Villain Master, my disciples all want to backstab me

only……

After a short silence.

Jiang Rao heard his own hollow voice echoing beside the sword-washing pool: "The demon leader has died, which is a great joy to all... It's a pity that I was unable to kill my enemy with my own hands to avenge the humiliation I have endured over the years."

"It doesn't matter."

Yan Shu didn't know what her disciples were thinking. She simply nodded and said gently, "Yu Qiuming and his ilk are just clowns stirring up trouble. The Blood Origin Sect, which destroyed the Jiang family, is your true mortal enemy. Over the past few days, the sect has uncovered seven or eight secret agents of the Blood Origin Sect, and there may be many more that we haven't discovered yet."

"So, before you break through to the Nascent Soul stage, it's best for you to stay on the mountain. The head brother and Master Yunfeng have already started investigating Jiang Cheng's case based on the clues you provided. I believe there will be results soon."

"...Disciple thanks Master and the Headmaster for their kindness. I feel so ashamed and unworthy of it."

Jiang Rao bit her lip lightly, forcing herself to speak calmly, then continued, "Disciple is a little tired from practicing today. Master, please allow me to go back and rest. Tomorrow morning, I will come to pay my respects to Master."

Yan Shu nodded slightly: "Go ahead."

present.

Jiang Rao turned away in despair.

Yan Shu stood there, watching her disciple's back as he walked away. Then she turned around and glanced in the direction of the master's residence, as if she was thinking about something.

……

That day and night.

Jiang Rao's figure, with her face covered by a black veil, quietly left the residence of the true disciples. Like a ghost, she quietly passed through the mountains and forests and came to the vicinity of the Spirit Beast Garden in the back mountain.

It's a quiet scene here.

Arriving at a fenced area housing spiritual cranes, Jiang Rao paused, glanced around, and then tapped a certain dark pattern with a steady rhythm of three long and two short beats. The rockery quietly shifted half a foot, revealing a secret passage leading to the underground fire chamber—the most secret contact point of the Night Sparrow Sect.

Jiang Rao stepped into the secret passage and arrived at the underground fire room.

A man dressed as a servant disciple woke up from his sleep with a start. When he saw the jade pattern drawn on Jiang Rao's palm, he suddenly came to his senses and immediately turned over and knelt on the ground:

"[Yequemen] spy Gui Qi, meeting with the Sect Master."

As a secret agent of the Night Sparrow Sect, Gui Qi has been lurking in the Tianyuan Sword Sect for eight years, and he joined the sect even earlier than the undercover agent Jiang Rao.

During these eight years, he did not pass on intelligence to the Yeque Sect very often, only a few times, but all of them were crucial information.

And now, it was the first time that he encountered someone contacting him in this way.

That elusive "master"...

It's actually on Tianyuan Mountain?!

Could it be a certain Tianyuan Sword Sect elder? !

Jiang Rao saw what was in Gui Qi's mind, but ignored it. He just spoke in a slightly hoarse voice, "What's going on with the Falling Star Valley?"

"Falling Star Valley?"

Gui Qi was stunned for a moment, then realized that they were talking about the Qingxuan Sect, so he responded, "Reporting to the Sect Master, it is like this..."

It has been some time since the battle in Falling Star Valley.

The Qingxuan Sect didn't immediately announce the outcome of the battle. However, since this incident involved two of the four righteous sects and six demonic sects, and a "Demon Lord" was suspected of having fallen, it wasn't long before the relevant news was noticed by those with ulterior motives and spread widely.

The Qingxuan Sect was a little nervous about this and even tried to block the news.

Because they haven't figured out what the stone tablet with the words "Qingxuan loses three sons" means, they are worried that the Blood Kite Demon Lord has other plans and might come to seek revenge. Although they didn't see the person who left the stone tablet, the Taoist rhyme revealed in the handwriting is at least at the level of the Spirit Transformation Realm, which makes it difficult for them not to feel frightened.

However, as time went by and Bai Yuan and his group still did not show up, they gradually put their minds at ease and began to allow the rumor that "Blood Yuan is dead" to spread, hoping to observe the situation.

In private, the Qingxuan Sect also secretly contacted the other three orthodox sects, especially the Tianyuan Sword Sect, according to the previous plan, informing them of the truth about their heavy losses and seeking their help.

Although Qingxuanmen did not disclose more specific details of the battle.

However, through the mess in Falling Star Valley, some experts can also guess a thing or two -

"That day, the eleven elders of the Qingxuan Sect formed the 'Twelve Constellations Soul-Locking Formation.' Qing Lingzi wielded the Zhenhai Sword and swung it three times. After the battle, they found the demon's flesh and clothing, but no body. It's suspected that both his body and soul were destroyed."

