The sky filled with streaks of purple sword energy. Those who looked up saw nothing but purple, nothing but sword qi.

Even Situ Haolong, caught within the storm, saw his face change drastically, awestruck by the sheer power of Ye Wen's move.

"Hmph, overestimating yourself!"

Awe aside, Situ Haolong felt Ye Wen's decision to board the large ship was utterly foolish. Setting aside his own formidable martial prowess, the personal guards on board were more than enough to trap and eliminate the Shushan Sect Master right here.

Unexpectedly, just as he prepared to act, a figure lunged behind him with blinding speed. Immediately, the flow of his inner qi stagnated, several vital acupuncture points numbed, and then several currents of energy, as fine as ox hair yet intensely scorching, invaded his meridians.

"What is this?"

While still astonished, he then found his arms immovable; he was firmly held from behind, utterly restrained.

"Damn it!"

The power of his Blood Heaven Demon Art was suppressed, and the strand of ox-hair-thin true qi that had sealed his vital points during his brief distraction seemed to neutralize his energy. No matter how hard he struggled, that not-so-powerful, scorching fire energy managed to dissolve his Blood Heaven Demon Art qi.

If this continued, Situ Haolong could only watch helplessly as he was swallowed by the boundless sword energy, but...

"What are you doing? Let go!"

Ye Wen’s pervasive sword net was an area-of-effect attack. Once caught within it, distinguishing friend from foe was impossible. Moreover, the sword qi was inherently swift. Ye Wen unleashed a chaotic barrage across that wide area, and he himself couldn't track which sword beam shot from where, so how could he possibly control the specific trajectory of every single one?

Therefore, every time he used this technique, he made sure there were no allies within the targeted zone before striking. But this time, the situation was vastly different.

Leaping onto the bow of the ship, Ye Wen poured out all his cultivation. Once this move was unleashed, even he could not recall it. As the sky erupted with sword energy, a pink shadow violently flashed into the enveloped area. Then, while Situ Haolong’s attention was focused on Ye Wen, she slipped behind him, not only restraining his movements with her own power but locking him down from the rear, making evasion difficult.

"Dongfang Kui?"

That incredibly swift shadow was, naturally, Dongfang Kui. At this moment, Dongfang Kui unleashed her full power, locking Situ Haolong tightly, while simultaneously using her scorching fire qi to continually erode the protective qi of the Blood Heaven Demon Art surrounding him.

As long as she maintained this state, Situ Haolong would be as helpless against Ye Wen’s sword qi as the personal guards behind him.

"Ye Wen..." Dongfang Kui poked her head slightly out from behind Situ Haolong, glancing at Ye Wen, who was barely visible. Seeing the shock on his face, she suddenly broke into a joyful smile.

The next second, the hundred-plus personal guards, Situ Haolong, and Dongfang Kui, who held him fast, were all submerged beneath the boundless purple sword net. The sword energy slashed and weaved; in but an instant, the more than one hundred guards were reduced to a pile of severed limbs and mangled bodies, utterly indistinguishable.

When the sword energy dissipated, the only two figures still standing were Situ Haolong and Dongfang Kui, clinging to his back.

Situ Haolong’s face was a mask of disbelief, while resentment and terror were clearly etched upon it. However, the wound on his throat, still spurting blood, informed everyone that no matter his unwillingness, he had to accept the reality of his demise.

His body was riddled with countless injuries. Had it not been for the potent protective qi of the Blood Heaven Demon Art, Situ Haolong, who was the primary target, would have been minced into meat paste.

Yet even so, he bore several horrifying wounds. One, in particular, pierced clean through his chest, passing through his body and impaling Dongfang Kui standing behind him.

Thud, thud!

The two figures fell where they stood, one in front of the other. Seeing this, Ye Wen immediately leaped over.

Truthfully, he never expected this single strike to claim the life of the Demonic Cult Leader. But Dongfang Kui had used this method of self-sacrifice to help him achieve it. In doing so, she had also successfully compelled Ye Wen to strike at her as well.

Reaching out to check Dongfang Kui’s breath, Ye Wen found her condition not dire. Though her breathing was faint, it was barely perceptible, and her pulse could also be faintly felt.

