Chapter 565 - 561: Encirclement Operation

Chapter 565: Chapter 561: Encirclement Operation

After the seven Sect Leaders finished their inspection, a brief silence fell over the room.

Chen Tianyuan was the first to speak, his gaze sweeping over the other six.

"Everyone, it is now certain that Qi Zhen was practicing a Demon Skill. And within the Tiejiang Gang, he is surely not the only one."

"Amitabha Buddha."

Kudu slowly thumbed his prayer beads, a rare glint of severity flashing in his half-closed eyes.

"The harm caused by Demon Skills is endless. If we let this continue, Qingyang County will never know peace."

Lei Pojun said in a deep voice:

"If Qi Zhen, the Gang Leader, was cultivating a Demon Skill, then Yan Wuji’s breakthrough to the Grandmaster realm is likely connected to it as well."

At these words, the expressions of the six others in the room turned grim.

Xie Changkong’s brow furrowed as he said slowly:

"If Yan Wuji truly used a Demon Skill to become a Grandmaster, then the Tiejiang Gang isn’t just an ordinary power—it’s a den of demons."

Shen Tinglan’s voice was low, but every word was clear:

"A Grandmaster who cultivates a Demon Skill cannot be left unchecked. The consequences would be disastrous."

The usual smile on Hua Nishang’s lips vanished completely, replaced by an icy coldness:

"If we don’t eradicate them before they are fully-fledged, the Seven Sects will face the danger of being overthrown once the Tiejiang Gang produces a few more Grandmasters via Demon Skills."

Ling Wuyuan stood with his hands behind his back. No emotion could be seen in his deep eyes, but he gave a slow nod, making his stance clear.

"In that case," Chen Tianyuan began, his gaze sweeping over the six.

"The Seven Sects will join forces to annihilate the Tiejiang Gang. Does anyone have any objections?"

"I agree."

"I agree as well."

...

The other six all voiced their agreement.

"Qi Zhen has been missing for two days," Xie Changkong said.

"The Tiejiang Gang has likely noticed something is amiss. We must act quickly."

"Indeed," Shen Tinglan added, a new sense of urgency in his voice.

"If Yan Wuji senses trouble, he’ll most likely flee with his core members. Trying to encircle and destroy them then will be incredibly difficult."

"We can’t give them a chance to react." Lei Pojun gripped the hilt of the blade at his waist, his rugged face filled with killing intent.

"We must strike immediately."

Chen Tianyuan nodded slightly. He took a small Jade Talisman from his sleeve and channeled a wisp of Inner Qi from his fingertip.

The Jade Talisman glowed faintly before the light faded.

At almost the same moment, Kudu, Lei Pojun, Xie Changkong, Shen Tinglan, Hua Nishang, and Ling Wuyuan each took out a Jade Talisman of their own and activated it with their Inner Qi.

These were similar to the Divine Speed Jade Talisman Fang Han had obtained—extremely rare items that only a Grandmaster could refine, capable of long-distance communication.

As the Sect Leaders of the Seven Sects issued their orders, an unprecedented extermination campaign began.

...

「Three hundred miles north of the Commandery City.」

Here lay a mine belonging to the Tiejiang Gang, garrisoned by their experts year-round.

The mine was built against a mountain, enclosed by a simple fence of crude wooden stakes. The dark mouths of several mine shafts gaped open, with miners occasionally pushing carts in and out.

A dozen or so monks from the Vajra Temple appeared.

They filed out of the mountain forest, their steps steady, their Precept Sabers glinting coldly in the morning light.

The leader was a slender man with a gaunt face—the First-Grade Elder of the Vajra Temple, Kuming.

He pressed his palms together, softly chanted a Buddhist mantra, then raised his right hand and gave a gentle wave.

The dozen or so figures shot forward in unison, silently vaulting over the fence and vanishing into the mine.

Screams erupted a moment later.

The first scream was short and sharp, quickly swallowed by the wet thud of a blade sinking into flesh.

Then came a second, a third... A chorus of screams rose and fell, mixed with the crash of shattering tables and chairs, the smashing of earthenware jars, and a few hoarse, terrified roars.

"Ambush—!"

The voice of a Tiejiang Gang Steward, on guard duty, was cut short as soon as it cried out.

