Zhao Jinmu's frame of mind was steady now. He was grateful he had joined this war of righteous versus evil. His Dao heart had only grown firmer.
After Zhao Jinmu and his sect mates entered the battlefield, the thick miasma of evil qi dragged him into illusion. An evil soul tried to seize his body. It took the form of Hua Xuanzī and accused him of handing the treasure map he had obtained to Yunxi, gaining nothing in the end and getting her killed besides.
With a grief stricken face, Hua Xuanzī said, "Senior Brother Zhao, if not for completing Yunxi's request, I would not have died. You even offered up the hard won treasure map. If we had gained Yixian Gate's legacy, we could have founded our own sect by now."
Zhao Jinmu's brows knit tighter the more she spoke. Something felt wrong, yet he could not say why.
"Yunxi took all the benefits and used a trifle to shut your mouth. She would not even let you join Lingxue Peak and receive a Divine Transformation Zūnzhě's protection. My death was worthless."
"No. That is not how it happened." Zhao Jinmu denied her with all his strength. He knew the truth was not that.
"Hmph. Zhao Jinmu, have you forgotten our pact. Everything you have now was won by sacrificing me. Give it back." She lunged for him.
At that moment, Zhao Jinmu was coldly certain. The Hua Xuanzī before him was not the woman he loved, nor the partner who cultivated at his side. She was a shred of resentment in his own heart.
He did not hesitate. His sword cleaved and shattered the false "Hua Xuanzī," and at the same time he cut down the evil soul that had crept to the sea of consciousness between his brows.
The evil cultivator's face twisted. "How did you see through it?"
Zhao Jinmu's expression was calm. "The one I love is open and upright, and she is also a cultivator. From the day we stepped onto the path, we were prepared to fall along the way. No one can guarantee a place at the very peak of the cultivation world. We simply strive for it together.
The treasure map was given to Ran Xi Zūnzhě of our own accord because she saved us. The ones who truly killed Hua Xuanzī are you evil cultivators.
Ran Xi Zūnzhě felt guilt for it, though she never said so aloud. In private she supplied me with training resources, helping me advance smoothly to Golden Core. Someone remembered what Xuanzī sacrificed.
Moreover, for a three spiritual root cultivator like me to reach Nascent Soul before three hundred years of age was not without the aid of the medicine Ran Xi Zūnzhě gave me. This is cause and effect cycling in its proper turn.
If not for a pill refining talent like Ran Xi Zūnzhě gaining the Yixian Gate legacy, I would not be a beneficiary at all. So prepare to die."
A razor keen metal intent lanced out and pierced the enemy's dantian. The evil cultivator stared in disbelief at his churned core, toppled, and died.
Having slain the Nascent Soul level foe before him, Zhao Jinmu plunged once more into the reeking tide of evil qi. This time he was sure he would not be deceived again.
The same scenes played out across the field. Some cultivators withstood the lure of evil souls. Others had the monsters in their hearts hooked out by evil cultivators and became puppets, turning their swords upon their own comrades.
Because of the stalemate, the five regions committed more and more people. They scarcely had time to rest. When they were gritting their teeth to endure, the return of Ran Xi Zūnzhě brought them a turning point.
Discussion continued in the encampment, but the air inside Haoran Sect's law house was heavy. Ran Xi's return had reversed the battlefield, yet she had also brought a piece of ill news.
Hao Yan's face changed. Gnashing her teeth, she said, "No wonder. No wonder the evil cultivators kept striking at the Weiyu Realm again and again, scheming for so long. If Ran Xi had not blundered into breaking their early plot, they might truly have succeeded."
Hao Hui's expression was grim. "Upper realm evil cultivators have already reached their hands in. It shows they are determined to take the Weiyu Realm. We cannot relax our guard."
Hao Qing sighed and said to Yunxi, "Ran Xi, Huaxian Gate's Shanhe Scroll is gone."
Yunxi froze. "Was it seized by the enemy after Huaxian Gate fell?"
"No. It was stolen before that. Hua Tong Zūnzhě sent word to the Divine Transformation Ancestors of each sect asking aid in the search. Before the scroll could be found, the upper realm evil cultivators descended. The matter was shelved."
Yunxi rubbed her temples. "The evil side intends to use Long Ya to locate where the evil god's body is sealed."
At that, Hao Yan and the others felt their hearts sink. If that news spread, the Weiyu Realm would fall into chaos even without the enemy lifting a finger.
Hao Hui frowned. "When Huaxian Gate was breached there was no warning. It is likely some evil cultivators slipped out of the Central Region in the confusion, perhaps precisely to seek Long Ya and then the place where the evil god's body is sealed."
Unwilling to let it go, Yunxi asked, "Have any of you seniors heard even a fragment of rumor about the evil god's divine body. Even a few words might be a clue, enough for us to act first."
Hao Yan and Hao Qing both shook their heads.
Yunxi pressed on, "Never mind the other sects. Huaxian Gate's Ancestors must know something. Otherwise the Shanhe Scroll would not have been kept there for so long."
This time she received only a sigh. Hao Qing said in a low voice, "To stall the enemy's Divine Transformation ranks, one Huaxian Gate Ancestor self destructed to sever the teleportation array to the upper realm, buying us time to reinforce the Central Region.
But soon after, the array was repaired by the enemy, and they continued sending evil cultivators down. To prevent the Central Region from falling, Hua Tong and Hua Bai fell in succession. Only then did the enemy's advance pause.
Afterward, our four regions and the sects and clans withdrawn from the Central Region rebuilt a line and penned the enemy inside, stopping further expansion.
Huaxian Gate knew they had left an opening for the enemy. They take the lead in every battle. Of their high end strength, one in ten remains. For now only Hua Yu barely holds the whole together. Those who can still aid are Xian Yao and Xian Feng, and they are both injured and healing."
Yunxi could only sigh. The foremost sect of the Central Region had been hammered to ruin, losing eight tenths of its elite at least. The downward slope was inevitable.
Even so, Yunxi kept her head and analyzed, "The theft of the Shanhe Scroll is a sign. Huaxian Gate cannot have been completely unprepared. Yet they chose to keep the teleportation array to the upper realm. Perhaps they knew the evil god's body was sealed in the Weiyu Realm and wanted to leave a retreat for their disciples. Unfortunately"
"Unfortunately they dragged Huaxian Gate into the abyss and brought a calamity upon the Weiyu Realm," Hao Yan said coldly, finishing what Yunxi left unsaid.
"Perhaps they acted that way because they knew the evil god's divine body cannot be destroyed and would one day break its seal. A Divine Transformation evil cultivator I cut down said as much. He claimed I could not stop the evil god's return."