Chapter 92: Chapter 92: Figuring Out a Situation by Deflection
When Shi Xiaole rushed back to the Huajian Sect, he found that the atmosphere in the sect was rather strange.
In the vast gate of the mountain, there weren’t as many disciples as usual. Even the usually bustling martial arts training ground was deserted at the moment.
"Senior Brother Shi, you’re back."
A few disciples who were passing by saw Shi Xiaole and immediately approached him, their faces filled with unease.
"What’s going on? Has something happened?"
Shi Xiaole asked, puzzled.
The disciples pulled Shi Xiaole aside and one of them said, "Senior Brother Shi, have you just returned from outside? Alas, recently a master from the Devil Path has been causing chaos in Mountain Luyan, a lot of people have been killed, and people are afraid to venture out alone during the day."
"A master of the Devil Path?"
Shi Xiaole was taken aback.
Ever since ancient times, the Righteous and Evil Paths have been incompatible. In the Flying Horse Dynasty, masters of the Devil Path and Righteous Path are inevitably at odds with each other.
From a population standpoint, the Righteous Path certainly had an advantage.
Nevertheless, the martial arts of the Devil Path typically took unorthodox paths, often developing faster than those of the Righteous Path. Furthermore, because those of the Devil Path practiced with no restraint, their average strength could actually be much higher than that of the Righteous Path.
This is why the conflict between the Righteous and Devil Paths had been a close match for hundreds of generations.
It was only until more than six hundred years ago that the Righteous Path, under the lead of the strongest martial artist in the Flying Horse Dynasty - the Martial Emperor, was able to severely injure the Devil Path, bringing a rare period of calm.
In recent years, masters of the Devil Path had never dared to appear openly. Any hint of their existence would lead to them being ruthlessly pursued and attacked by the Righteous Path.
Shi Xiaole could not believe that a master of the Devil Path had appeared in Mountain Luyan.
"Senior Brother Shi, at first we didn’t believe it either, but the state of those who were killed... it’s too horrifying! All the blood and bones in their bodies seemed to have been drained out. After the Sect Master and others examined them, they confirmed that it was the work of the Devil Path."
As the disciples spoke these words, all of them shivered.
"What’s more, in just a few days, dozens of people from the thirteen sects of Luyan have died inexplicably. Even last night, the Sect Masters of the Flying Leg Sect and the Finger Flicking Sect were killed."
This news made Shi Xiaole suddenly realize that the situation was far more serious than he had thought.
If there really was a master of the Devil Path, then all the thirteen Luyan sects had probably become the latter’s prey.
After speaking with the disciples, Shi Xiaole went straight to the residence of Yu Fangge and found Yu Fangge, the Second Elder, and three direct disciples all there.
"Junior Brother, you’re finally back."
Xiao Yuanbo and the others came forward.
"Xiaole, don’t wander around recently, and if you need to go out, have some brothers go with you to avoid any accidents."
It was rare for Yu Fangge to show such a serious expression.
Shi Xiaole initially intended to say goodbye, but given the current situation, he found it difficult to speak those words. He couldn’t possibly leave the sect alone when it was in trouble, could he?
After thinking for a while, he decided to stay and see what happens. If he could resolve the situation, that would be best. If not, at least he would have done his part without feeling guilty towards Yu Fangge.
"Has there been any progress?"
Shi Xiaole asked.
"We only know that it’s a master from the Devil Path, and his skills are likely unfathomable."
Yu Fangge answered gravely.
According to the disciples of the Flying Leg Sect and the Finger Flicking Sect, the rooms of the fallen Sect Masters were silent at the time of the incidents.
One can imagine what level of strength was required to render these two Sect Masters, both at the second level of Qi Absorption, completely powerless to fight back.
The most horrifying thing was, as analyzed by Yu Fangge and others based on the corpses, the killer was believed to be cultivating a kind of devil technique that absorbed others’ essence.
Such a technique could accelerate the enhancement of one’s abilities at an astonishing rate.
As such, currently the entire thirteen sects of Mountain Luyan were gripped by panic. Even in broad daylight, not many people dared to go out. They gathered in groups of three or five, sharing news with each other.
"I have discussed with the other Sect Masters, and we decided to gather all the people from the thirteen sects together from tomorrow. In that way, the hidden enemy might be deterred to some extent. Even if they dare to strike, others will be able to react."
Yu Fangge revealed their plans to cope with the situation, yet sighed endlessly.
Such an incident had occurred in Mountain Luyan, and naturally, the Sect Masters had sent people down the mountain for help after discussion, but unfortunately, they had not received any word back. They didn’t know where the problem lay.
Shi Xiaole stood aside, silent.
He didn’t know why, but he had this weird sixth sense that the true nature of this incident was neither as complicated nor as dangerous as it seemed.
That night, the people from the thirteen sects were led by their own masters and gathered together in a grand procession.
Because it was the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, everyone was quite comfortable outdoors. Plus, with so many people, everyone felt somewhat braver, and those who knew each other or not, quickly started to chat.
"Brother Shi."
A few people approached him near Shi Xiaole.
It was none other than Qi Guang, Qi Hui, and Zhao Molan from the Duster Gate.
Qi Hui looked at Shi Xiaole, his eyes filled with complexity.
Back in the day, out of jealousy, he had deliberately made things difficult for Shi Xiaole several times. Now that he considered the gap between them, it was truly ridiculous.
