“The people from Lingyun Mountain are here too? It seems we aren't the only ones targeting the Saintess Cult.”
Xiong Zhuangzhuang was surprised when someone from Lingyun Mountain revealed their identity.
Xu Yi nodded, a smile in his eyes, "In that case, Lingyun Mountain truly lives up to its reputation as the foremost sect in Rongzhou, with its long-sightedness."
To prevent the news of the demonic race from leaking, the five great sects had been secretly coordinating, without sharing more detailed information with other sects.
The investigation into the Saintess Cult had also been conducted in secret, without requesting assistance from Lingyun Mountain.
Yet, Lingyun Mountain had apparently sensed this beforehand and had already laid their own plans.
This earned Xu Yi, Xiong Zhuangzhuang, and the others a great deal of goodwill towards Lingyun Mountain.
While they viewed Lingyun Mountain favorably, many others held the opposite opinion.
“I have long admired the name of Lingyun Mountain and wished to visit, but lacked the opportunity. To think that Lingyun Mountain would stoop to bullying the weak, it truly chills the bone.”
Upon hearing the name Lingyun Mountain, the Saint Attendant sneered repeatedly, his words filled with disrespect.
“Slander! If the Saintess Cult did not act so perniciously, why would our Lingyun Mountain interfere!”
Ding Sihe glared, refusing to back down.
As the senior disciple of Lingyun Mountain, he naturally had to defend the sect’s reputation.
Moreover, the Saintess Cult was clearly in the wrong, so he saw no need to treat their people with courtesy.
Ding Sihe had heard of the Saintess Cult’s reputation before but had paid it no mind. It wasn't until later, when his master summoned him and analyzed the pros and cons, that he realized the Saintess Cult had unknowingly grown into a major blight in Rongzhou.
However, his master had said that it was difficult to intervene without knowing the Saintess Cult’s objectives, and thus instructed him to investigate in secret.
He had lain low for nearly two years, gathering information, and then, with over a dozen fellow disciples, infiltrated their ranks, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Saintess herself.
He had not intended to reveal himself so early, but the Saintess Cult’s actions were simply unbearable.
After communicating with several junior disciples, they decided to act immediately to stop the rogue cultivators from joining the Saintess Cult.
“Acting perniciously? I am unaware of how bestowing blessings upon the disciples can be described as pernicious.
I believe Lingyun Mountain feels threatened by the Saintess Cult’s rising influence and is thus interfering, all to prevent the Saintess Cult from establishing a foothold in Rongzhou.
It is you who deserves to be punished!”
The Saint Attendant’s words caused a subtle shift in the way people looked at the disciples of Lingyun Mountain.
The disciples of Lingyun Mountain did indeed often give off an air of arrogance, which was the trait most disliked by rogue cultivators.
If the Saintess Cult were to flourish and surpass Lingyun Mountain, becoming the foremost sect in Rongzhou, then the disciples of Lingyun Mountain would lose their capital for arrogance.
Lingyun Mountain, unwilling to see such a situation, stepping in to interfere seemed quite reasonable.
With just a few words, the Saint Attendant managed to erode the prestige Lingyun Mountain had accumulated over centuries.
Ding Sihe’s face flushed red at the opponent’s distortion of facts.
“Lingyun Mountain acts with integrity and transparency, unafraid of your mudslinging. It is you who collect the blood of cultivators; who knows what nefarious deeds you commit with it.
Today, I, Ding Sihe, stand here, and I will not let your wicked scheme succeed.”
Ding Sihe's voice was loud and righteous, dispelling the doubts many had about Lingyun Mountain.
Seeing this, the Saint Attendant knew that further words would yield no better results and would only worsen the situation. He decided not to waste any more breath on the opponent, flicked his sleeve, and lightning power instantly struck towards Ding Sihe.
Ding Sihe was already prepared and calmly summoned a magical artifact.
Boom!
The earth shook and mountains trembled.
The surrounding cultivators were blown back by the airwaves generated by the collision.
Ding Sihe, along with over a dozen fellow disciples, stood beneath a bowl-shaped artifact, his expression smug.
They had long heard that the Saint Attendant of the Saintess Cult used lightning power as their primary means of attack, so they were naturally prepared.
A sharp, cold glint flashed in the Saint Attendant’s eyes. He then tapped his foot, surging forward, the lightning power from his sleeves dancing like golden snakes, striking the bowl-shaped artifact repeatedly.
Boom, boom, boom!
The deafening sounds almost tore at the cultivators’ eardrums.
Many figures turned pale and retreated further, watching the scene with trepidation.
The conflict between the Saintess Cult and Lingyun Mountain was not something they, as minor figures, could interfere with.
Just then, Xu Yi suddenly looked at Fei Hua, “Have Xiao Bao throw out the puppet and have it return quickly, do not linger there.”
“Understood.”
Fei Hua nodded heavily and, using his connection with the Treasure Seeking Rat, conveyed Xu Yi’s message to it.
The Treasure Seeking Rat sensed the direction underground and, seizing the moment when everyone’s attention was focused on the Saint Attendant and the Lingyun Mountain group, quickly emerged, stealthily opened the storage bag, and then, clutching the storage bag, ran back rapidly.
No one noticed the figure that suddenly appeared at the rear of the crowd.
Lingyun Mountain had indeed come prepared; the four Saint Attendants, working together, could only fight the opponents to a draw.
While manipulating the artifact, Ding Sihe taunted, “With just the four of you, what can you do to us? Hurry and have the person behind you show themselves, or none of you will leave here today!”
“Arrogant.”
The Saint Attendant calmly uttered a sentence, then suddenly reached out and lifted their purple robe, revealing a graceful figure.
The Saint Attendant’s face was also exposed to all the cultivators for the first time.
“I did not wish to reveal my strength, but you have pushed me too far. Today marks your death.”
Hearing the Saint Attendant’s words, Ding Sihe and the others felt a premonition of something amiss.
Their guess was soon confirmed.
Beneath the purple robe, the Saint Attendant’s cultivation was originally at the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm, but after removing the purple robe, their cultivation began to surge, and the aura emanating from them was terrifying.
“How can this be…”
In his shock, Ding Sihe blurted out in astonishment.
Everyone had assumed the purple robe was to conceal the Saint Attendant’s cultivation and appearance, but they had only guessed half of it correctly.
The other purpose of the purple robe was to suppress the Saint Attendant’s cultivation. Now that the purple robe was removed, the Saint Attendant’s cultivation was no longer hidden, breaking through from the middle stage of the Nascent Soul realm to the early stage of the Integration realm.
The junior disciples behind Ding Sihe showed fear on their faces.
Even though their cultivation was not yet at the Nascent Soul realm, they knew that the gap between the Nascent Soul and Integration realms was like a chasm.
Previously, when they fought the Saint Attendant together, it was only a fifty-fifty match.
But now, with the Saint Attendant’s cultivation greatly increased, how could they be a match for her?
Could it be that they were the ones who would be defeated this time?
Thinking of the Saint Attendant’s harsh words just now, their fear intensified.
“Lingyun Mountain? Hmph, you shall be the sacrifice for the Saintess Cult’s altar!”
The Saint Attendant’s eyebrows were filled with ferocity. With a palm thrust forward, she slammed it towards the direction of the Lingyun Mountain group.
A sharp whistling sound of the palm wind suddenly erupted.