Chapter 431: Extermination of the Tu Family—Not Even Chickens or Dogs Will Be Spared!

“Sword Pavilion disciples, face the enemy!”

At that moment, the bell resounding within the gates of the Sword Pavilion rang louder than ever. One Foundation Establishment True Person after another soared out on streams of escape light, attempting to mend the breach in the mountain-protecting grand array.

However, how could the True Persons of the Saint Sect who had charged in possibly allow that?

For a time, it was truly a case of each Immortal displaying their divine abilities—once the Saint Sect True Persons entered the array, they immediately employed all manner of filthy, destructive methods to sabotage the formation.

The entire Sword Pavilion was thrown into complete chaos.

“What exactly is going on.?”

Among them were some True Persons who, having been in closed-door cultivation and knowing nothing of the outside world, were utterly bewildered at the sudden upheaval. Their first reaction was—

“Where is the Demon-Suppressing True Person?”

Such questions echoed throughout the Sword Pavilion.

After all, if the Demon-Suppressing True Person were still around, seated atop Extreme Heaven Cliff, suppressing the world with a single sword, even the Saint Sect True Persons wouldn’t dare to storm in so brazenly.

Just what had happened?

“Patriarch Ye!”

A Sword Pavilion True Person, unaware of the situation, rushed to Ye Shaoying’s side and asked, “Has the Demon-Suppressing True Person gone into seclusion? Hurry and call him out!”

“Indeed!”

Another Sword Pavilion True Person chimed in, even sounding somewhat resentful. “The Demon-Suppressing True Person was far too careless. How could he suddenly go into seclusion without a word?”

Just a few simple words made Ye Shaoying purse his lips, uncertain how to respond. But this kind of thing couldn’t be concealed, so he braced himself and gritted his teeth.

“The Demon-Suppressing True Person… has defected from the Sword Pavilion. He even wounded the Evil-Banishing True Person. Fellow Daoists, do not count on him any longer!”

As soon as those words fell, absolute silence ensued.

All the Sword Pavilion True Persons who heard it stood frozen on the spot, as though they had heard something utterly incomprehensible, their expressions blank.

The Demon-Suppressing True Person defected from the Sword Pavilion?

What kind of sick joke was that!

And yet, everyone knew Ye Shaoying wasn’t someone who would spout nonsense about such matters. So no matter how unbelievable it sounded, they all knew—it was likely true.

Thus, the next question arose:

‘What should we do now?’

The Demon-Suppressing True Person had defected, and even injured the Evil-Banishing True Person. Didn’t that mean the Sword Pavilion no longer had even a single Foundation Establishment consummate cultivator?

Only now, seeing the bewilderment on so many Sword Pavilion True Persons’ faces, did Ye Shaoying truly understand the extent of the Demon-Suppressing True Person’s influence.

Before, everyone thought he was pedantic, antisocial, a misfit in the Sword Pavilion.

But now, he was gone.

And for a moment, no one knew how to respond.

They had always relied on him to act, and now that he was gone, everything he had carried suddenly fell onto their own shoulders.

Only now did many of the Sword Pavilion True Persons realize just how deeply the sect had depended on the world’s number one sword cultivator.

Alas, it was too late.

“Rumble!”

Outside the gates of the Sword Pavilion, under the efforts of the Saint Sect True Persons, the rift in the formation was widened further and eventually forced into the shape of a doorway.

“The time is now!”

Only then did Xiang Ye’s figure appear at last, face full of excitement:

“Excellent work, Daoist Friend. In this assault on the Sword Pavilion, you’ve contributed greatly. If we seize their treasure vault, you may choose any three items you wish!”

To breach the Sword Pavilion!

How many acting sect masters of the Saint Sect had dreamed of this, yet never succeeded? Now he had done it—it was unspeakably satisfying!

‘Even better, the Demon-Suppressing one went to the Pure Land, and they won’t come aid the Sword Pavilion—they’ve got troubles of their own.

As for the Dao Court? Hah, mere watchdogs, guarding their tiny patch of land—they definitely won’t interfere. This time, I’ll make a killing!’

The resources to attain the Golden Core might just be here!

Thinking that, Xiang Ye couldn’t wait a moment longer. He dashed in even faster than Lü Yang, vanishing into the Sword Pavilion in the blink of an eye to start his plundering.

