The newly teleported Nascent Soul cultivators were still dazed when a warning rang by their ears:
"Everyone, be careful. Do not let the evil souls get close. Cut them down to the last one."
Lin Keyang and Zhang Lingrui exchanged a glance. At once, they locked onto Yunxi's position. The two flickered over to Yunxi's side, then stood back to back with Yunxi, clearing out the evil souls converging on them.
Wei Yunqing had been pushed to the margins. Although Wei Yunqing fumed, Wei Yunqing knew this was not the time to argue. There was still a contingency Yunxi had planted inside Wei Yunqing's dantian. Wei Yunqing was certain that the moment Wei Yunqing acted out of line, the dantian would be shredded.
Fortunately, the Nascent Soul cultivators sent to the tournament were all veterans of many battles. Their reactions were swift. They quickly found the squads for their respective regions and began displaying their various arts, slaughtering the evil souls.
Yunxi gripped the Seven Stars Soul-Shattering Staff. Yunxi used lightning arts as the main offense. With a single move, "Mighty Thunderfall," Yunxi cleared a wide swath, making Yunxi the most efficient cultivator on the field.
The cultivators from the other four regions refused to be outdone after seeing that. They sped up their slaughter as well. All kinds of elemental spells flashed throughout the grand hall, waves of energy surging with the evil souls' shrieks and the shockwaves of bodies turning to ash.
This time, because the number of Yuányīng Zhēnjūn had increased, the battle ended after an hour. Only then did the Yuányīng Zhēnjūn sit cross-legged once more and resume their exchange.
Lin Keyang and Zhang Lingrui sat down by Yunxi as if it were the most natural thing in the world, asking about the situation here.
Yunxi gave a wry smile.
"I should have been firmer back then and stopped you from attending this Five Region Grand Tournament."
Zhang Lingrui sheathed Zhang Lingrui's natal sword and replied directly:
"Senior Sister Ran Xi, joining the tournament was our own decision. Even if something happens, it has nothing to do with you."
Lin Keyang nodded.
"Agreed. What is our situation now?"
Yunxi pointed at Wei Yunqing.
"Have Wei Yunqing explain it to you. Huaxian Gate just had new Yuányīng Zhēnjūn teleported in. I have questions for them."
Zhang Lingrui glanced at Wei Yunqing, then said:
"Alright. Go do what you need to do. We will ask Junior Sister Yunqing ourselves."
Since Yunxi had named Wei Yunqing, Wei Yunqing could only force out a smile uglier than a cry. Wei Yunqing pressed Wei her lips together and recounted everything they had faced, including how She had nearly fallen into deviation under the evil souls' influence. There was no point hiding it. Many people had seen it earlier.
Yunxi walked over to where the Huaxian Gate cultivators were gathered and cupped Yunxi's hands to Xian Daoyou.
"Xian Daoyou, among the Zhēnjūn teleported in this time, is there anyone who joined the sect earlier than you?"
Xian Feng was in the middle of describing their findings to the same-sect juniors. Hearing Yunxi's purpose, Xian Feng pointed to a scholarly-looking male cultivator among them.
"This is my senior brother, Xian Qi. Xian Qi entered the sect earlier than I did. Xian Qi suppressed his cultivation to participate in this tournament. After it ends, Xian Qi plans to advance to Divine Transformation."
Yunxi cupped Yunxi's hands to the rising Xian Qi Zhēnjūn. "I am Ran Xi of Haoran Sect. I apologize for the interruption."
Xian Qi smiled with gentle courtesy and returned the salute. "So it is Ran Daoyou. Your name precedes you. I have heard you are the sole successor of Yixian Gate."
"Xian Daoyou is too kind. I just happened to get lucky once."
Knowing Yunxi had questions, Xian Qi Zhēnjūn went straight to the point. "Ran Daoyou, what would you like to know?"
"The Shanhe Scroll is Huaxian Gate's sect-guarding treasure. It should not be used lightly. For it to be brought out for this tournament, whose suggestion was it?"
