Mortal: Starting with the Seven Mysterious Sects, I proved my Dao through sacrifice.

The latest chapter has ignited the plot! Stay tuned for more updates.

Murong Fan had been separated from his master, Hong Fu, for several months. Remembering his master's instructions when he left the valley, he felt that he should go back to visit his master.

That night, the moonlight was bright and the spring breeze was gentle. He rode in a flying divine ship, holding the "Xiaoyin" magic sword forged by Qi Yunxiao in his hand. He recalled the love and sweetness of the newlyweds, and his heart was filled with joy.

When the flying vessel landed near Huangfeng Valley, he suddenly saw a large number of puppets besieging Huangfeng Valley, Qingxu Sect, and Giant Sword Sect disciples.

The one controlling these puppets was none other than Senior Brother Ye from Yellow Maple Valley! At first, Murong Fan couldn't believe his eyes, thinking he was seeing things. It wasn't until he overheard the conversation between Senior Brother Ye and Senior Brother Wu that he realized: "This Senior Brother Ye, who usually pretends to be an elder and strictly adheres to sect rules in every word and deed, is actually a spy!"

"So you're from the Thousand Bamboo Sect!" Senior Brother Wu shouted.

"Junior Brother Wu, you know too much, but it's a pity you're about to disappear with this secret!" Senior Brother Ye laughed maniacally and said loudly.

"Yellow Maple Valley has treated you well, why would you do this!" Senior Brother Wu asked incredulously.

"Let me tell you the truth! I am the young master of the Thousand Bamboo Sect. Restoring the sect is my duty. What's wrong with me doing this? Enough nonsense, prepare to die!" Senior Brother Ye stopped arguing and directly summoned his puppet to fight Senior Brother Wu.

In the original story, the Great Evolution Divine Lord of the Thousand Bamboo Sect was a top genius in the human realm. He created the "Great Evolution Technique" and the "Puppet Technique." However, he neglected his cultivation due to his obsession with research, and when his lifespan was about to end, he placed his primordial spirit in a puppet, where it remained indestructible for ten thousand years. Although he was the leader of the Thousand Bamboo Sect, he was no longer a physical being in the later stages, and only his remnant soul guarded the secret teachings.

Although the Thousand Bamboo Sect is no longer powerful, the puppets crafted by its disciples are comparable to those of Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators, and can even create high-level puppets with the combat power of Nascent Soul stage cultivators.

Before Senior Brother Ye could finish speaking, dozens of puppets of various shapes and sizes surged toward Senior Brother Wu like a tide. Some of these puppets held sharp blades that gleamed coldly; some carried giant crossbows on their backs with arrows already nocked; and several were burly in stature with skin that shone with a metallic sheen, clearly heavily armored puppets with extremely strong defenses.

Although Senior Brother Wu's cultivation was not weak, he could only barely hold on when faced with such a large number of well-trained puppets attacking him.

"Senior Brother Ye! You traitor!" Murong Fan roared, his feet barely touching the ground as he shot down from the flying divine ship like an arrow, his "Xiaoyin" magic sword already drawn. A clear and melodious sword cry resounded through the night sky, and a sword light as smooth as water pierced through the moonlight, carrying a sharp sound as it slashed directly at Senior Brother Ye, who was controlling the puppet.

Senior Brother Ye clearly hadn't expected such a sudden attack. He didn't even see who it was, only feeling a sharp sword aura rush towards him, forcing him to temporarily stop his attack on Senior Brother Wu and dodge to the side. With a crisp clang, the sword light struck a puppet beside Senior Brother Ye, leaving a deep sword mark on the puppet's hard shell, sparks flying everywhere.

"Who goes there!" Senior Brother Ye was both shocked and furious. He looked in the direction of the voice, and when he saw that it was Murong Fan, a look of surprise flashed in his eyes, which then turned into a strong killing intent. "It's you? Murong Fan! Relying on Hong Fu's support, instead of staying out there enjoying yourself, you dare to come back and ruin my important plans!"

"Ruin your grand plan? Your grand plan is to harm the sect?" Murong Fan sneered, his sword-like eyebrows furrowed in uncontrollable rage. "Senior Brother Ye, you colluded with the Thousand Bamboo Sect, besieged your fellow disciples, and betrayed the sect! You traitor, I want you!"