Looking at her body, although Situ Haolong had shielded her from much of the sword energy, many beams had struck her directly. Her pink skirt was already tattered, and several vital points—her shoulders, abdomen, thighs, and neck—were bleeding continuously. If not stanched, these injuries could claim her life in moments.

Summoning residual strength, Ye Wen struck Dongfang Kui’s lower abdomen, sending his Innate Purple Qi into her body to first seal the bleeding and injured meridians and acupoints. Then, he casually tore off strips of cloth to bandage her wounds.

Because of his terrifying earlier move, although many members of the Demonic Cult who heard the commotion rushed over, not a single one dared approach. The pile of severed limbs and blood splattered everywhere served as a grim reminder that carelessness would make them part of the carnage.

After briefly tending to Dongfang Kui, Ye Wen first looked up at the frozen guards, then glanced back at the Demonic Cult Leader who could not close his eyes in death. With a wave of his right hand, a purple sword beam sliced across the neck, and the head was cleanly severed.

This act made the Demonic Cult members’ faces change drastically, with many crying out, "The Cult Leader is dead! The Cult Leader is dead!"

This phrase spread throughout the ship like the most terrifying plague. Every single cult member fell into a state of stunned confusion.

Ye Wen, however, paid them no mind. Holding Situ Haolong’s head in one hand, he crouched down and lifted Dongfang Kui. Ye Wen walked back to the bow, leaped off the ship, and simultaneously hurled the head away, roaring with amplified qi: "The Demonic Cult Leader Situ Haolong has been executed! Here is his head!"

This shout, like thunder striking from a clear sky, caused massive uproar among the cult soldiers besieging the orthodox factions. Even frantic shouting from their officers could not quell the commotion.

Moreover, in less than a blink, Ye Wen had thrown down Situ Haolong’s head. Now, even the officers were at a loss, staring dumbly at the familiar head.

Taking advantage of their chaos, Ye Wen leaped into the midst of the orthodox fighters. He surveyed them quickly, noting that while everyone was injured, no one seemed fatally wounded; they were just exhausted from constant fighting.

Ye Wen looked around, spotted Huixin and Li Xuan, and immediately commanded: "While the Demonic Cult Leader is dead, we must charge onto the large ship immediately and sail back to the Central Plains."

Li Xuan and Chan Master Huixin nodded in agreement. At this moment, no one would utter foolishities like, "The Cult Leader is dead, but these young demons are still alive!" These people were clearly soldiers, not opponents for them. Furthermore, given their current condition, waiting a moment longer for the soldiers and officers to regain composure would result in them being crushed into meat patties.

None of them had the time or inclination to ask Ye Wen how he killed Situ Haolong, nor were they concerned about Dongfang Kui's severe injuries.

After regrouping, Xu Xian and Li Xuan, the two who still had some energy and the highest cultivation, charged to the front, forcibly carving a path through the bewildered soldiers.

The old monk Huixin stayed at the rear to cover their retreat, using his Arhat Body to constantly block incoming hidden arrows and pursuers. The old monk’s white beard was now entirely crimson, and his bare upper body looked as if cloaked in blood. He continued throwing left punches and right punches toward the enemy. The Vajra Arhats were not as benevolent when subduing demons as people often imagined.

The Shushan Sect members formed a tight circle, protecting the more severely wounded and exhausted members in the center. Ye Wen, carrying the near-lifeless Dongfang Kui, was also within this circle, occasionally aiding weak points with sword energy.

If this group charged together toward one point, ordinary soldiers would truly find it difficult to block them. Moreover, with the cult troops in disarray, and the officers stunned by the news of their leader's death, their reactions were inevitably delayed.

By the time they snapped back to their senses and realized they needed to eliminate these intruders first, the group had already boarded their remaining large ship and was slowly pulling away from the shore.

"Send the warship to pursue!"

A higher-ranking general jumped up, cursing loudly. However, mobilizing the warships now was almost impossible. Their only reliance was the warship still docked on the shore, the one the Cult Leader had just occupied. But when his command was issued, the ship showed no response for a long time. The general didn't know that the crew on board had just witnessed the terrifying scene of Ye Wen killing Situ Haolong and were still reeling from shock!

Besides, who would volunteer to chase after such a nightmare figure? They valued their lives!

