Zhao Wuji's expression shifted instantly to one of panic. Those formation sites were incredibly well-hidden, passed down orally from one Sect Master to the next.
The previous Sect Master had already perished, and in theory, Zhao Wuji should now be the only one in Tianxing Sect who knew their locations.
So, after the banquet began…
He had ordered Han Xiaoyu to secretly remove the spirit stones from the formations. This task wasn't supposed to be dangerous. After all, everyone else had been drawn into the banquet, unaware of where the formations were located. As long as Han Xiaoyu acted discreetly, the job should've gone off without a hitch.
But now…
The formation had still been activated. There was only one explanation—Han Xiaoyu had been discovered. A flicker of unease crossed Zhao Wuji's face. He wanted to ask what had happened. But the fear that things weren't as he imagined—and that he might drag Han Xiaoyu down with him—held him back.
"Sect Master Zhao," Yun Jin said with a smile, "worried about Han Xiaoyu, are you?"
Zhao Wuji's face changed instantly.
How did Yun Jin know that too?
The others were also looking at Yun Jin, their curiosity piqued.
Still smiling gently, Yun Jin said, "To activate the sect-protection formation, several arrays within the sect must provide spirit stone power simultaneously. Take the stones away, and the formation naturally won't work. That's what you were counting on, wasn't it?"
Zhao Wuji's face darkened further. He clenched his teeth and said nothing.
Yun Jin didn't press the issue and continued calmly, "You don't have many people left you can trust. The only one who still obeys you without question is Han Xiaoyu. So you sent him to take the spirit stones. Unfortunately, someone discovered him. It seems your whole plan has fallen apart."
Even Lin Ya couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that. He had also sent people to keep an eye on Zhao Wuji's disciples, but none of his spies had reported anything. That meant either they'd lost the trail—or something had gone terribly wrong.
And yet Yun Jin, having just returned, already had everything figured out. Compared to her, he—her master—was beginning to feel a bit useless.
"Xiao Jin, you…" Lin Ya finally couldn't hold back his question.
"They should be arriving now," Yun Jin replied.
They?
Everyone looked around in confusion.
Then—
Zhou Li and Zhou Dai appeared, escorting Han Xiaoyu and Ye Danxia toward the courtyard.
Han Xiaoyu looked like he'd been beaten half to death. His face was swollen beyond recognition, and he was bound from head to toe, looking utterly miserable.
Ye Danxia was in better shape, though she looked completely bewildered, as if she had no idea what was going on.
"Xiaoyu!" Zhao Wuji cried out in anguish.
Han Xiaoyu raised his head.
And froze.
He had been hoping that once his master succeeded, someone would come rescue him. But now it looked like Zhao Wuji was in even worse shape than he was.
At least Han Xiaoyu still had all his limbs.
Zhao Wuji?
One arm gone.
One ear missing.
He looked like he'd been through hell.
"Master, you…" Despair crept into Han Xiaoyu's eyes.
Zhao Wuji stared at Zhou Li and Zhou Dai, his voice full of fury. "What did you two do to your junior brother?!"
Zhou Li and Zhou Dai ignored him.
Zhou Li gave Yun Jin a grateful glance. "Thank you, Junior Sister Yun, for the warning. We'd been secretly observing Zhao Wuji and Master, and sure enough, we noticed some strange behavior. After the banquet began, we followed Han Xiaoyu. He had something on him that could conceal his presence—we almost lost him several times. Later, we captured Ye Danxia and forced him to show himself. We've already interrogated him. He was trying to steal the spirit stones and disable the sect-protection formation."
Zhao Wuji's expression darkened even more.
Han Xiaoyu should have been able to complete the task without incident.
But Ye Danxia had ruined it.
She got him caught.
Zhao Wuji shot a fierce glare at her.
Ye Danxia shrank under the look, feeling wronged. "I don't even know what happened! They just grabbed me out of nowhere and said they were going to kill me! Senior Brother Han appeared to save me, and now I'm somehow mixed up in all this? I swear, I don't know anything—I'm innocent!"
This time, Ye Danxia truly felt wronged.
She'd already been punished and reduced to a menial laborer.
Life had been miserable these past two days.
Especially since Yang Yun had run off.
The overseers couldn't find him, so they vented their anger on her. She'd been made to work more than ever, suffering beatings that made the old ones feel like love taps.
And now?
Now she was dragged away for no reason.
And somehow involved in a plot against the sect formation… and the demon race?
She didn't understand a word of it.
And she was tied up anyway.
Who was she even supposed to complain to?
But no one was paying attention to Ye Danxia now.
Everyone's attention was focused coldly on Zhao Wuji and Han Xiaoyu.
Han Xiaoyu felt the weight of their stares. His knees trembled, and he stammered, "I didn't know. I really didn't know! Master just told me to take some spirit stones—I didn't know it was something this serious! Besides, a disciple must obey his master. I was forced into it!"
"Xiaoyu, you…" Zhao Wuji stared at him in disbelief. Among all his disciples, Han Xiaoyu—his illegitimate son—was the one he trusted the most. He had given him everything he could.
And now?
The moment trouble came, Han Xiaoyu sold him out.
Han Xiaoyu didn't care anymore. He cried, snot and tears streaming down. "It's true! I didn't know anything. It was Zhao Wuji—he colluded with the demon race and forced me into it. I'm a victim too!"
Zhao Wuji's face turned ashen. He was so furious he couldn't even speak.
Lin Ya looked at Han Xiaoyu with disdain. He flicked a finger, and Han Xiaoyu immediately fell silent, choking on his sobs.
"This one's too noisy," Lin Ya said. "Neither of them is getting away. When the Demon-Slaying Alliance arrives, we'll decide their fates."
"Agreed," said one of the Grand Elders. He turned to Zhou Li and Zhou Dai, his voice softening. "You two were Zhao Wuji's disciples. Normally, this would implicate you as well. But since you exposed him, your merits offset your guilt. When the Demon-Slaying Alliance arrives, we will speak on your behalf."
In the cultivation world, the master-disciple bond often rivaled that of blood. When a master committed a crime, the disciples were almost always implicated.
Gu Jinghong had joined Yun Jin early on, so he was out of this mess.
Zhou Li and Zhou Dai, however, would've definitely been caught in the fallout. Fortunately, by capturing Han Xiaoyu, they had atoned in advance. With such merit, they should be able to come out of this clean.
Relieved, Zhou Li and Zhou Dai quickly bowed in thanks. They had never gained much under Zhao Wuji, but if Zhao Wuji fell, they would've suffered just as much. Thankfully, Yun Jin had warned them in advance, giving them the chance to earn this credit. Both of them looked at Yun Jin with deep gratitude.
Yun Jin simply smiled.
She had once promised to help them break free from Zhao Wuji. And now, she had kept that promise. Ultimately, it was their own decision to take the right path that had pulled them out of the mire.