Kuming stood outside the mine’s entrance, his gray monk’s robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze as he slowly thumbed his prayer beads.

His expression was as calm as still water, as if the screams were nothing more than the sound of wind rustling through a bamboo grove.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the commotion inside the mine gradually died down.

A monk darted out from the mine, landed before Kuming, and pressed his palms together, bowing his head.

"Elder Kuming, all forty-seven members of the Tiejiang Gang within the mine have been executed. The Tiejiang Gang Elder stationed here..."

He paused, his voice turning grave.

"Just before he died, an extremely violent, blood-colored Inner Qi erupted from his body, matching the Abbot’s description of a Demon Skill’s characteristics."

"It really is a Demon Skill!" Kuming said gravely, his hand momentarily stilling on his prayer beads.

...

「Five hundred miles southwest of the Commandery City.」

Here lay an herb field belonging to the Tiejiang Gang.

The field was built into a mountainside, with terraced plots stretching from the foot to the waist of the mountain, all planted with various rare medicinal herbs.

Wooden huts were scattered among the terraces, guarding the entire field.

The First-Grade Elder of the Overlord Blade Sect, Lei Luo, arrived with over thirty Elders, Stewards, and elite disciples from his Sect.

They were dressed in black martial attire, long blades hanging at their waists, moving like a pack of silent leopards through the morning mist.

Unlike Kuming, Overlord Blade Sect Elder Lei Luo did not sneak in. He drew his blade, its massive, broad edge flashing with a blinding cold light in the morning sun.

"Kill."

He spoke only one word.

Over thirty figures in black shot forward at once, their blades flashing like bolts of silk, carving cold streaks through the morning mist.

The two Tiejiang Gang disciples guarding the perimeter were decapitated before they could even cry out.

Blood splattered across the verdant herb field, dyeing the rare medicinal plants a dark red.

Lei Luo strode forward like a meteor, heading straight for the largest wooden hut deep within the herb field.

He kicked the wooden door to pieces. Amidst the flying splinters, a figure shot out from the hut, thrusting both palms forward. A jet-black Palm Seal, wrapped in a sinister, cold wind, shot straight for Lei Luo’s face.

Lei Luo neither dodged nor retreated, swinging his massive broadsword in a horizontal slash.

The flash of the blade collided with the Palm Seal, creating a deafening BOOM. The figure grunted, staggered back, the web of his right thumb splitting open and gushing blood.

He looked up, revealing a pale, middle-aged face. It was one of the Tiejiang Gang’s Second-Grade Elders, stationed here as a guard.

"Overlord Blade Sect..." he ground out through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse.

"Why are you attacking my Tiejiang Gang? Aren’t you afraid of incurring the wrath of our Supreme Elder?"

Lei Luo didn’t answer. His massive broadsword slashed out again.

This slash was faster, more ruthless.

The Second-Grade Elder had no way to dodge and could only thrust out both palms again, blocking with all his might.

But his Cultivation was only at the Early Stage of Second Grade. Before a First Grade Martial Artist like Lei Luo, he was like a praying mantis trying to stop a chariot.

The blade’s light shattered the Palm Seal and viciously struck his chest.

"SPURT—!"

Blood sprayed violently as the Second-Grade Elder’s body flew backward, smashing through the rear wall of the wooden hut and crashing heavily onto a ridge in the herb field.

He struggled to get up, but at this life-or-death moment, the Demon Skill within him spiraled completely out of control.

A violent, blood-colored Inner Qi erupted from his body, tearing his robes to shreds and revealing withered skin covered in dark red veins beneath.

Using a Demon Skill as a shortcut naturally came with side effects. Not only was one’s mind easily affected, but it was also extremely easy to suffer from cultivation deviation during cultivation or combat.

Now, stimulated by the battle, his Demon Skill had gone out of control.

’Just as I thought. A Demon Skill.’

Lei Luo’s brow furrowed slightly. He raised his massive broadsword again, and with a flash of its blade, he finished off the Second-Grade Elder who had been cultivating the Demon Skill.

...

「Eight hundred miles east of the Commandery City.」

Here lay a marketplace managed by the Tiejiang Gang.

