True Heir of Chaos: From Villainess to Empress

Hai Yue Zhēnjūn had been on guard for a desperate counterattack. The moment the black beetle veered toward her, the blue ribbon in her hand wove itself into a net. It caught the beetle mid-flight, clinging to it like glue, then twisted and shredded it into nothing.

After a brief nod between them, the two cultivators took to the skies again, heading for their next target.

Jian Sheng's Wind Sword had grown sharper after he reached the late Nascent Soul stage. At the moment, he was facing two cultivators of the same realm. His sword aura was swift and merciless, forcing both opponents out of flight and into a defensive stance.

His face, plain and unremarkable, showed no emotion. Each strike landed precisely in the gaps of their defenses. Sword light laced the air, neither side gaining the upper hand.

When Jian Ning and Hai Yue arrived, they found themselves stepping into a deadlock. Without hesitation, they joined the battle. Streaks of azure and crimson sword light danced and clashed, ribbons of blue lashing through the air. In less than a quarter of an hour, the two targeted Nascent Soul cultivators were slain on the spot.

The black beetles that fled from their shattered divine seas confirmed the accuracy of the intelligence they had received. High in the air, several Divine Transformation cultivators exchanged glances before looking toward Jian Jin Zhēnshèng of the Heavenly Sword Sect.

It was Mo Yi Jūnshàng of the Heavenly Demon Palace who spoke first.

"Jian Jin, your sect's intel this time was unusually precise. Did you capture something big?"

Jian Jin wore his usual unfazed expression. Glancing at Mo Yi Jūnshàng, he replied lightly, "Sigh, I'm just as clueless. I only came out of seclusion recently and was dragged into this mission. Everything I know, I picked up on the way. The cultivation world has changed so much these past decades. When I return, I'll have to catch up on everything."

Mo Yi's broad, square face darkened. "So many words, all useless. Are you truly in the dark, or just pretending?"

Jian Jin brushed the array patterns on his white robe and shrugged, as if helpless. "See, I tell the truth and you still don't believe me. How about this, when the operation's done, come visit my sect for a few days."

"Hmph, don't try to scare me. I know your Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ hasn't been in the sect for some time."

Jian Jin glanced at Mo Yi, recognizing the probe for what it was. Unbothered, he replied, "Your news is sharp. Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ and a few others went off to explore a newly discovered realm. Even if you wanted to meet her, you wouldn't be able to. But Jian Li Zhūnzhǔ has already returned from seclusion. If you're curious, ask him."

Mo Yi's heart skipped. Jian Li was an early famed sword cultivator, known across the cultivation world. He had once defeated Mo Yi in a grand sect competition five centuries ago. Now that Jian Li had entered the Void Refinement stage, likely forming his Sword Domain, Mo Yi was no match.

If it were Jian Jun, she might spare a few words. But Jian Li? He would likely drag Mo Yi straight to the sparring arena—or worse, toss a disciple at him to "practice."

"Heh, then congrats to Jian Li Zhūnzhǔ on his breakthrough," Mo Yi said stiffly, lips curved in a forced smile. He never brought up the topic again.

The other Divine Transformation cultivators remained silent. No one pressed further. So long as the intel was correct and there were no accidental casualties, they would focus on the task at hand and talk about the rest later.

Bào Jūnshàng of the Yin-Yang Sect, being the weakest among them, also stayed quiet. As long as he handled his responsibilities, the rest would take care of the larger picture.

A streak of black light tore through Huancheng's barrier and fled toward the Devil Abyss.

"I'll go stretch my limbs. You lot keep an eye on the juniors," said Mo Yi before vanishing into the black fog, chasing the escaping Divine Transformation cultivator.

Jian Jin didn't stop him. Glory was not something one should block others from seeking. What mattered was ensuring no fish slipped through the net. If that happened under their watch, the Divine Transformation elders would lose face.

The remaining six elders each took a position in the air, reinforcing the breached barrier and monitoring Huancheng with sharp vigilance.

When dawn came and the sun rose over the horizon, peace finally returned to the city. After a night of brutal combat, nearly all the parasitized cultivators had been eliminated.

Mo Yi Jūnshàng returned in the latter half of the night. He had slain the escaping Divine Transformation cultivator and seized their entire wealth. He was visibly satisfied.

Once the team leaders from each sect confirmed the situation, they withdrew with their squads to report back. The barrier over Huancheng lifted.

Lu Mingyi had already blended back into his sect's ranks and left the city quietly. Midway, he reunited with the stationed Cao Chenfeng and Qi Hua before returning to the sect.

Qi Hua, after hearing a firsthand recounting of the battle from her sect brothers, couldn't resist pulling out her Ruyi Staff to mimic a few moves during the exciting parts. Her exaggerated expressions of regret for missing the action nearly made Jian Jin Jūnshàng laugh aloud.

Half an hour after the assailants left, the cultivators who had been hiding within the city began to emerge. The news spread quickly.

Back at the desolate Hua Clan estate, Hua Qingshan returned wearing a black robe and mask. He looked at the empty land with deepening hatred.

It was all because he failed to rein in Hua Chunli, who had fallen for Kong Qiankun and tried to scheme against a Mahayana Zhēnzūn's descendant. Some within the clan had even encouraged her, hoping to curry favor with the true descendant of a Zhēnzūn. Their plan backfired.

Thirty years ago, in an act of self-preservation, Hua Qingshan had severed ties and abandoned those troublemakers. They had been wiped out by the Heavenly Sword Sect. In a way, it was their final service to the clan.

Just then, a flying sword arrived with a message. Upon reading about the Huancheng incident, Hua Qingshan tore open space and vanished.

A quarter of an hour later, another figure appeared at the Hua estate. It was Zhang Xuefeng, a newcomer from the Heavenly Sword Sect's Enforcement Hall. By now, he had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage.

After splitting from his teammates, including Jian Dan, following the Enforcement Hall selection, Zhang Xuefeng had secluded himself in the secret halls for ten years to complete Foundation Establishment.

Later, he received secret training and completed multiple missions. With ample experience and resources, his cultivation had steadily advanced.

Upon leaving seclusion, he visited Shan Zhēnrén and learned that she had distinguished herself in the Secret Realm and returned as a hero. She had since reached Nascent Soul stage and taken on another mission, never returning.

Just a few days ago, Zhang Xuefeng contacted Cao Chenfeng Zhēnrén and learned that he had only just completed a mission and returned as well. Zhang was planning to visit him soon.

Today was a routine surveillance assignment at the Hua estate. Ever since the Hua and Kong families fell, the sect had kept the area under watch. The task had become less frequent over the years, downgraded to a red-level mission.

Upon reaching the summit, Zhang Xuefeng immediately sensed lingering spatial fluctuations. The array disk on his waist had picked them up. There were also faint traces indicating someone had recently stood at the highest point. Others might have missed it, but Zhang, who came from a hunter's family in the mortal realm, was trained to spot such signs.

Realizing a high-level cultivator had visited, he promptly sent the information to the sect. Then he retrieved a high-grade surveillance array, a standard Enforcement Hall tool, and activated it in the heart of the estate before leaving swiftly.