For the first time in what felt like ages, Yu Songnian felt a wave of dizziness sweep over him.
But it still wasn't over.
He forced himself to stand, his voice hoarse. "Junior Sister, release his Yuányīng."
Yun Jin nodded.
She released Yu Lin's Yuányīng.
The moment it emerged, it tried to flee.
But Yun Jin had already laid down a restrictive formation around the area. The Yuányīng was trapped, able to do nothing but circle helplessly within a tiny boundary.
Fear finally took root in Yu Lin's expression. He turned to the cultivators from the Yuehua Sect, pleading, "Elder Mu, we've had such a fruitful collaboration over the years. Please, I'm begging you, save me. I only have my Yuányīng left. At the very least, give me a chance at reincarnation."
A cultivator's Yuányīng was fragile. Without a physical body, it couldn't last long outside. Some secret techniques could let a Yuányīng possess a new corpse and return, but in most cases, being reduced to a Yuányīng was essentially a death sentence.
Still, if the Yuányīng dissipated naturally, the true spirit could enter the cycle of reincarnation. There was still hope for a new life.
But if the Yuányīng was obliterated entirely, then there would be no next life.
For cultivators, that was the most terrifying fate.
Yu Lin's gaze clung to Mu Lan, desperation in his eyes. But Mu Lan looked away without hesitation.
Yes, the Yuehua Sect had cooperated with the Yu Clan over the matter of the Sword Tomb.
But the Yuehua Sect hadn't gained anything from that in the end.
Now Yu Lin was entangled with demonic cultivators.
And everyone knew that the Demon-Slaying Alliance was targeting practitioners of the demonic path and demonkind alike.
If Mu Lan spoke up to defend Yu Lin now, he'd be dragging both himself and the entire Yuehua Sect down with him.
He wasn't that foolish.
Besides…
Was someone like Yu Lin really worth speaking up for?
Seeing Mu Lan's look of disdain, Yu Lin sank into despair.
The alliance between the Yu Clan and Yuehua Sect had never been equal.
Now, what leverage did he have?
"Dear nephew... dear nephew…" Yu Lin turned in panic to Yu Songnian. "I know I was wrong. Look, I'll pass on the position of clan head to you. From now on, the entire Yu Clan, even the whole city of Lin Cheng, will be yours. You'll have access to all our cultivation resources, and—"
Before he could finish, Yu Songnian raised a hand, his face blank and disinterested.
In the next instant, Yu Lin's Nascent Soul was completely annihilated.
Not a trace remained.
That was the fate of a Yuányīng—without a body, it had little power to resist.
After wiping Yu Lin from existence, Yu Songnian turned toward the two demonic cultivators.
Knowing they were doomed, the pair grit their teeth and chose to self-detonate on the spot.
But Jin Yu merely raised his hand, and with that simple gesture, he suppressed both explosions effortlessly. They didn't even manage to scratch the surface.
Yu Songnian stood in silence for a moment.
Duanyi Wei, clearly growing impatient, finally muttered, "Seriously, I've watched you lot drag this out long enough. Now that it's all handled, can we—"
"Tian Po," Yun Jin cut in, her voice cold.
The Tian Po Sword instantly leapt into motion, smacking Duanyi Wei across the face with its flat side.
"You—" Duanyi Wei's anger surged as he stared at Yun Jin.
Yun Jin wasn't in the mood to entertain him. She spoke sharply, "Senior Brother Duan, if you want the Wushuang Sect's hidden vault, then you'd better follow my rules. One more word of nonsense, and I'll find a new owner for that key."
Duanyi Wei's expression shifted. Suspicion and uncertainty flickered across his face.
Could Yun Jin really change the key's ownership by force?
Everyone knew the Wushuang Sect's hidden realm had to be brimming with treasures.
Giving up his chance to enter? Impossible.
Inwardly, Duanyi Wei hated Yun Jin to the bone. But outwardly, he held his tongue.
Yu Songnian gave him a glance and said calmly, "It should end here."
Other than his father's remains, Yu Songnian could no longer distinguish between the bones of the elders.
So he collected them all, along with the still-decomposing corpses that had yet to be fully absorbed.
All of them—poor souls.
He would find a resting place and bury them together.
—
They left Luohua Mountain.
Yun Jin accompanied Yu Songnian on a return trip to the Yu Clan.
"Yu Songnian! Where's my father? Why did you come back alone?" Yu Liangping shouted as soon as he saw him.
"Your father?" Yu Songnian sneered. "Naturally, I killed him with my own hands."
With a flick of his hand, he tossed Yu Lin's corpse onto the ground right in front of Yu Liangping.
Yu Liangping froze, then his eyes widened in horror. He let out a cry and lunged forward, clutching the body.
Though Yu Lin's corpse was badly mangled, Yu Liangping recognized it from small details.
He looked up, eyes burning with hatred. "You? You think someone like you could kill my father?!"
"Me," Yu Songnian said coldly. "Want to try me next?"
Yu Liangping roared and charged forward.
Yu Songnian was ready to move.
"Senior Brother," Yun Jin stepped in front of him. "This time, let me."
Yu Songnian blinked. A trace of warmth flickered in his eyes.
He wasn't in great shape right now, and Yun Jin knew it. She was worried about him.
So he didn't object.
Yun Jin raised a foot and kicked Yu Liangping clear across the courtyard.
Yu Liangping trembled all over. "You killed my father. I will never forgive you! Everyone in the Yu Clan, follow me! Kill them and avenge my father!"
Soon enough, the clan's disciples gathered, surrounding the two of them.
"Today, you die with no chance of escape!" Yu Liangping shouted.
"Escape?" Yun Jin laughed coldly. "We never planned to run."
She flung out a recording stone.
A moment later, she declared, "Yu Lin of the Yu Clan conspired with demonic cultivators, framed the former Patriarch and numerous elders. His death was justified. Yu Songnian, having slain the traitor, will now take his rightful place as the Yu Clan's Patriarch."
"You're spouting nonsense—" Yu Liangping began.
But then the recording played.
Everyone in the Yu Clan saw it: the blood pool, the monstrous flower.
And afterward, the two Yuányīng who detailed their collusion with Yu Lin.
Then came the image of Yu Songnian finding the remains of the former clan head and, after evolving twice, pummeling Yu Lin to death with his own fists.
Yun Jin had prepared this evidence in advance.
Now, as the projection unfolded, many disciples let their weapons fall to the ground with clattering sounds.
The truth… was this the truth?
Their Patriarch had actually joined forces with demonic cultivators and murdered the previous Patriarch and so many elders.
Yu Songnian killing him—wasn't that completely justified?
"No... impossible... this is impossible!" Yu Liangping screamed, disbelief etched across his face. "That recording must be fake. My father would never do something like that!"
A savage light burned in his eyes as he lunged toward Yun Jin and Yu Songnian.
Whether the recording was real or not didn't matter to him. Its very existence was a threat—to his father's reputation, and to his own.
The only solution now was to kill them both and bury the truth forever.
He didn't know if it would work, but it was the only option he could see.
With a single glance, he gave the signal.
His and his father's loyalists attacked in unison.
No matter what, they had to kill Yun Jin and Yu Songnian right here.