208 - The Demon Fox Wife is a Foodie

At that moment, an object soared into the air, radiating a bright blue light that drew everyone's attention. Yuanhai Zhenren, Wanbao Xianzun, Xuanyuan Kai, the four supervising elders, the Immortal Alliance leader Ying Xiao, and several disciples who had not yet been eliminated all looked up simultaneously. The light stretched about ten feet above the ground, expanding against the wind and gradually opening to both sides. When the scroll was fully unfurled, images began to appear within it. Seeing this, Su Zijun's expression turned grave. "A memory scroll?" Within the scroll, the once blurry scenes slowly became clearer. Everyone then saw a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, with shadows of humans densely packed. Ying Xiao was initially frozen, but upon recognizing the scenes, his face changed drastically. Corpse puppets! Moreover, bodies were continuously being transformed into new corpse puppets. Each face that appeared in the scenes looked grotesque and was hard to recognize at first glance, yet they all belonged to the list of sect disciples who had suspiciously disappeared after their sects were destroyed. As the leader of the Immortal Alliance, he had seen portraits of these missing individuals. One or two might have been coincidences, but seeing all of them together was truly eerie. Suddenly, the scene in the scroll shifted, revealing a new image. An elderly man in gray robes was chanting incantations; initially, he was controlling the corpse puppets, but then his gestures changed, and he began controlling extra-terrestrial entities! Countless extra-terrestrial entities frenziedly devoured the cultivators of various sects around them. As they fled in haste, any cultivator who lagged even slightly was immediately skinned and torn apart, leaving no complete remains. Yaoshenzi recognized the scene and exclaimed, "This is what happened in the Xuanhuang secret realm before!" The gray-robed elder controlling the extra-terrestrial entities was none other than Daoling! On the floating island, Yundaozi's gaze sharpened. Who released this scroll? Chapter 224 The memory scroll recreated the upheaval in the Xuanhuang secret realm, immersing the uninformed in its shocking details. Most of the elders present had only heard fragmented rumors about the chaos caused by the Fu Yun Sect's corpse puppets and had never understood the full story, much less seen the vivid depiction now unfolding before them. At that time, as the secret realm opened, experts from various sects competed fervently. Most were focused on the Demon Lord Nangong Yin forcefully entering the realm, opening the void gate, while an upper-realm celestial officer, brandishing a demon-slaying sword, aimed to kill Nangong Yin, only to be shattered into bones by a single palm strike from him, with the sword's whereabouts unknown. Though rumors later circulated about Fu Yun Sect crafting corpse puppets, Bu Donghou had already distanced himself, claiming it was Daoling's own doing, unrelated to Fu Yun Sect. The Immortal Alliance's investigation failed to find concrete evidence proving other members' involvement in the crafting of corpse puppets, leaving the matter unresolved. After all, Fu Yun Sect was deeply rooted, and with the Immortal Alliance internally unstable, they wished to avoid direct conflict with the sect. Fewer troubles were preferable in times of great turmoil. In Ying Xiao's view, Fu Yun Sect's reputation had already suffered irreparable damage. The scene in the scroll shifted again, escalating tensions; three golden dragons appeared, leaving everyone in shock: "Ancient dragons?" The ancient dragons battled the extra-terrestrial entities, attempting to rescue Nangong Yin. Daoling pushed through the crowd, intending to strike down the dragon master. Just as they were about to clash, a golden light flashed, and a figure appeared out of nowhere before the crowd. "Yan Yuanqing!" Yuanhai Zhenren immediately recognized the person revealed in the golden light. Ying Xiao said solemnly, "Back then, it was widely rumored that Yuanqing Xianzun appeared in the Xuanhuang secret realm. I thought it was just exaggerated hearsay, but it turns out to be true!" Yan Yuanqing unleashed a celestial sword strike, piercing Daoling with thousands of swords, leaving him no power to resist. Yuanhai Zhenren pressed his lips