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  "A hundred years ago, the demonic sect was rampant and powerful. The Tao was declining while the demons were growing stronger. Under the crazed leadership of the demon horde, they sought to wipe out the righteous path in one fell swoop and invaded Qingyun. After a fierce and bloody battle, the ancestors and masters of old fought valiantly, summoning the ancient sword "Xian Jian" at the foot of Mount Qingyun, unleashing the "Xian Jian Sword Array", ultimately turning defeat into victory."

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī's tone was calm, but Lù Xuě Qí's face changed slightly, and just from that one sentence "cruel and fierce battle", one could imagine the intense and brutal situation back then.

  Just then, Shuiyue Master seemed to be distracted and continued: "After this battle, although the Demon Sect was severely damaged, my Qingyun sect also suffered heavy losses. Many of our ancestors who had high cultivation levels were either dead or injured, leaving us with no strength to pursue them relentlessly. However, at that time, there was a senior brother who stood up, volunteered and vowed to eradicate the evil and hunt down the remnants of the Demon Sect."

  Lu Xueqi's heart moved, and she said: "This Master Shibo, is it Wan Jianyi, the Master of Ten Thousand Swords?"

  The Master of the Water Moon slowly closed his eyes, and his tone also became somewhat ethereal. "It was him... Ah, the scenes of that year are still vivid in my mind: In that fierce battle, he had already made great contributions, killing countless enemies, and his white clothes were stained red. He stood before our masters, with an inspiring expression, and just a few words ignited the passion of us young disciples. Afterward, except for Daoxuan Master who stayed behind to guard Qingyun as the eldest disciple, I, Su Rou Master, Tian Bu Yi, Zeng Shu Chang, Shang Zheng Liang, Tian Yun, Cang Song, and others who later became the leaders of various sects, all followed him. From then on, we traveled the world, braving the dangers of the wilderness, with blood and rain, sword lights and shadows, but never feared or retreated."

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī's eyes were still open, her expression looked so focused, as if in front of her, the passionate and vigorous youth of that year reappeared, and even on both sides of her cheeks, there was a faint flush of red.

  In the small cottage, no one spoke for a moment, but the atmosphere seemed to be in turmoil, like a silent and turbulent undercurrent flowing quietly beneath the surface.

  After a long time, Master Shuǐ Yuè suddenly let out a bitter laugh and shook his head. His voice turned sorrowful as he said: "Forget it, these old matters have all passed. Back then, our group of people went through great hardships and severely damaged the remaining evil cult. Only then did we return to Qīng Yún. However, at that very moment, we inadvertently became entangled in one of our sect's secrets."

  "After returning to Qingyun, Su Rou and Tian Bu Yi developed feelings for each other over time. However, Yin actually didn't like this person. One deep night, the two of them secretly snuck out again without telling your Master Zhen Yun, and I discovered them afterwards. Worried that my fellow disciple would get into trouble, but also not wanting to report them, or else your Master would get angry and Su Rou would suffer, so I followed them all the way."

  Lu Xueqi heard this and was shocked and amused in her heart, but no matter what, she didn't dare to show it on her face.

  Fortunately, Master Shui Yue seemed to know this too, and without hesitation, he continued: "Who would have thought that the two of them were young and bold, and in order to avoid prying eyes, they actually made a secret appointment to sneak away to the back mountain of Tongtian Peak, running all the way to the ancestral temple near the secluded area where few people ventured."

  Lu Xueqi was shocked again, and after a long time, she silently lowered her head. The image of Tian Buyi, the first peak of Dazhu, floated in front of her eyes, and she secretly said that the world's phenomena were indeed unpredictable, and people were also unpredictable.

  Master Shuizhuyue's face was not pleasant, and he hummed a sound, saying: "I saw their appearance, and I really couldn't bear it in my heart. So I appeared and stopped them. Su Shi Mei and Tian Bu Yi were naturally startled at first, but after seeing that there was only one person, Su Shi Mei came over with a smile on her face to pull me, while Tian Bu Yi actually still didn't give me a good look. I was about to get angry...

  Lu Xueqi thought to herself: If Tianyi Shibo still had a good expression on his face at this moment, that would be strange. Just then, she heard Master Shuiyue suddenly stop and couldn't help but ask: "What happened next?"

  Master Shuiguo was silent for a moment, then said: "At this time, a strange whistle suddenly came from the originally desolate and dark ancestral hall. The sound was like a wild beast's howl, full of pain, almost not like a human voice. We three were shocked, subconsciously hiding in the shade of the dense forest. A moment later, we saw that one... secret."

  Lu Xueqi gazed intently at Master Shuǐ Yuè, but saw only a faint hint of pain on her face. It seemed that this secret had been tormenting her for many years, and even now, it still didn't seem to have worn off much.

  The low and solemn voice of Master Shuǐ Yuè, when put together, seemed somewhat hollow, but those words, however, were like thunderclaps that slowly uncovered the past events that had been sealed in dust.