"You think you can take me?" Senior Brother Ye's face twisted into a ferocious grin. "Murong Fan, don't think you're so great just because you had some fortuitous encounter. Today, I'm controlling this 'Hundred Ghosts Parade' puppet array. Even a Core Formation elder would have to back down, let alone a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator like you! If you know what's good for you, get lost, or I'll kill you too and use you as a sacrifice for my puppets!"

As he spoke, Senior Brother Ye rapidly formed hand seals and chanted incantations. The puppets that had been attacking Senior Brother Wu immediately split off, charging towards Murong Fan like sharks smelling blood. In an instant, swords flashed, crossbow bolts pierced the air, and heavy footsteps kicked up dust.

Seeing this, Senior Brother Wu felt much less pressure. He breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Murong Fan with gratitude and worry: "Junior Brother Murong, be careful! This puppet formation is extremely strange!"

"Don't worry, Senior Brother Wu, these mere puppets are nothing to fear!" Murong Fan said in a deep voice, his eyes sharp as an eagle as he scanned the approaching puppets.

As soon as he finished speaking, his spiritual power suddenly erupted, and the "Xiaoyin" magic sword in his hand spun a dazzling sword flower.

Murong Fan no longer held his ground but instead charged forward. His sword flashed, and he moved nimbly through the puppet horde like a butterfly flitting among flowers. Each strike contained exquisite sword intent, either severing the puppets' joints or cleaving their cores. One by one, the once ferocious puppets fell and shattered under his sword.

Seeing this, Senior Brother Ye's expression grew increasingly grim. He hadn't expected Murong Fan's strength to be so terrifying, and his swordsmanship to be so strange and fierce that even the puppet he controlled was struggling to defend itself against him.

"Charge! Kill him!" Senior Brother Ye roared, increasing his spiritual power output in an attempt to overwhelm Murong Fan with sheer numbers.

However, Murong Fan remained completely calm. While wielding his magic sword to slay the puppets, he secretly observed Senior Brother Ye's manipulation techniques. He knew that although these puppets were powerful, their greatest weakness was their controller. As long as he could break through the puppets' blockade and strike Senior Brother Ye directly, the puppet formation would crumble on its own.

"Senior Brother Ye, your opponent is me!" Senior Brother Wu also recovered. He knew he couldn't let Murong Fan face the pressure alone, so he immediately grabbed his long sword and attacked Senior Brother Ye again, trying to distract him.

Caught between two attacks, Senior Brother Ye was immediately thrown into disarray. He had to control the puppet to deal with Murong Fan while also guarding against Senior Brother Wu's attacks, which greatly depleted his spiritual energy, and cold sweat began to seep from his forehead.

Murong Fan seized the opportunity, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. He abruptly plunged the "Xiaoyin" magic sword into the ground, his hands rapidly forming hand seals, and he uttered a low shout: "Reverse the Five Elements, Trapped!"

In an instant, centered on Murong Fan, five-colored light suddenly surged from the ground—the Inverted Five Elements Array given to him by Qi Yunxiao! The power of the five elements instantly reversed and flowed, forming a huge array light screen, which then formed a sphere that enveloped Senior Brother Ye and the dozens of puppets around him. Within the array, the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth clashed with each other, distorting space and disrupting spiritual energy.

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As soon as Senior Brother Ye's puppets entered the formation, their movements became sluggish, as if they were stuck in quagmire. The connection between them also became intermittent, making them extremely difficult to control.

"This is... the Reversed Five Elements Formation?!" Senior Brother Ye's expression changed drastically. He clearly recognized the origin of this formation, his eyes filled with disbelief. "How do you possess such an ancient formation?!"

"No need for Senior Brother Ye to trouble yourself with that!" Murong Fan sneered, his figure flashing as he appeared outside the array's light barrier. "Senior Brother Ye, you can enjoy being surrounded and attacked within the array!"

Murong Fan once again took to the air on his sword, and together with Senior Brother Wu, launched a fierce attack on Senior Brother Ye, who was trapped inside the array's light barrier. Senior Brother Ye, trapped within the array, was like a turtle in a jar; facing the combined attack of the two and the array's constraints, his defeat was inevitable.

