Chapter 1383: Two Came Out

The island in the sea was not small. Du Wuxu stood on the coast with his hands clasped behind his back, facing the ocean.

He had already inspected the scene personally. The traces of battle proved that the report from his people had been correct: a cultivator at the Nascent Soul Realm had indeed acted here.

He kept turning one question over in his mind. What exactly had happened between master and disciple, Ye Nian and Ao Feng? How had the Wuliang Fruit come into their hands?

A man flew over and landed beside him, presenting a letter with both hands. "Sacred Venerable, an urgent report from the Sacred Land!"

Du Wuxu turned. He scrutinized the letter in the man's hands for a moment before reaching out to take it. He opened it slowly and swept his eyes over the contents. His pupils abruptly contracted. "The Holy Rakshasa!"

Swish!

The messenger raised his head only to discover that Du Wuxu was already gone, flying toward the distant horizon.

...

On the grasslands, Lü Wushuang stood atop a high slope with her robes fluttering, Qin's army visible in the distance.

A messenger Goldenwing descended from the sky. The Misty Pavilion man specifically responsible for matters concerning Yuan Gang, himself a member of Wushuang Sacred Land, received the intelligence and quickly came to Lü Wushuang's side. He presented the letter and reported, "Sacred Venerable, word has come from Demon Ridge. Yuan Gang has already returned to the Demon Palace."

Lü Wushuang turned her head. "He went back?"

"Yes! They say Yuan Gang intercepted Feng Guan'er midway and has already taken her back to Demon Ridge!"

"..."

Lü Wushuang was speechless.

She had people casting a net here and searching everywhere, with orders to report immediately the moment Yuan Gang or Feng Guan'er was found. So all of it had been for nothing. She had made this entire trip for nothing.

...

Inside a pavilion at a temporarily requisitioned mountain estate, Lan Daolin sat alone in silence.

He too had discovered that he had made the trip for nothing.

The people had already been caught.

The handler above the men ordered to force Hong Yunfa to death, and the handler above those instructed to tip off Zhuge Chi, had both been captured.

Investigate!

The moment Lan Daolin arrived, he ordered Motian Sect to investigate the matter to the very end.

The investigation did produce a result. Under severe interrogation, the two prisoners both identified the same superior: Ban Hai, Chief Steward of Boundless Pavilion.

As for where Ban Hai was, neither knew.

That answer was essentially no answer at all. Ban Hai had already fled together with Lan Ming.

"Sacred Venerable, the Sacred Land has forwarded an urgent report and ordered that it be presented to you!" The Motian Sect elder overseeing the investigation hurried inside and offered the report.

This was the dedicated channel through which this side communicated with Lan Daolin. At this moment it happened to serve another purpose. Qing Jiu, Lan Daolin's disciple, knew Lan Daolin was with the people of Motian Sect and had used that channel to send the message directly to him.

Lan Daolin accepted the letter and read it. His eyes narrowed slightly. He murmured, "The Holy Rakshasa!"

Then he rose and turned back. "Continue interrogating them. Pay close attention to any clue whatsoever concerning Ban Hai's whereabouts. If anything is discovered, report it immediately!"

The Motian Sect elder cupped his hands. "Yes!"

Swish!

The instant Lan Daolin stepped from the pavilion, he shot into the sky.

...

"Who goes there?"

The Myriad Beasts Sect disciples guarding the exit from the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm saw someone rushing toward them without the slightest intention of slowing down and could not help shouting a warning.

The newcomer ignored them completely.

A figure flashed past so quickly that before the guards could react, the person was already outside.

The speed left the disciples staring at one another.

Qi Wantong was alerted as well. He flashed over and asked, "Who was that?"

"Don't know. We couldn't see clearly." The guards shook their heads.

Qi Wantong flashed through the exit too. The guards outside were still staring in astonishment. He asked again, "Did any of you clearly see who just came out?"

One man hesitated. "Judging by the build... it looked like... looked like..."

Qi Wantong snapped, "Why are you stammering? Looked like whom?"