"Also, the Yinyue Sect's mountain gate was also breached by the Qingxuan Sect. However, the whereabouts of the 'poisonous Gu Spirit Body' are unknown, and the major sects are currently working hard to find them."

Listening to Gui Qi's story.

Jiang Rao lowered his head and remained silent for a long time: "What else? Master...did that devil leave any last words before he died?"

"This... subordinate doesn't know."

Gui Qi's forehead was covered with sweat. "There are rumors that before Xue Yuan died, he left a message for Qing Lingzi. However, the content of this message is only known to the Qingxuan Sect. It seems that even the Tianyuan Sword Sect has never heard them talk about it."

"……Understood."

Jiang Rao took a deep breath and raised her head slightly.

She knew Bai Yuan's true cultivation level. It wasn't as strong as she had shown in previous instances, at most comparable to the Nascent Soul stage. A confrontation with Shao An from the Blood Source Sect had already resulted in a mutual loss. If Qing Lingzi, a Spiritual Transformation Realm cultivator, had attacked personally, coupled with the [Qingxuan Sea-Suppressing Sword]...

Theoretically, it is indeed difficult for Bai Yuan to survive.

However, since no corpse was found, it means there is still a glimmer of hope for survival.

Even if this hope is very vague.

(That day at the pine forest cabin, I had already mentioned that Qing Lingzi might take action. Although I didn't explicitly mention the [Suppressing Sea Sword], given her... her master's personality, he wouldn't act rashly without adequate preparation. Since he dared to go to Luoxing Valley to keep the appointment, he must have other backup plans...)

(Unfortunately, the 'heart-eating insect' has been removed, and it can no longer be used to find out the woman's whereabouts...)

Jiang Rao sighed inwardly and lowered his eyes: "Send the order, secretly search for the whereabouts of that 'poisonous spirit body'. If you meet her, take her to a safe place and settle her down first. You can use this secret code to gain her trust..." Jiang Rao lowered his voice and said a few words.

——This was the secret code she and Ye Shuang'er agreed upon in the wooden house in the pine forest that day.

Gui Qi nodded: "I will keep this in mind."

present.

Jiang Rao turned and left the Dihuo Palace and returned to the Tianyuan Mountain Cave.

When she was about to reach her residence, she seemed to feel something. She suddenly raised her head and saw a familiar figure standing in the moonlight with a sword in his hand, looking at her quietly. She didn't know how long he had been there, and no expression could be seen on his face.

“…Master?”

Jiang Rao paused, thoughts flashing through his mind like lightning——

Sure enough, her reaction when she heard "Blood Kite was executed" did not escape Yan Shu's eyes.

Normally, she should have stayed at home tonight, avoiding suspicion. However, to confirm the man's situation, she took the risk of going out. She should have anticipated the scene before her.

The master and disciple looked at each other in silence.

After a while.

Yan Shu slowly said, "Where did you go just now?"

"disciple……"

Jiang Rao was speechless.

Yan Shu stepped forward and continued, "During this period, Master Yunfeng sent people to investigate the Jiang family, the Blood Origin Sect, and the Qingming Valley. They unexpectedly obtained a piece of intelligence saying that Yu Qiuming had not been to Cangwu County twenty years ago. At that time, he was committing evil deeds in the Qiuming Mountain area of ​​the East China Sea. In theory, he had no time to save you.

"Instead, it was another demon who was near Cangwu County at that time..."

Having said this, Yan Shu paused, her eyes locked on her disciple. "Also, when you heard the news about the battle in Falling Star Valley today, your expression was obviously different. And this abnormality was probably not directed at Yu Qiuming, but someone else, right? She..."

"What's your relationship with that person from the Hidden Moon Sect? And who was that person you just secretly went to see?!"

"..."

Jiang Rao was silent for a long moment before finally pulling off the scarf, revealing a tear-stained face and a jade hairpin entwined with blood-red threads, weaving through her long black hair. "Master, I have something to hide from you. That is, the master I worshipped in the Demonic Path wasn't actually Yu Qiuming, but... the one from Hidden Moon Mountain."

"Before, I didn't tell you her name, because she once left a secret technique called 'Qian Ji Yin' on me. If I tell you her identity, then..."

Before he could finish his words, Jiang Rao suddenly groaned and knelt on the ground, with dark red blood flowing from the corners of his mouth, leaving poisonous patterns on the ground.

"Rao'er!"

Yan Shu rushed forward and hugged her apprentice who was twitching violently. Then she raised her hand and sent a beam of cold ice sword energy into Jiang Rao's eyebrows, which eased the painful expression on her face. Then she fell into a deep sleep while coughing up blood.

A brief silence.

Then, Yan Shu looked up and looked somewhere beside her.

