Qiu Jiuzhen quickly turned her head and saw a figure swiftly bypass her to stand in front. It was the exquisitely figured Immortal Elder Hang Zhi .
The Supreme Mystery Teachings contingent had not originally intended to come over. They had been quietly waiting for their members to be teleported out from the spherical mountain. Although Qiu Jiuzhen had emerged, she hadn't come out together with the other two sects, so the number of people she brought out was within their acceptable range of losses. After all, the probability of being unable to rendezvous was something they had anticipated. They even felt a sense of schadenfreude when they saw the unconscious cultivator from the Ten-Pace Courtyard appear as a lone, defeated leader. Though they were allies in private, as long as it wasn't their own sect members, the more losses the others suffered, the better.
However, Qiu Jiuzhen's sudden move toward the Ten-Pace Courtyard cultivator had stunned them. What happened next enraged the Supreme Mystery Teachings . That Xiàchí from the Ten-Pace Courtyard had flown over and actually attacked a junior. Although it was just a reprimand to force her back, how could the Supreme Mystery Teachings stand by and watch? Hang Zhi was already hot-tempered by nature, and furthermore, Qiu Jiuzhen was her own disciple, the one she valued most. Without waiting for Immortal Elder Hangwu to speak, she had already taken a step from the mountaintop and crossed the distance.
"Immortal Elder Hang Zhi, can't you see the state my martial nephew is in? Can this be delayed?" Sword King Xiàchí's face was grim as he continuously poured spirit power into Wang Lang's body.
"Hah! Is that your reason for directly attacking a junior? Besides, with your eyesight, can you not see that Wang Lang's condition is primarily due to consuming a 'Foundation-Borrowing Pill'?" Hang Zhi retorted, her beautiful eyes hardening as a layer of frost covered her pretty face.
"Then what do you propose?" Xiàchí frowned, suppressing the anger in his heart. He was, of course, aware of Wang Lang's injuries. A personal examination of his body had made the situation clear. However, Wang Lang's condition was not as simple as having his life force drained by a Foundation-Borrowing Pill . He was using the pill to suppress an exceptionally strange and potent poison, a poison the likes of which he had never seen before.
"Jiuzhen, what were you doing?" Hang Zhi did not directly answer Sword King Xiàchí, instead turning to her disciple behind her and questioning her in a stern voice.
The atmosphere turned exceedingly strange. No one else from either side came over, as doing so would only worsen the situation. If it escalated into a confrontation between the two sects, it would become a major incident. The demonic cultivators, on the other hand, watched the drama with great interest and smiling faces. Although not a single one of their teams had appeared yet, death was nothing to the naturally bellicose demonic race.
At this moment, even the members of the Pure Land Sect and the Malevolent Spirit Sect were watching from their respective peaks, all discussions ceasing. A few who had seen Li Yan and Gong Chenying appear had even halted their intention to approach, stopping on their own peaks to observe the sudden turn of events. In their focus on the drama, they had all overlooked the fact that after those three bubbles had appeared, no more had followed.
Hearing her master's question, Qiu Jiuzhen's eyes reddened. She quickly said, "Master, the wound on Wang Lang's chest and abdomen seems to have been caused by Jiuxing's 'Crimson Gold Wheel.' I couldn't find Jiuxing anywhere during the trials."
"Oh? Jiuxing is missing?"
"What? You're the ones who injured Wang Lang so severely?"
The moment Qiu Jiuzhen finished speaking, two shouts rang out in succession, one from Hang Zhi and the other from Xiàchí. Their points of focus, however, were entirely different.
Both sides, of course, understood the implication of Qiu Jiuzhen's words. Quan Jiuxing possessed a life-saving magical treasure called the Crimson Gold Wheel . It was a low-grade magical treasure that he had spent over a decade gathering materials for at great cost, finally having it refined by a Golden Core artifact-refining master from the sect. It was only the size of an infant's fist, round, with a densely serrated edge that was exceptionally sharp. He normally kept it nurtured in his Dantian's Purple Mansion as his ultimate life-saving measure. For this trip into the Wheel of Life and Death , the sect had bestowed another powerful protective treasure upon him, but he felt that with his own strength and the power of the Crimson Gold Wheel , there would be no danger. So, he had given the sect-bestowed treasure to Qiu Jiuzhen and entered the trials relying solely on his own abilities.
