The self-righteous look on his face made Meng Yang’s vision go black with rage.

A spear crackling with murderous intent swung toward Xu Zhiyuan, cleanly hacking off a section of his arm.

Blood gushed as the severed limb thudded to the floor.

Xu Zhiyuan cried out in pain and clutched his arm. When he looked up, his eyes were consumed by hatred.

He never would have thought his own martial uncle would do this to him!

By now, he and the Mountain Gazing Sect were one. When one prospered, both prospered; when one was disgraced, both were disgraced. ’Doesn’t he understand that?’

"If you treat me like this, aren’t you afraid the Mountain Gazing Sect will be scorned by the entire world?"

"Right now, you have no choice but to keep this secret with me!"

Now that all pretense was gone, Xu Zhiyuan saw no need to keep up the act.

He wasn’t without powerful backing. Once Grandmaster Wu returned, he would surely stand up for him!

This was the source of his confidence!

"Hah!"

Meng Yang let out a laugh of pure anger.

Unwilling to waste another moment on Xu Zhiyuan, he shot him a final, profound look before turning and walking out the door.

After the main door closed, he raised a restrictive barrier, sealing Xu Zhiyuan inside.

Gazing up at the sky, Meng Yang closed his eyes.

’Martial Uncles and Grandmasters, do not blame me for my cruelty. A scourge like this is unworthy of being the Sect Master of our Mountain Gazing Sect!’

’I will never aid a tyrant in his evil deeds!’

With that, he angrily flicked his sleeves and departed.

Trapped in the room, Xu Zhiyuan tried everything to get out, but nothing worked. In a furious rage, he smashed everything inside to pieces.

Any outsider who witnessed this would have been utterly astonished. Though the face was the same, the man’s true personality was terrifying.

His expression twisted for a moment before he took out a Communication Talisman to send a message to Grandmaster Wu.

"Do not panic. When I return, I will discuss this matter with Meng Yang."

The reply was like a tranquilizer, and it calmed Xu Zhiyuan’s heart.

He sneered and popped an Elixir Pill into his mouth. In a matter of moments, his severed arm grew back completely.

’Once this is over, I’ll make the Hundred Ghosts Sect pay!’

...

A night passed. Xu Zhiyuan was meditating to recover from his injuries.

Suddenly, the door swung open, and Meng Yang walked in with another person.

The person wore a long black robe and a wide-brimmed bamboo hat, exuding an air of mystery.

Xu Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes, trying to guess the newcomer’s identity.

"Xu Zhiyuan."

A clear female voice rang out. The bamboo hat was then lifted, revealing a delicate and beautiful face.

"Who are you?"

Xu Zhiyuan frowned, certain he had never seen this person before.

"Who am I?"

The newcomer sneered and tossed a portrait into the air.

The portrait showed a little girl who looked to be eight or nine years old. She was as beautiful as a jade carving, with two faint dimples that appeared when she smiled, looking as pure and lovely as snow.

Xu Zhiyuan froze. A memory surfaced in his mind.

The little girl’s painful screams, her desperate pleas for mercy...

He shivered. ’She was the first one I ever hurt...’

"You... who are you?"

Xu Zhiyuan’s expression grew tense. A sudden thought occurred to him, and he snarled, "You’re from the Hundred Ghosts Sect?"

"You’re the one who’s been scheming behind my back, aren’t you?"

The thought that this woman was responsible for exposing his secret made him want to kill someone.

"Hmph. How kind of you to remember my sister."

Murderous intent flooded the eyes of the Hundred Ghosts Sect’s Hall Master. Her sister had been young and impressionable back then. Deceived by Xu Zhiyuan, she had met with a "mishap" while training somewhere near the Sect.

If her sister hadn’t mentioned it before she left, she never would have known she was accompanying Xu Zhiyuan.

But from that training expedition, her sister never returned.

Devastated by the news of her sister’s death, she searched everywhere for her remains. By the time she finally found them, it was too late.

