“Even my Hengshan Sect fell victim to them. The Moonlight Sect swept through everything without restraint, leaving the Hengshan Sect… utterly humiliated.”
“The Moonlight Sect was vile. Every man in the martial world sought to destroy them. Fortunately, their leader, Sun Qi, died suddenly of a violent illness, and no more was heard of them after that.”
“Everyone knew Sun Qi had successors, but who would have thought Alliance Leader Feng was one of them!”
“What if this register is a fabrication? What if this is Wen Lanxin’s scheme to make us turn on each other!”
“But Feng Rong is dead!” another person said, shaking their head. “And this underground chamber couldn’t have been dug in just a few days.”
“The Moonlight Sect only produces monsters. Wen Lanxin is undoubtedly a demoness, but Alliance Leader Feng, she… she…”
“I don’t believe it! How could the Alliance Leader be a member of a demonic sect!”
Feng Yun’ai felt as though she had fallen into a thick fog. From the sounds of it, the Moonlight Sect was far from a righteous organization. Her pale lips moved slightly, but she could find no words.
Just as the indigo-clothed woman had said, Feng Rong truly hadn’t told her everything. She had kept a great deal hidden.
But Feng Rong…
She didn’t believe Feng Rong was malicious.
Suddenly, someone speculated in a low voice, “Could the formation of the Hantian Alliance be a plot by the demonic sect? If so, wouldn’t it be easy for the Moonlight Sect to obtain any secret manual they desired?”
“Those people from demonic sects are obsessed with martial arts manuals. Feng Rong’s obsession with swordplay was exactly like that!”
“Wen Lanxin is also from the demonic sect. Why would she kill Feng Rong?”
“Nothing more than internal strife.”
Once the register of the Moonlight Sect appeared, everyone’s minds raced. Even those who had been skeptical were convinced after a moment of hesitation.
They looked further into the Annals, which recorded the manuals the Moonlight Sect had stolen from various sects, as well as the signature weapons of their successors.
Wen Lanxin held Solitary Gall. Feng Rong held Lonely Heart.
The book even contained drawings of the materials and forging methods for both swords. The two blades clearly shared the same lineage.
The evidence was irrefutable. They had no choice but to believe.
Several people turned to look at the Hantian Alliance members, their eyes filled with unconcealed hostility.
“The Hantian Alliance has foul origins,” someone said, cupping their hands. “I shall not stay in such company.”
With that, the man led the Chuanyun Sect away.
But the leader of the Hengshan Sect spoke up, “Wait! Since the Hantian Alliance’s origins are corrupt, why don’t we use the Hero Recruitment Meet to establish a new Martial Alliance? It’s the perfect opportunity, with heroes from all paths gathered in Cloud City. We must not miss this chance!”
The Hantian Alliance members looked grim. One couldn’t help but argue, “Don’t forget, it was the Hantian Alliance that repelled the cults from beyond the borders! If not for the Hantian Alliance, would the martial world have the peace it enjoys today?”
The old man leading the Hengshan Sect sneered coldly. “I didn’t believe it before, but now that things have come to this, I might as well tell you all: I heard recently that Feng Rong secretly adopted the daughter of the foreign demon, Yin Wulu, and raised her right there on Listening Goose Peak.”
“Nonsense! There was no one else on Listening Goose Peak!” a Hantian Alliance member shouted back.
Feng Yun’ai lowered her eyes, her heart shrouded in a mist that would not scatter.
Within that vast fog, it felt as though a dark arrow had pierced her chest. Her entire body went numb, leaving her unable to move.
The indigo-clothed woman standing beside her, however, had already walked off on her own. She clearly had little interest in the martial world secrets being barked by the crowd.
As the figure vanished from the corner of her eye, Feng Yun’ai snapped back to her senses and turned her head.
She saw Sang Chencao standing before a different bookshelf, looking up as if searching for something.
Feng Yun’ai’s intuition told her something was wrong. As she stepped forward, she saw the woman pull a book from the shelf. It appeared to be another register, but Feng Yun’ai didn’t have time to see what it was.
A lamp hung on the mud wall. The moment the flame licked the pages, the fire roared to life, the tip of the flame leaping high into the air.
“What are you burning!” Feng Yun’ai moved to snatch it, but she was too late.
The book wasn’t thick to begin with, and Sang Chencao had infused her inner qi to accelerate the burn, causing the volume to turn to ash in an instant.
That cold question drew the attention of everyone in the distance.
Several voices rang out in unison, their eyes wide with rage.
“What did you burn?”
“Are you one of the Yellow Sand Cliff’s people?”
“Stop—”
But the pages had already become flying ash. With a gentle blow from Sang Chencao, they scattered far and wide.
Sang Chencao gave a low, mocking laugh. She tilted her head toward the group and said unhurriedly, “It was just a Tome of Poisons. Such a sinful thing would cause chaos in the martial world if it fell into the wrong hands. I was merely showing some foresight.”
Feng Yun’ai watched her with cold eyes. She knew perfectly well it wasn’t a Tome of Poisons, but she couldn’t say what it actually was.
“I suspected you had ill intentions from the start!” someone shouted.
Others quickly joined in. Though they had been at each other’s throats with the Hantian Alliance just moments ago, they now drew their swords as one, pointing them at the indigo-clothed woman.
Feng Yun’ai had nothing to say. Since these people felt the indigo-clothed woman’s intentions were foul, she herself was certainly no saint in their eyes.
She pursed her lips and reached behind her, but as her hand touched the coarse cloth wrapping Solitary Gall, she jerked it back.
No, she couldn’t use Solitary Gall.
A voice rose from the crowd, “The Moonlight Sect is skilled in everything. That Wen Lanxin was a master of disguise. You… you aren’t Wen Lanxin, are you?”
Feng Yun’ai’s thoughts were a chaotic mess. She said coldly, “We are not—”
Before she could finish, she was interrupted by a hearty laugh.
Sang Chencao brushed the ash from her sleeves and smiled. “Me, Wen Lanxin? If I were truly Wen Lanxin, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have allowed you all to barge into the Yellow Sand Cliff!”
“Capture her and search her!” the leader of the Hantian Alliance commanded sharply.
“I am naturally not Wen Lanxin,” Sang Chencao’s expression darkened slightly. “I intend to participate in the Hero Recruitment Meet. Tell me, if two ‘Wen Lanxins’ appear then, what will you do?”