together in silence, while Su Zijun remarked, "Only a remnant soul left, yet still carrying such divine might. Truly worthy of the name Yan Yuanqing." In the crowd's corner, Yan Zhao stared dumbfounded at the scroll unfurled in mid-air. That was Xianzun Yuanqing—her mother. Her mother had appeared to save her, wielding the ultimate sword to severely injure Daoling. After the golden light dispersed, she merged into the soul-condensing bead, then fell silent, and has yet to awaken. In the scene, Ren Qingyue appeared, killing Daoling. Yan Zhao overheard someone saying, "This woman is Yan Yuanqing's disciple; Daoling's death at her hands is Fu Yun Sect cleaning house." A bell chimed softly. Hearing this, Yan Zhao glanced down to find a little fox's paw pressed against her arm, its eyes filled with obvious resistance and disgust. Yan Zhao turned to look at the speaker. It was none other than Le An, who stood not far away, speaking indifferently. Zuo Xun, having heard Le An's words, merely cast a faint glance at him without commenting. With Daoling vanquished, the disturbance should have ended. However, reality was otherwise. Suddenly, a scene appeared within crying, scattered crowds and the collapsing extra-terrestrial bodies—a shadow burst from the sandy ground, grabbing Daoling's corpse. In the blink of an eye, it vanished underground, along with Daoling's body. "!" The crowd was stunned, but the scroll's scene ended abruptly there. The illusion disappeared, and the scroll, having lost its spiritual energy support, plummeted from the air, landing beside Xuanyuan Zheng's body. Silence fell over the Mirror Platform, and although everyone's thoughts varied, one thing was crystal clear to all: a major crisis was unfolding. Ying Xiao's face was somber, nearly dripping with cold sweat. The Immortal Sect's disciple gathering faced successive upheavals, and now, a memory scroll had appeared out of nowhere, pointing to unresolved mysteries about the Xuanhuang secret realm and unseen masterminds behind the corpse puppet incident. Ying Xiao felt as if the weight on his shoulders was suffocating him. An elder was the first to respond, quickly walking to the edge of the platform. He picked up the scroll from the ground and presented it to Ying Xiao with both hands, inquiring, "Leader, shall we continue the tournament?" Ying Xiao surveyed his surroundings, his gaze sharp and icy. With Xuanyuan Zheng's foul play injuring others, and Chen Er killing despite the supervising elders' intervention, along with the memory scroll stirring trouble, it felt like a conspiracy targeting him—the newly elected, yet insecure, Immortal Alliance leader. The distant viewpoint was abuzz, as these dramatic turns unfolded publicly, leaving no way to halt the murmurs and gossip that surely awaited him and the Alliance thereafter. Ying Xiao glanced towards the still-being-treated Ye Yanran, saying to the elder, "Clear the platform, continue the tournament." At this point, surrendering seemed his only viable move. No matter how chaotic, order must be maintained, and the information revealed in the scroll would be thoroughly investigated afterward. Approaching Yuanhai Zhenren, he respectfully saluted and said, "Elder, please move to the viewing stand. Considering the urgency today, the Immortal Alliance will not pursue blame, and Miss Chen may continue to participate in the tournament." Yuanhai Zhenren briskly replied, "No need. With all that has happened, who can guarantee the disciples' safety? Even if possible, who knows if some will act desperately, resorting to treacherous tactics!" Though Ying Xiao barely managed a stiff smile, Xuanyuan Kai's face darkened completely. Having spoken, Yuanhai Zhenren prepared to leave with Chen Er, but she, gazing solemnly toward where Ye Yanran was, remained silent. On the other side of the platform, the healer had stabilized Ye Yanran's injuries. Su Zijun cradled Ye Yanran, ready to depart when Xuanyuan Mu called out, "Elder, I have something to say." "What is it?" Su Zijun paused her steps slightly. Xuanyuan Mu responded, "Before Yanran's match, Le An called out Xuanyuan Zheng. I don't know what was said between them." A cold gleam flashed in Su Zijun's eyes. She nodded but said nothing more, taking Ye Yanran and leaving. Only then did Yuanhai Zhenren signal Chen Er, "We should go as well." Chen Er said nothing, preoccupied