With that delay, the orthodox heroes' large ship was already gathering speed. To catch up now was nearly impossible! On the vast ocean, finding a vessel determined to flee was difficult, especially when the speeds of the two ships were comparable—overtaking was almost out of the question.

Only when they were safely aboard the large ship did the orthodox heroes collectively breathe a sigh of relief. Li Xuan, who had been trapped in the military formation for so long, sighed: "No matter how high one's skill, facing a military formation is futile!"

He had expected the confrontation with the Demonic Cult to be a typical martial arts sect duel, never imagining the cult would counter them with disciplined military formations.

Chan Master Huixin lamented further: "Situ Haolong is far superior to his grandfather!"

Situ Haolong's martial arts were definitely inferior to his grandfather's. Back then, when besieged by several major sects, Situ Haolong's grandfather fought alone against numerous masters without yielding ground. Situ Haolong’s skill, at best, was comparable to Li Xuan’s. Although Li Xuan was already very skilled, he had not reached the level of Situ Haolong's grandfather. If one sought a true peer, perhaps only the Nine Swords Immortal, who had already transcended into the void, could compare.

Yet Situ Haolong understood that his family’s true ambition lay outside the martial world. His grandfather and all his ancestors had strayed onto the wrong path. While the choice to eliminate these so-called righteous sects first was not wrong, their methods were utterly mistaken.

Under Situ Haolong’s leadership, the Demonic Cult underwent earth-shattering changes. They used conventional military tactics against martial artists, nearly wiping out the entire group on this isolated island. Furthermore, he was not obsessed with fair, one-on-one combat. If the situation turned unfavorable, he would immediately deploy formidable ordnance like Thunderbolt and Fire Bombs, or mobilize crossbowmen and elite soldiers to encircle the opponents.

Such an enemy was truly terrifying. Fortunately, he now lay dead by Ye Wen’s hand.

"How did Sect Master Ye kill Situ Haolong?"

Ye Wen was currently examining Dongfang Kui’s injuries. Seeing she remained unconscious, he could only force a King’s Life Preservation Pellet down her throat with water.

Then, holding wound medicine, he frowned at the multitude of cuts covering her body. They said that after cultivating the Phoenix Nirvana Art, one became infinitely close to a woman. But how infinite was this closeness? He had only seen Dongfang Kui's upper body, and it was indeed indistinguishable from a woman’s. As for the lower half...

Turning back, he recounted the preceding events to Li Xuan and Huixin. Both were greatly astonished, as neither could have conceived that Dongfang Kui would make such a decision—willingly sacrificing herself to kill the Demonic Cult Leader—though Ye Wen had spared her the part about her desiring death.

"Amitābha, good deeds are rewarded! Miss Dongfang possessed a heart dedicated to eliminating evil and upholding the Dao, which is why her life was spared under Sect Master Ye’s sword energy. We should strive our best to heal her!"

Li Xuan remained silent, but his expression showed strong agreement.

What annoyed Ye Wen next was that these two simultaneously demanded several elixirs from their disciples and pressed them into Ye Wen’s hands: "We leave this matter to Sect Master Ye. We trust that Sect Master Ye will handle it perfectly, worthy of his gentlemanly reputation..."

"What do you mean by that, you bastards!" Watching the two turn away as if nothing had happened, Ye Wen wanted to smash the Great Reverting Pills and Tianshan Snow Frost Pills in their heads.

Alas, remembering that Dongfang Kui’s horrific injuries were partly his doing, he couldn't help but feel uneasy. After giving brief instructions, he could only obediently carry Dongfang Kui into the cabin—everyone present knew Dongfang Kui's situation, and none of the women dared to personally verify the state of her body.

After a long while, Ye Wen reappeared before the group. His expression was peculiar, and his neck and earlobes were slightly flushed, though subtly enough that others didn't notice.

"How is she?"

"Nothing serious..." Ye Wen first paused in surprise, then waved his hand: "It should be nothing serious!"

Dongfang Kui's condition was far better than Ye Wen had imagined. Although her entire body was pierced by countless wounds from Ye Wen's sword energy, all of them avoided fatal vital points. Her single severe injury did not impact her internal organs.

