58: News of the fourth disciple

Just as the atmosphere grew subtle and complex, Liu Ruyan seemed to recall something, her expression solemn. From her sleeve, she produced a sound transmission talisman made from special beast bone and respectfully offered it to Su Lin.

"Sir, Yan'er has something to say, but I'm not sure if I should speak."

Su Lin gestured for her to speak freely.

Liu Ruyan's gaze swept over Gu Qiuyue, who was standing nearby, and with a hint of apology, she spoke frankly: "Alliance Leader Gu's intelligence network spans the nine provinces of the Human Race, calculating everything without fail. Yan'er is truly ashamed to be inferior to her.

But precisely because of this, the Master-Seeking Alliance's eyes and ears are limited to the Human Race's territory."

Upon hearing this, Gu Qiuyue's golden eyes narrowed slightly, immediately understanding the deeper meaning in Liu Ruyan's words.

"You mean... the Yao Race?"

"Precisely."

Liu Ruyan nodded her head lightly, "My Red Dust Pavilion disciple cultivate through worldly experience, encompassing all walks of life. Among them, many disciple, through various Destinies, have some dealings with the Yao Race.

Just half an hour ago, one of my disciple, stationed on the border of the Myriad Demon Forest, desperately sent back a fragmented emergency report."

No sooner had she finished speaking than the beast bone sound transmission talisman in her hand shattered with a "crack," transforming into a light screen from which a woman's urgent and terrified voice emerged:

"Pavilion Revered Master... Myriad Demon Forest... danger!

The Heavenly Secret Pavilion of the Northern Plains, the Vajra Temple of the Western Desert, and the Central State Imperial Family... along with dozens of Sects, are preparing to attack the Myriad Demon Forest!"

"The Myriad Demon Forest is Fourth Senior Sister's territory!"

Mu Qingxue, Luo Ximei, and Gu Qiuyue spoke almost simultaneously, their gazes instantly focusing on Su Lin.

A cold light flashed in Su Lin's eyes, but he immediately grasped the crucial question and looked at Gu Qiuyue, "Qiuyue, such a large-scale operation, and the Master-Seeking Alliance received no prior intelligence?"

For the first time, Gu Qiuyue's beautiful face showed a mix of astonishment and solemnity.

After a moment, she opened her eyes, her tone tinged with frustration: "Revered Master, it was my oversight, but it is also extremely unusual.

The Master-Seeking Alliance's intelligence network did detect recent abnormal material transfers and expert gatherings from Sects like the Heavenly Secret Pavilion and Vajra Temple, but all signs pointed to other targets—a demon lair stronghold.

This is a smokescreen! Someone used a larger event to cover up the real target!"

Liu Ruyan spoke at the opportune moment, confirming Gu Qiuyue's judgment: "Alliance Leader Gu's words should be true.

According to the fragmented information my sacrificed Disciple last transmitted, the core planners of this operation were exceptionally cautious. They seem to have used some Magic Treasure to block prying, specifically targeting large-scale Divine Sense probes."

She looked at Gu Qiuyue, with a hint of shared misfortune, "Their target is too large, making it easier to be misled and blocked.

My Red Dust Pavilion disciple are mostly grassroots informants, relying on human relations and secret channels to transmit messages, which might have allowed them to avoid high-level blocking, but at a heavy cost."

Just then, Gu Qiuyue received a top-priority message from a secret channel. After quickly scanning it, her face turned even uglier: "Revered Master, it's just been confirmed.

There's a 'Severed Finger' plan circulating within the allied forces, targeting us.

They already know of your return and are aware that Qingxue, Ximei, and I are with you... After their assessment, they believe a head-on conflict would result in heavy losses, so..."

Luo Ximei sneered and interjected: "So they want to deal with us sisters one by one first, and then confront Revered Master, whose cultivation has not yet recovered? What a good plan!"

