Qiu Yuanfeng laughed in anger. "That day, the last thing I saw as I was leaving was the demon Yaoguang grabbing Eldest Martial Brother's heart with a Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw—why don't you ask everyone if anyone has ever survived the Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw in all these decades! Zen Master Juefang was Venerable Fakong's eldest disciple. Weren't his skills stronger than Eldest Martial Brother's? Yet he couldn't withstand a single claw from that demon. His skull was cracked open, and he died on the spot!"

The heroes nodded one after another.

The Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw was notoriously famous back then, known for killing its victim with a single strike, leaving no survivors. It was Elder Yaoguang's signature technique, and the thought of it still sent chills down their spines. However, because it was too tyrannical and ferocious, it consumed a great deal of energy, and even Elder Yaoguang himself could not use it multiple times in succession.

Zhou Zhizhen couldn't bear it. "Martial Sister Luo, if Big Brother Wu was truly struck by the Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw, then there is absolutely no way he could have survived. You should try to accept it."

"If struck by the Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw, death is indeed certain," Luo Yuanrong said. "But what if a treasure blocked it for Eldest Martial Brother? My family has an ancestral treasure, a Profound Iron Heart-Protecting Mirror." She pointed to the giant gong outside the hall. "Like this giant gong, it is made of profound iron from the bottom of the sea. It was left to me by my father before he passed away."

Everyone was stunned.

"That day, before Eldest Martial Brother left, I begged him to wear that heart-protecting mirror under his clothes, otherwise I would not let him leave." Luo Yuanrong's expression was sorrowful. "Eldest Martial Brother finally agreed."

She suddenly looked up. "With the Profound Iron Heart-Protecting Mirror on him, even the Poisonous Python Heart-Drilling Claw might not be fatal!"

Qiu Yuanfeng's heart trembled. Not daring to think further, he roared in frustration, "That's just your side of the story! No one has ever tested it, so who knows if your stupid mirror is useful or not! Besides, I didn't know Eldest Martial Brother was wearing a heart-protecting mirror!" In fact, by the second half of his sentence, his confidence was already wavering.

"Even if Eldest Martial Brother died, even if it was just a corpse, you should have fought to bring it back!" Luo Yuanrong screamed hoarsely. "You have always harbored resentment towards Eldest Martial Brother! You always thought you were better than him, always felt that as long as he was around, you would never have your day. That's why you abandoned him without a second thought! You thought that as long as Eldest Martial Brother was gone, you could inherit the Grand Beginning Abbey!"

Qiu Yuanfeng trembled with rage. "You, you, you're spouting slander! Absurd, utterly absurd!"

Zhou Zhizhen also said, "That's going too far. At that time, Abbot Qiu's cultivation was far inferior to his second martial brother, Wang Yuanjing. In terms of both seniority and martial arts, it should have been Senior Brother Wang who succeeded the position of abbot after Brother Yuanying. Martial Sister Luo, this is a serious accusation."

"Right! It's because this wretch is so obstinate that she caused her master's death!" Cangqiong Zi finally came to his senses and quickly shouted, "I was in the northwest at the time, and Martial Brother was ill. When I heard the news of Yuanying's tragic death, I immediately coughed up a mouthful of blood! And this wretch still relentlessly demanded that everyone go to the Demonic Cult to save him! He was already dead, what was there to save!"

"Then why did Elder Yaoguang send a letter to Master!" Luo Yuanrong shouted.

At these words, the heroes were in disbelief. Even Abbess Jingyuan took several steps forward and said in a heavy voice, "Daoist Master Canghuan Zi despised evil like a mortal enemy. It is absolutely impossible for him to have colluded with the Demonic Cult. Almsgiver Luo, you must be careful with your words!"

Back then, the righteous and demonic paths had already shed rivers of blood, their enmity irreconcilable. Anyone suspected of colluding with the enemy would immediately become an enemy of the righteous path.

Luo Yuanrong's voice trembled. "On the second day after the Battle of Cauldron Mountain, Master received a personal letter delivered by flying courier from Elder Yaoguang. The letter said that Eldest Martial Brother was not dead, and that demon wanted to exchange Eldest Martial Brother for Elder Kaiyang. Master didn't dare to believe it, but he also hoped that Eldest Martial Brother was truly alive. So, he took the letter to Jiuli Mountain to discuss it with Old Sect Master Yin."

"How come there's another elder? Just how many of these experts does the Demonic Cult have?" Cai Zhao muttered to herself.

Chang Ning comforted her, "Don't worry, of those seven old geezers, only two are left now."

At this point, everyone's gaze turned to Qi Yunke.

Qi Yunke was in a difficult position and sighed. "Actually, before the Battle of Cauldron Mountain, the Demonic Cult's Elder Kaiyang had already been captured alive by my master and martial uncles. He was being held in the dungeon on Myriad Waters Thousand Mountains Cliff at the time. And that Elder Yaoguang had quite a close relationship with Elder Kaiyang, so..."

Yang Heying exclaimed, "Could it be that Daoist Master Canghuan Zi wanted to ask Old Sect Master Yin to exchange that demon for his beloved disciple? Impossible. Did Old Sect Master Yin agree?"

"Of course not!" Song Shijun said loudly. "Back then, my father-in-law, his senior brother Cheng Hao, and his junior brother Wang Dingchuan were known as the 'Three Elders of Green Peak.' The three of them were as close as brothers, their fame renowned. It was precisely to capture the demon Kaiyang that two of the Three Elders of Green Peak were lost! My father-in-law was overcome with grief, bedridden for months without recovery—Venerable Fakong knows about this."

