Chapter 90: Luo Xue’s Grand Plan!
Just as Luo Xue could easily discern that Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan weren’t from the Immortal Domain, nor were they disciples of the Temple of the Nether Spirit, Sima Ye could also identify Luo Xue’s origins.
It might be difficult to discern the origins of rogue cultivators, and even among the Nine Great Sects, there were some that concealed their auras, but the Peerless Summit Sect wasn’t one of them.
The renowned sword intent of the Peerless Summit Sect existed within the techniques of all four peaks, and Falling Flower Peak was no exception.
As long as they didn’t deliberately conceal their aura, the sharp sword intent they emanated was impossible to ignore.
Luo Xue also cultivated the Falling Flower Scripture. Although she wasn’t skilled in sword-based divine abilities, the proud sword intent within the aura of her technique slightly pricked Sima Ye’s senses.
In the Immortal-Demon War, the Peerless Summit Sect had slain the most Demon Abyss cultivators.
A thousand years ago, almost the entire sect participated in the war, their disciples drawing their swords and carving a bloody path through the Demon Abyss, earning a fearsome reputation that made many Demon Abyss disciples tremble.
Moreover, these sword fanatics each had a self-destruct technique, and when driven to desperation, they could take down cultivators several times stronger than themselves, greatly shocking the four domains of the Demon Abyss, even terrifying the other eight sects of the Immortal Domain.
This situation continued until a few hundred years ago, when the rebellion exposed their decline, and the Peerless Summit Sect gradually fell from grace.
Of course, the rebellion wasn’t the main cause of the Peerless Summit Sect’s decline, but the breaking point.
If he had seen a Peerless Summit Sect disciple appear in Ghost Demon Pass a few hundred years ago, Sima Ye would have immediately turned and fled, even if that disciple was only at the Innate Realm.
Everyone knew that those sword fanatics always traveled in groups. The appearance of one disciple meant that at least ten, or even more, had arrived. Provoking them would only bring trouble.
But now…
The Peerless Summit Sect had completely declined, falling from a super-first-rate sect to a first-rate sect, and recently, they had even been suppressed by their old rival, the Temple of the Nether Spirit, showing signs of falling into the second-rate.
It was said that several other sects in Qing Province were already making moves, wanting to replace the Peerless Summit Sect. It was a matter of life and death for them.
“What is the Peerless Summit Sect doing in Ghost Demon Pass?” Sima Ye asked curiously, relaxed. “You Province and Qing Province are not close, could it be…”
Sima Ye thought of the recent events, how the Temple of the Nether Spirit had humiliated the Peerless Summit Sect.
Could it be because of this…
No, that was unlikely.
The current Peerless Summit Sect couldn’t even protect itself, how could it have the energy to retaliate against the Temple of the Nether Spirit?
Moreover, for a retaliatory action, they wouldn’t send a mere early Innate Realm disciple…
Sima Ye was relaxed, but Luo Xue wasn’t.
She was facing two Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Demon Abyss, and they were from the most unpredictable and sinister Demonic Ghost City of the four domains.
It was rumored that the cultivators of the Demonic Ghost City were all undead souls, commonly known as ghost cultivators.
Luo Xue didn’t know much about the Demonic Ghost City, only that all their techniques revolved around ghosts.
For example, controlling ghosts, merging with ghosts, using ghosts to enhance themselves, or even being reincarnated ghosts themselves.
The ghostly hand that Sima Ye had just extended from behind him, Luo Xue could vaguely sense that if she was caught by it, she would probably die instantly.
As for Shangguan Lengyan, one of her eyes must have merged with some kind of ghost to gain such an eerie pupil technique.
“I’m probably in trouble…”
Luo Xue thought to herself.
She had thought that whether she encountered Immortal Domain cultivators or disciples of the Temple of the Nether Spirit, she would be able to escape.
Especially against the Temple of the Nether Spirit’s disciples, the Yin energy had almost no effect on Luo Xue. Unless she encountered a Core Formation cultivator, she could hold on until Nangong Mengxiang arrived.
Now, she was in a truly dangerous situation.
Luo Xue calmed down slightly and said with a faint smile,
“What the Peerless Summit Sect wants to do… perhaps, you also have some guesses?”
Luo Xue didn’t know what the Peerless Summit Sect was planning. She was just putting on an act, letting them guess for themselves.
Hearing this, Sima Ye’s expression froze, and his face gradually turned serious.
“No, it shouldn’t be just simple retaliation. If the Peerless Summit Sect wanted to do that, they wouldn’t be so petty.”
The so-called retaliation would be sending a few teams of cultivators to the borderlands to hunt down disciples of the Temple of the Nether Spirit.
