Ethereal Immortal Sect.
Inside the Great Hall of the Main Peak, the expressions of the numerous elders were unsightly.
Before them lay Immortal Master Qi Yue, who had just fled back from Merit City.
However, Immortal Master Qi Yue was currently in a terrible state.
Half of his body was covered in frost, radiating a chill so intense that the ground beneath him was freezing over, layer by layer.
Most notably, his right leg was completely gone.
The severance was jagged and irregular, sealed by hard ice that stopped the bleeding, leaving only a dark crimson patch visible.
Immortal Master Qi Yue, breathing out clouds of cold air with his dying cold breath, lay on the ground in an utterly wretched state.
"Li Changyao didn't waste a single word. She told me to run, and then she loosed an arrow right at me. She is not simple.
Twenty years ago, she was still at the Nascent Soul realm, but now she has reached the Divinity Transformation realm. And she possesses the Blue phoenix bloodline—that is the Blue phoenix, the Divine Bird Blue phoenix!"
Immortal Master Qi Yue shivered violently, gritting his teeth as he glared at Supreme Elder Puci, who sat cross-legged before him with the composed air of an old god.
It was unclear if the hatred in his eyes was directed at Li Changyao or at this Supreme Elder Puci.
"Supreme Elder, my leg was ruined at Li Changyao's hands; to whom can I appeal for justice? Who was it that sent the Zhao family's Golden Core cultivators up Spirit Mountain?"
"Li Changyao said she intends to destroy our Ethereal Immortal Sect! Not a single one of us will survive; there are no chances left.
Supreme Elder, what are we going to do, Supreme Elder?!!"
As Immortal Master Qi Yue's words fell, the numerous elders of the Ethereal Immortal Sect went into an uproar.
Supreme Elder Puci's white beard trembled visibly. He waved his hand dismissively.
"Elder Qi Yue's mind is in turmoil. Take him away to be healed."
"Yes."
Two elders lifted Immortal Master Qi Yue, but Qi Yue still shouted viciously at the crowd, "Supreme Elder, the Li family will be attacking any moment now! You must hurry and prepare the sect!"
As he was gradually carried away from the Main Peak, Elder Qi Yue stared intently at his own thigh, clenching his jaw tight.
Then, he looked back toward the Main Peak with unceasing hatred. "Go and fight to the death! It would be best if not a single one of you beasts survives!"
He was truly terrified.
Li Changyao's arrow was far more ruthless and powerful than the one she used against him back when she saddled him with the name "Little Yueyue."
How much time had really passed? And yet, Li Changyao didn't even rank among the top of the Li family.
After all these years, the Li family of today was no longer the clan that had struggled desperately for survival at Prince Qian's Mansion!
...
"Supreme Elder."
The faces of the numerous Ethereal Immortal Sect elders were filled with panic.
One of them addressed Supreme Elder Puci with a grave expression:
"The Li family's Li Changyao is too domineering! Our Ethereal Immortal Sect went there to mediate, yet Li Changyao maimed the Seventh Elder to such an extent.
She truly holds no regard for our Ethereal Immortal Sect!"
"The Seventh Elder was right. We must make preparations now."
"Hmph! The Duravia Trade Prefecture has the Zhao Clan. Does the Li clan actually think they can destroy our Dao lineage?"
"This matter requires further discussion."
"..."
Supreme Elder Puci lowered his gaze in thought.
Although they belonged to the same sect, having just seen Immortal Master Qi Yue's expression, he feared there was a discrepancy between what actually transpired at the Li family negotiations and Qi Yue's verbal account.
If the Li family had truly wanted to harm Immortal Master Qi Yue, he likely would never have walked out of Merit City—that dragon's pool and tiger's den.
The First Elder, wearing a wooden hairpin, seemed to have realized the crux of the matter as well.
He said, "Supreme Elder, the fact that the Seventh Elder could return was likely Li Changyao's intention.
Although rumors paint this woman as lawless and unruly, if she were truly so, she could not have served so openly as the Head of the Hall of Heavenly Principle's Shadow Division for all these years."
Supreme Elder Puci's brow, tight for so long, finally relaxed slightly, and he signaled for the First Elder to continue.
"Li Changyao is stating her position to us.
If she wishes for us to continue our lineage in the Duravia Trade Prefecture, then we can remain safe and sound for hundreds, even thousands of years.
But if she truly does not wish it, just as she crippled the Seventh Elder's leg, she would dare to take our lives as well."
The First Elder gave a faint smile. "The incident has already occurred, but the calamity need not extend to our entire Ethereal Immortal Sect.
She merely wants an accounting, and at the same time, she wants us to..."
Before the First Elder could finish, one of the other elders snorted.
"We have the Zhao Clan at our backs. If the Li family dares to come, then my Ethereal Immortal Sect dares to fight!"
"Oh?" The First Elder glanced at the elder who had spoken.
"Sixth Elder, I hear you have been walking quite closely with the Zhao family recently.
The matter on Spirit Mountain involves many factors; it seems we will still need to investigate it thoroughly."
"You..." The Sixth Elder's gaze darted about evasively.
"Enough." The Supreme Elder waved his hand.
"The Sixth Elder is right, but this matter is of great importance.
The Li family is sure to take action.
This poor Daoist needs to give it further thought.
You may all withdraw for now. First Elder, you stay."
"Supreme Elder."
Only the two elders remained on this vast Main Peak. The First Elder's voice was grave.
"Li Changyao's arrow also represents that the Li family has made up its mind.
In your view, will the Li family truly move against the unknown Zhao Clan for the sake of a mere junior?
Even we, who walk so closely with the Zhao Clan, do not know the Zhao Clan's full details."
"Ai." Supreme Elder Puci sighed.
"This poor Daoist also went to the Zhao Clan. The Zhao people are stupid to the extreme.
The Xianhe lineage is one of the Zhao Clan's three main lineages; that Zhao Jingmiao is dead set on protecting those three juniors, regardless of right or wrong.
That Fairy Bai told this poor Daoist that the Ethereal Immortal Sect needs to decide which side we stand on."
"Which means..."
The First Elder's expression changed drastically. "Are these two great families really going to go to war?"
"Mm." Supreme Elder Puci gave a bitter smile.
"The Zhao family has gained the Crown Prince's aid.
As long as the Li family dares to step into the Zhao family's Immortal Domain, I fear even the Grand Tutor and the Imperial Preceptor will be unable to interfere.
They no longer fear those so-called backers of the Li family. And we, too, must choose one side."