Killing Intent radiated from Mu Qingxue's icy eyes: "They're starting with Fourth Senior Sister? Are they afraid of us gathering together?

It seems that killing a few Void Refining Stage Cultivators below Qingyao Mountain was not enough for these fools to recognize reality."

Su Lin's expression was as calm as water, betraying no emotion, but his three disciple, who knew him well, could feel the raging anger beneath that tranquility, enough to burn the heavens and boil the seas.

"How many of them are there? What is their cultivation level?" Su Lin's voice was very flat, yet it sent a chill down everyone's spine.

Gu Qiuyue dared not delay and immediately presented all the latest intelligence: "Reporting to Revered Master, preliminary investigations show that there are over a hundred threatening Cultivators, led by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, Vajra Temple, and the Central State Imperial Family, with a total of twenty Sects participating.

On the surface, three Body Integration Stage Old Ancestors lead the team, with no fewer than five ordinary Void Refining Stage Grand Cultivators, and over ten Nascent Soul Cultivators.

They have divided their forces into three routes and have already sealed all teleportation arrays and exits from the Myriad Demon Forest to the outside world."

Luo Ximei licked her red lips, her eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty gleam, "Perfect, my Myriad Demon Banner still lacks three powerful main souls."

Mu Qingxue was even more direct, an ice crystal immortal sword already appearing in her hand: "I'll go kill them all."

"Enough."

Su Lin spoke faintly, but the two words carried an undeniable authority. His two disciple instantly reined in their Killing Intent and stood respectfully with bowed heads.

Su Lin paced twice, his gaze sweeping over his three anxious disciple.

"They want to sever a finger, thinking that by clipping my wings, they can slowly deal with me."

A cold arc formed at the corner of Su Lin's mouth, "This plan is good, but unfortunately, they chose the wrong first target."

He extended a finger and pointed it at the center of the map.

"They thought Fourth Disciple was the easiest one among you to bully, because the Yao Race is internally divided and not skilled in Formation barriers. But they miscalculated one thing..."

"My Fourth Disciple... is actually the most brutal one among you."

The most brutal one?

Mu Qingxue and Luo Ximei exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of confusion in each other's eyes.

In their impression, Fourth Senior Sister Ye You was the most solitary and taciturn, disliking conflict with others, spending her days only with flowers, birds, insects, fish, Yao Beasts, and Spirit Beasts.

Had it not been for the great catastrophe a hundred years ago, she might have spent her entire life in the Spirit Beast Garden Revered Master created for her, unconcerned with worldly affairs.

How could such a person be "the most brutal"?

As if seeing through his disciple' doubts, the cold arc at Su Lin's mouth deepened.

"You think she's solitary and taciturn, right?"

"That's because I placed a Restriction in her body, suppressing her ferocity."

"Her true Bloodline is the 'Abyssal Devouring,' which has existed since the dawn of Chaos.

That is not some auspicious Divine Beast, but an ancient fierce creature that feeds on heaven and earth, and all living things as blood sacrifices.

When I took her as a Disciple back then, it was to teach her how to restrain her Heart-Nature and control that primal desire capable of devouring everything, not to erase it."

Su Lin's voice was devoid of emotion: "You three, you need reasons to kill, whether for the Sect or for grievances.

But she... doesn't need any..."

Hearing this secret, the three female disciple were greatly shaken.

They had never imagined that their Fourth Junior Sister, who usually seemed the most harmless, had such a terrifying origin!

"Revered Master, you mean, Fourth Senior Sister... won't be in danger?"

Gu Qiuyue was the first to react, asking tentatively.

"Danger?" Su Lin sneered, "That rabble is just sending her a feast of flesh and blood.

What I worry about has never been her losing, but that she will get carried away with killing and turn the entire Northern Plains into a dead land."

"Also, the Abyssal Devouring Race particularly enjoys tormenting people, so she's likely the same."

"Let's go, it's time to watch a good show."