  A figure stumbled out of the ancestral hall, clothes tattered and hair disheveled, covering their face. They looked like a madman, shouting and wailing incoherently. We three were shocked and frightened - how could such a person appear in this sacred place? But we couldn't just let them run amok. Just as we thought of intervening, two more figures darted out of the hall and knelt before the madman. Under the bright moonlight, we saw that they were our respected senior brothers, Daoxuan and Wanjian.

  "What?" Lu Xueqi exclaimed in surprise.

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī glanced at her and said lightly, "You're also surprised, right? Back then, the three of us were shocked, just like you. What happened next was even more unbelievable. Dào Xuán Shī Xiōng and Wàn Shī Xiōng looked like they were in deep sorrow, but instead, they knelt down on the ground, each holding onto one leg of that madman, refusing to let go. Their voices were filled with pleading and sadness as they called out "Shī Fù" (Master)...

  Lu Xueqi was now so shocked that she couldn't even make a sound of surprise.

  Shui Yue Dashi looked over, seemingly fully immersed in the matter at hand, his voice low and solemn as he said: "After being called out by them, we were shocked to discover that the madman's appearance was actually that of Qing Yun Men's former leader, Zhen Ren, who had just recently unleashed his divine might in the Great War between Good and Evil, and was also the master who had taught these two brothers."

  "We only saw the master's uncle, who had lost his usual dignified demeanor, speaking nonsense and seemingly cursing something, but it was unclear what he was saying. The two senior brothers looked extremely sorrowful, with tears streaming down their faces, tightly hugging the master's uncle's legs and pleading with him to wake up. However, the master's uncle, for some unknown reason, had become confused and disoriented despite his high level of cultivation, and ignored the pleas of his two most beloved disciples. In the end, he suddenly turned around, his eyes flashing with a fierce light, staring at the two people, and let out a loud roar, striking them down with both palms."

  Lu Xueqi heard this and felt as if she was there in person, her body trembling involuntarily.

  Shui Yue Dashi said: "At that time, the three of us were secretly watching from the side, and our minds were already in a mess. Suddenly, we saw the Palm Master Shibo turn his face and make a poisonous move against the two brothers. We were at a loss for what to do. Who would have thought that just as the two of them were about to lose their lives under the Palm Master's hand, suddenly Dao Xuan Shixiong hugged the Palm Master's leg and turned around swiftly, instantly moving behind Tian Chengzi Shibo like lightning, and grasping both of his arms at the same time. With a burst of energy, he firmly restrained Tian Chengzi Shibo."

  "Wan Shixiong seemed to have not expected Daoxuan Shixiong to be like this, and was stunned for a moment. Unexpectedly, Tianchengzi Shibo, although in a state of madness, still had his dao intact. With both hands being grasped by Daoxuan Shixiong, he suddenly flew up with one foot and kicked Wan Shixiong flying out. Wan Shixiong flew out for two zhang, and a mouthful of fresh blood spurted out."

  "At this time, the scene changed drastically and the three of us were stunned, just staring blankly, completely unsure of how to react. Suddenly, Dao Xuan Shixiong shouted loudly: "Wan Shidi, why aren't you taking action?" Wan Shixiong heard these words and his whole body trembled visibly, but he still didn't move, his eyes fixed rigidly on his master and Dao Xuan Shixiong."

  "The profound and mysterious Taoist master Tian Chengzi's strength was incredibly deep, but after a fierce struggle, his face turned red as he spat out several days' worth of fresh blood. His body's cyan glow rapidly dimmed, revealing that his Taoist cultivation still had a gap with Tian Chengzi's. Just as it seemed like Daoxuan Shixiong was about to collapse, a white shadow suddenly flashed by - it was Master Wan! The three of us stared blankly, our eyes wide open, as Master Wan let out a loud roar and charged over from afar. With a sharp whistle, his hand now held the Dragon-Slaying Sword, which he thrust deeply into Tian Chengzi's chest!"

  In the small hut, a deathly silence, as if it were that desolate night years ago, the stillness after the catastrophe, the lingering pain after the surge of murderous intent, returned to being voiceless.

  Lu Xueqi's face turned pale, and after a long while, she said in a low voice: "The records of the sect state that Tian Chengzi, our ancestor, underwent heavenly ascension 100 years ago...in front of the ancestral tablets of all the past ancestors at the Ancestral Temple, and passed on the position to Dao Xuan."

  The Water Moon Master let out a mournful laugh, shook his head and said in a low voice: "Seeing this sudden change at the gate, the two people who killed their master were none other than our two most respected senior brothers. I, Su Shimei, and Tian Nanyi were all stunned, lost for words, and didn't know what to do. Even Su Shimei accidentally made a slight noise in her agitation. But perhaps because they had just committed the crime and were still too excited, they didn't notice us here. After staring at each other for a long time, they slowly knelt down in front of Tian Chengzi's corpse. It turned out that there was a huge secret about the Xianjian Ancient Sword, which had been passed down from Qingye Ancestor Master in our sect. Although this sword could exterminate all evil, it seemed that due to its excessive killing and slaughter over the years, it had developed a strange and sinister aura. Once someone wielding the sword unleashed its full spiritual power, they would be counterattacked by the sword's demonic spirit, gradually losing control of their mind and becoming cruel and bloodthirsty. Even if one's moral character was strong, they couldn't resist."