The disciple hurriedly answered, "We couldn't see his face clearly, but that build was distinctive, and the speed at which he tore through the air was beyond ordinary cultivators. It should have been Sacred Venerable Yuan Se!"

Yuan Se?

Qi Wantong froze, somewhat puzzled.

Why had Yuan Se left in such a rush that he had not even shown his face?

Qi Wantong had been waiting inside to receive the Sacred Venerables when they returned.

Still, he could understand it well enough.

What status did Yuan Se possess? Why would he need to greet people like them before leaving? He could come when he wished and leave when he wished. There was nothing strange about that.

What Qi Wantong did not know was that Yuan Se's clothes were in tatters and one eye had been blinded. He had no desire to let Myriad Beasts Sect see him in such a miserable state and damage his image, which was why he had flashed past at top speed.

What about the others?

Qi Wantong turned back toward the entrance again.

Five had gone in. Why had only Yuan Se come out?

Unable to understand, Qi Wantong turned once more and reentered the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm.

He had not been inside long when the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples working ahead, planting Light-Repelling Grass, suddenly began shouting and racing toward the exit.

"Rakshasa Tide! Rakshasa Tide...!"

Warnings rose one after another.

Qi Wantong looked over.

His eyes gradually widened.

Dense masses of firefly-like light were surging toward them. The vast momentum was far beyond any Rakshasa Tide he had ever witnessed. The sight shocked him badly.

The retreating disciples landed all around him and reported in alarm, "Grand Elder, the Rakshasa Tide is coming!"

Qi Wantong said, "I can see it. I don't need you to tell me!"

One disciple said anxiously, "Grand Elder, they're coming this way. We should withdraw first!"

Qi Wantong said nothing.

His brow furrowed as he struggled to decide.

Several Sacred Venerables were still inside. If they retreated now, it seemed highly inappropriate.

Yet the enormous mass of Butterfly Rakshasas had already charged directly into the broad area planted with Light-Repelling Grass and was pressing toward them.

Most alarming of all, a huge group of Blood Rakshasas was leading the charge.

Seeing no sign that they intended to stop, Qi Wantong had no choice but to wave his hand and shout, "Everyone withdraw!"

The Myriad Beasts Sect disciples immediately flashed away one after another. In the blink of an eye, every one of them had hurried out of the Butterfly Dream Illusory Realm.

But this time was different from the past.

They had only just emerged and were still about to discuss the abnormal situation inside when the entrance began rustling violently.

Large numbers of Butterfly Rakshasas poured out.

The first wave consisted precisely of those extraordinarily fierce Blood Rakshasas.

Every Myriad Beasts Sect disciple was startled and immediately fled again.

Those who reacted too slowly were engulfed by the mass of Butterfly Rakshasas pouring out.

"Ah!"

Miserable screams rang out.

Qi Wantong and the others retreated a short distance, then stopped.

They discovered that the great numbers of Butterfly Rakshasas were no longer pursuing them. The creatures were simply flying chaotically through the sky.

Everyone stared in astonishment.

They had never seen such a huge number of Butterfly Rakshasas burst out of the Illusory Realm before.

The radiance on the bodies of the emerging Butterfly Rakshasas had vanished completely, suppressed by the brilliance of the sun. Their flowing colors could only be seen in darkness.

Something else was obvious as well.

Every Butterfly Rakshasa that emerged raised both arms to shield its eyes.

Accustomed to the gloomy environment of the Illusory Realm, they clearly could not endure the mortal world's fierce sunlight. These creatures of darkness could barely open their eyes to see.

Very soon, the chaotically flying Butterfly Rakshasas began turning back one after another. They rapidly escaped through the entrance and returned to the Illusory Realm.

Butterfly Valley quickly became quiet again.

Only several corpses of Myriad Beasts Sect disciples remained on the ground.

The disciples were not surprised that the Butterfly Rakshasas had retreated so quickly.

They had dealt with the creatures for many years and knew the problem was not merely sunlight. Butterfly Rakshasas simply could not adapt to the mortal world's environment. Those captured in the past for study would die after only a few days outside.

