Chapter 600: Complete Descent into Darkness

The spirit pill that Lan Huilin's master had given her wasn't made of a healing spiritual herb. It was more like a stimulant that forcibly activated a cultivator's "adrenaline." Swallowing it would keep one's aura full, but it would kill them half an hour later.

The entire chain of events was extremely clear now.

The Fengli Sect had meticulously planned everything. First, they arranged for four disciples to appear before the Xinghai Sect's assembled immortals. Then, when the four left Fengmo, they launched a surprise attack, staging a self-wounding stratagem.

Lan Huilin's role was to divert the disaster to the Xinghai Sect. She sought aid from the Xinghai Sect to tie it to the matter. Afterward, due to her severe injuries, she was supposed to die in the sect's premises, effectively silencing the only one who knew the entire plan among the four disciples.

The fact that a disciple of the Fengli Sect's sect master had died in the Xinghai Sect would've become indisputable, too. The Fengli Sect would use this to stir up trouble, questioning and coercing the Xinghai Sect until it no longer had any choice but to join forces with the Fengli Sect. Together, they would confront the Celestial Wind Sect—the supposed instigator—and proceed with the next steps from there.

The Fengli Sect sacrificed two of its sect master's disciples, or rather, two decorative vases used to win over male cultivators. In exchange, they could take the initiative in the joint effort with the Xinghai Sect. It was certainly an extremely shrewd scheme.

When Lan Huilin woke up again, her eyes remained somewhat vacant. Her eye sockets were sunken, and her expression was gloomy, as though she were a wooden carving.

She spoke haltingly and in an extremely weak tone, yet she laid out every detail of the plan she knew.

Yao Xingzi, Lishang, and the Xinghai Sect's thirteen most senior elders were all standing around the bed, each one wearing rather vivid expressions.

Linyuan angrily exclaimed, "How dare the Fengli Sect scheme like this! Do they have some grudge or hatred toward us?!"

Another elder sighed. "This is the misfortune that comes with having valuable assets. The Xinghai Sect now has Vice Sect Master Lishang presiding, yet we are still inevitably targeted like this. It is truly lamentable."

"The Celestial Wind Sect and Fengli Sect both rose by relying on the ancient battlefield, essentially profiting from the dead. Those vicious and ruthless sects are naturally different from us."

Lishang's expression darkened as she turned and started to leave. Yao Xingzi immediately asked, "Lishang, where are you going?"

Coldly, the vice sect master replied, "To Fengli Star. I'm going to question their sect master in person! They deserve to be executed for trying to manipulate our sect!"

"No, you shouldn't." Yao Xingzi sighed. "The Fengli Sect schemed against us by putting on a play for us to see. If we charge straight to their door now, would we not be granting the Celestial Wind Sect its wish?"

Wang Sheng gave his senior sister a look as he added, "I have already captured two of the Fengli Sect's elders. Later, we can use them as leverage to force the Fengli Sect's sect master to come here to talk."

Mu Wanxuan stepped forward and tugged on Lishang's arm, causing the furious look in her eyes to soften considerably. In the end, Lishang returned to her original position.

Meanwhile, light flickered in Yao Xingzi's gaze as he held his divination plate.

"What else do you want to know? I'll tell you everything," Lan Huilin offered.

"How many Heavenly Immortals does the Fengli Sect currently have?" Lishang asked.

"Seven. Among them, four broke through in the last ten thousand years. They're actually far weaker than the Celestial Wind Sect."

Wang Sheng thought for a moment. "From what you know, what is the Fengli Sect's greatest secret?"

Lan Huilin found herself in a difficult position. After all, the Fengli Sect had far too many secrets.

A look of recollection appeared in her eyes, and some clarity finally returned to her dim gaze. "Its greatest secret has to be the fact that the Fengli Sect's supposed kind-hearted sect master and the sect's first three elders reached the thirteen qi stars tens of thousands of years ago. They established the Fengli Sect because they intended to develop power here.

"I can also tell you about its other secrets, such as its treasury, Daoist Canon, and the number of immortals it has per realm."

The elders all looked at Wang Sheng.

Linyuan transmitted, "Elder Pi, what kind of spirit pill did you give Fairy Caiwei? Why does she hate the Fengli Sect so deeply now?"

"It's probably something along the lines of deep love turning into deep hatred," Wang Sheng replied.