Senior Brother Ye charged left and right within the formation, attempting to break free of its constraints, but the power of the Reversed Five Elements Formation far exceeded his expectations. The power of the metal element transformed into countless sharp blades, slicing through his protective aura; the power of the wood element coiled around him like vines, restricting his movements; the power of the water element turned into ice, freezing his spiritual energy circulation; the power of the fire element ignited raging flames, scorching his flesh; and the power of the earth element constantly compressed him, making him feel as if he were trapped deep within the earth. The puppets he controlled were also crushed and disintegrated under the strangulation of the five elements' power, their parts scattered all over the ground.

"Ouch—!" Senior Brother Ye let out a shrill scream. His robes were charred black by the flames, and his arms were cut by the golden blade, bleeding profusely.

At this moment, Senior Brother Ye's eyes were filled with fear and resentment. He never imagined that his carefully planned conspiracy would be ruined by Murong Fan, the junior brother he had always looked down upon.

"Murong Fan! Wu Yunlu! You just wait! My Thousand Bamboo Sect will not let you get away with this!" Senior Brother Ye roared madly, his voice filled with resentment.

"You're about to die, and you still dare to talk back!" Senior Brother Wu roared, brandishing his longsword and unleashing a sharp blade of energy towards Senior Brother Ye.

Murong Fan showed no mercy. He formed hand seals, and the "Xiaoyin" magic sword transformed into a stream of light, piercing through the array's light barrier and heading straight for Senior Brother Ye's heart.

Seeing that there was no way to avoid it, a glint of madness flashed in Senior Brother Ye's eyes. He bit his tongue hard, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence, and formed a strange hand seal with his hands. His aura suddenly surged, and the puppet that had been dimmed regained its eerie light, rushing towards Murong Fan and Senior Brother Wu without regard for anything else.

"A final burst of energy before death?" Murong Fan's eyes turned cold, showing no fear whatsoever. He pushed his spiritual power to its limit, and the "Sky Sound" magic sword emitted a sword cry that resounded through the sky. The water light on the sword became even more intense, as if a water dragon was coiling within the sword.

"kill!"

With a low shout from Murong Fan, the "Xiaoyin" magic sword, carrying an invincible aura, instantly pierced through Senior Brother Ye's protective spiritual light and the defense of the last puppet in front of him, precisely stabbing into his heart.

Senior Brother Ye's body stiffened abruptly, the madness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by endless despair. He looked down at the sword blade in his chest, then looked up at Murong Fan, his lips moved a few times as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he only let out a weak sigh before completely losing his life and his body slumped down.

Murong Fan stepped forward, seemingly checking whether Senior Brother Ye was truly dead, but in reality, he scanned with his divine sense and quickly probed into his storage bag.

"The fragment of the Great Evolution Manual... it really is here!" Murong Fan was overjoyed. With a slight movement of his fingers, he quietly put the manual, which recorded the cultivation of divine sense and the control of puppets, into his storage bag.

With the death of Senior Brother Ye, the remaining puppets, as if they had lost their souls, stopped moving, collapsed to the ground, and finally turned into a pile of lifeless scrap metal.

The light barrier of the Inverted Five Elements Array slowly dissipated, and moonlight once again bathed the earth. Senior Brother Wu looked at Senior Brother Ye's corpse and the scattered puppet parts on the ground, his face showing relief at surviving the ordeal and gratitude towards Murong Fan.

Murong Fan sheathed the "Xiaoyin" magic sword, wiped the blood off the blade, and said, "Senior Brother Ye betrayed the sect, and everyone has the right to kill him. The most urgent task is to count the casualties, treat the wounded, and, more importantly, report this matter to the sect elders as soon as possible."

Senior Brother Wu nodded, his expression grave, and said, "Junior Brother is right. Senior Brother Ye has been infiltrating the sect for many years, and no one knows what other things he has done to harm the sect. This matter must be investigated as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Murong Fan and Senior Brother Wu reported the entire incident to the arriving elders. Upon hearing it, the elders' faces turned ashen, filled with both anger and lingering fear. They were angry at Senior Brother Ye's betrayal, and terrified that if Murong Fan hadn't returned in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Fan'er and Yunlu, you've done a great service this time!" Hongfu's tone was full of satisfaction. "You not only saved your fellow disciples, but also uncovered the traitor hidden within the sect. Your contribution is invaluable! The sect will surely reward you handsomely!"

