"Little Junior Sister, did something happen?" Si Wan Ning couldn't help asking, a trace of unease in her voice.
Yun Jin's series of actions had put her on alert. If there were a hidden threat within the Tianxing Sect...
Si Wanning immediately thought of one person.
The Demon Sovereign, Yang Yun.
Ever since her past-life memories awakened, she had recognized that child for who he truly was—none other than the infamous Demon Sovereign. Back when she was still in the sect, she had kept a constant watch on the labor camp, never daring to let her guard down.
After all...
He was the Demon Sovereign.
Even the slightest opening would be enough for him to stir up chaos.
Now that she'd been away for a few days...
Although she had told the disciple in charge of the labor camp to keep a close eye on Yang Yun before she left—and that disciple had readily agreed—
The Demon Sovereign was cunning. Who knew what he might have secretly orchestrated?
Yun Jin's return to the sect with all the Mahayana-level forces from the Wushuang Sect only deepened her suspicions.
Now, hearing Yun Jin's current instructions...
She became certain. Something had gone wrong within the Tianxing Sect.
After a moment's thought, Yun Jin spoke in a low voice. "Tonight, there might be a major battle. A group of demons is heading toward the Tianxing Sect, lured here by Yang Yun."
She paused, then continued bluntly, "Yang Yun is the Demon Sovereign. After being gravely injured, he took the form of a child. His earlier obsession with gathering spirit herbs was all to help him recover his strength faster."
That revelation hit like a thunderclap.
Everyone froze—except for Si Wanning, who already knew.
Even the Tian Po Sword seemed surprised. "Demon Sovereign? That title is reserved for the strongest of the demon race."
"Exactly. Yang Yun hasn't fully recovered yet, but he had already laid the groundwork in the human realm long ago. He summoned his old followers—they've now regrouped around him. But the demons headed for Tianxing Sect aren't his allies."
Yun Jin explained, "That group of demons are Yang Yun's enemies. He deliberately revealed his location to lure them here—they're coming to kill him. What they don't know is that he has been cultivating power in secret here. Once they start slaughtering their way through the sect, Yang Yun will show up with his people, playing the role of savior. He'll wipe them out and, in doing so, turn himself into a hero of the human realm."
She concluded calmly, "This Demon Sovereign isn't aiming low."
It was a lot to take in.
Si Wanning, who had died young in her past life, never lived to witness the demon race's massacre of the Tianxing Sect.
She and the others took a moment to digest everything.
Then, one by one, shocked expressions appeared in their eyes.
If this truly played out...
And the Demon Sovereign became a hero of the human race...
Then the humans would become nothing more than a cosmic joke.
"Next, we move into action," Yun Jin said softly. "The demons originally came for Yang Yun. But since he went into hiding, they couldn't find him, which is why they turned their sights on Tianxing Sect. So tonight, we'll expose Yang Yun's location right away and let both sides clash. Once they've worn each other down, we'll step in to clean up the mess. That's the basic plan. If things change, we'll adapt.
Zhao Wuji has probably already aligned himself with the demon race. From their perspective, the Wushuang Sect is too far from Tianxing Sect for us to have returned this quickly. So we're not even a part of their calculations," Yun Jin said. "All the better. We won't appear openly. We'll wait until the last moment to strike and finish off whoever's left."
The plan sounded simple.
But everyone knew that until they saw how things played out on the ground, no strategy could be relied upon completely.
They would have to respond in real time.
"For the banquet, they'll need some outer sect disciples to help with the arrangements," Yun Jin said. "We can disguise ourselves as outer disciples and get in that way. For this, we'll need our Master's cooperation. Let's fill him in on the situation and ask him to help get us into the banquet."
Everyone nodded.
"The sword spirit doesn't need to follow me around constantly," Yun Jin added after a moment of thought. "You're too noticeable—being such a large sword. Just find a place nearby to lie low. I'll contact you when it's time to act."
The sword on her back shifted slightly, signaling its understanding.
Next, Yun Jin sent a message through her communication talisman to Lin Ya.
Lin Ya was stunned.
He had just told Yun Jin that everything was fine, that nothing was amiss.
And yet...
The moment she returned, she uncovered something this serious.
Lin Ya felt his face burn a little with embarrassment.
But the thing that truly caught him off guard was Yang Yun.
That child... was actually a member of the demon race? And not just any—he was the Demon Sovereign?
It sounded absurd, but if Yun Jin said it, it was probably true.
His sense of caution spiked immediately.
He wasn't even surprised by the idea that Zhao Wuji might be colluding with the Demon Sovereign. After all, Zhao Wuji had once made Gu Jinghong practice a demonic cultivation method—people had already suspected something was wrong.
They just didn't have solid proof.
Someone who would secretly teach his disciples a demonic art? It wasn't hard to believe he might also be working with demons. So when Yun Jin said the banquet might be part of a larger scheme, Lin Ya narrowed his eyes.
That banquet...
Zhao Wuji had spared no effort. He claimed it was to make amends for past mistakes and to sincerely apologize, inviting nearly all the sect's mid-to-upper-level members. He even promised to bring out his collection of rare and precious wines.
Some of those wines were so potent, even Mahayana-stage elders could gain a sliver of spiritual energy just from drinking them. To everyone else, it was an irresistible temptation. No one turned down the invitation.
Even back then, Lin Ya had found it odd.
When had Zhao Wuji ever been this generous?
Apologize?
When had he ever admitted he'd done something wrong?
And if he didn't believe he was wrong, why apologize at all?
He had to know that his influence within Tianxing Sect had already crumbled. Even offering up such rare wines wouldn't change the outcome. With Zhao Wuji's personality, he wouldn't waste effort on something meaningless.
Now that Yun Jin had explained things, it all made sense.
That banquet was definitely a trap.
"Master, I found a simple transformation technique in Wushuang Sect. It can change our appearances. When the time comes, we'll disguise ourselves as outer disciples to infiltrate the banquet. The technique can't withstand close scrutiny, so please help us with some cover." Yun Jin sent another message.
"Got it," Lin Ya replied. "Everyone in Tianxing Sect trusts me now. A small matter like this is no trouble at all."
"Master, you're incredible. Without you, how would any of us manage?" Yun Jin praised him a bit more before ending the transmission.
Lin Ya, now holding real power in Tianxing Sect, quickly arranged for a few outer sect disciples to make themselves scarce, then sent images of them to Yun Jin's group.
With their transformed appearances, Yun Jin and the others successfully reentered the sect.
Old Huo didn't go in with them but remained hidden nearby. If anything went wrong, he could strike immediately.
He was Yun Jin's true trump card.
Only with this terrifying lava dragon standing by could they hope to suppress whatever monsters lay in wait.