Furthermore, the Phoenix Nirvana Art now revealed its formidable nature. While unconscious, Dongfang Kui entered a state of suspended animation, and because her cultivation had reached the peak of the Fifth Transformation, this suspended state immediately initiated her sixth metamorphosis.

When Ye Wen checked on her in the first few days, he could still see the dense sword wounds covering Dongfang Kui. A few days later, when he checked again, some superficial injuries had vanished without a trace, her delicate skin appearing untouched by any injury.

Ye Wen intended to use his true qi to examine Dongfang Kui’s meridians, but he discovered that the qi of the Phoenix Nirvana Art possessed extreme exclusionary properties; his true qi meeting resistance would trigger a violent repulsion. He ultimately abandoned the idea, content simply to settle Dongfang Kui in and leave. Since Dongfang Kui was in a state of suspended animation, she required no special care or guarding, only a brief daily check to confirm her breath remained.

In these past few days, most of the orthodox group had also recovered their spirits. During this time, Ye Wen utilized his peerless healing abilities to treat the heavily injured Arhat Hall Chief, Master Huineng, nearly restoring him completely. His internal injuries were mostly healed, and his life was no longer in danger.

Chan Master Huixin was deeply grateful for this. The surviving Zen disciples also bowed in thanks to Ye Wen—it was then Ye Wen learned that all the martial monks present belonged to the Arhat Hall. Healing their Chief’s severe injuries naturally earned Ye Wen their deep gratitude.

However, looking at the survivors, compared to the imposing figures who had set out on four large ships, their current dejected state resembled that of stray dogs fleeing in defeat after being thrashed by the Demonic Cult.

"Wasn't this expedition against the Demonic Cult just us fleeing in defeat?"

The Tianshan Sect did not suffer heavy casualties in terms of numbers—only two traitors colluding with the Demonic Cult died. But these two happened to be Tianshan’s peak fighting strength; losing even one such master was devastating for a martial sect, let alone two.

For the Tianshan Sect to recover its vitality, Li Xuan would need to return and manage things carefully.

The Zen Sect suffered comparatively lighter losses, with only ordinary disciples dying. Though the two masters who participated were severely injured, both survived.

Yet, even so, Chan Master Huixin shared startling news with Ye Wen privately: "After returning to the Central Plains, our sect will close its mountain gates and isolate itself for fifty years. During these fifty years, our sect will cease involvement in the martial world’s affairs."

"Why is that?" Although Ye Wen dimly grasped the reason, he didn't understand why the Zen Sect needed such an extreme measure.

Chan Master Huixin merely stated: "I am already old, and this recent great battle has severely depleted my vitality!"

At this point, he said no more, but those two sentences were enough for Ye Wen to understand. Although Chan Master Huixin survived, the battle severely taxed his life force; he might enter Nirvana at any time. Chan Master Huineng was similar. If the Zen Sect suddenly lost these elderly figures while still wandering the martial world, they would inevitably invite disaster. It was better to retreat temporarily, focus on cultivating the next generation of experts, so that in fifty years, the Zen Sect could return in full force.

Seeing Ye Wen fall silent, Chan Master Huixin knew he grasped the crucial point: "However, there is one matter that requires Sect Master Ye's assistance!"

"Please speak, Master!"

"Our temple can close its gates under the pretext of purely refining Buddhist doctrine. But that Daoist priest Tianyi’s Heavenly Dao Sect..."

Ye Wen understood. The Heavenly Dao Sect suffered immense losses this time; not only did their Sect Master perish, but countless elite disciples also died overseas. Moreover, the Heavenly Dao Sect had many disciples traveling outside, and some of their foundations were in the secular world, making it impossible for them to enter isolation like the Zen Sect. Thus, Chan Master Huixin hoped the Shushan Sect could look after the Heavenly Dao Sect for a time, preventing petty individuals from taking advantage of his friend’s sect after this catastrophe.

Considering it, the request was reasonable. Ye Wen agreed immediately. Furthermore, this would forge a deeper connection with the Heavenly Dao Sect—a major sect like that would recover quickly even after a huge setback. Once they regained strength, the Heavenly Dao Sect would surely seek amity with Shushan, effectively granting Ye Wen an ally for free. He had every reason to agree.

"I know how to handle this. Please rest assured, Master!"