Furthermore, she discovered something wasn’t right with the remains... her sister had been tortured to death!

She wanted to get justice for her sister, but it was an impossible task.

Xu Zhiyuan was an exceptionally talented True Disciple. Her sister was just an ordinary Inner Sect disciple with low Cultivation and no master to speak of.

No one cared about her, let alone whether her sister lived or died.

Left with no other choice, she joined the Hundred Ghosts Sect, singularly focused on one goal: getting justice for her sister!

The moment she saw Liu Yao’s Memory Stone, she knew her chance had finally arrived.

She sent a Communication Talisman to Venerable Meng, telling him what had happened all those years ago.

Venerable Meng was known for his integrity, so she decided to take a gamble. In the end, her gamble paid off.

Meng Yang bringing her here now made his stance perfectly clear. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Venerable Meng, leave Xu Zhiyuan to me. As for how it looks to the outside world, my Hundred Ghosts Sect will take full responsibility. This will minimize the impact on the Mountain Gazing Sect as much as possible."

The Hall Master of the Hundred Ghosts Sect smiled, but her eyes were filled with murderous intent.

Xu Zhiyuan’s heart jolted at her words, and he stared at Meng Yang in disbelief.

"You’re going to hand me over to an outsider?"

’I’m the Sect Master of the Mountain Gazing Sect!’

’Does Meng Yang even know what he’s doing?’

His hateful glare didn’t stir a single ripple in Meng Yang’s heart. He had already lost all hope for Xu Zhiyuan the day before.

So he simply said in a cold voice, "She’s not an outsider. She’s your creditor."

And the debt is to be paid with a life.

Xu Zhiyuan had harmed too many people. Even if the Hall Master of the Hundred Ghosts Sect hadn’t come forward, they would have eventually been forced to eliminate him completely.

Handing him over to the Hundred Ghosts Sect now was the best course of action, as it would preserve the Mountain Gazing Sect’s reputation as much as possible.

With that said, he turned and left without a backward glance, fully activating the restrictive barriers as he went and cutting off any chance for Xu Zhiyuan to escape.

"Meng Yang! Get back here! How could you do this to me?!"

"I’m the Sect Master of the Mountain Gazing Sect! The Sect Master!!!"

No matter how desperately he struggled, the barriers held the room in a firm grip. He couldn’t leave, and no one outside could sense the commotion within.

Fear began to creep into Xu Zhiyuan. He hastily sent a Communication Talisman to Grandmaster Wu.

But distant water can’t quench a pressing thirst. He wouldn’t be able to hold out until Grandmaster Wu returned.

With a look of grim resolve, the Hall Master of the Hundred Ghosts Sect attacked Xu Zhiyuan.

She would avenge her sister, even if it cost her her own life!

A fight quickly erupted inside the room. Meng Yang stood at the door, his expression cold and detached.

If not for the good of the Sect, he would have killed Xu Zhiyuan with his own hands. There would have been no need for anyone else to interfere.

Unfortunately, as an ancestor of the Mountain Gazing Sect, he had to prioritize the Sect’s welfare. His personal feelings had to be cast aside.

As for what Junior Brother Wu had told him, Meng Yang paid it no mind.

By the time he returned, Xu Zhiyuan would already be dead, and there would be nothing he could do.

This day was destined to be anything but ordinary.

...

"Sister, I’ve found him!"

The Golden Small Sword called out softly within her Sea of Consciousness. It was looking at a listless man in the distance—none other than Mo Yuan, the Young Master of the Demon Clan, whose cultivation Song Wanning had personally crippled.

He was supposed to have been the deeply devoted second male lead for Ye Chuxue, but Song Wanning had schemed against him, turning the two into bitter enemies.

Back then, Song Wanning had planted something on him, and now, by relying on it, she had finally found him.

A faint smile touched Song Wanning’s lips.

’Looks like it’s time to collect a little more interest.’