It couldn’t be infiltrating the Temple of the Nether Spirit to act as spies and bring it down from within, could it?
That was impossible…
So, it was more likely… laying the groundwork in advance.
Yes, they must be placing pieces for the inevitable Immortal-Demon War.
Thinking of this, it wasn’t difficult to understand why an Innate Realm disciple would come to Ghost Demon Pass in disguise.
Only disciples of this level could enter Ghost Demon Pass without being noticed by the various factions.
By the time the war started, these hidden disciples would have grown stronger, becoming a surprise force striking deep into the Demon Abyss.
How terrifying, the Peerless Summit Sect was truly terrifying…
To think they would start planning from the weak Innate Realm disciples!
Based on the Peerless Summit Sect’s usual style, there were probably already many Foundation Establishment and even Core Formation cultivators within Ghost Demon Pass who were actually pawns placed by the Peerless Summit Sect long ago…
After figuring this out, Sima Ye felt a chill down his spine.
What’s more, he thought even deeper.
The world thought that the Peerless Summit Sect had declined, based on their weakness during the rebellion hundreds of years ago.
But what if, the Peerless Summit Sect did it on purpose?
What if this rebellion was a deliberate act, a show put on for the nine provinces and four domains?
And, recently, the Temple of the Nether Spirit had directly humiliated the Peerless Summit Sect at their doorstep, yet the younger generation of the Peerless Summit Sect couldn’t hold their own.
It was very likely because the younger generation disciples of the Peerless Summit Sect weren’t even in the sect, but were deployed throughout the provinces!
When the Immortal-Demon War began, the nine provinces and four domains would be filled with the terrifying swords of the Peerless Summit Sect!
“Peerless Summit Sect,” Sima Ye murmured, “As expected of the Peerless Summit Sect… What a grand plan!”
Hundreds of years of planning… the Peerless Summit Sect’s ambitions were vast!
Luo Xue blinked.
A grand plan?
What plan?
What was this Sima guy imagining?
…Forget it, it didn’t matter.
“I’m impressed. I didn’t expect Brother Sima to see through the… profound meaning within such a short time.”
Luo Xue followed Sima Ye’s words, trying to come up with some profound and ambiguous words.
“But you have to understand, what happened today… it’s best if no one else knows.”
“Hehe…”
Sima Ye just smiled without saying a word, his expression turning cold.
Not letting anyone know?
Such an important secret, how could he not report it to the Demonic Ghost City?
As for this meeting…
As long as this girl died without anyone knowing, no one else would find out.
Just a mere Innate Realm cultivator.
At this moment, Sima Ye had murderous intent, his eyes filled with killing intent.
Luo Xue, who had danced on the edge of life and death several times, instantly sensed Sima Ye’s killing intent, and her heart tightened.
Did she say something wrong just now?
Why did Sima Ye’s expression suddenly change, and why did he suddenly have murderous intent?
If Sima Ye wanted to kill her… she was afraid she wouldn’t have the chance to fight back like she did against Daoist Ziyang. Killing a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the Post-Heaven Realm wasn’t something she could do every time.
Luo Xue naturally couldn’t figure out what was going on in Sima Ye’s mind, because even Shangguan Lengyan, who was closest to him, couldn’t understand it.
Shangguan Lengyan could tell at a glance that Sima Ye had murderous intent towards Luo Xue. She frowned slightly and transmitted her voice to stop him.
If a Peerless Summit Sect disciple died here, they would likely be implicated. Even if the Peerless Summit Sect had declined, the reputation of those sword fanatics was still intimidating.
While Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan were secretly discussing through voice transmission, Luo Xue immediately calmed herself down and sent a message to Nangong Mengxiang, who was waiting outside, to barge into the Youxiang Restaurant.
Her forehead was slightly sweaty, but her expression remained calm and composed.
She was afraid that if she showed even a hint of weakness, Sima Ye would immediately attack.
At the same time, she made all the necessary preparations and transmitted her voice to the Sha sisters, telling them to find a chance to escape.
“I didn’t expect to encounter an opponent of this level…”
Luo Xue could only sigh inwardly. This time, she had miscalculated.
Who would have thought that the ones who wanted to capture her were actually prodigies of the Demonic Ghost City?
They had never met before, and Luo Xue had only heard of the Demonic Ghost City. Yet, they were targeting her just because of a not-yet-bald bald donkey…
These Demon Abyss ghosts were truly unreasonable!
Only a few moments had passed since Luo Xue finished her ambiguous words, but to her, it felt like years.
