"Who! Who is it!" A brutally oppressive roar echoed throughout the entire cavern, the voice of Master Danyang. It was the first time he showed such fierce anger.
He did not get angry when someone ran away before, he did not get angry when Li Huowang unintentionally used an offensive word towards him, but now he was angry.
The atmosphere within Qingfeng Taoist Temple became extremely tense, even the oil lamps hanging on the walls seemed much dimmer than usual.
Under Master Danyang's orders, everyone gradually made their way to the main hall for the morning classes.
The air was filled with the stench of blood, and the scattered corpses on the ground proved that Master Danyang had vented his uncontrollable rage onto some innocent people.
Killing people made him feel a bit better, but it was not enough, not nearly enough.
"Clatter~" A lump of flesh and blood, with a head attached, violently slammed down in front of everyone.
That was Li Huowang's head, broken like a vase, death turning her blush dim, her lifeless eyes revealing deep fear.
"Who did this? Who sneaked into my room while I was engaged in alchemy!"
Master Danyang's voice was low and oppressive, like a lion on the verge of eruption. "You come forward now, be honest, and I will grant you a swift end. If I have to catch you myself, hmm! I will make you kneel and beg me to kill you!"
The cave was deathly silent, whether it was Medicinal Guides or disciples, or even apprentices, no one dared to move.
"Fine! No one will confess? Then I will ask each of you! Changming, Changren, what were you doing when I was busy with alchemy?"
The two disciples carrying longswords immediately saluted Master Danyang. "Master, as per your instructions, we were guarding the Qingfeng Taoist Temple gates, without slacking for even a moment!"
Master Danyang, expressionless, walked up to them and scrutinized their demeanor in detail. After watching the cold sweat almost run down their faces, Master Danyang slowly turned to the side. "Xuan Yuan! What about you?"
And at that moment, Li Huowang, standing next to Xuan Yuan, felt a tightness in his heart, knowing that he would be next. He hurriedly psyched himself up in his mind, to hold on! As long as he didn't show any flaws, he would definitely win!
"Xuan Yin! It's your turn, where did you go after delivering the Medicinal Guides today?"
The moment he heard this, Li Huowang blurted out. "Disciple was in the material room, preparing the Alchemy Ingredients needed for Master's next session."
"Is that so?" Master Danyang walked over, the nauseating stench coming from his body and the suffocating pressure making Li Huowang tense to the extreme. He now understood why his fellow brothers had sweat so much earlier.
Time ticked away, and under the intense pressure, the beads of sweat on Li Huowang's forehead grew more numerous.
Suddenly feeling a bit lighter, just when he thought he had dodged a bullet, Master Danyang's voice rang out again. "Do you people really see Xuan Yin in the material room?"
Li Huowang's gaze followed, he saw Master Danyang had already approached Bai Lingmiao and the others in front of the material room; the question was directed at those with Medicinal Guides.
"Think carefully before you speak. Whoever can help me find the culprit, not only will I send him home, but I'll also provide travel funds," Master Danyang said.
At these words, the remaining dozen or so disabled individuals in the material room's eyes widened. They wanted to go home, they dreamed of leaving this hellish place.
"Master… Li Brother was indeed with us at that time…" Bai Lingmiao spoke up first as she felt the restlessness among the people.
Master Danyang looked deeply into her face, "Oh? And the others?"
At this moment, Gou Dan took deep, hurried breaths, his expression struggling before he finally gritted his teeth and stamped his foot to stand out. "Well, Immortal Grandfather, I say! That guy Xuan Yang, he didn't come to the ingredients room at all today! It must have been him!"
As soon as these words were out, Xuan Yin, who had turned pale with fright among the crowd, almost burst into laughter with the corners of his mouth turning up slightly—he had saved his own life.
Master Danyang turned back to look at Li Huowang, walked slowly up to Gou Dan, and with a whirl of his right hand, delivered a sharp slap to his face. "Nonsense! The medicinal guide this morning was personally delivered by Xuan Yang! If he didn't go to the ingredients room, where else would he get the medicinal guide? Do you have a death wish?"
Gou Dan seemed terrified, quickly knelt on the ground with snot and tears streaming, banging his head continuously. "Immortal Grandfather, I was wrong, my mind was clouded by lard for a moment, that's why I lied."
Master Danyang looked emotionlessly at Gou Dan who was so scared he was nearly about to urinate, then in the next moment, suddenly turned to look at Xuan Yin. "What were you just laughing at? Are you pleased that Xuan Yang was wrongfully accused?"
These words instantly made Xuan Yin tremble, and the powerful pressure emanating from Master Danyang's body nearly suffocated him.
As Master Danyang slowly approached him, Xuan Yin's expression grew more and more panicked—even those nearby who didn't know the truth could see that something was clearly amiss.
Just as Master Danyang arrived in front of him, Xuan Yin could no longer hold himself up, collapsing to the ground as yellow urine slowly soaked through the hem of his Taoist robe. "Master! I didn't want to do this! Zhengkun Brother forced me to!!"
At these words, Zhengkun's expression turned ferocious and he stomped fiercely on the hard ground, springing towards the cave entrance like a cheetah, trailing afterimages.
"It was you, then!" Master Danyang snorted coldly, swishing his Taoist robe with his right hand, and accompanied by the tinkling sound, a verdigris-coated copper coin rolled onto the ground, spinning like a top.
Just as Zhengkun was about to escape the cave entrance, Master Danyang raised his right foot clad in cloth shoes and stomped fiercely, sending dust flying into the air.
With a "snap," the copper coin shattered instantaneously, its pieces shooting out, and far away, so did Zhengkun.
His limbs were torn apart as if he had been drawn and quartered.
Without his limbs and bleeding profusely, Zhengkun miraculously did not die and continued to wriggle towards the doorway like a slab of meat.
"Ah, boy, you've been with me the longest, why did it have to be you! I should have seen it coming; the protective wards in my quarters could be undone by you." The ferocious Master Danyang stopped Zhengkun's worm-like movements by stepping on his head.
"Master… I… I was wrong, Master, I'm a cripple now, please spare me this once!"
"Master, back when those monks from Zhengde Temple were hunting us, it was my two brothers who traded their lives for our escape, Master!"
Master Danyang's foot moved slightly down, pressing purple-faced Zhengkun's head against the ground, silencing him completely.
"Boy, do you know? Whatever is in your heart, this Taoist Master here knows very clearly—you and your two brothers are the same, ingrates who can't be tamed!!" Master Danyang articulated each word deliberately while increasing the pressure on his foot.
With a "bang," a dollop of thick blood splattered onto Li Huowang's face.