It must have been that audacious fool Nie Rufeng, whose lust for Zi Linling’s beauty angered her, leading to his demise.
Li Hehuan could also surmise that the death of Grand Elder Xiao Shan was inevitably connected to this incident.
However, even though Nie Rufeng and Xiao Shan were dead, the notoriously ill-reputed Hehuan Sect had now attracted Zi Linling’s attention.
Having pieced together the events, Li Hehuan’s face turned ashen.
He cursed inwardly, “A pair of imbeciles, not even bothering to ascertain their opponent’s identity before provoking her, their deaths are well-deserved!”
But curses aside, the current predicament still needed to be resolved, didn’t it?
“Miss, while Nie Rufeng offended you, you have also slain him. Why must you be so aggressive?”
Li Hehuan lowered his posture, seeking reconciliation.
“Aggressive?”
Zi Linling found it amusing, or rather, she was angered to the point of amusement.
It was akin to a pack of wolves preying on a group of cats daily, and then one day, a wolf accidentally provoked a tiger lurking among the cats.
The tiger, in its fury, killed that wolf and intended to annihilate the entire wolf pack. Yet, the wolf king addressed the tiger, saying, “The wolf that offended you is already dead; why do you bully the wolves excessively?”
However, when uttering these words, perhaps it forgot that cats and tigers belonged to the same lineage in ancient times. And when they, the wolves, bullied the cats, why didn't they consider their own excessive bullying?
Zi Linling said coldly, “For someone from your Hehuan Sect to utter the word ‘aggressive’ truly surprises me!
When you abducted innocent women, did you ever consider you were being aggressive?
When you forcibly extracted their Yin essence, did you ever consider you were being aggressive?
When you shattered countless families, leaving behind orphaned children and scattered wives, did you ever consider you were being aggressive?
When you caused numerous lives to perish, did you ever consider you were being aggressive?
Aggressive? When your own lives are threatened, it's others being aggressive? What about those who died due to your beastly actions? Were they deserving of death?”
As Zi Linling spoke, a chilling killing intent emanated from her. Her sharp gaze swept over the people of the Hehuan Sect, and she continued, “Which one of you from the Hehuan Sect has not spilled the blood of innocent people? Step forward, and after I confirm it through soul-searching, I will let you go!”
From Li Hehuan, the Sect Master, down to the elders and ordinary disciples of the Hehuan Sect, not a single person dared to step forward.
This was because the cultivation method of the Hehuan Sect involved the art of ‘Cai Yin Bu Yang’ (Gathering Yin to Supplement Yang). Without coition with women, they could not cultivate at all.
Therefore, in this corrupt and decadent Hehuan Sect, under the influence of their environment, no one remained pure.
Their conscience had vanished the moment they entered the Hehuan Sect.
Thus, their hands were stained with the lives of others, to varying degrees. How could they dare to allow Zi Linling to search their souls?
Li Hehuan’s complexion darkened like the bottom of a pot. “So, you are determined to make an enemy of our Hehuan Sect?”
Zi Linling’s killing intent surged, and she stated, “An enemy of yours? You are not worthy! I, Gui Shou Du Yi Zi Lin Ling, do not make enemies; I only kill!”
The anger in Li Hehuan’s heart burned fiercely.
His nearly submissive plea had not only failed to secure the Hehuan Sect’s survival but had instead earned him even greater humiliation.
His aura turned icy cold. “Since that is the case, there is nothing more to be said!”
“All disciples of the Hehuan Sect, heed my command: Those who offend our Hehuan Sect shall be annihilated by any means necessary!”
By any means necessary meant employing any tactic, such as marathon battles, mob attacks, sneak ambushes, and so forth, without any scruples.
“Everyone, return to the sect, activate the Sect Protection Formation, and use the formation to repel the enemy!”
Li Hehuan’s orders were issued one after another.
Zi Linling did not move.
Perhaps annihilating the people outside directly would be the best course of action.
But Zi Linling did not do so.
She wanted to crush the Hehuan Sect when it was at its strongest, to let everyone in the Hehuan Sect taste despair.
It was not that she was cruel, but rather that she needed to provide an explanation to the wronged souls who had been harmed by the Hehuan Sect.
Following Li Hehuan’s command, the people of the Hehuan Sect orderly retreated into the sect and activated the Sect Protection Formation.
“You want to destroy our Hehuan Sect? Come then!”
Li Hehuan left a menacing remark and quickly returned to the sect.
“Everyone, channel your strength into the Sect Protection Formation together and annihilate the invading enemy!”
As Li Hehuan’s voice fell, the Hehuan Sect’s Sect Protection Formation instantly brightened.
Terrifying energy flowed across the formation, quickly converging at a single point and locking onto Zi Linling.
Zi Linling’s fighting spirit soared, and she said coldly, “Since you are now at your strongest, then face your death! Before that, you had best pray that the wronged souls you harmed forgive you after your demise!”
“Chaos Seal!”
The hand seals in her hand changed rapidly.
Upon closer inspection, the hand seals were still the Demon Suppressing Seal and the Demon Sealing Art, but a strand of golden blood flowed upon them.
That golden blood was her Chaos Blood.
Ever since she had fused with half a Chaos Heart in the Land of Exile, the Chaos Blood within her had been completely activated.
When the Demon Suppressing Seal and the Demon Sealing Art were infused with Chaos Blood, they became the more powerful Chaos Seal.
And the Chaos Seal could not only suppress demons but also suppress all things in the world.
“Fuse!”
“Suppress!”
The power of words—as one speaks, so it happens.
With her two sharp cries, the Chaos Seal descended upon the Hehuan Sect’s Sect Protection Formation and merged with it in the blink of an eye.
The terrifying energy flowing across the formation instantly vanished, and its bright light rapidly dimmed.
Concurrently, everyone in the Hehuan Sect lost their connection to their Sect Protection Formation.
“How can this be?”
“Where did the energy on the Sect Protection Formation go?”
“Why can’t I sense the Sect Protection Formation anymore?”
“Did the energy we just channeled into the Sect Protection Formation disappear?”
“…”
The people of the Hehuan Sect panicked!
This was true not only for the ordinary disciples but also for the elders and Sect Master Li Hehuan.
“What kind of bizarre attack is this?”
Li Hehuan was stunned, frozen in place.
But while they were stunned, Zi Linling was not.
Laughable!
The Chaos Seal was a hand seal that could even suppress Ancestor Demons, its power far exceeding Heavenly-grade techniques.
“What is given must be returned! I have accepted your grand gift, and you must also accept mine!” Zi Linling said with a cold smile.
She changed her hand seals again, and the power of words—as one speaks, so it happens—was activated once more.
“Swift!”
“Slash!”
As her voice, filled with killing intent, descended, the Hehuan Sect’s Sect Protection Formation lit up again, and its energy began to flow once more.