All around, Starbound Sect cultivators stared in shock. The Peak Lords fell back, suddenly losing the momentum of their battles. Likewise, many of the lower-level disciples fell back as well. How could they not falter? Their Sect Master had fallen. The strongest cultivator in the sect. The only one who could fight against Gui Delun. With him gone, they could only wait for Gui Delun to slaughter them. If the lower level disciples could be considered ants before the Sect Master, then what were they to Gui Delun, who destroyed the Sect Master?

Although they continued to fight, in that instant, the Sect’s heart, its will to fight, had been crushed!

Gui Delun looked over his shoulder. The gold robes and imperial crown that had alighted on his form vanished, and his body visibly withered and a white streak appeared in his hair as he paid a heavy price for having drawn out so much power. Even so, he stood strong, his face as stern as ever. His eyes alighted on something in the distance, and he raised his hand. “All-Heavens Sect, retreat!”

Instantly, the All-Heavens disciples drew back from battle. Tang Fei shot Hui a look, then raced off, leaving him behind. Hui hesitated, watching her go. They’re… retreating? After they killed our Sect Master?

Maybe… that was enough? Maybe they wanted to punish us, but not wipe out the sect?

A second later, his eyes widened. Gui Delun himself declared he wanted to destroy the sect moments ago! They can’t be retreating. Or rather, they can’t be retreating for a good reason! Where are they going? Why?

He cast his eyes out, staring into the distance. Far away, beyond the boundary of Starbound Sect, a long line of All-Heavens disciples marked the edge of the sect. Each disciple chanted furiously, perfectly in sync with the disciples around them. He turned. All-Heavens disciples crouched, chanting, all the way around the border of the sect, completely closing it in.

A spell formation? Whatever it does—I don’t want to find out! With All-Heavens’ overwhelming might, if we let them attack with a spell like that… this war will be over, and we’ll have lost!

He drew a sharp breath and shouted, “Don’t let them escape!”

A few of the Starbound Sect cultivators leaped after them, but others simply looked at Hui, frowning.

“Why should we follow that guy’s orders?”

“The Sect Master is dead. Who’s next in the hierarchy?”

“Not him!”

“Look! They’re encircling us!” Hui insisted, pointing.

At that, another few Starbound Sect cultivators leaped into action, surging out toward the sect’s border, but most rolled their eyes and ignored him.

Hui grit his teeth. Dammit, of course they wouldn’t listen! He threw his hand out, and the ghouls and Jun Xian charged after the retreating All-Heavens cultivators. If I can at least stop them from leaving…

Gui Delun glanced back and waved his hand. A wave of light rippled out, pushing the ghouls and Jin Xian back. One of the weakest ghouls turned directly into ash, and the others weakened significantly, their eyes growing hazy, skin withering.

Hui grit his teeth and recalled the ghouls to the bag he stored them in. He turned to his fellow disciples. “Listen to me! Whatever they’re planning, it can’t be good! We can’t let them do it!”

“Prevent them from escaping! Our lives depend on it!” a familiar voice shouted.

Hui turned.

Sis Mei soared up from Starbound Peak. Behind her, the low-level cultivators at Qi Gathering or below had been gathered into a field, and a few earthbound cultivators guarded them. She smiled at him and brandished her ladle toward the retreating disciples. “Keep everyone safe, okay!”

“Sis Mei?”

“If she’s saying it, then… stop them!”

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Cauldron Peak let off a blast of multicolored smoke. It chased after the retreating All-Heavens disciples like a hungry beast. Wherever the smoke touched, the All-Heavens’ disciples’ flesh fell off, sloughing off the bone.

Hui turned again and focused his eyes downward. Far below, he caught sight of Xixing and a hundred other Cauldron Peak disciples. Each one stood over a primitive cauldron that connected with Cauldron Peak itself. Together, they manipulated the cauldrons to control the smoke billowing from Cauldron Peak.

Even as the Starbound cultivators leaped into action and the smoke billowed out, the fifth realm cultivators fighting the Peak Lords disengaged as one. They darted away with a speed that even the Peak Lords couldn’t match, as if drawn away by a gravitational force.

No… they are! Hui watched as Gui Delun drew his hand back and beckoned the fifth realm cultivators to his side. Even as the fifth realm cultivators came to a halt by his side, a bubble of force closed over the top of Starbound Sect. Starbound cultivators slammed into the shield seconds later and fell back, unable to break through.