Perhaps, right from the start, Shi Xiaole had never considered him a competitor at all.
While the three people approached, many others also willingly came over.
Shi Xiaole’s fame in the Martial World now completely overshadowed that of several Sect Masters. He was renowned as the top figure of Mountain Luyan and was naturally an individual many disciples were keen to associate with and get to know.
"Junior Brother Shi, long time no see."
Before he knew it, Chu Lin also walked over, his demeanor calm and composed.
Their gazes met, and Shi Xiaole quietly furrowed his eyebrows.
Was it his imagination, or did Chu Lin give off a vibe of outward righteousness but inward evil? His behavior hadn’t changed at all from before, but it just didn’t feel right.
The stronger a person’s mind and spirit, the more accurate their intuition tends to be.
Shi Xiaole recalled what happened in the underground space and became wary of Chu Lin. On the surface, however, he maintained a nonchalant appearance.
The night passed uneventfully.
The next day, a piercing scream shattered the dawn.
"What’s happening?"
Many people were roused by the noise and looked towards the direction it came from.
Several sect masters and elders rushed out immediately. As they took in the scene before them, they froze in place, their faces turning grim.
Two shriveled corpses lay amidst a group of young girls. Their faces were twisted in terror, teeth bared, as if they’d been sucked dry.
"The devil path monster has struck again. Good heavens! He was able to deceive everyone. His abilities must be beyond imagination."
An elder murmured to himself. If it weren’t for his pride and fear of venturing alone, he would have fled down the mountain.
At this rate, who knows who will be next?
The others felt a chill running from their heads to their toes.
They thought they would spot some clues with more people around, but the devil had struck again unnoticed.
In the following hours, screams echoed incessantly as more drained bodies were discovered, plunging the thousands of attendees into chaos.
Especially the female disciples, their faces turned pale and they huddled together.
"Sect Master, let’s head down the mountain as a group. Once we reach Emerald Feather City, I bet the devil wouldn’t dare to act recklessly."
"Yes, if we don’t leave now, we’ll all die here."
The disciples of various sects echoed in agreement.
At this point, they weren’t concerned with losing face. Even if they were laughed at by the martial world of Emerald Feather City, it was better than losing their lives.
"Nonsense! The road down the mountain is treacherous. It’s an opportunity for the devil to strike. If you all want to die, then leave on your own."
The master of the Changfeng Sect, Lei Lie, roared angrily, silencing the others.
"I suggest that a few sect masters personally descend and seek aid from the righteous experts in the nearby martial world."
In the ensuing silence, Shi Xiaole suddenly proposed his suggestion.
"This plan won’t work!"
Without a second thought, Lei Lie immediately rebuffed.
Given his current abilities, he could barely handle two sect masters. If several sect masters descended together, he wouldn’t be able to stop them. And if he called Chu Lin to accompany him, he’d risk arousing the suspicions of those who were observing closely.
"Why not?"
Shi Xiaole asked.
Lei Lie’s fleeting panic didn’t escape his gaze.
"You ignorant fool! If the sect masters all leave, who’s going to protect the people here? If anything happens, can you take responsibility? Or do you have ulterior motives, and this is just a ploy to distract us?"
Lei Lie stared coldly at Shi Xiaole, a sinister grin appearing on his face.
"Lei Sect Master, what do you mean?"
Before Shi Xiaole could respond, Yu Fangge interjected indignantly.
Even a fool could understand Lei Lie’s insinuations. He was clearly trying to pin the blame on Shi Xiaole.
"What do I mean? You never truly know someone. Yu Fangge, I advise you to be careful, lest you get stabbed in the back."
Lei Lie’s gaze shifted and he casually remarked, "This Shi fellow, his martial art skills have been advancing incredibly fast since half a year ago. Who knows what methods he’s using."
At his words, the expressions of many present changed.
Everyone knew now that the covert Devil Path master practiced a forbidden martial art that absorbed the essence of others and converted it into his own power, allowing him to advance much faster than others.
Just five or six months ago, Shi Xiaole was an ordinary person. His sudden progress was indeed abnormal.
Although there were rumors from the Golden Phoenix Tower that Shi Xiaole had found a master, the vague details only aroused more suspicion.
A glint flashed through Chu Lin’s eyes. "Brother Shi," he said, "I believe you’re innocent. Why not share your encounter and clear any unnecessary doubts?"
All eyes fell on Shi Xiaole.
Actually, most people spotted the holes in Lei Lie’s argument, but they didn’t speak up, curious to see how Shi Xiaole would react.
Mainly because Shi Xiaole’s progress was too rapid, arousing their curiosity.
Shi Xiaole glanced at the smug Lei Lie, then at Chu Lin, who put on a righteous facade as if he had Shi Xiaole’s best interests at heart, and said flatly, "Why should I explain anything? Believing me or not is up to you."
Chu Lin sneered internally, feigning regret, "Brother Shi, such talk is unfair. We all stand united against our common enemy, yet you hide a secret. Could it be that there’s something you dare not say?"
"Brother Shi, I’m also very curious about your rapid progress. For the sake of our common purpose, why not tell us how you managed it?"
"Yes, if you’re acting fair and square, why hesitate in telling us?"
With both Lei Lie and Chu Lin speaking out, some of the Changfeng Sect disciples who were envious of Shi Xiaole added fuel to the figurative fire, pressuring him.
