The claw, which had been infused with spiritual power, was suddenly pulled back, bringing with it a large patch of bright red blood.

     Nangong Liu’s lips opened and closed repeatedly, but he was unable to utter a single word. It seemed he had never expected that Xu Shuanglin would stab him from behind. After a long while, he finally spat out a large mouthful of blood and fell to his knees.

     “Father!!!” Nangong Si’s scream ripped through the sky.

     “Sect Leader!”

     “!!!” Everyone was shocked.

     Xu Shuanglin calmly squatted down and nonchalantly took a fruit out from his qiankun pouch. He stuffed it into Nangong Liu’s mouth and forced him to swallow it.

     Mo Ran’s eyes were sharp, and he immediately paled, “Lingchi fruit?!”

     The fruit Xu Shuanglin fed to Nangong Liu was the same lingchi fruit that had affected the feathered tribe in the Peach Blossom Springs at that time, making them wish for death!

     Nangong Liu immediately curled up on the ground as a violent shudder ran through his body. Xu Shuanglin looked at him, his eyes reflecting the light of the fire as he spoke, “Sect Leader, I pity you. You’ve lived the greater half of your life, but in the end, you’re still a good-for-nothing who is manipulated by others.”

     Ye Wangxi was frightened, “Yifu?!”

     “Father… Let go of my father! Let him go!” In the end, blood was thicker than water. Even though Nangong Liu was in such a miserable state, Nangong Si still couldn’t bear it. He attacked Xu Shuanglin, but was instantly stopped with a single hand.

     Xu Shuanglin rolled his eyes and gave him an icy glare, “When the elders are speaking, a junior should not interrupt them. Kneel!”

     After he finished speaking, he pointed his finger in the air. Nangong Si suddenly felt as if a thousand pounds had fallen on his back, and couldn’t stand up. He clenched his teeth and endured for a moment, but still knelt heavily on the ground.

     “A-Si!” Ye Wangxi immediately stood in front of Nangong Si. She could neither raise her sword against Xu Shuanglin, nor stand idly by. For a moment, her expression was filled with pain and confusion, “Yifu, don’t hurt him…”

     “Who wants to hurt him? He doesn’t matter.” Xu Shuanglin turned his gaze back to Nangong Liu. He raised his foot and kicked his bloody cheek, “It’s been so many years. Now that we’re in front of the world’s heroes, I can’t help but want to reminisce with this person.”

     Nangong Liu coughed out a large mouthful of blood, “Reminisce? What’s there to talk about? …Didn’t you tell me that if I recalled Luo Fenghua’s soul from the infernal hells, I’d be able to break the curse he put on me? I’d be able to recover from my illness and never fear again? You lied to me… You actually… you actually lied to me!”

     Hearing this, the young cultivators didn’t react, but the expressions of Xue Zhengyong’s generation all changed. Xue Zhengyong abruptly looked towards the young man’s corpse, “Luo Fenghua.”

     “It’s Luo Fenghua!”

     The one lying on the ground was none other than the Nangong brothers’ Shizun from many years ago, the short lived Sect Leader who had usurped power, the only Sect Leader with a different surname—Sect Leader Luo Fenghua!

     “You’re dreaming.” Xu Shuanglin laughed, “Break the curse? You killed him with your own hands back then, and now you drink his blood and eat his flesh. You’re so cruel, but you still think you can break the curse? You’re so naïve.”

     “Why shouldn’t I drink his blood and eat his flesh? Although I sent him to an early grave in order to seize power, before he died, didn’t he also leave a curse on the Sect Leader’s ring? Ever since I put it on, there hasn’t been a single day… there hasn’t… not a single day… that I’ve been able to live a normal night! For ten years! Don’t tell me… I shouldn’t have...”

     “Of course.” Xu Shuanglin agreed expressionlessly, “You really should.” His face twisted into a smile, and he laughed, squatting down to raise Nangong Liu’s face, “You’ve done very well. No one could have been better than you, been more outstanding, been more obedient… Sect Leader, no one could have been dumber than you.”

