Xuanzi's sheer decisiveness. Before they could react, a second sword strike descended in rapid succession, and the mountain-protecting grand array of the Five Insects Sect shattered to pieces.