There, Ling Xiuya and Yun Wuya had quietly appeared, looking at Jiang Rao with scrutiny.

A faint starlight had already condensed on Yun Wuya's mystical disk, illuminating Jiang Rao's pale face. "Do we need to use soul-searching on this child, Sect Leader, and Master Yanfeng?"

"The rumors spread by the Blood Origin Sect are probably not groundless. Jiang Rao's previous statement did contain some concealment. If we don't understand the cause and effect, especially her connection with the Blood Kite Demon Lord, then even if we want to save her, I'm afraid it will be half the effort... Sect Master, please make a decision soon."

"..."

Ling Xiuya didn't say anything, just looked at Yan Shu.

The latter was silent for a moment, raised his head, and exhaled with difficulty: "Use it. But I have a request.

"'Soul Searching' is a spell that affects the soul. Even if it's Master Yunfeng who does it, it's hard to guarantee it's foolproof. Rao'er is still in her teens, and her soul can't be damaged. So...

"Master Yunfeng, please connect my soul with Rao'er's to share the impact of the Soul Search Technique on her. Also, please let me be the only one to observe the results of the Soul Search."

Yun Wuya looked at Ling Xiuya.

The latter nodded slightly.

then.

Yun Wuya raised the Xuanji Plate, pinched his fingers together, and injected several strands of silver, star-like threads into the master and disciple.

Under the guidance of the soul-searching technique, the deliberately blurred memories in Jiang Rao's mind gradually became clear:

In the Wunian Underground Palace, the girl's life hangs on a thread, but she is saved by the Red Demon Lord with a slash of his sword;

In Qixia Town, facing the ambush of the Blood Origin Sect, the Demon Lord disguised as Yan Shu reappeared and risked his life to help his disciples escape;

In the wooden house on a moonlit night, Bai Yuan personally put a jade hairpin on her head and said, "Parents who love their children will plan for them in the long run."

When the scene turned to the recent secret meeting at the Earth Fire Palace, Yan Shu suddenly swung her sword and cut off the starlight: "Enough!"

Xuan Ji swirled and then bounced up, and was taken back into Yun Wuya's hand.

Ling Xiuya stared at the scattered starlight and slowly said, "What did you see?"

"Seeing my disciple, in order to sever his ties with the devil, willingly endure the pain of having his heart and marrow examined and his soul searched and his spirit taken away."

Yan Shu picked up the unconscious Jiang Rao, her eyes lowered. "The rumors spread by the Demonic Path are just to make us lose our composure. Why take them seriously? From today on, anyone who mentions Jiang Rao's connection with the Demonic Path will be an enemy of the Sixth Peak."

After a pause, Yan Shu whispered again, "Also...if the headmaster can get one or two pieces of that demon's clothing from the Falling Star Valley...please send them to my Bingpo Peak.

"No matter what, Rao'er and she were once master and disciple. Even though it was an ill-fated relationship, we should say goodbye."

……

Yin Yue Sect, the sect leader's bedroom.

Within the restriction.

In the secret room.

The girl in red sat cross-legged on the ice jade bed, with pink ripples with peach blossom patterns around her.

——To be precise, she is already a “queen”.

After her second transformation, Bai Yuan's body developed again, reaching the third stage, the form of an adult queen. This is also the form that "Blood Kite Demon Lord" uses most often when appearing in the original plot.

A mature and cold elder sister, coupled with the momentum of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, and the momentum of dominating the world, looks the most intimidating. Often, one glance can make people feel terrified.

now.

As the skills were activated, blood-gold lines began to flow around Bai Yuan's body. A bright red sapling appeared behind her, and a bright, round blood-red pill floated between the branches of the sapling, which was a sign of the golden elixir's perfection!

"call……"

Accompanied by a long exhalation sound.

Bai Yuan slowly opened his eyes, snatched up the wine jar from the air, and raised his head to drink the last sip of the Immortal Brew. The moment the amber liquor entered his throat, the blood-red golden elixir in his dantian suddenly lit up, and six golden lines appeared on its surface, the mark of a seventh-grade golden elixir!

From foundation building to the seventh level of golden elixir, ordinary cultivators need to spend ten or even dozens of years of hard practice to reach this level, but she only took ninety-one days, three months.

The cultivation speed is dozens or even hundreds of times faster than that of ordinary people!

This is the value of the "Innate Tao Body"!

Of course, if we only rely on the "innate Taoist body", the improvement is actually not that exaggerated.

To this, we also have to take into account the 70% bonus provided by [Drunken Immortal Wine] and the valuable cultivation experience left by his predecessor "Blood Kite", which allowed Bai Yuan to avoid many detours and basically practiced smoothly all the way without encountering any difficulties.

“…Let’s stop here for now.”