     He smiled coldly and concluded, “Trash.”

     After Xu Shuanglin finished speaking, he slowly stood up, a solemn and gentle smile on his face. Spreading his arms, he said warmly, “Esteemed guests, the banquet is over. But, I also have some desserts here that I’d like to invite everyone to taste together.”

     Someone shouted angrily, “Xu Shuanglin! What exactly are you trying to do?!”

     “Actually, it’s nothing much. I just want to invite everyone to share some interesting stories. Rufeng Sect has looked down on the cultivation world for a hundred years, and its scandals are too many to mention. But among them, there is one thing that I’ve been waiting to talk about for ten years. Today, I am going to announce it to the whole world.”

     As he spoke, his voice changed from strained to gentle. Then, he said lightly, “This is the secret history of Rufeng Sect.”

     When Nangong Liu heard this, he felt a sudden and intense fear well up in his heart. He shuddered violently and his lips quivered so badly that he could hardly even speak. He stared at Xu Shuanglin, who was standing above the molten stream, his eyes fixed in a harsh stare, “You… who the hell are you?!”

     Xu Shuanglin turned his face to the side and smiled faintly, but he did not answer.

     Suddenly, a bright light shone from his hand, radiant and resplendent, and a dagger appeared in his palm. He gripped the dagger tightly and cut through his own flesh, causing blood to gush out from the center of his palm.

     He dipped his finger in the blood and drew a formation on his arm, blowing on it and saying, “The small boat at the west window brings you into dreams.”

     Then, he turned around and smiled gently, “Sect Leader, if you want to know who I am, everything will become clear to you after you’ve seen what I have to show you.”

     Mo Ran wanted to stop him, but was gently held back by Chu Wanning.

     “Shizun?”

     “It’s not an evil spell, it’s the Dream Reflection Formation. It’s very similar to the spells of the Peach Blossom Springs, a spell that allows everyone to see his memories,” Chu Wanning said. “Wait a moment. Let’s see what he has to say.”

     Xu Shuanglin blew the light of the formation into the wind, watching it soar higher and higher, constantly expanding until it enveloped the entire lake below. Fragments of memories fell from the sky like dust, and the surface of the lake was quickly covered in Xu Shuanglin’s memories. Like heavy snow, the ground was changed under the memories.

     As the power of the formation continued to spill out, the scene changed around them. Although everyone was still standing around the cold water lake, the grass and lava faded before them, eventually turning into Rufeng Sect’s Flying Jade Pavilion.

     In this illusion, the Flying Jade Pavilion was empty. There were only two people there, one standing and one sitting.

     The one standing was barefoot and dressed casually. His hair was not combed properly, and even the crown on his head was a little crooked. It was Xu Shuanglin. And the one sitting, wearing a dark red embroidered robe, face pale-white, was Nangong Liu.

     Nangong Liu ran his thumb over the Sect Leader’s ring inlaid with a dark green jade. His face shone with excitement and anxiety, “Have the five holy weapons been prepared?”

     Xu Shuanglin said lazily, “This is the ninth time you’ve asked me, and if you ask me a tenth time today, I’ll quit.”

     Nangong Liu shook his leg with impatience, “Alright, alright, then we’ll wait for the guests to arrive. Let’s wait for the day of Si-er’s wedding… Let me take a look at the list of sacrificial offerings. I want to see how many people on this list still haven’t arrived.”

     Xu Shuanglin threw him a book, and Nangong Liu immediately flipped through it. His eyes were burning with repressed insanity, like someone who had gone crazy from thirst finally getting to drink water, as he flipped through the book. He counted again and again, unconvinced, his fingers prodding at the pages as if he were about to poke a hole in the page.

     “They’re all here,” he said.

