Family Cultivation: My entire family are Villains

Chapter 310: 171. The great powers of the major Holy Lands_2

The three motionless experts below immediately recognized the origins of the phantom figures behind Zhan Taiqing and the others. Zhang Yuning voiced his doubts, "This must be the projection of a great power, right? Tongling has always been Demon Sect territory, so it's understandable for Zhan Taiqing to have one, but it's surprising that Moxuzi and Zen Master Yuan Kong have them too!"

Lian Ningxue offered a light chuckle and said, "What's so strange about that? Probably only we are unaware of Ji Yanzhi's attempt to break through. Those powerful beings from the Holy Lands surely know. With such significant movements from Bailu Academy, how could the powers of Ziqing Holy Sect and Leiyin Temple not keep up..."

After pondering for a moment, Zhang Yuning quickly came to a realization and nodded, saying, "Indeed, these three factions have been fighting for over a thousand years. Now, with the Confucian Sect pressing on the Daoist and Buddhist factions so they can hardly breathe, the addition of another Sub-saint would only worsen their plight."

The listening Hou Yuxiao felt a chill in his heart upon hearing the conversation between the two.

What did this mean?

If those from the Holy Lands were all aware of Ji Yanzhi's breakthrough to Sub-saint, then they must have been watching the situation unfolding in Tongling.

If Moxuzi and Zen Master Yuan Kong still had aces up their sleeves, it meant that even if Ji Yanzhi successfully broke through, there would be interference from the powers of Ziqing Holy Sect and Leiyin Temple to prevent his breakthrough!

So, up until now, these people had still been in a covert struggle...

They really didn't take Maiden Hong seriously, did they?

As Hou Yuxiao was deep in thought, the phantom figures behind Zhan Taiqing and the others in the sky began to reveal their true appearances gradually.

Behind Zen Master Yuan Kong was a stout monk with white eyebrows and a beard, draped in a deep blue kasaya. He sat cross-legged in the air, his left hand forming a mudra with his index finger and thumb touching, resting on his left foot; his right hand spread flat in front, exuding a peaceful demeanor with benevolent eyes.

Behind Moxuzi was a disheveled and carefree gaunt old Daoist holding a wine gourd, seemingly summoned while in the midst of drinking, his expression one of bewilderment. His face became more solemn upon seeing the spectacle above.

And behind Zhan Taiqing was a figure in black robes with an indiscernible face, which added an air of mystery relative to the other two due to the obscured expressions.

"Hehe, Southern Medicine Master, even you were sent here by Leiyin Temple. It seems they are really worried about Ji Yanzhi's breakthrough..."

Not unexpectedly, the disheveled old Daoist was the first to speak. More casual than the others, Hou Yuxiao took note of the name Southern Medicine Master as the old Daoist addressed the direction of the old monk.

"The Daoist sect sending Wuxin the Taoist Master is beyond my expectation too!" said the stout old monk calmly, but the content was equally pointed. Wuxin the Taoist Master immediately showed a touch of annoyance in his eyes as if failing to catch the barb in the words and muttered, "The Sect Master knows all too well that I prefer wine to crowds, and yet he insists on sending me here. Tedious, tedious, tiresome."

Neither had plans for a lengthy greeting, and just then, the black-robed figure behind Zhan Taiqing spoke.

"Ji Yanzhi, you have failed, how to proceed... you don't need me to remind you, do you?"

The black-robed figure's voice was quite aged and somewhat hoarse. Although not as loud as the voices of the Southern Medicine Master or Wuxin the Taoist Master, his tone carried an undeniable firmness and harshness. Upon his speaking, the other two fell silent, their eyes showing simultaneous wariness.

Even though both knew that the black-robed figure was addressing Ji Yanzhi.

Their change in expression naturally didn't escape Hou Yuxiao watching below. He looked at the black-robed figure with an intrigued expression.

Zhang Yuning and Lian Ningxue, as well as Monk Yuan Fa down below, regarded the black-robed figure with great wariness, but also with curiosity.

Zhang Yuning subtly bowed his head and quietly asked Lian Ningxue beside him, "Is it Left Protector Duanmu Hong, or Right Protector Huangfu Xing?"

"I don't know either. The two great Protectors of the Demon Sect never reveal their true faces. It's said that only Sikong Xingzhou knows what they truly look like!"

Duanmu Hong, Huangfu Xing...

The two great Protectors of the Demon Sect, second only to Sikong Xingzhou on the land of Yongzhou, were unexpectedly in attendance.

Hou Yuxiao could only roll his eyes at the black-robed figure, after some consideration, his eyes suddenly filled with a somber light.

While it appeared that someone formidable had arrived, one that even the Southern Medicine Master and Wuxin the Taoist Master seemed to fear, careful consideration would reveal that this was not good news at all!