The figure of the man in the bamboo hat beside her had already started to dissipate. The Sha sisters, learning about the current situation from Luo Xue’s voice transmission, were so scared that their legs went weak, and their merged state was about to collapse.
Within just a few breaths, Sima Ye and Shangguan Lengyan had communicated their thoughts.
Shangguan Lengyan’s expression returned to its usual indifference, while Sima Ye’s face was filled with a smile, but this smile carried a heavy killing intent.
“Oh… I haven’t asked for your name yet,” Sima Ye’s tone was light and cheerful, “but it doesn’t matter, I can get the answer from your soul.”
As his voice fell, the ghostly hand behind him reappeared, but this time, it was reaching for Luo Xue.
Danger!
“Run!”
Luo Xue shouted.
The figure of the man in the bamboo hat immediately dispersed, turning into two petite figures.
In an instant, these two figures rushed towards the door.
But at that moment, Shangguan Lengyan’s Mystic Dark Eyes lit up slightly, scarlet filling her eyeballs.
Sha Yiyi and Sha Keke’s figures froze, just a step away from the door.
Since he had already decided to silence them, how could Sima Ye not consider the man in the bamboo hat?
When the Sha sisters appeared, all his previous questions about the man in the bamboo hat were answered. Shangguan Lengyan completely saw through their background and couldn’t help but find it a bit ridiculous.
“I thought they had some profound divine ability, but it turned out to be such a useless talent…”
“Their souls are still worth collecting.” Sima Ye said faintly.
It’s too late…
Luo Xue knew that it was already too late.
Even if Nangong Mengxiang received her message and came to rescue her, it would still take some time.
Although it would only take ten breaths for her to break through the Youxiang Restaurant and stop these two prodigies of the Evil Ghost lineage, at this moment, ten breaths felt like an eternity.
The ghostly hand gradually descended, and Luo Xue struggled.
A purplish-red light flickered in her eyes, and a faint phoenix cry echoed.
Facing a life-or-death crisis, Luo Xue’s cultivation technique involuntarily switched to the more powerful Xuanyin Phoenix Transformation Scripture, desperately seeking a way out.
“…Hmm?”
In this brief moment, Sima Ye felt that the girl before him seemed to have undergone some inexplicable change, a change that felt strangely familiar.
As if he had encountered it somewhere before…
But before he could think further, the ghostly hand had already descended.
On the other side, Shangguan Lengyan’s Mystic Dark Eyes were also gradually separating the Sha sisters’ souls from their bodies.
The souls of those with special talents, what kind of ghosts could they create…
Just then, a soft zither melody suddenly rang out, echoing around them.
The descending ghostly hand was forcibly lifted, and the separated souls returned to their bodies.
Someone had intervened, saving Luo Xue and the Sha sisters.
“Zither Witch!”
Sima Ye was shocked, his expression filled with disbelief.
He naturally knew that the zither player downstairs was the Zither Witch, because she had never concealed her identity. Even the well-informed Sha sisters could recognize her.
But he never expected the Zither Witch to intervene and save them.
Weren’t they disciples of the Peerless Summit Sect?
Shouldn’t the Temple of the Nether Spirit and the Peerless Summit Sect be mortal enemies?
Why did the Zither Witch intervene…
Could it be that he had missed something?
Or…
Was the Peerless Summit Sect’s thousand-year plan actually a collaboration with the Temple of the Nether Spirit?
Sima Ye’s mind was in turmoil, and a hint of fear arose within him.
Could it be that the Zither Witch already knew that he had learned such an important secret and, just like what he was trying to do now, was planning to… silence him?
How terrifying, it was truly terrifying…
He hadn’t expected such a complicated relationship between the sects of the Immortal Domain and the Demon Abyss.
Sima Ye was filled with despair.
But the zither music didn’t last long. After the ghostly hand disappeared and the Mystic Dark Eyes dimmed, the Zither Witch’s music stopped.
It seemed that the Zither Witch’s intervention was only to temporarily protect Luo Xue.
Sima Ye stood there, his expression dark.
No, there was still a chance, he could still kill this Peerless Summit Sect disciple.
No matter what, he had to ensure that the information he carried wouldn’t be leaked before he returned to the Demonic Ghost City, even the slightest risk of leakage was worth it!
The ghostly hand condensed again, but the zither music didn’t return.
However…
Ten breaths had passed.
A divine weapon… descended from the heavens!
“Aaargh…”
A series of excited roars came from somewhere unknown, followed by a loud bang.
The crowd gathered outside the Youxiang Restaurant looked up and saw a figure falling from the sky, crashing through the wall of the Youxiang Restaurant.
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