Murong Fan humbly replied, "Master, you flatter me. This is what disciples should do. It is our duty to share the burdens of the sect."

Senior Brother Wu quickly added, "Yes, Elder, Junior Brother Murong turned the tide this time and made a great contribution. If it weren't for his timely arrival and his mastery of formations and swordsmanship, we would probably have lost our lives long ago, and Huangfeng Valley would have suffered even greater losses."

Elder Hongfu looked at Murong Fan with admiration in her eyes: "Fan'er, it's been several months since I last saw you. Your cultivation and mind have improved a lot. I am very pleased. Looking at this magic sword and this formation, I imagine you must have had many adventures along the way."

"The Thousand Bamboo Sect..." Uncle Lei pondered, "I didn't expect that this sect, which has disappeared for many years, is still active in secret, and has even placed its young sect leader in my Yellow Maple Valley. This is no accident, and I'm afraid other sects are not necessarily safe either."

"Indeed!" Elder Hongfu's expression was solemn. "The most urgent tasks are, firstly, to thoroughly investigate his cronies and any remaining threats within the sect, and secondly, to immediately inform other sects such as Qingxu Sect and Giant Sword Sect of this matter, reminding them to strengthen their vigilance—the small Thousand Bamboo Sect is not a major concern, but if the demonic path makes a comeback, then things will be troublesome..."

Everyone nodded in agreement. A crisis triggered by a spy was temporarily averted thanks to Murong Fan's timely intervention, but its impact was far from over. The entire Yellow Maple Valley was shrouded in shadow by this sudden betrayal; beneath the surface of the cultivation world's tranquility, undercurrents seemed to be surging.

To the surprise of the elders, Senior Brother Ye's betrayal was just the beginning of the disaster in Huangfeng Valley. Feng Da's conspiracy and turmoil had been brewing for a long time, just like an extremely inflated balloon, and it was only a matter of time before it exploded!

"The fragment of the Great Evolution Manual... it really is here!" Murong Fan was overjoyed. With a slight movement of his fingers, he quietly put the manual, which recorded the cultivation of divine sense and the control of puppets, into his storage bag.

With the death of Senior Brother Ye, the remaining puppets, as if they had lost their souls, stopped moving, collapsed to the ground, and finally turned into a pile of lifeless scrap metal.

The light barrier of the Inverted Five Elements Array slowly dissipated, and moonlight once again bathed the earth. Senior Brother Wu looked at Senior Brother Ye's corpse and the scattered puppet parts on the ground, his face showing relief at surviving the ordeal and gratitude towards Murong Fan.

Murong Fan sheathed the "Xiaoyin" magic sword, wiped the blood off the blade, and said, "Senior Brother Ye betrayed the sect, and everyone has the right to kill him. The most urgent task is to count the casualties, treat the wounded, and, more importantly, report this matter to the sect elders as soon as possible."

Senior Brother Wu nodded, his expression grave, and said, "Junior Brother is right. Senior Brother Ye has been infiltrating the sect for many years, and no one knows what other things he has done to harm the sect. This matter must be investigated as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Murong Fan and Senior Brother Wu reported the entire incident to the arriving elders. Upon hearing it, the elders' faces turned ashen, filled with both anger and lingering fear. They were angry at Senior Brother Ye's betrayal, and terrified that if Murong Fan hadn't returned in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Fan'er and Yunlu, you've done a great service this time!" Hongfu's tone was full of satisfaction. "You not only saved your fellow disciples, but also uncovered the traitor hidden within the sect. Your contribution is invaluable! The sect will surely reward you handsomely!"

Murong Fan humbly replied, "Master, you flatter me. This is what disciples should do. It is our duty to share the burdens of the sect."