Xian Qi's gentle gaze settled on Yunxi. After two breaths, he said, "I heard from my Master that it was proposed by Hua Bai Zūnzhě, as a way to display Huaxian Gate's strength."
At that name, Yunxi's eyes flashed. She smelled a familiar recipe and ingredients. She guessed the one who had been beguiled this time was likely Hua Bai Zūnzhě. As for the goal, it was probably aimed at her. After all, because of her, Hua Bai Zūnzhě's junior had died in the Baohua Mountain Secret Realm, and she had obtained the complete Mystic Thunder Violet Flame.
Xian Qi caught her microexpression at once. A thoughtful light flickered through Xian Qi's gentle eyes before Xian Qi spoke.
"You suspect our sect's Hua Bai Zūnzhě tampered with the Shanhe Scroll?"
Yunxi shook her head without hesitation. "I do not know. That will have to wait for your sect's investigation before any conclusion can be reached.
I only want to know whether the Shanhe Scroll was ever used to seal evil cultivators."
Xian Qi lowered his gaze in thought, then said,
"I once read records on the 'Shanhe Scroll' in the sect's archives. Originally, the scroll was an immortal artifact. I do not know whether it experienced a great war in the Immortal Realm, but its grade fell and it later descended into the Weiyu Realm. After that, it has always been safeguarded by Huaxian Gate.
Since this treasure bears the name 'mountains and rivers,' the space within the scroll would not be small. Even with its grade fallen, it was once comparable to a small world.
As for whether evil cultivators were sealed inside, I am not sure, but the possibility is high. Huaxian Gate does not know what the scroll went through in the Immortal Realm."
After hearing that, Yunxi was eighty percent certain the scroll had once sealed evil cultivators, which was why its grade fell. The evil souls currently roaming everywhere proved that over the long years, the evil cultivators' bodies had already been refined away.
Refining evil cultivators requires energy. To maintain the seal, with no outside power to replenish it, the Shanhe Scroll could only consume itself. Thankfully, the scroll contains a self-sustaining small world. Even so, it could not withstand endless consumption.
This time, the evil cultivators seized an opportunity and sent these Nascent Soul cultivators in. Whether these Zhēnjūn broke the seal to survive and thereby released the evil souls, or were devoured by the sealed souls so the evil souls could endure longer, the evil cultivators' plan had already succeeded.
In that moment, Yunxi wanted to flip the heavens the middle finger again. This was obviously a pit set for her, only forcing she to choose the manner of death.
Xian Qi immediately sensed the displeasure radiating from her and asked, "Ran Daoyou, do you have a hypothesis?"
"I do. I will lay it out. Let us put our heads together."
Yunxi did not stand on ceremony. She sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion and explained her deductions. In the end, she added,
"From the moment I entered this place, I have already crossed hands with these evil souls three times. I have found more of them awakening each time, their strength also rising.
The batch we just slaughtered had at least Golden Core stage strength. There is no guarantee we will not face evil souls with Nascent Soul strength next.
If my deductions are correct, the evil souls sealed here are not limited to Nascent Soul. Even under the Shanhe Scroll's suppression, evil souls with Divine Transformation stage strength will appear. We must prepare early."
What Yunxi did not say was this. There might be evil souls at the Out-of-Body stage in here as well. She feared that saying so would crush the others' fighting spirit.
When Yunxi finished, she stood and returned to the small West Region team. She had not put up a sound barrier while speaking. The Nascent Soul cultivators around them all had keen ears and sharp eyes. They heard every word. The entire grand hall fell so quiet that a pin could be heard.
Wei Yunqing had already decided to give up. She was only at early Nascent Soul. If she really ran into a Divine Transformation evil soul, it would be a dead end.
"Ran Xi, what do we do next?"
Zhang Lingrui asked in a low voice.
"We wait. We see what level the next wave of evil souls will be. We see whether, after we slaughter all of them, we can leave this place."