Venerable Fakong chanted the Buddha's name, "Indeed, it is so."

Everyone in the hall thought: 'The Qingque Sect paid the price of two grandmasters to capture that great demon. How could they be willing to trade him for Wu Yuanying, especially when it wasn't even certain if Wu Yuanying was alive or dead.'

Qi Yunke said, "My master and Senior Canghuan Zi had a friendship of several decades, so he shouldn't have refused. But when he thought of the tragic deaths of Martial Uncle Cheng and Martial Uncle Wang, he found it difficult to decide. In the end, my master decided to accompany Senior Canghuan Zi to the meeting. If Brother Wu was truly not dead, the two of them would find a way to take down Elder Yaoguang together and then rescue Brother Wu. Who knew, who knew..."

"There's no 'who knew'," Cangqiong Zi said. "This matter was indeed false, a trap set by that demon from the very beginning. My martial brother returned heavily injured after the meeting and passed away not long after. Fortunately, he and Old Sect Master Yin joined forces and finally killed the demon Yaoguang, which can be considered eliminating a great evil for the Wulin!"

Qiu Yuanfeng added, "Before Master passed away, he said very clearly—Eldest Martial Brother is dead, and from now on, never believe a single word from the Demonic Cult! Fourth Martial Sister, you were also at Master's bedside then, didn't you hear him!"

Cai Zhao was full of doubt. "Did Elder Yaoguang deceive Senior Canghuan Zi? What happened to Elder Kaiyang then?"

"I know about that," Fan Xingjia rarely had a chance to contribute. "Martial Uncle Lei said that as soon as Elder Kaiyang heard that Elder Yaoguang was dead, he recklessly tried to escape from prison and was killed by the side of the cliff that very night."

Cai Zhao: "Wow, I didn't expect the villains of the Demonic Cult to have such deep brotherly affection."

Chang Ning's eyes slanted, "...Affection is affection, but as for being brothers, not necessarily."

Cai Zhao didn't understand, and her attention was drawn back to Luo Yuanrong's words.

"I heard him," Luo Yuanrong said calmly. "At that time, I blamed Master in my heart. Only later did I realize that Master did it for me. He had no other choice at that time."

She said, "The Elder Kaiyang that two martial uncles from the Qingque Sect traded their lives for could not possibly be exchanged for Eldest Martial Brother. Master's life was also coming to an end. Who would support me after he was gone? When a person leaves, the tea cools."

"The day after Master passed away, Martial Uncle took over as the acting abbot. Later, Third Senior Brother became the abbot. Those fellow disciples who respected and remembered Eldest Martial Brother were gradually purged from the Grand Beginning Abbey."

"Now, no one remembers him anymore."

A wave of sadness washed over everyone in their hearts. The once majestic young hero of the righteous path had been forgotten just like that.

Luo Yuanrong suddenly raised her head, "But I remember him. I will never, ever forget him!"

"Haven't you had enough!" Qiu Yuanfeng was furious. "Eldest Martial Brother is well and truly dead, yet you keep harping on about it. Why don't you produce some convincing evidence! And stop talking about your heart-protecting mirror, who knows if it was even useful!"

"Ironclad evidence? Of course." Luo Yuanrong revealed a very desolate and venomous smile. "If I didn't have rock-solid evidence, how would I dare to come to Myriad Waters Thousand Mountains Cliff today?"

Everyone's heart jolted.

Luo Yuanrong turned back, "Wu Gang, Wu Xiong, ... be careful."

The two men who were called upon carefully opened the golden bamboo basket. Inside seemed to be a thick, soft fleece blanket. Everyone's gaze focused on it, only to discover that a person was wrapped within the blanket.

Opening the blanket, a head was revealed first, then the shoulders, chest, abdomen, and then, and then there was nothing...

Nothing else?

Cai Zhao was far away and craned her neck, wanting to see clearly. Suddenly, she heard Yin Sulian from the main hall let out a scream of extreme terror before fainting dead away.

Everyone could finally see this 'person's' appearance clearly.

—His eyes had been gouged out, his tongue cut off, and his once-prominent nose had been flattened, leaving only two holes for breathing. His four limbs had been amputated, leaving only a torso. His body was covered in scars; just from the exposed skin, one could see whip marks, cuts, severed tendons, burns from fire, branding from charcoal, flesh gouged out...

Perhaps, this could no longer be called a person.

The people in the hall could only hear each other's heavy breathing.

"This, this is..." Yang Heying's voice trembled so much he couldn't recognize it himself.

"Brother Yuanying!" Daoist Yunzhuan cried out, rushing forward as if mad to embrace that 'person', weeping tragically, "Brother Yuanying, how did you become like this! How, how did you become like this!"

This cry was like waking people from a dream. Many in the hall had seen Wu Yuanying before. Even after twenty years, and even though his current state was too horrible to look at, they could vaguely recognize that 'he' was indeed the head disciple of the Grand Beginning Abbey who had once watered his horse by the spring stream!

"The villains of the Demonic Cult are inhumane, worse than beasts!" Song Shijun roared.

Even the usually gentle Zhou Zhizhen gritted his teeth, filled with extreme anger.

Cai Zhao had heard the crowd's clamor many times today, whether in cheers, mockery, or protest, but none were as thunderous as this moment. Everyone was screaming in sorrow, cursing in shock, erupting in a deafening uproar!

A catastrophe more terrible than death had befallen this once heaven-blessed prodigy who could rally a hundred with a single call.

Cai Zhao felt a chill rise from deep within her chest.