When Li Yan had mentioned Wang Lang's injury, Qiu Jiuzhen had finally paid close attention to the specifics of the wound. A single look sent her heart into turmoil. The shape of the wound was extremely similar to one caused by the Crimson Gold Wheel —it had been gouged out in an upward motion. The Crimson Gold Wheel had a tricky attack trajectory, and such an angle was perfectly suited for it. From the torn edges of Wang Lang's robe, Qiu Jiuzhen was almost certain it was the work of the Crimson Gold Wheel . The edges of the torn robe were not smooth but looked as if they had been ripped open by something spinning, pulling threads from the edge of the cut outward in all directions. Furthermore, the opening was wider at the bottom and narrower at the top, consistent with the force of the Crimson Gold Wheel's spin.
If Wang Lang's injury was indeed caused by the Crimson Gold Wheel , and Quan Jiuxing was nowhere to be found, the Supreme Mystery Teachings certainly knew what that meant. It meant that the Ten-Pace Courtyard had not adhered to their original agreement. When their members met, they had struck a killing blow, and in the end, Wang Lang was the one who survived.
The Ten-Pace Courtyard party was already frustrated that only Wang Lang had emerged. Although they didn't know how many more of their sect's disciples would come out, they had inadvertently discovered the culprit behind Wang Lang's condition. Instantly, the way they looked at the Supreme Mystery Teachings changed.
On the peaks where the Supreme Mystery Teachings and the Ten-Pace Courtyard stood, the auras of the people behind the two elders began to surge. A hostile gaze slowly started to grow, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.
Under the gazes of so many Golden Core cultivators, Qiu Jiuzhen felt the pressure mount, and she broke out in a sweat. Gritting her teeth, she managed to say, "The fatal wound on Senior Brother Wang Lang's body is likely not this one. When I first met Senior Brother Wang Lang, he was already injured, yet he was still leading three others in pursuit of someone. This matter can be clarified once Senior Brother Wang Lang awakens."
Just as Qiu Jiuzhen finished speaking, a mocking voice suddenly rang out across the land. "Well now, isn't killing your opponent in the Wheel of Life and Death what you're supposed to do? Are you planning to settle scores after the fact? Or did you have some secret agreement between you that you weren't allowed to fight?" Everyone looked toward the source of the voice and saw Elder Peng of the Malevolent Spirit Sect looking completely at ease. Then, with a glint in his eye, he scanned each of the peaks.
His words stunned the cultivators of the Supreme Mystery Teachings and the Ten-Pace Courtyard , who only then remembered where they were.
"In the Wheel of Life and Death, everyone's fate is their own. What is the meaning of your two sects acting this way?" a cold voice came from the demonic cultivator's side. It was the Swiftwind Eagle , Yin Congfeng , in his human form. His black robe billowed in the wind, and his expression was grim. He was clearly displeased with the human cultivators interfering with a proper contest.
"Eight of my demonic cultivator teams went in, and not a single one has come out yet," the purple-robed giant Yan Motian said with contempt.
Lin Mingyu just chuckled a few times, tapping the back of his neck with his folding fan. His gaze swept around before finally landing on Hang Zhi in the center of the field, his intentions unclear.
"Benefactors, cease your anger and wrath. Amitabha!" The Buddha from the Pure Land Sect , Great Master Yisong , was sitting cross-legged on an isolated rock at the peak. His eyes were slightly closed, and it was unclear to whom he was speaking—whether he was admonishing the Supreme Mystery Teachings and Ten-Pace Courtyard , or addressing the demonic cultivators. But as he chanted the Buddha's name, a gentle force rippled through the space. Behind him, the monks of the Pure Land Sect all put their palms together, and the tense atmosphere here actually eased considerably.
For a moment, it fell silent. Shortly after, a voice slowly spoke, "Why does Elder Peng say such things? Anyone who finds out who injured their disciples would find it hard to remain calm and would inevitably lose their composure out of anxiety. Xiàchí, show Immortal Elder Hang Zhi the wound on Wang Lang, then bring him back. Wang Lang's injuries are likely mostly due to the 'Foundation-Borrowing Pill,' which has drained his life force."