Senior Brother Wu quickly added, "Yes, Elder, Junior Brother Murong turned the tide this time and made a great contribution. If it weren't for his timely arrival and his mastery of formations and swordsmanship, we would probably have lost our lives long ago, and Huangfeng Valley would have suffered even greater losses."

Elder Hongfu looked at Murong Fan with admiration in her eyes: "Fan'er, it's been several months since I last saw you. Your cultivation and mind have improved a lot. I am very pleased. Looking at this magic sword and this formation, I imagine you must have had many adventures along the way."

"The Thousand Bamboo Sect..." Uncle Lei pondered, "I didn't expect that this sect, which has disappeared for many years, is still active in secret, and has even placed its young sect leader in my Yellow Maple Valley. This is no accident, and I'm afraid other sects are not necessarily safe either."

"Indeed!" Elder Hongfu's expression was solemn. "The most urgent tasks are, firstly, to thoroughly investigate his cronies and any remaining threats within the sect, and secondly, to immediately inform other sects such as Qingxu Sect and Giant Sword Sect of this matter, reminding them to strengthen their vigilance—the small Thousand Bamboo Sect is not a major concern, but if the demonic path makes a comeback, then things will be troublesome..."

Everyone nodded in agreement. A crisis triggered by a spy was temporarily averted thanks to Murong Fan's timely intervention, but its impact was far from over. The entire Yellow Maple Valley was shrouded in shadow by this sudden betrayal; beneath the surface of the cultivation world's tranquility, undercurrents seemed to be surging.

To the surprise of the elders, Senior Brother Ye's betrayal was just the beginning of the disaster in Huangfeng Valley. Feng Da's conspiracy and turmoil had been brewing for a long time, just like an extremely inflated balloon, and it was only a matter of time before it exploded!

With the death of Senior Brother Ye, the remaining puppets, as if they had lost their souls, stopped moving, collapsed to the ground, and finally turned into a pile of lifeless scrap metal.

The light barrier of the Inverted Five Elements Array slowly dissipated, and moonlight once again bathed the earth. Senior Brother Wu looked at Senior Brother Ye's corpse and the scattered puppet parts on the ground, his face showing relief at surviving the ordeal and gratitude towards Murong Fan.

Murong Fan sheathed the "Xiaoyin" magic sword, wiped the blood off the blade, and said, "Senior Brother Ye betrayed the sect, and everyone has the right to kill him. The most urgent task is to count the casualties, treat the wounded, and, more importantly, report this matter to the sect elders as soon as possible."

Senior Brother Wu nodded, his expression grave, and said, "Junior Brother is right. Senior Brother Ye has been infiltrating the sect for many years, and no one knows what other things he has done to harm the sect. This matter must be investigated as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Murong Fan and Senior Brother Wu reported the entire incident to the arriving elders. Upon hearing it, the elders' faces turned ashen, filled with both anger and lingering fear. They were angry at Senior Brother Ye's betrayal, and terrified that if Murong Fan hadn't returned in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Fan'er and Yunlu, you've done a great service this time!" Hongfu's tone was full of satisfaction. "You not only saved your fellow disciples, but also uncovered the traitor hidden within the sect. Your contribution is invaluable! The sect will surely reward you handsomely!"

Murong Fan humbly replied, "Master, you flatter me. This is what disciples should do. It is our duty to share the burdens of the sect."

Senior Brother Wu quickly added, "Yes, Elder, Junior Brother Murong turned the tide this time and made a great contribution. If it weren't for his timely arrival and his mastery of formations and swordsmanship, we would probably have lost our lives long ago, and Huangfeng Valley would have suffered even greater losses."

Elder Hongfu looked at Murong Fan with admiration in her eyes: "Fan'er, it's been several months since I last saw you. Your cultivation and mind have improved a lot. I am very pleased. Looking at this magic sword and this formation, I imagine you must have had many adventures along the way."

"The Thousand Bamboo Sect..." Uncle Lei pondered, "I didn't expect that this sect, which has disappeared for many years, is still active in secret, and has even placed its young sect leader in my Yellow Maple Valley. This is no accident, and I'm afraid other sects are not necessarily safe either."