     Xu Shuanglin saw how crazily he was mumbling to himself, and said, “More than twenty people with pure spiritual power of the five elements, in addition to the five groups of guards with different elemental spiritual energies you’ve organized over the years. With their combined spiritual cores, and the help of the holy weapons, although the power isn’t as strong as using the essence of an elite spiritual body directly, it’s still more than enough. I guarantee that I will be able to open the door to the infinite hells.”

     Nangong Liu gripped the book tightly and nodded his head unsteadily, “Good.”

     Xu Shuanglin warned, “However, this is our last chance. If we screw it up again, it will be even more difficult for you to break the curse.”

     “You can’t mess it up!”

     Xu Shuanglin said lazily, “You should say you won’t mess it up.”

     “Fine, fine, I won’t mess it up, I won’t mess it up.” Nangong Liu paused and said, “Shuanglin, I’m still worried, let’s go over the plan again.”

     “You’ve already gone over it ten or twenty times.”

     Nangong Liu didn’t care, “A few more times. It’s always better to be cautious.”

     Xu Shuanglin looked a little helpless, “Sure, it’s up to you.”

     Nangong Liu started, “On the eve of Si-er’s wedding, all the guests will come to Shile Hall. I’ll arrange to draw lots, and draw the twenty one pieces that have been marked in advance.” He looked up at Xu Shuanglin, “Then, it’s your turn.”

     “Yes, I’ll go with you.” Xu Shuanglin had no choice but to agree, “After entering the forest, I’ll lead the sacrifices to Ganquan Lake and plant them with Zhenlong chess pieces, making them obediently obey me and give their spiritual energy to the holy weapons. After this is done, I will control them and make them launch their fireworks in the air, and at the same time, tear open the Heavenly Rift.”

     “Good, good!” Unlike Xu Shuanglin’s laziness, Nangong Liu was overly excited, continuing the strategy, “After seeing the fireworks, I will lead five squads of guards, and in the name of closing the rift, I will rush to meet you. After that, we will also turn the squads of guards into Zhenlong chess pieces and sacrifice them!”

     Xu Shuanglin nodded and concluded, “There must be no mistakes.”

     “There can’t be any mistakes.” Nangong Liu tightly gripped his thumb ring and grimaced, “I’ve had enough. I’ve had enough…” He muttered for a moment, then lifted his head up to ask Xu Shuanglin, “Shuanglin, is it really okay not to use the essence of a spiritual body? If the power of the holy weapons isn’t pure enough…”

     “Don’t worry, these five holy weapons are the best of the best, the highest quality of power. They are at the peak of their ability, and can move mountains and fill the seas. Once they absorb the spiritual energy from the sacrifices, they will definitely succeed.”

     “What if they don’t? What if the gate to the infernal hells can’t be opened? What if, like in Butterfly Town, someone comes to stop us… Look at Chu Wanning!” Nangong Liu spat, “What about Yuheng Elder, Beidou Immortal?! Always meddling in other people’s business! Last time in Butterfly Town, accidentally killing him was a great stroke of luck! Who knew that old donkey Huaizui was capable of bringing him back to life, how despicable!”

     Hearing this, Mo Ran was furious. Back then, when Butterfly Town was in chaos, Rufeng Sect had sent an enormous abundance of cultivators to quell the turmoil, and more than a hundred Rufeng Sect disciples had died in that bloody battle, which both of them knew very well…

     So who was the fake Gouchen? Was it Nangong Liu or Xu Shuanglin?

     “Chu Wanning’s life wasn’t meant to end,” Xu Shuanglin said in the illusion. “He’s a capable man, it’s a pity to die so early.”

     Nangong Liu raged, “So what if he’s capable?! I just can’t stand that arrogant face of his!”

     “Oh, now that you mention it, I remember now. Sect Leader, you saw Chu Wanning a few days ago, right?” Xu Shuanglin asked. “How was he? Since he came back from the dead, did he suffer any damage to his spiritual energy?”

     “I don’t know about his spiritual power, but his temper hasn’t diminished at all.” Nangong Liu said hatefully, “He’s so high and mighty, considering everyone beneath him. In front of him, I’m like a fucking dog that rolled in the mud!”

