Chapter 383 - 211: Breakthrough to the True Master Realm (Part 1)

With the Qilin Army joining the fray and the Demon Sect’s masters being killed one after another,

all the infiltrating Demon Sect demons were surrounded on the mountain and completely annihilated.

The great turmoil within the Cangyun Sect had finally been quelled.

The next day, news of the upheaval spread like wildfire throughout the entire Cangzhou Prefecture Martial World by word of mouth.

Furthermore, the latest issue of the *Cangzhou Wind and Cloud Chronicles* was rushed to print and scattered like snowflakes into every corner of Cangzhou Prefecture!

Its front-page headline read:

"Upheaval in Cangyun Sect! Xie Songnian is the Demon Sect’s Biggest Mole! The General’s Mansion Presents Ironclad Proof!"

Below it was a public announcement from the General’s Mansion.

The announcement declared that after a thorough investigation by the Qilin Army’s "Iron Eagle Guard," it was finally confirmed that Cangyun Sect’s Vice Sect Leader, Xie Songnian, was in fact an Elder of the Demon Sect’s Shadow Prison Sect, hidden within the orthodox Martial World!

Using his position as Vice Sect Leader, he had secretly supported the Demon Sect’s forces for years, eliminated dissenters, stole intelligence from various sects, and sold off Sect resources!

The previous Exorcism frenzy that had swept through all of Cangzhou Prefecture was nothing more than a charade he directed himself—a classic case of a thief crying "stop thief"!

His goal was to use the orthodox sects to eliminate disobedient branches of the Demon Sect while framing the loyal and weakening the entire Cangzhou Martial World, paving the way for the Demon Sect to ultimately overthrow Cangzhou Prefecture!

The announcement even included a mountain of ironclad evidence!

There were letters in Xie Songnian’s own handwriting, detailing his correspondence with the Demon Sect, and secret ledgers recording how he had sold off Sect resources for personal gain over the years.

There were even signed and fingerprinted confessions from several captured Demon Sect Hall Masters!

The chain of evidence was so complete it was simply irrefutable!

At the end of the announcement, General Qin Fuhu personally signed his name, denouncing Xie Songnian for betraying his trust and deceiving his superiors and subordinates, declaring his actions deserving of death!

As soon as this news broke, the entirety of Cangzhou Prefecture was in an uproar.

"I knew it! That old dog was definitely up to no good!"

"Heavens! We... we were being played like fiddles by a demon all this time?!"

"Kill him! Death by a thousand cuts!!"

A towering wave of fury instantly drowned the entire Cangzhou Prefecture!

But the General’s Mansion’s actions didn’t stop there.

On the afternoon the announcement was issued,

elite units of the Qilin Army, led by the Iron Eagle Guard, appeared simultaneously before the gates of major sects like the Cangyun Sect, Taiyuan Sect, and Profound Sound Sect!

Wielding joint arrest warrants issued by the General’s Mansion, they slammed a long list of Demon Sect spies down in front of each Sect Leader with the force of a thunderbolt!

The prominent names on the list struck fear into the hearts of all who saw it!

On it were not only more than a dozen Stewards and Elders from the Cangyun Sect who were close to Xie Songnian,

but even the Vice Sect Leader of the Taiyuan Sect, Zhao Qianjun, and a highly respected Instructor Elder from the Profound Sound Sect were listed!

For a time, everyone within the Three Great Sects feared for their own safety!

Faced with the cold spear tips and unquestionable authority of the Qilin Army, not a single Sect dared to resist.

One by one, high-ranking Sect figures who were normally respected and aloof were shackled like common animals and dragged out of their respective Sects.

「Three days later, at the market square execution grounds.」

The place was packed, a sea of jostling heads.

Dozens of influential figures who once held sway over the Cangzhou Prefecture Martial World were now kneeling on the cold execution platform, their hair disheveled and their bodies tightly bound.

"Qin Fuhu! You despicable, shameless dog! You burn the bridge after crossing it! I’ll haunt you even as a ghost!"

Taiyuan Sect’s Vice Sect Leader, Zhao Qianjun, roared hoarsely, his hair and beard standing on end and his eyes bloodshot with fury.

However, his voice was quickly drowned out by the Executioner’s cold cry of "Execute!" and the tsunami-like roars of "Kill!" from the surrounding crowd!

SCHLICK! SCHLICK! SCHLICK!

One head after another flew high into the air!

Blood stained the entire execution platform red.

Watching this bloody and shocking scene unfold, some in the crowd applauded with glee, while others felt a lingering fear.

Naturally, there were also some shrewder individuals who felt a bone-deep chill.

They knew very well how many people on that list were actual Demon Sect spies,

and how many...

were merely sacrificial lambs for the Lord General to discipline, consolidate, and even weaken the entire Cangzhou Martial World!

Of course, no one dared to openly question it.

They could only complain in private, and only to their closest confidants.

Thus, the Demon Sect forces that had been entrenched in Cangzhou Prefecture for many years were utterly annihilated with overwhelming, thunderous force.

And General Qin Fuhu’s prestige, in the wake of this iron-fisted purge, reached an unprecedented peak!

...

Jiang Che read the latest issue of the *Cangzhou Wind and Cloud Chronicles*. It used the most lavish language to detail the General’s Mansion’s thunderous methods and glorious achievements in "setting things right."

He calmly put the paper down, his eyes showing no emotion.

’The reckoning... has begun,’ he thought to himself.

Although he didn’t know what General Qin Fuhu’s ultimate goal was,

he could clearly feel an invisible net slowly tightening.

Right now, the ones being purged were the "scum" who had colluded with the Demon Sect.