Quick to catch on, Linyuan secretly gave Wang Sheng a thumbs-up.

Yao Xingzi shook his sleeve. "Elders, let us go to the front palace to discuss matters together. Elder Pi, stay here and watch over Fairy Caiwei. We don't have to know too much about their private affairs."

Yao Xingzi and Lishang led the elders away together, leaving only Wang Sheng, Mu Wanxuan, and Lan Huilin, whose eyes were somewhat unfocused.

Wang Sheng said, "You should stay and cultivate in the Xinghai Sect from now on. I can arrange a scenario to help you fake your death."

Lan Huilin softly replied, "Thank you, but there is no need. This may be impertinent of me, but I'd like to make a request."

Wang Sheng folded his arms. "What is it? Let me be clear: I'll hear you out, but I can't promise I'll agree."

"Send me to the Celestial Wind Sect." Ruthless resolve flashed in Lan Huilin's eyes. "The Fengli Sect has betrayed me, so I will also betray it in return! "The Xinghai Sect may not be interested in what I can offer, but the Celestial Wind Sect may be. I'll make sure the Fengli Sect never experiences peace again, and I'll show my master's true colors to more of its members! That hypocritical celestial sect has to collapse and fall apart!"

Wang Sheng and Mu Wanxuan exchanged a look, both seeing helplessness in each other's eyes.

Wang Sheng had witnessed the entire process of Lan Huilin's drastic change in temperament, from the blood mine all the way to today. She trusted her master and would've willingly given her life to protect her sect, yet they still betrayed her again and again. Her fate was truly extremely miserable.

From every perspective, Lan Huilin's defection to the Celestial Wind Sect was a relatively good outcome for the Xinghai Sect, Wang Sheng, and Earth's cultivators. After all, it would intensify the conflict between the Celestial Wind Sect and the Fengli Sect, very likely triggering a great war between them. The Xinghai Sect could use this opportunity to unify Fengmo and focus on stable development.

Still, Wang Sheng frowned and asked, "Have you truly thought this through? I will neither persuade nor stop you."

Lan Huilin laughed bitterly. She then bent forward on the bed and knelt toward Wang Sheng. "My decision is final; I simply beg that you grant it! I don't know how else to repay you for saving my life time and time again, from the blood mine to this day.

"This is also the only way for a small True Immortal like me to pry at the great mountain that the Fengli Sect has become! I have to borrow the Celestial Wind Sect's blade to vent the hatred in my heart, tell my martial sisters that they're being deceived, and show them my master's true colors!"

Mu Wanxuan clearly couldn't bear it. "Junior Brother..."

Wang Sheng patted the back of her hand, signaling that she need not intervene. He then replied, "This journey will likely be filled with hardship. The Celestial Wind Sect is not benevolent, either."

Lan Huilin softly replied, "Even if I use every malicious scheme, ruin my reputation, and die a miserable death, I still won't regret this!"

Wang Sheng slowly nodded.

Beside him, Mu Wanxuan was at a loss for words. She simply observed her junior brother's somewhat complicated expression.

"Let's go. I will send you to the ancient battlefield," Wang Sheng finally replied. "From here on out, you have to walk the path ahead of you alone."

"I, Lan Huilin, swear from this day forth that I will never betray you in the slightest!"

Wang Sheng waved his hand and used voice transmission to report the matter to Yao Xingzi. Yao Xingzi merely nodded.

A short while later, the Shadowless Shuttle left Fengmo and sped toward the ancient battlefield. Along the way, Wang Sheng gave Lan Huilin several alchemical pills for healing and immortal power restoration to ensure she wouldn't die from her injuries once inside the ancient battlefield.

When the Shadowless Shuttle rushed into the ancient battlefield's edge, Wang Sheng said, "There is actually no need to be so extreme. In your condition, I fear you won't be able to leave the Celestial Wind Sect alive."

Already wearing a cloak, Lan Huilin smiled bitterly. "The endless space is vast, yet it no longer has a place for me."

"Alright."

The Shadowless Shuttle stopped in an area dense with planet fragments. Lan Huilin pulled her hood down and jumped out through the shuttle door. She then turned her head and glanced at Wang Sheng, revealing a trace of a bitter smile before leaping straight into the dark forest.

The Shadowless Shuttle remained in place for a short while. Only after Lan Huilin flew beyond Wang Sheng's immortal perception range did it turn around and head back toward Fengmo.