     Xu Shuanglin laughed, “That’s an interesting analogy, Sect Leader.”

     “It would have been better if you didn’t mention it, but now that you have, I can only feel hateful! I am the Sect Leader of the number one sect in the world! Not only do I have to nod and bow to Chu Wanning, but I also have to look at his disciple. That disciple of his, the incredible Mo-zongshi, has no sense of etiquette, and his temper is even worse than his Shizun’s.”

     He took a deep breath, and a malicious glint flashed in his eyes, “What a strong wood elemental spiritual essence. I only wish I could abandon the holy weapon idea and use his flesh as a sacrifice to the heavens, just like my original plan!”

     “You remember Jincheng Lake and the Peach Blossom Springs. That already failed twice,” Xu Shuanglin said. “Then, after two attempts, he traveled for five years. During that time, it was difficult to find his whereabouts, and we only caught him once. The only time we were able to lure him out was when he was severely injured by the Yellow River Drought Demon, but the boy was lucky enough to be saved by Jiang Xi, who just happened to be passing by. Now that Mo Ran is no longer the youth he once was, no one can touch him. The path of the essence spirit body isn't going to work.”

     “Just wait and see!” Nangong Liu said angrily. “Once I break the curse, my power will be far stronger than theirs! When that time comes, both Chu-zongshi and Mo-zongshi will have to kneel before me and obey my orders!”

     When Xu Shuanglin heard this, he just smiled and did not reply.

     Nangong Liu was enraged for a long while before he finally calmed down. He stared at the ring on his finger and suddenly said, “Shuanglin, five years ago, you gave up on searching for the wood essence spiritual body. It wasn’t only because Mo Ran left the mountain to travel and disappeared, right?”

     “...”

     Slowly moving his gaze away from the ring, Nangong Liu said, “It’s because you found out that the earth elemental spiritual essence was Ye Wangxi, right? You didn’t want to give up your adopted daughter, since she is the only family you have in this world—”

     Xu Shuanglin interrupted him expressionlessly, “I have no family in this world.” He paused, then continued, “And what’s more is, Sect Leader, you are well aware that fire elemental spiritual essence is your son. Even if I could bear to let Ye Wangxi go, could you bear to give up A-Si?”

     “Forget it.” Nangong Liu waved his hand with a dispirited expression, “Since holy weapons can be used as a substitute, what’s there to talk about? Let’s not talk about it anymore, we’ll just do it this way.”

     “What if holy weapons couldn’t be used as a substitute?”

     Nangong Liu was stunned, “What do you mean?! Didn’t you say nothing could go wrong?”

     “Sect Leader, there’s no need to be nervous, I was just curious. If in this world the only way to open the gate to the infernal hells was to use the five elemental spirit bodies as a sacrifice, what would Sect Leader do? Would you be able to continue enduring the pain of the curse, or…” There was a trace of ridicule at the corner of his mouth, but he didn’t say anything else.

     Nangong Liu didn’t reply.

     After a long time, so long that everyone thought that this part of Xu Shuanglin’s memories would come to an end, Nangong Liu said in a soft voice, “Every man must fight for himself, only those who are willing to do anything will escape total destruction.”

     “!!!”

     Hearing him say this, everyone’s faces changed drastically, especially Xue Zhengyong, who loved his son more than his own life. He couldn’t understand Nangong Liu’s choice at all, and said angrily, “Ridiculous… even a vicious tiger wouldn’t eat its own son. To be willing to sacrifice his own son in order to live, it’s absurd!”

     Nangong Si stood stiffly on the spot with a blank look on his face. He showed no expression or emotion whatsoever, his eyes empty.

     The scene went black, and those sparkling memory fragments changed again, making the delicate sound of wind chimes.

     When the illusion lit up again, the sky was clear and the clouds were wide, the towering snow-capped mountains reflecting the blinding white light before them.

     Someone exclaimed in shock, “Jincheng Lake?!”