But who would be next?

Once the entire Cangzhou Martial World was thoroughly "purified," with no "stains" left to be used as an excuse,

where would the butcher’s blade hanging over everyone’s heads fall?

Jiang Che didn’t know.

He only knew that he had to acquire the strength to protect himself—and those around him—before that storm arrived!

...

「Several days later, Cangyun Sect, Qi Yun Pavilion.」

Inside the main hall, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified.

Sect Leader Xu Zhouzi sat on the main seat. Below him were Xu Qingshan, Yue Lingfeng, and the other surviving courtyard heads and Core Elders.

"During this demonic turmoil, our Cangyun Sect stood united against a common enemy, and many loyal and courageous individuals emerged."

Xu Zhouzi’s voice echoed slowly in the vast hall.

"After discussion with the Elder Council, we shall reward those who have earned merit!"

He first turned his gaze toward several courtyard heads and Elders, led by Yue Lingfeng.

"Lingfeng, you remained composed in the face of danger, promptly organizing the Elders to severely wound and kill two True Master Realm Demon Sect Guardians. You turned the tide, and your contribution is immense! I hereby award you three Rejuvenation Pills and thirty thousand Sect points! As for the other Elders who participated in the slayings, they will each receive two Rejuvenation Pills and thirty thousand Sect points!"

"Thank you, Sect Leader!" Yue Lingfeng and the others stepped forward in unison, bowing in gratitude with excited expressions.

Rejuvenation Pills!

These were the most potent Elixir Pills for those in the True Master Realm!

An ordinary courtyard head or Elder in the True Master Realm would only receive one per year.

Even the Sect Leader himself only had a yearly quota of three.

To be rewarded with so many this time...

The Sect Leader was truly sparing no expense!

After rewarding the Elders, Xu Zhouzi’s gaze slowly fell upon Jiang Che, who stood at the very front of the disciples’ ranks.

In that instant, everyone’s eyes in the hall subconsciously focused on the young man.

"Chief Disciple of Yunhai Courtyard, Jiang Che!"

"Disciple is present!" Jiang Che took a step forward and bowed.

"In this demonic turmoil, you remained calm in the face of danger and single-handedly killed seventeen Demon Sect Hall Masters and Half-step True Master Realm experts! You rescued hundreds of your fellow disciples! Such a feat is unprecedented in the four-hundred-year history of our Cangyun Sect! Among the disciples... you have earned the highest merit!"

Xu Zhouzi’s voice was filled with unconcealed praise and admiration!

"As a special reward, you shall receive one Rejuvenation Pill! And ten thousand Sect points!"

"Furthermore, you are permitted to enter the Treasure Pavilion and select any Treasure Artifact you desire!"

As soon as he said this, everyone present cast envious gazes toward Jiang Che!

’Jiang Che hasn’t even reached the True Master Realm, yet he was rewarded with a Rejuvenation Pill?’

’Not to mention, he gets to enter the Treasure Pavilion and pick any Treasure Artifact he wants!’

This reward was truly substantial!

"Thank you, Sect Leader!" Jiang Che was overjoyed and quickly bowed in thanks.

After the award ceremony ended, Jiang Che didn’t rush to the Treasure Pavilion to pick out a treasure.

He had many trump cards up his sleeve and was no longer in need of one or two Divine Weapons.

For him, the most pressing matter was to convert these resources into real strength as quickly as possible!

He had to break through to the True Master Realm as soon as possible!

...

「Inside the Level A Cultivation Room.」

Jiang Che sat cross-legged on a cattail mat shrouded in Spiritual Mist, his mind serene and focused.

Before him hovered an Elixir Pill, resplendently golden all over. Wisps of tangible-looking golden mist even swirled around its surface.

It was the genuine True Essence Pill he had taken from Xie Songnian’s corpse!

Jiang Che took a deep breath, and without any further hesitation, he opened his mouth and swallowed the pill.

Instantly, the Elixir Pill transformed into a vast surge of energy that flooded his organs.

BOOM!!!!!!

At the same time, Jiang Che felt as if a sun had viciously crashed into his entire Sea of Consciousness!

A terrifying energy, countless times purer and vaster than the substitute pill from before, erupted violently!

Under the infusion of this energy, his Divine Soul rapidly expanded and solidified!

’Now!’

With a roar in his mind, Jiang Che immediately guided this potent Divine Thought, wrapping it around the powerful Strength within his body, and slammed it fiercely against the final barrier—

the Baihui Acupoint!

"Break... for me!!!"

CRACK—

RUMBLE!!!!!!

A colossal boom exploded in the deepest part of his soul!

The final chasm that had troubled him for months, a barrier that had driven countless geniuses to despair,

under this terrifying, unstoppable force...

shattered on impact!

At the same time, Jiang Che felt his Divine Soul, which had already expanded to its limit, suddenly leap upward as if it had broken free from some invisible shackles!

In that moment, his consciousness seemed to break free from the confines of his physical body, looking down upon the world from an unprecedented perspective!

He saw his own body sitting cross-legged in the Cultivation Room.

He saw the disciples hurrying about outside the Cultivation Room.

However, he couldn’t see anything further away.

This state lasted for only an instant.

Soon, his Divine Soul fell back into his body, its momentum exhausted.

But Jiang Che knew... he was completely different now!

He was now a genuine...

True Master Realm expert!

However, just as his heart was racing with excitement from this wondrous experience,

he suddenly noticed something was wrong!

He was astonished to find that what was surging through his body was still his previous Strength!

It hadn’t transformed into the more condensed and agile True Qi described in his Cultivation Technique!

’What’s going on?!’