with concerns for Ye Yanran and having no heart for the tournament. She followed her master off the Mirror Platform obediently. Ying Xiao felt helpless, recalling the culprits behind the disturbance. His face turned grim instantly. He sought to reproach Xuanyuan Kai but, turning around, found no one there. In the chaos, Xuanyuan Kai had quietly spirited away Xuanyuan Zheng's body, without notifying anyone. On the Mirror Platform, some left, and others dispersed, while the supervising elders reorganized the arena, leaving just five people in the venue. There were Yan Zhao, Le An, Xuanyuan Mu, Zuo Xun, and Luo Qi. At this moment, Xuanyuan Mu cupped his hands towards Ying Xiao and said, "I would also like to withdraw from the competition. Please grant me permission to leave." On the Mirror Platform were special restrictions. Unlike the powerful elders who could come and go freely, Xuanyuan Mu needed permission to depart. As the tournament neared its final stages and was about to conclude, such an incident occurred. Not only did most of the invited prominent figures leave, but the participating disciples were also withdrawing one after another. Ying Xiao suppressed his inner frustration and scanned the remaining four individuals on the platform. "Does anyone else wish to leave?" As soon as he finished speaking, Luo Qi, standing next to Zuo Xun, timidly raised his arm, cautiously asking, "...Can I withdraw too?" "Go ahead!" Ying Xiao waved his long sleeve, and light circles appeared under Xuanyuan Mu and Luo Qi's feet, transporting them away. Below the platform, only Yan Zhao, Le An, and Zuo Xun remained. "With only three left, there's no need for individual battles," Ying Xiao declared, adjusting the tournament rules on the spot. "You three will compete in one match. The last one standing will be the champion of this Immortal Sect Disciple Tournament." After speaking, he turned and returned to the floating island. Of the masters invited to oversee the event, only Sikong Xuan, Yaoshenzi, and Yundaozi remained. Ying Xiao, his expression stern, raised the scroll and asked Yaoshenzi, "Esteemed elder, did the events depicted in this scroll truly occur?" The scroll had captured an image of Yaoshenzi, confirming his presence during the incident. Yaoshenzi nodded in confirmation, "Indeed, it did happen." Upon understanding this, Ying Xiao then turned to Yundaozi, who was sitting with his head bowed as if resting and oblivious to his surroundings, and gently called, "Elder Yundaozi." Yundaozi snapped his head up, awakened by the call, and answered Ying Xiao, "What does the alliance leader summon this old man for?" Holding the memory scroll with both hands, Ying Xiao spoke firmly, "Elder Daoling's case of privately crafting corpse puppets raises suspicions in my mind. I hope you can clarify this for me." Yundaozi appeared disinterested but squinted his eyes slightly at the query, "Speak your mind." "In that case, my apologies," Ying Xiao began candidly. "According to what I know, Elder Daoling was a pivotal figure in the Fu Yun Sect. Among its five peaks, he alone occupied one. If he truly crafted so many corpse puppets, how did he do it so secretly that no one was aware?" "Moreover, where did he learn the dark arts to control corpse puppets? And how could he also control extra-terrestrial beings? Who exactly is Daoling? How did he manage to remain hidden in Fu Yun Sect for so many years?" "Do you truly not know, or are you merely turning a blind eye?" Ying Xiao asked respectfully but firmly, "Please, elder, provide the Immortal Alliance with some answers." · On the Mirror Platform, the supervising elders returned to the arena, reestablishing the formations. In light of previous incidents, they reminded Yan Zhao, Le An, and Zuo Xun once again, "This is a sparring match; know when to stop. No lethal force is allowed." Yan Zhao looked at Zuo Xun, who showed no expression, and then turned to the calm and composed Le An. Undoubtedly, all three aimed for the top position; their choice to remain even after a major upheaval spoke volumes. Compared to one-on-one matches, the three-way battle added more variables. Le An frowned slightly at Ying Xiao's arrangement. In the previous round, Zuo Xun hadn't displayed her skills, leaving her capabilities unknown. However, as she had become the team leader, her abilities were presumably strong.