Xie Ming, a First-Grade Elder of the Lingyun Sword Sect, stood with his hands behind his back under an ancient tree outside the marketplace, his moon-white robe fluttering gently in the morning breeze.

Behind him, over thirty Elders, Stewards, and disciples of the Lingyun Sword Sect stood in solemn silence, longswords at their waists, their auras sharp and fierce.

"Strike!"

Xie Ming waved his hand, and the thirty-plus Elders, Stewards, and disciples of the Lingyun Sword Sect charged into the marketplace.

The marketplace instantly descended into chaos.

The clang of weapons, the crackle of exploding Qi Force, screams, and roars all mingled together, echoing in the morning light.

From time to time, figures were sent flying out of the marketplace to crash onto the street, where they lay motionless in a spray of blood.

After an incense stick’s worth of time, a Lingyun Sword Sect Elder shot out from the marketplace, landed before Xie Ming, and cupped his fist.

"Elder Xie, all sixty-three members of the Tiejiang Gang in the marketplace have been executed. The Tiejiang Gang Elder stationed here... activated his Demon Skill just before he died."

Xie Ming’s brow furrowed slightly. He remained silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

"Are you certain it was a Demon Skill?"

"Certain."

The Elder nodded, his voice firm.

"After activating the Demon Skill, the Elder’s Inner Qi turned blood-red and his aura surged. It took the combined effort of several Elders to kill him."

Xie Ming nodded slightly and said no more.

He raised his head, his gaze turning in the direction of the Tiejiang Gang’s headquarters. A flicker of coldness flashed through his otherwise gentle eyes.

’A Sect of Demon Skills cannot be allowed to exist.’

The fourth branch, the fifth branch, the sixth branch...

The experts of the Seven Sects moved separately across the map of Qingyang County, uprooting the Tiejiang Gang’s various operations one by one.

In every besieged branch, Martial Artists cultivating Demon Skills were found.

Some activated their Demon Skills, their strength surging as they tried to break through the encirclement.

Others lost control at the moment of life and death, their Demon Skills erupting on their own.

Still others were already mentally unstable; instead of fleeing, they fought with frenzied abandon.

Without exception, every one of them revealed their use of a Demon Skill.

The news spread rapidly among the Seven Sects.

"Eastern mine: resident Elder confirmed to be cultivating a Demon Skill."

"Northern herb field: resident Elder confirmed to be cultivating a Demon Skill."

"Western marketplace: resident Elder confirmed to be cultivating a Demon Skill."

...

Each message was like a boulder dropped into the hearts of the Seven Sects’ upper echelons, sending ripples through them.

The Tiejiang Gang—a power born only recently, with a Grandmaster presiding over it—was indeed a deeply hidden Sect of Demon Skills.

...

At the same time that the Tiejiang Gang’s branches within the county were being annihilated, a force of over a hundred people appeared at the Tiejiang Gang headquarters.

There were three leaders at the head of the group.

One was Gu Changqing, a Grandmaster from the Qingxuan Sect. He wore a deep cyan robe and stood with his hands behind his back, his hair tied up with a Wooden Hairpin, his face gaunt.

Not a trace of his aura was exposed; he seemed to have merged with the world around him.

The other two were Grandmaster Lei Lie of the Overlord Blade Sect and Grandmaster Shen Mo of the Tingyu Building.

Lei Lie was burly and broad-shouldered, built like a tiger. He wore a sleeveless black tunic, revealing two arms thicker than an ordinary person’s waist.

Strapped to his back was a gigantic blade the size of a door panel, its body as black as ink and gleaming with a cold, dark light.

Just by standing there, he resembled an iron tower, exuding an unparalleled, domineering presence.

Shen Mo wore a bluish-gray robe with an old longsword at his waist. His face was plain, and he had no presence at all.

But a closer look would reveal that he stood in the exact gap where Gu Changqing’s and Lei Lie’s auras intersected, as if he could merge with the world at any moment, or vanish from it just as easily.

Behind the three Grandmasters were over a hundred experts from the Seven Sects.

Dressed in the attire of their various sects, they stood in solemn silence, their auras heavy and their killing intent palpable.

Among the hundred-plus people, not one spoke a word.

There was only the riverside wind, making their clothes flap and rustle, and the distant sound of the river’s waves crashing against the shore.