The moonlight was clear, like an ancient sword washed by the flow of water.
In the old town, thousands of lights shone like a fortress.
But this ancient town, which had lasted for a thousand years, was now walking toward its demise.
In the chaos, someone had knocked over an oil lamp,
and in the innocent eyes caught in the chaos, flames ignited and blood reflected.
The people were panic-stricken.
...
None of the three made a move to address the turmoil outside; they remained inactive inside the house.
Their opponents intended to divide and conquer them.
Therefore, staying together was the best choice.
"But what if the enemy wants us to think that?"
When Lin Qingque asked this, Xu Yuan remained calm, "Regardless of what the enemy thinks, whether human or demon, their intention is clear, that is to separate us. So as long as we stay together, that is enough."
As soon as he finished speaking, as if proving his point, screams erupted, scattered everywhere, like bait, and at that moment, they were like fish in a pond.
"Then shall we go out and put out the fire?"
Lin Qingque asked again.
"Haven't you realized there's another intention the enemy has?"
Tian Liuli coldly said.
"What?"
"This morning, we already wasted much Spiritual Power to dispel the fog. After running around all night, how much Spiritual Power do you have left in you?"
"This...?"
"Moreover, haven't you noticed that the Spiritual Power here is nearly depleted? It's hard to replenish."
Lin Qingque faintly felt that wasn't the reason.
They were hiding something from him, but no one was thinking about that matter.
...
Atop the redwood attic, someone was already getting restless, wanting to go out and save people.
"Damn, this group of people, pretending to be righteous sects! They actually allow demons to kill people and do nothing!"
"I can't stand it anymore!"
But she was stopped by the young girl walker at the door.
Her attire was whiter than snow, and in the rising flames, she appeared very cold and out of place.
"Senior sister? By turning a blind eye like this, how are we different from those of the Demonic Dao? Just to eliminate these people, are we to just stand by and watch?"
The young girl, hearing this, merely shook her head slightly.
She softly said, "It's a futile effort."
"Why futile? Are we of the Sword Sect to ignore our kind just to struggle for power? If this continues, my Sword Heart will be troubled!"
Someone reluctantly spoke up.
"Why save those destined to die?"
The girl furrowed her fine brows, her expression calm with a hint of confusion, as she countered.
She couldn't understand why her Master had asked her to lead these people here, to miss seeing such a simple matter, as if deliberately trying to impede her.
The people in attendance, upon hearing this, trembled incredulously, as if they had understood something.
'To think that our sect had already planned to sacrifice these villagers?'
The one who first spoke wanted to say something more but was quietly tugged at the sleeve by someone nearby, signaling her not to continue.
Her expression still held reluctance, but ultimately it all just turned into a river of helplessness flowing eastward.
She closed her mouth and ceased her crying, yet in her heart, there was no peace, only turmoil.
The sword in the sheath trembled incessantly.
...
The sky outside becoming increasingly brilliant, as red as if the heavens had cracked and were bleeding.
The crackling of burning firewood, like scratching an itch in one's heart, stirred an uncontrollable desire to rush out.
The three remained silent, allowing the cries outside to fall into their ears, yet they made no move.
Xu Yuan looked down, watching his hand beside him tremble slightly as if it were truly shaking, and he took a deep breath.
Although he had known through the plot the truth about Ancient Moon Town, that anything they did would be in vain,
any other person might have shown some compassion for the scene before them.
Yet in his heart, there was not a hint of mercy.
The screams and cries, when they reached his ears, seemed so bland.
The rising flames were so dazzlingly bright.
'I really am a hopeless case.'
Lin Qingque looked up, her expression slightly surprised as she glanced at him.
...
This time, it was truly bright.
The whistle of the wind was intense, yet it could not suppress the spreading whimpers and cries of the small town.
The charred wooden pole, with its torn, dark-red tavern flag, rolled and fluttered like the fire dragon dance of last night.
The broken stones fell, rolling on the still-smoky charred hands before finally settling in the palm.
When the three walked out, they were met with eyes filled with hidden resentment.
In their hearts, accompanying them should have been redemption and hope, but what they brought was death and disaster.
But due to the awe that the title 'Immortal Master' had accumulated over hundreds of years, not a single person dared to speak up.
Xu Yuan and Tian Liuli were indifferent to such gazes.
One had already seen countless eras,
in her ascent to the top, it was these very looks that had elevated her to the throne.
The other was naturally a person of great love, doing as he pleased.
Only Lin Qingque, head bowed, looked timid and afraid to speak.
"Immortal Master, did you sleep well last night?"
A young man with traces of soot on his face stepped forward, his eyes numb, teeth clenched.
His seemingly respectful words were filled with thorns named discontent and resentment.
"Fairly well."
Xu Yuan smiled slightly, as distinguished as yesterday.
"It's just that the bed was a bit hard."
This undoubtedly made the young man even angrier, his fists clenched tightly.
"With you acting like this, how dare you call yourself an Immortal Master?!"
He finally couldn't restrain himself.
"What's wrong?"
Xu Yuan's gaze fell on him, his expression still gentle.
"You! Are you blind? Didn't you see the fire last night?"
"Wasn't that you all holding a lantern festival, rushing to barbeque?"
Xu Yuan looked somewhat surprised, genuinely unpretending.
"You!? What about the screams last night! Are you deaf?"
"Wasn't that you all holding an No-Shelter Assembly?"
He said with a smiling expression.
"Are you fit to be an Immortal Master? You're scum!"
He said through clenched teeth.
"Indeed."
Xu Yuan nodded convincingly, as if shedding a mask.
By his side, Lin Qingque looked at her fellow disciple in disbelief, yet a chill spread deep in her eyes—how dare he insult her fellow disciple? He was courting death!
"Brother, what are you talking about?!"
In her astonishment, she hastily reconnected with his 'Heart Voice.'
Tian Liuli appeared as if she hadn't heard anything, her gaze still calm.
"It's nothing?"
Xu Yuan shook his head, looked at the young man in front of him, and said gently, "Is that all? Can we pass now?"
"You! You damn... ahh!! I'm going to kill you!"
He was infuriated, veins popped out on his face, his eyes bloodshot and bulging like a rat.
The young man's fingers clenched into a fist, but perhaps due to excessive agitation, his rough fingers could not tighten into the compactness a fist required, and he swung fiercely at him.
Clenching the hand into a fist doesn't work?
Xu Yuan's lips curled up in a smile, finally confirming something not mentioned in the plot, his expression gentle as he asked, "Is this really okay?"
"What?"
Xu Yuan smiled, his words cold as though a knife were held to the young man's neck, clearly without using any Daoist Magic, yet the young man stopped his punch, not daring to advance, his legs trembling.
"Ahh!!!"
The next moment, the young man screamed as if venting his weakness, turned around, and ran away in disgrace like someone everyone shouted at.
"Indeed, no matter how similar, it's ultimately not the same."
Xu Yuan watched this scene, his lips slightly upturned.
The rosy light submerged the earth like a sea of blood.