"Indeed!" Elder Hongfu's expression was solemn. "The most urgent tasks are, firstly, to thoroughly investigate his cronies and any remaining threats within the sect, and secondly, to immediately inform other sects such as Qingxu Sect and Giant Sword Sect of this matter, reminding them to strengthen their vigilance—the small Thousand Bamboo Sect is not a major concern, but if the demonic path makes a comeback, then things will be troublesome..."

Everyone nodded in agreement. A crisis triggered by a spy was temporarily averted thanks to Murong Fan's timely intervention, but its impact was far from over. The entire Yellow Maple Valley was shrouded in shadow by this sudden betrayal; beneath the surface of the cultivation world's tranquility, undercurrents seemed to be surging.

To the surprise of the elders, Senior Brother Ye's betrayal was just the beginning of the disaster in Huangfeng Valley. Feng Da's conspiracy and turmoil had been brewing for a long time, just like an extremely inflated balloon, and it was only a matter of time before it exploded!

With the death of Senior Brother Ye, the remaining puppets, as if they had lost their souls, stopped moving, collapsed to the ground, and finally turned into a pile of lifeless scrap metal.

The light barrier of the Inverted Five Elements Array slowly dissipated, and moonlight once again bathed the earth. Senior Brother Wu looked at Senior Brother Ye's corpse and the scattered puppet parts on the ground, his face showing relief at surviving the ordeal and gratitude towards Murong Fan.

Murong Fan sheathed the "Xiaoyin" magic sword, wiped the blood off the blade, and said, "Senior Brother Ye betrayed the sect, and everyone has the right to kill him. The most urgent task is to count the casualties, treat the wounded, and, more importantly, report this matter to the sect elders as soon as possible."

Senior Brother Wu nodded, his expression grave, and said, "Junior Brother is right. Senior Brother Ye has been infiltrating the sect for many years, and no one knows what other things he has done to harm the sect. This matter must be investigated as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Murong Fan and Senior Brother Wu reported the entire incident to the arriving elders. Upon hearing it, the elders' faces turned ashen, filled with both anger and lingering fear. They were angry at Senior Brother Ye's betrayal, and terrified that if Murong Fan hadn't returned in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Fan'er and Yunlu, you've done a great service this time!" Hongfu's tone was full of satisfaction. "You not only saved your fellow disciples, but also uncovered the traitor hidden within the sect. Your contribution is invaluable! The sect will surely reward you handsomely!"

Murong Fan humbly replied, "Master, you flatter me. This is what disciples should do. It is our duty to share the burdens of the sect."

Senior Brother Wu quickly added, "Yes, Elder, Junior Brother Murong turned the tide this time and made a great contribution. If it weren't for his timely arrival and his mastery of formations and swordsmanship, we would probably have lost our lives long ago, and Huangfeng Valley would have suffered even greater losses."

Elder Hongfu looked at Murong Fan with admiration in her eyes: "Fan'er, it's been several months since I last saw you. Your cultivation and mind have improved a lot. I am very pleased. Looking at this magic sword and this formation, I imagine you must have had many adventures along the way."

"The Thousand Bamboo Sect..." Uncle Lei pondered, "I didn't expect that this sect, which has disappeared for many years, is still active in secret, and has even placed its young sect leader in my Yellow Maple Valley. This is no accident, and I'm afraid other sects are not necessarily safe either."

"Indeed!" Elder Hongfu's expression was solemn. "The most urgent tasks are, firstly, to thoroughly investigate his cronies and any remaining threats within the sect, and secondly, to immediately inform other sects such as Qingxu Sect and Giant Sword Sect of this matter, reminding them to strengthen their vigilance—the small Thousand Bamboo Sect is not a major concern, but if the demonic path makes a comeback, then things will be troublesome..."

Everyone nodded in agreement. A crisis triggered by a spy was temporarily averted thanks to Murong Fan's timely intervention, but its impact was far from over. The entire Yellow Maple Valley was shrouded in shadow by this sudden betrayal; beneath the surface of the cultivation world's tranquility, undercurrents seemed to be surging.

To the surprise of the elders, Senior Brother Ye's betrayal was just the beginning of the disaster in Huangfeng Valley. Feng Da's conspiracy and turmoil had been brewing for a long time, just like an extremely inflated balloon, and it was only a matter of time before it exploded!