Hou Yuxiao hadn't time to think deeply when he recalled the black-robed figure's recent words, his brows furrowed slightly.

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Since the powers from every Holy Land already knew that Ji Yanzhi was here to break through, then the man in black robes must also know, and if you combine that with what the man in black robes said...

A flash of insight struck Hou Yuxiao's mind, and suddenly his mind and spirit were shaken.

The Demon Sect also had dealings with Ji Yanzhi; the fact that the Tongling Blood Demon was brought to assist Ji Yanzhi's breakthrough was something tacitly approved by both parties. Ironically, it is the Ziqing Holy Sect and Leiyin Temple from The Righteous Path who are the true blockers of Ji Yanzhi's advancement to Sub-saint.

Is this simply a transaction between the powerful, or is it a deal involving two or even three Holy Lands? This is... it's simply... it's simply...

Hou Yuxiao felt as if thousands of horses were racing in his mind. His concept of the division between the righteous and the wicked suddenly became blurred, yet at the same time, he gained a clearer grasp of the overall context of the current affair.

The root of everything lay in Ji Yanzhi's breakthrough. The key to the breakthrough was the Blood Demon. The Zhaoyang Disturbance at the end of last year was the first step: reviving the Blood Demon.

Ji Yanzhi probably knew that Ziqing Holy Sect and Leiyin Temple intended to stop him, so he secretly reached an agreement with the Demon Sect to use the Blood Demon for his breakthrough in Tongling.

What terms he used for the exchange, Hou Yuxiao didn't need to guess; it certainly involved not occupying Tongling. What else could attract the Demon Sect, wracked with internal strife and external threats, besides this term?

So from start to finish, they never really intended to take Tongling...

Then, what about the townspeople who died tonight in Tongling, the Xuzhou Army slain in the attack, and the Mansion Army who died defending the city? What are they?

These people were nothing more than pawns in the dealings of these Holy Land mighty ones, mere sacrificial pieces for Ji Yanzhi's breakthrough...

A chill ran through Hou Yuxiao's heart as he gained a deeper understanding of the world's darkness. He then realized that the little schemes he had been plotting from the beginning were nothing compared to theirs!

If Ji Yanzhi succeeds in his breakthrough, he will definitely not care about Tongling. With the deal he had with the man in black robes, Tongling would likely not be lost in the end. And Master Fanyin said that the Xingnan Prefecture Army has already moved to Wanyang County. So all in all, isn't the Wanjian Holy Sect the biggest loser in this entire ordeal?

The Wanjian Holy Sect, after all that rigmarole with Bailu Academy, didn't gain any benefit, got hit by the Xin'an Prefecture Army into Xuzhou, and even if they didn't lose territory, they lost face. And losing face for a Holy Land is no small matter...

No, no, this can't be right. How could the Wanjian Holy Sect suffer such a great loss?

They must have a plan too; it's just that I cannot see it.

There was a change in the sky, and Hou Yuxiao felt that he could slightly move his body. He hurriedly looked up, just in time to see Ji Yanzhi in the sky, and his body trembled.

He thought he understood what the Wanjian Holy Sect's plan might be...

If the Wanjian Holy Sect actually hoped for Ji Yanzhi to fail, or rather, they knew that Ji Yanzhi would fail, hence they deliberately went through this whole charade.

With that, it all made sense!

If Ji Yanzhi fails, what is he supposed to do?

Full of uncertainty, Hou Yuxiao was not alone; at this moment, all who could move their eyes were focused on the fading figure of Ji Yanzhi.

Ji Yanzhi's facade had already decayed, and Zhou Shen's vitality was also dwindling. If there was anything left in him, it was probably just that thin layer of pure yet weak Confucian Qi. This is the cost of failing to break through.

He did not respond to the man in black robes' words. Even if he were dying, he only looked apologetically at Maiden Hong in the sky and whispered softly, "Ling Er, your brother is wrong, forgive me, will you?"

"Dream on!" Although Maiden Hong's voice was calm, the hatred in her tone could be felt by anyone, let alone Ji Yanzhi who faced her directly.

This definitive answer seemed not to surprise Ji Yanzhi at all. He did not react, only stayed silent for a while as the guilt on his face grew deeper. After a long time, he finally spoke slowly.

"I cannot let these millions of people die at your hands!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he looked up again, his face full of serenity and determination. The vast Righteous Qi of Confucianism began its final bloom.

This time, the aura emanating from him was stronger, brighter, and more relentless than before. On his face now shone the resolute and decisive expression of someone prepared to forsake life and forget death.

It was just like the line he himself had penned, "One who is willing to sacrifice life... for the sake of righteousness!"

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