‘Everything’s gone chaotic now.’

On the other side, Lü Yang remained calm. Seeing the disorder, he actually withdrew his divine abilities, concealed his form, and silently descended.

Though Xiang Ye was somewhat familiar with the Sword Pavilion, being an old nemesis, the locations he headed for were only those likely to hide precious treasures.

But how could that compare to Lü Yang, a Sword Pavilion seed of the purest pedigree?

He was the one who truly knew where all the treasures were!

What’s more, he had an inside helper.

Descending, Lü Yang quickly arrived at a secluded spot. There, a formation parted, and a slender figure poked her head out.

“Master… this way!”

It was True Person Xiuxin!

Unlike with the Yun Family Ancestor, this particular 【String-Pulled Puppet】 had not been used in a long time. Yet now, it was serving as the perfect trump card!

The reason was simple.

True Person Xiuxin was a guest elder of the Ye Family!

In other words, she knew the location of the Ye Family’s territory within the Sword Pavilion, as well as the formation access. With her help, Lü Yang could charge in unimpeded!

“Go. Lead the way!”

Without hesitation, Lü Yang entered through the formation opening Xiuxin had created. He changed his appearance and followed her as they stealthily advanced.

Soon enough, they ran into a Ye Family True Person returning from battle. The man, clearly in a hurry, spotted Xiuxin and Lü Yang moving against the flow of the crowd and immediately descended with a shout:

“Xiuxin! The enemy is at the gates. Why are you fleeing the battle?”

True Person Xiuxin quickly explained, “Elder, you misunderstand—”

“No need to say more!”

The Ye Family True Person furrowed his brow and said coldly, “In such perilous times, you disobey family orders. Suspicious! Come with me and redeem yourself through merit!”

Even as he spoke, he calculated in his heart:

‘The situation is dire, and these demonic cultivators are savage. I might not survive alone. I’ll bring Xiuxin with me—if needed, she can die to save me.’

After all, she was just a guest elder.

And guest elders were meant for this sort of thing. If she died, well, they could just reincarnate her and give her a side-branch Ye identity again.

All things considered, she’d still owe them for the opportunity.

But just then, a man stepped out from behind Xiuxin and raised his head, revealing a smiling, handsome face.

‘Who is this—’

Before he could finish the thought, the man’s appearance shifted.

“Boom!”

Lü Yang’s figure vanished, replaced by a towering demonic image with three heads and six arms, standing tall and vast, green-faced and fang-toothed, staring him down!

【Heaven-Overseeing, All-Encompassing】!

This second-grade true cultivation technique had already been cultivated to its second stage by him—thanks to Hong Ju, who had surprisingly remembered Lü Yang’s previous instructions.

They had met again, and Hong Ju had secretly delivered a thread of Qi from the 【Ten Thousand Martial Realms】!

With this second infusion, Lü Yang had finally shed his 【Dharma Body】—his true body and dharma body had now fully merged, able to shift and scatter at will, with no more distinction between the two!

“You!?”

The Ye Family True Person’s eyes went wide. He had just opened his mouth when the demonic image seized him with one massive hand.

His cultivation was only slightly higher than Xiuxin’s—not even mid-Foundation Establishment—and though he struggled desperately, he was instantly suppressed by the might of the demonic form.

Immediately after, Lü Yang’s aura exploded forth.

“An enemy has infiltrated!”

“How did he get here?! Damn it! Who brought the wolf into the house!?”

Ye Shaoying, who had just fled back home in disarray, nearly fainted upon seeing this. He had been raising a ghost under his own roof without knowing it!

On the other side, Lü Yang strolled forward leisurely.

Behind him, the Myriad Spirits Banner fluttered. The figure of Ancestor Tingyou appeared, and for the first time, that ever-calm face revealed a look of excitement.

‘Ancestor… the time for revenge has come.’

‘That Ye Family True Lord isn’t here—today, we’ll collect some interest first.’

As those words fell, one after another, Banner Spirits stepped forth, in orderly procession, encircling Lü Yang like stars around the moon.

“Pass on my order.”

Lü Yang spoke coolly:

“Exterminate the family. Leave not even chickens or dogs!”