Qi Wantong led his people back to the entrance.

Standing there, he hesitated.

He knew entering again now would be dangerous. But several Sacred Venerables remained inside. In the end, he hardened his resolve and flashed back through.

The moment he entered, he saw Butterfly Rakshasas flying wildly everywhere.

The creatures that had once shown some fear of Light-Repelling Grass now seemed half-mad. They were frantically destroying the fields Myriad Beasts Sect had planted, wiping out years of the sect's painstaking effort.

The moment someone appeared, a group of Butterfly Rakshasas charged at him again.

Qi Wantong immediately retreated and returned to the outside world.

Several Butterfly Rakshasas rushed out after him, showed themselves briefly, then quickly turned and flew back into the Illusory Realm.

Qi Wantong moved a little farther from the entrance and stroked his beard in thought.

The behavior of the Butterfly Rakshasas inside was clearly abnormal.

Something must have happened.

What had those Sacred Venerables done?

Was it connected to the Holy Rakshasa?

After pondering for a while, Qi Wantong turned and ordered, "Send word back to the sect. Report the situation and have them immediately mobilize one thousand disciples to come here!"

"Yes!"

A disciple hurried away to carry out the order.

Another disciple came close to Qi Wantong and said worriedly, "Grand Elder, the Sect Leader and the others seem to still be inside. Nothing could have happened to them, could it?"

Qi Wantong's face turned grave.

Myriad Beasts Sect had once lost a Sect Leader inside the Illusory Realm.

He could only hope the same thing would not happen again.

Otherwise, there would be another struggle for interests within the sect and another period of internal disorder...

...

Wu Chang, flying swiftly through the air, suddenly stopped as he neared the Illusory Realm exit.

He discovered that the entrance had actually been sealed off by a huge number of Butterfly Rakshasas.

He did not know what was happening.

He also did not know that Yuan Se, who had escaped first, had drawn these pursuing Butterfly Rakshasas to the entrance.

Looking back from high in the sky, Wu Chang could see even more Butterfly Rakshasas pursuing from far behind.

He did not know what was happening at the entrance ahead, nor whether the Holy Rakshasa was among the swarm chasing from behind.

After a brief hesitation, he still charged toward the exit.

Needless to say, this immediately provoked the Butterfly Rakshasas around the entrance into attacking him from every side.

They were no match for Wu Chang's forceful breakout.

Amid thunderous fighting, another mass of Butterfly Rakshasas was killed or wounded, but they barely slowed him at all.

With one flash, he emerged from the Illusory Realm and saw sunlight again. When he spotted the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples, he secretly let out a breath.

"Greetings, Sacred Venerable!"

The gathered disciples hurriedly saluted.

Wu Chang asked heavily, "Why are there so many Butterfly Rakshasas around the entrance?"

Qi Wantong quickly stepped forward and answered, "It seems Sacred Venerable Yuan Se drew them here."

Wu Chang paused slightly.

Then he understood and guessed they must have been the Butterfly Rakshasas that had pursued Yuan Se out first.

He asked, "Where is Yuan Se?"

Qi Wantong said, "He left in such a hurry that we didn't even clearly see Sacred Venerable Yuan Se before he flashed away. We don't know where he went."

Wu Chang gave a cold, indifferent snort.

He found it faintly amusing.

He could roughly imagine that Yuan Se's miserable appearance had left him too ashamed to show his face.

Wu Chang could also estimate that of those who had entered, some were dead and others injured. He was probably the only one who had come out looking halfway presentable.

He said nothing more.

But neither did he leave.

He intended to remain here and watch.

He wanted to see whether Mu Lianze and Granny Xue, whom he had ambushed, could come out alive. If either emerged with only half a life remaining, Wu Chang would not mind taking the opportunity to send them the rest of the way.

Seeing him stand silently at the entrance, the Myriad Beasts Sect disciples were all nervous and uncomfortable.

Qi Wantong desperately wanted to ask what had happened inside.

He did not dare.

[End of Chapter 1383]