Sword King Xiahuà took a breath and spoke slowly, though his heart was filled with doubt. He didn't know if Wang Lang had truly fought Quan Jiuxing, but seeing the situation, it seemed possible. The reason for it was strange and incomprehensible. He knew Wang Lang; with his personality, how could he do something so short-sighted? Seeing that the Malevolent Spirit Sect and the demonic cultivators were already suspicious and dissatisfied, he couldn't let this matter drag on any longer. As he spoke, his gaze seemed to intentionally or unintentionally sweep over Li Yan, who was standing in the field. That one glance made the hair on Li Yan's neck stand on end.
The perpetrator himself was standing to the side, watching the show. He, of course, knew that Wang Lang and Quan Jiuxing had successfully rendezvoused and had even passed two trials together. It was he who had struck from behind, destroying the balance within the passage. Although he didn't know who had injured Wang Lang before, neither of them had been injured before he destroyed the passage's balance. After the five-element balance was broken, the rules would have forced them to fight. In that case, only one of them would come out. He had figured this out after a moment's thought.
As long as it wasn't the wound on his back, he could use any other injury as a pretext. It wouldn't cost him anything. Before entering the Wheel of Life and Death , Li Wuyi had described the main attack methods of several important figures. He remembered that Quan Jiuxing had a magical treasure that was some kind of wheel or gear. So, he had deliberately questioned Gong Chenying to lead the conversation in that direction. Gong Chenying was clever, but she had never imagined Li Yan to be so calculating, still thinking about how to sow discord between the other two sects even after leaving the trial.
He wore a look of confusion, as if bewildered by the sudden turn of events, but inwardly he was blooming with joy. His goal was to plant a seed of unforgettable pain in Qiu Jiuzhen's heart. Given Qiu Jiuzhen's status in the Supreme Mystery Sect, she was bound to influence many people. It might even cause some small ripples.
As he was gleefully watching the drama, he suddenly felt a bone-chilling sense of crisis envelop him, as if his life could be easily taken in the next moment. Sweat instantly soaked his body. But this sense of crisis came and went so quickly that he couldn't tell where the danger had come from, but it had already terrified him.
'Could I have been exposed?' Li Yan hastily looked around. His action made Gong Chenying look at him with confusion. Li Yan could only force a grin, leaving Gong Chenying still puzzled.
Sword King Xiahuà's gaze merely swept past Li Yan before landing back on Sword King Xiàchí. He had some suspicions about Li Yan, but after seeing Li Yan's undisguised shock and confusion after feeling a trace of his sword intent, he was no longer sure. Looking at the Qi Condensation boy's expression, there was no sign of schadenfreude, only a subconscious reaction to being pressured by his sword intent. 'Did I overthink it? Did the boy just say it casually?'
Hearing this, and seeing the meaningful gazes from the surrounding peaks fixed on him, Sword King Xiàchí was frustrated but couldn't lash out. He had no choice but to flip his hand, wrap Wang Lang in spirit power to face upwards, and then look grimly at Hang Zhi.
With her cultivation, Hang Zhi only needed one glance to see the wound clearly. Her expression changed several times. At the same time, a soft cry came from beside her. It was Qiu Jiuzhen. At this moment, Qiu Jiuzhen's face was as white as snow, completely bloodless. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on the wound on Wang Lang's chest and abdomen. Although the wound had been treated, she could still confirm the shape of the injury.
"Alright, you've seen it. Forgive me for not keeping you company." After seeing that the other party had looked, Sword King Xiàchí held Wang Lang in his hand again, gave the two a nod, and with an expressionless face, turned around. His fat body vanished on the spot like a wisp of smoke.
Even after Sword King Xiàchí disappeared, Qiu Jiuzhen continued to stare at the spot where he had vanished, her silver teeth biting down on her now bloodless red lips. She didn't say a word, not even seeming to notice the blood that seeped out.
"Zhen'er, let's go back. Wang Lang is unconscious and cannot be questioned. The trial is not over yet; we still need to see the final results." Hang Zhi sighed softly, and with a sweep of her large sleeve, she wrapped up Qiu Jiuzhen. Then, she turned and glanced at the eight Qi Condensation disciples. They quickly bowed in respect. With another sweep of her other sleeve, she wrapped up the eight of them and stepped into the air, departing. But as they left, Qiu Jiuzhen's gaze was still fixed in the direction of the Ten-Pace Courtyard , her eyes filled with deep sorrow and indignation.