A barrier—closing us in! Hui drew a deep breath. They retreated. They sealed us in. No, no, no. This isn’t good. He faced Sis Mei and swept his arm out. “Sis Mei! Take the young cultivators and run to my Master’s peak—”

“All-Heavens Net Formation. The Heavens Deliver Punishment!” Gui Delun stared down at them, his eyes dead, as if he looked at insects, not people. His voice low and quiet, and yet infinitely loud, he declared, “Sect Extermination.”

One after another, light welled up from the ring of cultivators surrounding the sect. Each individual cultivator let off a pillar of light. Slowly, the pillars marched around the edge of the sect. Two at a time, then four, then eight. From the front where Gui Delun stood, they spread to left and right.

Gui Delun stared at them, impassive. “Die, in body and soul. When your sect is exterminated, the other sects will know better than to think of turning to demonic cultivation and refusing All-Heavens’ righteous rule.”

All-Heavens’ righteous rule… yeah, right! Demonic cultivation? As if that matters! You just want an excuse to show off how powerful you are to impress the rest of the sect, so no one will mess with your faction! Hui snorted, not impressed.

Even so, his heart raced at the same moment, fear boiling in his stomach. How do we get out of this one?

Hui whirled. How long until the pillars encompass the sect? And then… Sect Extermination! I can’t let that happen. Xixing, Sis Mei… at least Liu Xiang escaped, but…!

Zhubi shrank down and settled around his neck, shifting anxiously. Hui petted the snake, mind racing. He bit his lip. How? How do I save everyone?

All the cultivators rushed toward the back of the sect, including Sis Mei and Xixing. Hui flew after them, scooping down to snatch Xixing up from Cauldron Peak. Cauldron Peak’s multicolored smoke stopped spewing from the peak as all the cultivators abandoned their posts. The Peak Lords reached the barrier first and slammed into it with all their strength. A single crack appeared in the barrier’s surface, but it closed up a second later. The Peak Lords continued to hammer the barrier, but the barrier healed itself quicker than they could open up cracks.

Hui grit his teeth. He looked up at the void, still faintly twisting above. “Chen Wuya!” If you’re going to come out, come out now!

A dry voice rang out in his mind. “Eh? Is that All-Heavens Sect bullying you? I told you not to be so easy to bully…”

Hui scowled at nothing. “They’re about to exterminate us!”

A pause. Chen Wuya sent a burst of pain and frustration. “There’s a second seal behind the first, dammit! I can’t break it in seconds. Give me a week, no, two! How long do you have?”

“They’ve already initiated the Sect Extermination formation!” Hui replied.

Chen Wuya paused again. This time, Hui felt something like despair, and a hint of exhaustion. “If I permanently injured my body and cultivation, maybe…”

“Please! We’re all going to die!” Hui cried out.

“But… for the sect that abandoned my teachings, that forgot about me, that destroyed my formation and removed every mention of my name? Give up on my cultivation, ruin my body for that sect? You’re asking me to give up on my revenge, on immortality, on everything, for a bunch of ingrates who renounced everything about me. Xiao Hui… don’t be unreasonable,” Chen Wuya replied.

“You—”

“In case you didn’t notice, I’m not a good person. I’m selfish and rotten, the kind of man who had to be sealed for a thousand years and still didn’t learn his lesson. I’m not going to run into righteous battle for the sake of people I don’t care about,” he said, almost flippant.

“You’ll let me die? My friends, everyone? You’ll stand by while they destroy the sect?” Hui demanded. His face burned with rage. His stomach twisted in disgust. Are we really just bugs to him?

Chen Wuya sighed. “You don’t understand, Xiao Hui. When you’ve lived ten thousand years, would you throw that all away for someone you’ve known for a day?”

Hui grit his teeth. He cut off communication with Chen Wuya, disgusted. I can’t be surprised. He’s a demonic cultivator. He’s thousands of years old. Why would he stake everything for me, for this sect that doesn’t so much as remember his name, let alone honor him? I understand, and yet… and yet! Was I wrong for hoping?

He put his hand on the duck charm at his hip, staring up into the sky. Unlike with Chen Wuya, Weiheng Wu didn’t answer. Hui bit his lip. Master… unlike Chen Wuya, I can’t imagine he would willfully turn his back to the sect. If Master isn’t responding, it’s because he can’t!

Is this the end? I can’t reach Master. Chen Wuya won’t help. I… what can I do?

Hui’s eyes widened. Wait! I wonder…