Chapter Sixty-Six: The Sanctimonious Saint

At this moment, he wanted nothing more than to rush to the Li position to salvage the situation, but it was already too late.

The ancient and powerful force of the Azure Dragon crashed heavily against the southwest Li position of the barrier, and its violent energy instantly tore a gaping wound into the formation. Unspent, the might of the Azure Dragon surged onward, barreling straight toward the disciples of Gui Xu within the array.

Caught unprepared, the disciples hastily raised their swords to defend themselves. Yet, before their blade could even complete its arc, the savage sword aura, shaped like a dragon, struck one of them square in the chest. In the blink of an eye, the force pierced through him, leaving behind a gaping hole—a wound so large it seemed both hollow and grotesquely absurd, yet tinged with a chilling horror that spread across the scene.

Such a handsome and promising young disciple of Gui Xu met a tragic and inescapable end beneath the sword aura of the Azure Dragon, his chest impaled by the spectral beast. The spectacle was nothing short of brutal.

Blood gushed from the fist-sized cavity in his chest, spraying through the air like a crimson rain and staining the robes of his fellow Gui Xu disciples a vivid red.

After a long moment, the disciple who had maintained the barrier, having lost its support, plummeted to the ground below. Dust billowed as his body hit the earth, the dull thud echoing like a funeral bell—mercilessly striking at the hearts of all present.

With the guardian dead, the Ninefold Demon-Slaying Sword Array, which had dominated the Wilds for thousands of years, was finally broken.

Yet the one who shattered this legend was nothing more than an unknown youth of sixteen or seventeen!

Exhaling deeply, Bai Mu gazed upon the dreadful and tragic scene before him, his mind already a blank void.

He had killed someone.

And he had done so before the very eyes of the two Holy Sons of the Gui Xu Temple.

If, before today, the accusations against him were but slander, this act of slaughter had now become an undeniable reality.

“Boy, what are you standing there for? The formation is broken—hurry down and escape with the girl!” The mysterious voice inside the Void Cauldron urged him impatiently.

“Oh… oh…” Bai Mu shook his head numbly, forcing his legs to move as he floated down to the open ground below, eagle-like.

With the sword array broken, Ling Yan was free once more. Seeing Bai Mu drift down in a daze, she rushed to his side in concern. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” Bai Mu replied, his gaze empty as he swept over the disheveled Gui Xu disciples, then stared at Ling Yan’s exquisite face, his heart pounding in fright. “Ling Yan, I killed someone—I really killed a disciple of Gui Xu!”

“I know,” Ling Yan replied nonchalantly, glancing at the corpse with the corner of her eye. She shook her head with a wry smile. “You didn’t want to kill, but they brought death upon themselves. Blame lies with them, not you. You needn’t dwell on it. No matter what disaster befalls the Wilds, I will always stand by your side!”

She paused, then added cautiously, “Before the Gui Xu Temple recovers from their shock, let’s escape to Feixian Cliff and seek the protection of the War God Fanxian!”

“No.” Bai Mu shook his head without hesitation. “I can’t just run away. If I flee now, the label of ‘murderous demon’ will stick with me forever. Besides, I did take the life of one of their disciples today—I must stay and explain myself.”

“You’re being foolish!” Ling Yan tried to reason with him. “Do you really think the Gui Xu Temple is a place of fairness?”

“If they were reasonable, none of this bloodshed would have happened! If you stay, those narrow-minded disciples will tear you apart!”

“So what?” Bai Mu’s eyes were distant as he replied calmly, “If I must pay with my life, so be it. I did kill someone, after all.”

“No!” Ling Yan’s face grew stern as she interrupted firmly. “You are not to throw your life away for something that wasn’t your fault. If they hadn’t trapped you in the sword array, this never would have happened. The real blame lies with those fools from the Gui Xu Temple. If you die here, the name ‘murderous demon’ will never be cleared, and the people of Dayong, burned in the massacre, as well as the fallen Wushang and Xuan Yuan Sword Saint, will never have justice!”

“That’s right!” At the mention of the burning Dayong and the murdered Wushang, a new will to survive awoke in Bai Mu’s heart.

Perhaps he did owe a life for a life, but before that, he must clear his name.

Otherwise, even in death, he would be cursed and despised in the underworld.

With this thought, Bai Mu let out a long sigh, his voice trembling. “Let’s escape. If we stay on Mount Fuyu any longer, you might lose your life because of me.”

“Aren’t we going to seek Fanxian to help you purge the Azure Dragon sword energy from your body?” Ling Yan asked, confused.

“No.” Bai Mu shook his head. “The Gui Xu Temple never welcomed us from the start, and Fanxian didn’t show himself even when weapons were drawn. Why should we force our way up Feixian Cliff? Besides, this world is vast—I don’t believe only Fanxian knows the sword art to cure my condition!”

“Very well!” Ling Yan gritted her teeth and declared boldly, “Today I’ll fight my way out of Gui Xu with you! If gods or men stand in our way, we’ll cut them down all the same!”

With that, she reached out her jade-like hand and took Bai Mu’s arm, and together they prepared to descend the mountain.

“Stop right there!” A thunderous shout rang out, the sheer force of its sound wave shaking all present—save Ling Yan—to their core. Even Bai Mu’s heart skipped a beat, nearly leaping from his chest.

“What do you want?” Ling Yan asked, meeting the furious gaze of the Venerable Heaven’s Wrath without the slightest fear.

“You slaughtered a disciple of my Gui Xu Temple without cause. Of course, you must pay with your life!” Heaven’s Wrath bellowed, his tiger-like eyes scanning the two youths up and down, as if probing their strength.

Ling Yan raised her delicate brows and let out a cold laugh. “So, if your disciples are killed, you demand a life in return. If we had been the ones to die, who would answer for us?”

“I don’t care!” The elder’s lips curled in a sneer as he retorted, “Spare me your nonsense. In the Wilds, might makes right. If you have the strength, prove it with your sword!”