Yaoyun drifted out from Wang Sheng's sleeve and lightly asked, "Aren't you afraid of letting the tiger return to the mountains?"

"Just as she said, what can she really do with her strength?" Wang Sheng looked at his senior sister. He then took out a pot of celestial wine and two luminous cups from the Qiankun Ring. "Senior Sister, drink a few cups with me."

Mu Wanxuan had been resting her chin on one hand, staring absentmindedly in the direction Lan Huilin had left. She gently nodded.

Yaoyun was supposed to be a spiritual entity, yet at that moment, she also said, "Get a cup for me as well."

Surprised, Wang Sheng asked, "You can drink?"

Yaoyun snorted, picked up the cup of wine in front of Wang Sheng, and drank it in one gulp.

Wang Sheng's eyes widened. He immediately turned sideways and looked under Yaoyun.

It didn't leak? How does that even work?

Yaoyun said, "I am now the sword itself. I naturally have a physical form. Why would I not be able to drink?"

Wang Sheng was rendered speechless.

Astonished, Mu Wanxuan exclaimed softly, "

Oh!

"

Although Yaoyun's explanation sounded quite reasonable, a sword drinking alcohol still seemed a bit shocking to the world.

Moreover, it naturally presented a question.

Where would the wine go?

***

Three days after Lan Huilin left.

The Xinghai Sect's bells rang three times, and several hundred streaks of light converged.

In the Xinghai Sect's main palace, the two Fengli Sect elders whom Wang Sheng had captured were covered in immortal talismans. With quite gloomy expressions, they merely stood still with their heads lowered, avoiding eye contact with the Xinghai Sect cultivators around them.

All around the great palace were the Xinghai Sect's elders, disciples, and Protectors. The great palace was already filled with people, most of whom glared at them angrily.

What was somewhat piercingly ironic was that Lan Huilin, a discarded disciple, had strictly guarded the Fengli Sect's secrets before turning dark and betraying her sect. Yet these two elders, under the coercive pressure that Lishang released, quickly confessed the Fengli Sect's entire scheme in full.

They likely reasoned that as Heavenly Immortals, the Fengli Sect wouldn't dare punish them severely. Now that they were prisoners, their own survival was their only priority.

The old woman said, "Although the Fengli Sect did involve you in its scheme, it was only to deal with Celestial Wind. We wished to join hands with your esteemed sect and had no intention of targeting your sect. I ask all of you to show mercy, considering it hasn't been easy for the two of us to reach this realm of cultivation."

"You flatter us," Wang Sheng lightly said. "We wouldn't dare humiliate or bully you. After all, you are elders of the Fengli Sect. I brought you here merely because Fengmo has been unstable recently, and we wish for you to be well protected within the sect. How about the two of you write a letter for now? We can contact the Fengli Sect and have it send some people to bring you back."

"That's... There is actually no need. We can—"

Wang Sheng's eyes flashed like lightning as he glared at the old woman.

The old woman instinctively lowered her head and avoided Wang Sheng's gaze. Her cultivation was a whole realm higher than Wang Sheng's, yet at that moment, she looked like a mortal encountering a ghost.

Wang Sheng's few sword strikes had likely stunned her senseless.

The young lady softly sighed. "Fine. We'll write it now..."

The thirteen qi planets soon gained another strange tale that many unaffiliated practitioners eagerly discussed.

The Fengli Sect attempted to scheme against the Xinghai Sect, forcing it to join forces against the Celestial Wind Sect. However, Pi Kachew, a True Immortal Realm elder of the Xinghai Sect, thwarted their sect's entire scheme and captured two Heavenly Immortal Realm elders while they were on the way to Fengmo—all by himself. The Fengli Sect had essentially lifted a stone only to smash its own foot.

𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The only things anyone really talked about were how terrifyingly strong Wang Sheng was and how pathetically weak the Fengli Sect's Heavenly Immortals had turned out to be.

In the end, the Fengli Sect still sent three elders, generous gifts, and the sect master's handwritten letter to get its two Heavenly Immortals back. Its reputation suffered greatly as a result.

However, its troubles had only just begun.

Three months later, a gray-cloaked Lan Huilin appeared on Tianfeng, barged straight into the Celestial Wind Sect's mountain gate, and declared herself a disciple of the Fengli Sect's sect master.