  "From the time of Qing Ye's ancestor, who left behind a dying instruction, every generation of Qing Yun Men's master knew this secret. Therefore, they all tried not to use this divine sword. However, Tian Cheng Zi Shibo had no choice but to use it during the Great Demon War due to the urgent situation, and afterwards, he immediately sealed the sword and cultivated his heart with the Tao. But in the end, he still couldn't escape this calamity."

  "When Tian Chengzi Shibo was still sober, he secretly told his two most trusted disciples: Daoxuan Shixiong and Wanjianyi Shixiong. Firstly, he had always trusted these two people the most, secondly, if he only told one person, he feared that in case of an emergency, Tian Chengzi Shibo's cultivation was too high, and it would be difficult for one person to control him. In the end, it turned out to be this result..."

  Lu Xueqi heard this, and suddenly her heart shook. She raised her head abruptly and said urgently: "Master, now...now the current leader of the Daoxuan Sect, Master Shibo...he...could it be that he too..."

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī let out a long sigh and nodded silently. Lù Xuě Qí was stunned and speechless.

  Shui Yue Dashi remained silent for a long time, then said in a low voice: "Within ten years, Dao Xuan Shixiong has used the Exterminating Immortal Ancient Sword twice. Especially this time, during the beast demon calamity, he even opened all the heavenly locks on the Tianji Peak of Qingyun Mountain, pushing the power of the Exterminating Immortal Sword Array to its limits. The backlash from the demonic spirits is imaginable. In fact, I had expected this outcome, but ten years ago, Dao Xuan Shixiong had already used the Exterminating Immortal Ancient Sword once and yet was not troubled by the backlash of the demonic spirits. I had thought that his cultivation was deep and he could still overcome this disaster... Alas, heaven's will, heaven's will!"

  Lu Xueqi remained silent for a moment, then said: "Master, why would you tell me such a huge secret? Is there something big that you want to instruct me about?"

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī's face turned solemn as he looked at Lù Xuě Qí and said, "Indeed."

  Lu Xueqi slightly lowered her head and said: "The teacher's kindness is deep, the disciple has died nine times and cannot repay it. What's the matter? Please instruct me, Master!"

  Shui Yue Dashi gazed deeply at Lu Xueqi and said, "Originally, this secret was only known to the leader of Qingyun Gate, but I've been paying attention to Changmen Xiaoyi these past few days, and it's clear he doesn't know. With that being the case, among those who knew this secret, Tian Nanyi has already disappeared along with Daoxuan Shixiong. Su Shiemei and Tian Nanyi have always had a deep relationship as husband and wife, so at this moment, she's probably in a state of extreme anxiety. Therefore, whatever needs to be done, I'll have to take charge myself."

  Lu Xueqi looked up at Master Shuimeng and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Master, what do you mean?"

  Shui Yue Dashi said: "Although Dao Xuan Shixiong and Ri Bu Yi have disappeared, no one knows where they went or whether they left Qingyun Mountain. Therefore, I must stay on the mountain. If the two of them appear on the mountain, I can make a decision at any time. However, it is also necessary to send someone down the mountain to search. Among my disciples, there is not a single one who can be compared with you in terms of determination and depth of Taoist cultivation. This heavy responsibility can only be entrusted to you."

  Lu Xueqi's face turned solemn, and she slowly knelt down in front of Master Shuiyue. However, being a clever and astute person, she naturally understood the underlying connections and wouldn't be oblivious to them.

  A moment later, she said in a low voice: "The master's orders, the disciple obeys. It's just... The disciple doesn't know, if you want the disciple to go down the mountain and search for the whereabouts of the two masters, why did the master tell the disciple this secret?"

  As it turned out later, Lu Xueqi's voice actually trembled slightly.

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī's face turned pale, the muscles at the corners of her eyes seemed to be twitching slightly, and after a long silence, she slowly said: "Tián Bù Yì took the initiative to see Dào Xuán Shī Xiōng, obviously he knew this secret and saw that Dào Xuán Shī Xiōng had been counterattacked by the demon spirit. There must have been an intense battle between them. After you go down the mountain, focus on finding their whereabouts. If by chance you can find them and discover that they are really fighting...

  Shuǐ Yuè Dà Shī's palm slowly clenched into a fist, "You find an opportunity to kill that person controlled by the demon spirit with one sword!"

  Lu Xueqi's face was as pale as paper, but she still didn't say anything, and slowly lowered her head.

  After a long time, in the dead silence of this small room, I finally heard her faint voice that was almost impossible to hear: "Yes."